Prince Harry and Meghan Markle used shots and clips featuring Princess Diana in the trailer of their Netflix docuseries. One royal commentator claimed that they were "weaponizing" the late royal.
Sussexes Used Princess Diana To Elevate Meghan Markle?
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex got candid about their struggles when they were in the palace, including their battle with the press. It was evident in the promos dropped ahead of their docuseries' debut Thursday.
Royal commentator Sarah Vine weighed in on the matter and said two things stood out for her — the weaponization of Princess Diana and the use of the racist card — in an article for The Daily Mail titled "Harry and Meghan are gaslighting the entire nation while lining their pockets with misery."
"Two things stand out. First, the weaponization of Princess Diana and her own experience as a royal consort in order to elevate Meghan. It's hardly surprising: Harry has mentioned his wife before in the context of his mother, but this goes one step further," Vine wrote.
In her opinion, the comparison between Prince Harry's wife and late mother was both "clever" and a "cheap shot."
"By placing footage of the late Princess Diana alongside images of Meghan in various stages of distress, the message is clear: the two are virtually one and the same," she added.
"This is clever. Not only does it enlist (and enrage) the armies of Princess Diana fans who still, to this day, believe she was assassinated by the royal family and who will, no doubt, sally forth on social media to spread the gospel; it also allows Meghan to inherit Diana's iconic status."
She added that it was "presumably useful when pitching victim narratives."
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Monetizing On Princess Diana's Life?
Vine also discussed why using Princess Diana was a "cheap shot." She claimed that the weaponization of the late Princess of Wales wasn't fair because they were cashing in on her.
"But when you think about it, it's a really cheap shot, not only because it's effectively monetizing Diana's life (and death); but also because, let's not forget, Harry isn't Diana's only son. One can only imagine how Prince William must feel about Harry appropriating their late mother in this way," she explained.
The royal commentator also questioned the claims that race was a factor in Megxit, especially because Prince Harry was seemingly making a comparison between his wife and mom about "history repeating itself."
"Diana wasn't mixed race, was she? So how can it be racist? Make up your minds, guys," Vine added.
Stay tuned for more news and updates about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
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