Under pressure
Like Wallis Simpson before her, Meghan Markle has been the object of public attention. Like Wallis, she is not British but American, and a divorcee. She is also biracial, her father being white and her mother black. Some saw all this as at odds with the traditional, all-British and all-white Royal Family. Always looking for gossip, scoops and drama, some tabloids treated Meghan as an ambitious ex-actress interested in money and titles. They suggested that she did not respect her new role and was not welcomed by other members of the Royal Family. The Sussexes reacted strongly to this. Last year they took legal action against several newspapers, accusing them of spreading false news and violating their privacy. Prince Harry made a direct reference to his mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997 in a car accident while running away from the paparazzi. “My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” he said. “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”Megxit (and to Meghan Markle)
All this pressure surely played a role in Harry and Meghan’s surprise decision, on January 8, to step back as senior royals. The usual tabloids called it Megxit – a portmanteau of the words Meghan and Brexit – suggesting her responsibility in this decision. Those that sided with Meghan, instead, coined a new verb: ‘to Meghan Markle’, which means ‘to preserve your own mental wellbeing by leaving an environment that doesn’t value you’. Whatever the reasons, the Sussexes’ idea was to work part-time for the Monarchy while also following their own path. Although the Queen said that she supported “their wish for a more independent life,” she did not agree with how they wanted to achieve this. Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that the Sussexes were very welcome to start a new life, but they could no longer be “working members of the Royal Family,” and, therefore, they could no longer use His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles. The Queen’s line was clear: you can’t be half-in and half-out of the Royal Family.National identity
If the Sussexes hoped for more privacy, this new situation has increased the media attention on them. But one should wonder: isn’t all this media circus too much? Is it not anachronistic, in the 21st century, to be so interested in the lives of princes and princesses? Is not the Monarchy itself an outdated institution? Apparently British people don’t think so. According to polls, only 14% of Britons think that the United Kingdom should become a republic. There seems to be an emotional attachment to the Monarchy that goes beyond rational consideration of whether a group of unelected people should have a say in the running of the country. The Monarchy is part of national identity. It’s in the national anthem – “God save the Queen” – and in the very name of the nation: the United Kingdom. The Monarchy is also good business. Each year it costs taxpayers £300-350 million, but it generates about £1.8 billion in tourist revenue. No wonder that the story of the Sussexes has received so much attention.
Useful links
1)Here is the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex:
https://sussexroyal.com/
2)Would you like to know more about a member of the Royal Family? Have a look here:
https://www.royal.uk/royal-family
3)Find out how to use the verb ‘to Meghan Markle’ in different situations:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/24/to-meghan-markle-verb-how-to-use-it
4) Here is the original January 8 statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex:
https://sussexroyal.com/about/
5) Here is Buckingham Palace’s answer to Harry and Meghan mentioned in the article:
https://www.royal.uk/statement-her-majesty-queen-0
6) Would you like to learn the British national anthem? You can find it here:
https://www.royal.uk/national-anthem
There are also other versions of the national anthem. Have a look:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen
COMPREHENSION
1) Read the article and complete the sentences with the right alternative.
1. Harry and Meghan at first decided that
___
(Carlo Dellonte)
(Image credits: Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons)
- they no longer wanted to work for the Monarchy.
- they wanted to work part-time for the Monarchy.
- they wanted to leave the Royal Family.
- sided with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- remained neutral.
- sided with the King.
- was told to resign by the Archbishop.
- never married.
- married, but only when he was no longer king.
- she is a divorcee and an ex-actress.
- she is American and biracial.
- she is an ambitious woman interested in money and titles.
- she is disliked by the media.
- she wants to leave the Royal Family.
- she is a victim of too much media attention.
- suggest that Meghan was responsible for the Sussexes decision.
- suggest that Meghan’s decision was wise.
- describe the Sussexes wish for a more independent life.
- suggest that Meghan was responsible for the Sussexes decision.
- suggest that Meghan’s decision was wise.
- describe the Sussexes wish for a more independent life.
- was against Harry and Meghan’s wishes and refused their terms.
- supported Harry and Meghan’s wishes as well as their terms.
- accepted Harry and Meghan’s wishes, but not their terms.
- a popular institution.
- an unpopular institution.
- liked by only 14% of the population.
- chosen by the Queen.
- not elected by the British people.
- elected by the British people.
