I ended up watching almost all of Lifetime’s A Royal Romance, the cheap TV movie about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s romance and engagement. Honestly, you guys: it wasn’t that bad. Sure, mistakes were made and timelines were fudged. Sure, they got some important – albeit minor – details completely wrong, like Pippa Middleton’s wedding gown. But the core of the story was, I felt, dead-on. I have to give to Parisa Fitz-Henley and Murray Fraser, the actors playing Meghan and Harry. Not only did they have chemistry together, but they actually weren’t bad actors and they looked quite a bit like the real Meg and Harry.
What I didn’t realize until I saw everything laid out on-screen was how much this royal romance feels like Get Out: The Meghan Markle Story. From nasty tabloids to racist old bitches to Kate’s smug, racist, anti-American friends, everything was and is a bloody minefield of shenanigans and racist bitchery for Meghan. Literally every white person (except for Harry, maybe) was trying to convince Meghan to GET OUT. Here are some notes of mistakes, fudges and actually good things that happened:
The actual proposal. I’m SO glad they had Harry propose during the late-summer trip to Africa, because I’ve always believed he did propose then. The engagement-chicken “proposal” at Nottingham Cottage was the second proposal, and that was the one with the ring.
Pippa’s wedding was a mess. There were so many factual errors in those scenes. Charles and Camilla didn’t attend Pippa’s wedding! Charles had met Meghan way before Pippa’s wedding! Pippa’s wedding gown didn’t look like that! And Kate wasn’t pregnant at Pippa’s wedding! Things they got right: I bet Meghan did have to fend off sh-tty questions from Pippa and Kate’s smug friends. And Camilla is a boozehound.
The “love shield” statement. Did Meghan actually freak out when Harry released that emotional and personal statement to protect Meghan in the early days of their relationship? I don’t know. It didn’t feel like she did. I doubt she was really that upset.
Will & Kate’s involvement throughout. Do you even buy that Will & Kate were that invested in Meg & Harry throughout their relationship? By all accounts, Kate was one of the last royal people to meet Meghan.
The plane stuff. It never happened.
The Bella Bitch. WHO IS SHE? IS SHE A REAL PERSON? Why did she try to touch Meghan’s hair?!?
Royal babies and when to have ‘em. By all accounts, Harry has wanted fatherhood for years now. I doubt he would freak out at all if Meghan ever pushed him to talk about it.
The n-word. Lifetime really did that. They had “Meghan” say the n-word when she told Harry about the kind of dumb, racist abuse regular black folks have to deal with on a daily basis. Poor Harry tried to be so woke about it, but I get the feeling that A Royal Romance showed what really happened and what will happen: Harry is woke for a while, then the royal family works to assimilate Meghan into the family “despite” her race, and then (much like Obama), the white establishment will just start calling Meghan “half-white” whilst patting themselves on the back for being so inclusive.
Favorite part so far: Prince Harry just compared the difficulties of growing up mixed race in America with being a redhead in England #ARoyalRomance
— Lesley Hauler (@LesleyHauler) May 14, 2018
They said the N word on lifetime 😲#ARoyalRomance pic.twitter.com/FymAma4BID
— kim (@kbaby82) May 14, 2018
Lmaoooo Lifetime did Prince William SO dirty this time… #ARoyalRomance pic.twitter.com/MUlCpFSpFQ
— Ellen Laurers (@LaurenDramaGirl) May 14, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
the spirit lion tho
The what now??? Please elaborate, that sounds hilarious.
I thought that was so silly! I didn’t mind the idea in theory…but, come on. They could have tried to do it in a way that was more realistic.
My poor husband had to sit through this mess. He was especially and hysterically snarky about the Spirit Lion. Classic.
I saw the movie. Cheese factor is strong but watchable. I’m glad the half sibs got dragged, and a shot at the ex husband.
I rather liked the actress who portrayed Meghan’s mother. Camilla made me laugh.
Parisa was great. Beautiful woman. She and Murray had great chemistry. I was not expecting them to confront the racial issue, but they did. I liked that they didn’t sweep it under the rug. It was front and center. Kate was more animated good and bad than The real one. Charles was…I thought he was the butler at first (missed the beginning). William was too old, but serviceable. Doria was great. She was a typical black mom. Reminded me of my own with the no-bs/feeling sorry for yourself attitude. All in all, despite the errors and lions, a good movie. Bring on the wedding!
Perfect summary!
Welp, now I’m gonna have to watch this!
I meant to watch but forgot. It’s probably just as well with all the tabloid drama focused on her ignorant-ass siblings and father.
The guy who played Harry was fine. I’m glad they addressed the ole biddy with the blackamoor brooch, the shady lowlife 1/2 sibs, and the racist daily fail. I enjoyed it. I’m ready for the wedding too!
Oh yes, the Daily Fail is having a meltdown. I don’t think they appreciated being namedropped by the writers for their racist coverage. Their headline story this morning was actually about this cable tv movie, which is hilarious.
I watched the first 15 minutes and then turned it off. It was like watching a Hallmark movie. IMO that is one step down from a Lifetime movie.
From this recap, the movie seems about as goofy as this couple is in real life. They’ll be fine.
My thoughts:
I loved this as a tv movie and would rate it as a 8/10 because I thought the acting was good and the movie was entertaining. If I were rating it as a biopic, then that’s another story.
The lion as a stand-in for Diana and the liberties they took with the timeline and key events made my eyes cross.
I didn’t think Kate came off that badly so I am puzzled by some of the reaction towards the way her character was written. Did I think the real Kate would necessarily behave that way? No, but there was nothing wrong with her being skeptical and a little snarky at first and then warming up to Meghan once she met her and got to know her a little. I thought the actress playing Kate was stunning, really gorgeous.
William does look like a 43-yr old accountant, so I had no problem with the actor playing him.
The two leads had excellent chemistry and I thought they both did a great job. Parisa seems to be getting a ton more praise than Murray, but it doesn’t work if you aren’t just as invested in Harry.
I too preferred this version of the engagement. I think they were engaged by the time she shut the Tig down.
Happy that they confronted the racism and nastiness she has had to face, which started long before she met Harry. The scene with the girl trying to touch her hair was painfully realistic. Loved that they included a moment like that.
Love her hair and the pink dress. Hair goals!
Not gonna watch this movie, might watch the actual wedding coverage because IMO, nobody does Pomp like the BRF. It’s their only reason they keep their “jobs”.
It was good but the race conversation was a little eye roll worthy considering they didn’t address Harry’s OWN ISSUES with race. They painted him as some woke bae when we know he’s not.
Actors were great and the people they got to play Harry and Meghan were so spot on.
Black twitter was live the entire movie and that was most of the entertainment for me. There was a tweet that said “the movie would’ve been accurate had Meghan’s Mom asked Harry about the Nazi costume”. And so true no black mom would’ve let that costume slide without a comment.
It was cheesy and fun and I can’t wait to follow the wedding on my phone (prior engagement).
I think Harry is an “Awoken Bae”…I think that as he’s gotten older, he’s definitely gotten wiser and more humane…based on what he’s done BEFORE he met Meghan….
I’m just WAITING WITH BAITED BREATH…on the day that Meghan wears her hair “natural” and let ALL THOSE CURLS FLY like Parisa!!!!
We can only hope for Meghan
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/4586296/Prince-Harry-in-new-race-row-after-telling-comedian-Stephen-K-Amos-you-dont-sound-black.html
Eh frankly we have no evidence that harry is any more “woke” than he was before. He just happens to love a biracial woman…doesn’t mean he’s any more aware of anything really. Cognitive dissonance is a thing and i believe that’s what is at play here
Maybe Meghan doesn’t like her hair in its natural state. She hasn’t worn it that way since her teens. She mentioned in an interview that her hair doesn’t know what it is anymore! She should wear it however she likes.. including the soft messy buns! As for Harry being awoken bae hahahahaha.. no comment.
Lol it wasnt that bad. They did William dirty, he started to age as the movie went on 🤣 they also gave kate way to much personality.
The Harry actor is way hotter than the real one. And they did William dirty on the other hand, lol.
Where can I watch it online ?
I need a pick me up today
That’s what I want to know! I need to catch it online.
Me three. I don’t have cable. 😀
I think Lifetime is re-airing it tonight.
Also, it’s on the lifetime site https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/harry-and-meghan-a-royal-romance/full-movie
I didn’t watch it, but those two actors are HOT.
I thought it was pretty good for a Lifetime movie. My husband kept coming in and out of the room and saying “did that [racist article in the newspaper] really happen?” (“yes, that’s why he’s so mad) or “did that [chasing down a private jet] really happen?” (doubtful) Until I yelled that if I knew everything that happened I wouldn’t be watching a Lifetime Movie about it.
The first half was much better than the second, and the lion part was pretty dumb, but overall I liked it and it got me excited for the wedding.
Chasing down a private jet? Nope, didn’t happen.
It was exactly as cheesy as I expected and wanted it to be.😂 My favorite gag though was everyone’s insistence that Kate really does have lots of opinions about things.
This is the first Lifetime movie I’ve ever watched and it was everything I thought it would be and more! Now I can see why my daughter loves these movies, they are so over the top, so much cheesy drama, stilted acting and soap opera romance, I loved it! Lol!
I saw the commercial for this movie on tv while with a friend. She got all excited because she thought the actress really was Meghan Markle. That would be awesome if it was true. The Meghan Makle made for tv movie starring Meghan markle.
I should have recorded this. I need a good guilty cheese fest.
I thought it was good. My expectations were kept low for a Lifetime movie.
I was shocked that they mentioned that Queen Charlotte was an African woman. I was really stunned!
Especially considering the gymnastics usually occurs to hide that fact.
No. My god it was horrible.
@Shelly – ITA. Of course, it’s Lifetime, you have to factor that in, but it was totally cringeworthy and I think even got mostly panned on social media.
Not so at all.