One thing I have been thinking a lot about this year is perspective. We all have a different one, and while two people can experience the same event, you will probably get two different stories of what happened. Look at siblings. My sister’s and I can talk about events from our childhoods and have completely different recollections of the same event. That’s why I like to think the truth is always somewhere in the middle.
So, while Meghan was spilling the tea with Oprah, I kept this in the back of my mind. This is Harry and Meghan’s story and I felt it left me with a lot of questions. While Oprah did a phenomenal job, I think there is so much more to this story.
My initial response to the interview was, why do it in the first place? They wanted to get their side of the story out, I get that, but there is a difference between whilstleblowing against the monarchy as an institution, and whistleblowing against your family. My opinion is that some of these grievances should’ve been kept private.
Meghan Was Not Prepared for Royal Life
The first bomb dropped was that Meghan was not prepared for what she encountered in Royal life. Okay, my thought when she said she had no idea what she was getting into, had never looked up any information online about Harry, and had no idea about what Princess Diana went through is hmmmmm.
She herself said in her South African interview that several of her friends who lived in Canada and the U.K. tried to warn her that the media coverage would be relentless and unforgiving. That the British tabloids were like nothing she had ever encountered. I found it a little hard to believe that she had no clue about what it would be like. To that I say, someone should’ve given her a copy of Fergie’s book, My Story.
That book is very telling and talks about what Fergie endured and how it destroyed her marriage to Prince Andrew {he’s another topic, and one that to me is more shocking than anything Harry and Meghan have to say. Go watch Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich on Netflix for more on that one and why he should be sitting in jail…}
On another note, how sweet was it that Fergie helped teach Meghan how to curtsey prior to her first meeting with the Queen?
I would also like to say with modern technology, it’s amazing what you can find out about a person with only a first name and an occupation. Anyone on a dating app with access to Google can attest…
Media Darlings
It’s important to remember things between Harry and Meghan and the media weren’t always sour. They were media darlings throughout their courtship and their wedding was celebrated around the world. Harry said things changed after their Australian Tour. This was in October 2018, five months after the wedding.
My next question is another why? Harry believes, like his mother in 1983, Meghan had a very successful tour and was now a threat to others in the Monarchy. But, there’s another side emerging, which is the way staff were treated on that tour, several quitting within months of returning from this trip.
Something that always stood out to me as bad taste was Harry and Meghan choosing the first day of the tour to announce that Meghan was expecting their first child. This was much anticipated news and was quickly everywhere. And people were very excited about the pregnancy.
Unfortunately, the news broke only three days after Princess Eugenie’s wedding. So, the wedding was quickly overshadowed and forgotten about by news of the new Royal Baby. Eugenie and her fiancé had already pushed back their wedding to accommodate Harry and Meghan’s in May of that year {simply put, they were outranked}.
I never understood the timing of that announcement and I’m not sure what the strategy was, but then again, there’s got to be more to it than what we know.
Mental Health
The piece I found the most shocking was when Meghan revealed the media scrutiny was so bad that she was quite literally in a mental health emergency. And no one would help her. This is an institutional problem because just like Diana, they would rather watch her self-destruct than look bad giving her the help she needed.
Making it worse, she was pregnant at this time. So, say there were complications and she needed to be hospitalized. Something. Clearly, they did not learn from mistakes made in the past which is maddening.
Equally maddening is that Heads Together is a mental health initiative spearheaded by William, Kate and Harry in which they strive to erase the stigma associated with mental health. Hello, is anyone home? What a huge opportunity to do just that.
On the flip side, the fact that this is a cause near and dear to her husband’s heart and Meghan still felt she couldn’t speak up, talks to that very stigma and the shame associated with depression and suicidal thoughts. There is a crippling fear which stops many from seeking help. Thankfully, she did have the courage to finally speak to Harry about it, even if no one else in the Institution was willing to help. In situations like this, even talking to one person is an act of bravery and helps open the door for recovery.
Let’s say bravo to her for speaking about it on a worldwide stage. Hopefully, it will help keep the conversation going and help chip away at the stigma.
Finally, the racism. Meghan talked about the fact that Archie wasn’t going to be given a title, or security if they left the family and that someone had a conversation regarding the baby’s skin color. She was misspoken regarding the title, or didn’t clear it up correctly. Archie will receive his HRH title when Charles becomes King, as great-grandchildren of the Queen do not get titles.
An exception was made to William’s children because he is a direct descendent of the throne. Harry’s children would be too far removed for the same concession. And if that concession is made to Harry, it would then need to be made to all the great-grandchildren.
As far as security, it’s paid for by the British taxpayers. It absolutely is history repeating itself as Princess Diana lost her security too, once she was divorced from Charles. We all know how that ended… I have no doubt Harry and Meghan will be fine, though. They’ve purchased a $14.5 million mansion in California, they live down the street from Oprah and they will continue to make millions of dollars for years to come. And if they live the quiet life they seek, maybe security won’t be such a big issue anymore.
Meghan stated that a conversation happened where the color of the baby’s skin tone was brought up. When Oprah asked her who said this, she said it wasn’t said to her but to Harry. We can all agree it was Prince Charles who questioned the baby’s skin tone, right? Since these are horrible comments, and Charles is a horrible person, I’m speculating that it was him.
Finally, what a missed opportunity by the Institution!! Harry and Meghan should be a Royal power couple helping the Monarchy thrive. I was so looking forward to the Fab Four {William, Kate, Harry and Meghan} being the new face of the British Royal Family. To watch their children grow up together and to watch them change the world with their charity work.
That dream was gone a long time ago, but I’m hoping Harry and Meghan get the closure they need so they can move on and live their new life. However, I think they may have caused more damage to already damaged family relationships. At least they live up the street from Oprah. If I were her, I would adopt them:)
P.S. Here is a Twitter thread explaining Archie’s title and the rules and regulations surrounding it.
And, if you want another perspective check out Emily Andrews on Twitter, or follow Elizabeth Holmes on Instagram.
If you missed the interview, you can stream it here.
Enjoy the tea!
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