Britain’s heart may lie with the ‘hurt’ Queen as Harry & Meghan exit but they are being pragmatic
When Britain’s Prince Harry married American actor Meghan Markle, he had already made the transition from tradition to modernity, casting off his regal aura to be a clutter-breaking, young influencer as a commoner. He made sure that his new wife sported his mother, Princess Diana’s jewels, a tribute to her unassailable appeal as the palace insider who conformed and rebelled in parts and one who is still betted upon by global marketers to keep the House of Tudor relevant ceremonially. And it was this populist aura and her brand ambassadorship that Britain could not and still cannot ignore, using it to sell the royals as part of an exportable culture, attracting tourists, brands and the subsidiary economy of memorabilia and lifestyle markers. By deciding to step back as “senior members of the royal family,” refusing some part of the royal purse that comes from the British public and choosing to run an independent global foundation, Harry and Meghan are pretty much following her footsteps. They are not only reinventing their relevance in a fluid world of images, where icons are being created and destroyed daily, but challenging the stiff upper lip of convention. In that sense, their desire to “carve their own path” with the “aim of becoming financially independent” ought to be lauded. And if they choose a profession to reclaim their destiny on their terms, there is nothing wrong with it. Except they would have to make a clean break then as progressives and not be part-time as they propose now, looking to have the cake and eat it too.
The decision should not have come as a shock to anyone because the young couple has right from the beginning of their relationship been straining at the royal leash. Prince Harry was always a wild child and a non-challenger to the throne. And Meghan was not one to let Harry’s title or Queen Elizabeth II intimidate her. Unlike Kate Middleton, who, too, is not of royal blood but has adhered to the Queen’s strict rules and etiquette, she has broken almost every tradition. Right from public displays of affection to moving out of the Kensington Palace and living in a small cottage, to holding a baby shower and announcing the birth of their son Archie on Instagram, the couple has done it all. The monarchy has long been a financial burden as it costs over £250 million a year to maintain, a figure which is bound to pinch in times of an economic slowdown and spending cuts. This will bite even more once Brexit becomes a reality. Surely the Queen-obsessed Britain can see that and not worry how she was hurt by her family?
