Meghan Markle confesses: “My friends warned me not to marry Prince Harry”
Meghan Markle (38) has not had it easy in recent months. That is what the wife of Prince Harry admits in the documentary ‘Harry & Meghan: An African Journey’ – which is broadcast on Wednesday by ‘Telefacts’ on VTM. Among other things, the enormous external pressure that comes with her royal life is playing tricks on the Duchess of Sussex. Something her friends had warned about beforehand, Markle admits frankly in the documentary.
When “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey” is asked by Meghan Markle to describe the past year as a member of the British royal family, she must look for the right words. “It’s hard,” she starts diplomatically. “I don’t think anyone can understand that. And in all honesty: I had no idea of it myself.” Although life as a royal remains an unreachable dream for many, it became Meghan’s reality when she married Prince Harry.
Since then she has been attacked in the tabloids with regularity of the clock: from the price tag of 2.6 million euros for the renovation of their home, to the breaking of ties with her father Thomas and the rest of her family, to comment on the use of a private jet and the alleged quarrel between her and Kate Middleton. It seems that Markle is being sabbed down by the media and the British people for almost everything she does.
Markle’s circle of friends saw it all happen and held the heart. “It may sound hard to believe now, but when I first met my husband, my American friends were happy because I was happy. While my British friends warned me: “I’m sure Harry is great, but don’t do it. The British tabloids will ruin your life.”” Meghan said he was “very naive.” “Because I’m an American and we don’t have such tabloids there. I responded like this: ‘What are you talking about? That doesn’t make sense, I’m not in the tabloids.” “I didn’t get it then. So yes, it has been very complicated for me.”
Give up
It is sometimes a hellish job for Meghan to keep his head above water. “It is not enough just to survive something,” she says about whether she can sustain this life. “That is not the purpose of life. You have to revive and be happy. And that is why I am trying to adopt the British ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality (where someone remains determined and emotionless with adversity, ed.). I really try. But I do think that what that inwardly does to someone is very damaging. I never thought this would be easy. But I thought it would be fair.”
Broken
For the documentary, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were followed last month during their ten-day trip through South Africa. During the interview, the Duchess of Sussex also becomes emotional when she tells how difficult she finds dealing with all that criticism as a newlywed mommy. “Look, every woman – and certainly when you are pregnant – is really vulnerable. So that was really a challenge,” she said when asked what impact all publicity has on her ‘physical and mental health’. “You just have a newborn and as a woman… it’s a lot. So you just throw it in the hope as you try to be a new mum or a newlywed woman.”
“Thank you for asking me,” Meghan then tells the reporter. “Few people ask me if I am doing well. But behind the scenes, it is the reality that I have to go through.” When the presenter then says that it might be fair to say that things are not going well, Meghan shed her tears. “Yes, that’s right.”
