The docuseries Harry & Meghan on Netflix purports to reveal an authentic and genuine side of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The truth is, after six hours of watching the rebellious royals, I thought there was just one incident in which The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stopped being polite and — to use a classic reality show cliché — began to get real. In Episode 6, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry discuss the Jason Knauf incident with a pal. The generally polished, poised, and flawlessly press-trained pair finally discuss a frustrating topic with the tone and body language I’ve observed in real life. Meghan raises her hands and insults Prince William, while Prince Harry sarcastically responds, “That’s why I’m living in a foreign nation.”
I will always remember Meghan Markle’s exasperated “It’s your brother” and all that followed as the most genuine and unfiltered moment in Harry & Meghan.
Harry & Meghan is a six-part documentary series by Oscar-winning director Liz Garbus that aims to explain how a modern fairy tale degenerated into a turbulent tabloid saga. Given the pedigrees of everyone involved, the majority of the series is sleek fluff filled with staged confessionals and Instagram-ready behind-the-scenes footage. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle portray a tale of true love thwarted by scheming, dishonest, untrustworthy, and prejudiced individuals. Some of the criminals are members of their own families, but the majority hide behind telephoto lenses.
Throughout the remainder of the series, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle maintain the beautiful appearance that made them such wonderful tabloid cover stories. Prince Harry’s royal upbringing instilled him with gentlemanly manners, while his mother gave him the ability to command the camera. Markle captivates with her self-deprecating humor and natural grace. During a brilliantly orchestrated meditation, we watch Meghan Markle become overcome with emotion, but for the most part, she maintains a dignified composure.
Now, I’m not suggesting that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lied in their numerous confessionals or privately recorded video diaries. These two individuals have learned to maintain an atmosphere of camera-ready perfection no matter the cost. It must now be an integral part of their personalities. If they make a single mistake, it will be amplified into a global uproar in minutes.
Which is why I was most captivated by the rare scene in which they are not flawless. The lighting is dark, Meghan’s hair is secured with a gaudy butterfly clip, and the photograph looks horrible. (No one infers effective blocking!) Prince William’s former adviser Jason Knauf is volunteering to testify in Meghan’s ongoing legal struggle with tabloid behemoth Associated Newspapers Limited, the pair discuss. The media framed Knauf as Meghan Markle’s “former assistant,” cleverly omitting the fact that Knauf had a close relationship with Prince William. And remains so.
Let me handle it, says Prince Harry.
Meghan responds with an uncommon amount of agitation, “But how do we deal with it?” How could this be… Like…”
Meghan’s acquaintance reveals that Knauf is employed by Harry’s brother.
“I know. Like this… Like I…” Meghan turns and raises her arms in exasperation at Harry. It’s your sibling.
“Yes,” he affirms.
“I’m not going to say anything about your brother, but it’s so clear,” she continues in a tone that can only suggest she’s not going to criticize Prince William.
In this sequence, Meghan’s body language was really recognizable to me in a way that her often impeccable posture never is. This is how adults dance around their need to slander loved ones who have repeatedly let them down. It’s the “Bless Their Heart” way to talking s***; a phrase that essentially speaks all that s*** without actually getting into the muck. And the fact that Harry does not react negatively to Meghan’s argument, but instead agrees with her and reinforces it, implies that he, too, has many ideas and emotions he is concealing.
Despite the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle present a thorough, substantiated argument for why they had to quit the royal life, it was this scene that convinced me. Because you can certainly speak eloquently about institutional racism, mental health challenges, and Diana’s legacy. As soon as Meghan Markle uttered, “It’s your brother,” in that tone, I knew we were witnessing two people struggling with the bone-crushing, soul-crushing, heart-crushing stress of a poisonous family member. Sometimes you have the fortitude to deal with them, but most of the time you simply want to flee.
Harry and Meghan’s wedding did not need to last six hours. It may have been simply just one genuine, human scene. This is why I will remember that moment long after the rest of the show’s chatter has faded away.
»One Perfect Moment in “Harry & Meghan” Will Forever Alter Your Opinion of Prince William«