Meg took ‘em down a peg! Yes, the interview heard round the world (quite literally, in this instance) between Harry, Meghan, and Oprah is still reverberating and the repercussions are huge. Let’s get to it!
Wow! The interview Oprah Winfrey conducted with the Duke & Duchess of Sussex was everything we were hoping for and more. After being bullied out of the Royal Family (aka The British Royal Family, the BRF, the Firm, and now – most recently – the #RacistRoyals), Harry and Meghan left England, first for Toronto, Canada, before settling in Southern California (the tony Montecito, to be exact) to recover from the endless barrage of negative and painful press slated their way. Since then, they’ve laid low, getting their ducks in row. And now the receipts have dropped. The biggest television event of the year (since our blessed Biden/Harris Inauguration) found landslide ratings as we collectively gathered to hear what Harry & Meg had to say. Some of the revelations include:
· The happy: the gorgeous couple revealed they have another baby on the way after Meghan suffered a miscarriage in the fall of 2020. They also revealed the gender: Archie will have a baby sister joining him sometime this spring! They also said they actually married three days before their massive royal wedding in a touching, intimate ceremony.
· The heartbreaking: the stress and strain of the racist attacks had the duo in a tailspin, with Meghan admitting she was having suicidal thoughts during the early stages of her pregnancy with Archie. Harry also revealed that his father, Prince Charles, has stopped taking his calls and that Queen Elizabeth’s schedule mysteriously filled up when Harry requested a visit with his grandmother. He also has not spoken to his brother, Prince William, since his big move.
· The shocking: the Palace took Meghan’s passport and ID when she lived on their estate. Even though she begged for help, she was not allowed to leave her home, as the BRF insisted that she “lay low.” Meanwhile, Harry revealed something truly disgusting – when sharing the news that the couple was pregnant with Archie, “someone” in his family inquired about the possibility of his son’s skin tone, worrying “how dark he will be.” Though Harry would not reveal who uttered the shocking musing, it is heavily implied to be his father, Prince Charles. It also came to light that the Firm refused to give Archie a royal title and that they were swift to cut off security for Harry & Meg after their move, putting them at substantial risk.
And more! It was an incredibly moving 2-hour event – I had to excuse myself more than once to cry, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Oprah has said it’s the best interview of her career – which is saying something! It was an effective moment, finally allowing Harry & Meghan to clearly have their say after being silenced by the family, as well as setting the record straight on numerous erroneously reported incidents. (The big one: it was actually Kate who made Meghan cry at that pre-wedding dress fitting, not the other way around.)
Since the interview, the news continues to stack up. A few things:
· Meghan namechecked the frozen yogurt shop she worked at as a teen. Since then, Humphrey Yogart (omg) has seen a 200% spike in foot traffic, and the shop has created a flavor based on Meg & Harry’s favorite flavors. You can snack on a banana, chocolate chip, peanut butter swirl if you wish! (In my opinion, that should be The Elvis, but then I guess we'd have to get bacon involved.)
· Piers Morgan walked off the air (and off his show) after snapping back at the couple the day after the interview! It's widely acknowledged that it's the notoriously nasty Morgan who helped lead the charge in the barrage of racist press against Markle. Here's hoping Morgan is permanently retired after this embarrassing episode. You can read the complicated timeline of Morgan’s demise with his friendship with Markle here. (Personally I think it sounds like a man who was nursing a one-sided crush, who's still lashing out from rejection. That's my take!)
· In response to the explosive interview, the Palace issued a terse 87-word statement, claiming they were “saddened” to learn Harry & Meghan feel the way they do, but that recollections of their treatment “may vary.” Holy crap – someone needs a new press secretary!
· Naturally, Meghan’s father and half-sister, Thomas and Samantha Markle, have both been pillars of class and grace. JK! They’ve both been completely hideous, scrambling to give interviews of their own in a race to continue their never-ending slander of Meghan. Needless to say, Meg is not on speaking terms with either of them, surely adding to their ire.
· Meanwhile, the notoriously closed-mouth Beyoncé has uncharacteristically waded into the fray, issuing public support of Meghan on her website. Add “Endorsed by Bey!” to the Duchess’s already healthy CV.
· Prior to the Oprah interview, Meghan won her longstanding lawsuit with The Daily Mail (who also must pay her legal fees!). The Daily Mail must also print a front-page statement, acknowledging their loss. Um, hell yes! I want all public apologies to adopt this, moving forward. Shout it from the rafters!
· The Queen claims she will address Harry & Meghan’s allegations of racism with senior royals “behind closed doors.” (Well, that should be effective.) Meanwhile, William has gone on record to say that the Royal Family “isn’t racist at all.” I think that would mean more if it weren’t coming from one of the most entitled white men in the world? Just saying.
· The Society of Editors signed an open letter against executive director Ian Murray after he penned a piece defending Britain’s journalists, claiming Meghan had not experienced any racism by the press. Members (187, to be exact) were quick to point out how ridiculous Murray’s claims were before breaking ranks with the organization. Murray has since stepped down from his position and the upcoming awards ceremony will not be televised.
· More press irony: Harry revealed that the Palace not only actively courts the tabloids by holding an annual Christmas party, they actively fear them. Hmm, sounds suspiciously symbiotic to me…
And we’re not even done with the fallout yet! We will surely be revisiting this event for weeks (if not month/years) to come. In the meantime, let’s celebrate the actions of three people sitting in their power, shaking up the world. A colonialist institution quaking in their boots? You love to see it!
* You’re home, I’m home, and there’s more “appointment television” on the horizon! Yep, the Grammy Awards are this weekend, Sunday, March 14th. Add it to your calendars – we’ll be chatting about the ceremony in depth next week. (While we're at it, the Oscars have been moved to Sunday, April 25th - voting is taking place now. Fyi, gossip hounds!)
Speaking of the weekend, the artist The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) has declared he will be boycotting the Grammys moving forward after being shut out of nominations this year. He has blasted the voting members, pointing out corrupt practices within the much-beleaguered organization. Zayn Malik, formerly of One Direction, has also stepped in, echoing similar sentiments after claiming voting is rigged unless you “shake hands.” He clarified, via Twitter, saying:
"My tweet was not personal or about eligibility but was about the need for inclusion and the lack of transparency of the nomination process and the space that creates and allows favoritism, racism, and networking politics to influence the voting process."
I still haven’t forgiven the Grammys for what they did to Beyoncé and Lemonade – one of the most important artists/works of our time. (Also, full disclosure: my husband votes for the Grammys and is working for more inclusion and diversity within the system. He’s working hard to help change it from the inside! I’m proud of my honey.)
I'm wrapping here for today. I wish I had time to cover a larger variety of subjects for you this week! However, in exciting news, I used the day for good, helping my husband film an interview for a documentary he’s been asked to appear in. Yes, “thanks to Covid” I can add “camera person” to my resume! You just never know where life will take you. Until next week, peeps. Wear those masks and stay safe in the meantime! xo
* Oh! Need a little more? Read about the time I learned a valuable lesson from a hair dryer. Who knew a trip to the hair style aisle could take care of the inside of your head? This little thing set me right.
In honor of music's biggest event - I Gotta Have More Cowbell!