‘Endgame’: It Was ‘Princess Diana All Over Again’ When Meghan Markle Joined the Royal Family
Apparently, the British royal family had a serious case of déjà vu when Meghan Markle joined their ranks. Omid Scobie posits in his latest book, Endgame, that the Duchess of Sussex’s presence quickly became like “Princess Diana all over again.” From being the “star of the show” to “getting things done fast,” Meghan echoed Prince Harry’s late mother.
Meghan became the ‘star of the show’ upon joining the royal family
She may have been a new addition to the royal family, but according to Scobie, it wasn’t long until Meghan was the Firm’s “star” (via Marie Claire). The former Suits star joined the royals for Christmas in 2017, a surprising move as traditionally only wives, not girlfriends, were typically invited to attend.
Then, she and Prince Harry’s May 2018 royal wedding became a source of public fascination. Coupled with the pair’s other appearances, by the time Meghan officially joined the royal family, she was the “star of the show,” as the author put it.
Meghan ‘got things done fast’ as the Duchess of Sussex
In her and Harry’s 2017 engagement interview, Meghan herself remarked on wanting to “hit the ground running” with royal work, and indeed she did. As Scobie remarked, Meghan “got things done fast.”
“Whether it was guest-editing an entire September issue of British Vogue while heavily pregnant, releasing a bestselling book for charity, or collaborating with British fashion brands to launch a capsule collection to raise money for her patronage of the women’s employment coaching charity Smart Works,” Scobie wrote, “Meghan got things done fast.”
“It was Princess Diana all over again,” he added.
Meghan spent less than two years as a working royal. However, it wasn’t without major projects. Not only did Meghan take part in the aforementioned activities as Duchess of Sussex, she also attended royal family events and embarked on official visits.
Prince Harry likened Meghan to Diana in ‘Spare’ and Netflix docuseries
Harry highlighted similarities between Meghan and his late mother in Netflix’s Harry & Meghan docuseries as well as Spare.
“So much of what Meghan is, and how she is, is so similar to my mum,” Harry told Netflix. “She has the same compassion, she has the same empathy, she has the same confidence. She has this warmth about her.”
“The issue is when someone who’s marrying in, who should be a supporting act, is then stealing the limelight. Or is doing the job better than the person who was born to do this — that upsets people,” he explained.
Harry also noted how after attending an event alongside other senior royals, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan ended up on the front pages. “She was like, ‘But it’s not my fault,’” the now-39-year-old recalled. “And I said, ‘I know.’ And my mum felt the same way.”
Meanwhile, in his January 2023 book, Harry noted how he warned Meghan against navigating their 2018 royal tour too well.
Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival dropped on Nov. 28, 2023.
