On Jan. 8, 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their intentions of stepping back from their senior roles in the Royal Family. Even if you don’t care for the Royal Family, this was still big news.
Personally, I like the Royal Family, but more as a form of entertainment. Their lives are interesting, their style is fun to follow and, of course, there is the long history of the crown.
Harry and Meghan met in 2016 and married in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor in 2018. Their son Archie was born in 2019, and their daughter Lillibet was born in 2021.
Throughout Harry and Meghan’s relationship, they were criticized, bombarded by paparazzi, struggled with family issues and much more. This led them to their decision to leave the Royal Family because it was too much for them. I agree that the way they were treated, especially Meghan, was unjust.
Following their departure, the couple did an interview with Oprah in 2021. I remember this getting a lot of attention. One moment I remember going viral was the couple explaining how Harry’s family questioned the skin color of their first child before it was born because Meghan is mixed race. This interview took place after the couple had moved to California and had Lillibet.
Fast forward to 2023, the couple released a six-part documentary on Netflix entitled “Harry & Meghan.” In it we see documentation the couple had made when crazy things with the press began to happen to them. We see the couple struggle, decide to make changes and go through with those changes. We also get a look into their relationship.
The documentary also shows the two as a couple, more than we’ve ever seen. This is nice because it makes them feel more personal and more people feel connected.
After the documentary series, Harry released a memoir “Spare.” I personally have not read it and intend to keep it that way. Frankly, I believe that the couple is releasing too much. At this point, everything feels like a cash grab to me.
The couple explains that they want their side of the story to be heard. I am glad that they have spoken out. The treatment they received and the things they have been through should be exposed. Racial discrimination and the villainous acts from the press are things that must be stopped and speaking out is a great way to spread awareness.
The idea that Meghan wasn’t accepted because of her race is awful and should not be accepted. The fact that the press wrote awful things, published private letters and stalked the couple is horrible as well.
When they first announced their departure, I supported the couple’s decision to leave, even with the little information we knew then. After hearing more in-depth stories about what exactly went on, I was even more appalled for the couple and still understood why they did what they did. My position hasn’t changed; the press and members of the Royal Family treated the couple unjustly, but I am just tired of the multiple forms of media being pushed around.
The more media they put out, the more money they are making. I understand they need money now that they have split from the Royal Family, but it feels as if they are capitalizing on their own struggles which I feel undermines their cry for these injustices to stop.
They have made their point, and they have shared their side of the story as they wanted to. Many people understand why they did what they did and feel sympathy for them.
I hope the Royal Family becomes more accepting of others, and I hope the press learns boundaries because celebrities are still humans.