Piers Morgan was on thin ice when he attacked Meghan because it was common knowledge that she had 'ghosted' him. Thus he was considered prejudiced or merely mendacious. He quit his own show in a huff after being called on this.
However, Morgan still feels he has right on his side. His argument is- "The fact that she's fired up this onslaught against our Royal Family I think is contemptible."
The problem with this view is that Meghan is not British. She is has no duty to our sovereign beyond that of a grand daughter-in-law. In any case, it was not she who delivered the killer blows in Oprah's interview. It was Prince Harry who, after shielding his 'commander-in-chief', put up his fists, tucked in his chin, and dealt out the punishment. Was Harry 'contemptible'? Morgan does not say so. Farage does not say so- though he calls Harry 'weak'- which comes pretty close. This is the problem we face. If we don't like Meghan, we must boycott Harry. But we like Harry. Moreover, he has done well for himself and his children. His move to America is turning into a stunning success. He has been embraced by the African American community. He needn't worry about his kids or grand-kids lacking suitable marriage partners or being excluded from honorable careers because the 'talented tenth' of African Americans has already established itself and will rise yet further.
In the England he leaves behind, the stock of Morgan, or Farage, is sinking. Oprah's and Biden's, already high, are rising yet higher.
Harry is not the first English younger son who has chosen to emigrate. The U.S was founded by such people. What he has done is not contemptible at all. He had a grievance and he aired that grievance in a manner that ultimately injured those who had, in his view, belittled him and his wife. Meanwhile, he had upped-sticks and, after a period of uncertainty, landed on his feet. Now the suspense is over, we can rejoice. Our lad done good.
From the African-American point of view, the Trump years were a period of anxiety. There was the danger that BLM would create a White backlash. But Trump went too far. The Capitol Hill insurrection had a sobering effect. Now, with Biden firmly in the saddle, the moment had come for 'the talented Tenth' to stake out the moral high ground and to resolve the issue of race in an indirect manner. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Who would have thought that man would be Harry? Watching the interview, there was a moment of suspense. Would Harry muff it? Would he start waffling and equivocating? Nope. He gained confidence. He was clear in his mind that marriage had taught him empathy with women. Then, expecting his first child, he suddenly discovered what it might mean to be the wrong color. It had been a punch in the gut. He had reeled from it. But he was reeling no longer. We saw him tuck in his chin, and match the fire in his eyes with the speed and accuracy of the punches he dealt out. He didn't go too far and, in any case, Oprah was on hand to stage-manage things such that the Queen and her consort were immediately removed from the list of suspects. After all, they are very old. Allowances must be made. But this just made the blow Harry had landed that much more damaging. Once again, his father was in the frame. Older people watching said 'the Force is strong with this one'- that Force being the vengeful Spirit of Lady Di. Prince Charles may seem an unlikely candidate for the role of Darth Vader. Yet, thanks to Oprah, Harry's Truth could be followed by Reconciliation. The Evil Empire is that of Racism and Misogyny and Pitiless Exploitation. Battling it involves no personal vengeance. Yet the Republic too may fall into peril. Trump may not have been a Palpatine but don't get too complacent. Harry and Meghan will raise their kids in the bucolic splendor of Beverley Hills or Santa Barbara, but they must never bury their light sabers too deep. Raise chickens by all means. Never be chicken.
The 'Oprahization' of a nice-but-dim Prince- his reinvention as a Jedi Knight of the Republic- is good for America. It heals a racial wound. It could be good for Britain too. After all, it's our lad wot dun good. This is actually a reverse Cinderella story. The Prince gets to escape his horrible family and to come into his own in a sunlit land where his courage and his truth are appreciated.
Post-Brexit Britain too must escape from BoJo's vision for it. We can't go back to the nineteenth century- except in terms of standards of living and the prevalence of curable diseases. We can embrace our history as Bridgerton and grow mighty as the new Capital of the ancient Empire of Wakanda. Boris Johnson must perform Circassian belly dances so lascivious that Jabba the Hutt agrees to shift his Corporate HQ to our shores. Dishy Rishi must make with the snake-charmer's pipe while swaying his slender haunches. Priti Patel, on the other hand, must wear a dog cone lest she bite the face of anyone she thinks might have overstayed their visa. As for the Royal Family- we must break up their ties of mutual affection so as to set off a Game of Thrones type Reality Contest between them. Who will prevail? Princess Anne, clearly, is the dragon. But who is Khaleesi? Might it be me? Perhaps with a makeover. I appeal to loyal readers of this blog to send me money to get my eyebrows done. I promise I won't spend it on drink.
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