The Duchess and Duke of Sussex; happy as Meghan and Harry? Photo: Mark Jones. Wikimedia Commons
On January 8th, The British Royal Family and indeed the world at large in seems, was shocked at the unprecedented decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to step back from their roles as senior members of the Royal Family.
Really? Am I the only one who saw this coming?
If you watched their documentary, ‘Harry and Meghan an African journey’, you will remember that the couple spoke about the relentless media intrusion into their private lives. Whereas Meghan Markle should have expected that there would be a certain amount of interest into her life on marrying the prince, I don’t think that anyone could have imagined the constant barrage of insults and criticisms. The extent of interest included paying her own father and some dysfunctional members of her extended family for interviews! Some of whom had not had any contact with the Duchess in so many years but were seething and regurgitating with jealousy. Thank God for Doria Ragland. She raised a beautiful, strong, smart, ambitious, hardworking and confident woman.
Prince Harry told the world during their African tour that he would not let the press do to his wife what they had done to his mother. The same press who then shamelessly mourned the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales. The writing was on the wall.
When they announced their engagement in 2017, Meghan was branded a gold-digger and social climber. What people fail to understand is that she gave up a lucrative job for love and came into this marriage already a millionaire.
The British press have been unforgiving in their portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex. They have criticised her for just about anything and everything and effectively turning already biased members of the public against her. This necessitated a letter of solidary to the Duchess, from female MPs across the political spectrum in October 2019 as she waged a legal battle against the tabloid for their distasteful and misleading reporting.
Meghan was in a new country, a newly wed, expecting her first child but they had no regard whatsoever for this. They did not stop to think or maybe they did but did not care enough what mental anguish they were causing her and Prince Harry who had to watch his wife suffer.
I am a big fan of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but that is not to say I agree with all their decisions, for example, not bringing baby Archie out to the waiting public when he was born, which is a longstanding tradition followed by many Royal mums before her. This angered the public, fuelled by the press. Pregnancy however, and childbirth is no walk in the park at the best of times, let alone in your late 30s. It is very possible that the Duchess may not have been up to it.
The press have criticised her for cradling her baby bump, for wearing an off the shoulder dress, for wearing jeans to Wimbledon and for putting her hands in her pockets! How trivial. Meghan was shamed for the very same things her sister in-law Catherine Middleman was praised for. Below are just a few examples that make me question why anyone would deny that Meghan Markle has been treated very unfairly indeed.
Kate: “Bumping along nicely! The Duchess was seen placing a protective hand on her tummy as she exited the event.” Daily Mail: March 22, 2018
Meghan: “Personally, I find the cradling a bit like those signs in the back of cars: Baby on Board. Virtue signaling, as though the rest of us barren harridans deserve to burn alive in our cars.” Daily Mail: Jan. 26, 2019
Kate: “Royal sources said yesterday that the Queen understood and endorsed William and Kate’s decision not to spend Christmas Day with her. One said: ‘Her Majesty understands that it is a dilemma that many young couples face and acknowledges how close Catherine’s relationship is with her family.” Daily Mail: Dec. 16, 2016
Meghan: “The fact is the Queen expects to have the family around her for the festive season… to the Queen, for whom the tradition of the family gathering is a key date in her calendar, Harry and Meghan’s absence will be a matter of great sadness. It will also be a source of frustration.” Daily Mail: Nov. 13, 2019
Kate and William: “Prince William was given one of the green fruit – wrapped up in a bow – by a little boy who’s mother is suffering during her pregnancy too… ‘He said he’d take it to [Kate] and see what happens – and said good luck for [the boy’s] mummy.'” Express: Sept. 14, 2017
Meghan: “The pregnant Duchess of Sussex and so-called ‘avocado on toast whisperer’ is wolfing down a fruit linked to water shortages, illegal deforestation and all round general environmental devastation.” Express: Jan. 23, 2019
The press built her up and then predictably set out to destroy her. Not on Harry’s watch. He has defended her publicly whenever it was necessary. Every woman needs a Prince like Harry. One who would put no one and nothing above her, not even the monarchy.
Meghan Markle may never have been good enough for some members of the Royal Family or the British public, but she is everything to Prince Harry and that is all that matters.
Princess Michael of Kent was forced to apologise after she was accused of racism when she wore a blackamoor brooch to the Queen’s Christmas lunch two years ago, attended by Meghan Markle.
On 9th May, last, a BBC reporter, Danny Baker was sacked over a tweet he shared of an image of Archie Harrison as a chimp. Who in their right mind would abuse a baby? For those of you who choose to be deliberately blind, that is your privileged entitlement.
Meghan Markle never really stood a chance, did she? In their statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said, “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen”.
The gutter press had a field day with this statement, laying the blame, as expected, squarely at the feet of Meghan Markle, because according to them Prince Harry is a doormat without a mind of his own. How offensive must this be to the couple.
And then everyone was up in arms about how they should lose Frogmore cottage, they shouldn’t receive any public money, they should pay for their own security etc. The couple have not said they were quitting the Royal Family. They still intend to fully support the Queen, I am assuming with their respective patronages, making them working Royals. They have already given up a percentage of public money that they receive.
The British press also falsely reported that the couple had not informed the Queen or other Senior Royals, of their plans to step back but later it was reported that it seemed the Queen had been informed by only found out 10 minutes before the rest of the world that the a statement was going to be made public. The Queen, may not have liked or agreed with the decision but it doesn’t mean that she did not know. Prince Harry may be the Queen’s grandson but he is now a husband and a father and that is where his duty should lie, with his wife and son.
There has not been objective reporting in the last couple of years where the Duke and Duchess have been concerned, as though there is some kind of personal vendetta.
In my humble opinion, there are a number of factors at play here. Of course, we will never be privy to the whole truth, we can only speculate, some of us, more objectively than others but the decision to step back as Senior Royals was taken primarily to protect Meghan Markle and Baby Archie.
Her Majesty The Queen issued a statement on Tuesday that, “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family”
It is interesting to note that the ‘abdication’ of Prince Harry and Meghan was deemed a crisis that necessitated an urgent summit, with the Palace releasing a statement at their sadness and disappointment. Where was such a statement when the news broke about Prince Andrew? It seems to me that the Palace and the public are more forgiving of Prince Andrew, whom it was alleged had had sexual relations with a minor. Is the conscious uncoupling of the Sussex’s more serious than alleged paedophilia?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be genuinely in love. Let us wish them well. Let us wish them happiness, health, wealth and safety.
This world has real problems.
