My thoughts on the documentary run along two parallel lines. On the one hand, I came away with a huge amount of real compassion for Meghan--which I already had, but I really, really felt for her. She obviously had no idea what she was getting in to, and equally obviously still has no idea where or why she got off on the wrong foot. As a side note, I remember when Harry and Meghan announced their engagement, there was lots of discussion on this forum with some of us wondering if she really had grasped what she was getting into, and there were many responses along the lines of she's an intelligent woman, she's not stupid, she's a professional, etc., etc. The concerns were valid, clearly.
I found that I had much less sympathy for Harry. I am very puzzled as to why Meghan and Harry thought that talking about all of these personal things was a good idea, and what they expected the end result to be. When you put information out into the public arena, it is all too easy to lose control of the narrative. Harry of all people should know that. If the idea was to garner sympathy from the masses, then I suppose mission accomplished. But both of them put out details, emotions, and on Harry's part, insights into the private relationships of the family that are no one else's business, but are now out in the public domain to be picked over, discussed, criticized and mocked. And Harry did that without William's consent or foreknowledge, which is an egregious breach of trust in my book.
While they both discussed their work on the SA tour, what the documentary will be remembered for is the personal stuff, the vulnerabilities, the emotional pain, the anger. It's another decision from the Sussexes that shows they are not thinking long term or strategically, it's all emotion. In a lot of ways, it does seem very Panorama 2.0 to me.
I also think that Harry might want to rethink his so called friendship with Tom Bradby, because I doubt either Harry or Meghan would have been so unguarded with anyone else, and I doubt very much if the end results of the documentary are going to serve the Sussexes well in the long run. It is just feeding in to what is becoming the perpetual cycle of drama attached to the Sussexes.
The tour was a full on success. Their hard work has not been lost.
I think Harry and Meghan had no other choice but to speak out about the smear campaign. Their truth had to come out, because leave it to the outside forces and some folks online — you’d think the royal couple are lying about the mistreatment they’re getting.
There’s an effort by some in the press and some online to simply ignore the fact of the smear campaign that’s been launched against Meghan. They see it as everyday criticism. Nothing out of the ordinary. And then, there’s an effort by some of the press and some online who acknowledge the smear campaign, but say it’s all Meghan’s fault. She’s shouldn’t be too different and she should try being like the other white women in the royal family. They feel like if she was more like them, she wouldn’t be getting this campaign.
Look:
Meghan was never going to be treated fairly by the some in the outside forces and some online. Although Meghan hit the ground running with embracing her new royal life and royal duties and she hasn’t put a foot wrong — some can’t get over the fact that she’s black, she’s American, she’s a former actress, she have a couple of famous friends, she’s a proud feminist and she’s comfortable in who she is as a person. She was never going to get a fair shake at this.
Everything about Meghan is being used against her and being used to abuse her. Just her daring to speak out about this abuse get under people’s skin. It’s as if they want her to shut the hell up and take the abuse like a champ, because she’s deserving of it. She’s too damn different, and for that, she must be punished.
I just find this whole thing sad, depressing and downright maddening.
People have claimed to have liked Prince Harry for years. They say they like his warmth, kindness and approachable nature. When Harry is around kids, his fans go nuts and they say they love to see him happy. The love seems to have its limits though. Harry’s choice of wife is being fully rejected by the very people who claim they love to see him happy.
Harry is in such a good place in his personal life. He’s found a woman that not only love him unconditionally, but a woman who’s willing to take on the royal role. He’s even more happy that this woman gave him a child he has craved for so long. He has built a beautiful family for himself and a family he must now protect. Sure he’s still dealing with some inner struggles with coping with the death of his mother, but it’s obvious he’s dealing with it the best way he can.
The mass rejection of Harry’s wife from parts of the outside forces and some people online is causing this couple a lot of pain and causing a lot of this ruckus we’re seeing.
Personally I think people have to check those deep prejudices and leave that stuff at the door and get rid this form old school of thinking of what a senior royal wife should be like. I also think the royal family and palace officials need to get a hold of this situation by dropping this old school British stiff upper lip and tell the press to back off and let them know their behavior towards the Duchess is totally unacceptable.
In other words — THIS SMEAR CAMPAIGN MUST STOP. If this campaign continues, it will have a devastating impact of Harry and Meghan’s marriage and on her royal role as a senior member of the royal family. Who in their right mind would want that? Why do people think that would be good for Harry, Meghan, Archie and the Monarchy?
