The love story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been an unconventional one (at least for the British Royal Family). She was a divorcee and a world-famous actor --- and also a coloured woman. It was inevitable that the staid and hidebound royal family would look askance at this union. The couple distanced themselves from the family and moved across the pond to the USA. The world avidly anticipated any crumb of news about the whys and wherefores of this. Small wonder then, that when the queen of chat herself, Oprah Winfrey did an interview with the (royal?) couple, this resulted in acres of breathless reportage and endless opining.
This was huge – Oprah Winfrey interviewed the estranged royal couple; a primetime special that aired on CBS.
"There is no subject that is off limits," they said, so obviously everyone expected a lot of drama. And got it too.
Viewers were sympathetic towards the couple; particularly those who believed that with Meghan, the royal family seemed to be repeating the injustice meted out to Diana.
Conservative TV personality and unapologetic anti-feminist Morgan clearly had problems with the interview.
People expressed sympathy for all that she said she underwent.
What about Prince Philip (the Queen’s husband) – he is 99 and sick and currently in hospital!
…Weren't too sympathetic.
Little Archie says ‘drive safe’ – the significance of this was not lost on the tweeple given how Diana died.
The couple also announced the gender of their second child who will arrive this summer.
The massively popular Netflix show, The Crown may find new material for dramatisation, felt numerous Twitter users.
Meghan Markle was subjected to intense and frequently unkind media scrutiny. Tweeple pointed out what they saw as a stark disparity in reporting about her and the exceedingly shady Prince Andrew.
People pointed out the way reportage differed here as well.
Apparently the royal family was concerned about the possible skin colour of little Archie before his birth.
It isn't just that Meghan is viewed as a coloured woman by the royals. The racism casts a far wider net.
At a time when more and more people are questioning the relevance of the British monarchy, this can’t be good news for them.
This is question many asked – is the monarchy irrelevant and does this interview signal the beginning of the end?
The British royalty is an anachronism, no question. But now those who watched Meghan and Harry on Oprah seem to agree, that they aren't very nice either.
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