The accusations made by the former dukes of Sussex have aroused public control of the royal family. They exposed what many consider the dark side of the monarchy.
Harry and Meghan’s accusations of racism at Buckingham Palace over the skin color of their son Archie, made during an explosive television interview in which he also said he had suicidal thoughts after feeling harassed, are the latest scandal on the list long merit of the British monarchy.
Edward VIII, love before duty
Giving priority to love over duty, King Edward VIII caused a real earthquake by abdicating in 1936, after 326 days of his reign, to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, rejected by the Anglican Church. , of which he was chief.
He was succeeded by his brother, King George VI, the father of the current Queen Elizabeth II, and the former sovereign was rejected.
Not to be missed: Palm with a white glove! Queen Elizabeth II’s strong reaction to Harry and Meghan’s interview
Broken hearts and infidelities
Nicknamed the rebellious princess, Margarita, the younger sister of Elizabeth II, shook the traditions and conventions imposed by a royal family that prevented her from living her great love.
She married Antony Armstrong-Jones, a somewhat bohemian film and fashion photographer, in 1960 after she was forced to give up her relationship with divorced soldier Peter Townsend.
The couple divorced in 1978, after the nineteenth scandal caused by their infidelities.
Annus horribilis
1992 was an “annus horribilis” for the queen, facing the marital problems of three of her four children. The hardest separation was between the Crown Prince, Charles, and Princess Diana, after eleven years of tumultuous marriage. They divorced four years later.
In the same year, Prince Andrew, her second son, separated from Sarah Ferguson, photographed her bare breasts in the south of France, with her financial adviser licking her toes. They divorced in 1996.
The sovereign’s only daughter, Princess Anne, divorced her first husband, Mark Phillips, three years after their highly publicized break-up in 1989.
Read also: Piers Morgan and the violent reaction he had for Meghan Markle in full live broadcast
Diana’s death
The queen was widely criticized for lack of compassion when, in 1997, the “princess of the people,” Diana, Guillermo and Enrique’s mother, died in a car accident. Adored by the masses, two years ago she had denounced on television the infidelity of her husband, heir to the throne.
Messages near the Alma Bridge, to honor the memory of Princess Diana on the anniversary of her death. Photo: AFP
As people mourned, laying millions of flowers in front of the gates of Buckingham and Kensington palaces, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth barricaded themselves in their Scottish castle at Balmoral.
Despite the wave of indignation that swept the country, the sovereign did not come out of her silence until the eve of the funeral, when she gave an exceptional televised speech.
The Andres scandal
Prince Andrew’s friendship with American financier Jeffrey Epstein took effect when the latter, accused of sexually exploiting minors, committed suicide in prison.
An American, Virgina Roberts, claimed that she was forced by Epstein to have sex with Andrés, which he denies.
But when he tried to defend himself on the BBC, the prince gave a disastrous picture, with denials considered unconvincing, with no signs of regret and no empathy for his friend’s victims.
Many of the companies and universities he worked with decided to give up on him and had to retire from public life.
The noisy Megxit
Harry and Meghan announced on January 8, 2020, to everyone’s surprise, that they are resigning from their royal positions. The couple, who had brought fresh air to the monarchy, said they wanted to be financially independent and move to North America, first to Canada and then to California.
His departure was dubbed “Megxit” by the British press.
A photo taken in Melbourne on March 9, 2021 shows the headlines on the front page that tell the story of the interview given by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wife of British Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, to Oprah Winfrey, which was broadcast on the American CBS station. EDH / AFP photography
Following a one-year temporary deal, Buckingham last month ordered the couple to permanently relinquish their titles and honorary endorsements. Shortly afterwards, a news item appeared about some old harassment complaints of a former employee when, in 2018, they were still living in the palace and the announcement of the royal house that he would investigate.
In an interview with American television star Oprah Winfrey and broadcast on March 7, Meghan said she had suicidal thoughts in the palace and was denied psychological support on the grounds that it would affect the image of the institution.
The former actress, who is a mestizo, also claimed that when she was pregnant, people in the royal household were worried about the skin color of her son Archie, who will turn two in May.