It’s the interview no can stop talking about – me included.
The internet has officially blown up from all the bombs that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dropped last weekend talking with Oprah. This interview truly shook the world, and I think we are all still trying to pick our jaws up off the floor after what was revealed. If you know me personally you know I consider myself to be a “Royal Watcher”- I love catching up on all the latest and greatest with the British Monarchy. And if you know me personally you also know I feel things very deeply. So to say I have a lot of thoughts after this tell-all interview would be the understatement of the century. As soon as I finished watching it I knew I wanted to do a blog post about it, not only just to discuss all the tea that was spilled but to help process what we all might be feeling right now. I decided to divide the post into specific topics because there was a lot of different topics discussed with Oprah, and this helped sort through it.
So let’s dive in.
RACE
Let’s start off with the big one. First, I want to say that I believe them, and I stand with them. As a wife to a Black man, and the future mother to mixed race children I think Meghan and Harry have every right to be hurt, saddened and shocked at how the racism and bigotry played out. If we’re being honest it didn’t totally shock me to hear that members of the Royal Family and The Institution are racist and/or discriminatory. I mean, these are British Imperialists, people. Y’all remember Pocahontas? But even so, hearing those words said out loud by Meghan and Harry were extremely disappointing to hear, and really made me lose respect for The Monarchy. And I definitely lost a lot of respect for the media and press in the UK for feeding into this racism and allowing it to continue. I fully realize that as a white woman I don’t know what it’s like to walk in Meghan’s shoes. I can’t even begin to comprehend what it’s like to be in the spotlight while both the family I married into AND the country’s media sources are being outwardly racist in my direction. It’s a reality no person should have to live through. Additionally, I think the Monarchy had a chance to use Meghan’s race as an opportunity to finally relate to the non-white citizens of the UK. Harry mentioned this in the interview, and I completely agreed. They had the opportunity to use this as a platform to stand up against racism, in support for Black Lives, and to finally join the 21st century – and they TOTALLY. BLEW IT.
So let’s talk Archie’s skin color being brought up.
Y’all.
Like I said before – some day in the future I will bear mixed race children, and let’s just say if this topic was ever brought up as an issue, one that needed “several conversations” as Meghan said – let’s just say you would see a whole other side of me come out to play. First of all, why does this unborn baby’s skin color even matter? After everything you’ve done, why are you acting like a bit of melanin is a stain on the Monarchy as a whole? They have had Black members of the Royal Family in the past. Stop acting like Meghan and Archie are the first. Also, they do realize Meghan Markle is Black, yes? Why act like its such a shock that their children could potentially have darker skin? Are you that dense that you didn’t see it coming? And why is it so severe that it means he could be stripped of a title and security? The whole thing is honestly baffling. As my mom said, they are so far removed from reality it’s embarrassing for them (she also went on to call them all “cold fishes”, LOL). On Twitter there has been a lot of back and forth about who allegedly brought this topic up? Some say it was Phillip (he has a huge history of racism), some say Charles or William, some say it was Senior Advisors to The Firm. I took a poll on Instagram and Charles won by a landslide, which I have to agree with. I also think some Senior Advisors were involved in the conversation as well. Do you have an opinion on who it could be? At the bottom of the post you can comment, I would love to hear your thoughts!
I’m proud of Meghan and Harry for fighting back. I’m proud of them for speaking out and saying that it’s one thing to critique fashion choices, it’s a whole other to racially attack her. It also goes to show that you could be a homeless man on a street corner, or marry a British Prince and live in a castle – racism will find a way to rear its ugly, evil head.
MENTAL HEALTH
This is another topic that struck a chord with me, and every time I think about it I start crying.
Answer me this: When someone reveals that they have thoughts of suicide and need help, why as a culture are we so quick to dismiss or not believe them? After this interview aired, the amount of people who came out of the woodwork and dismissed Meghan’s mental health claims are startling to me. Do you think that just because their name is in the papers, they are somehow immune to struggle? Give me a break.
The fact that Meghan went to multiple members of The Institution and had to beg for help and then was denied each time is horrifying. What would have happened if, God forbid, she had tried to take her own life? Her blood would have been on their hands. Shame on them. I had a feeling that her mental health journey was going to be a topic discussed, especially based on the ITV interview where she was asked if she was doing okay, and we all saw how she was clearly not doing okay. But I didn’t expect to hear what she revealed so candidly to Oprah.
Watching her speak her truth I was so unbelievably sad for her, but also so unbelievably proud of her. I know first hand how shameful and scary it be to say the words “I need help.” I have always been blessed with friends and family who are nothing but supportive of my mental health journey, so to hear her say she felt a huge lack of support was heartbreaking. I loved that Meghan said she wanted to share her story because she knows how hard it is for other people to share their struggle and voice it out loud. I truly believe that someone out there watching her interview was saved by her bravery, and to know it’s okay to not be okay.
Lastly, I think The Institution is ridiculous to act like Meghan was the first member of the Royal Family to ask for mental health support. Princess Diana publicly stated back after giving birth to Prince William that she sought mental health support for postpartum depression. Prince Harry himself has publicly spoken about his mental health struggles in the years following his mother’s death, and him and Prince William founded a charity called “Heads Together” all about ending the stigma of mental health. So for Meghan to be denied the help she needs because it would look bad to the public is terrible.
THE UK MEDIA
So, I don’t have much to say about this topic because the main thing to state is that the UK tabloids and media are indescribably horrible. You think they would have learned their lesson after literally chasing Princess Diana in a car that sent her to her death, but apparently not. I thought the American tabloids were bad, but the UK is on a whole other level. They make People Magazine look like a cakewalk. A few weeks ago in a Friday Five on my blog I talked about the Britney Spears documentary and the role that the tabloids play in perpetuating falsehoods. A serious conversation needs to be had about how toxic this business is, and why it needs to stop. Immediately. It’s intrusive and invasive, way past the point of what should be allowed, and now we can see it’s clearly destroying lives. This was also a huge lesson in not believing everything you hear or read about. The way that the media pitted Meghan and Kate against each other and made up a completely switched around story goes to show that they have no concern over who they tear down in the process of making a buck.
THE REST OF THE FAMILY & THE INSTITUTION
I’ll wrap up with this category before this blog post turns into a screenplay. I have to say overall I am really disappointed in the rest of the members of the Royal Family and the Institution. Meghan and Harry both stated at the end of the interview that they left the family business and moved to America because of lack of support and lack of protection. No matter what type of family you’re born into, royal or not, it is your family’s job to have your back. The fact that Prince Charles has stopped taking Harry’s phone calls, and that Prince William and Harry don’t have a close relationship anymore is so inexcusable. They each had a huge opportunity to speak out in support of Meghan and against the tabloid harassment, and yet they all stayed silent. You know it’s bad when 72 (yes, 72) members of parliament from both sides of the political aisle speak up in support of the two of them, and yet no one in your family makes a sound. I would move to another country, too.
As far as The Institution goes, there is a TON of work that needs to be done. You see on shows like “The Crown” that they definitely don’t mess around when it comes to royal protocol, but there is a hard line between taking your job seriously and being cruel and dismissive. Meghan was promised protection and didn’t get it. They should have spoken out against the racist attacks and they didn’t. They should have given her the mental health support she asked for and they didn’t. They could have corrected the story about Meghan and Kate and they didn’t. And I really don’t doubt that one or more advisors were involved in the Archie skin color conversation. So the way I see it, a large portion of the fault lands on them. Meghan and Harry were both correct by calling it a toxic environment. The year is 2021, and yet the Institution is acting like the year is still 1812. Shame on them.
Overall I am so proud of Meghan and Harry for making the decision to leave and start their own lives. It takes a ton of courage to walk away from that much tradition and family expectations. It undoubtedly cost them a lot to do so, but I think in the end that decision saved their marriage and their lives.
Let me know all your thoughts and opinions in the comments!
XO
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