Royal fans have paid tribute to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry after an ITV documentary about their trip to Africa aired last night, highlighting the couple’s struggle with public scrutiny.
Harry & Meghan: An African Journey looked into the couple’s ten-day tour of southern Africa, watching them interact with locals and open up about dealing with media attention.
The Duchess received an outpouring of support from Twitter users on Friday after a clip from last night’s documentary was released in which she admitted she was ‘not really OK’.
Within an hour, #WeLoveYouMeghan became the top trending topic on the social media platform, with users offering positive messages.
And the flood of support was repeated last night, with Twitter users flocking to praise both Harry and Meghan after their searingly honest interviews.
Twitter users flocked to praise both Harry and Meghan after their searingly honest interviews
Prince Harry opened up about his struggles after his mother’s death and mental health
One user wrote: ‘Dunno how you can watch this and not feel a slither of sympathy. I couldn’t go through what Meghan’s been subjected to now, never mind throughout pregnancy & whilst becoming a new mom. Absolutely mind blowing.’
Another said: ‘I respect Meghan. She’s not asking you to adore her, to worship at her feet, but you treat justly and fairly. She’s willing to fight for that because surviving is not enough. Her husband is unwilling to be bullied to appease you and your entitlement.’
While a third added: ‘How can you seriously NOT feel for Harry and Megan? How can you say that they live an easy life? Money is not enough to lead a happy life.’
The documentary saw Prince Harry discuss his struggles with mental health, while admitting his mother’s death still haunted him.
Meghan, meanwhile, opened up about her struggles with the British media and how she was unprepared for the level of scrutiny she has faced since marrying the Prince.
Sympathy for the couple was widespread online and the couple topped Twitter trends in the UK.
However, the reaction wasn’t all positive.
One user wrote: ‘ I wouldn’t feel too sorry for them. We (as taxpayers) gave them millions recently so they could do some decorating.’
Another added: ‘If only they had a tour of the UK? You know, have a chat to the people/plebs who pay for everything they have. How good that would have been. Oh well.’
While a third commented: ‘I’ve really gone off Harry and Megan. The more I see from them at the moment, the more they annoy me. They could do with taking a leaf out of Will and Kate’s book.’
Some fans appeared worried for Prince Harry’s mental health after a candid interview.
One commented: ‘Think it’s clear to see that Harry carries some deep scares from the death of his mum & it’s clear the fear he carries & the overwhelming need to protect his wife but I think he needs help, it’s crippling his wellbeing I think.’
In the documentary, Prince Harry revealed that every click and flash of a camera in the public eye gives him ‘the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best’.
In the documentary, Harry said that he felt significant pressure being a member of the royal family in the spotlight, and was particularly stressed by the memories of his mother’s relationship with the press.
He was asked: ‘Do you feel at peace in a way yet or is it still a sort of wound that festers?’
To which he replied said: ‘I think probably a wound that festers. I think being part of this family, in this role, in this job, every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash it takes me straight back, so in that respect it’s the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best.
‘My mum taught me a certain set of values that I will always try to uphold, despite the role and the job that sometimes that entails.
‘I will always protect my family and now I have a family to protect.
‘So everything that she went through, and what happened to her, is incredibly important every single day, and that is not me being paranoid, that is just me not wanting a repeat of the past.
‘If anybody else knew what I knew, be it a father or be it a husband, be it anyone, you would probably be doing exactly what I am doing as well.
‘Everything that she went through and what happened to her is still incredibly raw every single day. That is not me being paranoid, that is me not wanting a repeat of the past.’
In the documentary, Harry described the way he deals with the pressures of his life as being a matter of ‘constant management’, adding: ‘I thought I was out of the woods and then suddenly it all came back, and this is something that I have to manage.
‘Part of this job, and part of any job, like everybody, is putting on a brave face and turning a cheek to a lot of the stuff, but again, for me and again for my wife, of course there is a lot of stuff that hurts, especially when the majority of it is untrue.
‘But all we need to do is focus on being real, and focus on being the people that we are, and standing up for what we believe in.
‘I will not be bullied into playing a game that killed my mum.’