Markle Makes A Mark

Even though the experience is so far removed from my own, I have an adoration and fascination for European period pieces like Downtown Abbey, Little Women, Les Miserablés, and, dare I say, Bridgerton. All of these productions are mainstream and romanticized depictions of 19th century Europe. I think my interest lies in the foreignness of the culture, especially with regard to the monarchy. The particularities around proper greetings, gender roles, social stratifications, courtships, ballroom dances, attire, royal titles- all of these aspects are novelties to how we live our lives in the digital era. However, the royal family has withstood the test of time. There are always complications in sustaining cultural traditions, but this lineage has prevailed through centuries of evolving society.

Last night, I watched the Oprah Winfrey interview with Megan Markle and Prince Harry. I would like to say I was appalled at how Markle has been mistreated by the institution, but that would be dishonest. There is nothing appalling about elitism shunning the ‘outsider’. I was, however, shocked at how transparently critical both Markle and Prince Harry were of the royal family and their lack of support. It requires a great deal of self-assurance and braveness to speech so candidly about the people who hold the power. Their words, especially Markle’s about considering taking her own life, will have a detrimental effect on the image of the royal family. Not only does this frame them as bullies, but they are also deemed racist based on the claim that it was questioned to Prince Harry how dark his son’s skin was to be. The depiction of the royal family was annihilated in this interview. Personally, I reconstructed my idealization of these seemingly kind and generous people; I began to judge them for their racism and prosecution of a woman who claimed to have great intentions and be at their service.

Then, I was reminded of the value of tradition in Buckingham Palace. To have a mixed-race American join a White English hierarchy was a novelty to the family. Markle’s presence posed a threat to long-established, antiquated customs. The fact that Markle is different from the remainder of the firm does not justify their intolerable harassment. However, the monarchy is a legacy that carries immense history and it should not cease to exist. The discrimination, conversely, should cease to exist. If the accusations against the family are true, their conduct is inexcusable; however, this institution is sacred and contributes greatly to the patriotism of the United Kingdom. We give Markle an unprecedented degree of authority when we allow her word on national television to determine the future of the Windsor bloodline.

We will see if the royal family chooses to respond to these allegations, how the American media versus the British tabloids frames the issue, and who the citizens of the two countries defend. There are many consequences to come from this interview. The third party to this conversation, Oprah, deserves recognition for her poise in conducting this interview. In the opinion of The New York Times, “many watchers were reminded of the skill, empathy and just all-around mastery of communication and focus of Oprah Winfrey as interviewer. Even if it was all showbiz, even it was all an act, for viewers it felt engrossing and moving” (NYT, “Fallout From Meghan and Harry’s Interview”). I am in agreement that Oprah did an impressive job of pushing through the barriers and getting to the core of the issue in such a way that made the couple feel comfortable being vulnerable. She was interrogative, but still compassionate. What I find to be troublesome about this statement from the NYT is the dismissiveness with which they present this monumental discussion as potential ‘showbiz’. I would be disturbed to hear that this interview was dramatized and more for ratings than for facilitating cultural change. This exposé was too grave an indictment for it to be acceptable as performative. My respect for Megan and Harry and their courage would be completely admonished if this were disingenuous or produced for the wrong reasons.

Listen, I know that this controversy has little impact on my existence, but I find it all to be extremely important to how we progress as a global community. Where do our loyalties lie? What institutions do we trust? How much have we truly stepped into progressive thought and to what extent are we intimated by change?

Work Cited

Landler, Mark. “Fallout From Meghan and Harry's Interview: Live Updates.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/08/world/meghan-harry-oprah-interview.