I don’t have a Meghan Markle poster above my bed but I stan the Duchess of Sussex. More importantly, I respect the royal for holding her head up even as forces are actively engaged to shame her into lowering it. The crown is not about to slip no matter how many anonymous sources tattle to the British tabloids that she’s making her in-laws cry, breaking the good china sets and is leaving scones on Queen Elizabeth’s front lawn at Buckingham Palace. At this rate, Markle is so “polarizing” that she may even be blamed for the whole Brexit debacle.
Ever since Prince Harry and the Duchess returned from their very successful Royal Tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, the backlash was inevitable. They clearly upstaged the chosen ones, Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton and the holy ghost had to jump out in some folks clutching their pearls and shaking their fists at the popularity of the couple. Prince Harry is suddenly “dictatorial” and his wife a diva who reduced Middleton to tears.
I call bullocks. I think that’s what the British say. Others also agree that that PR intimidation and bullying the Sussex couple, particularly Markle, don’t pass the smell test.
From the moment Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were linked in the press, many felt she wasn’t good enough for a man of royal blood, as though she would dirty the gene pool by association; that her divorce would bring further scandal to monarchs who have broken vows before the public. She was trashed for being an American, not of nobility and pedigree. Markle speaks above a whisper and has used her voice in advocacy of others and that is deemed taboo because a perfect royal can only be seen and not heard. Her career as an actress was used against her; as though one needs a degree to know how to wave and smile to an adoring crowd. Her mother Doria Ragland was smeared as being from Compton, exposing the racism at the root cause that many had with Markle. She identifies as biracial (seen as just Black to many due to the one drop rule) and would never be good enough for an outdated upper echelon of people who only see her as a tier below their preferred choices of a mate, someone more like the character and complexion of Kate.Â
I’ve got nothing against the Duchess of Cambridge. I stayed up to watch her wedding to Prince William in 2011. She seems like a nice lady who is all class, wonderful mother and poised ambassador to the firm. Middleton will be a great Queen one day because she stays in reserved, stays in her lane and a good steward of protocol.
Some call Middleton boring but we’re not all meant to be flashy. I’m not but her identity and whiteness have been continually weaponized against Markle because she’s her own unique person. Kate does Kate and Meghan does Meghan. It doesn’t have to be the competition or feud the peanut galley wants it to be. Kate may appear soft but I doubt very much she’s some wilting flower. While Meghan is more of an outgoing personality, I don’t see her being a fire breathing dragon out to torch her sister in law. They’re both grown women.
Truth be told, in 2018, the idea of a royal family is antiquated. But since we’re all playing along and it’s still a thing, Markle has more than earned her crown. Prince Harry chose her. Not the rest who came before her who are more pale and polished to the preference of others. The Duchess is here to stay, receiving visits from former first lady Michelle Obama, carrying on with her duties, the baby’s on the way and the Piers Morgan’s of the world will just have to keep shading from outside the castle walls.
Throw stones at the Samantha side of the Markle family. They’re the uncouth ones! Every time y’all think to run your mouths or take up space on Al Gore’s internet with worthless hot takes, we’ll be here to remind you.
Stay mad about it and remember to curtsy to your Duchess when you see her.
Stephanie Guerilus 
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