How Meghan Markle Became the Most Polarizing Royal of Her Generation

Meghan Markle was first known for her role as Rachel Zane from the hit TV show Suits. She had a lifestyle blog, she had an acting career, she was recognisable to the public but had a level of fame that felt very manageable. She could potentially still move around the world in a pair of glasses or a hat and not be bothered. Then Harry entered the picture and her life drastically change.

Dating a member of the royal family comes with a level of fame that is incomparable even to the biggest Hollywood stars. She was constantly harassed by the media, to the point where Harry had to make a rare statement asking the press to leave his girlfriend alone, which is coincidentally how he confirmed their relationship. After that Meghan became his fiancée, then a duchess and half of the most famous and talked-about royal couple in modern history. Every single public appearance, or even a random paparazzi photo caused a stir in the press, everyone in the world suddenly had an opinion about her, which shifted back and forth all the time.

Let’s take a look at some of these moments that completely changed how people saw Meghan.

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Допис, поширений Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (@meghan)

Harry’s 2016 Statement Made Their Relationship Impossible to Ignore

Rumors about Harry and Meghan dating were buzzing around since late 2016, but the first publicly defining moment for their relationship came in November 2016. Kensington Palace issued a statement condemning the harassment Meghan and her family were dealing with from the press. It was clearly meant to be a measure to protect Meghan, but it also confirmed that this wasn’t a fling and the relationship was serious enough that the royals made a statement.

Kensington Palace has issued a statement this morning about the harassment currently being experienced by Meghan Markle and her family. pic.twitter.com/EuFZ4fmUIj
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2016

The Engagement Turned Her Into a Future Duchess

The engagement was announced on November 27, 2017. The actual proposal happened a month earlier, but there was a classic photo call at Kensington Palace with cameras, engagement rings, etc. But what made this different than other royal engagements is that Meghan was American, biracial, divorced, an actress, and very outspoken.

This made it unusual and exciting for some and shocking and unheard of for others. The interview they did for the BBC introduced them to the public as a very normal, warm, and affectionate couple who met through friends and quickly realized that they had something special and were living their little fairytale love story. But as we know, British tabloids are in the habit of ruining all fairytales.

The Royal Wedding Made Her a Symbol of Change

Harry and Meghan’s wedding happened on May 19th, 2018 at Windsor Castle. It was a huge event full of the usual royal elements like uniforms, carriages, lots of famous guests all wearing various hats and fascinators, and a global audience of millions of course. But there were also unusual add-ons, like the bishop was African-American, there was a Black gospel choir singing “Stand By Me,” and Meghan walked down the aisle by herself before meeting Prince Charles halfway, who walked her the rest of the way.

This was already a huge deal and signaled a new chapter not only in her life, but also in the life of the British Royal family. Things were changing fast. After the wedding Meghan became a Dutchess, she was no longer just an actress doing her thing, she was now a working royal, entering a strange and strict system of the royal family. Her style had to change to fit what’s expected of the royals, she could no longer run her own social media, and she definitely could no longer be as outspoken as she was used to.

It was a waiting game to see whether Meghan or the royal family would change more. People were saying it’s a historical moment, but some were already prejudiced and thinking that Meghan just doesn’t fit into the old institution.

Her First Royal Tour Showed She Wanted to Do Things Her Way

Harry and Meghan went on their first major royal tour in 2018. They visited Australia and New Zealand, as well as Fiji and Tonga. They had over 70 engagements, and Meghan had an opportunity to show what kind of royal she was going to be. She met with crowds, made speeches, championed women’s education, and even baked a banana bread for the farmers they were going to meet (not something royals usually do) before one of their engagements.

The banana bread moment was significant because it demonstrated Meghan’s willingness to embrace her royal responsibilities while also attempting to be warm and personal, in contrast to the typically reserved nature of the royals. The tour was seen as very successful by the public, Meghan was very popular and likeable. She was great at working with the public. But apparently behind the scenes, the tensions intensified in the royal family.