Opinion: The backlash to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Oprah interview was disturbing
Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user carobax
WSPN’s Sophia Oppenheim discusses her opinion on how Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were treated after their interview with Oprah.
“The Little Mermaid” was my favorite movie as a six-year-old. To me, the movie was just the story of a red-headed mermaid who lived in a hidden cave and was friends with a flounder and a crab. To Meghan Markle, however, there was a completely different meaning. She described it as the story of a woman who wanted to be with a prince but had to lose her voice to do so. She then said that was exactly what happened to her when she married Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview on Sunday, March 7. They discussed the reasons the couple left their royal duties as well as issues of suicide and racism. However, even with the awful way that Meghan and Harry claimed they were treated by the royal family, thousands of people left hate comments on posts all over news Instagram accounts such as E! News, People Magazine, the New York Times and many more. Many people believe that Meghan was just acting and trying to get in the public eye. I find these comments disturbing and inappropriate for multiple reasons.
First, an overview of the interview. It started with Markle and Oprah talking alone. Markle said she felt unprotected by the royal family. Even after they promised her that they would protect her from the fake news from U.K. tabloids, Markle still felt that the royal family was more willing to protect other members of the family over her and her son, Archie, which leads to another huge aspect of the controversy. Markle shared that the color of Archie’s skin when he was born was brought up as a “problem” with older members of the royal family (she did not directly identify who). She also shared that she had become suicidal and told Harry that she no longer wanted to be alive.
Prince Harry later joined Markle, confirming this story by sharing that he was scared and didn’t know what to do. When the couple brought this issue up with members of his family, they said they were not allowed to get Meghan help. He also shared that he and his father are not currently speaking. Prince Harry stated that his father and his brother are still trapped within the royal family’s unethical rules. The couple also mentioned that they wanted to still practice their royal duties from a distance, but after moving out of the country, their privileges were revoked and no more security was provided for them.
What brought me to look at the situation more closely were the comments left on posts by multiple different news platforms. Comments ranged from multiple paragraphs of how Meghan’s feelings were all an act to some less inventive ones: vomiting emojis. Many people asserted that Meghan should have known what she was getting into and that she put herself in a bad situation with the royals. Some said that they were surprised so many people fell for the act. The list goes on and on with thousands of posts on every platform almost completely filled with hate comments.
This interview seems to uncover multiple characteristics of the royal family that the public has never seen. The couple shared that the color of Archie’s skin was going to be an issue and that it might cost him his royal protection. This was extremely important to the couple because, without that protection, the safety of their child could be at risk. The fact that a member of the royal family had to share their concerns about the skin color of their child is disturbing. Also, I find it incredibly sad that so many people left comments on social media posts saying that the royal couple was lying about this.
Everyone should be able to share what they think happened, no matter how far-fetched. However, in this situation, I think it’s incredibly sad how many people left hate comments after Markle came out and shared that she had been so mentally ill and that she was scared to be left alone because she might try and hurt herself. I am not sure how people find it okay to openly bash someone who struggled and was mentally ill. If they truly believe she was acting, do they really think she would lie about being suicidal as well?
Some people that commented did have the same reaction as me. It doesn’t matter if Markle knew what she was getting into when she married into the royal family. She should not be bashed for wanting an out and not wanting to lose her husband in the process. Many believe that Harry did not want to leave, obviously looking past the multiple times where Harry mentioned that the rest of his family is still trapped.
I think that no one should have to struggle, especially if Harry and Meghan are unlikely to inherit the throne. If they are happier now living in Los Angeles, that’s all that matters. If this was a random family where one member was suicidal because the family was keeping them locked up and refusing them to receive treatment, would people react the same way?
This situation that Harry and Meghan were put into was very difficult and the interview made it even worse. The couple was not told any questions they would be asked prior and they were not being paid, but they still agreed to it. Unfortunately, it just caused more backlash and is going to promote worse publicity for the couple. I hope that these people randomly commenting on these posts stop the verbal abuse and let the couple live their life with Archie and their new baby girl on the way.

Sophia Oppenheim, Class of 2023, is a first year reporter for WSPN. She is part of the high school's field hockey team and girls swim team. Outside of...
I believe that your young age & lack of life experience may be influencing your ability to be less objective to this situation. As a person who has encountered all those things Ms Meghan whined about, I see her attention getting interview as nothing more than a temper tantrum by a weak, but extremely deceitful individual to gain attention no matter the cost to her husband or anyone else involved. She has driven a wedge that will now never be able to be resolved. I have family members just like her & they are toxic. The best way to handle them is to ignore their constant self pity & move on with your head held high. Exactly what the rest of the family is doing. Eventually Harry will regret the day he ever laid eyes on her, but unfortunately he will be her slave and he will die a sad, lonely old man, hiding his bitterness behind a fake smile, terrified that Meghan will leave him if he ever comes to his senses & tells her to grow up & act like an adult. She is very good at acting like a victim. Don’t believe she has learned how behave with self respect & have grown up discussions. She is far better at manipulating, exaggerating & right out lying.
Perhaps when you have encountered a few more people like her in real life you will realize exactly what she is. However, I highly doubt you will. You see her as this glamorous strong movie star who has been so deeply injured by royals. When in fact, this little prima Donna ALWAYS wanted to be a princess, was fascinated with royals as a child & did in fact research everything about the royals to be found on the internet before she had a first meeting with the family. As far as Harry not preparing her how to meet the Queen & not preparing her for ALL things to be expected before she got into the situation, I do not believe it for 1 single moment.
You my dear are very gullible
You are so right Victoria she is nothing but a low life devious vicious girl, the white slave boy Harry will never be allowed to leave till she is finished parading him around, has a chain through his nose leads him around saying see what a half caste ca n do destroy a family and a nation, unfortunately Americans believe every lie she spews out of her evil mouth as she is one of them, most Americans hate the Queen and the rest of the Royal family so believe her, if the half wit is so involved in the mental health programs he so claims to be, the sits there with Oprie and say he was scared and didn’t know what to do, doesn’t say to much for him being part of the mental health program now does it?
Guess you didn’t like my truthful answer agreeing with Victoria, you only want sweet smelling replies regarding markle sorry I can’t do that
See Victoria’s comment above. Couldn’t have said it better.
First, they did get paid for the interview. 2. Megan loves herself way too much to commit suicide. She would feel the whole world would suffer a major loss without her in it. She is a narcissist. That was a game she used on Harry to get what she wanted, remember his comment what Megan wants Megan gets. She lives by that rule and used it to her advantage. She manipulates him big time and he too stupid to see it. She uses his weaknesses against him. And 3. There has been a lot of talk of Megan color and how much she supports her black side. Why then does she not date black men and only marries white men? She is fake and with a side of sociopath to her narcissistic personality she can only pretend empathy and compassion she is incapable of it. Harry sickens me for his ignorance. He was jealous of will and Kate and wanted a wife of his own. She played her part well to give him that
Victoria’s comments are most likely closer to truth and I totally agree.
I agree with the comments above. The writer is naive to believe that an almost 40 year old woman who was previously divorced is similar to a 20 year old Diana. Unlike the writer, Megain is not naive and is very manipulative. A truly upright person would not tear her husband away from his family for her selfish reasons and air her “grievances” in public. It’s called sacrifice for the sake of the family. Look at Meghan’s family. It’s a shipwreck.
I feel Harry is the lost prince, always trying to find his place in the world. He clearly needed stability, but was duped by a conniving, more worldly older woman. He needed someone like his ex girlfriend who comes from a solid family with two intact parents. Instead, he chose wrong (similar to him choosing a Nazi outfit when he was younger).
I ask the writer to ask herself one question. What person do you personally know who would trash his/her in-laws to a bunch of strangers so that he/she would feel better about oneself? There are always two sides to every story. The vocal ones aren’t necessarily the ones who are the truthful.
Meghan went in the royal family, took the weakest link go make her way in, abused her privileges and got the huge extravagant by any standards wedding and life thereafter. Probably exploded a remark lime ‘ I can’t wait what to see what the baby looks more lime you or Harry” more as a racism remark. Perfect timing when the world is torn apart with so much racism talk.
She didn’t want to do real public service but just wants the queenly benefits. She knew she is not going to be queen. She escaped and tarnished the royal family. Queen who gave up her whole life and to some extent her own kids and family time to county was tarnished.
She broke and ruined so much when she had the opportunity to build and grow so much. Sore looser now making amliving of these intervies now.