Watching the saga of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the outside looking in reads like an Alpha-male, bad-boy romance novel, right? No? Ok, work with me here.
Young Harry’s life started as one fit for a Prince. Even his parent’s heated divorce could not dim his smile and cheeky nature, until his mother’s death changes his whole world. Feeling forced to compete with his more accepted and dashing older brother, he began drinking, drugging, making foolish decisions in life and love until tragedy strikes again, this time as a soldier. This alters his perception and he begins to seek redemption. Having a purpose in his life fulfills him, but he has yet to find true love….until he meets the girl that would change his life forever.
Meghan is an outwardly free-spirited, bi-racial California girl with her own demons. Having known rejection and criticism from members of her own family, she faces the same in the audition rooms of Hollywood as she pursues a career in acting. Her life, too, was a series of ups and downs; marrying a man she did not love, her ethnicity being called into question at most every meeting, taking jobs that paid very little until she finally caught her big break. After attaining some notoriety and her freedom, she exercises her persistent drive to give back in any way she can. On this journey, she meets the man of her dreams.
While this modern-day romance is one reason we love Harry and Meghan so much, two people we have come to admire and sincerely care for are facing a most difficult battle. The difference between them and a made for audiobook romance is that we have a tangible stake in their outcome. More on that later.
Many of us came to adore Meghan on the TV show, ‘Suits’.
Disclaimer: this writer has never seen an episode of ‘Suits’. (don’t judge me) I have only seen clips and hilarious outtakes.
When I heard Prince Harry was dating Meghan Markle, as a quote, unquote ‘Harry fan’ I immediately researched everything I could find about her. I discovered she was beautiful, biracial, educated, smart,-yes, smart– different from educated. (some educated folk don’t know bananas) and a humanitarian. I watched interviews with her and fell in love with everything about her. I found her passionate, authentic, forthright, diplomatic, honest, caring, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. All of the adjectives she is lauded for by people who know her personally and those that have stanned her through the years. Yes, I thought, she is a good match for Harry, whose mother I watched marry Prince Charles when I was a child, and whose funeral I cried though as an adult. I, like others, remember Harry as being volatile, insubordinate, angry. I remember feeling so disappointed in him when I saw the pictures of him in a Nazi uniform at a party in 2005. I remember shaking my head and silently praying and thinking, Diana would not want this with cameras in his face all the time, hoping to get a rise out of him. I watched and read footage of him off to war and worried about his safety. I remember his anger at having been called back because his location was ‘discovered’. I never considered how much I had kept up with him until the reveal of his relationship with Meghan Markle. He had grown so much. I loved who he had become and my Mom stamp of approval was the judge’s gavel: So mote it be.
For the last three years my heart has gone through emotions I have only ever felt for family or close friends. But I could not discuss it freely with anyone because, well frankly, people’s eyes tend to glaze over after a while. You know the look, the one of polite boredom while seeking to change the subject? Yeah.. that look. I joined Twitter (again) the next thing I know, I’m introduced to the Sussex Squad! This group of bad(ahem) men and women from various cultures, countries, ages, and backgrounds who are as fired up as I am about the way Meghan is being treated by the UK press. The unrelenting nitpicking, the imagined breaches of protocol, the undisguised insistence that she just. does. not. belong. We have argued with, and been blocked by some of the most egregious reporters. We have created hashtags to make fun of reporters and their ‘sources’. We hosted an online baby shower that raised thousands for Meghan’s patronages. We have bought her cookbook, her SmartWorks collection, some have even adopted a dog. We have podcasts and blogs highlighting her work and pushing back against the constant misinformation campaign being waged against her. WE as a collective, have been most vocal about the racism, xenophobia, and misogyny Meghan has been subjected to…Daily….for three years. I recall one of our members being interviewed on television twice in defense of Meghan. We have been quoted in newspapers and discussed in Prime Time television, bringing voice to the unfair treatment our Meghan has received. We have debated amongst ourselves the best way to handle this constant barrage and more often than not, come to a consensus, changed our tactics, but never have we wavered, and I would like to take a moment to say how proud and impressed I am by each and every one of you. The most incredible people I’ve never met. Thank you for all you do.
But enough is enough
It looks as if we have now come full circle. All of the anger and passion expressed by the Squad is also shared by Harry and Meghan, but they are expressing it in the form of lawsuits. Meghan is suing the Sun and Harry is suing, well, most everybody else involved in making his life hell for the last 20 years and methinks one person in particular during the last three years. If you have not read his statement in its entirety, please do so here.
From copyright infringement to hacking voicemails, Harry is out to ensure what happened to his mother Princess Diana never happens to anyone else especially not his wife and let me tell you, I am here for it. It is obvious from his statement that Harry and Meghan know we’re here supporting them. Our involvement, our participation, and our continued efforts are critical. These new developments from Harry and Meghan, combined with our collective voices will change the tide. Soon we’ll be free to enjoy Harry, Meghan, and baby Archie as they should be. Just read today’s rags…it’s already started.