Edwina Bartholomew: Meghan Markle’s ‘princess effect’ can do the world good

Despite Meghan Markle being branded a diva, Edwina Bartholomew argues why her ‘princess effect’ could be for the best.

Meghan Markle and Mariah Carey. Name a more iconic duo. I’ll wait. Still waiting.

What a week for the Duchess of Sussex. Her second podcast for Spotify dropped and she opened her home to the New York magazine spin-off, The Cut.

The headlines were immediate, “Meghan compares herself to Nelson Mandela”, “Mariah Carey calls Meghan a diva” and “Harry has ‘lost’ his father”.

I’m so torn by this whole saga.

Meghan told The Cut, “She is still very aware that people see her as a princess”. She was lambasted online for this comment but I saw the ‘Princess effect’ first-hand on multiple royal tours.

Meghan Markle has been branded a diva. Picture: Getty Images

I was there at the Opera House when thousands of people lined up to catch a glimpse of the Royals.

I went to Dubbo in Central NSW where their visit literally broke the drought and I spoke to families who met the Royals away from the glare of cameras, who only had wonderful things to say.

Both Harry and Meghan had an immediate rapport with the people they met. Like Harry’s mother, Diana, they have always had a unique ability to shine a light on issues that would otherwise linger in the shadows.

So where did it go so wrong?

Why do they elicit such a strong response both for and against?

I could easily jump on the bandwagon and lay the boot in but, hear me out, I would love to see them back in the public’s good books and back doing work for the public good.

Meghan Markle on the cover The Cut magazine.

Standing at Windsor Castle as Meghan married Harry, there was a great sense of a new era for the Royal Family.

Since then there have been allegations (and denials) of racism, mental health battles and the airing of dirty laundry on a global scale. That is a lot of water under London Bridge and a lot to forgive and forget.

Meghan told The Cut, “I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive”.

As the world marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana this week and the Queen gets on in age, now is surely the time to start that process, to cease the whinging from within the grounds of a Montecito Mansion and get on with the world changing work that Harry and Meghan are so clearly capable of.

At the very least, saviour the joys of life with two little kids at home as we all know that time so is fleeting.

Harry and Meghan are due in the UK next week. Will this finally bring an end to the royal rift? Watch this space.

Originally published as Edwina Bartholomew: Meghan Markle’s ‘princess effect’ can do the world good