Vanity Fair has released a scathing critique of Prince Harry and Meghan’s life in the US, revealing 10 shocking insights. The magazine delved into the couple’s past five years since their decision to step away from the Royal Family and start afresh abroad.
Harry has been openly critical of his Royal upbringing and has willingly shared his experiences through interviews and documentaries. Despite signing lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify, questions have been raised about how the Sussexes will sustain their income once stories about the Royal Family dry up.
Particularly controversial was Harry’s memoir ‘Spare’, where he recounted physical attacks from William and Meghan being reduced to tears after an encounter with the Princess of Wales. Their Spotify deal resulted in just one podcast, ‘Meghan’s Archetypes’, which explored female stereotypes, before it was mutually agreed to cancel the series.
Here are 10 key instances where the Sussexes faced backlash for their actions and decisions. Staff members working with Meghan reportedly ended up seeking therapy due to allegations of bullying by Meghan, which she has vehemently denied.
The magazine cited two anonymous sources, claiming that one colleague took a leave of absence after working on ‘Archetypes’ and eventually left Gimlet altogether. Others were said to have taken “extended breaks from work to escape scrutiny, exiting their job, or undergoing long-term therapy after working with Meghan”, reports the Mirror.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who purchased their Montecito mansion in Santa Barbara County back in 2020 following their decision to step down from Royal duties, have reportedly not won over all the locals. One resident referred to them as “the prince and the starlet”, while others have dubbed them ‘local villains’ for attracting non-locals to the area.
The influx of visitors has made it difficult to secure a walk-in booking at Lucky’s, a steakhouse frequented by the Sussexes. In other news, it’s been claimed that Archetypes, an initiative by the Sussexes, was not originally their idea but that of an employee.
However, the individual didn’t own any intellectual property rights. It’s also alleged that Archewell Audio’s production process was so slow that Spotify’s studio Gimlet had to be brought in.
A source has suggested that Meghan plays a “caregiver and facilitator” role in their relationship, making things happen and seemingly ‘reparenting’ Harry, who they claim has changed since being with Meghan. The insider added: “I don’t want to be like, oh, it’s an Oedipus thing or whatever, but it kind of feels like she’s reparenting him in a way.”
They also suggested that Harry may have underestimated the impact of being the ‘spare’ in the Royal family.
Harry was oblivious to the potential fallout his memoir ‘Spare’ would cause, a source revealed to Vanity Fair. The book’s release coincided with the height of the Sussexes’ rift with the Royal Family, yet Harry failed to foresee the aftermath of its publication, particularly underestimating the “power of the written word”.
One local resident didn’t mince words, branding the Sussexes as the “most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet”. They echoed the sentiments of many critics who argue that despite claiming to have left the UK to escape media scrutiny, the couple seem to be constantly seeking media attention in the US.
Fashion commentator Tom Fitzgerald expressed scepticism to Vanity Fair about Meghan’s claim of not knowing she should curtsey for the Queen. He found it “particularly unbelievable” that she would meet the Royal family “went into meeting the royal family completely cold, with no research whatsoever”, given her personality and tendency to plan ahead.
Meghan’s brand American Riviera Orchard also came under fire in the article, which pointed out that Santa Barbara is actually known as the American Riviera, not Montecito as Meghan suggested. Local residents reportedly said they had never heard their area referred to as such.
One resident described it as “such a kind of hucksterism,” while another accused Meghan of “just finding every way she can to monetise something.”
The Sussexes, upon their US arrival, seemed to have ample opportunities to rake in cash through Netflix and Spotify deals but reportedly struggled to deliver successful content, according to claims made in the article. An ex-staff member revealed that the couple “wanted a big theme that would explain the world, but they had no ideas”.
Meanwhile, a former Spotify employee described Harry as “challenging to engage with” and recalled an interviewing event where his attitude seemed to question, “why should I do this”, sparking the thought, “Didn’t Spotify pay you a lot of money to do this? ” Moreover, Harry was hinted to be more inclined to let Meghan handle the financial aspects.
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