The bashing of Meghan Markle, lamb on the slab

I've been in the UK twenty years, and it has not all been a great experience. I have often felt unwelcome here by some people and I've also been the victim of anti social behaviour which I attribute to not being "one of them". I've been blanked by school mums and other people, ignored by counter staff, etc etc etc. So, I have a lot of anger about all of it and of course with the vote for brexit, i felt even more angry. Contempt, to be honest.

Lately, I've felt terribly sorry for Meghan Markle. When she first came here, everyone was fawning over her. A year on, she's being bashed daily by the press and also the horrid Piers Morgan who has fuelled a lot of it, shamefully. Attacked for what she wears, how she holds her baby son, attacked for what she does, attacked for what she doesn't do, the woman cannot win.

And alot of this is rooted in the typical casual racism that is rampant here. I know, because as I said I've been here a very long time and I've experienced a lot of these attitudes from others, and I've been told, just like Meghan "why dont you go back to your own country." Not to mention the huge amount of passive aggression you get from some people when you are "johnny foreigner."

What's even worse, is that British expats who live stateside are treated far, far better. Why should they be. That doesn't seem fair to me at all.

I think we ought to impose a USA based brexit. Meaning boot out all British expats who have not become US citizens. You know, keeping in the spirit of brexit and in line with our "special relationship"

Let's see how this plays out with Meghan, lamb on the slab. I do feel sorry for her.

What's even worse, is that British expats who live stateside are treated far, far better. Why should they be. That doesn't seem fair to me at all.

I think we ought to impose a USA based brexit. Meaning boot out all British expats who have not become US citizens. You know, keeping in the spirit of brexit and in line with our "special relationship".

How do you know this? How do you know they aren't facing hostility in the US for being an immigrant.

Doing that wouldn't make things better. Two wrongs dont make a right. Also, while I appreciate you've had a crap experience here, I've always found it to be that even Brexit voters find Americans to be the "right" type of immigrants while Brexit was to remove the "wrong" type in those people's minds. Brexit doesn't kick out Americans (at the moment, it's not actually kicking anybody out), so I'm not sure how your suggestion that they kick out brits in the US who are on proper visas but not yet Citizens will do anything positive other than give you, personally, a sense of justice?


I think they are being horrible to Meghan Markle but what I'd say - just my opinion - is that it has verrryy little to do with why they are treating her this way. Unfortunately it's part of the curse of being a royal. All the royals are loved one minute then hated the next. They love to love and love to hate them all and Meghan and Harry aren't "playing by the rules", so the media is loving to hate that. It's not because she's american, but because she's "accepting government money" and then doing things like having a private christening when the public feels they are owed access to this because the "taxes fund the royals". They ALL get their share of that hate, it's just that Meghan and Harry have the baby giving them extra attention at the moment (BOTH of them, not just her).I dont personally feel shes getting more or less if it because shes American. It's absolutely awful the way the media treat the royals sometimes, but I dont think it's worse because shes american. Maybe there are tinges of people being outraged because shes not british, but that'd be the same regardless of where she came from and its from small pockets of racist people (God knows there are SO many racist/xenophobic people in the US - make no mistake).


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The racists and xenophobes are much louder and closer here due to geography. In the US it was easy to avoid them by living in a nice welcoming city in a blue state. A white British expat is probably going to be fine in the US, but not those of any other melanin level (darker skinned) outside of the diverse cities, they would surely experience the same racism that other immigrants are right now. I know many of my issues wouldn't be the same if my husband had come to the US, but that's mainly because his industry is much better paid in the US and they're happy to hire foreigners in that field. I will not conflate my struggles with a few individuals and systems with "all British people" though. The culture here is at a crossroads. Cuts to public spending are starting to trickle down to people who previously weren't impacted. And the government's hostile environment is finally receiving the attention it should have years ago when Teresa May implemented it. We have all felt the bad side of it, and that's left a very sour taste for this country but I really truly hope things start to change.

But Megan is a royal, she knew what she was signing up for and I'm sure she doesn't watch the news and has aides managing her social media accounts. Hopefully people stop being so sh*t sometime soon, but Harry is doing the right thing by keeping their life private. He lost his mother to overzealous paparazzi, why on earth would he subject his wife to the same? Especially when their son is very far down the line of succession to the throne.

I ignore the media for the most part, it just leads me to more mental health challenges and anxiety about living here, and I encourage anyone feeling similar to do the same. I take a walk into my garden, enjoy the bees buzzing, pick up my crochet and have a break. sh*t people are everywhere, all you have control over is the impact you let it have on your life away from them. (And that is not to say it isn't awful and it shouldn't happen, but it does happen to someone everywhere everyday and you can't change the very stratified society here overnight.)

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The racists and xenophobes are much louder and closer here. A white British expat is probably going to be fine in the US, but not those of any other melanin level outside of the diverse cities. I know many of my issues wouldn't be the same if my husband had come to the US, but that's mainly because his industry is much better paid in the US and they're happy to hire foreigners in that field. I will not conflate my struggles with a few individuals and systems with "all British people" though. The culture here is at a crossroads. Cuts to public spending are starting to trickle down to people who previously weren't impacted. And the government's hostile environment is finally receiving the attention it should have years ago when Teresa May implemented it. We have all felt the bad side of it, and that's left a very sour taste for this country but I really truly hope things start to change.

While I agree that, for *us*, they are much louder and closer here, I would agree to disagree that they aren't just as loud i the US for immigrants living there. Lighter skinned, American expats here (I would argue) are probably going to be fine here in the same way that lighter skinned Brits would be fine in the US for the most part. While I know you've had your own struggles you've had to deal with that I would never want to belittle as I definitely feel for you, I don't think that you're having those struggles with these companies because you're American. While I would say that there seem to be a lot of companies that preach inclusion here but don't follow through on hiring or supporting those already hired who require additional requirements due to health complications, I don't believe that they are choosing not to accommodate your health requirements because you're *American*. I think they would be the same towards a Brit in the same situation (I know for a fact our company has just done something pretty sh*t with flexible working/working from home policies and treatment of people who are British born and raised that require additional support due to medical reasoning).

I definitely agree that there are issues that are not working to help everybody equally in this country and I am sorry that you've had to struggle as much as you have here, but the idea that Dani is trying to promote that they are treating Meghan this way because of her race I honestly just cannot agree with. I can agree to disagree with others on this, but I don't see the main focus (typically) to be her race/ethnicity and I don't see it limited to just her. I see ALL of the royals getting this love/hate relationship from the press (as most celebrities rightly or wrongly get), she just happens to be in the spotlight most recently because she's just had a baby and, as I mentioned, the public seems to be pissed off that they chose to have a private christening for the baby. The public complaining feel that they have paid for the christening so they are owed a public christening. Because they aren't happy their taxes fund the royals, they aren't going to be happy with anything the royals do and Meghan/Harry just seem to have the most stuff going on at the moment (she is still relatively new to being a royal so she is still a hot topic and I don't believe it's because she's American). The only people I see mentioning her ethnicity are other Americans who are concerned she won't be subject to FBAR in the same way they are or to use her as an example for why foreign US taxation is wrong or Brits who are pissed off that she might be subject to FBAR and that is their tax money paying the US government. The people mentioning her race are typically the small pockets of racists who seem to come out of the woodwork in online forums and they aren't limited to just the UK and I wouldn't even suggest that it's the majority of Brits who care at all about her race.

But Megan is a royal, she knew what she was signing up for and I'm sure she doesn't watch the news and has aides managing her social media accounts. Hopefully people stop being so sh*t sometime soon, but Harry is doing the right thing by keeping their life private. He lost his mother to overzealous paparazzi, why on earth would he subject his wife to the same? Especially when their son is very far down the line of succession to the throne.

Oh I totally agree. It's just a shame that the paparazzi didn't learn their lesson from Diana and, as you said, it's no surprise why Harry isn't more welcoming to them. He's doing his duty to smile and wave while also still shielding his family. I totally agree with you on the above.  Honestly, the media want a good headline so it's far better to say that Meghan and Harry are snubbing the other Royals or whatever else they want to try to say that they can get pictures to try to illustrate. I hardly believe what the media puts out their anyways and it's totally not my business, taxes being paid or not (just my opinion).

I ignore the media for the most part, it just leads me to more mental health challenges and anxiety about living here, and I encourage anyone feeling similar to do the same. I take a walk into my garden, enjoy the bees buzzing, pick up my crochet and have a break. sh*t people are everywhere, all you have control over is the impact you let it have on your life away from them. (And that is not to say it isn't awful and it shouldn't happen, but it does happen to someone everywhere everyday and you can't change the very stratified society here overnight.)

I avoid the media as well for the most part also for mental health reasons but, for me, it's not just about living here. I find the news in the US makes me equally anxious. When I read about another school shooting - for example - and see it not even being a major news headline sometimes, it just makes my stomach turn. News, in general, for me is just something I can't stomach some days....I like to be informed about the world but I just can't do it all the time as I just don't have it in me to read more doom and gloom. I totally take the approach you have said about only having control over how it impacts you and I like to just focus on what I can impact.

I edited my post because some of what I was saying didn't come through clearly enough. But I fully agree the hell Megan is going through is because she's a royal and "common", not because of race. The racists just also get a platform because news outlets need clicks.

The attitude that because some tax funds are used for x y z thing means that privacy can't be respected here is so weird to me. I know a number of disabled people afraid to leave their houses because their neighbours keep filming them to "report them for not being disabled to the DWP". There's no understanding that disabled people *gasp* can walk. And disabled people do things like go to shops and parks. And those attitudes are highly prevalent because the government has made it seem like disabled people are wasteful. Obviously two very different scenarios, the most vulnerable in society vs arguably the richest, but the fact taxes fund something makes people feel they have the right to personal input into where and how its used. And they do, by voting in elected officials who make laws. If something needs to change in the way royal events are funded that should be considered but it doesnt give the public a right to attend a private religious ceremony! Or a right to see what their daily lives are like. And so-on.

Society here is weird, but its more class warfare than racism in most places.

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Oh I couldn't (and wouldn't) even argue that over here it's definitely more class warfare (where I never felt it even remotely as strongly back in the US). I feel like "invisible" disabilities all over the world just don't get enough attention or get taken as seriously in either country (so much more progress needs to be made in that space). I've seen videos in the US go viral where people are shamed for parking in the handicap space because they don't look handicapped and I know somebody over here who served in the military and lost his leg serving who was shouted at for parking in a disabled bay (he drives a special car) because he didn't look from the window to be handicapped and then he opened the door and they just completely ate their words (he's also had people talk AROUND him or like he can't understand or speak just because he has recently been using a wheelchair! It's INSANE and disgusting).

I am in the same boat as you that they aren't owed EVERYTHING just because of  the tax funding xyz. I can appreciate the argument to an extent, but some people take that argument above and beyond and get way too irate that even if they are trying to express something valid, you don't even want to listen to them because they are saying it in a toxic and way. It really wouldn't be a bad thing to change the way certain royal functions are funded at all, to be honest.

@x0Kiss0fDeath With respect, I totally disagree that Meghan's race doesn't play a part. As someone who is partially a person of color (but like Meghan fair skinned....very fair skinned) I notice the subtle racism. A British comedian talked about it here: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/d5dcr4/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-the-british-media-s-racist-codes-for-meghan-markle

She is indeed a lot like Princess Diana, being treated very similarly. But people don't look at her that way or accept her with the same regard...you have to ask yourself why not? And Prince Andrew is mixed up with the whole Jeffery Epstein thing and yet that is being swept under the rug. Surely, preying on underage girls on the taxpayer's dime is worse than wearing jeans to Wimbledon?

And Piers Morgan saying "Go back to your own country" is just race baiting. It's something you would hear from a lot of people who are racist or anti-immigration. From here in the US, lots of sites and articles agree her treatment has to do with race. 

I also disagree that "lighter" americans have a better time of it here. I was shouted at on a bus to "Go back to my country." This was in London. Sure, it's anecdotal, but it was a very traumatic experience. And I'm from the South in the US and have never had racism so literally in my face.  Likewise, my husband here of course has had a way easier time in the US than I ever did in the UK.

While I think Dani's suggestion was extreme and get that you are responding to that, I couldn't help but respond. Some of us have had horrible, very traumatic encounters here. And that doesn't mean all Brits are bad but it also doesn't mean it's not a real thing that happens and that should be acknowledged rather than try to make that person feel it's just them that's the problem.

@x0Kiss0fDeath With respect, I totally disagree that Meghan's race doesn't play a part. As someone who is partially a person of color (but like Meghan fair skinned....very fair skinned) I notice the subtle racism. A British comedian talked about it here: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/d5dcr4/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-the-british-media-s-racist-codes-for-meghan-markle

She is indeed a lot like Princess Diana, being treated very similarly. But people don't look at her that way or accept her with the same regard...you have to ask yourself why not? And Prince Andrew is mixed up with the whole Jeffery Epstein thing and yet that is being swept under the rug. Surely, preying on underage girls on the taxpayer's dime is worse than wearing jeans to Wimbledon?

And Piers Morgan saying "Go back to your own country" is just race baiting. It's something you would hear from a lot of people who are racist or anti-immigration. From here in the US, lots of sites and articles agree her treatment has to do with race. 

I also disagree that "lighter" americans have a better time of it here. I was shouted at on a bus to "Go back to my country." This was in London. Sure, it's anecdotal, but it was a very traumatic experience. And I'm from the South in the US and have never had racism so literally in my face.  Likewise, my husband here of course has had a way easier time in the US than I ever did in the UK.

While I think Dani's suggestion was extreme and get that you are responding to that, I couldn't help but respond. Some of us have had horrible, very traumatic encounters here. And that doesn't mean all Brits are bad but it also doesn't mean it's not a real thing that happens and that should be acknowledged rather than try to make that person feel it's just them that's the problem.

I just want to respond to say I completely appreciate your experience and am in no way trying to say those situations are not traumatic or that they dont happen. I apologise if it came across as me saying those scenarios dont happen because I absolutely believe they do. While I still dont feel she is being targeted due to her race/ethnicity (for the main part as obviously I recognise there are racists and xenophobes out there who will be - it's not all or nothing), I completely appreciate your experience that would lead you to disagree. Again, I was not trying to say that this is not something that doesn't happen and doesn't traumatise the victim or that it is that victims fault, I just didn't personally feel this is what was fuelling the crappy digs at Meghan and I didn't feel that racism/xenophobia was something isolated to only the UK as I've heard so many crappy stories from immigrants and citizens alike who've experienced horrible racist comments in far too many developed countries where people should know better.

Also, to clarify my point earlier that you responded to, I didn't mean to imply that lighter Americans have a better time in that they are all fine and dont face issues with racism. Just that there are racist jerks everywhere.



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