Undeniably, Harry and Meghan had become a potent double act which went down well in the United States, even if it was not appreciated in the same way in Britain. They also genuinely loved doing things together. They share many of the same goals, values, ambitions and interests. Each of them loves the limelight. They truly enjoy being the superstars that they have become. They thrill to the realisation of their dream as humanitarian luminaries on the world stage, acknowledged and feted for their unique gifts as the only royal superstar couple who can now function as independent agents.
Harry had long chafed at being a second-string player. While there is little doubt that he would have come to terms with his lot had he married a girl like Chelsy Davy or Cressida Bonas and led a traditionally British life, once he was exposed to other possibilities by an outsider like Meghan, his eyes were opened and his love for her blinkered him. Through her, he caught a glimpse of a previously unimaginable way of life which would allow him to indulge himself in a way he had hitherto found unthinkable, and while he would most likely have been happier remaining based in Britain and not cutting his ties the way he has, he understood that the only way his marriage would work was if he supported Meghan in her vision of what their life could be. From her point of view, the only way they could realise their true potential as major players in their own right was to shift the stage from Britain to the United States, and not just anywhere either, but to California, where Meghan’s knowledge of the entertainment industry would be an asset which would hopefully bring them rich rewards, not only financial but also in terms of kudos and the international recognition they desire.
Having accepted that the best way forward to achieve their objective was to create their own platform rather than share one with his brother and sister-in-law, both Harry and Meghan were liberated. Undoubtedly, he was having to make difficult choices, many of which he would have preferred not to make and which would not have arisen had he married any other woman. But there was an upside. No longer would they be limited by a system in which they would always be second-tier players. They could step out of the shadows and become the first-raters they regard themselves as being, and which they were acknowledged as in Meghan’s native country. It had been extremely frustrating for them, Meghan especially, to be part of a way of life which would always deny them the central position their vision and ambitions demanded they occupy. Only by striking out on their new path would they have the possibility of creating a platform for themselves upon which they could shine brightly as the central players, rather than sharing the royal platform and with the deck stacked so patently in Catherine and William’s favour.
Although a limited number of public figures in Britain, such as the actress Helen Mirren and the writer Hilary Mantel, understood a star’s need to shine brightly, this was not shared nationally. The general view was that Harry and Meghan were not only abandoning the British Royal Family and the British people, but they had shown disrespect by issuing their departure statement without giving advance notice to any member of the Royal Family or to the courtiers. This fact was confirmed by Buckingham Palace, which informed the BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond that it was ‘disappointed’ by their decision, that the Royal Family was ‘hurt’ by the announcement, and that ‘no members of the Royal Family were consulted.’
To drive the point home, Buckingham Palace then issued its own statement contradicting the Sussexes’: ‘Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take their time to work through.’ This was palace-speak for ‘Meghan and Harry have been trying to ram through game-changers on us. We’re prepared to give an inch, maybe even two, but they want to take a mile before the race has even begun. Now they’ve jumped the gun and in doing so have kicked sand in our faces, and have made a grab for all sorts of privileges which we cannot let them have without damaging the monarchy, and even though they’ve been unreasonable, we’re planning to be reasonable and give them as much as we can.’
The Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles must have had a real sense of déjà vu, for Harry and Meghan’s ploy was reminiscent of the way Diana had behaved during the negotiations for her divorce, in particular with regard to her future title. Like Meghan and Harry, she had initiated negotiations privately with the family, and when she thought they weren’t going as quickly or as satisfyingly as she wanted, she had tricked Charles into meeting with her, jumped the gun without a definitive agreement, and falsely claimed that she and Charles had agreed on certain issues, when they had not. These included that she was prepared to give up being a royal highness and be known as Diana, Princess of Wales. Because she was the mother of a future king and likely to remarry, there had been the possibility that she
