I think Harry and Meghan’s situation cuts across a number of different emotional territories, so most people can relate to one way or another.
Racism, xenophobia, misogyny and classism, very real in the UK and biases we can all be guilty of at some point. Of course, many of us have also been on the receiving end. So complex emotions all round.
Family fall-outs, especially coupled with some very public dirty laundry airing. Most of us have seen this play out in our own circles, and much more so since social media became more prevalent. Some of it has been the equivalent of the dreaded ‘I know who my friends are now’ Facebook posts.
The absolutely weird and thoroughly ingrained sense of ownership many in Britain feel over the Royal Family in general, and especially Harry (and William I’d guess). Makes us feel like we are more entitled to ‘get involved’ than normal.
And to all this, add a level of intensity condensed in a relatively short period of time (whirlwind romance, marriage, 2 children, abrupt departure, interviews, Jubilee, Netflix, book, Queen’s death, coronation - all in what, just over five years?) that made it a dream for a controversy-hungry media to keep pushing the subject in front of our noses again and again.
It’s a perfect mix to get many people worked up one way or another. I just hope that through the madness of it all, the main protagonists (including Harry, Meghan, the rest of the RF) are able to live their lives in the ‘real world’ and not let themselves be consumed by it. Time will tell I suppose.