A Meghan Markle lookalike says she is being bullied by online trolls who use her as a “punchbag” following the duchess’ Oprah Winfrey interview.
Mum-of-three Sarah Mhlanga, from Manchester, is baffled by the abuse but has admitted she may have to quit her job, which sees her make up to £300 an appearance.
The 38-year-old said she fears once the pandemic is over she’ll struggle for work because the former Hollywood actress’ explosive allegations have divided opinion.
“There are some people who feel like [Meghan is] waging a war on the royals, and people can’t access Meghan so they’re using me as their punchbag,” Sarah told Closer magazine.
“I get messages saying I’m attention-seeking and that I should be ashamed to represent Meghan. It’s so hurtful.”
She added: “I love Meghan, but now, after this interview, I’m worried people won’t want to hire me.”
The cruel messages first started on social media after Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down as senior royals last year, explained Sarah.
But since the sit-down chat with Oprah the abuse has intensified with one troll telling her Meghan is “the most hated woman in the world” and she “deserves the same abuse”.
She first started working as Meghan’s doppelgänger in August 2017, after a cashier at IKEA remarked on their resemblance.
A month later, the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex were engaged and Sarah appeared in a newspaper article.
From then, she said the “floodgates opened” and she suddenly found herself being booked for countless royal-themed parties, as well as promotional work and TV spots.
Sarah has a set of ‘Meghan’ clothes and has spent hours studying footage of the duchess to mimic her facial expressions and mannerisms.
She added that she has more sympathy for Harry and Meghan since watching the Oprah interview and hopes the rift with the royals can be repaired.
The duchess alleged to the chat show host that an unnamed senior royal had made remarks about then-unborn son Archie’s skin colour, while claiming she was denied support despite feeling suicidal.
