Is Meghan a narcissist?

[Clbs]

I keep seeing these reels and social media smears on Meghan being a narcissist and abusive partner to Harry. She certainly doesn't seem overly popular with the royal family or understood the expectations of her as a royal when she married him.

I'm by no means a royalist or a fan of Megan's. But I'm the same age as Harry so always felt I could relate a little to him. I haven't read his book or watched the netflix docs.

The main thing that doesn't sit quite right for me is they wanted a 'private life' and then done anything but. Did Megan use Harry's desire for privacy to isolate him from his family and friends?

I am surprised no one has commented on the original DM headline ……

Quite agree jumpingthehighjump

I do think that my “we can have absolutely no idea about what people in public life are like” point is proved by some people on this thread thinking H and M obviously don’t like each other and some thinking the obviously do!

Meghan’s black dress looks stunning on her. Her hair and make up in both looks is stunning too.

I’m intrigued with the why behind it all, though. Balenciaga is a heritage Spanish couture brand, now based in Paris but one with which Meghan has no past association. Kim Kardashian is one of their brand ambassadors, along with Nicole Kidman and Michelle Yeoh - none of whom Meghan is obviously connected to (beyond a Kardashian’s social media post about her wine once, I think?).

This collection was the debut of the brand’s new creative director Pierpaulo Piccioli. He has spent the last 25 years at Valentino, and was behind their flagship Rockstud footwear. Meghan has worn a bit of Valentino over the years - white suits, embellished white mini dresses, shoes, bags etc - but aside from a maternity dress she wore on her Royal visit to Morocco it’s all been off the peg garments. So she wouldn’t have formed a relationship with Pierpaulo as she did with Claire Waight Keller at Givenchy, for example.

Given the brand’s rocky past few years (they launched some really ill-considered advertising showing children in inappropriate settings in 2022 that caused considerable controversy) I guess they were looking for their new creative director’s first show to create headlines for a good reason. And the Duchess of Sussex turning up in custom Pierpaolo Piccioli designs certainly gives them that - so win win for both parties? Meghan hasn’t been a mainstay of red carpets for the past few years though, so unless she changes her habits she won’t be making its of public appearances wearing Balenciaga going forward.

I think this is the area where Meghan has always aimed for. Front row Fashion week. She's done NY fashion week when in Suits but was never front row. It's the surface level - air cheek kisses, pretend we all love one another for the cameras -of Celebrity "Hollywood" she's always craved isn't it?

I can see why Balenciaga invited her - they've tended to be anything for publicity recently, and they certainly get it.

Meghan looks amazing, especially in the black dress, I've said for years now she needs a good stylist, and even though I personally didn't like the white baggy outfit - the quality of both are head and shoulders above anything else she's worn for years now.

I hope she enjoys PFW - will be interesting to see what other shows she goes to.

Edit - clarity

She does look great in the black dress, I will say. I don't get all the fuss about her skin looking amazing, though. She looks like she's wiped oil all over her face. But the then I know nothing of skincare or expensive cosmetic treatments and facial surgery, so perhaps this is a look people aspire to.

Valentino’s show is today, as is Celine (Meghan has a few Celine bags) - I wonder if she’ll attend those? Also today is McQueen and Chloe, but I think both are shows she’s unlikely to attend. Tomorrow is the last day, and Chanel is showing then - obviously the hot ticket for the day! Chanel’s new-ish creative director is Matthieu Blazy, formerly of Bottega Veneta, and Meghan has worn quite a few accessories from that brand in the past (its bags are generally beloved of European Royals) so that’s another connection she might be looking to play off?

& @MrsFinkelstein she’s got the poise & grace an old Hollywood movie star here in Paris. Will she have paid for outfits?

Oddly facially she has a look of Lily Collins here & could pass for at least a decade younger. The tweakments & derm outstanding.

I feel H has now permanently secured much more money from Pa & this & her own endeavour means the financial wolf is currently well away from their door.

She feels at least superficially very (?) popular with the powerful here.

She feels at least superficially very (?) popular with the powerful here.

Fashion Week is apex performative chumminess! I love fashion, but totally recognise its superficiality, especially at events like this. 😀

@Serenster yes, makes sense. Not a pariah though & she’s magnetically charismatic when she wants to be.

And she’s obviously friendly with the new head designer at Balenciaga and both Anna Wintour and Baz Luhrman greeted her like they were friends.

She’d been out in the cold with Anna Wintour for over 3 years now after AW cancelled her feature and banned her from Vogue after her ‘demanding micromanagement’ or the wonderful Edward Enninful.

Her skin does look amazing. I presume the extremely shiny look is perhaps the Korean glass skin look I've been reading about? And she does look good for her age.
It shows the difference tweakments, proper dermatological treatment and careful surgery can make. I take care of my skin but there's no way my regular tretinoin and obsessive attitude to SPFs would fight against gravity like that.

I was interested in the shots of Meghan leaving her hotel to go to the fashion show below. She’s staying at the Plaza Athenée, which is a very fancy hotel. It’s part of the Dorchester Group, owned by the Sultan of Brunei, along with the Dorchester in London, obviously.

This reminded me of what Meghan’s then manager said about Meghan and the Dorchester before she married Harry:

”Meghan has strong principles. She set herself standards and she knew what she did and didn't want to be associated with very early on, long before Prince Harry,' explains Gina…
An early indicator of Meghan's careful approach came on one of her first trips to the UK, where Gina and Kruger Cowne arranged for Meghan to stay at The Dorchester, the Park Lane hotel favoured by celebs and Royals. Plans were in place for Ms Markle… to check in for free at the five-star hotel where rooms start from £400. It was an offer for which most clients would 'give their eye teeth', says Gina.
It came as something of a surprise to her hosts, then, when Meghan wrote to say it simply would not do. It was in conflict with her personal beliefs. The owner, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah – whose Dorchester Collection includes the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA and the Le Meurice in Paris – had recently suggested sharia punishments should be meted out to adulterers and those found to be homosexual. Women who had abortions would be flogged in public.
Gina said: 'Meghan emailed to say she would never stay at the Dorchester, or any hotels they are involved with. We understood and of course agreed.”

Things change, I guess?

If you felt that way why reconcile/forgive & easily (?) forget. She’d ramping up the star power & ££ stream is now secure.

I really had to think about this, I am fascinated by her is that “charisma”? Charisma is defined as compelling attractiveness and/or charm, neither of which I think is true of her. She fascinates for sure but I am not sure it’s down to “charisma” which I don’t believe she has at all, I believe she pretends she has it though and is the key to why she appears so awkward and self conscious all the time.

Yes, there’s a raft of things going on that suggest both time & you don’t need to think about money.

I’ll bet if you knew her before she was famous, one-on-one, you’d feel a warm pull towards her, as so many have in the past. I think she does have charisma but it’s a calculating warmth.

She looks like she was born to it all in Paris & I’d say at ease. I think you learn as you go.

& ££ stream is now secure

What are your sources for this claim?

Well Meghan’s not out in the cold any more, if she ever was.

I certainly haven't got the money sadly, but the time is a very good point.
I haven't the time to wait for bruises to heal, scabs to drop off, redness to subside, whatever. I'd have to be getting on with normal life while healing which would take away somewhat from the "graceful, just happen to be 'aging backwards' naturally" impression.

Lots of people deploy charisma (eg flattery / manipulation) in order to progress in life. Some are then comfortable to step on the necks of those they have flattered when they don’t need them anymore.

It’s the initial part of the classic narc ‘idealise, devalue and discard’ routine - and we can see MM has warmly charmed and then coldly discarded consistently very many people in her life pre and post fame from her closest school friend, first husband, live in partner, colleagues (where are all her Suits gang?), BFF (Jessica), friends (Mackintosh, Cundy), agents, father (where’s Doria?) etc. These types are very skilled at using their warm charisma (grooming) to get what they want before moving on. Many people associated with MM have spoken out publicly about the shock and hurt of being treated this way by her. That’s quite an unusual way to operate in the world and I am not sure that any close friends, colleagues, family etc of any other public figure have individually and separately spoken out like this. Quite a phenomenon. It even has its own name being ‘Markled’.

I don't think you can turn charisma on and off. My friend (65) is massively charismatic, people are just naturally drawn to her, she has no idea that she has this attraction, she's not stunningly beautiful , it's something that is indescribable, it's always there.
I think charm and charisma are two different things.

I’ve read it was Blair’s idea. It was Charles’ idea. It was William’s idea and Harry walked to support him. It was Harry’s idea and William walked to support him. And now this, that it was Prince Phillip’s idea.

The one thing I believe for sure, it was a very bad idea.

Agree with your first paragraph.

Disagree strenuously with the second as I thought she looked awkward and self conscious.

Also disagree with a previous poster that she’s back in from the cold too, she’s on the right path and if she and Harry can keep their traps shut for a bit and develop some mystique it could be long term.

If you look carefully there are ‘tells’ - I know what you mean. However, she’s more at ease than many & evolving into the ‘Jackie O’ role. Which is next, IMO.