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Will Queen have the last word?

Families have differences but when it happens among royals, the world takes notice.

Royals and racism are an easy diversion from the real tragedy that has befallen the world: the pandemic and its toll on lives and jobs. But try telling (or selling) that to Meghan and Harry who poured their hearts out to talk show host Oprah Winfrey in a TV deal worth a whopping $6 million, according to some reports. Their story, however, will leave Buckingham Palace red-faced with the prince and duchess going rogue and personal. The allegations are indeed serious and will cause the palace some embarrassment which the royal household can live with and overcome. The couple has added some minutes to their personal fame. Tea and some sympathy will follow and the masses will go on living their unhappy lives. Colour and race, however, are great talking points, and this where the plot thickens. Families have differences but when it happens among royals, the world takes notice.

But the Queen is no stranger to controversies and scandals surrounding her family for over five decades. She is known to rise above the fray during the harshest of times — during war and peace and now during the pandemic. The current storm surrounding her family will soon pass after the public fallout. One needs to wait. First, for the counter-narrative following Meghan and Harry’s interview to Oprah, who made no pretense of neutrality during the two-hour interview.

Palace intrigues were to be expected. Brothers parted ways, their partners widened the rift, and skeletons came tumbling out of the royal household’s cupboard. But the allegations failed to shock. The old plot only thickened with the new allegation of racism, and the polarisation for and against the monarchy has grown more intense. People have taken sides and even tennis players like Serena Williams are holding centre-court on the sensitive topic of royal colour. Meghan blamed an unnamed member of the royal household for asking questions about the colour of her child Archie. Meghan wanted protection for her son, the story goes and she was driven to despair and contemplated suicide. Protection from what and who? “I didn’t want to be alone any more.” Meghan said. Who does? She found royal life stifling and claimed others, including Prince Charles and Prince William felt the same way as her. But she chose to fly away with Harry for a normal life across the Atlantic while the royal family continued to keep the institution alive. The couple has spoken. All eyes are now on the Queen who continues to share a rapport with the truant prince and his wife. Hers will be the last word.