Meghan's desire to be independent after parents' divorce made her struggle with royal family rules: Expert
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headlines earlier this year when they announced their decision to step down as senior working members of the royal family.
Their decision left the world including both their families stunned. While it was known that the couple was not particularly happy, no one had expected their decision to downright leave. Ever since the couple wed in 2018, things have slowly deteriorated with them wanting to become more and more independent, away from the royal family.
Dr. Tracy Thomas, an emotional sensitivity expert, spoke to MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) exclusively on how Meghan Markle's family background and the environment she was brought up in could have led to her not being able to live with the restrictions and rules of the monarchy.
"Meghan comes from a background where her parents are divorced and one of her coping mechanisms was to be independent and carve out a life for herself as an actress and so, any scenario where things are being dictated to Meghan would have been difficult for her either way," Dr. Thomas comments.
She shared that the thing about people who are children of divorce is that "they feel like their world is out of their control". "They also don't have a family foundation where people face things head-on and work through them. More so, they have a foundation that says when things get difficult, we separate and go our own way so we can control our own situation," she added.
Dr. Thomas thinks that Meghan having the latter kind of foundation is probably what made her not want to face the royal family and work through the kind of life that she and Harry wanted. Instead, they chose to exit the situation altogether. "I believe it became too much for her to have other people dictate her life when she is most comfortable dictating everything. Which is what she did. She ultimately carved out a path where she can make sure she can do it her way," Dr. Thomas shared.
She also shed some light on how Meghan and Harry choosing to become independent from the royal family will not necessarily mean that they will get the selectively private life that they are hoping for. When people are trying to work out situations or problems, one theory suggests, that a change in geography will change the problems. However, this is not always effective or the best way to deal with a problem.
"Just changing the geography and set up doesn't mean they (Harry and Meghan) are changing their own capacity to deal with a life of wealth, privilege and fame. What they needed to do and still need to, is grow their emotional capacity from inside so that no matter the fame they have, they are able to be non-reactive and stay connected to priorities and their purposes," Dr. Thomas explained.
"Their goal is to create a multibillion-dollar brand. The entire thing will be done using their fame, but in a way that they want to do it. They will perhaps be more famous and more followed because of what they have done. Which is why running away doesn't really work," she went on to add.
Harry, Meghan and their infant son Archie are currently residing in Canada with no intention of returning to live in the UK in the near future. The couple is now beginning to navigate non-royal life options though none of their future plans are concrete.