Relationships April 14, 2017
Here's how she can have the tiara and the TV career.
Why should Meghan Markle have to move to England and give up a thriving acting career to advance her romance with boyfriend Prince Harry?
That’s what seems to be demanded by the British establishment, media and monarchy if she is to seize the tiara and go from TV paralegal to real life princess.
But here’s a suggestion. Maybe Harry should be the one to make the sacrifice and move to Canada, where Meghan is currently filming the seventh season of her hit USA channel series, “Suits.”
Take it from me, someone who has spent his journalism career covering both British royals and American showbiz stars, acting is a much more demanding life. Spending up to 14 hours a day on set filming is harder work than opening the occasional hospital and launching a ship every now and then.
Having left his previous ten-year military career behind, Harry has more time on his hands now. That frees him up to be the supportive boyfriend who can make a grand gesture for the American biracial beauty he has been dating for nearly a year.
Instead all the talk is of Meghan moving in with him at Kensington Palace ahead of an expected engagement announcement this summer. But there is another, better way.
Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was one for breaking with centuries of protocol. Now let’s see if her younger son has it in him to do the same and stand up for her career ambitions rather than stand in the way of them.
Meghan, 35, has a great life right now as a successful and high profile actress who uses her fame as a platform to advocate for causes as a UN advocate. Her inspirational statements and blog posts have made her a role model for women everywhere, especially biracial women. She has written essays and posts to her one million Instagram followers about the great pride she has in her mixed race heritage as the daughter of a white father and black mother.
Her career achievements are considerable. In addition to playing Rachel Zane on “Suits,” she has acted in other hit TV shows like “Castle,’ “Fringe” and “CSI: Miami.” She has also had movie roles in high profile films like “Get Him to the Greek” and “Horrible Bosses.”
But having established herself as a showbiz star, signs that she is ready to give it all up are emerging. She shut down her popular lifestyle blog The Tig a week ago, reportedly in deference to the British monarchy, telling her readers it was “time to say goodbye.” Markle added, “Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being the change you wish to see in the world.”
Movie star Grace Kelly had to abandon Hollywood at the height of her acting career and move to Europe to become Princess Grace of Monaco. But that was over 60 years ago and surely some change has been made in the world since then. No?
Meghan has made several visits to London to see Harry when work permits. Just a few nights ago he was again in Toronto for his latest whirlwind trip to her Canadian home to see Meghan for some quality time – or for a “booty call” depending which press you read.
The British press have been up in arms about these trips saying his jetsetting dates are being bankrolled by the British taxpayers. To his credit, Harry has been paying his own air fare. The protocol has been extra strict on such things since Prince Andrew was criticized in 2004 for taking golfing breaks around the world at public expense. But the royal protection officers who accompany Harry on each jaunt do indeed get their flights and accommodation paid from the public purse.
Speculation continues to build that an engagement is near for Harry and Meghan. Marrying a handsome prince maybe a fairytale about to come true but their romance could have an even more happy ever after if she could keep the career she has worked so hard to build.
She won’t even be able to keep her own name if she marries Harry. According to royal rules, she would take the feminine version of his formal title and be known as HRH Princess Henry of Wales.
Why not be Princess Henry of Wales and queen of showbiz at the same time? That would be the ultimate statement that women really could have it all. Perhaps she can persuade Harry that things are different from the past.
There hasn’t been such a furore over a British royal’s romance with an American since the abdication crisis of 1936 when Edward VIII gave up the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Meghan is also a divorcee, having split from producer husband Trevor Engelson in 2013. It remains to be seen what Harry will give up for her. If anything.
