Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Photo: Mark Jones/Wikimedia Commons
In May 2018, Meghan Markle married Prince Harry and became the Duchess of Sussex. The wedding was celebrated the world over with the British press describing her entry into the Royal Family, without the pre-requisite of blood or birth, as a breath of fresh air.
Meghan said that after her wedding she wanted to hit the ground running, and apparently, she must have. There were reports that she would wake up very early in the morning and start emailing her assistants demanding if tasks had been completed. It is true that no one likes a pushy boss or a pushy anyone. It is true that many employees and some who had been long term employees quit their roles soon after the marriage between Meghan and Harry. Were they bullied or could it have been a personality clash or just differing working styles? We can all speculate as much as we want as to the reasons why, but as outsiders looking in, we do not know the truth. My only children resent my pushiness but it is just my modus operandi.
The press built Meghan up, only to tear her down. She was referred to as a gold digger, although she came into the marriage with her own millions. Eamonn Holmes, a TV presenter here in the UK, once called Meghan uppity, like she didn’t know her place. But she did. She is a smart, beautiful, confident woman, proud of her heritage, with a voice that she is not afraid to use. She has never considered herself less than and this irritates those who think she has climbed beyond her station and should just be grateful.
She was criticized for wearing sleeveless gowns where other royals who dressed similarly were praised as radiant; she was even criticized for lovingly cradling her pregnancy! The onslaught was relentless, even during pregnancy, with no care to her emotional wellbeing. The press succeeded in turning the public against her. Now she was vilified by press and public alike. How much burden can one woman bear? Apart from her husband, Prince Harry, no other family member stood up for her. Not her father in-law, brother in-law or sister in-law. How lonely must that have felt.
At a dinner where Meghan was introduced to the wider Royal Family, Princess Michael of Kent, the Queen’s cousin wore a racist broach to the introduction dinner. Oh, but let’s get over it because she issued an apology.
When she gave birth to baby Archie, a former BBC news broadcaster, Danny Baker posted a racist picture of a monkey dressed in a suit, with the caption royal baby leaves hospital!
In July 2020, Meghan suffered a miscarriage that she could only describe as unbearably painful. Sympathy towards her lasted for all of a minute. I do not know Meghan Markle, therefore I cannot attest to her character but then again neither do the press and some of the public who troll her, but anyone who denies that this young woman has suffered unimaginable bullying and abuse, needs to have that shameful conversation with their-selves.
It beggars belief that people are more angry at Prince Harry and Meghan than they are with an alleged pedophile! What did they do that is so wrong? Prince Harry knows more than anyone how the press can build you up and destroy. He saw it with his own mother. They hounded the beautiful English Rose, Diana, Princess of Wales, until she died trying to escape their intense intrusion into her life. He did not want history to repeat itself, so he did what any loving and responsible husband should do, removed them from a dangerous and toxic environment.
They have been branded greedy for signing lucrative deals with Netflix and also recently a podcast. This is laughable. They are not living off tax payers like the rest of the royals, they are doing what they said they wanted to do, achieve financial independence. How did simple minds think this would be achieved, by growing a money tree in their backyard?
They have also been branded hypocrites for courting publicity but most of the news about them is from reporters and photographers, and not from interviews they have given. They cannot help it if each time they step out, their photograph is taken or something is written about them. They are aware that people will always be interested in them, regardless of whether or not they love them. They are aware that they are newsworthy but what is objectionable is the untruths printed about them and drones flying above their home to try and get some pictures. They were both recently vindicated when damages were ordered for baseless claims that Prince Harry had turned his back on the Royal Marines and had not been in touch with them since stepping back as a senior working royal and for invasion of privacy in the case of Meghan.
In January it was confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan would not be returning as working royals. Imagine walking away from such a life of privilege and obscene wealth. Who does that without compelling reason?
A week ago, James Corden, the British comedian now living in LA, filmed a short skit with Prince Harry on a tour bus, with a tea cart. It was hilarious. The prince seemed happy, playful and relaxed. At work a colleague of mine said that she had been given a bad review of it before watching it but actually loved it when she finally did. This is yet another example of people just hating on this young couple for no reason whatsoever. How miserable must their own lives be that the only joy they have is in dimming someone else’s light? The loathing is so intense that anyone with a kind word for the couple is treated dismissively.
On Sunday March 7, the much anticipated interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with none other than the queen of talk show herself, Oprah Winfrey, will air in the UK. In the U.S. it airs from 8PM to 10PM Eastern Standard Time on CBS. Predictably, the some of the U.K. public have questioned why they would give their interview if they claim to seek privacy. What does privacy mean for someone in the public eye? Could it be the ability to control what aspect of your life is for public consumption? For the past three years we have been reading from various sources about the couple. When they complained that they thought members of staff were leaking information to the press, this was met with a deafening silence. Why then should they not be able to now tell their side of the story if falsehoods are still being perpetuated?
The royal family has pushed back by saying that its HR department are investigating claims that Meghan bullied two employees and undermined one. They have not released any statement in relation to Prince Andrew mind you, but have made it known to the entire world that they are now suddenly going to investigate these allegations which date back to 2018 and this announcement is made a few days before what I can imagine to be an explosive tell all interview with Oprah Winfrey. It can only be to discredit the Duchess. Whichever side of the fence one sits on, surely they would have to be deliberately blind not to see this.
Whereas I am firm that bullying of any kind should not be tolerated, I am somewhat suspicious about the timing of the announcement of said investigation. Why was it not investigated in 2018? Understandably the royal family, particularly the senior members must be petrified about the no holds barred interview but the public will not be distracted. We want to know why the monarchy let go of such a gem and missed an opportunity to transform into modernity.
The prince is being criticized for the timing of the interview and that he should seek to postpone its airing out of respect for his family. Is this the same family that did not stand up for and support him and his young family? While we wish Prince Philip a quick recovery, but oh, the temerity.
I am a hopeless romantic, captivated by a good love story and this one is as good as it gets. They made him choose, he chose her by walking away from everything he has ever known. A bitter pill to swallow indeed.
I am also a huge fan of Meghan Markle in her own right. She is a feminist and was a humanitarian before she met Prince Harry. These facts are undisputed. She is also a go getter. She walked in and walked away with a prince. Another bitter pill to swallow, but swallow we must!
I wish them more love, happiness and all the joy. And safety!
May everything they touch turn to gold.
