Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opened up about the struggles they face living in the spotlight in a very candid way during the documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. Now the news indicates that the couple may be looking for a second place outside of the United Kingdom to call home and escape the heinous story lines of the British tabloids.
In the documentary, both Harry and Meghan offered some very intimate details as to how they've been affected by the relentless tabloid attacks they've faced since announcing their engagement in November 2017. The documentary was also filmed as Harry announced lawsuits against a number of publications for offenses against himself and Meghan. The stress this has put on the young family has also led to their announcement of a break from royal duties from mid-November through the end of the year.
Thankfully, there has been a show of support for Harry and Meghan. More than 70 female members of Parliament just came together to take a stand against Meghan's treatment by the tabloid media. It's a bold yet rare move to have so many take a stand against the media in the UK, but we're sure it's being welcomed by Harry and Meghan.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the brave decision to speak out on the truth of their circumstances in Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. Meghan spoke candidly about how heavily tabloid attacks have weighed on her.
Harry also expressed his concerns, both as a husband and a father. Many felt his heartbreak as he drew parallels between the media's treatment of his wife and the way the media treated his late mother, Princess Diana.
Speaking about these matters so frankly is not something the royal family is known for. In fact, none of the other members have spoken out on what was said by Meghan and Harry during the interview, although they are reportedly sympathetic behind the scenes.
Despite the lack of public support from the royal family, Harry and Meghan have received some serious support from members of Parliament. More than 70 female members of Parliament have come together to issue a letter in support of Meghan.
"As women MPs of political persuasions, we wanted to express our solidarity with you in taking a stand against the often distasteful and misleading nature of the stories printed in our national newspapers concerning you, your character and your family," the letter reads.
"On occasions, stories and headlines have represented an invasion of your privacy and have sought to cast aspersions about your character, without any good reason as far as we can see," it continues.
"Even more concerning still, we are calling out what can only be described as outdated, colonial undertones to some of these stories. As women Members of Parliament from all backgrounds, we stand with you in saying it cannot be allowed to go unchallenged."
"Although we find ourselves being women in public life in a very different way to you, we share an understanding of the abuse and intimidation which is now so often used as a means of disparaging women in the public office from getting on with very important work," the women explain.
"With this in mind we expect the national media to have the integrity to know when a story is in the national interest and when it is seeking to tear a woman down for no apparent reason," it proclaims.
"You have our assurances that we stand with you in solidarity on this. We will use the means at our disposal to ensure that our press accept your right to privacy and show respect, and that their stories reflect the truth."
As the legal battle against the tabloids continues, Harry and Meghan are considering establishing a second home base somewhere outside the United Kingdom. "It’s not possible for them to be [in the U.K.] like this,” a source told People.
"There’s more pressure now. There’s a shift that is happening," the source added. While it's unclear where the couple would go, Canada, the United States, and Africa are all possibilities, as those are locations that are significant for the couple.
Harry and Meghan are reportedly going to spend some of their leave from royal duties toward the end of the year in the US, possibly in California where Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, resides. "This would be Harry’s first Thanksgiving in the States," the source says.
"It will be nice for them to be around people that love them and have him understand her traditions too," the source added. They may also visit Canada, where Meghan lived while filming Suits, prior to marrying into the royal family.
Harry addressed rumors of a move to Africa in the documentary. "I don’t know where we could live in Africa at the moment. We just came from Cape Town, that would be an amazing place to base ourselves, of course, it would," he noted.
"But with all the problems that are going on there, I just don’t see how we’d be able to really make as much difference as we’d want to without the issues and the judgment of how we would be with those surroundings," Harry added.
The couple is definitely struggling with what the next steps will look like, but one thing is certain. Harry and Meghan will do whatever it takes to keep their family stable and keep Archie from growing up with the level of public attention that has made Harry uncomfortable his entire life.
