It’s impossible to precisely measure how deep a bond is between two people. But I do believe when the love is real and deep, you can see and feel it. And when it isn’t there—or when the relationship is fractured—that too is discernible and hard to hide.
I was reluctant to watch the documentary series about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when it was released last month on Netflix. I’m not exactly a royal watcher. I’m not excited about their celebrity or all the tabloid media attention. I don’t like soap operas, including those about the rich and famous. There was also enough negativity toward this pair in my house that I doubted I could watch it without frustrating interruptions.
But there’s little doubt Harry’s exit from the royal family—indeed the couple’s exit and eventual relocation in North America so few years after their 2018 marriage—has been a global cultural event. The massive sales of his new book Spare released this week—reportedly the fastest-selling nonfiction book ever with over 1.4 million sales on the first day—underscores this.
For those who are fascinated by the British royal family or who at least recognize the continuing impact of the monarchy, the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relinquish their position in the family firm and set up stakes in Santa Barbara, California was no small thing—and surely fraught with drama and considerable pain. I will say I had expected the biracial Meghan Markle to be an enormous asset in modernizing the monarchy and providing optimism throughout the commonwealth; what a boon it would have been if the family had successfully embraced this intelligent woman of color.
My purpose here is not to detail all the legal machinations, self-centered psychodramas, battles with the media or fighting within the family and their handlers played out over six episodes authorized by the couple. Rather, I was struck by how clear and obvious their love is from the first minutes of the first episode. That continued to be visible throughout the behind-the-scenes series; it’s something that’s hard to fake, especially when embroiled in a major public battle. Honestly, that fact won me over: There can never be too much love in the world.
So here’s the question: Can love conquer all? It’s an age-old question, played out on every continent, in every epoch, in almost every home. And the realities of money and dysfunctional families and social stigmas and world events are just some of the complicating forces that can break two people who thought their love was strong enough. It’s a continuing question for this couple. What do you think?
As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts. Please do be respectful of each other in your replies. And if you’re among those who think there are more important matters that should be on our minds rather than this weekend musing, you can count on a return to all that in the days ahead.
Can Love Conquer All?
Can Love Conquer All?
Can Love Conquer All?
It’s impossible to precisely measure how deep a bond is between two people. But I do believe when the love is real and deep, you can see and feel it. And when it isn’t there—or when the relationship is fractured—that too is discernible and hard to hide.
I was reluctant to watch the documentary series about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when it was released last month on Netflix. I’m not exactly a royal watcher. I’m not excited about their celebrity or all the tabloid media attention. I don’t like soap operas, including those about the rich and famous. There was also enough negativity toward this pair in my house that I doubted I could watch it without frustrating interruptions.
But there’s little doubt Harry’s exit from the royal family—indeed the couple’s exit and eventual relocation in North America so few years after their 2018 marriage—has been a global cultural event. The massive sales of his new book Spare released this week—reportedly the fastest-selling nonfiction book ever with over 1.4 million sales on the first day—underscores this.
For those who are fascinated by the British royal family or who at least recognize the continuing impact of the monarchy, the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relinquish their position in the family firm and set up stakes in Santa Barbara, California was no small thing—and surely fraught with drama and considerable pain. I will say I had expected the biracial Meghan Markle to be an enormous asset in modernizing the monarchy and providing optimism throughout the commonwealth; what a boon it would have been if the family had successfully embraced this intelligent woman of color.
My purpose here is not to detail all the legal machinations, self-centered psychodramas, battles with the media or fighting within the family and their handlers played out over six episodes authorized by the couple. Rather, I was struck by how clear and obvious their love is from the first minutes of the first episode. That continued to be visible throughout the behind-the-scenes series; it’s something that’s hard to fake, especially when embroiled in a major public battle. Honestly, that fact won me over: There can never be too much love in the world.
So here’s the question: Can love conquer all? It’s an age-old question, played out on every continent, in every epoch, in almost every home. And the realities of money and dysfunctional families and social stigmas and world events are just some of the complicating forces that can break two people who thought their love was strong enough. It’s a continuing question for this couple. What do you think?
As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts. Please do be respectful of each other in your replies. And if you’re among those who think there are more important matters that should be on our minds rather than this weekend musing, you can count on a return to all that in the days ahead.
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*Photo: A woman watches an episode of "Harry and Meghan" in London on December 8, 2022. Photo by Daniel LEAL/AFP via Getty Images.