I have a Duke and Duchess of Sussex post

[Peacetrain]

I know she had money, married into wealth and prestige.. but at what cost.. it is a wonder to me that both of them have kept it together.. forget money, titles etc... you have this American woman marrying into the royalty of another country.. and getting torn apart by their press .. really racist crap.. and then being attacked by her crazy hillbilly relatives here in the states (apologies to mountain peoples..) but every time I see a Markle appear on tv I start to hear the banjos in Deliverance playing


Good God Almighty, they cannot win for losing.. .. who needs it.. and Piers Morgan you are one crazy SOB.. no wonder she ghosted you.. You are nuttier than a fruitcake.


I am proud as hell of her.. she did not take it and neither did he.. so good on them for leaving that mess..

[dixiechiken1]

1. So poor Meghan's been victimized by: the royal family, the press and her own family...

To name a few. I don't know. Seems like everyone who comes into contact with her is an asshole... except her. Just spitballing here but maybe she's the problem.

[Peacetrain]

2. Nope... Have you ever listened to her family.. and

have you ever read the stuff they printed about her...she might be a real hard ass.. but no one deserves the kind of racism she had to deal with.. .

[ShazzieB]

9. And isn't it just her father's side of the family that's shitty?

Seem to me her mother is a perfectly lovely woman. It's her father and his other (all white) kids who have behaved abominably, am I right?

[2Gingersnaps]

26. British tabloid press came looking for her family

the Mother would not play the game, the father and sister took gifts and sold stories. Father lied to her about it. I don't normally get too involved in celebrity personal business. But I was orphaned, and it is amazing what family will do to kids for money. I feel for her. He was born into that life, she wasn't. And then there is the whole race thing, bullshit that has nothing to do with it. He had to watch his mother be hounded to death and thrown under the Royal carriage to cover for Prince Uncharming, couldn't marry the woman he loved because he had so much respect for the institution, but he had so much respect for the institution he married a 20 year old virgin for a brood mare he never loved, never let her forget it, and carried on with the mistress through the fake engagement and fake marriage. She was supposed to smile, wave, and cover for the institution. Diana, Sarah Ferguson, now Megyn, the institution has a way of grinding up the wives to cover for the "Princes." Disney it most decidedly is not. Harry has the character and the spine to get his wife and children out of that toxic environment, good on him.

[dixiechiken1]

10. No, not really...

But it's been my experience that when someone claims that every boss they've ever had is an asshole, they are usually a shitty employee. Or when someone accuses absolutely everyone else around them of being an asshole, they are usually the asshole. Kinda like the former pResident... everything was everyone else's fault, never his.

[Maraya1969]

44. EVERY boss was an asshole? EVERYONE around her was an asshole? Where

did you get any of this information because I saw, read, heard none of it.

Seriously where did you get this information?

I'm about 100% sure Meghan Markle is a Democrat and you putting down a Democrat in this way is just odious.

[dixiechiken1]

45. This isn't a discussion about politics, it is a discussion about a celebrity interview.

It has nothing - NOTHING - to do with whether "Meghan Markle is a Democrat."

[Maraya1969]

46. So you don't have the information. Got it.

[dixiechiken1]

47. It was a metaphor. I never said *she* said that.

My exact words were, "...it's been my experience".

[Arazi]

52. Meghan's boss was the Queen and Phillip. She never accused them of anything

In fact, Harry and Meghan both explicitly cleared their boss of wrongdoing.

You're conveniently leaving out the other "co-workers" at the Firm that Meghan DID get along with like Andrew's kids, and the supportive staff, friends, and her AA mother.

Nobody gets along with everyone in the office (or a family), not even Harry who is in a rift with his father and brother.

Yet here you are accusing the black woman of being the asshole... hmmm, wonder why SHE'S singled out

🙄

[dixiechiken1]

53. 🙄 Indeed...

[demmiblue]

3. Nah. n/t

[janterry]

4. it's clear that she also made many missteps

but honestly I think the whole royal system should just be defunded and no one should have a title. The idea of a king and queen in this day and age.......

[Journeyman]

5. It was so much better, back in the day, when Prince Charles married Diana . . .

and we Irish stood along the processional route, loudly cheering them:

"Up Chuck, and Di! Up Chuck, and Di!"

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Naughty boy!

[janterry]

8. lol

n/t

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

13. And now comes this Yank commoner stealing away Harry from the blue bloods in waiting!

Then the public airing of dirty family laundry, they should have known

[pennylane100]

38. I think they would have said the same about any "Commoner" getting in their way.

Luckily, I think they are eventually going to become obsolete.

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. ....

[2Gingersnaps]

27. Cheeky Irish!

LOLOLOL!

[soldierant]

33. Cute. But Diana had it very rough herself. As did Fergie.

And it hasn't exactly been invisible. John Oliver predicted it.

In the lifetime of some of us, one can also look to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

However, as an American (or any other non-Brit) I don't feel I have standing to tell them what their government should look like. I am aware that members of the Royal Family do work (work which here would be done by NGOs - and much of it in fact is with NGOs), some of them quite hard actually, and that they pay taxes. So I'm glad not to see references to "freeloaders" in this thread.

[pennylane100]

37. She may certainly have made missteps.

What do you think her top three or four were? Just curious.

[janterry]

43. The comments about climate change and population control

(that was sure a zinger)

Oh and this is interesting: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56325934

Look, I don't like or dislike her. I don't see her as particularly good or bad. She's living her life and making choices along the way. So is her husband. I don't admire her at all. I don't admire Harry and I don't admire his brother or his wife. They sure don't make true sacrifices for anyone (well perhaps for each other).

But we are not talking about people at the charity office every day doing the hard work of helping

Do I think I could have done better? No way. I would have been a mess of a royal. I'm too forthright. And I'm too stuck on doing things the hard way (that IS me).

I value true sacrifice and true selflessness. Not meet and greets, but working hard every day for the advancement of a goal.

I think she's just an ordinary person. I just don't lionize figureheads. Nor do I get swayed by Oprah interviews (not one way or the other). Life is more complicated that just one side.

[Hekate]

11. Did you watch the interview?

[JI7]

22. The People she worked with for years on that show defend her

her father's side of the family and the royal family have a not so b great history.

[kskiska]

30. Not everyone.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9344137/Meghan-Markles-former-star-Wendell-Pierce-slams-Harry-interview-pandemic.html

[JI7]

35. His criticism was this was taking away from attention on pandemic

[pennylane100]

36. OMG. That is what you learned from that interview.

I am at a loss for words.

[Maraya1969]

40. I think you should do a search of magazine articles comparing her to Kate Middleton

When you see how horrible they treated Megan compared to how wonderfully they treated Kate - for the same things you will change your tune.

For example when Kate was first pregnant one of the articles talked about how nice it was that she was holding her stomach like a pregnant woman does. Gor Megan it was something like, "What is her problem with her always grabbing onto her stomach?"

They were vicious. I felt terrible for her and I hope she gets all the happiness she can.

Actually, here you go:

https://www.boredpanda.com/uk-media-double-standarts-royal-meghan-markle-kate-middleton/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

[dixiechiken1]

41. No, thanks.

I don't really care. Sorry.

[artemisia1]

50. Then what are you doing here? If you don't care about double standards and racism, then what

claim do you have as a Democrat?

As for me, I don't give a fig about the Royal Family. I do care about an American woman being treated like dirt by an out of control, racist, muckraking press. I also care about the heads of state of a crucial U.S. ally being concerned about a "little brown baby" (sarcasm) resulting from a mixed race couple, offending aristocratic sensibilities (read: racist).

[whopis01]

42. You are wasting your time unfortunately

They have made their mind up that she is the problem.

Any evidence you bring will be ignored or dismissed.

Trying to point out racial bias issues to someone with “dixie” in their name is always going to be an uphill battle at best.

[dixiechiken1]

48. It's a nickname I've had since I was a kid...

Because of the song by Little Feat. It has nothing to do with racial bias. I am Latina.

[whopis01]

49. I understand you see no problem with it.

That's your choice.

[dixiechiken1]

51. 👍

[Hekate]

7. I watched all of it at the CBS link very late last night, & I was struck by the honesty. ...

When Meghan moved in, they took away her driver’s license, her keys, and her passport. Let that sink in.

She couldn’t leave the house to go have lunch with some girlfriends, because, her aide said, “we’re concerned you’re getting overexposed.” She’d only been out of the house twice in 4 months. The “exposure” was the vicious unrelenting attacks by the UK tabloids.

At one point I asked myself, where was the alleged privilege in her life? Three hots and a cot in fancy digs?

I saw a California Girl, to be honest. Raised in modest circumstances, successful in her career, accustomed to personal freedom. They took away her driver’s license, her keys, and her passport. Jesus.

Welcome back home, Meghan. Glad you brought your little family with you.

As for some of the rest — last night someone here called her a liar for saying the whole business leading up to the formal wedding was so stressful that she and Harry got married by the Archbishop 3 days beforehand, in his study. “Needs witnesses. No record of it. Casts everything else she said into doubt.”

Seriously? Surely we all know the difference between the religious ceremony and the secular ceremony — many, many gay and lesbian couples were married by clergy of different faiths in the years before the United States allowed them to formally register at the local courthouse. So if Meghan and Harry’s personal clergyman was willing, I see no bar to his blessing their union before the performance in front of the whole planet, and apparently neither did he.

There were numerous articles and opinion pieces in the Los Angeles Times this morning, but as far as I’m concerned the best of the lot was Robin Abcarian’s review of Oprah Winfrey’s unsurpassed skill as an interviewer, especially her artful use of silence. Recommended, at the link
“Why don’t the Royals ever learn from their mistakes?”
https://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/latimes/default.aspx?edid=038782e6-2023-4264-b50a-df3bb98d44dd

[SoonerPride]

12. Good thoughtful post.

Thank you for this.

[Hekate]

14. You are most welcome

[ShazzieB]

19. Great article and great post!

The Abcarian article was a great read. Thanks for pointing us to it. Here's a direct link for anyone who's interested: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-03-08/meghan-harry-interview-oprah-royals

I agree wholeheartedly with your post. It was nice to see, because I was getting really tired of some of the stuff I've been reading here since the interview. Especially the attitude that Meghan and Harry can't possibly have any "real" problems because they're rich and famous. To me, that's as classist as saying poor people deserve to be poor or if you're not comfortably well off, it can only be because you didn't "work hard enough." Classism sucks, no matter who it's aimed at.

I thought they were both completely sincere, and the idea that they are doing all this for attention (?) and/or making up lies just to trash the Firm for no real reason (??) is, quite frankly, repugnant to me. Thanks for making it clear that I'm not completely alone here at DU in my pro-Meghan sentiments!

[ailsagirl]

29. You're definitely not alone!

[2Gingersnaps]

28. Second that,

good thoughtful post. One of the best I have read. I saw her called a liar about the babies skin color. That interview was with Harry alone, and he will not repeat the particulars or name the names, like a gentleman. He told her about it, it was obvious he was very hurt by it. He was 13 when his mother died and he watched her abandoned, thrown to the wolves, and tormented to death. He had the spine and the character to get his wife and children out of that toxic environment. I truly wish them a healthy happy life.

[Klaralven]

16. Don't see any connection to hillbillies

Thomas Wayne Markle Sr. was raised in Newport, Pennsylvania, the son of Doris May Rita (née Sanders; 1920–2011)[2] and Gordon Arnold Markle (1918–1982).[3][4] His mother's family was from New Hampshire.[5] The Markle (formerly spelled Merckel) family on his father's side claims German American origins from Alsace on the modern French–German border

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Markle

[Geechie]

18. Pennsyltucky

That’s what some call the part of the state he’s from.

Lots of Germans among the hill folk.

[halfulglas]

17. To be honest we Americans got too caught up in the Disney royalty thing.

It's part of the thing that's been drilled into most American little girls, especially since the Disney empire. I know the generation slightly ahead of mine went gaga over Princess Grace but most of us knew she had a job to do and it wasn't all flowers thrown at her feet. But look at the Hallmark Channel some time. Every common American girl who meets and falls for a prince within a few weeks wins over his whole family, his staff and assorted little kids in his kingdom. Our news people often pay more attention to British Royalty than to the politics. You take a little girl to Disneyworld they try to suck you into going for the Princess package, having lunch with whichever Princess is in that package and all kinds of expensive activities.

That being said, when I heard about the royal engagement, I wasn't exactly happy for Meghan Markle. not knowing a thing yet about her wacky relatives, but she already didn't get the same treatment from the British press that her sister-in-law got. And then her wackjob relatives - what kind of relatives airs all their grievances to the press and the rest of the world like that? Their behavior shows more about them than about her.

Then there are the American men picking her apart on the web. One yesterday wrote Harry looked to casual in the interview so he was probably just going along for her. Also because Meghan was an actress she was just acting in the interview. Some people will never be convinced no matter what comes out. Meghan is a lovely and talented woman. I wish them both well. Maybe they will both be much happier without the royalty.

[smirkymonkey]

20. I'm just happy it is no longer "All Trump, All The Time".

I don't care what it is that pushes him out of the news cycle, as long as I no longer have to hear about anyone in that wretched family all day, every day, I'm fine with it.

[NHvet]

23. Harry

is definitely his mothers son.

[Warpy]

24. There's a reason fairy tales end at the altar

Marrying the prince is not all it's cracked up to be, and never was. Women who marry royalty are turned into brood mares, expected to be compliant, conventional, silent, and decorative.

Now that they're out of it (good for them), I suggest she tries to forget the lot of them, although she does seem fond of the Queen.

The US gutter press is ugly, but it's not as savage as the UK version. I suggest she build a wood fired firepit in her back yard and use it for any clippings people from the UK send her. She need look only as far as Wallis Simpson as her role model, well, except for tolerating Nazis.

[kskiska]

32. Grace Kelly wasn't happy.

[jalan48]

25. Duke and Duchess? Are they still going by that?

[BlueLucy]

31. I'm proud of them both.

Good on them.

[dawn5651]

34. and you are not taking in to consideration that her family in the us are proving her to be a liar

now as far as the british press goes if you attack someone based on the hue of that persons skin then you are scum. i was told that archie was attacked by people in the uk..my response why the heck would anyone attack a baby for who his parents are.....

[NBachers]

39. Duke of Earl

[madville]

54. I think it's all a big cash grab in the end

They stand to get paid hundreds of millions telling their story the next couple of years, if nothing else they can cry themselves to sleep on their huge piles of cash in their 15 million dollar mansion.

[Collimator]

55. My response here may seem like a non-sequitur. . .

. . . But it is what came to my mind as I read people insisting that British society isn't plagued with racism.

“In Britain I found things to be very different. I have yet to meet a single English person who has actually admitted to anti-negro prejudice. It is even generally believe that no such thing exists here. A negro is free to board any bus or train and sit anywhere, provided he has paid the appropriate fare. The fact that many people might pointedly avoid sitting near to him is casually overlooked. He is free to seek accommodation in any licensed hotel or boarding house - the courteous refusal which frequently follows is never ascribed to prejudice. The betrayal I now felt was greater because it had been perpetuated with the greatest of charm and courtesy.”
― E.R. Braithwaite, To Sir, With Love

It has been years since I read To Sir, With Love and Braithwaite may have contrasted American and British racial problems and progress in some other writing as well. But I do remember his discussion of the vocal and sometimes violent protests going on in America at the time and his position that the virtue of bringing the ugly reality of race hatred out in the open was that it created the possibility for change and growth.

The British propensity (at least according to its ideals) for keeping things polite and civil and simply "carrying on" no matter what has its downsides. There are some circumstances in life where "speaking out of turn" and making people uncomfortable is the right thing to do.

Harry and Meghan may not be blameless heroes. They don't have to worry about making rent and they don't need to cut out coupons to stretch their grocery budget. But the stress and struggle of dealing with a racist culture are real for them. I give them credit for calling the problem out in whatever form it takes.