Katie Nicholl: Duchess Meghan was a B-list actress who couldn’t handle the spotlight

Entertainment Weekly Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Party

I tweeted this yesterday because I thought it was too stupid to cover here, but we might as well briefly discuss it. The Daily Mail ran one of the saltiest, stupidest pieces about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The crux of the DM piece was that Harry and Meghan’s “friends” claimed that the Sussexes wanted to climb down off the royal pedestal and live a “simple life,” therefore Harry and Meghan are terrible hypocrites worthy of scorn for staying in Tyler Perry’s mansion in an LA gated community. This was all part of a weird sub-category of “reporting” around Meghan and Harry for the past few years: the “how dare they live well/how dare they have nice things” issue. The DM and their readership wanted the Sussexes to live in a shack in the woods, so they could make fun of H&M for how far they fell. Now they’re agitated because H&M have connections and powerful friends who lend them beautiful mansions. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Speaking of mad hoes, Katie Nicholl can’t STFU about Harry and Meg, and she keeps giving away her allegedly exclusive information in weird interviews to outlets she doesn’t work for. It feels like *someone* is trying to make a name for herself as a Sussex expert in foreign markets. When all she really is a Keen hagiographer. According to Nicholl, Meghan is merely a B-list actress who struggled with the limelight:

Meghan Markle’s experience as a ‘B-list actress’ on Suits wasn’t going to prepare her for the global spotlight that comes with being part of the Firm, a royal expert has claimed. Despite the Duchess of Sussex, 38, having a successful career acting in US legal drama Suits, royal commentator Katie Nicholl tells 9Honey that her fame wouldn’t have helped her navigate her new royal life.

Katie said: ‘I think what she encountered was almost impossible to prepare for and certainly her experience as a B-List actress wasn’t going to stand her in [good] stead.’

Meghan is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband Prince Harry, 35, and their one-year-old son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. But as the mother-of-one admitted in the couple’s tour documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, she never anticipated the scale of the press scrutiny.

‘As an actress, she was used to being photographed but she’s said herself there was this suggestion that she would be able to handle the press attention and find her way in the spotlight because of her previous experience’, Katie said. ‘Whereas actually, I think what she encountered was almost impossible to prepare for and certainly her experience as a B-list actress wasn’t going to stand her in [good] stead for suddenly becoming the most famous woman in the world. It became very apparent from that documentary in Africa, that perhaps while she made it look easy, it obviously wasn’t easy.’

[From The Daily Mail]

Yeah, Nicholl is conflating several things at once. One, Meghan was a B-list actress in the sense that she was just the – what? – fourth or fifth lead on a cable TV show. Completely respectable and good for her, but she wasn’t being invited to the Oscars. Of course there would have been a period of adjustment for Meghan as she dealt with the global spotlight of being Harry’s wife. But I think being a B-list actress did help her there, and she would have managed just fine (better than Kate did in her early years of marriage) if not for the smear campaign and the larger attacks by the press and the other royal households. Katie Nicholl is basically saying that poor Meghan was too un-famous to deal with the pressure of royal stardom. When really Meghan was upset that salty, dumbass gatekeepers screamed about everything she did.

Photos of pre-royal Meghan in 2012 and 2013.

2013 USA Network Upfronts

Meghan Markle

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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185 Responses to “Katie Nicholl: Duchess Meghan was a B-list actress who couldn’t handle the spotlight”

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  1. IntheKnow says:

    So Meghan’s jobs as an actress should have prepared her to accept being racially abused?
    G-d these people are fking odious.

    • Aang says:

      I always wonder how the Obamas handle it so well. The racist BS seems to just roll right off. The birther, tan suit, Michelle’s Bare arm scandals all made the main stream media. They spent 8 years being being smeared by racists and it hasn’t stopped.

      • Aurora says:

        You can’t assume that because the Obama’s handled the spotlight well that at home they weren’t distressed or anxious about all the death threats.

        I thought everything was fine with Meghan until she appeared near tears in that documentary interview. Some people are just consummate professionals and are fine in public even when falling apart in private,

      • Em says:

        They were smeared by racists yes, but they also had defenders In the media too so it was a 50/50 situation. The only person who actively supported Meghan was her husband, the whole press was in on the attacks.

      • Molly says:

        Barack Obama said that even if he could run for a third term, Michelle would divorce him. They had a finish line and they were the leaders of the party. Harry and Meghan are not the heirs, are financially dependent and had no way of earning their own money.

      • Becks1 says:

        I am SURE the Obamas were a lot more bothered by it than they let on. They just knew they couldn’t show any of the attacks hurt. They were in a very different position from H&M.

      • MJM says:

        The racism directed at the Obamas fit into the scheme of partisan politics in the US. Fox News was going to be ugly to any Dem President – Hilary got extreme misogyny.

        What happened to Meghan was a betrayal of those who should have had her back and the opportunistic media who ran with it for readership. She was commodified and exploited in a way in which the Obama’s never were and it’s unfair to conflate their experiences.

        If the Markle’s and the Mountbatten-Windsor’s were decent human beings without a tonne of ulterior and selfish motives who used the press for their own reputational and financial gain we wouldn’t be talking about this.

      • Babsorig says:

        I’m confused at Molly, what does all your statements about the Sussexes financial status have to do with the racism they experienced? Does their “financial dependence” make the abuse okay or what? I just don’t get how and why you brought all that up!!

      • ABritGuest says:

        Michelle Obama has talked about the impact as covered in Becoming:
        “It changes the shape of a person’s soul,” she says, reflecting on the racist stereotypes and personal attacks she faced while campaigning. In one interview with Oprah, she reveals how she cried for hours on the ceremonial final flight out of Washington; “[it was] the release of trying to do everything perfectly,”

        My guess what was extra painful about press coverage for Meghan was her father’s& Harry’s friends/family/staff involvement in attacks. Must be awful to have parent sell you out to those who are most vicious to you& hear your husband’s family/staff/friends allegedly think you are a degree wife whilst you are pregnant.

      • Molly says:

        @Babsorg. I was giving my reasons for why Harry and Meghan left. They were indefinitely dependent on the BRF for money which means being controlled by the family. Now they have a chance for more independence and control in their decision making.

      • crbnftprnt says:

        The Obamas knew they had a date when they could walk away. Meghan doesn’t have one, no matter how much the haters like like Nichol want to believe she does.
        Michelle has spoken about how much the abuse bothered her.

      • Kari says:

        I remember our (Forever) First Lady’s book tour and when this came up, you could just tell she was reflecting on so much pain and holding back so much. This goes back to the whole thing about the invalidation of Black pain, Black people, especially Black leaders, have to be “perfect” in order for their humanity to be validated. So it is exactly as a lot of folks are saying, they had to appear as though they handled it well because could you imagine how much worse the headlines and abuse would be if they didn’t? White supremacy is a bitch and this is exactly why so many POC feel like we have to mask our pain to protect ourselves.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        I think two things were different for the Obamas: (1) they had a finite amount of time that they would be subject to intense public scrutiny, first it was 4 years then after reelection, 8 years tops. Harry and Meghan were facing this ordeal to last THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

        And (2), the Obamas didn’t appear to receive back-stabbing and racist attacks FROM WITHIN THEIR OWN FAMILY. Yes, the racists in America were out to get them, but the Obamas had the support of people closest to them, whether privately among friends and family, or within their democratic party from some other politicians who showed strong support. This is what Harry and Meghan were lacking.

      • Pillty says:

        I’m seriously offended anyone would say or imply the Obama’s situation was better and 50/50 cause some of the press was on their side. Nope wrong answer and you obviously didn’t live close to DC then. If you did you would have seen how bad it was with the racist crazies in full flow on the ellipse right near the White House where they live. Pretty sure Meghan and Harry didn’t have to put up with the crazy racist nuts protesting outside their window. Plus it’s not like Meghan and Harry don’t have fans in the media. The US media is pretty much entirely in the Sussexes corner, and a lot of the British press too just not the nutty tabloids. I’d say the Obama’s had it worse.

        Now I think there is a reason the Obama’s may have gotten through it easier. They knew the work they were doing had a purpose and it also had an end. I think Meghan and Harry started to realize their work of being royal wasn’t very purposeful for a lot of it, and it had no end. So they made one and I’m sure will make their job now more purposeful.

    • Stubborn says:

      This is the only POV that matters. I do not care if you are A-List, how famous you are or how much media training you have received, nothing and I mean NOTHING can prepare you to face racism, classism, misogyny and all forms of bigotry coupled with jealous and back-stabbing in-laws.

      This is lazy as usual by Katie Nicholl who is implicated in the phone hacking case being heard in the High Court. She is not even credible.

      • Tessa says:

        The commentators who make nasty comments on blogs and in the DM keep trashing Meghan calling her ‘that B list actress.’ It is ignored that a relatively small percentage are A List. And even people on the A List go to the B list as character actors or actresses. There are some leading ladies who had to step down to character parts as they aged. And some leading men had to do the same. Being a regular on a TV show is nothing to scoff at. I can only imagine if Kate Middleton had worked on a show like Meghan, she would be praised to the skies. There are soap opera actors and actresses who have a large following and fans like Susan Lucci, the late Jeanne Cooper, Melody Thomas Scott and Eric Braeden. Cooper’s book was given great reviews. So it is perfectly OK to be on the so called B List.

      • Elizabeth says:

        Even Princess Grace, who was an A-list Academy Award winning actress, found the media attention hard to deal with when she married Prince Rainier. And she didn’t have to deal with the racist crap that Meghan had to deal with. She also had to deal with the horrible courtiers who hated the fact that Rainier married an actress. If the Royal Family had stood behind Meghan & Harry, they would never have left. But William and Charles couldn’t stand being overshadowed by Harry (who inherited his mother’s charisma) and Meghan, so they pushed them out, just the way that Prince Charles tried to make Princess Diana seem like nothing more than a mentally disturbed woman.

      • Dilettante says:

        The short article excerpt uses the phrase ‘B list actress’ three times. And your point, Daily Fail?
        I’m waiting for the follow up piece on Kate pre-engagement when they refer to her as ‘unemployed layabout’ several times in succession.

      • AnnaKist says:

        She may not be credible, Stubborn,but her tripe sells papers, because there are still plenty of racists who thrive on disinformation. They are never going to leave Meghan alone, and let her get on with her life.

      • ennie says:

        …And the Monegasque princely family is seen as a joke by the likes of the UK royals, and still she suffered enough the constrictions upon her and what she could do, limiting her to reading poetry.
        I wish I made money as any “B list actor”. Imagine if Harry had married a black A lister who “had lived” before gotten with him. The demands would be exactly the same, the comparisons would’ve been the same.
        What they don’t want is anything that makes the keens look lazy or detrimental. Sort of Charles envy of Diana’s popularity but to the nth degree of jealousy by the keens, courtiers and the social machine in synthony.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        They think “B-list actress” is an insult. Meghan’s celebrity was earned, similar to successful athletes, singers, etc. The royal family’s celebrity wasn’t based on any discernible achievement, they are just famous by name — similar to reality show level of celebrity. So I find it amusing that the racists think calling Meghan a “B-list” actress is an insult, when the rest of the royal family are reality-show celebrities.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        This.

  2. Oatmeal says:

    Lmaoooo, stay salty Katie

    Katie sounds like someone you argue with on social media who keeps saying you are stupid and not worth arguing with, yet they breathlessly respond to everything you type within a nanosecond.

    If Meghan actually reached out to her for an article methinks the lady would p!ss herself

    • Tessa says:

      People do call names to people who say good things about Meghan.

    • Original Jenns says:

      True! and “It feels like *someone* is trying to make a name for herself as a Sussex expert in foreign markets.“ I agree, Kaiser, and unfortunately, most of the audience here in the US won’t know or care about her Keen history, and take what she says as the real inside scope. She also, sadly, has a built in audience with certain populations right now.

  3. Eleonor says:

    This woman is exhausting.

    • Guest with Cat says:

      Exhausting is the perfect description for her. She’s like Covid-19, when the Sussexes finally fight her off and should be free of her, there she is again, in mutated form trying to infect a new population with her toxic views.

    • Truthiness says:

      Oh FFS. Can no one shut this woman up? It’s gotten to where I can’t click on any articles about the Sussexes because these people need to look elsewhere for topics. No rewarding them with any glances. Go cover bingo night Katie.

  4. S808 says:

    “She wasn’t famous enough to handle our abuse” way to victim blame. Fuck off katie.

  5. RoyalBlue says:

    how can one woman be so spiteful to another and use her public platform to smear and take digs at every opportunity and not get called out on it. when people say, the Brits are complicit with the racist behaviour what they mean is, where is the public outcry, where is the support. Nicholls gets to say her nastiness and people quietly say online “oh not all Brits”.

    • Bella DuPont says:

      “ where is the public outcry, where is the support”

      This is true. I’m extremely disappointed that people in the U.K. Haven’t spoken out more, outside of the female M.Ps and a small handful of other public figures.

      I think a lot of people were probably worried about the potential backlash from the gutter press in retaliation. I mean, just look at what they’re currently doing to Tyler Perry for daring to host the couple.

      It’s sickening and I remain shocked that there seems to be no legal recourse for this type of systematic and sustained abuse and harassment.

      • Babsorig says:

        Wait, what are they doing to Tyler Perry?

      • Olenna says:

        Thankfully, it appears only the celeb magazines and gutter press (Fail, Dim, Slow, etc) are concerned with Tyler Perry and his mansion. And, it also appears that he couldn’t be bothered.

      • Babz says:

        Tyler Perry’s income could buy and sell those royal reporters every day of the week and twice on Sunday. They are completely insignificant to him. That being said, they need to lay off him, because if they go too far, they’ll end up in court at the receiving end of a lawsuit. Just where some of them are with Meghan.

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        I’m pretty sure Tyler Perry does not give a steaming pile of shit over what the UK tabs are saying about them. He could defund them with a click of his fingers. So, I take comfort in that.

      • Guest with Cat says:

        As beautifully articulated in some comments here, there’s little power the average British citizen can muster for this outrage when so many serious things are impacting their daily lives and they’re already doing what they can in the form of protests and boycotts.

        What I think many of us miss seeing in the British response, is the response from more responsible members of the media. There is particularly a sad shortage of white allies making their voices heard in the industry that is abusing and exploiting a woman of color for being a woman of color and lying through their teeth to deny it to the world.

        Though I have seen some clips where Piers Morgan’s female cohost has tried to interject some decency into the conversation and defend or present Meghan’s point of view, but he does that odious thing of talking over her loudly (something I saw happen constantly in the workplace especially to women of all ages and races). Anyway Piers has mastered the art of then sitting back like his word was the final one, even if his cohost managed to get hers out there and it made more sense. Sigh…pompous white male privilege at its finest. Anyway it’s like Piers’ viewpoint is the one that prevailed and it therefore is the one that dominates people’s memories and mindshare.

        Slight tangent: I’m beginning to think Trump isn’t senile but just knows from studying despots that if you repeat something often enough the public self hypnotizes into believing it.

        Anyway I just see people like Piers Morgan repeating the same tired misinformation until it picks up momentum and there doesn’t seem to be an effective counter balance in British media.

        At least in the US media, the Obamas had allies. There were journalists and pundits who regularly made mincemeat of their critics, especially the racist critics, because racism is illogical and outright stupid and is or at least should be easy pickings for someone who makes their living wielding words.

        But the tepid response to racist abuse really just isn’t a British problem at this point. A few years ago, even American media would have picked up on Meghan being called “Uppity” and her son being depicted as a monkey and they would have railed about it and dissected it for weeks and loudly. But all of that passed in a flash, here, too. We honestly are too shell-shocked over having a President get away with saying some racist protestors were “good people” at a rally where a woman was murdered by an extremist. We are too shell shocked and even possibly desensitized to the constant stream of violence and vitriol being aimed at people of color and women.

        But hey, for awhile the economy was running pretty well so it really looked like he was a shoo in for reelection. No wonder he feels empowered now to echo white supremacist bloodline nonsense and defy sensible orders set by a female governor. It’s all about the money. People feel empowered to be as vile as they want to be if the money keeps flowing, and even more hateful and blame or endanger innocent people when it slows down.

    • June says:

      What public outcry are you expecting though? People out on the streets? Or are you talking about public figures speaking out? Because some have done so.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        @june. sit back and pretend you don’t have a voice. sit back and watch the tabloids run all over black people. sit back and listen as the tabloids and Piers throw more racist dog whistles. keep doing just that.

      • June says:

        @Royalblue, are you a POC living in the UK? I am. Do you know my life or what I have endured? You don’t. Your aggression towards an internet stranger is unwarranted.

      • Ali says:

        @JUNE since you live in the UK you must know about the racist attacks Diane Abbot, Sterling, Ozil get from British people and media.

        From the outside it appears that black British people do not have a place where they can fight back against racist abuse.

      • June says:

        Yes @Ali, I am super aware of all that. You only need to go on Twitter for about 5 minutes to see what kind of disgusting racist and sexist crap Diane Abbott, our first black female MP, faces every single day. It honestly makes you want to give up. And as a football fan, I’m aware of Raheem Sterling’s treatment (you could do a tabloid headline comparison of how Sterling is covered v white players, it’s similar to the Kate v Meghan ones), and Ozil has issues here as well as in Germany. In terms of fighting back, it’s like everywhere else, there are grassroots movements that we can participate in, and there are people and groups doing really good work so not all is doom and gloom. My question above about “what kind of public outcry do you expect” was specifically about Meghan. POC both famous and not famous have defended her on social media and blogs like this, but what else can we do? That’s also why I made a point of stating that I’m a POC from the UK. We are under a lot of pressure over a lot of things. I’ve been to many protests and demonstrations in the recent past – against Brexit, against austerity, for women’s rights, for immigrants and refugees. All these things are also connected to race and minority rights. It goes without saying that I don’t buy or click on any of the tabloids. So what more do I need to do to not be “complicit”?

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        @June: I hope you’re ok, you sound distressed. I’m in the same boat as you (a POC in the UK). I’m not social media, but do spy to see what trending on twitter from time to time (and I always regret it).

        I’ve been down about the atmosphere in the country for a while. What astounded me most about Meghan’s treatment was how blatant it was and how little the consequence are for those in the media being so hateful. Piers Morgan actually called a Chinese farm “ching chong” farm and nothing was done. It’s a feeling of helplessness. People are more upset that he’s (rightfully) called out the government’s handling of the pandemic then tell a biracial foreign born woman to ‘go home’.

        But am just trying to focus on things I can change; sign petitions, donate to gressroot (BAME focused) charities/ orgs. Like you, I don’t click on the tabloids and try to give more views to better journalism (particularly news sites that platform POC journalists).

        And mostly I’ve just tried to emotionally check out. Not look at the news so much and get upset, focus more on my friends / family. It’s ok to take care of yourself – you don’t have to do anything; have a cuppa and put your feet up 🙂

      • RoyalBlue says:

        june i am sorry. i did not mean to offend you and none of us here know what the other has gone through. i am a person of colour in a british overseas territory and your ‘what can i do ‘comment det me off because i believe a lot of us suffer from learned helplessness. we don’t act because we believe we are powerless.

        nevertheless my original comment was directed at those who lend their voices for others. anti-harassment groups, women’s groups, black watchdog organizations and other voices in the media to name some.

    • Ruby_Woo says:

      This is something I have noticed and am deeply troubled by. Even the female MPs who wrote that open letter didn’t go far enough.

      This relates to a discussion in another article about US being so much more racist in the UK. I’ve lived in the UK all my life and the gaslighting and acceptance of the racism and bullying that Meghan endured here really opened my eyes, and many insidious things have happened to me personally.

      I do wonder if this is just also a particularly toxic point in history, with Brexit and a swing to right-wing nationalism across the world. I do wonder if Meghan joined at another point of history like early 2000s or when Obama was president, if her treatment wouldn’t have been so vicious? I dunno.

      I don’t know what the tabloid culture is like the US, but in the UK, it ruins people’s lives and contributes to death. So I’m happy that Meghan is happy to get out when she did.

      • June says:

        Thank you Ruby_woo, I think you understand how things are here and how POC specifically are experiencing the toxic situation here. You are right, you just have to make a nice cuppa and disconnect from all this from time to time, and I hope you are able to do that too!
        I think you hit the nail on the head with this – “I do wonder if this is just also a particularly toxic point in history, with Brexit and a swing to right-wing nationalism across the world.” I think this is why the horrific treatment of Meghan is so significant. It encapsulates things that are wrong with our society at this point in history so very vividly.
        But I also feel that these conversations should be nuanced and it’s hard to do on the Internet, as you no doubt saw on the previous post the discussion about racism.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        thank you ruby for acknowledging the female MPs did not go far enough. i can sense your empathy. i am a woman of colour and appreciate the women of celebitchy calling out injustice.

    • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

      She’s totes jelly.

  6. BUBS says:

    Does Meghan really look like the kind of person who can’t handle the spotlight??? That’s the angle now? Really? Lol. These people are going to keep trying to twist the narrative till the wheels fall off because they can never admit that their bullying tactics, nasty coverage, racist dog whistles, in addition to palace shenanigans were what caused Sussexit…Ms Nicholl needs to hush it…really!

    • S808 says:

      Love how we went from “she’s a social climber who wanted to be royalty” to “she wants a simple life.”

      • BUBS says:

        Lol…you know this

      • Guest with Cat says:

        Lol yeah you’d think the constant switching of narratives would knock at least some people out of their willing suspension of disbelief in this farce. But they just dig right in, because they don’t care about the facts. They don’t even care about good old fashioned juicy gossip. They are deeply jealous and most are also deeply bigoted and resentful.

  7. Becks1 says:

    Katie Nicholl can’t decide whether she wants to go all in with the British tabs or try to make a name for herself here in the states, so she’s just all over the place.

    First – yes, Meghan was not an A List actress. But, she was successful and had a steady career, and many many actresses would kill for that.

    Second – I think VERY few A list actresses would have been prepared for the type of press coverage Meghan received. Maybe Angelina Jolie, mayyyybe Jennifer Lawrence, maybe Julia Roberts back in the day. I think Meghan was prepared for the paparazzi, for the flashbulbs as she arrived at events, etc. What she was NOT prepared for was the hostility and the way the British tabloids could print something and it was immediately taken as fact – the way tabloid reporters were brought onto respectable morning shows, etc.

    Third – her whole stupid theory falls apart because Kate wasn’t “anything” but William’s girlfriend before getting married, and she was able to handle the “spotlight.” The difference, of course, is that the press treated her very differently than they treated Meghan.

    • Sofia says:

      Also want to mention that Meghan actually got a degree in International Relations from Northwestern. Which is a fantastic university and if you’re someone who cares about uni rankings, it’s quite a bit above William and Kate’s St Andrew’s.

      Not to mention she actually worked in an embassy for a bit; has decent knowledge in 2 other languages other than English (French and Spanish); gave a great speech at the UN; did a bunch of charity work in India and Rwanda; was a one young world ambassador and knows how to network/socialise with people very well.

      I would argue she’s one of the most qualified member of the BRF to actually do the “job” (other than The Queen)

      • Becks1 says:

        Yes! when you consider how she used her fame as an actress on Suits in terms of philanthropy and charity, plus her educational background – she was actually a pretty ideal royal, since a huge part of their supposed purpose is to shine a spotlight on various philanthropic and charitable organizations/activities/etc (along with local events etc.) Meghan was 100% ready for the working part of being a royal. She was ready for the spotlight, more or less.

        she wasn’t ready for a racist smear campaign that went unanswered by the palace.

      • Nan says:

        @Sofia Thank you! I didn’t know about her education and humanitarian work, and both are definitely worth stressing.

    • Harla says:

      Yes, as I recall any remotely negative reporting of Kate was answered with the cry “look what happened to Diana”. Kate was treated with kid gloves and tons of coddling for years and now 9 years in and she still does the bare minimum without any creativity or true empathy.

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      People have pointed out that the hyper-criticism of Meghan is rooted in racism, so I won’t repeat that even though I agree, as it’s been said several times here. But, it is also rooted in misogyny. Kate represents what misogynists want to see in a wife — no ambitions, no drive to work outside the home, no opinions of her own, no self-respect, and an absolute willingness to be her husband’s doormat and turn a blind eye to whatever he is up to. By contrast, Meghan is well-educated, intelligent, ambitious, hard working, successful career woman. Everything that threatens insecure/unintelligent people.

      • Becks1 says:

        @MrsK you are absolutely correct. Think of how often Kate is praised as being “everything a future queen should be” and “the ideal woman” and things along that nature. And my reaction is always, “really? The ideal woman doesn’t have an opinion, doesn’t step out of her husband’s shadow, has no intellectual curiosity”? And the answer of course is that for many people, that IS the ideal woman and that IS what they want out of a FFQC – a woman to wear pretty tiaras and nice gowns and to sit quietly.

        Camilla isn’t going to reinvent the wheel as a queen consort but at least as the duchess of cornwall we have seen her tackle various causes and if you asked me “what matters to Camilla” I could say her family, horses, dogs, wine and she is very involved with domestic violence shelters and organizations, rape survivors, literacy causes. And that’s just off the top of my head.

        For Kate I would say her children, tennis, and mental health, and that last one is a stretch.

      • Nic919 says:

        Kate lived her life like a Jane Austen novel which was spending her 20s waiting for a proposal. She didn’t work once she finished school and spent time on holidays. She didn’t even bother doing philanthropy which she would have been in a position to do. When criticisms were validly raised about her lack of work ethic, they were mostly shut down and falsely compared to being attacks like what Diana endured. By the time Kate was engaged at 29, she had done nothing of value. Other women at that age would have either been working for years at that point, or if they were mothers, they would be raising kids. Kate was basically an unemployed layabout. There were even stories of her “quitting” whatever she was alleged to be doing at party pieces just to get ready to be engaged. No other royal bride of recent years had done as little as she did. But once the engagement was announced, all valid criticisms were swiped to the side.

        Meghan from day one did not hide her work ethic and openly stated to be a feminist. She was more than prepared for what royals were expected to do, but by having opinions and not being a doormat, she triggered a certain segment of the population from day one. And the media started their attacks and felt empowered to continue them when the rest of the BRF did not shut down the attacks.

        Hillary Mantel made an accurate comment that Kate was a mannequin and blank slate and the PM David Cameron stepped in to “defend” Kate. No one ever did that for meghan with comments that were far more personal, offensive and inappropriate.

        So of course Meghan couldn’t have expected the level of vitriol she faced because it was unprecedented.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        @mrsk i’d like to add classism too. there was this strong sense of a newcomer/outsider with questionable family, who has to know her place, and to earn it you have to do your time and learn from the others higher up the hierarchy. silly things like not wearing a hat on the outing with the queen, walking in front of her husband, going in the car before the queen, not curtsying deeply or steadily, clear nail polish, nude court shoes, stand behind the Cambridges, stand on the lesser balcony, dressing inappropriately for Trooping, messy buns, speaking over her husband or the FFQ, forcing the FFQ to make speeches and commit to a legacy cause, refusing to accept the scrutiny of the Rota, always complaining and explaining, being too front and center with her philanthropy etc.

        it’s just terrible.

  8. Yoyo says:

    Katie Knuckles, throwing **** against the wall to see what will stick.
    They’re too many videos out there with Meghan dealing with crowds, so no one believes she could not handle the spotlight.
    RRs shocked that Meghan could speak for 5 minutes without notes, Meghan gave a speech at her middle school, at most universities, they work with students on speeches and presentations.
    She was never a shrinking violet, she just was not going to take the racist abuse and classism from boot lickers.
    Knuckles is going potty, magazines and newspapers are losing money, Vanity Fair maybe paying her by the word.

    • Bella DuPont says:

      Katie’s definitely auditioning for *something* adjacent to the Sussexes. Maybe a book deal? A show of some sort? Time will tell.

  9. Nic919 says:

    Meghan in fact did pick up on the skills needed, which included giving a proper speech that doesn’t embarrass people, raise funds for charities and act like she gives a damn about helping others. Some of them still can’t do this stuff and have the sycophantic UK media cover for their lack of ability years into this. The only thing Meghan didn’t prepare for is being treated unfairly as compared to all other married in royals and be harassed even while pregnant and immediately after giving birth. She never got any break. If Meghan took eight years to prepare a survey she would have been ripped to shreds.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      She wasn’t prepared for an intense smear campaign and neither was she prepared for being required to continually having to interact with the very people that were lying about her and trying to destroy her good name. This was why they left – because they wanted out of a toxic work situation (having to work with he Royal Rota) and they were told no.

      • Nic919 says:

        Which makes Nichols so disingenuous because no one could have prepared for the onslaught of racist garbage coming from both the media and the courtiers (possibly even family members). And despite all that, she still pulled off projects that other working royals have not managed to do.

      • windyriver says:

        I’m sure Meghan didn’t expect what the media, courtiers (and RF) dished out, or its magnitude, but unfortunately, she was probably at least a little prepared to deal with it, after growing up around her crap father, and the rest of his side of the family. Been there, done that, in a way. I think that’s why she was able to focus on work and put together some very solid projects. A major source of support was likely the people in her patronages, and ordinary people she and Harry met on tours and walkabouts.

        But why put up with that kind of atmosphere permanently when you know there’s better out there (sounds like the environment on Suits was very positive and supportive)? I think it was a bitter pill for Harry to realize how little support they got from his family, etc., and that they were very possibly working against them. The RF is lucky they even considered remaining as “part time” royals. Once Harry was ready to go, they were out of there.

      • Bettyrose says:

        I think Meghan explained it perfectly when she said she knew it wouldn’t be easy but she thought it would be fair.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I think this had to do with the BRF. If Meghan felt that the BRF supported her then she could have cared less about what the commentariat of the Daily Fail said about her and her son.

      Cathy Cambridge was raked over the coals and still gets publically cooked like a well done rotisserie chicken at a village fete barbeque by the commentariat of the Daily Fail but she has 110% support from the BRF so she does not have to give a fat rat’s clacker about the British tabloid press

      • Becks1 says:

        I think that’s pretty spot on, @BTB, and a funny way of wording it lol.

        I think Meghan was not prepared for the royal rota and the fact that she would have to go to work with these people who wrote horrible things about her watching her every move. I also think she was not prepared for the lack of support from the royal family, and I think she REALLY wasn’t prepared for the way the family made it worse and actively worked against her (see budget plane stunt for most obvious example)

      • Yoyo says:

        Let’s not forget Meghan’s toxic family, I don’t think she is going to ever get over her father’s betrayal, she will forgive him, but most likely keep a bridge in place.

      • Tessa says:

        The negative comments about Kate are removed and given Negative ratings if they are allowed to stay. The sycophantic comments get upvoted and praised to the skies. Kate is not allowed to be trashed in the DM and the articles about how “perfect she is” have comments blasting Meghan calling her a “thing” or “the other one.” ANd those comments stay.

      • ABritGuest says:

        Meghan was always going to have a hard time because of her background plus in line with all Harry’s partners. However I agree if BP had shown support, the press probably wouldn’t have even have gone full character assassination mode.

        if people thought Meghan was somebody the palace cared about, I doubt apparent monarchists like Piers would have gone on as many v personal rants. Notice how people like him don’t really go near Andrew. Even as a news story comes out about Andrew that isn’t Epstein related (sure power players want to keep that story muted ) it’s still downplayed in the media& there are no debates about it like there is about everything the Sussexes do. I’m sure that’s because cynically Andrew doesn’t bring ratings&clicks etc but also he’s protected. The palace signalled very early on there were no consequences for working with the Markles& by Oceana tour they were apparently colluding with the press, so it became a free for all.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Tessa – The BTL comments to Cambridge articles I have read in The Daily Fail this week completely trash Normal Bill & Cathy. The comments were extremely harsh.

    • Andrew’s Nemesis says:

      “which included giving a proper speech that doesn’t embarrass people” … what, like ‘can you test the smell it by smelling it?’ That kind of embarrassment?

    • Tessa says:

      She no doubt noticed the double standards involving her and Kate. Kate is gushed over for showing PDA to “her man” and also holding her stomach when pregnant. And Meghan is called “clingy” for holding hands with her own husband and also holding her stomach when pregnant.

  10. Yoyo says:

    Piss Morgan is off the air for a week, silly Brits are trying to get him off TV, because he said BoJo is doing a terrible job, for once he is telling the truth.
    Funny when he is racist, not one petition.

  11. Nan says:

    Yes, and the British tabloid press also unearthed Meghan’s demented not-well father and the rest of his disturbed family and got them to publicly attack and humiliate Meghan during her wedding preparations. Being a “grade B” actress doesn’t prepare anyone for their disturbed family members being manipulated and paid to create a public sh*tshow about one’s private life and history. That whole assault was sick, ugly, painful and designed to completely shred Meghan’s humanity and reputation, and was intentionally orchestrated by that tabloid press. Her father and some of his children just happen to be unwell or disturbed people – Meghan and her mom have done what they can to move on and conduct themselves with discretion and dignity in spite of it.

    • Andrew’s Nemesis says:

      I think you’re giving Toxic Tom too much of a Get Out of Jail card here. He’s a malignant narcissist, epitomising the Dark Tetrad, and his eldest spawn is as toxic as he. They gleefully cashed in on Meghan, causing her immense upset, harm and pain on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, and set out to sabotage the joy of her first pregnancy as well. They are beyond vile.

  12. emmy says:

    I don’t think she’s saying that she wasn’t famous enough, I think that’s just massive shade. Calling her an actress wasn’t going to accomplish that so she throws in B-list. Which isn’t even an insult. She was cast regular on a successful show, that’s not nothing.

    I don’t think anything could prepare anyone for the tsunami that comes at you when you marry the most popular royal but her intelligence and yes, ability to perform, was the best preparation anyone could’ve had. And she didn’t exactly hate the spotlight before, which was also an asset. She just couldn’t win.

  13. Daisyfly says:

    She sounds like a bitter ex. Or someone that was turned down for a romp in the sack.

    Gurl. Pettiness is like a pair of high heel shoes: you can put them on, but that doesn’t mean you won’t fall flat on your face when you try walking in them.

  14. Britt says:

    I love how these reporters and media are trying to rewrite history and blame Harry and Meghan when everyone knows including them, that the media helped create the storm that led them both to leave. They just didn’t like the fact that Meghan didn’t play ball and they assumed that because she was an actress, that she would be thirsty enough to embrace them with access. It’s clear that none of these “reporters” understand the Sussexes at all. These people are deranged. Focus on the boring, duty bound royals and leave the Sussexes alone. It’s like they’re trying to force themselves into the Sussexes lives and it’s absolutely insane. They are literally trying to follow them America. Who’s really irrelevant here?

  15. HMC says:

    Which is it, Katie? I’m so confused. Either she (and only she, of course Harry was kicking and screaming in protest the entire way) left because she couldn’t steal the spotlight from Kate (haha) or she didn’t want the spotlight.

    • Britt says:

      They’re literally writing any and everything to keep making money off them. I think they realized that America isn’t going to be an attacking ground for bitter reporters to spew their nastiness especially with the contacts that Harry and Meghan have. Katie Nicholl is obviously trying to be a Sussex correspondent in America to keep getting money. That’s why I’m assuming Piers is trying to play nice now, to get in on the action as well.

      • Nic919 says:

        Katie Nicholl will not get the attention in the US she wants by openly attacking Meghan so much. Outside of the racists, the general feeling is that the UK media treated her like garbage and they will protect one of their own, especially as it relates to an archaic system that punishes women for having agency. The American sense of individualism is quite strong and most Americans do not see Meghan’s actions as wrong. Royal protocol is seen as bullshit for most of them. While this stuff might attract a larger audience in the UK who have centuries of tugging the forelock to overcome, that is not the general spirit of the US. They had a revolution from that almost 250 years ago.

      • Becks1 says:

        Exactly @Nic919. We do have Emily Giffin and her kind, obviously, and I do know some people who buy into the criticism about M, but I just correct them and they say “oh, I didn’t know that, cool.” (like they think that H&M asked the US to pay for their security or whatever, I say “no, that’s not what’s happening” and we all move on.)

        The few people I know here who dislike Meghan are also fully into the mindset of “the queen saved her country and is a true leader and will and kate are hands on parents and we don’t have any proof Andrew did anything wrong and DIANA.” it’s a very specific type of person and frankly those people are getting older. (again see Emily Giffin.)

        That Buzzfeed article contrasting coverage of Kate to coverage of Meghan gained a LOT of traction here in the US and went a long way, IMO, to gaining sympathy for M from people who might not have thought about her before.

        I think the worse the British press treats her now the more Americans will continue to feel sympathy and understanding for her. Katie Nicholl’s continued barbs will fall on deaf ears.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Nic919 – Thank you for your most eloquent statement.

        I just want to add that the public in the US who follow the royals view them as entertainment as in a real life extension of Downton Abbey or a Disney movie. This did not start with Meghan or Diana. This entertainment view on royalty started with Princess Grace IMPO.

    • RedWeatherTiger says:

      Schrödinger’s Duchess!

  16. Sofia says:

    So which is it: is she a b-list actress that couldn’t handle the spotlight or is she some scheming social climber who knows exactly what she’s doing?

    • Molly says:

      That is what the establishment: Meghan was a social climber who couldn’t handle her hazing (racist abuse) and proved that she didn’t fit in. She was supposed to bear it and make herself “humble” like in those tweets Charles’ Communications Secretary liked, and eventually maybe she could have a family order or the occasional bauble from the royal collection.

      Why? Because it’s a 1000 year old institution and who does Meghan think she is? And they think someone British would have taken it and been grateful to just be included.

  17. Harla says:

    I think what Meghan and Harry couldn’t and shouldn’t have to handle was the treatment and lack of support she received by his family.

    • Britt says:

      Exactly. This idea that Meghan and Harry have to take abuse and the constant moving of goals posts so the heirs can look better and for a media to make money. They said no, dipped, still successful and the British Media are salty about it.

  18. Em says:

    But I thought she was an attention seeking social climber who always wanted to be the center of the limelight? Now you’re saying she couldn’t handle it. Why don’t you pick a side and stick to it Katie and stop hopping from one narrative to another.

  19. Eyfalia says:

    Did anybody read what Eric Roberts said about Meghan? Very positive comments by him and he has much more weight than this froggy-eyed woman.

    • Nic919 says:

      Hollywood can be nasty and yet again and again the people who have worked with Meghan have positive things to say about her. That weighs a lot more than a bunch of British tight asses complaining about archaic protocol that only applied to Meghan.

    • windyriver says:

      Yes, I saw that. He was a guest star on some episodes of the show. Talked about what a great group the Suits people were, how kind to each other, and of Meghan, “She was lovely every day”, among other things.

      • windyriver says:

        From what Roberts said, the work environment on Suits was very positive and supportive. How incredibly disappointing and frustrating it must have been to come from an environment like that and end up in the nest of vipers that’s the RF and unrestrained BM.

        Sounds to me like what Suits prepared Meghan for was the idea that there are better ways of getting things accomplished than lies, insults, backstabbing and constant criticism. Yet, she made it work. Gives more context to her comment about wanting to thrive, not just survive. She and Harry tried to negotiate better circumstances by their “part-time royal” proposal, and when that was nixed, they were out.

        Edited: wasn’t finished with the previous comment before it was posted!

  20. OriginalLala says:

    I thought she was supposed to be a conniving social-climber who wanted nothing more than the global spotlight?? lol, the more they talk the worse they sound.

  21. C-Shell says:

    At first, I just thought Nicholl (and Piss Morgan) were just trying to ingratiate themselves to pick up extra work in the US media as “experts” on the Sussexes. *snort* But now, I’m beginning to wonder if something’s amiss with Nicholl and Vanity Fair since she’s been going hither and yon with her “exclusives.”

    • Britt says:

      I think Vanity Fair want to work with the Sussexes especially Meghan. She did do cover shoot for them.

      • C-Shell says:

        So, maybe they’re easing off Toxic Katie a bit to mend fences? I can buy that.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I read somewhere that Vanity Fair is getting a total revamp complete with a new editor and Katie Nicholl will be or has been shown the door.

      • L4frimaire says:

        I hope they get a revamp. That magazine has been a dud since Carter left. It’s needs to move forward. Can’t go back to the Carter era but needs to be better than this mess. Can’t believe, in the middle of a pandemic, in an election year, with so many interesting women politicians, they put an old photo of Princess Anne on the cover. I’d even rather see a piece on Melania Trump over this Majesty magazine clone. Like is it that hard to find decent journalists who don’t hack phones. Also, do we need “ royal experts” on the Sussexes since they have left that role. It’s not needed. It’s not like the NY time uses “ royal experts” when they write articles on Marie Chantal of Greece or the finances of the Spanish royals. However, I think when the Sussexes reveal whatever initiatives or working plans they have going forward, they will get some harder hitting journalists looking at them and seeing if they have what it takes to deliver outside the royal bubble. There will be fluff but also a lot of scrutiny, but hopefully not through a royal lens.

      • C-Shell says:

        @L4frimaire, this is so on point. The Sussex’s problem from the outset is they weren’t being examined and reported upon by serious analysts and journalists, but that’s because they were “irrelevant” British royals — which they never were. Now, they will be reviewed based upon their merits and accomplishments. It’s a whole new ball game, and the Katie Nicholls of this world are scrambling and lagging behind.

    • Olenna says:

      I think something is amiss, too. She’s still promoting herself as Royal Editor for VF but I agree with others who’ve speculated that contract is nearing it’s end. In this Fail article, she’s talking to 9Honey, an Australian media outlet “for women” that usually relied on Victoria Arbiter for it’s royal news. So, it does appear she’s casting her net wide for more work. She’d better cool it with the bad mouthing and shading, though. Sussex supporters on Twitter have gone directly to VF and other news outlets that employ Nicholl, often highlighting her alleged ties to phone hacking and indirect racist reporting about Meghan.

      • C-Shell says:

        I wondered what 9Honey was! This plays into the Meghan bashing we’ve seen coming out of Australia the past few years. (This is not a blanket criticism of Australia, btw, just the sensational media types.) Makes sense.

      • Lyn O'Callaghan says:

        Olenna, 9 Honey is a small part of one of our free to air networks, mostly used as a filler piece between regular programs. It’s supposed to target a certain women’s demographic, and it’s hosted by the most irritating self impressed presenters you’ve ever seen. This piece of human waste reporter should fit right in.

      • Olenna says:

        @Lyn, thanks for more background on 9Honey. Sounds like Nicholl is getting the downgrade she deserves.

      • L4frimaire says:

        @Olenna,I don’t know if she’s being dropped, at least not yet, because Nicholls wrote that cover story on Princess Anne. I looked through that issue because my subscription hasn’t expired yet. There was a little mocking side column on Harry and Meghan future job prospects that was very belittling, then a huge spread on the Daily Mail conquering America, with barely a mention of the lawsuit and nothing on the relentless anti-Meghan coverage. So as of that issue, VF is still using Nicholls, and they are also writing sly nasty swipes at the Sussexes beyond this one writer. It’s was a really bad issue in general, but I’m just waiting for my subscription to expire. I thought it would be good under the new editor at first, but it’s gone from bad to worse. Also, the 2 covers with Meghan and Meghan and Harry were under Graydon Carters tenure. For some reason, the direction of the magazine is to go all in on alienating the Sussexes. Also, Carters new venture Airmail was the one who employed that awful woman who called Meghan trailer trash and she’s written some nasty articles on Meghan on that site. The thing with people like Nicholls is she is a monarchist, royalist, believes in that stuff so anything she perceives as a threat to that order she will attack or belittle. However, the intent of a magazine that is supposed to be more contemporary under the current editor that continually provides a platform to attack this woman of color in the royal family is quite a disconnect and shows why this magazine is losing its cachet. To quote one critic on the current editor she “can’t carry a tune to save her life. The magazine under Radhika has no idea what it is, or what it wants to be.” Well it certainly doesn’t want an interview with Meghan and Harry. They should dump Nicholls and the editor with her.

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      I have also posted below, but Katie Nicholls lowered Vanity Fair’s reputation with her ignorance and lack of any journalistic skills (see, her attempt to shade Harry and Meghan by pointing out the PRIME MINISTER of South Africa would not be there to greet the couple!). I expected more from Vanity Fair, and maybe Vanity Fair should expect more from their writers.

      • L4frimaire says:

        And at the end of the tour, they actually did meet the PRESIDENT of South Africa in Pretoria. This Nicholls woman is a professional liar with loose to non-existent ethics.

  22. 2cents says:

    Katie Nicholl is a lousy C-list reporter who desperately tries to stay relevant…..🥱 Next!

  23. HK9 says:

    I for one think the saltiness comes from the fact that while I’m sure this is distressing to Megan, I think she handled everything with such grace and style. People like Katie hate it, because they expect her to fall apart, and from what I can see, that’s not going to happen.

    • Ruby_Woo says:

      This! They were actively expecting that she would be so grateful to be anywhere near royalty that she would put with the bullying and be like Fergie 2.0; or have some kind of melt-down and leave. Instead she upped and left with man and are having they are having lovely time with their baby.

      • morrigan01 says:

        They really expected Meghan to be like Kate and put up with *anything* just to be with royalty. And hey, there are some Americans who likely would.

        But a larger majority of Americans never would, especially African Americans. It’s why many Americans who watched all this closely, especially African Americans like myself, *knew* – without a doubt – that she and Harry would eventually chuck deuces and walk. (Had no doubt that Harry would leave with her, since he’s made no secret for years – before he met Meghan – that he hated Royal Life).

        The Royal Reporters, Family and others of that ilk just can’t wrap their heads around the fact that they willingly left. That she didn’t leave broken and sad to not be connected to not be in the heart of the royal fold anymore, but broke away of her own will, along with Harry.

        And they *really* can’t wrap their heads around the fact that she and Harry are living far away from it all perfectly fine, in luxury even. And look to be starting to make they way just fine.

  24. Andrew’s Nemesis says:

    I see this as yet another covert racist dogwhistle. The implication is – as I understand it – that Kate, dear English Rose Kate, was ‘born to the role’ as a white woman and ‘gracefully’ joined the archaic white establishment. The ‘B-list’ actress – a term to denote second class – might as well describe what Nichols sees as a second class citizen, eg a person of colour. Perhaps I’m overreading/overreaching here: feel free to disagree. But Katie Nichols does have form as a primo dogwhistler.

    • RoyalBlue says:

      you are speaking truth, it’s all dog whistles.

      why this obsession with status? like are you A list, B list or C list? do you have titled ancestors? or were they all coal miners? Are you from the working class or upper class? it’s always this turning up your nose at things you cannot control rather than praising a person’s accomplishments, competencies and things he/she has more control over.

      • morrigan01 says:

        Well, Katie Nicholl IS British. That whole class system they have there is pretty ingrained in them it seems, likely since birth. People who are part of the upper classes seem to live and die by it.

        And yeah, we have a class system in the US, but it is NOTHING like the British one. In the US, what class you are born into doesn’t dictate how you are forever viewed if you rise you class station later in life. Upward mobility is admired in the US and viewed as a positive thing. Even used as a “See!? They did it, you can do it too!” thing.

        So yeah, Meghan probably took a look around at the class snobbery of the British Upper Class and Aristocracy and was like “WTF?” but also probably didn’t give it a thought beyond that. She never saw herself as “lesser” because of where she came from. And that likely drives people like Nicholl and other Brits who DO care about that class stuff crazy that she doesn’t and never did.

  25. June says:

    Lol B list actress, like that’s such a bad thing. This woman is obviously ridiculous and will just about say anything, really pathetic with zero integrity.
    On a different note, I like those old photos of Meghan in the more skimpy clothes, very cute. Actually quite interested in seeing how/if her style changes. She was fabulous on her brief return to the UK.

  26. Liane says:

    The spotlight is one thing. She can totally handle the spotlight. What she was under was unrelenting interrogation lights. No one can deal with those.

    • Feeshalori says:

      Meghan was persecuted, plain and simple. Nothing could ever prepare you for that, nor should anyone remain in a position where it would be tolerated.

  27. Elizabeth says:

    There is no precedent for a Black, American woman marrying into the British ruling family. I don’t blame Meghan or Harry, but the aristocracy in England is obviously a nightmarish place and very exclusionary and in many cases overtly racist. I wholly understand why they’d leave, especially for the sake of their child. They won’t be making him make nice all his life to people who’ve clearly shown their racism like Great Aunt Michael or Uncle Andrew or Great Grandfather Philip, or all the rest of them.

  28. MsIam says:

    It looked like she handled the spotlight pretty well on the Oceana tour. Seems like some other folks felt that spotlight was too bright and needed to be dimmed. Again, the narrative changes, I thought it was “The Sussexes (Meghan) needed to be slapped down, they’re too popular”. Now, it’s, “oh no, they (she) couldn’t handle the spotlight”. What will the story be next week?

    • June says:

      Yeah this is gaslighting. She handled everything well. And the decision to leave isn’t “not handling” it, it’s just making the best decision for her life and her family.

    • Margaret. M says:

      You are making a valid point, if you all will remember after the tour a poll was taken and prince harry polled higher at that time than the Queen. I’m sure than didn’t set well with any of the boring in laws.

  29. Harper says:

    Meghan wasn’t prepared for the animosity, jealousy and media attacks to come from Will and Kate. It’s like one of those horror movies where the 911 operator screams “the killer is inside your house!” but then you are trapped because the murderer is standing between you and the door so you have to go out the bathroom window.

    Harry knew that once the FFK Wills was willing to work with the media to crush him it was game over. How could he ever trust Will and Kate again and why would he want to? Harry saw his future and bolted.

    • S808 says:

      Y’know looking back, W&K leaking the plans to leave was a blessing in disguise. It forced the Sussexes to go ahead, step down and get out of England. Imagine if they were still stuck as working royals in the UK unable to leave? Harry would’ve kept getting the run around from his father and grandmother. And Meghan would’ve continued to get slaughtered with god know how many palace sourced stories. Things worked out in a weird way.

  30. smee says:

    I’m not a fan of lace and both of those lace dresses are terrible – the Navy blue one in particular. I guess even she can have a bad day.

    She is way more prepared for fame than say a shy Royal preschool teacher. They handled the racism by walking away – that shows self respect to me.

    This spin on MM won’t resonate with most.

  31. Calibration says:

    I thought the narrative for the last two plus years has been she’s a narcissist who craves the spotlight? Make your minds up. Geez

  32. Esme says:

    Can someone please ID the blue pattern dress in the first picture? I’d love to wear something like that in the summer

    • notasugarhere says:

      Mallonia jacquard dress from Isabel Marant. The event was in 2013, so I don’t know how much luck you’ll have finding a similar look. You could check HEWI, eBay, Edit Second Hand, Rewind Vintage, ThreadUp, Poshmark, Tradesy, etc.

  33. aquarius64 says:

    This cow Nicholl. Did she have a thing for Harry at one time? She acts like a woman scorned with these hit pieces on Meghan, like a one night of Harry’s who is mad he didn’t call.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      I always wondered about that – its a bit like unrequited love, she hung around that group and prolly though she stood a chance.

    • notasugarhere says:

      She may have as she considered herself part of their social circle. She’s a known Kate&Middletons plant/leaker from years ago.

  34. February Pisces says:

    They’re Hollywood A-listers who struggle with their fame. Anyone would. The thing about being famous is that you will never know what it’s like until your on the other side, and once your there you can’t turn back. I think Meghan always wanted to be a famous actress, because she believed the dream like most people. But I don’t think she ever expected it to be like this, because quite frankly I have never seen a famous person treated this badly for no reason whatsoever. This has been one of the worst cases of media harrassment I have ever seen.

  35. Meg says:

    More victim blaming and gaslighting from the press to deflect from their bad treatment of meghan and harry. Its like a passive aggressive non-apology, ‘im sorry you werent able to handle the spotlight.’ Its to encourage her to be defensive and they deflect from their own wrongdoing

  36. SM says:

    She was a B list at best. That doesn’t however has to do anything with well ….anything. or was that supposed to be an insult or an allusion to how she is not deserving of being among Royals? It’s not like she is going around saying to people how she deserves an Oscar. It’s like people just get a kick out of bringing someone else down.

  37. L4frimaire says:

    Katie “ gender fluid” Nicholl keeps digging that hole deeper. What does she think she’s doing because it’s not a good look professionally and she’s veering into Giffin level obsession. She knows the Sussexes are done with her and now she’s looking desperate with her “ Sussexes suck” audition interviews.

  38. Lowrider says:

    A raging narcissist, attention seeking golddigger who wants a simple life because she could not handle the spotlight? The media needs to straighten out their narrative.

  39. Jaded says:

    No Katie, Meghan didn’t make it to the A-list of acting, but this is how she prepared for the global spotlight:

    “Markle was a counselor for international charity One Young World. At the 2014 summit in Dublin, she spoke on the topics of gender equality and modern-day slavery. Also in 2014, she toured Afghanistan and Spain with the United Service Organizations.

    In 2016, Markle became a global ambassador for World Vision Canada, traveling to Rwanda for the Clean Water Campaign. In 2016, after a trip to India focused on raising awareness for women’s issues, she penned an op-ed for Time magazine concerning stigmatization of women in regard to menstrual health. She has also worked with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women as an Advocate.”

    All this before she even knew Harry and while she was managing a busy acting career.

    So will you stop regurgitating the same old bile, you’re a boring old racist hag who’s desperately hanging on to the last rung of her career before flaming out.

    • Karmak says:

      This….. Thank you, for highlighting all of the amazing things Meghan was doing before she met Harry. Meghan was more than a working actress.

  40. Ruby_Woo says:

    Why on earth are these tabloids actually paying good money for this woman’s insights when they could just make it up themselves.

    Aren’t they supposed to be losing money through the nose.

  41. Valiantly Varnished says:

    So being an actress should prepare you for racism? Huh. I certainly didnt learn that in my theater training. How does that work exactly??

  42. Rae says:

    I can’t add anything that hasn’t been said already, but I just wanted to reiterate: why the hell is this woman getting interviews.

  43. Nina says:

    Nobody can ever be prepared for continuous lie , daily defamation and assassination of character.
    Katie Nicholl is And will always be a phone hacking fiction writer.

    • L4frimaire says:

      I don’t think anyone can be prepared for this. Can not imagine major national papers constantly churning out negative articles about you, day after day, about every little thing you do, real and often made up or imagined. Weaponizing looking at a camera, holding your pregnant belly, closing a car door, taking a private plane. This was scorched earth propaganda.

  44. Bunny says:

    “Katie Nicholl: Duchess Meghan was a B-list actress who couldn’t handle the spotlight”

    Katie, Katie, Katie, get your made up accusations straight. Was she “B-list” who couldn’t handle the spotlight; or was she a thirsty D-list social climber, climbing over bodies, willing to do anything?

    It sounds like you’re just making stuff up, Katie… because you are.

    “But as the mother-of-one admitted in the couple’s tour documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, she never anticipated the scale of the press scrutiny.”

    “Press scrutiny” = virulent, raw racism.

  45. Digital Unicorn says:

    As opposed to what – a lazy woman child who couldn’t and wouldn’t hold down a job and couldn’t handle the few hours a week gig Mummy got her.

  46. HufflepuffLizLemon says:

    I have one negative thing to say:
    That navy lace dress, nude pump, and sausage curls looks like Kate cosplay.

    That’s the meanest thing I’ve ever said about Meghan, ever. 😂 She is amazing, brilliant, and I’m thrilled she and her little family are happily living in LA.

    • L4frimaire says:

      Those beige pumps are tragic. That was the look back then unfortunately. I think her style has definitely improved A LOT over the past several years. Early Suits style vs. later Suits style, even before Harry is much better. HerDuchess style overall I liked but after South Africa, she definitely decided to be herself more because she knew she was leaving and could see a much more confident and stylish way of dressing.

  47. Sportlady20 says:

    It’s really hard for some people to see beautiful mixed folks survive & thrive. Meghan is not perfect, but she wasn’t given a chance they slammed her from the get go, no one stuck up for her, it was heinous. So yes perhaps our Meghan was a B list celebrity, she’s also so earnest hard working & beyond kind. That Nicholl chick is a witch with a B & that’s the nicest thing I can say.

  48. Alexandria says:

    White woman with no ethics says black woman couldn’t handle racist attacks and microaggressions that come with the spotlight. She’s saying people of colour should shut up about something they can’t change and racism is natural. Sure Katie Keen.

    • kellebelle says:

      She’s a lying hack and I just told her so under her silly article about Harry and Meghan’s anniversary plans. Like she’d know anything about them. She is abhorrent.

  49. Vanessa says:

    No matter how many times these so called royal reporters tried to change the narrative of the reason why Meghan and Harry left . There are Recipes Out there online every negative article Kate has written about Meghan people will make damn sure kate will never work in the USA . Just last week The daily news did a segment where the show the audiences the difference between The reporting of Meghan pregnancy verse Kate pregnancy a lot more people are becoming a aware of Meghan treatment by the British tabloids. That’s not going to fly over here when one royal reporters called Meghan one stop for trailer trash on MSNBC she found out really quick that in American is not Britain people found out where she worked complained and haven’t seen her since in the USA . I will never forget the way these royal reporters acted towards Meghan their actions were disgusting racist hateful they were allowed to bully Meghan because the palace and the Cambridge’s allowed it . Not one word of support for the queen and others especially while Meghan was carrying her baby and then Kate has the nerve to do a podcast months later saying how she believes in supporting woman who are pregnant . These reporters whipped up so more hatred for Meghan and Harry that they receive death threats because of the relationship before anyone can say well all royals receive deaths threat Meghan had a unhinged woman show up at a baby shower in New York with the help of another crazies online . The woman said she went there with the hopes of attacking Meghan and ripping off her so called fake belly and wiping that smug looked on her face . That the type of hate that the British tabloids and the palace helped create for Meghan

  50. Soupie says:

    Katie Nicholl is a cut rate journalist who can’t handle the truth/is a sellout.

  51. MA says:

    I love how Meghan is labeled B list as some sort of insult… 99% of aspiring actors who don’t make it would kill to be b list. But also, how many people who look like Meghan are even on the A list? It’s blaming her for Hollywood’s lack of opportunities for POC. How many awards and meaty roles have the young Jennifer Lawrences of the world received compared to veteran Viola Davis?

  52. Marivic says:

    I believe Katie Nicholl has a girl crush on Meghan. She couldn’t get Meghan out of her mind. She’s crazy about her. Megan lives is Katie’s mind day in and day out. She just couldn’t get enough of the Duchess. Burn her Meghan with your incandescent glow.

  53. Shannon Brown says:

    Okay, this is OTT.

    Ed VIII lived quite lavishly after he abdicated the throne for Wallis Simpson, and conspired with Nazis. Why are royals, former or otherwise, being condemned for living in luxury? Suddenly, thinking about QE2’s uncle, I remember articles I have read regarding their treatment. The “firm” wanted to distance itself from the “bad” Royal. Why are Harry and Megan the intense focus of this spot light? It is like a conspiracy…

    Maybe brother against brother is what the monarchy fears the most…..

    Just a thought.

  54. Molly says:

    Is Katie Nicholl a B-list Journalist?

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      Katie Nicholl is not any kind of “journalist.” She is an unintelligent, poorly educated, gossip monger. Nicholls is the one who tried to take at swipe at Harry and Meghan’s trip to South Africa by pointing out the South African Prime Minister wouldn’t be there to greet the couple.
      Except South Africa abolished the position of Prime Minister back in 1984. It was such an embarrassment to Vanity Fair that they had to revise the article to refer to the “Prime Minister” instead. I don’t know why Nicholls is still employed. Actually, I do know why, and it is the same reason people watch Fox News — fellow uneducated people who don’t know the difference, just like to see attacks on those “other types” they disapprove of, even if the attacks are factually wrong. Nicholls has greatly lowered Vanity Fair’s reputation, but if they make money going the Fox News route, I guess that’s all that matters.

  55. Yati says:

    I’d say c-list is being generous at most but she can handle the spotlight…her husbands family just didn’t have their back and her dads side sucks. She didn’t stand a chance.

    • L4frimaire says:

      It doesn’t matter what list you think she was on. The reality is she was several seasons on a successful show, that she will continue to get paid for every time it’s shown. She has a lot of friends, some A-listers, from working on that show, and she has a lot of friends, and professional contacts who have nothing to do with any list in Hollywood. She is a fully formed person who made her own life, and she and her husband will continue to do so. This is why people like that hack Nicholls continue to write these spiteful bs stories. They can’t wrap their head around someone like her. They really can’t.

      • Yati says:

        Right doesn’t matter. Just like your comment or mine. Have a great weekend! 😉

    • morrigan01 says:

      As far as the Hollywood Hierarchy goes, she was B-list. TV Actors, by rote, are all considered B-list, unless the show they are on is considered to be ones of those critically acclaimed game-changer type-deals (The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones – before the final season) . . . and even then, they usually have to be one of the top-billed leads of the show to be considered A-minus-list at most.

      Before the internet and the advent of streaming, *all* TV Actors were considered to be B-list BTW. You were considered either a “movie” actor or a “tv” actor, and if you were a “movie” actor you did NOT do a tv show, ever. If you did, it was a seen as a sign of your career declining. And it was very hard for tv actors to break into movies too.

      C-list is for people on reality tv shows.

      • Yati says:

        Thanks for your schooling. However, in terms of notoriety she was not high, she was a game show model who then became a 4/5th lead on a semi hit cable show. Average people didn’t know who she was until Harry unless you watched Suits. I’m sticking with c-list.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        @yati and? I don’t know 99% of the Marquis, dukes and peers. Does that make them C list in your books. Yes I am here to give a smack down to the passive aggressive posters pretending they wouldn’t jump at the chance to earn the kind of money she did in acting while snidely dissing her.

      • morrigan01 says:

        Hey @Yati? Just because YOU never heard of her doesn’t mean s**t. As far as the actual INDUSTRY goes, she was considered B-list, full stop. There are many B-list actors I’ve never heard of, but they are STILL considered by the Industry to be B-list if they are regular on a tv show, especially one that’s been on for a significant length of time.

        Little secret – Hollywood doesn’t give two s**ts if you started low on a totem pole on your way up. Because the MAJORITY of actors in the Industry did. Where are you CURRENTLY. THAT is what they look at. And when Meghan got together with Harry? She was solid B-list at that point, the end. What YOU want to think of her wrt list position personally is compelty irrelevant.

      • L4frimaire says:

        I don’t get her point at all. Seriously?

      • Lady D says:

        @yati, that “semi hit cable show,” was second only to GoT in ratings. Much bigger deal than you want it to be.

      • Yati says:

        I just have MY opinions on her status before she was introduced as H’s gf. You guys acting like I coughed on your loved one.

  56. Awkward symphony says:

    I said this before and its VERY obvious now that this cambridges/KP mouthpiece (who’s written several books about/for them over the years) is on a sanctioned smearing campaign against Meghan. She’s also looking to secure a permanent “Sussexs expert” gig😤
    I hope people pause and think about how clicking on her articles=endorsement or a signal for her editor to publish more hateful articles like this.

    I mean how stupid are these people to think insulting Meghan’s career in Hollywood+American roots would make people hate Meghan!!! If anything it makes people admire her for persevering and working hard for her career even if she wasn’t “A list”. Its more than what a certain FFQ has done before marrying into royalty

  57. Awkward symphony says:

    Wow I just saw byline’s Twitter account reporting about a hacking lawsuit which is probably the one Katie is named in(harry’s lawsuit), hence why she’s on a mission to spread lies about the Sussexs.

    Some info about the case:
    https://www.bylineinvestigates.com/mirror/2020/4/29/exclusive-secret-private-investigator-emails-found-in-prince-harrys-mirror-phone-hacking-case?format=amp

  58. yinyang says:

    She was a b-list actress who couldnt handle the racist and nasty insults being hurled at her by the world, could you??

  59. MangoAngel says:

    So many salty Brits named Kate and their nasty attitudes towards Meghan and Harry.

    Birds with their feathers, flocking together.

  60. pyritedigger says:

    Just here to say that while the pre-royal fashion isn’t terrible, those beige shoes in the last pic are horrendous. I’m pretty sure Kate still wears some variation of them. They need to be burned with fire.

  61. khaveman says:

    Look, she’s not perfect but she’s tough and will come out of this fine. I hope they have a happy family and enjoy their lives away from the constant judgment and hate. Choose love not hate like Harry did.

  62. Kristen820 says:

    I think Meghan seems like an extremely intelligent, savvy, and kind person so this isn’t meant as a dig. But calling her a “B-List actress” is…generous.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Sure, Jan, that wasn’t meant as a dig.

      Successful tv show for seven years, something 99 percent of (unemployed/underemployed) actors would sell souls to do.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        @nota, never mind Kirsten and all the randoms insulting meghan’s multi million dollar career, social media savvy, independence, well travelled and philanthropy. There’s is some severe psychosis that is affecting people seeing this successful woman snag their prince.

  63. Tpoe says:

    Ugh. I’m pretty sure it was the blatant racism she couldn’t handle.

    That being said, she was a c-list actress, maybe even d, if we are being honest. That doesn’t take anything away from her a person. Just saying.