Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, apparently, are just tired of fighting the "windmills." Not only did they attempt to wage war on...
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| Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, apparently, are just tired of fighting the "windmills." Not only did they attempt to wage war on the British tabloids, so now they reported a possible move. Image: Getty |
Speaking to journalist Tom Bradby, the prince said: "The rest of our lives, especially our life's work, will be predominantly focused on Africa." Harry fell in love with Cape Town on their visit and said it would make the perfect place for the couple and their son to base themselves, though he admitted they are not sure where the best place for them to live would be just yet.
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| Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Photo / Getty Images |
Meghan was asked about the effect the scrutiny has had on her physical and mental health, to which she replied: "Look, any woman especially when they are pregnant, you're really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, and then when you have a newborn - you know... And especially as a woman, it's a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed it's, well... Thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I'm ok. But it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."
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| Meghan and Harry Are Handing Out Free Hugs in Southern Africans in Cape Town, RSA. Image: Getty Image. |
He said: "I think probably a wound that festers. I think being part of this family, in this role, in this job, every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back, so in that respect, it's the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best."
It also alleged that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry decided to quit the royal burden and move to Canada. In an Instagram post (how millennial!), the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they are stepping back as senior members of the UK royal family, working to become “financially independent” and splitting their time between Britain and North America. In other words: They’re done with royal life. They’re going in a different direction. It just wasn’t for them.
To add to the intrigue: Harry and Meghan seemingly did everything exactly on their terms. They announced the move when they wanted and against Queen Elizabeth’s express wishes. Buckingham Palace released a terse statement: “Discussions with the duke and duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.” The queen is reportedly deeply disappointed and Princes Charles and William are “incandescent with rage.” Isn’t the spectacle just tantalizing? It’s so deliciously fitting that the saboteur of the royal family, the thorn in Buckingham Palace’s side, is an American. The woman taking on the monarchy is a quintessential California girl.
To some observers, the decision feels a bit like comeuppance. Both Meghan and Harry have plenty of reason to want to sever ties with the royal family. Since the beginning of their relationship, Meghan has been the target of merciless, and often racist, media criticism: about her previous marriage, her strained relationship with her father and even the way she held her belly while pregnant.
She could do nothing right, and the palace rarely came to her aid.For Americans — or at least those who pay attention to this sort of thing — watching one of our own get beaten up by the Brits has been distressing. In October 2019, the Twitterverse exploded after Meghan gave an emotionally raw interview, in which she, on the brink of tears, thanked the host for asking if she was doing OK — because “not many people have.”
It was clear she wasn’t doing OK. She described bearing relentless criticism while experiencing the “vulnerability” of being a new mother. “It’s not enough to just survive something,” she said. “That’s not the point of life. You’ve got to thrive. You’ve got to feel happy.” It’s easy to roll your eyes and mumble “Poor little rich girl,” but money and fame don’t protect anyone from constant reproaches.
Unlike many other royals who grin and bear it, Meghan and Harry fought back. In the same month as the teary interview, Harry released a letter describing his wife as the “latest victim” of a “ruthless campaign” and calling out the media’s treatment. “I have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long.”
If this “Average American girl steals royal’s heart, throws monarchy into disarray” storyline feels familiar, it’s because it was the plot of at least a handful of teen movies in the early aughts. We Americans cheer stories like this because we love a plucky disrupter and a love-struck royal who choose each other overpower and duty and expectations.
Whether you love Meghan or love to hate Meghan, she isn’t letting others dictate her life, not even the royals. As for Harry, he told ITV: “I will always protect my family, and now I have a family to protect.” He has made his choice. Be happy for Harry and Meghan: They aren’t surviving; they’re choosing to thrive — far away from the prying press (or anyway, as far away as they can get). Indeed moving to the beautiful continent, Africa where they could reconnect back to nature and animals is a great choice the couple could make.
