After their relationship became public, both Harry and Meghan admitted they were shocked by what they described as “racist undertones” and later “outright racism” from some of the media. “At the time, I wasn’t thinking about how race might play a part in all of this,” Megan says. “I didn’t really think about it.”
Upset at the treatment Meghan was receiving, Harry says the palace told him not to say anything.
“But what people need to understand is that as far as a lot of family members go, whatever she’s going through, they’ve been through it too,” Harry explains. “So it was like a rite of passage. Some family members would say, ‘But my wife has to go through it, so why should you treat your girlfriend any differently? Why should she be treated differently? Private? Be protected?'” And I said, ‘The difference here is the racial component.'”
Ultimately, Harry opposed palace protocol, and issued a statement in November 2016 condemning Meghan’s “abuse and harassment” by the media.
Despite Harry’s efforts, the media’s treatment of Meghan has not changed. But at the time of their engagement in 2017, Meghan said she still believed what the royal family had told her.
“It will pass, and it will get better. It’s what they’ve done from the start,” Megan shares. “That promise, ‘Once you get married, don’t worry, it’ll get better. Once they get used to you, it’ll get better, of course it’ll get better.'” But to tell the truth, no matter how hard I try, no matter how good they are, no matter what I have done, they will find a way to destroy me.”
“Thinker. Professional twitter fanatic. Certified introvert. Troublemaker. Unapologetic zombie maven.”