A Future Without Harry? Meghan Markle Rebrands
Meghan Markle is once again attempting to right the sinking ship that is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by getting rid of a key component: Prince Harry.
Despite portraying themselves as salt and pepper and acting like immature middle schoolers unable to separate for a mere second, the shine has finally worn off the couple’s relationship.
Many people, including Royal News Network, argued that this would likely happen. A couple without a strong foundation of similar interests and goals was always going to crumble at some point.
Meghan aches for Hollywood superstardom. It was the thing that always escaped her after going to hundreds if not thousands of auditions. Constantly relegated to bit parts, including that of a teenager giving a b—wjob to a cheating boyfriend in the high school parking lot of the Beverly Hills 90210 revival, Meghan was never going to reach higher than her role as supporting character on Suits. Harry, meanwhile, is a “steak-and-potatoes” kind of guy, as People Magazine puts it in this week’s bloated pro-Meghan PR push, who likely would be more content in the plains of Africa or the English countryside, than the superficial world of Hollywood.
Despite their madly in love narrative, the two could not be more different, and it seems like trouble is brewing in the land of Sussex.
This great divide is obvious in their recently staged video and paparazzi media blitz. In one, Harry clearly tried to make eye contact with Meghan several times, only for her to ignore him. Through out the whole, though brief, interaction, the couple never lock eyes despite pawing at each other for years and nauseatingly loving glances whenever they could to capture the headlines.
On their recent staged paparazzi date night with friends (no family, of course) to celebrate Meghan’s birthday, there was no PDA for the clingy couple. As Jan Moir points out on The Daily Mail, “After seven years of behaving like two handsy old hams overacting in a royal romcom set in a petting farm, Harry and Meghan can't blame puzzled viewers for fearing the worst when the carousel of caressing suddenly stops.”
After dinner, Harry looked glum and again lost in the world that his wife is making for herself, not him.
That’s not surprising, given that Harry was led to believe by Meghan that she was madly in love with him and that their love was going to change the world.
But perhaps, it only changed him, and not for the better.
In the cavalcade of People Magazine articles this week, it was clear that though they will share the cover, Meghan was the sole focus. Everything was told from her perspective and seemed to indicate where her future lies, while blaming everyone else that has failed her so far in Hollywood and in the royal family.
Meghan is looking to the future in this latest rebrand attempt, but it’s one that’s focused on herself and her ambitions, not Harry’s.
Perhaps the most damning moment in People is when an alleged “insider” acknowledged Harry’s fully emasculated status: "Meghan does seem to run the household and make the decisions, but it’s not that he bends for her. It’s just a dynamic that works for them, and maybe one that he needs after everything he’s been through.”
But could it be that constantly “bending” to Meghan is the only dynamic that works in a relationship with Meghan Markle? It’s not just that Harry does it because it works for him and Meghan, but that it’s demanded of him. It’s not difficult to imagine that Harry feels the brunt of it when he does something she doesn’t like or damages her grand narrative.
It’s clear that despite escaping and “finding freedom” from the constraints of royalty, Harry has just exchanged his gilded cage from one of a palace to that of Montecito, a town where “elephants go to die,” as one of their neighbors so aptly put it. (Ironically, a year ago this month Royal News Network uploaded a video titled: “Has Prince Harry Exchanged His Palace Prison for One in Montecito? His New Strange Isolated World.”)
But as Meghan’s birthday week comes to an end and the series of relentless PR puff pieces appears to be slowing down, it’s evident that there will be no more Harry and Meghan. The future is Meghan and sometimes Harry.
In his own life and marriage, he’s been demoted from a co-star to a side character, one that can quickly be written off when necessary.
And perhaps it won’t be too long before “The Meghan Markle Show” starts looking for a new co-star, ginger former royals need not apply.
More Royal News…
Prince William surprised a group of foodies in Bermondsey, South London, where he served the “Earthshot Burger.” For the event, the Prince of Wales teamed up with Sorted Food, a foodie YouTube channel. The “Earthshot Burger” was made from “ingredients grown in eco-friendly greenhouses designed to boost yields of small-scale farmers in India” and came in a biodegradable carton. The burger is not for the faint of heart though, as the potato-based spicy burger includes “garlic, ginger and chilli” and is topped off with “vegan mayonnaise made from coriander and mint.”
The Princess of Wales celebrated the six month anniversary of her Early Years project Stepping Up in an Instagram video. The post also promises that there’s
“so much more to come.”King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain are currently enjoying their summer holiday in Mallorca, though they recently hosted a dinner at the Marivent Palace for local authorities with the king’s mother Queen Sofia. Located on an island in the Mediterranean south of Barcelona, Marivent Palace is the summer residence of the royal family.
Queen Letizia and her daughters Princess Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofia made a surprise visit to Granja Escolar Jovent. In an Instagram post, the organization shared: “Today we received the surprise visit from the Queen and her daughters, Leonor and Sofia. They have checked the work of integration and coexistence we do with girls and boys with functional diversity and all the love we put into our Farm School Youth. It has been great! We sincerely thank you for coming to learn about our project and sharing our sustainable education perspective. Be back soon!”
The Belgian royals recently commemorated the 30th anniversary of the death of former King Baudouin in part by opening the Royal Crypt to visitors to pay their respects. King Philippe and his youngest daughter Princess Eleonore also visited Spain where the king passed away of a heart attack. Princess Delphine, the former king’s illegitimate daughter who sued to get her royal title, also opened a photo exhibition in honor of her uncle, who had no children of his own.
King Charles visited the northern most distillery in Great Britain, located in northern Scotland. The palace has also announced that the King will commemorate his ascension day without fanfare in Scotland.
Princess Anne watched the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo rehearsals. The Tattoo is an opportunity for militaries from Britain, the Commonwealth and international military bands to perform in front of Edinburgh Castle to captivated audiences throughout August. This year, the U.S. Air Force Band will also play for the first time, “providing a freestyle depiction of ‘America’s great songbook.’”
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians will undertake a state visit to Germany later this year.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway is sitting down for an interview to celebrate his 50th birthday with the national news channel. His wife will also turn 50 later this month.
A satire website AlHudood is struggling against censorship laws in Jordan. In one instance, it mocked the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa, showing impoverished looking commoners throwing stones at the royals covered in gold, what some argue is a growing divide between the extremely wealthy royals and their impoverished citizens.
Prince Harry will undertake a trip to Asia, visiting Japan and Singapore, once again imitating a royal tour without the weight of the monarchy and U.K. government behind him. Meghan will not be traveling with him.
Crown Prince Frederik and his son Prince Christian attended Smokiest in Skanderborg, a music concert series.
... and they lived unhappily ever after.
The End
Really enjoyed this column. I appreciate the update on the continental royals as well.