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British priests Daniel French and Chris Phillips faced backlash from fans of Meghan Markle after criticizing her £112 ($148) chocolate advent calendar as expensive, instead recommending a more affordable alternative. The criticism triggered angry responses on social media where some accused the priests of being "evil" and "satan spawn." This incident highlights tensions surrounding Meghan's holiday offerings and their reception among supporters and critics alike.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Meghan Markle's fans, known as the Sussex Squad, have aggressively criticized and harassed two British priests on social media for criticizing her new £112 (£148 USD) advent calendar, which includes 24 handcrafted chocolates from Los Angeles-based chocolatier Compartés. Anglican priest Rev Daniel French suggested his followers consider a cheaper, Fairtrade Christian advent calendar priced at £5.99 that also supports charity. This sparked angry responses on social media with some calling the priests derogatory names like "evil" and "satan spawn," leading one of them to lock down their account for protection. The debate highlights tensions between luxury consumerism and traditional religious practices during Christmas.
Written for “Meghan Markle Fans vs Priests Row” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning: leans right for article 61674 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-07
Claims extracted
10
claim-shaped sentences
Uncertain
20%
2 of 10 hedged
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Correction & hedging signals
64.5
corrections and hedging in what we collected;
not a measure of accuracy
Outlets on this story
3
Entertainment
Narrative spread
1
articles carrying this framing
Meghan Markle fans have been accused of “terrorizing” two British priests after they criticized her pricey advent calendar and suggested a cheaper, more traditional alternative, the Daily Mail reported.
uncertain
Mail → accuse → alternative
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, is selling a luxury advent calendar filled with 24 chocolates for £112, or about $148, in collaboration with Los Angeles-based chocolatier Compartés.
asserted
Duchess → sell → Compartés
The online feud began after Rev. Daniel French, an Anglican priest and London university chaplain, weighed in on Meghan’s new As Ever holiday offering.
asserted
French → begin → offering
French instead urged his followers to consider a $8 Christian advent calendar from the Meaningful Chocolate Company that includes Fairtrade chocolate, a Christmas story and activity booklet, while supporting the Leprosy Mission.
asserted
that → urge → Mission
His post prompted a barrage of angry responses from some members of the so-called “Sussex Squad”, with critics branding him “evil” and “satan spawn” and accusing him of having an “ugly heart for a so-called Christian.”
Father Chris Phillips, a priest in southwest London, then backed French on X, writing that he had “encountered the Sussex Squad on here.”
Phillips subsequently faced his own wave of hostile messages and eventually locked his account and blocked some Meghan supporters, according to the Daily Mail.
uncertain
Phillips → prompt → Mail
One critic accused the priests of using their platforms to attack Meghan, while another called them “sorry excuses for Christianity.”
asserted
another → accuse → Christianity
The controversy comes as Meghan continues to expand her As Ever lifestyle brand, including a new holiday collection that has drawn comparisons to Buckingham Palace’s festive offerings.
asserted
that → come → offerings
Her “Hostess Basket” features teas, fruit spreads, flower sprinkles and scented candles, while the collection also includes the $148 chocolate advent calendar.
asserted
collection → feature → calendar
The advent calendar kerfuffle threatens to mar the first Christmas across the pond for the Sussexes after their shocking return to England earlier this year.
asserted
kerfuffle → threaten → England
Meghan and Prince Harry returned to the UK with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in August.
asserted
Meghan → return → August
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