Meghan Markle
I want to start by saying that if you read this blog and don’t actually watch the interview then you don’t support Meghan Markle, Oprah, black women, or dismantling the patriarchy. This is not the blog for you (we riot at dawn). Okay but seriously, you should actually watch this interview because it not only gives us in-depth insight into Meghan Markle’s life and “decision” to resign as a senior member of the Royal Family, but into the constant racism that black women experience both nationally and globally.
Ok – I’m guilty as well. I thought being a member of the Royal Family was all glitz and glam. I thought that Meghan was going to be a princess like Brandy in the Cinderella movie with the Asian prince. I was like oooooh, we are about to have a biracial family just like on Disney Channel! I saw photos of Serena Williams at the Royal Wedding and thought we reached Nirvana. Boy, was I was dead wrong.
In the United States, you really just know what you hear about the Royal Family. I thought it was all glamour, especially because the Royal Family doesn’t have any actual political power – just social power. When discussing her time in the Royal Family, Meghan said “When the perception is different from reality, but you’re being judged on the perception but living the reality…it’s impossible to get explain to people.” I must say – prior to this interview, I don’t know if I would’ve ever understood what she meant. But it makes perfect sense. I was judging Meghan based on my perceptions of how easy a princess’ life would be, and not the day-to-day reality of marrying into one of the most notoriously powerful families in the world - as a black woman. Not only that, we are only thinking of our perceptions of them from an American media standpoint - which is a SIGNIFICANTLY smaller audience than all of Europe. She is dealing with it from every angle.
They took her keys, her phone, her passport, and her belongings. They had to live with friends - and at one point they were living with Tyler Perry. It goes as far as her son not being offered security because of his potential skin tone. It goes as far as wanting to remove their own son, Prince Harry, from the family because of his decision to marry a black woman. Even something that seems as little as them allowing the media to post a false headline about Meghan supposedly making Kate cry shows that they weren’t protecting her in front of and behind closed doors.
I can’t imagine how scary that is. And how tough it is for someone who, as she discussed, prides herself on women advocating for themselves and maintaining their voice amidst all of the persecution. She’s having to balance her own morals and desires with the personal health of herself, her son, and her family’s safety. That’s just…brutal. It’s also scary for Prince Harry. He said that “his biggest fear was history repeating itself.” They were refused security, refused assistance, and refused accommodations that would’ve made their lives both safe and livable - just as the Royal Family did to his mother Princess Diana. Can you imagine the constant fear and pain he’s living in? To have to fear that your wife may be murdered by your family in the same way that they murdered your mother? We have completely romanticized this entire family and have made countless movies and television shows surrounding this family, but fail to realize that this is real life.
She talks about being a young black girl and wanting to see black women in these positions and how much it means to young black girls to see black women in these positions. As a black woman, I can’t express how much I relate to that. Everyone that knows me knows that I post about Meghan Markle once a month just being is so inspiring. I thought the same thing – if she can do it, I can do it. And doing it for every black woman is different – for some “doing it” is getting a J.D., for others it’s becoming a professional dancer or starting your own business. But seeing a black woman succeed, in anything, just makes us all feel like it’s possible. Who needs a comparison? I gotchu because I’m an excellent writer. This is how we all felt when Kamala was elected Vice President. Seeing her in that seat makes black women feel like it’s actually possible and shows the world that black women can be in these positions too.
Another part of the interview that the world needed to hear was the discussion surrounding the differences in headlines between Megan and Kate– but we knew this. We see the same things with black men being shot and killed by police. They are painted as criminals, thugs, and killers when in fact they are honor-roll students, sons, fathers, and human beings. It’s funny that, in reaction to hearing Oprah read the headlines, Meghan Markle laughed. This is literally the exact way that black people deal with all types of trauma. Sometimes it’s legitimately so wild that you have to laugh in order to make sense of what’s going on. Because sometimes life is just that – A JOKE.
Also – Royal Family if you read this, I don’t want no smoke lol. I’m not trying to get Princess Diana’d #RIPTOTHEGOAT
