With Love, Meghan - criticisms and genuine concern for her mental health

[Lavenderfarmcottage]

I am probably going to be flogged for posting this and chased down the dark laneways of Mumsnet as bystanders yell “Shame Shame Shame”.

I weighed in yesterday about a thread on Meghan and her new Netflix show. I made some criticisms about the trailer and certain cliche’s in the way it was produced. Hypocritical of me to be posting this but I feel guilty and have reflected. I am actually looking forward to watching it on Netflix and my criticisms were pretty minor and not exclusive to her show - it’s a common issue I have.

Meghan has struggled with mental health because of criticism. The reaction to ‘With Love… Meghan’ has been fairly brutal.

I think it would be really good if we refrained from saying anything negative about the series or Meghan Markle. That’s not the point of this thread.

I want to know if you think the criticisms have gone too far. The Princess of Wales is not on the scene and we are protective of her rightly so. That leaves Meghan as media fodder though.

Do you think it’s time Meghan and Harry were given a break ? I do. I think we’ve been far too harsh and the criticisms have gotten out of hand.

I think we also forget the cultural relevance. If we went into the homes or Gwyneth, Julia Roberts etc and I would probably feel the divide too. American culture doesn’t apologise for wealth and hollywoood is highly competitive.

Having a confident demeanour, throwing your head back Julia Roberts style when you laugh and unapologetically selling $$$ vagina products like Gwyneth Paltrow is how it over there. People talk loudly and confidently and are polished and rehearsed especially in the
Competitive world of Hollywood…

Are we all being too hard ?

😂 😂 😂

Yes you reap what you sow. But Meghan seems to reap way more than she sows. She is one of the most hated women in the world despite not being a criminal or associating with them, doing good for charity and being a loving mum and mother. As another poster said, I don’t know how she copes.

They could easily live a quiet life off their money. I really can’t understand why she keeps chasing celebrity. Why does she want it, what does she need it for?

I saw the post you're referring to and it's right that it was deleted.

I didn't read yours as referring to another post because you didn't say that.

When Harry announced they were leaving U.K. I think many thought they were going to live a quiet life on a ranch somewhere- To get away from the press, and to live a quiet life with horses and dogs .

Seems that was far from the truth.
I think Harry probably could live quietly, but not her.

Like all women - she has the right to be ambitious. If that means being known for acting or blogging, charity work or whatever.

She doesn’t need your permission.

I don’t know if I’d be standing behind a white woman on a balcony, who does the same job as me and accepting that she gets way more perks, money and financial freedom. It wouldn’t work.

If by this snide racist comment about a white woman, you are referring to the Princess of Wales, her skin colour has nothing to do with it and she does not do the same job as the wife of the 5th in line to the throne because she is the wife of the heir to the throne and mother of the future king. Obviously the wife of the heir to the throne, whatever her skin colour or background, has a higher rank and that brings more responsibility as well as the front row on state occasions.

I don’t like her at all. But I do wonder what it’s like being her at times, and I would hate to wake up to a barrage of criticism.
It must be awful. So I’m trying to think of some things that I have some sympathy with her over:

1. her own family. Her dad seems like a decent fella, but her stepsister and brother make me absolutely cringe. While I have some sympathy with her dad’s position, the endless interviews he does are a bit sad, and don’t get him anywhere.
2. while I think she wanted to be a princess, I don’t think anything could prepare anyone for life in the Royal Family. If it was a shock for Diana back in the day, and while Catherine had some preparation, I don’t think Meghan could have envisaged the role she was taking on. She thought she was becoming the Beyoncé of the nobility, but sadly, she got Nott Cott and the wrong tiara.
3. Catherine. And I mean this in terms of the fact that after the initial WOW factor Meghan had, Catherine had the advantage of being more experienced, better prepared and more realistic about what the roles are all about. Her natural grace and elegance, marriage to the future King, stable family background and lovely kids were always going to be a hard act to follow. Meghan was eventually going to have to play second fiddle, and it’s a position in the band she didn’t want.
4. other rotten apples. While H&M have made an absolute mess of leaving the RF, and so many projects since, where they meander around going nowhere, they are not in the same league as Prince Andrew. He is the person who does the most damage to the family, and while his mother adored him, she did the world no favours by indulging him. And I wish the media would stop trying to sell Fergie to us, as she’s entirely intertwined at least with his dodgy financial dealings. Whatever good the family tries to do, he is its undoing.
5. Harry. Yes, I know he is good fun, or was good fun, and wanted to do some good work, but I don’t think she realised that he’s not exactly her match when it comes to brain power. And his relentless court cases are tiresome. After all that, I still find her hard to like, I won’t be watching the show because I’d rather watch old clips of Fanny* but Meghan is a human being and I wonder sometimes if she thinks… Well, I didn’t think this through, did I? *Fanny Craddock.

@oakleaffy That's what I assumed too. I think they're very different personalities though, she's ambitious and wants celebrity status; he'd probably be content to live a life of quiet luxury.

@PeggyMitchellsCameo I agree with your observations and that's why Willy was probably right when he advised his brother to take things slowly.

I need to know who this is... How has she offended you? Love it.

I'd give them a break if they didn't court the media so much. The South Park episode of them really did have it right.

I agree with a pp who said they don't know how MM copes as she does seem to reap far more than she sows. In her shoes I'd simply enjoy my family and keep my business behind closed doors, or at least closed celebrity doors. It seems she does this for a period of time, people move on, then wham she's back out trying to publicise herself again.

Good 👆 points
Andrew is beyond the pale and utterly foul in my opinion- I think the Royal Family have had their day now The Queen is dead, and should be self supporting AND pay inheritance tax .

The fact that you've lied in this post speaks volumes.

Well said

JustWalkingTheDogs · Today 18:37

I'd give them a break if they didn't court the media so much. The South Park episode of them really did have it right.
I agree with a pp who said they don't know how MM copes as she does seem to reap far more than she sows. In her shoes I'd simply enjoy my family and keep my business behind closed doors, or at least closed celebrity doors. It seems she does this for a period of time, people move on, then wham she's back out trying to publicise herself again.

Thing is, her "attractiveness window" is rapidly closing. She needs to sell her brand before she is overtaken by the beautiful younger members of the RF. The media will soon be full of the doings of Louise (interesting that she has never courted any publicity, just got on with her life and studies, so it can be done), Charlotte, and of course the handsome boys of both families. There will be no room for articles about a faded, talentless and fundamentally unpleasant woman desperately trying to cling on to her remaining youth and relevance.

I kind of wish we could just go back to a time where if we like a thing, we watch it , maybe recommend it. If we don’t like a thing we just don’t watch it but assume that some people will like it

I'm wondering when that time was.

it had certainly vanished by the 1980s - It's A Royal Knockout anyone?

@PeggyMitchellsCameo The RF made an elderly relative move out of the 20 room apartment in Kensington Palace next door to Prince William to renovate it for Harry and Meghan. Then when they didn't want the apartment, they renovated a very large house that I, for one, would not call a cottage. The kitchen alone in Frogmore appears to be bigger than my living room. I'm sure they were given input into the renovation. I would happily spend a year in Nott Cottage knowing that my dream home would be ready for me.

If you put up a trailer, then you have to deal with the reaction. Harry's trailer for "Polo" got horrible reviews.No one is watching his show. People don't seem to be worrying about his mental health.

Yes I remember that hilariously bad 🤣

I think we should all give them the privacy they are so desperate for by simply ignoring them. This is my first post ever on the subject and will be my last. I shall continue not reading about them in the papers, or indeed on here (I only popped in because it appeared on "Trending") and not watching their productions. No need to thank me, your Duchessness, I won't see it.

Gosh. Where do we start with this post? The ageism? The misogyny?

she was given the option to continue her career. The Queen herself approved it. She didn't want to.

I wish people would follow their wishes and do this. Such a shame that it would never happen in real life because their response would be hilarious.

@Ozgirl76

She wasn’t held at gunpoint to marry him though. Plus she’s way way more well known now, I don’t think many people had heard of her before they got together, Suits wasn’t a mega hit, it wasn’t like she was Jennifer Anniston.
Meh. She earned a small few million dollars which is about a small few million dollars more than most people who are calling her a failed actor.

If they want privacy then the easiest way to move forward is to stop trying to promote themselves & their ‘brand’ on tv & live off their current investments (they’re not poor!!).