Sir Trevor Phillips, a renowned writer, businessman, and former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, expressed his deep anger and frustration when discussing the actions of Harry and Meghan, which have sent shockwaves across the United Kingdom. He is utterly dismayed by their self-indulgent behavior and antics.
Harry and Meghan had the potential to become symbols of discovery and reconciliation, not only for Britain but for the entire world. Unfortunately, they squandered this golden opportunity to showcase the true nature of our country's stance on race. Britain has long been a place where interracial and interethnic marriages are widely accepted without any concern.
Instead, they fabricated a completely absurd and unpleasant narrative of mistreatment, which frankly, no one believes. The issue of Meghan's race was not a matter of concern for anyone. They had the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of people, but they chose not to seize it. In my opinion, their actions are unforgivable and can be considered a grave misstep.
Meghan witnessed her dreams of being featured on major magazine covers come true after years of hard work and hustling. She reveled in the adoration of people and the attention of A-listers such as Oprah, Tyler Perry, Beyoncé, and many others. She believed she had reached the pinnacle of success. In her mind, she saw herself as an intimidating force that made the royal family envious, as if her mere existence unsettled them, similar to Diana's experience. She believed she would become a global icon, and she saw herself as Diana's successor.
However, there was one fundamental problem. She could never become a global icon while constantly living in the shadow of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. Likewise, Harry would forever be known as William's brother, always playing second fiddle. Thus, they concluded that they had to leave.
Meghan was convinced that her life outside the royal family would bring her greater wealth, influence, and power. The British media, the size of Nottingham Cottage, and other factors were merely excuses. She had always planned to depart from the institution. True to Megan's fashion, she didn't want to wait and establish herself as a member of the royal family first. Instead, she wanted to strike while the iron was hot and hit the ground running. Unfortunately, their calculations went awry.
They encountered unexpected challenges, particularly when they were completely ousted from the institution. They had hoped to leverage their royal duties to elevate their profile and use their heightened visibility on the international stage. They had anticipated receiving substantial payments for speeches, United Nations engagements, and other lucrative opportunities.
However, the Queen thwarted their plans by rejecting the notion of having one foot in and one foot out. They had believed themselves to be far more captivating and talented than they truly were. They failed to anticipate that without the backing of their royal titles, their appeal would wane significantly.
In essence, their miscalculations have left them in a precarious position, as they now find themselves without the support they had envisioned from their family and with limited prospects.
It's evident that Megan fails to grasp the shallowness of her thoughts and the incoherence of her words. She and Harry grossly underestimated the genuine love the royal family holds, even if it may not always be openly displayed by the public. They naively believed they could freely lie and trash the family without facing any repercussions.
Little did they anticipate that people would see through their façade. They wrongly assumed that playing the racism card would silence their critics, oblivious to the existence of communities like this one that would call out such manipulations.
Moreover, they failed to realize that Hollywood can be a treacherous environment. While some may smile and act empathetic to your struggles, most individuals won't truly care or provide substantial assistance unless there's something in it for them. Tyler Perry, whom Megan should hold on to tightly, is a rarity in that regard.
Their impatience and lack of foresight were quite evident. If they had shown unwavering commitment to a few reputable and non-controversial charitable causes for a substantial period, they could have built a solid foundation of power and support.
They aspired to emulate Diana, but they seemed to forget that Diana laid the groundwork for a decade while serving as the Princess of Wales, working with the homeless, those affected by AIDS, and various other causes. By the time Diana left the royal family, she had already established herself as an immensely popular brand, a fashion icon, and, most importantly, the mother of the future king. Megan cannot be compared to Diana in any way, and their gross miscalculations highlight their lack of understanding.
Their assumption that the public would automatically adore Megan simply because Harry draws comparisons to Diana is flawed. Strangely, they failed to consider a few crucial factors. First, Megan's behavior bears no resemblance to Diana's. She comes across as disingenuous, and it's no secret that Prince William holds a strong dislike for her. This dynamic is far from reminiscent of the Diana era.
Additionally, they failed to acknowledge that not everyone was a fan of Diana. They didn't realize that their ill-advised actions might tarnish Diana's image and legacy. Furthermore, they ignored the fact that not everyone supports the monarchy, and these sentiments would naturally extend to them.
Most importantly, they seem oblivious to how incredibly irritating they are. Diana was like a deer caught in headlights, an innocent and malleable figure onto whom people projected their own desires. In contrast, Megan entered the scene with an established personality, immediately pushing against the limitations imposed on her by marrying into the royal family. She failed to truly transform the role of the Princess of Wales, as Diana did, through a decade of dedicated charitable work.
Against advice, Diana fearlessly embraced an AIDS patient on camera, an action deemed controversial at the time but ultimately recognized as groundbreaking humanitarianism. The same can be said for her work with landmines. Each time, Diana placed herself in what was perceived as genuine danger to make a powerful political statement. Megan, on the other hand, has only risked her monetary funds.
Diana's journey was one of evolution, growing up in front of the cameras while leaving a lasting impact. The same cannot be said for Megan, who lacks the depth and growth displayed by Diana.
Diana's journey can be traced from a naive girl who initially trusted the system to a young abandoned mother striving to navigate within it. Over time, she became disillusioned and, at least in the public eye, was perceived to have cheated on her spouse, although we were unaware of her own indiscretions at that point.
On the contrary, Megan entered the royal scene as a fully-formed adult, with her own opinions and ideas. Unlike Diana, she did not have the opportunity to evolve in front of the cameras as a member of the royal family, under the intense scrutiny it demands.
Personally, I find Megan's feminist ideals to be out of step and rather old-fashioned, just as her simplistic insights into structural racism. She lacks intellectual depth and seems to be poorly read, with her education having stagnated years ago. Megan tends to espouse a line of thinking that aligns entirely with pop culture, preventing her from recognizing certain nuanced aspects. For instance, her love for romantic comedies perpetuates traditional male tropes, treating women as objects to be possessed rather than individuals in their own right.
Her favorite movie, "When Harry Met Sally," may appear cute on the surface, but it delves into the question of whether men and women can truly be just friends. In the film, Harry is depicted as a misogynist who mistreats Sally throughout. Without delving into all the details, the movie ultimately undermines its initial premise and fails to explore the topic satisfactorily. Sally ends up sleeping with Harry, reinforcing the notion that friendship between genders is impossible and that a man's sexual desire for his object of interest always triumphs.
It's worth noting that many of Megan's favorite things are rooted in white culture, making her appropriation of Blackness, whatever percentage of that race she claims, for her own personal gain within a predominantly white culture, rather off-putting at best and, as Trevor Phillips asserts, deeply problematic at worst.
