As I’m sure you know, last month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sparked shockwaves when it was revealed that they were moving back to Harry’s home country of England — more than six years after they left due to the vile way that they were being treated by the British press.
If you need reminding, the Duchess of Sussex has been subjected to relentless media scrutiny ever since she started dating Harry back in 2016. This ramped up a gear once they married in 2018, with Meghan being vilified for everything from eating avocados to how she wished her then-6-year-old nephew Prince George a happy birthday on Instagram.
Negative, false stories were also being constantly circulated by the British press during this time, with Harry later claiming that Meghan was targeted as a result of the royal family’s longstanding relationship with the British media, stating: “They were happy to lie to protect my brother, they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us.”
It has also been theorized that fake stories were leaked to the press to detract potential negative attention away from Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, as William is higher in the royal line of succession than Harry. Similarly, it has been claimed that the palace was concerned that Harry and Meghan’s natural warmth and charisma as royals could put William and Kate to shame, which triggered a calculated smear campaign. The palace has not commented on this speculation.
Sadly, it soon became hard to ignore the fact that much of this resentment toward Meghan hinged on racism, with BBC presenter Danny Baker sharing a racially charged photo comparing Harry and Meghan’s first child, Prince Archie, to a chimpanzee following his birth in 2019. And in 2021, Piers Morgan sensationally stormed off the UK breakfast show Good Morning Britain after his Black costar Alex Beresford called out his daily trashing of Meghan.
In 2022, British TV personality Jeremy Clarkson wrote a horrifying article in a column for the Sun newspaper where he admitted to “dreaming of the day when [Meghan] is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while crowds chant, 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her.” I hate to say it, but these are just some examples that highlight the kind of rhetoric surrounding Meghan in mainstream British media.
With all of this in mind, it’s no surprise that Meghan and Harry decided to step away from being working royals back in 2020, with the couple relocating to California, where they welcomed their second child, Princess Lilibet the following year.
Unfortunately, the move to the US did not stop the scrutiny entirely, with Meghan’s every move still being criticized and often vilified in the press and on social media for the most unhinged reasons. Back in October, for example, Meghan triggered intense amounts of backlash for posting an Instagram video driving through Paris when she was there for Paris Fashion Week. Why? Because Harry’s mom, Princess Diana, tragically died in a fatal car crash in Paris in 1997.
In April, Meghan’s unforgivable offense was…wearing a green dress to a private party for BEEF Season 2. Apparently, this meant that she “wants all the attention on her.” And just last month, people were left even more baffled when Meghan faced backlash after her brand, As Ever, posted about their new apple butter launch on the same day as Dolly Parton’s death. No, there isn't any correlation between the two.
While being overseas didn’t make the couple immune from backlash, supporters were still concerned about how much worse things may get for Harry and Meghan when they returned to England on Aug. 26, considering their history there. After all, Meghan previously revealed that she suffered from suicidal ideation when living in England as a direct result of how she was being treated.
The move got off to a rocky start, too, with Archie and Lili being forced to change schools just two days into the new term. When this news first broke earlier this month, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan told People: “The decision for the children to move schools was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements. The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family. This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”
Alongside reports that the security concerns stemmed from heavy traffic in the area, and that the distance between the school and their home meant the school run wasn’t “operationally secure,” Meghan’s attempt to become a part of her new community was exploited when she joined a WhatsApp group chat for Archie’s classmates’ parents.
British tabloid the Sun published screenshots of her alleged message to the group that was sent the day before Archie started at the school. It read: “Hi moms! Thanks for the warm welcome ❤️ So happy to be a part of this community xx” with it being evident that another parent in the chat had violated Meghan’s privacy and publicly shared the screenshots.
Despite the hiccups, Meghan shared a cozy glimpse into her family’s new life in the UK in an Instagram reel earlier this month, which included countryside walks, muddy puddles, and plenty of other outdoor adventures with Harry, their kids, and their pet dogs:
And now, Meghan’s close friend Kelly Zajfen has shared even more insight into the Sussexes’ move with a whole bunch of intimate new photos, as well as inner-circle intel on how Meghan is being treated by the locals.
For reference, Kelly is an American philanthropist and the co-founder of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Alliance of Moms. She and Meghan have been best friends for almost 20 years, having met through Meghan’s first husband, Trevor Engelson, who is friends with Kelly’s husband, Julian Zajfen. Kelly was previously featured in an episode of Meghan’s Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
And it has now been revealed that she was one of the first people that Meghan and Harry hosted after their move across the pond, with Kelly sharing a collection of pictures from her recent vacation in England to Instagram on Wednesday.
The personal photos include a shot of her and Meghan playing mahjong on a garden table, Meghan cuddling Kelly’s 6-month-old son, Jack, Harry lying on the floor playing with Jack, and also a shot of Lili interacting with the baby:
It seems that the gang fully embraced British culture during Kelly’s trip, too, with other images showing fish and chips, and what appears to be a homemade shepherd’s pie:
Kelly added in her post’s caption: “Having the best time. 🤍 There’s something so special about getting a taste of this magical place with my bestie, and having my sweet Jack along for the adventure. I’ve loved seeing this sweet chapter through her eyes and daily adventures! Especially getting to experience so many little firsts with Jack by my side. Family time is just what the heart ordered. With a side of mashed peas and fish n chips! All of it has filled my heart. 🇬🇧 you’ve been so good to us. We’re leaving with full hearts and definitely leaving a piece of ours here. 🤍”
She concluded the post with the poignant line: “To everyone we’ve met or bumped into, thank you for being so loving to my friend 🥹 It’s been beautiful to witness. She missed you too! Cheerio!”
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