The Interview

 "It has always been easier to elevate one family to a fairy-tale life of luxury than to do the dreary work of elevating every single family to a decent standard of living." Hamilton Nolan, www.nytimes.com, 3/9/21

I didn't watch Oprah's interview with Harry and Megan, though the fact that I use only first names in this sentence indicates their widespread following. Many millions of people did watch as both Harry and Megan described racism and persecution from members and staff of the royal family. I was, and I am, irritated by the constant news articles around this family drama, though headlines pop up frequently in my feed, so I must jump at the click-bait often enough. And, I'm writing about it now so I admittedly follow the drama despite my irritation.

The most interesting fallout appears to be the damage to the monarchy. As Hamilton Nolan writes in the NY Times, it's easier to worship one family, to read the fairy tale, than to actually lift up families on the ground with more basic struggles. The monarchy is an expensive distraction, and Harry and Megan succeeded in shattering its burnished image, one that has had serious cracks since the tragic death of Harry's mother, Diana. The institution is outdated and insulated, self-preserving and unnecessary. One thing Americans did right, says Nolan, is to abolish the monarchy in this country (not that we don't have plenty of other problems).

Megan also took her hammer to the idea that marrying a prince ensures a woman's "happily ever after." Again, Diana's sad story fractured this idea in the 1990s, but Megan has really shattered the myth. There's no prince, no fortune, no family that will guarantee one's happiness. Sometimes - many times - a woman is better off alone. In this case, Megan's prince got her into the biggest trouble of her life, though he also helped to get her out of it. 

But there's no "get out of jail free" card for any of us. In the Bible, all God promises us is that we will face trouble. S/he also says that we will not be alone, but that's the sum total of comfort offered. Harry and Megan have sundered bonds with one family and institution, and all I can think about their interview (aside from the fact that Oprah made a ton of money) is they wanted to reach out and connect with new people, in new ways. Fairy-tale marriages aside, we only survive this life in connection with others, though living in a family or any community is messy and difficult, we cannot go it alone.