At this point, we've heard both sides of the Sussex story. Finding Freedom takes on the events that unfolded from Harry and Meghan's perspective, with insight from their inner circle. Meanwhile, the royals have the rest of the press at their disposal to take up their case. Sometimes, that's in an official capacity, although many times, it isn't.
The Daily Mail is the latest to defend the royals where Harry and Meghan's departure is concerned. The publication is disputing Meghan's assertions she didn't receive the kind of support she needed from the royals. It claims that she received sage advice from another member of the royal family who has endured the media's ire: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
You can draw some parallels between what Camilla and Meghan went through. Certainly, both women were on the receiving end of some unjust treatment. There are some key factors, however, that make the duchesses' stories quite different.
This week, the Daily Mail explored the relationship between Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Meghan Markle. The publication purports that Camilla made an earnest attempt to help Meghan through the hard times as someone who could relate. The media wasn't exactly kind to Camilla in the years following Prince Charles and Princess Diana's divorce and Diana's subsequent death.
The piece quotes a friend of Meghan's discussing the relationship between Meghan and Camilla.
"Meg was really grateful to Camilla who was very supportive and invited her out for private lunches, particularly around the time of her marriage," the friend said.
"She listened to her and understood that it's really difficult joining the Royal Family from an otherwise 'normal' life. Much like Meghan, Camilla had experienced a lot of negative press and hostility from courtiers due to her relationship with Charles when he was still married to Diana.
"She was very sensitive to Meghan and provided her with support, advising her to ride out the storm and that it would all pass – but ultimately Meghan didn't listen."
"The Duchess of Cornwall does understand what it's like to come from a normal life and then land in the completely extraordinary world that the Royal family exists in," a palace aide attested.
"As a consequence, she tries very hard to make people welcome and help them find their feet, and has done so for many years. Her consciously offering to mentor and guide is something that she really does try and do. That applies to many people, not just the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex."
The Daily Mail isn't the first to report such a showing of support from Camilla. Just two months shy of the Sussexes' big announcement about stepping back, Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl spoke out about how Camilla doubled down on her support after the emotional revelations from the couple in the documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey.
"I think Camilla was probably just as surprised as anyone else when the documentary came out and perhaps didn't realize how much Harry and Meghan were suffering," the source said.
"She wants everyone to get along and be happy. Her mantra is carry on and keep smiling," the source continued.
"She doesn't want to see anyone struggling and she is fond of Meghan and she could be a very good ally too."
In Finding Freedom, the Firm gets a surprising amount of credit for trying to prepare Meghan for the complexities of royal life. It makes sense that Camilla, who has endured her fair share of media ire, would be an ally to Meghan.
Camilla was savagely attacked by the media when the affair between her and Charles came to light in 1993 when the Camillagate tapes leaked an extremely intimate conversation between the lovers, who were each married to other parties.
Following the dissolution of Charles and Diana's marriage, both he and Camilla were vilified in the press. For years, she was known as "the most hated woman in Britain."
Since Charles is next in line to the throne, it was incredibly important to rehabilitate his image. As both of their divorces were finalized and he prepared for the next stage of his life, Charles knew he and Camilla were meant for one another. As his team worked on getting him back in the public's good graces, they also worked on endearing the public to Camilla.
It wouldn't be easy, but over time, it happened. They didn't make any official public appearances together until 1999, two years after Diana's death. Over the next two years, she was eased into more public appearances with the Prince of Wales, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002. The next year, she quietly moved into Clarence House with Charles.
In 2005, with the government and the sovereign's blessing, Charles and Camilla married. After a very long road together, they had finally been accepted by the majority of the British public. Things got even better in the subsequent years, although some will always resent her for the turmoil she participated in inflicting on Diana.
Now for the parallels between Camilla's experience and Meghan's. Was the media completely unfair to her? In many regards, yes.
The physical comparisons between Camilla and Diana were out of line and unnecessary. They also made attacks on her mental health throughout the years, accusing her of rage and alcohol-induced physical attacks on Princess Anne and, more recently, the Queen herself.
That said, Camilla's media scrutiny holds many differences from Meghan's. Camilla's attacks began because of the affair with Prince Charles, which was something she was a willing participant in. Both knew they were married and that he was an extremely high-profile figure who is often watched.
The attacks on Meghan aren't for the things she's done, though those story lines are plentiful and exist. At their core, the attacks involve things about her that can't be changed: her race, her past, her career before entering the royal family, and more.
The other big difference is the concerted effort to rehabilitate Camilla's reputation among Brits and her image as a member of the royal family. Could such an effort have been made behind Meghan if she'd waited long enough? It's hard to say. It's certainly possible, but since Harry isn't next in line to the throne, it's less likely to have been a major priority.
Furthermore, Camilla's apology tour was years long. Can you blame Meghan for not wanting to endure those kinds of attacks, as well as threats to herself and her child, until it all possibly blew over? Clearly, it's a divisive issue.
Those threats and attacks also feel more pressing in the social media age. Camilla's image had enjoyed over a decade of work before the internet became a daily fixture in people's lives. Meghan has never had the luxury of being able to truly ignore what people think about her and the reasons why they think that.
This brings up a final point. Both Camilla and Meghan have definitely been victims of classism. Neither of them has the background to turn your nose at, even if it may not be the overall royal family's first choice. Both women have shown strength in their ability to remain graceful under some of the vilest attacks the media has ever perpetrated. That said, racism is too big of a factor in the public disdain for Meghan to make the two properly comparable.
