When Harry Met Meghan

NYT OPINION: When Harry Met Meghan
By Roxane Gay
Section: Opinion
Source: New York Times
Published Date: December 19, 2022 at 02:00AM

Harry and Meghan seemed content to be part of the royal family if only the royal family had been willing to embrace change.

Until the 20th century, monarchies were the rule rather than the exception. The pleasures of being a member of a royal family are obvious — their countries are organized according to the whims of a single leader who, at least for the British constitutional monarchy, believes their power is ordained by God and an unbroken line of succession.
This is, of course, absolute nonsense. What’s more, monarchies are almost never benevolent, even if they have no political power. They are often upheld with one form of violence or another, and their gilded existence is subsidized by the people they rule. In exchange, the titled surrender most of their privacy and lead lives of service to the crown.
Lots of people fantasize about royal life, but when you look past the obscene wealth, pomp and circumstance, the day to day seems absolutely miserable. There is so much demanding protocol, and so little room for individuality or humanity. Marrying into a monarchy comes at an incredibly high cost. When Prince Harry met and married the American actress Meghan Markle, we saw, in real time, just how high a price the crown was willing to extract from an outsider, up to and including her life.
In “Harry & Meghan,” the Netflix documentary, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex share intimate details of their lives, from their courtship to giving up their royal duties and privileges and moving to California to raise their young children. Using a combination of historical footage, family photos and videos, and stylish confessionals from scholars, friends, and family, the Sussexes tell a story that, frankly, we mostly already know. You might be surprised to hear that the trilogy of Lifetime movies about Harry and Meghan’s courtship are fairly accurate.

There is no mystery as to why Harry and Meghan decided to step away from their royal duties. They were saving their lives and preserving what peace of mind they could salvage from the wreckage of the almost three years they spent trying to solicit support from the royal family.

Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/opinion/harry-meghan-monarchy.html

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