Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently announced that they are expecting their second child. The couple are already parents to son Archie Harrison, who was born in May 2019. The announcement was made on Instagram with a black-and-white photograph that featured Meghan lying down in the grass with her head on Harry’s lap. This news is especially exciting since Meghan revealed in an opinion piece she wrote for The New York Times that she suffered a miscarriage last July.
In the article titled “The Losses we Share,” she writes, “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.” The piece is a heartfelt and honest look into the devastation they felt after losing the pregnancy and talked about the deep pain that many people were also feeling during 2020. She talks about Breonna Taylor, polarization, COVID-19 and so many other aspects of last year that made it one of the most heartbreaking times in many people’s lives but also revealed the strength of the world to unite.
“We are adjusting to a new normal where faces are concealed by masks, but it’s forcing us to look into one another’s eyes…For the first time, in a long time, as human beings, we are really seeing one another,” Markle wrote. This opinion piece is one of many examples of how the couple is challenging the traditional norms of what it means to be a Royal family member by trying to lead ordinary lives.
““We are adjusting to a new normal where faces are concealed by masks, but it’s forcing us to look into one another’s eyes…For the first time, in a long time, as human beings, we are really seeing one another.”
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex
Let’s take a look back on the couple’s history to see the unconventional steps they have taken during their time as members of the Royal family, which has received its fair share of praise and backlash.
Harry and Meghan were introduced to each other by a mutual friend in 2016 and their relationship took off from there. They began taking trips together, and word eventually got out that they were dating. This news sparked a lot of anger and harassment toward Meghan since as a Black American and divorcee, she didn’t fit the stereotypical idea of what a Royal family member should be.
Despite the criticism, the couple continued their relationship and eventually got married on May 19, 2018, in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle surrounded by a long list of high-profile guests. About a year after they wed, Meghan gave birth to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
In January 2020, they revealed their intention to “step back” from their royal roles and announced they would split their time between the United Kingdom and North America. In a formal statement, they said, “We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
This news sparked a lot of controversy throughout the world as the public was shocked by the news. In multiple interviews, the couple shared how they were struggling to handle the pressure and responsibilities that came with the role and wanted to lead a different lifestyle.
Following widespread speculation, “Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family” was written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, two royal reporters, and detailed the couple’s love story. The book received mixed reviews, but it did reveal new details like how Harry and Meghan were reportedly secretly engaged for months, how Harry had a secret Instagram account and Harry’s relationship with Prince William.
“they are taking advantage of their time away by taking part in many causes that are important to them such as helping deliver school supplies and clothing to children in Los Angeles, cold calling voters leading up to the 2020 presidential election to encourage them to show up to the polls and combatting online misinformation.”
Because they stepped down, Harry and Meghan are no longer able to hold royal patronages and Harry’s military appointments also have to be returned. Despite this, they are taking advantage of their time away by taking part in many causes that are important to them such as helping deliver school supplies and clothing to children in Los Angeles, cold calling voters leading up to the 2020 presidential election to encourage them to show up to the polls and combatting online misinformation. They even signed a multiyear deal with Netflix to make documentaries, docu-series, feature films and children’s programming.
Harry and Meghan are redefining what it means to be part of the Royal family and have taken an unconventional path that broke many royal traditions but appear to be happier than ever. Despite criticism, they still maintain support from their family members in the U.K. and have been able to find a balance between privacy, freedom and independence.
