Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix docuseries is a story from the couple's perspective about the mistreatment they had to undergo because the UK tabloids and certain sections of the royal family were trying to target them.
While the first three episodes of Harry & Meghan were released earlier this month, the final three dropped on December 15. The first part of the series shows how the unlikely couple met and how the major changes Meghan had to undertake in order to fit into the complex lifestyles of the UK royals.
The last three episodes are more personal as the couple revealed what made them move out of the United Kingdom and step back from their royal duties. The episodes also go into detail about how a "nexus between the royal PR machinery and a handful of UK tabloids which have special access to the family.
Here are the top 10 revelations from the Harry and Meghan Netflix docuseries.
Prince William and Price Harry’s relationship
Probably one of the most explosive revelations came in the second part of the docuseries when Prince Harry claimed his brother screamed at him during a family meeting in 2020 after Harry revealed his and Meghan’s plans to step back from some royal duties became public.
Meghan added that she wasn’t invited to the meeting despite it being hugely important for the couple’s future.
“It was clear to me that they planned out so that you weren’t in the room,” Harry said.
Harry also said he was given five options, one being “all in, no change,” and five being “all out.” He said he chose option 3 to be half in, and half out and have their own jobs, but also work in support of the queen. However, the decision provoked intense feelings.
Harry said. “It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, and my father say things that simply weren’t true, and my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in.”
The same day, a story came out that said part of the reason for the couple’s decision to step back was William’s bullying. Hours later a joint statement from Harry and Williams was issued, with the intent of quashing the story and downplaying any rift between the brothers. Harry revealed that he had not given his approval to put his name on the statement.
Meghan's infamous letter to her father and the story behind it
A large part of the second part focuses on a five-page letter Meghan wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, asking him to stop talking to the press about her.
Meghan says that King Charles III (then Prince Charles) and the Queen wanted her to send the letter to her father. Big chunks of the letter ended up being published by Mail Online. Meghan sued the Mail for this and won later.
Leaks from inside the palace
Harry and Meghan hinted that in the palace people would plant false negative news about them so that the press would hold off on writing negative stories about other members of the royal family.
Harry said that he and William had seen this happen in the pitting of two different palace camps against each other. He said they had vowed never to do it. He then claims that it's sad for him "to see my brother's office copy the very same thing that we promised we'd never do."
Meghan's miscarriage
Between having two kids, Archie in 2019 and Lilibet in 2021, Meghan became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage. In the series, Harry blamed the miscarriage on the events stemming from The Mail publishing her letter to her father and the stress from the following lawsuit.
"I believe my wife suffered a miscarriage because of what The Mail did," he said. "I can say, from what I saw, that miscarriage was created by what they were trying to do to her," he added.
Racism towards Meghan
The couple revealed that racism towards Meghan's mixed-race background played a huge role in the couple leaving for North America.
They said after Archie was born, one social media user shared a photo of a couple holding the hands of a dressed-up chimpanzee, captioning it as if it were Meghan, Harry and Archie.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan had earlier revealed that someone in the royal family asked how dark her baby's skin would be.
The Royal family asked why Meghan should be protected
Prince Harry claims in the docuseries that members of the royal family asked why Meghan should "get special treatment" and "be protected" when they questioned the UK press' treatment of the actress in the early phase of their relationship.
In the second episode, Harry referred to a Daily Mail headline from 2016 that said: "Harry's girl is (almost) straight outta Compton," and he revealed that he was instructed to say nothing by the Palace.
Harry also said that he was told by some of the members of the family that “my wife had to go through that, so why should your girlfriend be treated any differently? Why should you get special treatment? Why should she be protected?”
Extensive 'formality' behind closed doors
Meghan also talks about her first meeting with Prince William and Kate in episode 2 and said she was surprised to see the "formality" that is shown to the public by the royal family "carries over" behind closed doors as well.
"I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. I was a hugger, I've always been a hugger, I didn't realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits,” Meghan said.
Meghan also said that she quickly understood that the formality on the outside is carried through on the inside.
The royal family thought his and Meghan's relationship wouldn't last
Harry explained that Meghan's career as an actress "clouded" the judgement of his family, and they assumed that the couple’s relationship wouldn’t last.
The huge level of unconscious bias in the royal family
Prince Harry revealed that in the royal family, sometimes you are a part of the problem rather than part of the solution and there is a huge level of unconscious bias.
The royal family has been accused of turning a blind eye towards several issues such as racism since the early years of the monarchy.
Harry explained that it's actually no one's fault but once it's been pointed out or identified within yourself, you then need to make it right.
"It's education, it's awareness and it's a constant work-in-progress for everyone, including me,” Harry said.
(Edited by : Abhishek Jha)
First Published: Dec 16, 2022 1:27 PM IST
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