Not buying it! Duchess Meghan was slammed by her half-sister, Samantha Markle, after the royal family member opened up about the wave of criticism she has faced since marrying Prince Harry.
Markle was not impressed with what she witnessed in ITV’s special on the royal couple, titled Harry and Meghan: An African Journey. The film partially examined the scrutiny Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, have received from British tabloids.
“I think it is really ludicrous that someone who is escorted around the world by millions of dollars worth of security, on private jets, as a millionaire, could ever complain about anything,” Markle told Inside Edition on Thursday, October 24.
The estranged sister also rejected Meghan’s statement in the documentary that she wasn’t “OK” after being repeatedly targeted by the media. “For her to have the audacity to say something like, ‘It is nice to know if someone wants to know if I am OK.’ I thought, ‘Wow, did you ever ask dad if he was OK during two heart attacks?’” she added.
Markle did not think her critiques of the Suits alum were harsh, as she argued that “telling the truth is not being mean.” She claimed her sibling “knew exactly what she was doing” and got what she “wanted.”
In Harry And Meghan: An African Journey, Meghan reflected on how being attacked by British tabloids has affected her overall well-being. She said she “had no idea” how bad the scrutiny could be, adding that she “tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip.”
“Especially as a woman, it’s really … it’s a lot,” she said. “So, you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom and trying to be a newlywed … And also thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if I’m OK, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”
The former lifestyle blogger also admitted that her friends warned her about marrying Harry, saying, “When I first met my now-husband, my friends were really happy because I was so happy. But my British friends said to me, ‘I’m sure he’s great, but you shouldn’t do it because the British tabloids will destroy your life.’”
Harry also addressed the media’s pressure on Meghan, noting similarities to how his late mother, Princess Diana, was treated. He stated that he will “always protect my family” because of what happened to his mom.
“Everything that she went through and what happened to her is incredibly raw, every single day, and that’s not me being paranoid, that’s just me not wanting a repeat of the past,” he said. “And if anybody else knew what I knew, being it a father, be it a husband, be it anyone, you would be doing exactly what I’m doing as well.”
A source told Us Weekly exclusively that Meghan is “really hoping the critics will give her a break now they’ve been made aware of how the negativity is affecting her.”
“She wants the public to know that she’s vulnerable just like everyone else,” the insider continued. “It’s been an extremely emotional few months having to deal with all the negativity whilst looking after a newborn.”
