, Comment: This article contains spoilers about the first three episodes of the ‘Harry & Meghan’ documentary series on Netflix. ,
prince harry And meghan markle‘s netflix documentary has finally been released, and the British royal family is probably breathing a sigh of relief.
first half of Harry and Meghan The three-episode documentary series – released early Thursday morning – doesn’t make a big jab at the Royal Family, but instead delivers a scathing critique of the UK’s tabloid newspapers. It fulfills Netflix’s promise of a series that “explores … the challenges that led[Markle and Harry to feel]forced to step back from their full-time roles at the institution.”
Viewers are given perspectives from Harry, Markle and their inner circle of friends and associates. But anyone holding their breath for lewd stories or gossip about the inner workings of Britain’s most influential family will have to hold off until the next three episodes are released on 15 December – if those kinds of stories get told.
‘Harry and Meghan’ documentary trailers accused of using ‘misleading’ footage
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Most of the documentary series so far go deeper into the topics addressed in the last year interview with oprah winfreyincluding Markle’s difficult transition to life as a royal, unfortunate falling-outs with some members of her own family, and the ruthlessness of the UK tab.
Instead of a hit job on the royal family, as some expected, viewers are given a more intimate, though completely uncensored, look at how Harry and Markle have progressed their relationship – from the beginning of their secret courtship to glimpses of his current life in Montecito, California.
From the couple’s meeting to surprise guest interviews and the drama that unfolded during the early days of their relationship, here are five of the top moments from the first segment. Harry and Meghan,
Markle’s mother, Doria, speaks for the first time
the world caught a glimpse Doria Ragland with her daughter during her 2018 wedding to Harry, but has never shared her side of the story with the press until now.
She makes her debut in episode 2 of the series, telling the camera that “the last five years have been challenging,” but she is now ready to make “(her) voice heard, that’s for sure.”
This official christening photo released by the Duke and Duchess shows Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex with their son, Archie and the Duchess of Cornwall, Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady shows with Sarah McCorquodale, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Windsor Castle, near London, Britain July 6, 2019.
Chris Allerton / Pool via Reuters
Ragland takes her on several times in the second and third episodes, speaking of her first impression of Harry – she observed that he was “handsome” and “really nice”, with “really noble manners – as well as fear” upon first meeting. Documenting what she felt like being “followed by the paparazzi” in America
“I felt very insecure. I couldn’t just go walk my dogs. I couldn’t just go to work. There was always someone waiting for me,” she explained.
Doria Ragland.
netflix
At one point, Ragland expressed regret for not speaking to Markle clearly about the judgment she could one day face as a mixed-race woman.
“As a parent, absolutely, I want to go back and have that kind of real conversation about how the world views you.”
Harry and Markle’s surprise visit cute and secret courtship
Perhaps one of the most interesting revelations of the series is that Harry and his bride initially met via Instagram in 2016, which also means that Harry had (has?) a secret Instagram account.
“I was scrolling through my feed, and someone who was friends had this video of the two of them on like Snapchat,” Harry recalled.
After seeing a picture of Markle with a dog-ear filter, the prince was curious to know more.
“I was like, ‘Who is that?'” he shared.
A mutual friend told Markle that “Prince Haze” wanted to meet her, but she was not familiar with the royal surname.
“who is he?” she recalled, adding that she scrolled through her feed as a “barometer” and was influenced by her nature photography and philanthropic work in Africa.
The two then embark on an intense, secretive courtship. They met for drinks and dinner over the next two days before she had to return to North America for work.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the early days of their romance.
netflix
Two weeks later, in a leap of faith, she met Harry in Botswana. Protected from the spy press, the two began their romance in the African bush, sleeping in a tent for five days.
That time together was important, Harry said. “We got to know each other before the rest of the world, and the media, got involved.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together in Botswana.
netflix
Incredulous UK media follow Markle to Toronto
After only a few months of dating, Markle made frequent under-the-radar trips to royal properties in the UK, eventually tipping the press off about the fact that Harry was dating an American actress.
After learning the story would be in the papers the next morning, Harry and Markle had one last hurray in late October 2016, a Halloween gathering with some friends where they wore costumes and partied the night away.
Markle said she felt relieved when the news first broke. Everyone seemed thrilled for them, both in the UK and Stateside. The press was favorable and he was praised for his philanthropic work.
However, it didn’t take long for the press patina to wear off. Markle, who returned to Toronto to begin filming another season Suit, recalled members of the UK media sleeping in their cars outside his home. She also claimed that they paid neighbors to set up livestream cameras that would point at her backyard.
Scared, she said she contacted Toronto police, but they ignored her pleas for help and protection.
“I would say to the police, ‘If some other woman in Toronto said to you, I have six adult men sleeping in their cars around my house and following me everywhere, and I’m scared, Right? Say he was following?'” she said in the documentary.
A still shot from “Harry and Meghan.”
Courtesy / Netflix
Toronto police reportedly said they couldn’t help her because “who are you dating,” she said.
An in-depth look at the racist turn of the tabloids against Markle
What was first portrayed in those tabloids as the story of a fraternity joining the royal family with the potential to spur modernization of the monarchy, soon spiraled into negative stories about Markle being an entitled actor. Gaya, who did nothing more than bully his employees.
Harry, accompanied by expert voices in the series, explains an “unwritten contract” that exists between the tabloids and the royal family. He said the palace has given privileged access to six newspapers who feel they are entitled to know intimate details about members of the royal family because British taxpayers finance their lives.
Harry and Markle said they initially tried to follow the palace’s advice to keep quiet about press coverage because other family members said it was a rite of passage. But the couple said they felt compelled to tell their story because there was something different about the way Markle was treated.
“There’s an inter-race element here,” said Harry.
The series rebuts how the UK media—specifically tabloid newspapers—feed social racism, influenced by a history of racism fueled by the British Empire, which enslaved black people and the British in the Caribbean. Took money out of the colonies. Africa, India and Asia.
Historian David Olusoga points out that while large numbers of black and Asian people moved to Britain after World War II, changing the face of the nation, those changes were not reflected in the media.
Olusoga said black people make up about 3.5 percent of Britain’s population, but account for just 0.2 percent of journalists.
“We have to recognize that this is a white industry,” he said. “So the people who come up with these headlines are doing so in a newsroom that is almost entirely white, and they have to decide whether something has crossed the line of being racist.”
Harry blames himself for Markle’s rift with his father
In Episode 3, we learn that Harry feels he is responsible for the unresolved rift between Markle and her father, Thomas Markle,
In the days before their 2018 wedding, the world learned Thomas refused to participatedespite having already agreed to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.
The fallout came after the media revealed that Thomas had accepted $100,000 from a UK tabloid in exchange for staged photos and planted stories ahead of the May wedding. When Markle questioned him on this and asked him to tell the truth, he denied the allegations, but said she believed he lied to her.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day in 2018.
Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Ragland also weighed in on her ex-husband’s public drama in the documentary.
“I am saddened that the media will carry it. That he’ll take advantage of it… Of course, as a parent, you don’t do that. That is not parenting,” she said.
A few days before the ceremony, Thomas also claimed that he had suffered a heart attack and was unable to travel to the UK to see his daughter’s wedding. In the documentary, Markle said she was desperate to help her father and make sure he was okay, but claimed he refused to respond to her messages.
Harry said he felt “incredibly sad” and blamed himself for Markle not speaking to his father.
“She doesn’t have a father anymore. I shouldered her. Because if Meg wasn’t with me, her father would still be her father,” Harry explained, referring to the photo scandal. “It’s amazing what people will do when offered large amounts of money. Fifty thousand, one hundred thousand (dollars) to hand over the photos, to make a story. And thank God most of them didn’t. Told.
, With a file from The Associated Press
