Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return across the pond to honor the death of the Queen of England has elicited a variety of responses from the British press. Among other things, they have been called, “awful, revolting, revolting people.” Similarly, after the news broke that they were uninvited to the state reception, a source felt that “…they shouldn't be invited to this and I hope they're not invited to a lot of other things.' It has also been said that Markle in particular is “just a horrible human.” Since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were confirmed as a couple in November 2016, Markle, especially, has been subjected to the wrath of the British tabloids. Meghan Markle, U.S born, former actress, divorced, and a Black woman, has received harsh treatment similar to that of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana. In addition, she has been carefully scrutinized and compared to her counterpart, Kate Middleton. During Middleton’s pregnancy, she was lauded for “tenderly cradling her baby bump” while Markle was reprimanded with an article titled “Why can’t Meghan Markle keep her hands off her baby bump? Experts tackle the question that has got the nation talking: Is it pride, vanity, acting- or a new age bonding technique.” This harsh treatment has not only come from publications but from within the royal family as well. According to Markle, in her interview with Oprah in 2021, and further developed by Christopher Andersen, the author of “Brothers And Wives: Inside The Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan,” King Charles asked about the probable skin complexion of their first child Archie (However, it is important to note that the Sussexes’ representative denied King Charles’ connection with this statement despite overwhelming evidence). Since taking a step back from their positions in the British monarchy, Harry and Meghan have created opportunities for sharing their mixed experiences with the royal family. Their interview with Oprah in 2021 was eye-opening for many as they explicitly discussed the variety of details that drove them away from maintaining their position as senior members of the British Royal Family. The British Crown is known to steer the spotlight away from their members. A current example is the avoidance of Prince William’s rumored affair by the tabloids. British publications have not covered this new information with the zeal they direct towards Harry and Meghan related topics. This issue seems to only be discussed by social media sites like Twitter.
Now that they have returned to England to bury Her Majesty the Queen, all eyes have turned on them. The British media has continued their campaign against the Sussexes by criticizing Meghan’s dress worn during the walk about to greet the public compared to Kate’s, to condemning Harry and Meghan’s decision to hold hands as they walk, comparing them to “lovesick teenagers”: it seems as though all their actions are erroneous.
Taking all of this into account, along with the passing of the Queen, it is reasonable to question the efficacy and necessity of the British monarchy. Most countries do not have a monarchy, and if they do, like Britain's, it’s mainly for show (rallying the people, presenting a united front to the world, or to keep ties made during colonialism). No other monarchy holds as much sway as the British Crown, with its rich history of imperialism which yielded the common statement, “the sun never sets on the British empire.” But in a post-colonial world, the image of the British monarchy seems to be lagging and remains a reminder of the hegemonic values of the past, which many nations and people have fought to leave behind.
The British press’ treatment of Meghan Markle, a Black woman, who might not represent the typical Royal status quo, is a closer representation of the modern world. The inability to fully accept Markle into the Royal Family brings to light the exclusive nature of this out-of-touch monarchy. As a Black woman myself, the patrolling of people like me is constant, but when it comes to those who hold power—Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, to name a few—they are heavily inspected based on their dress, behavior and reputation in the media, regardless of the country. Unfortunately, this is not anything new. Nevertheless, the British Crown has the unique opportunity of welcoming Meghan into the Royal Family, and therefore metaphorically ushering in a new era in British royalty. As aforementioned, the British Crown can wield their power to rally the people—both the citizens of the commonwealth and the world more broadly—by setting examples. Their conduct towards Markle and permitting the tabloids to attack her hinders the Royal’s chance to evolve into an inclusive and relevant institution. If the Crown, now that the Queen is gone, fails to mend the wound caused by the inhospitable behavior towards Meghan and Harry, a chain of events namely the loss of commonwealth members, or dissolvement of the monarchical institution is bound to ensue.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.