By: Ms. @NewsWitAttitude
UNITED KINGDOM — Close your mouths and open the history books — actually getting a chance to rewrite them yet again — because Meghan Markle — the Duchess of Sussex – has just shaken the Royal Family to its core, snatching a red-headed prince and moving him out of the white privilege he’s been accustomed to and giving him the independence he appears to have been fighting for since his dear mother, Princess Diana, left this world.
The Black duchess, who’s endured more than her fair share of ‘Royal racism’ since marrying Prince Harry has said enough is enough, and is packing up baby Archie, her beloved husband and is going back to doing what she does best – WORKING!
“In Britain’s rigid class society, there is still a deep correlation between privilege and race,” University of Southern California Professor Afua Hirsch wrote in the New York Times. “The relatively few people of color — and even fewer if you count only those who have African heritage — who rise to prominent success and prosperity in Britain are often told we should be ‘grateful’ or told to leave if we don’t like it here.”
Well Meghan, who has been a champion for women’s rights since she was a child, is not the “backing down” or “bending over” type.
Since her historic royal wedding, the biracial American has endured undeniable racism, including attacks against her newborn son with a BBC 5 presenter calling the child a “chimpanzee” and the Daily Mail saying Meghan had “exotic DNA.” Those insults are not even a chip or tip of the iceberg.
It also didn’t help that a reported rift came between Harry and his brother, Prince William, over his union with Meghan.
Harry spoke about his relationship with his brother in the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, saying, “Inevitably stuff happens. But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment.”
Meghan broke hearts when she opened up, saying “not many people have asked” if she was doing “okay,” leaving many to speculate that she was referring to her in-laws.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked the world when they released a public statement, without informing Queen Elizabeth beforehand, that they would be stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Princess Diana also rebelled in her own way against the royal family, with it being well-documented of the isolation and sadness she endured within the palace walls. She, too, was fighting for her independence when she was sadly killed in a car accident while being chased by aggressive paparazzi.
In a world where the millennial mantra is YOLO – You Only Live Once – and #LivingYourBestLife, the arguably most famous royal couple in history say they are stepping out on faith and branching out on their own — if there “really” is a way to do that. While Meghan and Harry will never have that peace they may desire of not being surrounded by security and living under a microscope, they are seeking financial independence, wanting to earn their own money. Harry doesn’t know that world, but Meghan — an actress and activist — is no novice.
The queen called Prince Harry, Prince William and their father, Prince Charles, to come together for a meeting at her Sandringham home, and following the 90-minute summit, she released a statement, shocking everyone with how personal it was:
“Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the U.K. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
The power of a Black woman determined to protect her family and the courage of the man who stands by her side. African American News and Issues salutes you!
