The first episodes of “Harry & Meghan” dropped on Netflix, and of course the British press (and many of their global readers) are already jumping on the bandwagon of hate, and it’s hard to see why.
The show itself is well produced and made — basically everything a docuseries should be. It’s as far from reality television as you can get, and offers an incredibly intimate look at the phenomenon of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship.
Like many, I was skeptical over the couple’s motivation for doing a Netflix series. From the headlines and conversations with friends, family, and digital strangers, I assumed it was an attention grab and a way for them to make money.
After watching the first episodes, I want to believe that this couldn’t be further from the truth. In their own words, Harry and Meghan essentially described how their lives, their stories, had been told by everyone but them, making the series the best means of communicating their love story to the general public.
And what a love story it was. Actor and entertainment mogul Tyler Perry told “Today” in September that unless he finds a love like Harry and Meghan, who lived with him for a short time, he doesn’t want it. “They found each other — out of all these odds against them finding each other, they found each other. The love they have is really, really moving, and I just wanted to do anything I could to support them,” Perry said, putting it perfectly.
Their relationship is one all of us who’ve met their soulmates can relate to. Their playful bickering back and forth as they chronicle their romance is endearing. More than this, who better to tell their story but them?
Harry and Meghan are not the Kardashians. They did not choose the fame they have. Harry, in particular, clearly had a terrifying childhood, where his privacy was constantly being interrupted and shared with the world. Could you survive if your life was being presented for anyone and everyone to see, without any option to tell your own story?
I know I couldn’t. And if you don’t believe their claims about the British press, check out this Tweet from BAFTA winning creative Jolyon Rubinstein.
https://t.co/A0gF9jd2uS pic.twitter.com/dK0zKjFEXt
— Jolyon Rubinstein (@JolyonRubs) December 9, 2022
Everyone has a right to their feelings, and I can understand why joining the bandwagon of hate is easier for most. Of course it’s easy to hate two people in love, who have wealth, status, who aren’t behaving precisely to the completely unattainable standards seemingly held by the British press and public.
If you still don’t like Harry and Meghan after watching their docuseries, that’s fine. But unlike people who actually influence your life, like politicians or members of the World Economic Forum, publicly destroying the royals isn’t going to change anything in your life for the better. It’s just going to hurt them and their family, so why not leave them alone? (RELATED: Meghan Markle Attempts British Accent, Limeys Go Crazy, Forget They Lost The War)
And if you still believe they made this docuseries for attention, surely not giving it to them at all is the best way to hurt them if you still want to, right? I feel awful for ever engaging in this type of glorified trolling, and won’t be doing it ever again.