Afua Hirsch, the author of “Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging”, wrote in the New York Times that black Britons know why Meghan Markle wants to leave, and it’s racism.
The British press got what it wanted – Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, out of Britain. But it also got what it didn’t bargain for, it also lost Prince Harry. The British Press reacted with surprise at the “shock move abroad”.
The Royal couple said in a statement they want to “carve out a progressive new role” within the royal family, but will “step back as ‘senior’ members, and work to become financially independent.”
The British Press reacted with surprise at the “shock move abroad” of the Royal Couple
In Britain’s class society there is a deep correlation between privilege and race, with relatively few people of color rising to prominence and prosperity in Britain, and they are often told they should be “grateful”, or even told to leave if they don’t like it there.
Hirsch wrote about Markel, “Her treatment has proved what many of us have always known: No matter how beautiful you are, whom you marry, what palaces you occupy, charities you support, how faithful you are, how much money you accumulate or what good deeds you perform, in this society racism will still follow you”.
She wasn’t shy about reminding readers about recent racist remarks regarding the Duchess, from the first headline about her being almost “straight outta Compton”, and having “exotic” DNA, other racial incidents included:
- Princess Michael of Kent wore an overtly racist brooch in the Markell’s presence
- A BBC host compared the couple’s newborn baby to a chimpanzee
- Meghan’s avocado consumption is responsible for mass murder and her charity cookbook helped terrorists
and many, many more, including linking the Duchess to racialized forms of crime like terrorism and gang activity.
It’s no wonder why Meghan Markle now wants out of Britain. It is, however, a wonder why the British press, after continuously attacking the couple, now reacts with shock at the move given the legacy of the British empire’s history of white supremacy, its pioneering role in the slave trade, and their policies of recruiting black people from the Caribbean and Africa into low paid job and discriminating against them in education and housing.
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