1. So is there anyone who didn’t watch the Oprah interview with Meghan and Harry last night? I’m not a royal junkie. I’ve got a healthy curiosity when they’re in the news but it’s not like I stalk the Queen’s peeps.
2. Then again I’ve also watched The Crown so I guess maybe it looks like I’m obsessed but seriously, pinky swear, I’m not. Just saying. Anyway, I was 100% interested in hearing what Meghan and Harry had to say even if it meant suffering through commercial breaks so I tuned in. I’ve got some thoughts.
3. Oprah Winfrey is the best interviewer I’ve seen in a long time and she handled a few moments of jaw dropping shock incredibly well.
4. What do you mean there weren’t any princess lessons? Harry married an American career woman who had next to no knowledge about how things worked in the United Kingdom/royal family and they didn’t at least give her a primer? Good grief, the stress alone of trying not to fall on my face in front of everyone would have given me a heart attack.
5. That side by side coverage of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle exposes every inch of racist colonialism and it’s unconscionable no one in the royal family spoke out in Meghan’s defense. Especially Kate.
6. The spin machine can put out whatever story it wants but when genuine people step forward to speak their truth those lies burn to the ground. They didn’t blindside the queen. She didn’t make Kate cry. And the royal family’s promises to protect Meghan were as hollow as a rotted out log.
7. It’s remarkably cool that Meghan and Harry married privately three days before the official ceremony. They deserve something special all their own.
8. So let me get this straight. They were told that their first born child – Charles’ grandchild and the great grandchild OF THE QUEEN – would not be given a royal title or receive security? Despite the fact that everything in that family goes by tradition and tradition dictates the son of (then) Prince Harry would be titled prince and protected with a security detail? Sure, that’s not suspicious.
9. Meghan following there were “conversations about how dark [Archie’s] skin might be when he’s born” with a polite refusal to name the person because it “would be very damaging to them” is the kind of class act the royals don’t deserve in their midst.
10. Fans of the royal family can be super pissy about Harry and Meghan’s choices. How dare they step back from their duties and leave England. They’re just a couple of money grubbing royals setting up Spotify and Netflix deals. Hmm, well let’s see. Meghan marries into the royal family and charms people she meets on tour just like Diana did. Tabloids run racist commentary and despicable lies and nobody corrects them. People around her talk with Harry about how dark their child might be then declare he won’t be titled (like every other grandchild) or protected with security (again, like every other grandchild). Their relationship brings out the racists and they receive death threats. When Meghan hits her breaking point and reaches out for help with suicidal thoughts the powers that be say no go, it won’t be good for optics. Eventually the couple relocates to Canada intending to continue their work for the royals only to have the Firm announce they’re out and their security was being cancelled. Oh, and they cut off Harry financially. So the man did what he needed to do to provide security to keep his family safe. After all the bombshells dropped in last night’s interview Spotify and Netflix are the least of the royal family’s problems.
Living under a rock the way I do, I didn’t see the interview. I’ve heard some comments about that couple, but had no facts and didn’t want to get involved in what might have been a ‘celebrity fuss in a teapot’ sort of thing. I’m APPALLED that the Royals in power have acted so indiscreetly though at least from your take on things. I thought that their public reputation was everything to them (whatever they got up to in their private lives). Huh. Well, it’s become apparent to me that a lot of British (not all, I have several friends across the pond and I consider them considerate and unbiased) a lot of British do not like Americans, regardless of race. The race thing is unthinkable if that’s what’s motivated the withdrawal of equal treatment for the child. In this day and age, it would be hoped that the leaders of countries could get beyond their personal prejudices and biases. I guess not, huh. Damn.
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This one falls squarely in the category of people are people and romanticizing the royal family doesn’t mean they don’t fall into the same bias traps we all do. When I think about how long their history is, with so much of what they do based on appearances, I can’t say I’m shocked they ran into trouble trying to navigate the first biracial member of their family. I think the problem was not facing it head on and asking Meghan to suck it up.
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I didn’t watch the interview last night, but I can stream it later without commercials. What you have recounted here doesn’t surprise me one bit. What is this racist shit with little Archie? Really? That is shameful, but it appears the UK suffers the same systemic racism as the U.S.
I admire Harry and Meghan and I truly believe Diana would be extremely proud of them for taking a stance and putting their love, family and emotional well-being ahead of all else. I’ve always thought the royal family was a little messed up, or maybe a lot, and it might be time for a change. I wonder how Wills really feels about what his brother has done and if he’s a tad jealous that Harry has his freedom from the very thing that ended their mother’s life.
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You’re right. I think having each other to lean on probably made all the difference for Harry and Meghan and Diana would be thrilled their family is standing strong together.
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So interesting. I’ll have to see if I can find the interview to stream – we are at my old house gathering up more things I probably really don’t need, and have no TV here. Only what we can stream on our iPads.
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I hope you have luck. It should be out there somewhere, everything seems to be. 🙂
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I will say it again. Having a crazed go at Harry and Megan is wonderful way for those in power to divert attention from corruption and mistakes.
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Indeed. I understand the tabloids spent last week running a bunch of tear down pieces trying to get ahead of the Oprah special but I’m pretty sure that just made her point.
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Laura, we are look you, watching it to get an understanding of what transpired. Another key learning is there is protocol for what Harry and Meghan wanted to do and that is step away from being Senior Members of the Royal Family. Yet, the press portrayed this whole episode differently.
The other take away we had is many female members of parliament wrote in defense of Markle when she got the racist criticism, yet the Royal family said nothing. What many may not remember is Prime Minister Tony Blair had to plead with the Queen to say something about Princess Diana’s death. Their silence over several days, made them look poor. You would think they would learn.
Ironically, while this is happening, it is becoming apparent that Queen Charlotte (who married George III), after whom the city Charlotte, NC is named, has some African heritage. She was of German descent, yet has some roots to Jamaica (I believe). As I understand it, Here is a piece from The Seattle Times. Keith
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/was-queen-charlotte-black-heres-what-we-know/
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Thank you for sharing that, I’ll be sure to check it out. I did learn a lot from the interview. I knew there are members of the royal family who are just, I dunno, *members* who aren’t out front all the time and I just don’t understand why they made Harry and Meghan stepping back such a thing. Especially as it seems they didn’t want her there in the first place, it sounds like the perfect solution for people who didn’t want her front and center. It sounds like this thing went wrong in so many ways, and every time they had a chance to turn it around the firm/family/whatever shot it down. So sad.
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Agreed. The Queen could have played a regal role saying the personal attacks on my grandson’s wife and out of line and are not in keeping with our ideals. It was truly opportunity missed. Keith
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I missed the interview and thanks for the recap. Who would ever doubt that the royal family is racist? We talk about racism being systemic in the US. All you have to do is visit British history to find tons of it. The royal family maintains that tradition.
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True. I’ve met several people who romanticize them. The “people’s princess wedding” for Diana cemented the storybook for a lot of folks. Amazing more haven’t seen the truth after watching what she went through.
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I didn’t watch but it’s been obvious all along that the press has been racist toward Meghan. It’s not a surprise that “the firm” didn’t help her when they are all about how things look. They’re all just repulsive hypocrites, most especially for how they coddle that horrible Andrew
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The difference between how they protect Andrew and Meghan tells me everything I need to know about who matters. Protect the bloodline, in-laws are expendable. Sad.
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I did not watch the interview. I think they were wise to leave and take care of their family.
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Putting family first made sense to me but apparently took more bravery than I realized.
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I could not get my jaw up off the floor when watching and it is not totally surprising when you take a step back, they are all about image and not so much about humanity. I’m sure they will try to smear them even more now after this interview. How brave of them to tell the truth
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So very brave. I agree – I was stunned but this morning I’m realizing it isn’t that surprising really.
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Wow! I missed the interview so thanks for the update
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It was good. They seem like great people too.
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I think so too. After watching crown, I have a very low opinion of Charles!
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Me too.
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👍
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