Is 'frustrated' British press turning against Meghan Markle due to her American and biracial heritage?
The British press is turning against Meghan Markle just six months after touting her royal wedding with Prince Harry as a modern, progressive fairy tale, says political journalist Jane Merrick.
The Duchess of Sussex has allegedly been targeted by so-called "royal insiders," "courtiers" and "family friends" for the last few weeks, and has been portrayed her as a demanding brat and difficult boss, who apparently snaps at her staff for no reason.
Harry is reported to have loudly told courtiers before the wedding ceremony, "What Meghan wants, Meghan gets", while an assistant has left her job amid reports of a flurry of emails and phone calls at 5 am in the morning.
"We are told that the Queen was displeased about the bride-to-be's request for an emerald tiara and, in the latest story, that Meghan left her future sister-in-law, Kate, in tears at the fitting for Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress," Merrick wrote in an op-ed for CNN.
"Whatever the truth in any of these reports -- and there are always at least two sides to any story -- a troubling narrative is developing about the new Duchess of Sussex that seems designed to put her firmly in her place."
According to her, there is an effort to alienate her due to her being American and of biracial heritage. "After all, how dare this successful, independent-minded, forthright woman have opinions on how she wants her wedding to be? How dare a woman who has worked hard at her career before she joined the royal family continue to send emails now she is on the inside?" Merrick wrote.
Young royals, especially those who marry into the family, have for long faced difficulties with the "overwhelmingly rigid and traditional family firm" despite approaching it with enthusiasm and gusto.
This is not the first time a new royal has been criticized by the tabloid press for "not getting it right", Merrick wrote. While Princess Diana, Harry's mother, was adored by the newspapers, Sarah, the Duchess of York, is always shown to not "fit in" with the royal family.
That said, the "othering" for Meghan has reached unheard proportions of late, the author claimed. "The fact that she is an American and a Hollywood star added glamour to her wedding to Harry in May at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Now, her background is being used against her, as if no one else in the royal family has ever been demanding or dared to express an opinion about a tiara," she wrote.
Meghan has gone through a period of intense turmoil after her father was hounded by the media and was not supported by Kensington Palace by any means, ultimately announcing he could not attend his own daughter's wedding. Furthermore, the Duchess of Sussex has been unable to speak publicly for herself despite several stories about her personal life being sold by her other family members.
"So, if Meghan did snap at Kate at Charlotte's dress fitting, does she not deserve some understanding?" Merrick asked. "And is asking for an emerald tiara from the Queen an act of treason, as some would have us believe, or merely a request from a bride-to-be to put her own twist on tradition?"
One can easily argue that royal journalists are frustrated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's camp is now giving anything away as they prepare to a more private life before the birth of their first child, and hence such stories are gaining more and more traction by the day. The pair is now moving away from the media glare of London and into a cottage on the Frogmore estate at Windsor for some peace and quiet.
Just weeks after Meghan and Harry "broke one unspoken social rule" by revealing they were expecting a baby at the champagne reception of his cousin, Princess Eugenie, in October, the negative briefings began, the author claimed.
"But, judging by the crowds that turn up to Meghan's public engagements, she remains one of the most popular members of the royal family. As she is unable to publicly hit back against anonymous hostile briefings against her, our newest royal does not deserve the version of the fairy tale that's been written for her," Merrick concluded.