I find it fascinating

[CaraVirra]

I’m trying to understand something, and I’m asking this in good faith.

After looking into the Meghan and Harry situation, I’m genuinely confused about the level of hostility directed at them by the British public… especially when that hostility extends to their children.

I’ve read widely and tried to identify what concrete harm Harry and Meghan have actually done to the British public, and I’m struggling to find a clear answer.

The turning point people seem to cite most often is Harry’s book. But even there, it’s a personal account of his experiences inside an institution. If anyone has a reason to be angry about that, it would logically be the royal family… not the public.

So I’m left with a question I can’t quite resolve:

Why is the public so angry on behalf of an institution that hasn’t asked them to be?

Is this a cultural expectation around loyalty to the monarchy? A reaction to breaking tradition? A media-driven narrative that hardened into public sentiment?

I’m not here to defend or attack anyone. I’m genuinely interested in understanding the reasoning from people who feel strongly about this, because from the outside looking in, the intensity of the reaction doesn’t seem proportionate to any identifiable public harm.

If you’re willing to explain your perspective without defaulting to insults or assumptions, I’d appreciate the conversation.

I don’t think most of the public feel a high level of hostility towards them. This board and other online platforms have a very vocal minority that feel that way. Most people don’t really care.

I know 3 people in real life that hate Meghan and Harry. With them, it’s a mix of being strong royalists to the point no criticism of any of the other Royals is allowed, racism, old fashioned views about blood being thicker than water (they have allowed abuse in their own family to continue rather than speak out) and being quite lonely, vulnerable people themselves. 1 of the people I know in real life who hates them posts on here, and because of that I presume the other posts that are similar to hers that I read here, are from people who hold similar views and/or are in similar circumstances to her.

No-one cares about M and H apart from a small number of people on MN and X. The only time they've ever come up in conversation in any of my work or social circles is when they got married 🤷‍♀️

I was slightly interested when they first left the UK, the interviews and book we're so awful but there's nothing interesting about them these days I don't care about them one way or the other.

Not another pro H&M thread starter.
I smell an agenda.

OP is on a roll tonight …

I'm not really interested in the Royal Family, but I find it really amusing to follow the Harry and Meghan saga.

They just seem to have such grandiose ideas about themselves and they keep messing things up. They don't seem to treat other people very well, so I don't feel guilty about laughing at them. I'm sure they wouldn't care one way or the other about my opinion, but it all gives me a lot of entertainment.

I presumed it was an anti Meghan and Harry thread as anyone posting a thread about Meghan and Harry knows that it’ll be taken over by the people who criticise them non stop on this board. It’s just a different way of getting those people to attack the, whilst pretending they’re not on anyone’s side. Lol.

Most people in the UK are not that fussed by the royal family or interested in Harry & Megan or what they’ve done or haven’t done. For most people it’s just a mild curiosity.
Hate is a strong word. People are probably just a bit surprised Harry hasn’t conformed as much as they thought he would to how the Royals have usually done it. It sort of feels like he’s reducing the level of prestige by becoming more of a celeb than a Royal. It’s different somehow. It’s less.

100% of people I know have absolutely zero interest in any member of the Royal family. My young adult children (20s) considered them to be a complete anachronism and fervently hope that George, Charlotte and Louis tell their parents to get stuffed and go and live their own lives.

People don’t like outsiders in the royal family so she was always going to have a hard time regardless, but saying that they also didn’t make it any easier for themselves: you can’t expect privacy while also constantly crying about your lack of privacy.

I personally find it a bit odd that they still use their titles if they decided to peace out but I understand that’s how they make money.

I do wonder (very briefly lol) if after all these scandals and scrutiny, any of them is actually happy or if they’re just saving face. It’s difficult being in a multicultural relationship as it is, but their case is 10x more unique due to his upbringing.

where the books awful because they were poor written or because of what was written inside?

I’m American. I have no invested interest just curiosity.

I had a day off and nothing to do.

Hadn’t thought most people don’t care. The are constantly in the media feeds of everyone I know so I assumed that reflect British public opinion.

In my experience of living in the UK, people don’t give Harry and Meghan or any of the Royals, much thought. When they do it’s anger about Andrew getting away with being a rapist and abusing his position, or the Royals not being transparent with finances. The last time I spoke to anyone in real life about Meghan and Harry was when they had their daughter and it was just about her name.

Don’t let a few people on SM convince you that the UK people are obsessed with this pair. They are not. Day to day talk about the news/current affairs is more likely to be about cost of living, the rise of far right politicians like Nigel Farage, asylum seekers, Kier Starmers leadership, what’s happening with Trump. Other than that, people are just getting on with their life with their families and friends.

Well so are Holly Ramsay and Katie Price and no-one really gives a shit about them. They’re just a bit of temporary popcorn viewing 🍿

Most people haven’t actually got the headspace for tacky celebs like them, nor the Harry & Meg soap opera, for more than a couple of minutes. Nothing ever changes.

Interesting - they don't come up in my social media feed at all (I'm in the UK). We have a few American posters here, but I didn't get the impression Harry and Meghan came up that frequently there.

I spend time here because I'm off work recovering from unpleasant health issues and burnout.

I don't have any particular personal animosity towards the Sussexes but probably wouldn't choose to meet them in real life as I don't like lies and dishonesty.

Re the book - I suspect for many it was the idea that you don't wash dirty linen in public, especially when your grandmother is old and ill.
Apart from that, the idea of someone complaining about having fewer sausages was absurd; nasty comments about a disabled matron showed the unpleasant nature of the man, as did outing the 'older woman' (or rather teenage groom) he lost his virginity to and discussing his brother's genitals.

Most people follow the status quo set for them by the right leaning media, even if they are critical thinkers, it’s so pervasive it sets the agenda and how narratives are framed. Harry is the most like his rebellious mum, he could have accepted his role and ended up like Andrew. He chose to live his life, a different path and the tabloids that killed his mum went after him. The palace encouraged the agenda.

Gosh, you really believe that in real life?

I took a moment to look into what you mentioned, as I haven’t read the book myself and wanted to understand your objections properly before responding.

What I’m struggling with is the assumption that everything Harry says must therefore be a lie. That doesn’t seem unbiased, especially when you look at the steps he says he took before stepping back, before leaving the UK, and long before the book raising concerns privately with his brother, his father, and his grandfather.

When people talk about “abuse,” no one is claiming there was constant shouting or physical harm. In elite environments, prolonged neglect, exclusion, being undermined, whispered about, or deliberately unsupported can be deeply damaging particularly when you’re isolated and have no independent power.

If private pleas fail, stepping back doesn’t help, leaving the country doesn’t stop the narrative, and silence only results in being labelled petty, abusive, or dishonest anyway, at what point is someone allowed to tell their own story?

Harry will always be William’s brother, the Queen’s grandson, and Diana’s son. His place in history is fixed. What isn’t fixed is how he’s remembered. Fifty or sixty years from now, should the only version of his life be the one written by the press? And is British culture really saying that enduring that silently is the only acceptable option?

I think people tend not to like hugely privileged people (with privilege they were born into and not acquired) who complain and whine about their privilege.
The book whines at some length about being a second born. And perceived slights from when they were toddlers.
His Oprah interview whined about being forty and his dad not paying for their upkeep. She whined about her expensive wedding being a performance.
In between the whining there are some untruths as well.
It’s an unedifying sight to see an adult man, clearly encouraged by his wife, to be this tone deaf.

He will be remembered for this constant whining and that is his fault only. He could have left the family, given up titles and silently done good. This is the life he has chosen. And currently he doesn’t seem to be doing anything of note or value to rehabilitate that image.

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I don’t think most of the public feel a high level of hostility towards them. This board and other online platforms have a very vocal minority that feel that way. Most people don’t really care.
Absolutely. Someone on here the other day made a list of about 20 things H&M had done that anger people. Most of them I hadn't heard about as I don't take that much interest in them.

There a ridiculous idea that you have to be Team William & Kate or Team Harry & Meghan whereas I'm pretty ambivalent about all of them.

I did have quite a high degree of sympathy for Meghan finding a lot of the rules somewhat ridiculous. Like having to wear tights all the time and curtseying to your in-laws. It is pretty weird really. But I have no vitriol towards any of them.

They wanted out to pursue some kind of celebrity/Hollywood/Royals hybrid and when they were refused this nonsense they lied and told the world it was “Racism” and that the country as a whole had been unwelcoming and racist towards Meghan and her potential children. This, at a time when race issues were at the forefront and such accusations could be weaponised to the absolute max, they knew exactly what they were doing. Then a spoilt and resentful Harry proceeded to wash his family’s dirty linen over and over again in public while also displaying overt hostility towards them. If they’d gone to the US and lived a lovely life there I wouldn’t have given them a second thought but they hang on to their titles and royal status with a death grip, doing their silly tours and pretending they’re still working royals. That is why I dislike them. Just as I would any other bumptious, sly, manipulative, greedy person.

I totally agree with you op . He wrote a autobiography and a very fair one at that , I read it , he didn’t slag anyone off , he just wrote his feelings and experiences down but for some reason , because he’s a member of the royal family that’s shocking to some people ! Ok for everyone else , but not him . Just because he didn’t want to be 100% working royal (who else would want that) he gets slammed . Oh and apparently it must be all her , not Harry making choices and decisions. Yeah right . She was starting to get treat the same way as his late mother did by the press . Disgusting . At one point , they were a lot more popular than Kate n William and there lies the problem, the firm didn’t like that at all . I don’t think Kate n William liked that either . He dad didn’t give a crap , too busy with the mistress ( she ll never be my queen ) so he decided to stick up for his family . I thought his biography was a brilliant read and an insight to the life of an amazing prince who finally , thankfully, spoke up of his feelings , stuck up for his wife , tried to give his children a more normal life than planned out by the firm and apparently that shocking . Absolutely laughable.

I’m intrigued to know what evidence you are relying on when you claim there is nationwide hostility to H&M. If it’s the Daily Mail then I can assure you this does not generally reflect anything about the views on anything of the vast majority of the nation. I follow some royal related IG accounts and it’s really noticeable that American commentators have a very weird take on H&M and are very quick to criticise W&K.