How Meghan Markle's Image Differs So Much In The US Vs The UK
Since tying the knot with Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle has become one of the world's most polarizing figures. With her perceived role as royal dissenter in the widely covered "Megxit" debacle, many have slammed the former "Suits" actor for uprooting her and Prince Harry's lives in exchange for Southern California. Others, like comedian Tiffany Haddish, on the other hand, have praised the Duchess of Sussex for challenging the codes of the royal family and forcing them to modernize in the process.
It's no secret that British broadcaster and ardent Meghan critic Piers Morgan is no fan of the duchess. In June — one of the many times he's called her out — Morgan lambasted Meghan for her "downright lies" after she claimed she was secretly married to Harry days before the royal wedding. But, despite the verbal beatings Meghan has taken from the British media, she has received support in the form of her former "Suits" co-stars.
Patrick J. Adams, who starred alongside Meghan in the hit USA Network series, once tweeted, "From day one [Meghan] was an enthusiastic, kind, cooperative, giving, joyful and supportive member of our television family," adding that, "She remained that person and colleague as fame, prestige and power accrued." Since relocating to Montecito, California, Meghan has escaped the daily browbeating of the ruthless tabloid media and has experienced a stark vicissitude in perception — a jarring reflection of her time in the U.K. versus the U.S.
Meghan Markle is much more revered in the U.S. than the U.K.
British media and staunch supporters of the royal family have a lot to say about Meghan Markle. Her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey from March, which discussed the duchess's declining mental health in light of "Megxit," amongst a plethora of other royal controversies, drew a firestorm of criticism from British tabloids — most of which condemned the Duchess of Sussex. Per Slate, Piers Morgan slammed Meghan as "so disloyal" and pleaded, "Where's the compassion for the queen and Prince Philip right now?"
But how does the rest of the U.K. feel about Meghan? According to royal historian Penny Junor, they pretty much feel the same way. Speaking to The New York Times, Junor stated, "The majority of people are fed up, to the back of the teeth, with them." She added that, "They said they wanted privacy, but then they never stopped looking for attention."
In the U.S., however, Meghan and Prince Harry have exercised far greater control in establishing their respective images — an amenity royal life never would have afforded them. As the two currently thrive on America's west coast, Junor noted that "We tolerate success in [the U.K.], but we don't celebrate it," whereas, "In America, they glorify success." Furthermore, Americans have seen Meghan finagle her way into American politics by advocating for paid leave and cold calling senators to make her plea — completely disavowing the royal code of remaining neutral in politics.