What if Lifetime’s ‘Harry and Meghan: Escaping the Palace’ is actually good?

Chrissy Teigen arrives at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency)

Has anyone else picked up on the fact that the British tabloids were particularly enraged over Lifetime’s teaser for Harry and Meghan: Escaping the Palace? The teaser came out last week and it looked cheesy as hell, absolutely, but it just looked like a inexpensive production of a Lifetime movie. No one is expecting Lifetime to do The Crown, you know? But the vicious way the British papers attacked this dumb Lifetime movie was really something. It was like those dumb Salt Island people thought that Harry and Meghan had something to do with Lifetime.

Anyway, Lifetime has released the real trailer and honestly? While the production budget seems, um, cheap, this actually looks good! Like a fun/gothic soap opera which might hit on some uncomfortable truths about the Sussexit. FYI (and edited): Sydney Morton plays Meghan this time around (taking over the role originated by Parisa Fitz-Henley), and Jordan Dean and his busted ginger wig and face merkin are playing Harry.

People were joking about the actor playing William, but I actually think this is pretty good casting! The actress playing Kate looks nothing like our Keen Linchpin, but she’s got that prissy, affected voice which works well. Sydney Morton is a really good Meghan – I actually think she’s the one pushing to make her portrayal of Meghan very realistic and accurate, and you can also tell that she’s studied Meghan’s speeches. And this mess comes out on Labor Day? Sure, I’ll record it and watch it. It should be good!

Chrissy Teigen arrives at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency)

Screencaps courtesy of Lifetime.

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58 Responses to “What if Lifetime’s ‘Harry and Meghan: Escaping the Palace’ is actually good?”

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  1. (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

    Cheesy or not, I’m all in! lol. Will definitely set the DVR and watch it. Hope we have an Open Post going for it! (*hint hint, CB!)

    • Vavavoom says:

      I am trying to figure out where to watch it in Canada! The casting looked weird in the still photos but once you watch the trailer, you’re absorbed into it and they actually look believable as them. The actress playing Meghan sure has her voice down pat! Looking forward to it.

      • Lori says:

        It will get more views than Willz documentary and thats all that really matters. I hope they sell merch so I can get a t-shirt.

    • Eleonor says:

      I will find a way to watch it, only to piss off The Firm.

    • clomo says:

      Didn’t they once have open posts here or was that a dream?

  2. Aurora says:

    Usually the actors in biopics are noticeably better looking than their real life counterparts. While the actors in this pic aren’t fug they are definitely a poor man’s version of the real thing.

    • Space Geek says:

      Very true… except in the casting of TOBB – epic trolling 🤣

    • Diana says:

      Savage!! 🤣

    • terra says:

      Oh, my goodness, yes! I felt like a horrible person because that’s exactly what I’ve always had pop into my mind anytime I saw a promo or the like for one of these.

      I mean, the lead actress is quite pretty, yes, I’d never say otherwise . . . but she’s not stop-and-stare-in-a-crosswalk-so-you-get-hit-by-traffic gorgeous like Meghan is in real life.

      There’s only the vaguest similarity, like an officially licensed Marvel or DC action figure at Target compared to something you’d find in a dollar store somewhere named Steel Dude or Wonderguy.

      • deering24 says:

        terra–Hee. Wonderguy. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

      • Lyds says:

        THIS. Meghan and Diana are two people where the actors portraying them are never quite as special/attractive as the real thing.

    • L84Tea says:

      The guy playing William…yikes.

  3. Space Geek says:

    Not gonna lie, was not expecting anything other than ridiculousness from this. Watched the trailer and now desperately trying to find out how to view in the UK. Apologies for my ignorance but when is Labor Day?

    • Eurydice says:

      Labor Day is the first Monday in September – this year on the 6th. It’s a federal holiday and the unofficial end of summer.

    • Lucy says:

      First Monday in September.
      This looks funny/entertaining.

    • (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

      Try using a VPN with a US IP address. While you might not be able to watch it on the website on the air date, it will probably be available to watch the next day.

    • Space Geek says:

      Thanks everyone, much appreciated!! It’s pretty fascinating hearing about these traditions. Is Labor Day the holiday where you don’t wear white before or is it after? This is similar to “September Weekend” in Scotland. Some of our bank (probably Federal to you guys) holidays are UK wide and some are more localised. Edinburgh and Glasgow have different holidays for some strange reason 🤷‍♀️ I work for a UK Bank so even though I’m in Glasgow I don’t get them off. My particular bug bear is not having 2nd January off as a bank holiday because it’s for us Hogmanay-daft Scots only.

      • Becks1 says:

        Yes, Labor day is the benchmark for wearing white, but I dont know anyone who follows that anymore.

        When I studied abroad, the equivalent was a day in early May….maybe May 1? But to be honest no one here actually talks about the reasons for our Labor Day, it just sort of marks the end of summer (with Memorial Day in late May as the unofficial start.) Not everyone gets off for every federal holiday, but labor day is a pretty standard one for most offices etc to get off. I’m a fed so I get them all off but the big one that stands out to me as one that most non-feds don’t get off is Veterans Day, the equivalent of Armistice Day in the rest of the world.

      • tealily says:

        Yeah, as far as the history of Labor Day, in honors workers and the labor movement in the U.S., similar to May Day/International Workers’ Day. It seems like we should get both!

      • Nic919 says:

        Canada calls it Labour Day, but we match the Americans on when it takes place. It’s the last holiday before school starts and the unofficial start of fall season.

  4. lanne says:

    1st Monday in September

  5. BayTampaBay says:

    I got to see this and will probably watch it at least twice just like I did with the Sharknado film series.

    It will be great entertainment whether it is good or bad.

  6. Amy Bee says:

    Nothing beats reality and channels like Lifetime are interested in perpetuating this myth that being a princess is some fairy tale. That’s why Lifetime made the first two movies. However it was also the reason why the Today show and GMA were hostile to Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave in the beginning. Part of their audience is those who love the royals. I won’t be watching but it will be interesting to see how or if they tackle the racism coming from the Royal Family.

    • Bettyrose says:

      In Becoming Royal they addressed the racism by creating a fictional character, a composite of the minor royals, who embodied the racism of the firm. They didn’t go as far as calling out any of the major players so it’ll be interesting to see if they do that this time.

  7. Sofia says:

    Nope. Still looks bad. And this is coming from someone who actually enjoyed the first one. I’ll give it a go but I’m going in with expectations less than 0.

    But I am pretty curious as to who they cast for Oprah

    • Ginger says:

      I adored the first movie. That movie made me want to watch their wedding. The casting for Harry in that movie was spot on. I don’t think I will watch this but it does look better than the second movie.

  8. Bettyrose says:

    I think they’ve all been good but the last one, Becoming Royal, was the first to really address racism in the RF. Lifetime was challenged to go beyond a syrupy romance and they met that challenge. I’m really looking forward to this one.

  9. Plums says:

    omg I can’t stand the cringe of RPF, especially something so recent and current. Like, the uncanny valley of that Oprah interview youtube thumbnail ALONE. just no.

  10. Harla says:

    I’ll be stocking up on wine and crackers for this cheese fest🤣

  11. Mina_Esq says:

    Oh hellz yes, I will watch this!

  12. Ariel says:

    I watched the first one, about their love story and LOVED it.
    Haven’t seen any others.
    How does one watch lifetime movies without cable?
    Do they stream?
    Do i have to sign up for lifetime streaming?
    B/c i will so watch all of the movies about them.

  13. Aurora says:

    I think they should have leaned all the way in and just made it a gothic horror film.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Aurora, I immediately thought that it would have been appropriate if the entire movie was shot in Victorian times for wardrobe, etc. Then when H&M leave they’re in modern clothes!

  14. Snuffles says:

    I’m ordering a bucket of caramel popcorn and watching the fuck out of this cheese fest!

  15. Queen Meghan’s Hand says:

    Sydney Morton sounds SO MuCH like Meghan!

    • RobinEm says:

      I was going to say that exact thing. Kudos to her and / or sound engineer. It may indeed be a cheesy depiction, but it will still deliver a lot of truth to a broader audience.

    • L84Tea says:

      She does!

  16. lemonylips says:

    Actress playing Kate looks totally like her to me, from en face side.

  17. Liz version 700 says:

    I can not wait!

  18. L84Tea says:

    They should’ve hired that guy from that TikTok video to play Harry!

  19. Noki says:

    This is a completely different Meghan to the First AND the second movie.

  20. Becks1 says:

    I think I’ll watch this, it looks actually pretty decent, as these things go.

    I didn’t like how Netflix’s “The Windsors” introduced Meghan, but I ended up liking how they dealt with them moving to California (as i remember it, I may have to rewatch it.)

  21. Elizabeth Kerri Mahon says:

    When did Sydney Morton play Meghan before? Two different actresses played Meghan in the other two movies.

  22. MsIam says:

    Wow! I can’t wait for this one! The first one is my favorite. But these are different actors playing Meghan and Harry. I think the Kate actress has been the same.

  23. keroppi says:

    I just picture all the royals gathered around the TV with bowls of popcorn and commenting on the portrayals to each other.

  24. Vee says:

    Ummm… Sydney Morton isn’t returning for the third time to play Meghan.
    Becoming Royal’s Meghan was played by Tiffany Smith, and in A Royal Romance, by the *amazing* Parisa Fitz-Henley. #shesmymeghan

  25. Katherine says:

    That’s much better than I expected. I guess the first preview felt almost grotesque because the actors are made to look like the real life people they are portraying but with this story we know the real life versions just too well for this. Their acting offsets this a lot though and makes me care about the story, so this might actually work in the end.

  26. Busyann says:

    I looooved the first two. Cheesy yes, absolutely, but they were my feel good movies after a rough work week for a while. I think though, this is the 3rd girl to play Meghan. The first one was good but slightly annoying, and I really liked the second Meghan. Kate and Will are okay…. believable even. Harry was…. forgettable in the second movie. Maybe this one will be better?

  27. Chelsea says:

    I watched the first one back in 2018 because curiosity got the best of me and it was honestly amazing in its ridiculousness. Like there was an entire through line that insinuated that Diana’s soul was in a tiger and they made Kate a bitch the whole movie until some old white lady called Meghan the n word and then she almost fought the old woman. I was really amazed at the crap they just threw at the wall. Gotta love Lifetime.

    Also: are we sure it’s been the same actress through all 3? I thought they got a new Meghan for the second because i remember she made some comments about Meghan that rubbed me the wrong way and that coupled with how the trailers seemed to lean too much into UK tabloid trash made me not watch it. This looks kinda interesting but it feels like it leans too much into the UK press’ propoganda that Meghan was the maatermind behind everything so not sure i will watch but it’s not surprising that the UK tabloids are salty because they view anything that doesn’t lap unending praise on them and their taxpayer funded royals as some pro-Sussex conspiracy even if the Sussexes get shafted too.

  28. Scorpion says:

    I’m watching the first movie…. I don’t think I have enough alcohol in the house for this 😀

  29. L4Frimaire says:

    It just looks so cheesy and it’s weird since so much is unresolved in real life. It’s really invasive and disrespectful to continually mine this couple’s personal life and just contributes to their harassment.

  30. SenseOfTheAbsurd says:

    Still looks bad, but surprisingly accurate in portraying the stuff the RF would like to cover up and deny.

  31. aquarius64 says:

    I like that the BRF will be the villains in this movie, particularly the Cambridges. After Oprah the Windsor name is damaged to the point the queen is not going be able to save it. I hope the Markles get dragged in this movie.

  32. questions says:

    It looks kind of bad. But most things in Lifetime do. Except for the Golden Girls.