Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shocked the world by announcing they were stepping back as senior royals in early 2020. They have since relocated to the United States, where they live with their two children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet. Although they retained their HRH titles, they would no longer receive financial support from the palace or undertake any royal duties as representatives of the monarch. Their sharp criticism of the royal family’s culture in the now infamous Oprah Winfrey interview of 2021 was met with some opprobrium around the world, but the couple also found a lot of support.
Since relocating to Montecito in Santa Barbara, California, the Sussexes have been busy setting up their own brand, Archewell. Meghan began hosting a podcast called “Archetypes” that “dives into the labels that try to hold women back,” while Harry has been working on his memoir, entitled “Spare,” and described as being “full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.”
The couple also embarked on a journey to document their lives since their departure from the grand halls of Buckingham Palace in the Netflix series “Harry & Meghan.” The show chronicles the pair’s progression from the “secret, early days of their unexpected romance” to marriage in May 2018, as well as their experiences under intense public scrutiny. It also delves into their relationships with members of the royal family and the impact and strains the institution has put on their life together.
The show also depicted the challenges the duo grappled with, including Meghan’s struggle to adjust to royal protocols and the media circus surrounding their relationship, as well as Harry’s efforts to protect his new family and the strain it has put on his relationships, even with his brother, to whom he was once so close.
Prince William and Prince Harry have been unable to escape constant comparisons. Having lived their entire lives in the public eye, the brothers have sought comfort in knowing they were both largely going through many of the same experiences. This made them close, particularly in their youth. However, as the two have grown and started their own families, many say they are drifting apart.
Only two years separate William, who was born on June 21, 1982, and Harry, who was born on Sept. 15, 1984. Their mother was Diana, Princess of Wales, the first wife of King Charles III. Known as the “People’s Princess,” Diana was well-loved by many as an individual and as a mother, too. Princess Diana was a doting mother to her two children and cared for them dearly.
In a May 2022 interview with OK! Magazine, the late Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burell, shared his thoughts on what William and Harry’s mother would have felt about them drifting apart.
“She’d be heartbroken. It wouldn’t have got as bad as this if she was still here. She’d have banged their heads together. She’s probably the only person that could have done that. If Diana had been here (the rift) would never have happened,” Burell said.
Burell added it’s hard to believe William and Harry would grow to be so different because of their tight-knit relationship when they were younger.
“I cannot get my head around it. I saw those boys grow up and they were tighter than you can possibly believe. They referred to each other about everything. When Diana died I thought they would be inseparable,” he added.
Now, Harry’s Netflix documentary, “Harry & Meghan,” offers explosive insight into how differently he feels he was treated by certain parties in comparison to his brother.
In a trailer for the release of the second tranche of “Harry & Meghan” episodes, the Sussexes continued to detail the trials and tribulations of life as senior royals. Footage taken from phones is shown interspersed with clips of their wedding and public appearances. Meanwhile, in separate sit-down interviews and via voiceover, Harry and Meghan recounted the problems they faced living life in the public eye but outside the favor of the palace.
“I wonder what would’ve happened to us had we not got out when we did,” Harry said in the clip, as Meghan added their “security was being pulled … everyone in the world knew where we were.” The trailer then pivoted to Harry speaking about “institutional gaslighting” as Meghan claimed she “wasn’t being thrown to the wolves” but was “being fed to the wolves.” Another individual then explained a mysterious “they” who were “actively recruiting people to disseminate disinformation.” This was followed by an explosive reveal by Harry concerning his brother, William.
“They were happy to lie to protect my brother,” Harry said as footage of William and Buckingham Palace played in the background. “They were never willing to tell the truth to protect us,” Harry continued as a picture of him embracing Meghan filled the screen.
Since the trailer’s release, viewers have speculated about what specifically Harry is referring to. On Twitter, some suggested it could be a reference to rumors William’s eye had wandered from his wife, Kate Middleton, to a mutual friend, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Rose Hanbury, and that the palace played a major role in quashing the story in the press. Whatever it may be that Harry is referring to, the line was juicy enough to get the press riled up and fulfill the trailer’s purpose of convincing throngs of viewers to tune in.
