What’s Mallory Thinking About? If you don’t know the Gibby jingle, I simply cannot help you.
I was hoping today to write about my coding progress, or possibly a compare/contrast between the novel Rebecca and the 1940 and 2020 film adaptations. My coding progress is stagnant, and I have not seen the 2020 adaptation of Rebecca yet. That is what this weekend is for, though, so count on a status update on both capacities in the next week.
Instead, enjoy a bit of rambling inspired by current affairs and getting halfway through season three of The Crown.
Meghan and Harry: Taking Back the Narrative
Last month, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey about the struggles they faced as members of the royal family, along with the aftermath following their departure. A lot of it, according to Megan, felt racially biased, and had more to do with her skin color rather than her behavior.
Since the announcement of their relationship, they have received a whiplash’s worth of press. Articles first referred to Meghan as the future of the modern monarchy. Public opinion changed, and suddenly Harry’s bride became “Straight Outta Compton.” Article after article judged Meghan on useless errors in decorum, like not crossing her legs correctly when sitting with the Queen or touching her baby bump too much.
According to Meghan’s interview, behind-the-scenes behavior was abhorrent. Former staff described her as difficult, demanding, and mean, in unauthorized articles. Details taken out of context gave evidence to these claims.
Meghan mentioned feeling overwhelmed, underprepared, and isolated behind the Palace gates. She and Harry’s relationship never weathered, but when she asked for help with her mental health, she received no support.
Most egregiously, there was a conversation during Meghan’s pregnancy surrounding how dark her son’s skin would be. Meghan clarified that the Queen herself treated her with courtesy and compassion. However, other members in the Palace staff and members of the Royal Family did not extend the same consideration.
Everything culminated in Meghan and Harry announcing they would be withdrawing from royal family duties in 2020. The public did not take this announcement well, and declared Meghan as the root of the problem. The consensus: Meghan’s difficult, mean, and responsible for tearing the royal family apart.
Netflix Mines for Material
All of it, considering the context provided by The Crown (which has been both praised and criticized in regards to accuracy), is just a disappointment to me. Again, with the note that The Crown is not entirely accurate (read: the truth is ugly sometimes and denial is easier), it would seem that marriages, arranged or otherwise, have always been a point of contention with “the Crown.”
Queen Elizabeth’s own father became king because her uncle abdicated to marry a woman who the Crown didn’t approve. The Queen’s own sister, Princess Margaret, wanted to marry Peter Townsend, but their relationship was not supported by the Crown.
Lastly, there’s the horrible whistleblowing marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Prince Charles had wanted to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles way back when, but was not permitted to do so. Instead, he married Diana Spencer, who suffered with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder due to the stress of being a Princess with no guidance. Top all of that with the embarrassment of Charles with his barely concealed affair with Camilla. Diana was a shy, innocent schoolgirl who thought she was in love with a handsome Prince. She married into a nightmare of loneliness, and grew her own strength to call out the brutality she faced.
What’s Mallory Thinking About: My Thoughts
I personally remember seeing tweets the day of the wedding commenting on Meghan’s appearance. I personally thought that she looked beautiful, and though her ceremony dress wasn’t MY particular taste, it was still a NICE dress and she was still stunning (and uh… the reception dress was AMAZING). I thought that Meghan had big shoes to fill! Kate Middleton had fit into the role of the commoner-turned-princess so well. Kate was (and is) elegance, kindness, and beauty. Meghan had all of that in spades! She was also a career woman with experience in humanitarian work. I had no question that Meghan would be equal to the task.
I think that in life, there are three sides to every story: he said, she said, and the truth. The truth is, and always will be, complicated. I don’t doubt that the Crown/Palace regime were not forthcoming with accepting Meghan’s place. It’s also not a complete shock that Meghan faced unfair bias as a woman of color. However, I share the same incredulity with her situation that I shared with Prince Phillip (may he rest in peace, he passed less than a week ago) with respect to his depiction in the first season or two of The Crown: you made the decision to join this family, and accept all the royal duties that came with it. You didn’t think to do some research?
Meghan said she had little knowledge of the Prince and his family before their relationship began. The Crown depicts Prince Phillip as shocked every time he came second to Elizabeth as Queen. You should have known this going in; both of them should have done some research so they had some sort of clue. I give Diana a pass because she wasn’t even twenty when she was thrust into the public eye. Prince Phillip came from royal blood and understood how the royal family worked, and Meghan had… Wikipedia. MEGHAN. IF I CAN LOSE AN ENTIRE NIGHT DOWN A WIKI RABBIT HOLE ON THE TITANIC, YOU CAN SPARE TWO HOURS TO GOOGLE THE ROYAL FAMILY.
Meghan’s lack of understanding does not excuse what she went through, at all. Make no mistake of my meaning. The lack of some sort of guide is disappointing for a centuries-long monarchy. The litany of abuse targeted towards anyone is abhorrent. The fact that public opinion against Meghan had a thread of racial bias is also just, in a word, gross.
It comes as no surprise to me that Harry, upon seeing his wife being persecuted by the media, would want to get her and their child as far away from it as possible. Granted, they will likely never NOT be the subject of media stories, but things will quiet down in time. It seems that Prince Edward, after abdicating, enjoyed a quiet life as a celebrity with his wife. Perhaps Harry and Meghan can enjoy the same life.
If this marks a turning point in Harry and Meghan’s private life, then it will truly be on William and Kate to carry on a 21st century monarchy. Hopefully, what they have in mind will reflect both the grace of the regimes before them, as well as the diversity of thought that lies ahead of them. More than anything, I hope that Meghan and Harry (and Archie… and their little one to come!) find peace. We all deserve that.