The UK Home Secretary, who is of Ugandan-Indian (?) descent BTW, categorically denied today accusations of media racism against the Duchess of Sussex. And Piers Morgan accused Meghan of libel against Britain for her insinuations of institutional racism.
Priti Patel I am willing to believe but
Piers Morgan???!!!! May as well quote Donald Duck!!!
Having said that...I think racism did play a part, at least for some reporters & the public, but I also believe the situation was much more nuanced than that. For example, I suspect some reporters & members of the public (and this forum) dislike Meghan's progressive "liberal" views.
When comparing the treatment of Meghan and Catherine you also need to keep in mind their own behavior. When Catherine entered the BRF she kept her head down and her mouth shut, to the point where she has been criticized as too bland. But I think she realized she had to do that as the new kid on the block. The new kid always gets the most scrutiny whether its at school, in the neighborhood, or at work. They're being watched to see how well they fit in, whether they follow or break the rules, what makes them tick, etc.
By doing this & biding her time I think Catherine avoided some of the scrutiny. But IMO Meghan jumped right in. She immediately took on causes that were important to her (understandable since she's very committed to helping others) and edited a magazine where she championed progressive women (yes, other members of the BRF have edited magazines but NOT right away). No one would ever call Meghan bland. But IMO that drew even more scrutiny her way. Once you voice your opinions you open yourself to criticism. After all you can't criticize someone's opinions if you don't know what they are.
For some Meghan may also have come across as too
eager, the exact opposite of the understated British approach, and another reminder that she was (shudder!) an
American. Let's face it, the spotlight already shone more brightly on Meghan than Catherine because Meghan wasn't simply the new kid (strike one), she was also
different: biracial, American, actress, divorced, a self-proclaimed feminist (strike two, three, four, five, and six). The person who's different gets scrutinized more closely too.
Was it fair? No. And I'm happy to see the toxic tabloids are getting the comeuppance they deserve from the American press.
But unfortunately it is the way life works. I can't help but wonder how different things might be today if Meghan had slowly eased into her new role, watched, and waited, with a focus on the UK: cut ribbons, visit schools, meet and greet the people and let them see for themselves what a nice person you really are despite the nasty headlines, learn the ropes, etc.
I'm only speculating. Meghan and Harry both have a lot to offer & it's sad that it's come to this.