In the realms of royalty and celebrity, few figures have captivated the public imagination as deeply as Princess Diana and Meghan Markle. Now, a royal expert has weighed in on Markle’s mindset.
Since the beginning of her relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has been heavily scrutinized by the public. Some have compared her to Princess Diana and others have said she could never measure up to her late-mother-in-law.
Princess Diana, a beacon of compassion and a disruptor of the traditional royal protocol, left a legacy of humanitarian work and personal vulnerability that reshaped the British monarchy.
Markle, an American actress turned Duchess of Sussex, has carved her own path, challenging norms and facing intense scrutiny while navigating her role within the same institution.
Recently, Markle, at the age of 42, embarked on a new venture, launching her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. This move, rich in ambition and personal expression, has reignited conversations about her connection to Diana’s legacy, stirring insights from royal experts and evoking varied reactions from the public.
American Riviera Orchard represents Markle’s latest step in crafting a life that merges public influence with private entrepreneurial ambition.
The brand, which will offer an array of homewares products, signifies her commitment to creating a legacy that transcends her royal title.
Notably, the brand’s launch coincided with The Diana Award ceremony, a decision that royal expert Tom Quinn suggests is no mere coincidence.
According to Quinn, Markle sees herself as “Diana’s heir,” a woman who, like her late mother-in-law, faces the media’s glare but strives to leverage her platform for personal and broader societal gain.
However, this alignment with Diana’s legacy has sparked debate, with some viewing it as a respectful nod to the past, while others criticize it as capitalizing on royal connections.
The parallels drawn between Markle and Princess Diana are not new. Prince Harry himself has often highlighted the similarities between the two most influential women in his life.
In their Netflix documentary series, “Harry & Meghan,” Harry emphasized Markle’s compassion, empathy, and warmth, traits he deeply associates with his mother.
This comparison extends beyond personality traits, touching on their shared experiences with media scrutiny and their desire to use their public platforms for advocacy and change.
In an excerpt from the documentary, Prince Harry recalled a night when he and Meghan were staying in a room at Buckingham Palace following a royal engagement.
Although most royal family members were there, including his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, the person the media chose to portray on the front page was Markle.
Many royal fans accused Markle of trying to steal the spotlight from other royals, but Prince Harry clarified that the media chose who they put on the front page, not the royals.
Yet, this connection to Diana’s legacy is a double-edged sword, offering both a source of inspiration and a potential point of contention within and outside the royal family.
Critics argue that Markle’s business endeavors, particularly the timing of her brand’s launch, reflect a calculated move to align her image with Diana’s enduring influence.
This perspective suggests a complex navigation of personal ambition and public perception, where every decision is scrutinized for its authenticity and respect for royal traditions.
Yet, supporters see Markle’s actions as a continuation of Diana’s legacy, a way of honoring her memory by embodying the same spirit of independence and social consciousness.
The launch of American Riviera Orchard, therefore, is more than just the introduction of a new brand. It’s a statement of identity and purpose from Markle, a declaration of how she wishes to be seen and remembered.
By aligning her entrepreneurial ventures with Diana’s legacy, Markle is carving a space where her work can be both personally fulfilling and beneficial to others.
However, the path she navigates is fraught with comparisons and expectations, where her every move is seen through the lens of her late mother-in-law’s shadow.
As Markle continues to build her brand and define her public persona, the conversation around her connection to Princess Diana’s legacy is unlikely to wane.
The move to start a business comes at the same time as Markle carving out her identity on hers and her husband’s new website. We previously reported that the pair launched a new website in which Markle altered her publicly-used name.
As Prince Harry and Markle launched the new website, they transitioned from the Sussex Royal URL handle to simply Sussex. Despite stepping back from official royal duties, they continue to use their titles. The website includes a section designed to offer the public more insight into their lives and work.
Notably, Meghan’s page introduces her using only her first name, omitting her family name. This decision reflects a common practice among British Royals, who are frequently referred to by their first names and titles.
Meghan’s narrative on the site includes her upbringing, painting a picture of her journey from a young South California girl to the influential figure she is today. The page also featured her advocacies for women, mental health, gender equality, and family care.
Meghan’s impact and recognition are also highlighted through her inclusion in various world rankings, marking her as a notable figure on the global stage.
Now residing in California as a mother of two, Meghan and Harry have embarked on a new chapter away from their roles as senior members of the British Royal Family.
Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, whose names are emblematic of their continued connection to Harry’s heritage, are a significant part of their lives in America.
Following their move, the couple launched the Archewell Foundation and introduced the podcast “Archetypes,” initiatives that underline their ongoing commitment to public service and discourse.
Meghan’s details are available on the Royal Family’s official website, though it offers limited information about her advocacies and activities.
It mentions that she and her husband have stepped back as senior members, stating, “The Duchess will continue to support various charitable causes and organizations that align with her longstanding interests, including the arts, education access, women’s support, and animal welfare.”
Recently, in light of King Charles’ recent cancer diagnosis, Prince Harry returned to London to be by his father’s side. However, Meghan Markle decided to stay in America during this period.
The reasons behind Meghan’s choice to remain in America, while not confirmed were revealed by the King’s former butler, Grant Harrold.
“Meghan made the decision that it was best to stay home with the children, and maybe she feels that this is something Harry has got to do alone,” he said. “It’s his father. She’s aware of the close relationship and probably encouraged him to come over.
Real reason Kate Middleton turned down invite to Lilibet’s 1st birthday party – she was mocked by Meghan’s pal
It’s reasonable to suppose Princess Lilibet is still ignorant of her parents’ past. After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relocated to Montecito, California, the small child was born in the US, and her upbringing differed greatly from her father’s. Even though Lilibet’s first birthday was truly celebrated in the UK, rumors and conjecture still persisted.
Lilibet’s first birthday celebration was missed by her cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis as well as her royal aunt and uncle, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Although it is said that the late Queen Elizabeth was present, she declined to have her photo taken with her great-granddaughter.
The absence of William and Kate at Lilibet’s birthday celebration sparked reactions soon after. While it is true that the Waleses and Sussexes’ relationship was at an all-time low, one of Meghan’s pals publicly mocked Kate and refused to accept it as the cause.
Harry and Meghan made the wonderful announcement that their daughter Lilibet had been born on June 4, 2021. Fans of the royal family will be aware that the girl is their second child; their son, Archie, was born in 2019.
Lilibet, Princess
“It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world,” a pair representative stated at the time.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the other members of the royal family to congratulate Harry and Meghan on the birth of their second child. However, the relationship between the Sussexes and Waleses is now colder than it has ever been.
After her parents had already left the Royal Family, Lilibet was born in the United States. Because Lilibet would benefit from a more subdued and intimate presentation to the public, she could avoid the paparazzi press that had followed Harry and Meghan across the globe.
It took some time for Lilibet’s family in the UK to get to meet her, as the Sussexes reside in the US.
Lilibet finally saw her great-grandmother at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration in 2022. Lilibet turned one on June 4, 2022, and her parents chose to celebrate at Frogmore Cottage, their then-UK residence.
MisanHarriman on Instagram.
On their daughter’s special day, Meghan and Harry planned a picnic in their backyard. One of the few images of Lilibet that the public has seen is the lovely photo that their friend Misan Harriman shared of the young child celebrating her birthday.
At Lilibet’s first birthday celebration, Queen Elizabeth declined to have her photo taken.
Lilibet first encountered her then-grandfather, Prince Charles, and her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, at the picnic at Frogmore Cottage.
Although they must have both been happy to see Lilibet, no pictures of their initial meeting were released to the public. In fact, Queen Elizabeth forbade Harry and Meghan from having a photographer present, as The Sun revealed.
An insider told The Sun, “Harry and Meghan wanted their photographer to capture the moment Lilibet met the Queen.” But nobody gave them a chance. It was a private gathering with family.
The tiny child had a bloodshot eye, so the queen refused to have a picture taken with her, according to royal researcher Camilla Tominey. According to Tominey, the queen requested not to be in any pictures that would be released to the public.
Harry was said to have mentioned wanting a picture with her “at some point in the future,” according to a report that Tominey reported at the time in The Telegraph.
The queen at the time, according to royal expert Phil Dampier, had a “lack of trust” in Harry and Meghan because they had participated in the controversial Oprah Winfrey interview just a few months prior. She therefore wished to avoid having her great-granddaughter pictured.
“The Queen remained as sharp as a pin, despite her health struggles. She became aware that any photo she had taken with Lilibet might have been used for malicious purposes, Dampier told The Sun.
“I don’t believe she was overly happy that the name Lilibet was selected in the first place and was given to her as a fait accompli. Putting her foot down, she ruled against taking pictures.
A friend of Meghan Markle made fun of Kate Middleton for turning down Lilibet’s birthday invitation.
According to reports, the children of Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips were the only ones that attended the celebration. Princess Kate, Prince William, and their kids decided not to go. Things haven’t really gotten much better since then; tensions were still very high.
The official explanation for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s absence from Lilibet’s birthday celebration was that they had other obligations that day. But during the Sussexes’ visit to the UK, Christopher Andersen, a royal specialist, told Us Weekly that the future king and queen made “no effort” to introduce George, Charlotte, and Louis to Lilibet.
One of Meghan Markle’s pals was displeased when Prince William and Kate Middleton turned down the invitation to Lilibet’s first birthday picnic at Frogmore Cottage.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills actress Garcelle Beauvais discussed the absence of the now-Prince and Princess of Wales from the birthday celebration in an interview with E!.
She called Kate’s choice to skip the event “shady.”
“What’s happening is that I’m shampooing my hair and we’re out of town—what a coincidence. There is some shade there, Beauvais said to E!.
“They are unable to postpone the flight for a few hours in order to meet Lilibet and Archie?”
Family conflicts are never pleasant, and they frequently become much more complicated when children are involved.
Harry hasn’t seen his nephews and niece in a while due to the ongoing “battle of the brothers” and Harry and Meghan’s relocation to the US. Tom Quinn, a royal biographer, claims that Harry is “devastated” at the division.
Princess Lilibet turns three, and the celebration is kept low-key.
Quinn informed the Mirror, “We know that Harry’s deepest upset concerns not only his lack of relationship with George, Charlotte, and Louis, but also his own children’s lack of a relationship with their cousins.”
“Harry and Meghan would really like to find a solution to the issue. They would really like it if the cousins could get together frequently and have a good connection as they grow up, but they are unable to see how that can happen while they are still at odds. Harry expressed his wish that the cousins could maintain their friendship as adults.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 was Lilibet’s third birthday. As previously indicated, Lilibet’s first birthday was observed in the UK. In California, her second birthday was supposedly celebrated with a “celeb-packed all-American bash,” while this year’s event is supposedly more subdued.
People Magazine stated that a “pre-birthday bash” kicked off the birthday celebrations for Lilibet. Harry, Meghan, and their kids threw a celebration in their Montecito house over the weekend to honor their daughter. “Close friends, family, and some of Lili’s friends” were among the attendees.
When Meghan Markle was in Nigeria, she shared new information on Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan have made the decision to keep their kids out of the spotlight, and they seldom ever post updates or images of Archie and Lilibet. When the kids debuted in their Netflix series in December 2022, among other things, royal fans learned that Archie spoke with an American accent.
In order to promote the Invictus Games, Harry and Meghan traveled to Nigeria for three days a few weeks ago. Meghan said that Lilibet’s “favorite class” was “singing and dancing” while visiting a school in Abuja. This was probably because to “all the jumping around.”
In addition, the Duchess conversed with a few students and gave a brief speech about her daughter.
It’s interesting to note that Lili, our daughter, is far smaller than any of you. It’s almost her third birthday. And a few weeks prior, all she would see when she gazed at me was my eye’s reflection. “Mama, I see myself in you,” she exclaimed. Meghan remarked, “Oh, now she was talking really, literally,” according to the Mirror.
But my interpretation of those words was quite different. And I realized that while I do see myself and you, and you see me and you, I also see myself in each and every one of you as I glance around this room.
Though Archie and Lilibet have remained out of the spotlight for the time being, the Sussexes may decide to change that.
People Magazine stated that a “pre-birthday bash” kicked off the birthday celebrations for Lilibet. Harry, Meghan, and their kids threw a celebration in their Montecito house over the weekend to honor their daughter. “Close friends, family, and some of Lili’s friends” were among the attendees.
When Meghan Markle was in Nigeria, she shared new information on Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan have made the decision to keep their kids out of the spotlight, and they seldom ever post updates or images of Archie and Lilibet. When the kids debuted in their Netflix series in December 2022, among other things, royal fans learned that Archie spoke with an American accent.
In order to promote the Invictus Games, Harry and Meghan traveled to Nigeria for three days a few weeks ago. Meghan said that Lilibet’s “favorite class” was “singing and dancing” while visiting a school in Abuja. This was probably because to “all the jumping around.”
In addition, the Duchess conversed with a few students and gave a brief speech about her daughter.
It’s interesting to note that Lili, our daughter, is far smaller than any of you. It’s almost her third birthday. And a few weeks prior, all she would see when she gazed at me was my eye’s reflection. “Mama, I see myself in you,” she exclaimed. Meghan remarked, “Oh, now she was talking really, literally,” according to the Mirror.
But my interpretation of those words was quite different. And I realized that while I do see myself and you, and you see me and you, I also see myself in each and every one of you as I glance around this room.
Though Archie and Lilibet have remained out of the spotlight for the time being, the Sussexes may decide to change that.
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