Last week, we talked about Gayle King and her CBS special, Harry and Meghan Plus One, which aired Friday night. The royal reporters were freaking out completely because Gayle King had been the UK before Meghan gave birth, and Gayle had met privately with Harry and Meg in Frogmore Cottage. The royal reporters were mad because… something something American something black women something. When the first previews of the CBS special came out, I began to “get” why the reporters were increasingly hysterical though – it’s because it was pretty obvious that Meghan authorized several of her friends to speak on the record to Gayle King. There is simply no way that Meghan’s closest friends, like her makeup artist Daniel Martin, would have spoken to Gayle without Meghan’s explicit or implicit permission. And therein lies the rub. The royal reporters are once again bashing Meghan for running her own Communications office and refusing to go through traditional royal-communications channels to get her message out. They did the same thing when Meghan authorized her friends to speak to People Magazine back in February.
Meghan has been accused of personally approving guests for a new TV show — sparking a fresh row about her love of publicity. “Meghan and Harry Plus One” rubbishes claims the duchess is difficult to work with. Meghan was said to have given permission for pals to speak out. A royal insider called it a breach of protocol. They said: “It’s simply not the appropriate thing to be getting involved in TV shows about the family.”
In the documentary, celeb make-up artist Daniel Martin weeps as he slams claims she is “difficult”. Hollywood star Jessica Alba also calls Meghan “a beacon of hope for a lot of women out there”. True Blood actress Janina Gavankar adds: “She’s going to be such a good mother. I think she will be very low maintenance.”
An insider at broadcaster CBS revealed that each US contributor spoke only “with the blessing of Meghan”. Its timing also raised eyebrows as Meghan is believed to have secretly discussed the project with host and friend Gayle King days before she gave birth.
The royal insider explained: “Our belief is Meghan has been aware of this TV project for at least the last month and hoped that certain allies and friends spoke out. She wants her case put on US TV in the strongest possible fashion. Meghan believes she is her own best PR. She even met with Gayle to discuss the show days before she went into labour. Senior members of the Royal Family raised eyebrows about this. This is the way a Hollywood celebrity acts, not someone married to an heir to the throne.”
A source close to Meghan said: “There have been malicious attacks on the Duchess and, while she appreciates the support of her friends, she draws a clear line and does not discuss those things with them.”
Buckingham Palace said: “The Duchess has not had any involvement in the CBS special, nor requested or given permission to friends to participate.”
Yes, that’s an on-the-record denial from Buckingham Palace. Which… do they not have anyone at the Palace who remembers what it was like during Princess Diana’s heyday? This is a total Diana move – Diana would often authorize friends to speak on her behalf and get her message out that way, going around the official communications channels. Diana also got in trouble for authorizing her friends to speak to people like Andrew Morton, especially when the palace was flat-out denying Morton’s reporting/writing. Sidenote: I still can’t believe that Meghan played coy about not knowing anything about the royal family. She, like many women of our generation, paid attention to Diana’s moves in the 1990s and this is a flat-out copy of Diana’s Playbook.
As for whether or not Meghan truly authorized her friends to speak to Gayle King… of f–king course she did. That’s not a debate. The royal reporters want that to be the debate because they don’t want to talk about how Harry and Meghan Plus One made them look like petty racist amateurs who attack Meghan constantly over everything and nothing. Gayle King used the special the slap back at some of the most egregious and racist attacks on Meghan. And once again, Meghan is showing the myopic royal reporters that she has other options besides them to tell her story. Harry and Meghan Plus One was an unapologetic pro-Meg piece of propaganda, which is only controversial because the British media has set it up that way.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.
I thought Meghan said she didn’t know much about Harry (from tabloids, gossip, etc), not that she didn’t know anything about any of the royals.
Well, I don’t believe that either.
Why not?
I mean, she obviously knew about him from tabloids, but people forget that as an actress she knows tabloids are junk. I think she wasn’t counting the tabloid stories. She didn’t live in Britain, didn’t know anyone who knew him, just knew the tabloid basics.
People always pick on this one line, but I think she was being sincere. Anyone who has lived 8n that world would know not to trust newspapers to “know” someone.
Agreed @LaraK Just because she was in hollywood doesnt mean she was into royal gossip. Also, what evidence do people have that she knew more than she let on in that interview?? People project sooo much onto Meghan…both good and bad – its so strange.
+1 That’s always the way I understood her to mean, as well LaraK.
Yeah she said she didnt know MUCH about him,not that she didnt know him at all.people just like twisting her word and want to believe she was plotting to trap Harry…
That’s the key word, much. I’m sure she knew he was a prince, son of Diana, grandson of the queen, that he had red hair. I doubt she knew much more, like where he went to school, how long he was in the military, where he was ever posted in the military, favorite food, etc. She, as an actress in the public eye, would know better than most that there is the image for public consumption then the real person.
Exactly Sam! Until W&K got engaged I didn’t follow the royals at all, I was too busy raising kids and just living my life. Of course I knew who they were and few things about them, things that made the headlines but other than that I didn’t know Much about specific individuals. It’s only now that I’m older, the kids are out of the house that I have time on my hands to follow the BRF and other royal ladies.
People like to twist that and it is ridiculous – she followed it with something like “What is he like” and knowing 1000 facts about him wouldn’t change the fact that she didn’t know “what he was like.” I can tell you a lot about a lot of people and have no clue as to whether I would be interested in a relationship with them.
People like to play it like she was like “Prince Harry? Never heard of him. What’s the British Royal Family?”
I believe she implied that she did not know much about either but I could be wrong.
After finishing college worked in Argentina for a few months, then running to auditions.
Since she was dating a guy for a couple of years then got married and divorced.
Then dated a chef for two years, I would say she was not sitting around reading the tabloids about Harry or anyone.
Yeah, I dont side eye her too much with her saying she didnt know much about Harry. In my office, most people only have a passing interest on the BRf. Like they know that they exist, but not much more than that. Obviously, Meg, being a celebrity, would know more, but I’m not sure it was much.
The really funny thing is now people in my office talk about the royals….but only Meghan and the baby, and a passing comment on Harry.
Ask people what they know about Will and Kate and it will be vague and based on the covers of magazines in the supermarket checkout or clips on the news.
I could easily see Meghan also being in that group.
Also, the “Is he nice,” question. So many celebrities have great pr while being different behind the scenes. It’s a reasonable question.
Oh well. Maybe if they would not attack her for breathing then perhaps her friends wouldn’t feel the need to defend her when given the opportunity. They can stay mad until they start putting some respect on her name.
I really think this is just going to make it all worse. The courtiers will be more mad than ever, the British press will be more mad than ever and I’d bet that members of the royal family are mad too. It’s rather like nobody has learned anything from Diana. Diana however was deeply loved by British people and around the world. While I get the impression that Meghan has a strong fanbase in the US, I think the average British person remains indifferent. Then again I guess Meghan is marketing herself to an American audience and most British people are fairly indifferent to the entire royal family unless something big is happening. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens next.
Stieg Larsson’s book title comes to mind. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. Lainey called the baby roll-out Jedi PR. But I think a line has been crossed. Good PR is not so obviously PR. It now seems on its way to manipulative. I am the same age Diane would be. I watched her get married. I watched the boys grow up. I was giddy for Meghan and Harry. Bought the cookbook. Now, I feel much less sympathetic and for the first time ever questioning the relevance of a Constitutional Monarchy. (Canadian). The energy around all of this is not good at all.
@Lisa, I’m with BlueOrange here. I know that to Americans it’s a slam dunk, and I think Lainey is probably seeing Meghan with biased eyes like she used to be with Paltrow, no matter how wtf Paltrow’s behaviour got.
This isn’t going to end well. It’s barely a year in the breast of the BRF and she’s making people speak out on her behalf with a slick talk format ALREADY?
Now, I feel much less sympathetic and for the first time ever questioning the relevance of a Constitutional Monarchy. (Canadian). The energy around all of this is not good at all.
Oooh good. The more conversation about this, the better for all of us, I think.
Her job is “Princess of the UK”. Popularity in America is fine, but she’s not in a position to tell the British press and all of Great Britain to go suck it.
She and Harry and their communications team really need to address the problems at home. Like it or not, they need to work with the British press to end the cycle of negativity that is undercutting everything Meghan does.
While holding a grudge against the British press might feel justified, it’s not going to make anyone any happier.
I was born in a commonwealth country and sang “God Save the Queen” before I even knew who the Queen was. However, I grew up as a teen in the US and still reside here. I can say most ordinary Americans do not follow the royal family.
I made their wedding cake for a potluck recently and when asked I said what inspired it. A few knew Harry and Meghan but I’d say most people I know don’t follow the royals. It’s on the edge of their consciousness, like Canada. They know Canada is there but not the capital, the prime minister nor the territories. In my opinion most Americans are fairly insular and concern themselves with America only.
I’d say few Americans know anyone in the royal family by name except the Queen, Diana and now Meghan. To me she’s raising the profile of RF in the U.S. but not by that much.
Where she is very popular and getting recognition is in commonwealth countries the vast majority of which are populated by people of color. So I don’t think her long game is America. I think she is using her US connections to tell her stories in the rest of the world, mainly commonwealth countries. And they hear her side, loud and clear.
The palace should have done something for her three years ago. Everyone in BP is just sitting back, tut-tutting the racism she is forced to swallow every gd day in that country, while not doing anything about it. The ‘never complain, never explain’ mantra just ain’t cutting it anymore. I guess when your not the target it easy to sit back and say she shouldn’t have done that.
Lmao. You’re questioning the need for a monarchy because the wife of the seventh in line may have secretly authorized her friends to speak in a syrupy tv special?
Pedo Andrew and the Queen covering up for him wasn’t the breaking point?
How about the finances of the Queen, Charles and William being made secret?
Seriously, at least try to make the criticism believable.
The coverage in the media has been non-stop critical since the wedding. The “overspending, difficult, fame-whoring, blah blah” narrative has been ongoing for months. The same media that is aghast at Meghan letting her friends talk to Gayle King are the same ones that run to Papa Tom Smurf and Toxic Sam every chance they get. Meghan can’t even give birth in peace without the RR throwing a tantrum about not knowing every last detail. And as far as the other Royals being upset, how is this worse that the dumpster fire that William started with that Turnip Toff article?
Very well and succinctly said, Hope. [Now, back to SMH over these bad PR comments.]
Nobody is saying there aren’t other problems with the royals. There are plenty of problems but this article was about Meghan’s documentary and so that’s what is being talked about. I really don’t think Meghan can win this either way. Even if she hadn’t put a foot wrong since being with Harry, she would still have an issue with the British press and I might be wrong but I think the more she tries to fight, the more she will fan that fire because her hands are somewhat tied.
There is absolutely nothing Meghan can do to please the courtiers and RRs because they are racists. I think she is smart to circumvent the RRs because they are never going to play nice.
@Blue Orange, ” I might be wrong but I think the more she tries to fight, the more she will fan that fire because her hands are somewhat tied.”
I agree with you 100%. Meghan cannot this win this game.
@jenx and duchess–Yup, I usually agree with most of Lainey’s stuff, but she’s too overboard with hyping up Meghan’s PR. She just compared the roll-out of the wedding photos to Beyonce. I see that as hugely problematic because Meghan is not a celebrity! But in her mind she is, and this is exactly what the press is going to critique her for.
Right??!!? I’m with Lisa – I can’t stand the way she is trashed. There is just too much negativity being spewed about her. It makes me so sad.
I think the People Magazine article was a VERY bad idea. IF Meghan gave her friends permission to cooperate with Gayle King then I think “Meghan & Henry plus One” was a VERY VERY bad idea.
But is it REALLY all that different from other fawning Royal documentaries? There’s not “waiting it out” with the British media. Everything that she could do to win them over she’s done. They keep moving the goalposts to keep her out because Meghan’s VERY EXISTENCE is what they hate. The way they have treated her is abusive–I wonder if they were even trying to spur a miscarriage. NO PREGNANT ROYAL HAS BEEN TREATED LIKE MEGHAN!!! It’s only because she had paid her dues in Hollywood that she was able to thrive in that toxic greenhouse. Imagine Kate or even Diana treated the way Meghan was treated while pregnant. They were not. Go back and look.
“Respectability politics” doesn’t work. Haters don’t hate Meghan because she wore black nail polish once, or because she doesn’t walk 2 steps behind Harry with downcast eyes. They hate her because she’s confident and because they haven’t broken her as much as they have tried.
My thought is that her PR team realized that there’s no “winning” with the British media. Her best bet is to appeal to the Americans, which is what she did. At best, the British will likely be indifferent to her. They aren’t important in terms of the succession. So I think it’s a good strategy for them to be the global rock stars, and let the Cambridges take the focus in the UK. Maybe doing a special like this geared to a British audience would be a mistake, but to an American audience? No brainer! She’s one of ours, after all.
How so @BTB? Both W&K use the media to get their points across. I would say the only difference is we know names and faces instead of “palace sources and friends close to the family say”. I don’t get all the pearl clutching. And I also don’t buy the Diana comparisons either, because Diana used the media not only to portray herself as the victim but also to trash the royals and the monarchy as a whole. I don’t see where Meg has done that at all.
@MsIam, Because 99% of this is over race. No one in the USA really cares about any of this except as a gossipy diversion. Gayle King can do her very little good in the UK.
Agreed. People keep muttering ‘this won’t end well’. What does that mean? Will she be sent to the Tower? Thrown out of the country. Or will Harry divorce her, which is what I think they REALLY want.
The Palace has waaaaay more to lose than Megan does. She’s got her baby and she’s got her man. What the Palace has is a special that clearly shows how Megan has been abused without a lick of support from the people who SHOULD be supporting her. The same people who will pull out the big guns to protect a man who hangs out with a pedophile.
I don’t think Megan needs to lose much sleep over this bullshit.
I can see why the reports are annoyed but I totally get why it was done. They don’t tell the story the way someone wants it told so Megs found her way. Can’t the media play nice??? Why continually bash Megs???? If it’s because of Wills or Charles (no clue just thinking out loud), it’s 2019 and enough already. Report it the way it is otherwise don’t get pissy when Megs keeps it real.
And yeah, she did play coy. No way she didn’t know about them. Even my brother who doesn’t pay attention knows all the stories. (Insert eye roll).
“They don’t tell the story the way someone wants it told” They aren’t telling the story, period. They make up blatant lies and pass them off as the truth.
A story can be fact or fiction. Relax.
Hey I’m chill. It’s a beautiful day and a statutory holiday. Canada is celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday.
I don’t find it unbelievable at all. I am literally the only person among my friends or family who pays attention to the royals, and even then I just started paying attention during the Meghan years. Most of my friends tuned in during H&M’s wedding but that’s it. Most people don’t pay attention or think of them at all and if I ever mention them in passing it takes a moment for it to register, as opposed to the instant recognition “Kardashian” achieves.
Lol. Sure, Jan. They must think we are all dumb. Daniel Martin is one of her closest friends. There’s no way he did that without at least running it past her first.
Meghan has the royal reporters in a box and she knows it.
On one hand, she will not be queen, so they can try to play the “protocol” card and “royal way of doing things” card, but Harry is 7th in line, so that only goes so far.
On the other hand, people love her. I mean, not the hard core racists, but most people worldwide prefer her and Harry to Dry Toast Cambridge. The royal reporters can talk about her being difficult all they want, but she is hard working, kind, and speaks for herself.
So until they accept these two things, she will keep dancing circles around them. Go Megs!
Who are these people worldwide who love Meghan? In my country, I never met anyone talk about Meghan. Diana was an icon when I was little. She was like Michael Jackson, Shahrukh Khan, Maradona or David Beckham. Everyone in the country know them, but not Meghan. I live in 4th most populated country in the world. Or maybe she is famous in China or India? South Korea or Japan? I doubt it.
You have to understand that these people claiming she is “popular worldwide” are the same people who forget that there’s a world outside of America. I actually like Meghan and think she’s been brutalised by the Brits, but to claim she’s “popular worldwide” is just not true.
@ Starkiller
Just out of interest, what evidence do you have that she is *not* popular worldwide or outside the US?
Um, you ever heard of Instagram? 8.2 million followers for @sussexroyal? Sounds pretty popular to me.
@MsIam, the Instagram account is for Harry, as much as it is for Meghan. It is undisputed that Harry is the most popular royal after the Queen. So the Instagram subscriptions have no meaning with regard to Meghan’s individual popularity. The only thing that does point to that are some public opinion polls which show her trailing other senior royals except Camilla.
@Susan, so would Harry have had 8.2 million followers on his own? It is ludicrous to deny that the two of them teaming up has not elevated both of their profiles world-wide. And that poll maybe true for GB but the OP was asking about world-wide popularity.
@mslam do you seriously use ig followers number? But then for someone who also don’t sing, act, dance or play sport Kim Kardashian has 130 million followers. Song Hye-kyo gets 9.7 million for someone who only post every few months. Compare to other public figures on the IG sussexroyal is not that popular.
Harry along with two of the most popular members of family couldn’t get KP social media accounts to do the numbers that SussexRoyal is doing. It took KP how long to hit 8M followers? Some years right? SR did it in a month and a half but yeah ok sure you can believe the followers are mostly there for Harry. SR not that popular really they hit 1M followers in the first 5 hours of opening the account. They have multiple post that have over a million likes but ok they aren’t popular. For Meghan to not be popular the clothes she wears seem to sellout.
Well, I guess by Ira’s standards, none of the BRF are internationally popular if KK or even Beyonce are the celebrity benchmarks for popularity.
@Sassy, ITA. Without Meghan, Harry would still be under KP PR, and Kensington Royal IG would never have gotten the attention and boost to its follower numbers that occurred after the Sussexes marriage and especially during the AUS/NZ tour.
If you’re comparing Megan to Diana, then just WHO in the Royal Family meet that standard? William and Kate? Please. If 1 out of 100 people know who Megan is, that number goes down to 1 out of 500 for Normal Bill and Keen Katie. Why do you think they’re so pissed off?
@Ira and what measurement would you use to determine that they are not popular world-wide? Other than, of course, the people you’ve met and talked too? s/
why are multiple people calling Harry seventh in line in these comments? Archie is seventh in line, Harry is sixth.
Because when they want to put Megan down, Harry is the most unimportant royal on the face of the earth. But when they want to say that every breath Megan takes is a blow AGAINST the monarchy, then Harry is practically one heartbeat away from the crown. Which is it?
I didn’t know Jessica Alba was one of Meghan’s friends. This is the first time I’ve seen their names in the same article lol.
She isn’t. Jessica was only in the doc because a charity Harry and Meghan supported she is on the board of. Baby2baby.
Jessica Alba isnt a Meghan friend.She’s a board member of Baby2baby charity ( one of the charities the Sussexes asked people to donate to)and was there to talk about the impact that has had on the charity.
The friends were Janina and Daniel
The way the doc was promoted I was expecting it to be based solely on interviews with actual friends – like her “longtime makeup artist Daniel” and the actress Janina Gavankar who has known her for several years. The royal reporter commentary made sense too.
Yeah……of course she authorized her friends to do the special. The palace just isn’t going to admit that. I haven’t seen it yet but I have it on my DVR to watch this week, I’m excited to see it.
It’s a mistake for Meghan to send out Daniel as a surrogate. He lays it on way too thick. The weeping was so over the top. More and more I’m thinking he’s mostly about self promotion.
And having found out he was behind the baby shower, I think if someone with more discretion had planned that event, it would not have resulted in so much bad publicity.
Anyhow, I agree that Meghan had to have given her blessing to her friends to speak on the special, and lying about it in an official Buckingham Palace statement is a bad thing. Her team is trying to get the message out about what an authentic and wonderful person she is, and then it’s accompanied by a lie?
good point!
Who says Meghan lied about it?
The statement came from BP. I interpret from the info that it came from the communications office to which Latham has to answer and not the Sussexes office. I see this as the courtiers at BP kow-towing to the Royal Reporters. BP may cower under the RR’s pressure but I do not see the Sussexes doing so.
What ‘bad publicity’ about the shower? Were the police called? Was it discussed in the House of Commons? Megan’s friends threw a baby shower for her and spent some money to do so. And? Are the British people up in arms about a baby shower? It’s ‘bad publicity’ to people who wish Megan ill, a little like the psycho who tried to assault her to ‘prove’ that Megan wasn’t really pregnant.
Funny how Buckingham Palace PR can get off their asses to shoot down an American pro-Meghan piece one day after it airs, but can do nothing about the two years of racist, classist, rabid courtiers @kP.
No one believes you, when you say Meghan did not give permission for her friends to speak, here is news for you, they don’t need her permission.
No wonder Harry and Meghan kept you out of the loop about the birth of their child.
Even twisted Andrew Morton said, Meghan and Harry’s presentation of Archie was more regal.
They didn’t shoot down the piece, just that she had authorized her friends to speak for her. If anything they are making her look less PR-thirsty.
Agree totally, @Peg. @Mumbles, I beg to differ. BP did not do this to “make[ Meghan] look less PR-thirsty.” They did it to appease the Royal Reporters and tell Meghan and Harry that they need to tow the line.
Why has there not been a piece about last week’s article indicating that BP has taken decisive steps to curb Meghan, her activities and her popularity? A pretty good way of trying to keep her in line is to say: we control the royals’ contact with the press and not you. Which is pretty ridiculous given that senior royals cooperate with the press on a regular basis (see, e.g., Jobson’s book which is pretty much a hit-piece on Meghan).
I mean, an unapologetic pro-royal propaganda piece should be wildly controversial, no matter how likeable the royal.
Was the information in Gail king’s special misleading? If not, it was not propaganda.
Wildly pro-royal puff pieces air on UK TV frequently.
Only if you’re working under the premise that the royals should be willing punching bags for the UK press.
Otherwise, it seems reasonable to me that aggressively critical attacks by the press (and others), bordering on outright character assassination, be met with efforts to correct the damage.
They’re almost all like that.
The problem is that it’s not controversial for any BRF member except the biracial one. Pretty much all royal docs are full of uncritical fluff, so why is it only controversial for Meghan? Charles JUST had a documentary hailing him as a visionary, the Queen had one called “Queen of the World” (which is problematic from the title alone). This is nothing new but it’s unfair when only Meghan gets flack for 1 sugary doc against the stacks of sugary docs and fawning for every other single royal family member.
By the way that story that Meghan met Gail King a few days before Archie’s birth was retracted by the daily beast.
I hope she did and love her for it! No one in their right mind would sit and take the racism and bullying by RR because “that’s what Royals do” Meghan had established a reputation prior to Harry and has every right to protect it! Like most professionals your reputation proceeds you either for promotions or for a new job. So I get the need for Meghan to protect hers. Good on her!!
True enough but when you get a new job do you flounce in and disregard all the policies and procedures? She was well briefed prior to making her decision to become Princess of the UK, surely. The problem with this latest swipe is it’s all about Meghan and her reputation and not so much about tackling the issue of racism in the British press. That is a huge blemish for the British and the RF and that is what the crown-wearing cowards should address. Accepting a bi-racial woman into the fold, allegedly as a beacon of a new age and diversity, is just not enough if you aren’t going to back it up.
LOL. Aren’t going to “back it up”?? What does that even mean?? Other than being a thinky veiled way of saying “be quiet and don’t rock the boat. Be a good minority”. Meghan has MORE than “backed it up” with her work ethic which she showed right out of the gate before the wedding even happened. There is nothing that states Royals can’t have people speak on their behalf to the press. Diana did it all the time. William did it with this recent Turnip Toff scandal. So why is it different for Meghan??
@valiantly. You totally misread my post. The BRF is not backing up Meghan! They have thrown her to the wolves.
Jenx: Do you believe she was brief that racist Brits would compare her son to a monkey? Do you honestly believe that the RF, who had a family member attend an event with a racist broach, prepared her for this level of racism and bullying? Be honest, you know No one said to Meghan…people will demean you and treat you like their property as a Princess of the UK you must take it and Meghan said, no problem, I’m use to it! Your statement is BS and shameful!!
@Jenx She has NOT disregarded all the policies and procedures. I hope people can eventually recognize how the media has treated prominent black women, or just how black women are treated in western society generally. Black women are always seen as “inappropriate” and “not belonging” or “deviant” and it’s extremely unfair and harmful. All those stories about breaking protocol have been pure fiction. From the beginning, she’s toed the line and done every single thing required of her, even when not necessary, even better than some of her white predecessors. Yet she gets half the praise for working twice as hard.
Megan ‘flounced’ in, rolled up her sleeves and went to work. That might be breaking a precedent set by the OTHER wife of Charles and Diana’s offspring, but I didn’t know NOT sitting on your ass was a bad thing.
@Jenx, what are these specific policies that she is supposedly flouting? You are beyond naïve if you do not realize that there was a set narrative to smear Meghan from the very beginning. Even if she were less visible there would be complaints about that. The press and the racists had the knives out from the start.
Ok. Let me clarify. I made two points.
1. Regarding this recent foray into Diana antics with Gayle King. Yikes. She is way too new to the firm to be doing this stuff. I used an analogy to make a point.
2. The BRF took her in superficially but seem to have absolutely no intention of supporting or defending her in the face of that rabid press. No courage from the crown on that front.
If you misinterpreted my comment, maybe I am a bad writer. But the nasty tone is unacceptable. This negativity is blossoming everywhere and I am surprised to see it here. What happened to civil discourse?
Okay, but aren’t the optics of this really messy then because BP is basically calling Meghan’s friends liars?
I don’t see how this is different than what Diana used to do.
@Enn same. It’s worrying that it’s just been a year in the BRF and friends are speaking out on her behalf already. Oh well, let the wars begin. If it makes people question the construct of Royalty, the better.
Enn, I really do not understand where BP calling her friends liars is coming from. Was there a footnote in the documentary that Meghan had instructed her friends to speak for her.. ?
Beg your pardon …….. I am not a native English speaker, do not use it in my everyday business and it is nr. 3 in my 4 languages of communication, so I could be suffering from reading and hearing comprehension.
I’m inferring from this part of the article:
“An insider at broadcaster CBS revealed that each US contributor spoke only ‘with the blessing of Meghan’.”
Didn’t Diana say that If the palace denies something you know it’s true? LOL.
With a rounder face I see more of her father.
I’m glad she is pushing back.
I read an article right after Archie was born where they were heralding Archie’s birth and complimenting Harry’s future skills as a father. The same article was negative towards Meghan. Archie literally came from Meghan, how can the press make this dilineation where they celebrate him but tear down his mother? It was so off-putting.
This was a profound mistake. It is going to play badly with the British press, couriers, royalists and people previously ambiguous about Meghan and/or the Royal family. Meghan is not Diana. And the royal family isn’t what it used to be.
Putting aside the racial issues bigots/racists, Meghan will never be completely accepted because she is American. Most Brits, regardless of race or social status, still look down on Americans. Her press game plays right into many of their American stereotypes.
The British family also has much less power than during the Diana years. Its ability to survive these types of messy controversies is unknown. The royal family has long survived on the Queen’s image of stability and respect, and the goodwill given to Will and Harry based on the adoration of Diana. The Diana effect is wearing off and many countries have already said that there will be a vote to leave the Commonwealth upon the Queen’s death. With certainty, many will leave. And the Brexit has caused and will continue to cause resentment in Britain.
Her popularity in the US is irrelevant.
The Monarchy has no effect on US-Britain relations. If Meg and Harry moved to the US and protecting them cost the tax payers even the smallest bit of money, they would be hated.
Like all Royals, Meghan’s job is to protect the Monarchy. That means making Charles, Will and Kate, the Heirs to the Throne, look good. Her job was to take the hits like Harry has. To be fair, all of the Royal family needs to change their press game. Shifting the blame is no longer an effective strategy. In the 24/7 world wide news world, once you open up a can of worms, it is hard to close the lid. Their survival rests on all of them projecting an image of strength and stability. But, it was/is not her call. She knowingly chose to marry into this family. In addition to loving Harry, she liked the power, money and fame.
She should have followed Michelle Obama’s advice and play the long game, keep her head down and put in the work to gain the People’s respect and protection. A year or two of work is nothing.
@Maddie, thank you! I love everything about this post. ALLA DIS.
well said.
.
I see where you’re coming from with argument that her lack of acceptance comes down to her being an American. But I would note that a lot of people -especially British citizens – have a very narrow view of who is “British” and it doesn’t include people without Anglo-Saxon heritage.
In that special, Ingrid Sewer(d) admitted that she doesn’t care for Meghan and claimed it was because she felt that Harry should’ve married an “English rose.” Who does that conjure up for you? Is it someone who looks like Jameela Jamil? Freema Agyman? Thandie Newton?
I suggest that when someone uses the term “English rose” they don’t consider those beautiful Brits at all. They think of women much, much paler than that.
Please watch this: https://twitter.com/PenguinUKBooks/status/959119248156168193
In that special, Ingrid Sewer(d) admitted that she doesn’t care for Meghan and claimed it was because she felt that Harry should’ve married an “English rose.”
Sewer(d)? is an idiot. No aristo was going to marry Harry because being a royal was too much work, and they already had all the privileges without being weighed down by the responsibility. She needs to write that ish in her diary, for real.
A lot of the women Harry dated liked working or wanted to work in their careers He lucked out in getting one who wanted to work – to the credit of the Royal family. Also, it wouldn’t have been a good look to marry another Kate – someone who didn’t work before marrying into the firm.
@Maddie, I don’t believe it is a mistake. Just because it’s been fine before does not mean new courses can’t be charted. Bear in mind the RRs are a) not professional journalists, just gossip reporters. b) not of long standing, they’ve only been around since the 1950s – there were none in Victorian England. c) RRs have a vested interest in keeping the monarchy or their cash flow is gone. d) Most are out and out racists.
It behooves Meghan to check their game. It’s not only her life, but her child’s life. She is setting the bar and she needs to do it now before Archie is attacked. ( monkey picks anyone?) Fortunately she has a media mogul, Oprah and a journalist, Gayle. There are many other black female reporters out there who have her back. As Black American Women they will continue to help. The RRs, once they understand she has a channel/channels to clarify, will have to step back. It’s a new day, even more media saturated than in Diana’s day. Light years ahead, really. She can get her message out without those old dusty folks.
It would be a big mistake to shut up and keep her head down. She needs to keep her head up and show them she’s not a punching bag.
If the monarchy is precarious that falls on Will and Kate’s lazy shoulders. Harry and Meghan are setting the bar.
@maddie, very insightful, I agree!
Did anyone watch the panorama interview Diana did? That was a mistake. A fluffy piece about Harry and Meghan isn’t going to end the monarchy and is no different than the hundred other shows like this that have aired over the years with participation of several friends of the royals.
Exactly, Nic, this is far from the first time a special like this has been done about the royals. They are all sugary fluff, as they’re made for American consumption. It would’ve been made with or without H&M’s cooperation (I’m not saying if they cooperated or not, I don’t know). But, for some reason, the rules are just different for them…
“Her job was to take the hits like Harry has.”
@ Maddie. Hell to the naw.
Meghan (nor Harry) should allow themselves to be viciously attacked and the punching bag of the British media. Many British posters have pointed out that the British people don’t even pay attention to the royals, so it doesn’t seem Meghan has a problem there. It’s just the British tabloid media that’s taken aim at her for not being an “English Rose” and daring to marry Harry. She needs to draw the line in the sand now, cause she now has a child to protect against those racists assholes. Lest, anyone forget how a three day old infant was referred to as a monkey.
How very easy for a white person to say something as callous as this: “Putting aside the racial issues bigots/racists.”
How can you possibly put aside RACISM? The fact that the coverage of Meghan has been fueled by racism means that there is no way that she’s going to win, EVER. The downplaying of racism, the constant “I know the attacks have been racist BUT” is really something.
Thank you, MA.
I can’t believe what I read on here sometimes…
Incredible.
So true! I’m blown away by some of the comments on here.
@Maddie: Take a look at these headlines— these are just from TODAY alone, and from only one newspaper. Are these the kind of “hits” you think Meghan should be taking regularly? You think this treatment of Meghan (and Harry) is okay/acceptable?
https://twitter.com/RoyallyPetite/status/1130556629320110081
It’s absolutely hateful. Day after day since she went on maternity leave, it’s been one negative article after another about Meghan. She can stay at home, not bother a soul, and yet this is the filth that gets thrown at her. And, it’s not just the racist, bigoted RRs. Look up and down this thread. Some people think they are too smart by half, and sly to boot.
@Olenna They’re not THAT smart.
” Putting aside the racial issues bigots/racists, ”
WTF?! How does one put aside racial issues?
Yes. I agree. Kate Middleton is the anti-Diana. Milquetoast, submissive, tame and malleable. Aside from her questionable fashion choices she will never run wild. Meghan has to realise she has made a Faustian bargain here.
Meghan is playing with fire. Her popularity in US means nothing unless she plans to act again. She needs to lie low, learn the ropes & then make a calculated move.
Diana’s playbook didn’t end well for her eventhough she was popular. If she were to do over I am sure she would have chosen a different path for the sake of her boys. The bitterness her kids had towards the royal family probably took years to heal.
Meghan is not British & it’s harder for her to win the people over. So she should try to blend in rather than make enemies so early on. This is not like fighting the rags as a celebrity. The firm is behind it!
She didn’t try to make any enemies at all. She literally hit the ground running for her new home and family. The RR’s decided she was their personal chew toy and attacked from day one. The enemies were waiting for her, she just didn’t know it.
@Rach This all sounds like what y’all tell Black Women who work in white spaces. We not here to blend in. We can set a path and an explicit point of reference for how we want and expect to be treated. We have that right. We’re not here to lie low so the British can tar and feather a Black woman. We not here to make white girls and their men feel better about their mediocrity. Us Black girls weren’t taught to be entitled. So we come prepared to work hard and to take up space like any white man or woman. We about to be heard. Now here this: The present state of play by the BRF and its RRs is unacceptable, race-bating, dehumanising. WE👏. ARE👏. NOT.👏HERE.👋 FOR.👋 IT. 👋PERIOD 👏. The BRF had no PR plan. They operate in the middle ages and still don’t how to use their dwindling platform. Meghan schooled their narrow behinds. The BRF is not as powerful as it thinks. Neither is the UK. They’re not Great anymore. And, Meghan does not have to take Diana PR lessons. Different era!! 2019 and social media is a different ball game and Meghan is winning at it, so much so that the Cambridges are following suit by releasing pics on instagram instead of via the RRs.
Look at the Sussex instagram and watch the Asian woman love on the Sussex. The Black
American women too. She is reaching out to the Commonwealth countries and we also stan them. Don’t come try dimming her light by saying Meghan is not relevant in America or Asia. That’s bull! She may not be popular among white American women but so what, you got things to do in Alabama so we good if you need to focus elsewhere, ya hear ?
The commenter on here saying how Meghan should blend in can have no idea how offensive such statements are. Blend in to what? How is Meghan different, less than, less poised, elegant, intelligent, articulate, polite, thoughtful? Are those qualities bad? Should she flash her ass cheeks to please the Brits? Should she go skiing on Commonwealth Day? What more can she do? Why should she not define a plan to untarnish her name?
All who are uncomfortable with Meghan’s approach have either internalised the racism around or are plainly racist. Those who want her to u-turn on her PR strategy want that because she is obviously succeeding and is limiting all our access to her private life. Good! We don’t need to be up in her marriage and business.
@Fred’smother. For the first time I copy pasted a comment and put it in my notes. Lol. That comment was the sht! I was like, oh yes, oh yes. OH YES! You said everything so succinctly. “We’re not here for white girls and their men to feel better about their mediocrity” score!
“She schooled their narrow behinds” Yes! I literally rolled on my bed laughing. Wiping tears of joy your comment gave me.
Black girl magic is real. And it’s here to stay. So move over and let Princess Harry’s light shine! Let it shine, shine, shine. Mediocrity move out the way. Lol
In which part of Asia is she popular? I don’t understand when Meghan’s fans claim she’s global superstar, because I really don’t see it.
Seriously, Ira, why are you here? Just to express your resentment? If she’s not popular and she’s only married to a minor royal who is 6th in line, then why do you care who likes her? If you haven’t seen the comments on the DDoS IG account that come in from all over the world, to include parts of Asia, then no one here can convince you that she has universal appeal.
Thank you for this! Sometimes I think I’m in crazyland. All of these comments about Megan making a ‘fatal error’ and ‘it won’t end well’.
I’ve said it many times but I think racism is a mental illness and you can see proof of that on the topic of the Duchess of Sussex. Having a Black woman (yes, she’s BLACK) in the Royal Family has driven some folks barking mad. Turning a puff piece into a national scandal and insinuating that Megan is on the verge of being thrown out of the Royal Family is sheer lunacy. FERGIE just attended a Royal wedding. We all remember Fergie, don’t we? The woman who got her toes sucked by a man, not her husband, in front of her young children. And the woman who sold access to the Royal Family because she’s greedy and money-mad. Word is that Prince Phillip hates her guts, yet he was at the same wedding right alongside THAT woman.
Has Megan done ANYTHING near what Fergie did? Until she does, maybe some folks should move on to the Norwegian princess who’s dating an African-American man.
The only person who wins from this crap is Keen Katie. She’s become the patron saint in some eyes because at least SHE’S NOT MEGAN. Imagine having so little going for you that you can only benefit from the ongoing assault of someone who’s only crime is being born Black.
Because she’s not. Why do you lie saying something that she isn’t? Song Hye-kyo is a goddess in East Asia (both North and South) for the last two decades. Dilraba Dilmurat recenly is the new star and very popular in East Asia (both North and South) and perhaps in the Muslim world as well.
Beyonce, Ronaldo, SRK, Jackie Chan are all have global popularity. Meghan Markle is not. Her wedding with Prince was covered around the world but most news outlets here never talk about her after the wedding. I read/watch Sing and HK based news outlets in addition to my local newspapers.
Why am I here? Because you keep claiming something that is not true!
Meghan has been doing everything she was asked to do from the beginning. The press have been targeting her non-stop since the relationship started. It will never be enough for some people, who will always see some nefarious conspiracy behind her every move.
@Rach, the problem with your reasoning is that Diana did play the game for many years before she spoke out. Things were irreversibly bad when she did her interview, the interview didn’t cause the problems. And what did being the “English Rose” get her? These courtiers and royal gossip reporters make a meal out of trashing women and those they see as vulnerable. And as far as Diana choosing a different path I’m sure that path would be to get as far away from Charles and the royals as she could.
Alright Meghan lay down and let the British media trash you, not forgetting to let the courtiers do the same.
Be a good little black girl and know your place, bowing and scraping, it’s what is expected of you, so racist can hide behind their dog whistles.
People are twisting themselves into pretzels to find fault with Meghan it’s victim blaming Meghan has been the victim of ongoing racist hateful campaign against her . But she the one who she should be quiet she should just take all the racist disgusting abuse the royal reporters and British media throw at her . No matter what she does she never been good enough for some people . Why is ok for other royals to get their friends to speak on their behalf to change the narrative but when Meghan does it is wrong . But I guess only the other royals are allowed to defend themselves and threaten legal action only William is allowed to defend his marriage or his character .
People are making such a big deal about this special when all royals have a special about them when a anniversary is coming up. It’s funny that when their special or article fawning over how great Kate is no one complains it’s ok for Kate to get positive attention but Meghan gets a positive special or article written about her it’s too much it’s won’t end well . The royal reporters and the British press have been nothing but racist hateful disgusting against her they have created this narrative that she a diva she made Kate cry she has her hand in the royal cookie jars she spending money like crazy. The moment she announced she pregnant with Archie the British press went fully on batshit crazy on her accusing her of everything they can think spreading malicious rumors about online with their #palace sources. I didn’t see anyone defending her the British media had a chance to treat Meghan with a little bit of decents instead they fully on racist. Everyone keeps saying she should work with the British media why should Meghan work with British media when they been down right nasty and racist toward her and now Archie . The British press doesn’t want to work with Meghan they want to tear her down abuse her all while claiming all the royals get the same treatment.
Only the white royals are entitled to praise and being defended. Meghan needs to bow down to the moving goalposts of respectability politics and show that she deserves anything she has.
She’s been trying to win people over. She worked way before she was even required to. She help put together a cookbook that helped fire victims and a community kitchen. That still wasn’t enough, quit saying she’s playing with fire are they going to run her into a tunnel too? She can’t change her ethnicity or nationality which would be the only way for them to accept her. This notion that she’s suppose to take abuse to prove to people that she’s a little good girl is absurd.
She needs to stop “trying to win people over.” I learned a long time ago from a boss/mentor that if someone is determined to dislike you not only can you not change their opinion of you but as well by trying to do so, you can make the problem worse and they will just dislike you more. Just be civil, move on with, and live, your own life with nary a thought to the naysayers.
Meghan is being trashed daily across international media. Not the same situation.
I think that is what she is doing @Mary, living her life and enjoying her family. And that is what pisses the RR and the racists off. They are frothing at the mouth hoping she will get on a plane for California, never to be seen again. That’s why they keep pushing these stories about them leaving the country even though the Sussexes say nothing has been decided.
Lorelei, by “people” I meant specifically her horrible family members and the toxic members of the Royal family. These are the people that are trashing her through the press. I just meant that she should not waste any time trying to get along with, or tolerating, any family members that they know are throwing them under the bus (even if it is the Cambridges). The more she interacts with them the more ammunition they have. She can be civil but she does not have to deal with them.
As far as the press goes, she should continue as she has been doing. The way the Royal reporters are apoplectic now, they will self-implode at some point!
The fact is there are some who can’t handle Meghan’s popularity, work ethic etc. Kate has been on the job for years and did little. The British Media was happy to label her waity and Duchess Dolittle. Now that Meghan is in the RF they want to white wash Kate and serve her up differently, hypocrisy! So they demand that Meghan dim her light so that Kate can shine. The problem for them is that all the things they hold against Meghan (WOC, American, divorcée, feminist and Actress) demands that she stands up for herself….it’s in her DNA and the Racist Brits are in for a hell of a fight if they continue down this path!
As a white person, I always knew there was a lot of racism (and misogyny) in the world, but the last few years – since Obama got elected – have shown me exactly how insane it is. These lunatic racists go off at the slightest excuse, and if there isn’t one they make something up.
Most of us here are women, right? So here’s the “path to success:”
“Be smart, but not too smart”
“Be attractive, but act like you don’t care about your looks”
“Be confident, but not too confident”
“Show ambition, but not too much ambition”
“Be a leader, but don’t be bossy”
“Have an opinion, but don’t be shrill”
Um. These standards are deliberately impossible. They are designed to keep us in our place. Women, are we doing this to Meghan, when we hate it when it’s done to us? “Blend in?” How? By doing less charity work so that she doesn’t “outshine” Kate? (then she’ll be accused of being a lazy welfare queen). Dressing in cheap clothes? (then she doesn’t respect the dignity of the royal family) Not speaking out in public? (she doesn’t speak out in public. But how many headlines have we seem with words like Meghan screams or Meghan’s bold statement?)
Do we want to see Meghan turn into Empress Masako? I hope she has found some happiness in her role, but the Japanese courtiers took a beautiful, accomplished, intelligent young woman and turned her into a shadow who suffered from depression for years and barely appeared in public. It’s the most disgusting, egregious example of a royal family breaking a woman’s spirit that I have ever seen. They destroyed her, and there was nothing the Crown Prince (now Emperor) could do about it. (Her “crime” was not bearing a son). This is 2019. We shouldn’t stand for a woman being abused by the media. It shouldn’t happen to Kate, either.
Apparently the only people supposed to speak to the press about Meghan are estranged friends and family members some of whom she barely knows and that is only when they speak to bash her. No, she should not let her friends speak positively about her to change the narrative. No that is playing with fire, although other senior royal family members have done it.
Gaylie`s documentary was advertised for quite some time before it aired. How can somebody claim it was like Diana`s? This was done in the open daglight with the royal family knowing it was being aired. They even got Ingrid Seward a British royal commentator in the programme. Ingrid has commented about other royals including Camilla, Prince charles etc. And she got the point across about why the press is bashing her. For me this documentary was a master stroke- it shed light on the RRs handling of Meghan, the whys and the therefores.
But I can see the Samantha Markles of this world not wanting anything positive about Meghan to be aired. If they can have her half as miserable as they themselves are, then all is good. These are the same people advocating that Meghan reconcile with her father. I would imagine this would be either because fathers selling their daughters for money is their reality or they want Meghan to be as miserable as possible.
Did anybody read the RRs fiction that if BP had known about the baby shower they would have stopped it? Ya right !!!! A senior member of the royal family is in the US accompanied by her security detail and BP did not know it ? Only the Samanthas would believe it, as their thinking and imagination is of an alternative world.
I never heard about BP stopping the baby shower, as if. The did not even know the birth plans otherwise the courtiers would’ve leaked it.
I don’t think Meghan and Harry had any plans to tell them, when she was going into labor.
Now they’re running with this baby vegan BS.
Vegans do not consume any animal products, including milk, eggs, or any kind of dairy products.
And cue the outrage over Meghan and her friends speaking out. So tiresome. Also cue the media already pushing articles that say “Meghan and Harry want baby Archie to be fed a vegan diet which is dreadful for babies!” . Even though at 2 weeks old, the kid is still on formula/breast milk and will not be eating any solid food for months. I guess the new narrative will be “Meghan is a terrible mother” instead of Meghan is a shopaholic who is rude to everyone. The beat goes on, I guess.
How long has the British monarchy been in existence? Long time right? And in that time there have been wars, assassinations, beheadings, colonialism (“Do you have a flag?” Eddie Izzard), gems stolen from other countries/or when Queen Mary or Princess Margaret came to visit (frantic servants hiding furniture, silver, paintings etc), Bertie’s sex chair . . . And somehow Meghan Markle is playing with fire (sounds like a threat or a desire for that outcome) or not supporting the monarchy. Thinking of Gene Kelly, “Dignity, always dignity.”
Oh yes @Beech, don’t you know it’s all Meghan’s fault that we can never have anything nice?
How can anyone deny the racism at this point? We saw it clearly during the Obama years.
Obama with his tan suit was besmirching the dignity of the office, nevermind that his predecessor launched an illegal war, Guantanomo, approved of torture tactics, failed his duty to Katrina victims…nevemrind that his successor was the most corrupt president in history, with multiple civil lawsuits, engaged in shady dealings and likely treason with a foreign enemy. See, Meghan with her instagram posts and having one sugary doc amidst a sea of racist, hateful coverage is the downfall of the monarchy. Not the pedophilia, shady dealings with hiding money, adultery, entitlement, the excess during times of hardship for ordinary Brits.
A lot of commenters here sounds like Fox News viewers shrieking about Obama’s coffee cup salutes, nevermind that Bush also did coffee cup salutes (see Meghan doing what every single member of the royal family has done).
Also, seeing how petty, out of touch the other (white) royals and their worshippers have been really hopes that Meghan does bring about their downfall.
“Not the pedophilia, shady dealings with hiding money, adultery, entitlement, the excess during times of hardship for ordinary Brits.”
This is how white supremacy and classism works. The grandmother with the MA from USC, and the self-made, humanitarian, educated daughter, are not good enough for the family (with the sexual abuse shadiness–including Charles’ paedophile bishop) the DOS married into. It’s absurd & sick.
Lol. Some of you need to stop concern trolling and deluding yourselves into thinking that this documentary was so different from all the other royal docs out there. This and the People interview are no different from the endless puff pieces about AND from the other royals.
What IS wildly different is the way Meghan has been treated by the UK press in comparison to previous married-ins. The level of vitriol is unprecedented and you’d be willfully ignorant to pretend otherwise. Racist headlines and stories, constant exploitation of estranged family members, linking good causes to terrorism, continuous bullying and harassment throughout an entire pregnancy…there is simply no comparison.
It’s clear that the palace has done little to nothing to protect or support her up to this point. But they can certainly shut down stories about Andrew’s shady Epstein connections (which keeps popping up like a bad habit) and suppress speculation over alleged affairs in Norfolk. They can absolutely push puff PR images of her with other royals to show how totally modern and accepting the BRF is, but they’re completely awol otherwise. They can (and DO) complain and explain for everyone else.
This.
This.
+100
All the thoughts here are why I say my thoughts are things I thought, my thoughts are not necessarily my opinion. In this thread alone, so much thoughtful, insightful commentary broadens my mind. There are opportunities to learn about insidious, thoughtful ways in which we treat others as less than, or more than. There are lessons about body-shaming, concern, trolling, and what those same words mean to different people.
Celebitches have broadened my viewing points, and thus, my point of view.
Thanks, Nerds, I love you all! (Pitch Perfect) ~
So we are going to ignore the classless and out touch Instagram post from Meghan and Harry? No?
How dare Meghan and Harry celebrate their wedding anniversary on their anniversary.
*sarcasm*
We loved it. That is why we have liked it 6,200,000 + times. There is classless , rude and out of touch but it is not Harry and Meghan……
I was talking about shilling Meghan’s friends $6000 dollar yoga retreat in a post meant to be about mental health charities. No coverage here whatsoever
And, there won’t be, BabaBlacksheep (or whatever your name is today). Trying to make a controversy out of nothing doesn’t work so well here as it does on Twitter, Tumblr and the royal gossip sites. Now be happy that you got what little attention you did for leaving this tu*d on the thread and hustle on back to one of those sites so you and your cronies can discuss shilling, grilling, and whatever else makes you hate Meghan and elevates your egos.
I like Meghan, I like anyone who shakes things up a bit, but I feel like she’s playing the short game against people playing the incredibly long game. The show gave her five minutes of good press that convinced no one who didn’t already like her. The cost was putting the palace in a position where they felt they had to deny what we can all see was obvious and aggravating the British media (which must have felt great). I’m not someone who goes along to get along, but there needs to be an appreciable upside and I’m not seeing it with this choice. You only get one opportunity to use the “friends” bullet and I think it was wasted.
@Robin, I think people who “like” Meghan would be more focused on why she is getting the shaft from the tabloid media and addressing that issue rather than finger-shaking over a harmless TV program interviewing people who actually know and love her. The same media that jumps at the chance to interview (and pay) her crazy half-sister, father and any other ne’er do well so-called relative.
I don’t think there’s much question why she’s taking the abuse she’s taking, divorced, American and black covers most of it. The question is how do you fight back over the long term and that’s where opinions differ. The media likes a juicy story and this show provided one without much corresponding upside for Meghan. I’d like to see the Queen do more, but it doesn’t seem that she wants to get into the middle of it.
Meghan is an educated woman with critical thinking skills. She will not accept the idea that because she is a royal that she should not allow to have agency and dignity.
It is apparent what the tabloids are doing, making money and unsuccessfully trying to save face. Being self-defined the duchess has found ways to correct the narrative.
Gayle King is a professional and see a good opportunity in stating the facts about the Sussexes. She was at the shower and was privy to the actual events than the reported descriptions.
So the palace was correct to push back.
I’m beginning to think that all this meshugas is a sign that the monarchy is weaker than I imagined. If one small Black woman, an American at that, can turn the entire realm on it’s ear like this, then Normal Bill might need to work on his resume.
I just watched a documentary on Queen Victoria that was full of countless affairs, a Royal Princess likely giving birth to a love-child and an affair between the Queen and a Scotsman that practically everyone hated (see the film: Mrs. Brown). Gladstone himself had doubts the monarchy would survive. And yet they made it through.
All this hate directed at Megan shows me that Black women really ARE the most powerful force in the world.