I’ve been trying my hardest to pinpoint why I am having trouble writing this recap post about the Sussex Royal Tour to southern Africa. Is it because I’m moving and have too much on my mind right now? Or is it because I really can’t put my finger on why this trip felt, well, a little off?
The trip was planned methodically and was logistically perfect. Meghan’s themes of empowering women and girls, education, and physical and mental health were perfectly on brand for her, and she delivered some of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard a Royal give – ever. Albeit overscheduled, the trip was pretty picture perfect. Meghan’s fashion did nothing for me – Rewears and belts! Rewears and belts! – but, in light of the gravity of the work she was doing on this tour, who really cares. And, of course, Archie stole the show. The tour was fine. Great. Good.
But there was a cloud looming over it. Kind of like how you feel when you go out to dinner with a good girlfriend and the food was good and the conversation was good and it was all good, but something was left unsaid in the air. Something just felt off. And you’d never actually bring it up because you know, it’s probably just you being paranoid, but, like, something was weird. The energy was different.
And then, of course, on October 1 we found out why when it was revealed that Meghan had filed a lawsuit. I still can’t really understand or comprehend why they chose during the tour – which is supposed to be happy, joyous, filled with goodwill – they chose to drop this bomb. Kind of like going to a birthday party for someone and announcing right in the middle of it “Hey, I’m getting a divorce.” The news is valid, but the timing makes no sense. Couldn’t it have waited a day or two?
I really can’t make heads or tails of this trip. On the surface, it was really good. But with this dark cloud of a lawsuit hanging over it, it’s hard to focus on much else.
My bottom line is this: Can you imagine how much good Harry and Meghan could do if they didn’t have to worry about this extra junk? The media, the constant negativity, the barrage of bullshit. Like an Olympic sprinter with a broken leg, with this monkey on their backs, they’re not going to get very far and it’s a damn shame.
My hope is Harry and Meghan’s twin lawsuits will send the intended message to the media and get the fly out of the ointment so these two can be fully unleashed to do the meaningful work they were meant to do, both individually and as a couple. Until then, like this tour, while it’s all good, we’re only seeing a fraction of what the Sussexes can really do.
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