Photos emerged of Meghan during a Christmas shopping trip in Montecito on Wednesday prompting some Twitter users to claim the Duchess staged the snaps.

       One user with the handle @lord_belacquan said: "Meghan was so triggered by an article saying she was staying at home over the Ellen backlash, she staged a paparazzi shoot of her shopping and trying to look busy with two phones that were switched off."

       Another, @hrrysgreysuit, claimed: "She called the Paps. Santa Barbara is a small community paparazzi aren’t just hanging around waiting for her to come out."

       However, other users were quick to defend the Duchess against the accusations, with one with the handle @SneezeCocoa writing: "Meghan looks absolutely gorgeous! And being papped from time to time is expected, it's the illegal and intrusive actions of the media and paparazzi I have an issue with."

       It comes after royal commentator Neil Sean claimed Meghan was "so upset" by the backlash following her appearance on The Ellen Show that she has "taken to indoors."

       Additional reporting from Oliver Pritchard and Katie Harris.

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