Zaira
Serene Highness
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2017
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She's not simply giving up her place of residence - she's moving to another country! No matter how happy she is with Harry there undoubtedly will be times when she feels very homesick and misses the family and friends she left behind. And she's also giving up her "voice." Yes, she'll be able to dedicate herself to causes she supports but royal protocol will demand that she remain silent on political issues she feels strongly about. For example, in in the past she's publicly voiced her dislike of Donald Trump but in the future she will be required to remain silent and even chat politely to him if they ever meet. That will be a big adjustment for her. And she's also a vocal advocate of gender equity. How will she feel if Harry is given a ducal title but with the usual stipulation - sons can inherit the title but not daughters? I suspect Meghan will very quickly learn the art of smiling while biting one's tongue.
Harry, on the other hand, will remain in the country of his birth, surrounded by his friends and family, and continue doing what he's always done, except now he will have also Meghan's help.
As you state "maybe she sees it all as not giving up anything but rather reconstructing her life to make it even bigger and better and even more fulfilling" and I think she and Harry will make a wonderful team, but the fact remains that Meghan is the one who will make the biggest adjustments.
Agreed. These are not simply material things. Giving up your country is difficult. Moving away from friends and ever further from family is difficult. Giving up your source of income is BIG to me. At least in the America I grew up in, having your own income and means to support yourself/doing work that matters to you is a huge thing of value and worth. I couldn't imagine giving up that degree of independence to basically be reliant on the wealth of my husband and of his father. Meghan has her own wealth which will be well invested, but that is IMO very different than continuing to work for your own income. That goes beyond a matter of mere materiality to me.
Giving up her ability to speak freely and to make decisions about her life without having to stress about the political or optics/PR issues that will result is also big. I mean, we can talk all we want here about the royals being able to do what they want, but that isn't true. Just look at the furor caused b the cost of her engagement dress. They are up for public consumption whether that is right or not. That lack of control isn't something to take lightly. Meghan had to give up her roles in organizations she seemed to really care for and be excited. Also a hard thing to do.
Not only that, yes Harry comes with a job and a lot of privilege and wealth. But marrying him also comes with some pretty significant subtractions. Meghan is only human, and love isn't enough to cover all issues that come up in a royal marriage, as we have seen.
I think these two will be great, but those pretending love or marriage is automatically in and of itself sufficient for all that Meghan is giving up have a rather sanguine view. Harry will IMO really need to go the extra mile to be a support and advocate for Meghan as she tries to carve out a place and role for herself.
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