Not even that long ago, Prince Andrew traveled overseas and reportedly asked his valet to bring an oversized ironing board with them. To be honest, though, he probably doesn't travel overseas these days because he's likely afraid of dealing with some sort of legal paperwork he doesn't want to deal with.
So, I have a few famous self-evicted people from the House of Windsor to share with you. Of course, I'm talking about Meghan and Harry, who seem to carry on that tradition of royal absurdity.
We learned on Tuesday that Meghan should be one of the winners of the 2023 Women of Vision Awards, sponsored by the Miss foundation and started by her friend, neighbor, and living icon. There's a glamorous event in New York on May 16th, which means somewhere out there right now, a stylist is readying shelves of designer black ties for Meghan to choose from.
But where things start to get a little funny is when we come to Meghan's biography. She claims she's a feminist advocate for human rights and gender equality and a global role model. Sorry, what now? Maybe Meghan can actually claim those top three according to some people, but things start to get ridiculous when we come to these latest three working models.
Was also the creator of a mediocre blog. But what about today? Well, today she is one of the biggest celebrities in the world, and her every word is covered in the media. And she managed to shake up an institution that is over one thousand years old. Her journey from the Toronto yoga enthusiast to someone who has already earned inclusion in the history books is pretty amazing, to be honest. But it's not the same as having power and influence in places that matter, like Washington or Silicon Valley or Wall Street.
As far as we know, Meghan has never attended any Davos or the annual Sun Valley gathering. The Sun Valley gathering is considered a billionaire summer camp, and I don't think anyone has ever asked her to give a speech at the United Nations. She is not considered a leader on any particular front. In 2015, Meghan became a women's advocate at the United Nations for women's political participation and leadership. Despite stepping down from royal office more than three years ago, then make her a free agent to connect with whatever agency or charity she wants. However, the connection to the UN was not renewed for some reason.
Now, I guess Meghan did some things to try to help people, especially women. Can we say she earned more than your average Montecito housewife? Well, that's fine, of course, but it's not like the Secretary-General of the United Nations keeps her on speed dial. And people like Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton don't call her either. Now, Meghan deserves kudos for the job she's done, but it's a stretch to suggest that Meghan is someone shaping tomorrow or actually leading the charge.
And here's another interesting tidbit. Her grandmother was one of the oldest female estates of all time, and she navigated the turbulent social and cultural waters of the 20th century. It's a job she inherited, making her the original neo-child. But what the late Queen did with the throne is an amazing thing that showed how to wield soft power and earn respect from the start.
Her late Majesty was often the only woman in the room, a woman in her 20s surrounded by so many stuffy older men with strong opinions. But by all accounts, she has definitely learned to cope. I think my favorite example is this: You've probably heard this story, but I'm going to share it. Meghan decided that she would take the wheel and drive.
She drove the Saudi Crown Prince at incredible speeds around his Balmoral estate when, in reality, it was illegal for women to drive in the Crown Prince's homeland. Now, that, if you ask me, is a perfect example of a world pattern.
I mean, seriously, who exactly do women want to turn a soulful riff with? Their in-laws? Interlocutive content? Why is this the model, I wonder? Or maybe she's a role model for people who have always dreamed of wearing expensive designer clothes to a school in Harlem or for people who aspire to be authors of failed children's books. Could it be that?
And not twisted? When Meghan first arrived in London at the end of 2017 to join the royal ranks, I was personally very excited. I thought the world would finally have an HR whose values and priorities align with all feminists, a woman who could use her global platform to bring about real change for women.
I assumed that in her own way, Meghan Markle would deal with the patriarchy, and in the roughly 20 months that Meghan spent as a working member of the royal family, it almost happened. She made a few official trips to South Africa and Morocco, and when she was there, she emphasized gender equality at the time.
And what happened next is hardly a feminist legend. I know what the sugars will say, that Meghan and Harry's exit was a real moral feat, as Meghan stood up to an old. Institution and spoke out about a situation she thought was wrong.
I mean, convictions take courage, true, but last time I checked, being a feminist has nothing to do with continuing to talk about how awful your husband's family is. She donated a $25 Starbucks gift card to a major nonprofit working on the cause and wrote a letter about it to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and later the majority leader in the Senate for 2019.
