When the liberal values of the United States meet the traditional, conservative constitutional monarchy, the result can be a culture shock for both parties involved. That’s exactly what we have recently witnessed.
Newcomers to the royal family are usually surprised by the difficulty of adaptation. But when the ambitious Hollywood beauty slipped into the royal establishment, things were looking promising. How could this "match made in heaven" have such a bitter end? Harry and Meghan became at one point the most watched couple in the world; the world wanted to see them. But from the beginning it was clear that Meghan wanted to tear up the imaginary book of royal rules and do everything her way. What started as a breath of fresh air into the ossified institution ended up with a number of family conflicts, controversies, and Harry and Meghan's problems with the monarchy. Is it really a missed opportunity for “The Firm”, which could have moved toward inclusiveness, modernization and development?
Feelings or facts?
There’s already been more than enough said and written about the famous conversation. What was said there is one part of the whole story - Meghan and Harry’s feelings and perception, not the facts. The second thing is the feelings and impressions that the media show, which would support Meghan’s version of a bias against her. Journalists should, if possible, objectively analyse a situation, provide information and let readers form their own opinion. As Meghan said in the interview, "Life is about telling a story." The question is, what story is told by the media and whether we are comfortable with someone giving us a biased account.
The family hasn’t lost its popularity
Many people just before the incriminating interview said that similar attempts usually don’t end up well for "the royals”, one example could be the scandal of Prince Andrew with Jeffrey Epstein. The reactions to the Sussex couple were very colorful, and they have fundamentally differed on both sides of the ocean. America has fallen at Meghan's feet and is horrified by her experience with the royals, while in the UK the Duchess of Sussex is probably the least favourite person at the moment. And as for the popularity of the rest of the royal family, it hasn’t really changed at all. So was the interview a success or not? That depends on what Harry and Meghan expected of it.
Perception and reality
One thing is clear: society should make it clear that hatred, racism and inequality have no place in this world. On the other hand, this doesn’t mean that we should slander someone without a trial. As that would be undermining democracy, which certainly isn’t a step in the right direction. So what does this mean? Everything Meghan and Harry mentioned in the interview are serious allegations and we shouldn’t take them lightly. But these are mere accusations, not proven facts. And as Meghan herself said, one's perception and reality are two very different things. That is why it is difficult to say where the truth is. And we may never know.
The family together - in the back Meghan and Harry, in front of them Queen Elizabeth, Charles, Kate and William.
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