Meghan learned the hard way that all that glitter isn’t gold. From her standpoint as Meghan Markle, the newly proclaimed Duchess of Sussex and Bride of Prince Harry, the fifth in the line of succession to the British throne, the actress-turned-royal had the world at her grasp. Hence, when it came time to reach out for it and explore the wonders ahead, Meghan Markle did not hesitate, revelling in the prospects of living her superstar dreams post-Megxit.
However, the Duchess never envisioned the possibility that walking away from royalty would also require giving up her royal privileges completely, titles and all. At least, royal commentator Jane Barr tells it.
Royal commentator Jane Barr explored Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s perceptions of life independent of the royal family in her recent piece for the From Berkshire to Buckingham newsletter. In her write-up, Jane pointed out that the Sussexes’ initial ploy to be “half-in, and half-out” working royals, splitting their time between the UK and the US, would never have worked out.
In fact, the only advantage the arrangement would have served was ensuring Meghan Markle retained her Royal Highness title while preserving the freedom to pursue her dreams of becoming a Hollywood superstar. Jane penned,
“Meghan wanted to take her HRH and her title and be a superstar in her own sphere on the international stage. This would be wholly separate from the control of the Crown.”
However, fate had other plans for the couple. The royal family caught on early enough that the divided responsibilities would not work. Hence, when the Sussex royals officially quit their royal duties in 2020, the monarchy made sure to set clear boundaries. Despite initial claims they quit the royal life to forge their own paths away from the limelight that came with royalty, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle soon began their own quest for superstardom.
First came the Oprah interview, which sent ripples across the globe nearly turning the world against the British royals. Countless back and forth with the press followed, as well as multiple million-dollar brand deals guaranteed to keep them in the spotlights. Still basking in their newfound fame as perpetual victims, Prince Harry released his memoir, Spare, featuring more exposés about the royal family.
Prince Harry Was Never the “Spare” in Royal Household
In her writeup, Jane Barr refuted Harry’s claims that the royals treated him like the “spare.” Addressing Megxit, and the subsequent scandals involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle discussed in the memoir, Jane said,
“Looking back to Megxit, Harry was not just the grandson of the Queen, the same relationship all his cousins had to the sovereign, he was the son of the future King.
The royal commentator compared Prince Harry’s royal life to that of his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, who have opted for more quiet lives independent of the royal family. According to her, while the princesses, although celebrated, lived as secondary royals, Harry and William took on the spotlight as preeminent royals from birth. Hence, the Duke of Sussex, like his brother, was treated accordingly.
Related:
Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice’s Friendship With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Raises FearsHe only lost some of those privileges when he walked away from royal life in 2020 and settled in the US with his family. To further prove their thirst for the limelight, Prince Harry and Meghan have pursued careers in showbiz since Megxit. The two are currently working on their respective projects as part of their multi-million dollar Netflix deal, looking to earn their chunk of superstardom like everyone else pursuing the Hollywood dream.
