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What Would Diana Say?
Like thousands of viewers, I watched wide-eyed as Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, opened up to Oprah about the struggles that led to their decision to step back from their royal duties. The revelations- comments about whether their unborn child’s skin would be too dark, Meghan’s frightening realization that she no longer wanted to live- were shocking, to say the least.
But the most chilling moment, and arguably the one on which the whole interview turns, was Harry’s description of watching his wife struggle with her mental health. “I saw history repeating itself,” he says- followed by a weighty pause. It was a devastating admission, one that required no explanation to anyone who so much as turned on a TV during the short life of his late mother, Princess Diana.
Both women charmed adoring crowds, yet didn’t quite fit in with the royal establishment. Both women were fodder for relentless and often cruel tabloid coverage. Both women struggled with their mental health and the rigors of “The Firm” actively discouraging them from seeking much-needed treatment.
Yet the one crucial difference was the men in their lives. It’s well-known at this point that Charles and Diana’s marriage was rife with problems from the start. He came across as cold and distant while she was portrayed as overly needy. There was the issue of his infidelity (as she…