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NETFLIX REVIEW: Harry and Meghan

by Ron Poblete

ONE may come to the conclusion right away that this Netflix documentary is a love story, or worse, a public relations ploy by the former royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

But the crux of the matter is, this is about greed and institutional gaslighting. Princess Diana’s untimely demise at the hands of the UK press should have been enough reason for the British public to take pause and reserve judgment based on press reports on members of the royal family.

In 1997, Princess Diana’s car crashed inside a tunnel in Paris, France. She was being chased by paparazzi. 

Photos credit NETFLIX

How sad is it that Meghan Markle came into this relationship brimming with positivity, intelligence and an indomitable spirit, as attested to by friends who gave an interview to defend her. 

But like her late mother in law, she was subjected to intense media scrutiny and salacious reports meant to rake in millions at the expense of real people. 

Meghan at one point wanted to end her life to make it go away, she said. Her mother Doria Ragland expressed her helplessness and sadness upon hearing this. How tragic. 

It is astonishing to find out from a report that there are only 82 twitter accounts with a reach of 17 million people creating so much damage against the reputation of Meghan. 

Some reports claim that she is domineering, a diva and craves attention. These even pit her against the Duchess of Cambridge. Worse, they make it appear she is unhinged. 

This was allegedly employed to bring down the royal couple’s rising status as the most popular monarchs, rivaled only by Harry’s mom, Princess Diana.

The documentary also describes Buckingham Palace’s subservient relationship to the British Press. They seem culpable. Their need to maintain a certain quid pro quo with the media to maintain their relevance is something out of conspiracy novels.

Photos credit NETFLIX

The opportunity for the Crown to take advantage of Meghan’s bi-racial identity in solidifying its support base among members of the commonwealth who are predominantly people of color was such a big miss, according to Prince Harry. 

The seeming pettiness of the powers that be that control the affairs of the monarchs have ruined all possibilities of the institution to evolve and become more relevant to the times. 

The Duchess of Sussex filed a case against the Daily Mail for obtaining and releasing a personal letter to her dad to abstain from being critical of the monarchy, at the behest of the institution. 

It is a good thing, though, that the British magistrate decided in favor of Markle. The Daily Mail released a statement short of an apology, stating only that Meghan obtained a victory in her court battle. 

What remained in the rubble created by the relationship of the media and the Palace is the perception of bigotry and a lack of empathy for a mother and a wife like Markle working tirelessly to belong to an institution seem bereft of compassion and foresight.

The documentary also showed moments of kindness from strangers who helped the couple along the way. These included actor Tyler Perry, who lent his house in Los Angeles to help them avoid paparazzi. He had reached out to Meghan even before her marriage, telling her that if she needed anything, he would be there. 

He was able to provide the help years later. 

Meghan ended the documentary with the handwritten speech at her wedding. In the end, she said, love wins. 

4 out 5 stars.

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