Shameful treatment of Meghan is Diana 2.0 waiting to happen
The public’s incessant criticism of Meghan Markle has quickly turned from general interest commentary into something far more sinister and ugly. And if we’re not careful, we might just see history repeat itself, writes Miranda Devine.
It’s deja vu all over again when it comes to Meghan Markle.
The Duchess of Sussex, aka Prince Harry’s wife, now snidely dubbed “Princess Privacy” or “two-faced control freak” just can’t win.
Whether it’s criticism of the way she holds her two-month-old baby Archie or the jeans she wore to Wimbledon, it seems there aren’t enough critics in the world to tear her down.
As someone who reported on the Princess Diana saga almost from the start, it’s clear that all the warning signs are there for a repeat of the corrosive hate-love relationship Meghan’s late mother in law had with the media and the public.
Only, this time, it’s worse because Meghan is being cast against an archrival, her sister in law, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Sussex, the perfect wife of the older brother William, heir to the British throne.
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Kate’s easy rapport with her three gorgeous children at the polo last week was in stark contrast to Meghan’s aloof demeanour, clutching Archie stiffly as a human shield against familial interaction.
At least Diana could only be compared to trashy Fergie of toe-sucking fame, who was nowhere near the same league.
Kate hadn’t put a foot wrong when Meghan first tumbled onto the scene and somehow became the media darling while Kate was cast into the role of staid establishment princess shown up by the politically activist actress from America who would shake up the palace.
It’s true that Meghan and Harry have been tediously woke, but no one really cares in the end. They are so far removed from the throne – Harry is now sixth in line and Archie seventh, that they are as relevant as Fergie and those daughters with the penchant for strange hats.
But the press obsession with Meghan now has a flip side. Everything she does is cast in a negative light. Just as it was with Diana when the mood turned against her, albeit far later in her marriage.
Meghan carried her baby in a way that didn’t meet approval with random mummy bloggers. Too bad.
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She was accused of disrespecting Wimbledon convention by wearing jeans. Shock horror.
She was slammed because her security detail asked tennis fans nearby not to get in her face and take photos. That’s just good manners. You shouldn’t have to be asked.
She was told to go back to America if she wanted privacy after a whole lot of seats around her sat empty while fans outside waited in line.
Was that her fault? She signed autographs and talked to fans as charmingly as she usually does when the tennis was over. She’s hardly a snob.
Seriously, what was she meant to do. Instruct her security guards not to do their jobs?
In any case, it’s probably Harry who has issued the instructions. He is rightfully protective of his wife and child after seeing what the attention of the paparazzi did to his mother.
He was just 12 when Diana died in a car crash in a Paris tunnel on August 31, 1997, while being pursued by paparazzi. Who could forget the sad little boy trailing after his mother’s casket with the poignant little envelope on top bearing his handwriting “Mummy”.
It’s really shameful that just 22 years after Diana died, her daughter-in-law is being abused for not offering herself up as a human sacrifice to presumptuous photographers with no sense of personal boundaries.
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That’s most likely why Harry and Meghan opted for a private christening for Archie.
The carry on about that decision as a “snub to the British public” is ridiculous. William and Kate have given the British public three christening. Harry and Meghan offered a beautiful family photo after the event and even that was picked to death by body language “experts” and assorted other narks.
Harry grew up hating the publicity circus which consumed his mother and who could blame him? He can’t be expected to accept that Diana brought a lot of it on herself. That’s his mother and her premature death will have placed her beyond reproach in his eyes.
He is scarred by his childhood experience and is trying to protect his beloved. Why would anyone be surprised that he wants privacy for his wife and son. It would be surprising if he didn’t.
At the same time you can’t ignore the obvious signs of a rift between the Sussexes and the Cambridges since Meghan came onto the scene. It can’t all be a media concoction. The light seems to have ebbed from Harry’s face and it’s hard not to accept the narrative that it’s because he is saddled with a demanding wife who sacks staff and yells at him.
Rumours of a rift between the royal wives are unfortunate, although great fodder for royal reporters. Certainly the body language between the two women at a polo match last week seemed cool.
But it’s no different to any family and in the end, families need to work things out one way or the other without nosy parkers offering their two cents.
When Meghan and Kate make another joint appearance today at the Wimbledon final
the beady eyes of the world will be on them.
I hope they don’t let it get them down, because the last thing the royal family needs is another Diana disaster.
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