"He loves me so boldly...." - Haarpers Interview with Meghan

[Phase42]

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a69289143/meghan-markle-cover-story-interview-2025/

She's a beautiful woman but i can't understand why she just doesn't drop the titles and be herself. And it's odd how she talks about how much 'H' loves her but not how much she loves him.

Based on his own comments I think Harry has mixed up or misunderstood the media training or briefing he‘ll have had.

He was complaining about the royals/grey suits sucking up to the media by having drinks or parties for them. That’s just standard PR practice. When I was a journalist every big organization, charity or business would have some sort of press outreach to try to form relationships.

Also the concept of throwing someone under the bus to protect another is very common in American celebrity PR when big agents have a stable of stars they can easily manipulate the entertainment publications - for example refusing all access to any A listers if you don’t kill this story for one of their clients.

I’ve often thought that was what surprised Meghan when she said in that Oprah interview that the palace promised to protect her and they didn’t. Did she assume that the palace had a similar influence with all of the British media and could kill any negative story about her just by threatening them?

I thought that too. Looks like M&S online.

I'm not sure how much input Meghan had into the photos or how the end product looked. There's something 'off' about all the photos. I think the worst is the one of her sprawling on the chair in that white outfit. The best is maybe the cover shot. But the whole 'vibe' is a bit depressing. Is that really what she was going for?

Maybe it was just "arty" @IcedPurple ?
I don't think they're flattering at all.

It's a shame, because she can photograph beautifully.

To me (as no expert) there doesn't seem to be a coherent theme pulling the set of pictures together. I wonder if she had one idea and the photographer had another and somehow the concept got lost in the middle ...

I also think it's strange because Meghan usually has great makeup. She's not bare faced here, but what is applied doesn't flatter her features at all. A better hairdresser would have helped, too. Compare it to how she looks in that Hostess show, her clothes, hair and makeup are all good.

I think she looks beautiful. Pared down, serious, slightly androgynous. I love that her natural hair texture is showing.

I think she looks fantastic.

The publisher chooses the image for the front cover based on their commercial intelligence at that time - they need units shifted. MM got her fingers burnt in the past with Vogue re front covers. The publisher would have evaluated long and hard what image and why would shift units / generate clicks. Maybe they went for controversy?

If only Andrew was more in the public eye, we could start a discussion about him. He should start a food programme on Netflix, with flower sprinkles on his boiled egg and soldiers, and do a cover for GQ magazine, where the interviewer must lick his boots and address him as Prince Andrew. He could film himself twerking to the Grand Old Duke of York. Oh and he must attend a party with Katie Price, Kerry Katona & 'H' from Steps. He could also film a travel documentary, Islands I have visited, or similar.

Daniel must be weeping in his flower sprinkles 😂

Absolutely terrible photo. She looks as if she has been taken hostage or something.

If you have to keep reminding everyone how amazing and important, purely because of who you married, you are not going to get much admiration from anyone, male or female, in this day and age. Second hand embarrassment, yes, lots of that.

I was reading someone saying Meghan was jumping on Pamela Anderson's no make up trend. 🤷‍♀️ In my lowly opinion it doesn't do either of them any favours. Pammie's fringe is like the ones my Mum used to do on me. 😂 Meghan can look good in certain photos and her flirty smiling behaviour is part I'm sure of her real life charm. She often presents the appearance of the party girl whereas in these photos she looks far from that. The photos are not attractive and don't correlate with the storyline attached to them. Bizarre.

The hypocrisy of denigrating the royal family yet desperately clinging to those titles is off the charts.

How can a Californian who disdains the UK and the monarchy even remotely claim to be DoS? It’s ludicrous.

She just wants to financially trade on the ties to royalty. Because she’s no more authentic royalty than am I.

What an overblown puff piece. Reads like it was written by an over-eager intern.

The hollow-eyed haggard low-makeup look doesn’t do her any favours. Makes it obvious that 50 is closing in fast.

Where has she denigrated the royal family?

Shall we start from Oprah and go from there ?

As a resident of NYC, I can't take anyone who has their title announced in an empty room at all seriously.

Ooh I know, we can start a thread about Anita Rani too. We don't even have to think up new things for her - lets analyze all her photos and see if her skin shade changes even a bit (of course we will ignore melanin, tanning, season, lighting etc - so not relevant right!).
Also she definitely doesn't seem to hate herself and has a lot of confidence. Omg, I think she may actually like (or gasp even love) herself. A narcissist for sure right!
IIRC she wrote a post on instagram supporting Meghan after the disgusting Sun/Clarkson article.
Those two are just two peas in a pod.
Oh and since her last name translates to queen, we can keep the thread right here in the royal family section so posters don't have to go far between the two threads.

Have you been asleep for the last 5 years?! 🤣

Word

I did too.

The eye of the beholder I guess.

I just can't help thinking that if Harry was female far more questions would be asked.

I'm loving your work @BemusedAmerican & I know the reference but as a resident of the UK ( so with a constitutional monarchy) I can't take anyone who has their title announced in an empty room anywhere seriously. & we are meant to be the masters of all this this pomp and ceremony. 😂

In its place I say - and there are only so many places. DoS meeting a journalist I would say is not one. But , I'm not a Duchess so what do I know? I do think that journalist was taking the rise out of M there for our delectation and delight. And good on her I say. It gave me a giggle.

Postscript @BemusedAmerican - I think it was you ( apologies if not) who said the Mayor of NY has been paying for their security when they visit . If I were a local taxpayer - that would not make me giggle. At all.