Source: PAUL EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images; Dave Benett/Getty Images / Getty
If you’ve ever questioned the decision of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to leave behind their posts as senior members of the Royal Family to live a more private, family-oriented life between the U.K. and Canada, it’s foolishness like being compared to “trailer trash” that makes their choice more and more understandable by the day.
The couple returned to the UK to perform some of their last duties late last week and will wrap things up on Monday. All eyes have been on them and their movements were discussed by British press, as well as some American news media, including MSNBC.
On Saturday’s MSNBC Live, British reporter Victoria Mather was invited on to speak about the couple, and she spoke about how she felt the the Duchess of Sussex had shown “disrespect” to the royal family. She also made mention of unconfirmed reports that have floated around in the British tabloids that Markle gifted Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, a knife for Christmas.
“I think what has really, really upset the British public is that Meghan Markle, who many people consider as only, you know, five clicks up from trailer trash, has actually tried to disrespect the queen. And the queen is the most respected person, most respected woman, in the world,” she said.
Mather also reportedly said during the conversation that Markle didn’t want to stick to royal protocol because “she didn’t want to be second best” to Middleton.
Right after that “trailer trash” comment, host Lindsey Reiser interrupted Mather to say her knife-gifting claims were unconfirmed by NBC News, and she quickly ended the conversation. It seems the whole chat, from Mather’s end, was based on talking poorly of the actress, of her friendships and her choices.
But as Buzzfeed pointed out, Mather is a mess. While she was introduced on MSNBC Live as a “Vanity Fair Royals Watcher” and identified herself on Twitter as a travel editor for the publication, a Condé Nast spokesperson told them that she hadn’t been employed by the company since 2018. She is a “chief travel correspondent” for Air Mail and is said to have claimed in a piece for that site, once again, that Markle is looked at as “trailer trash.” So as we could all guess, it’s not necessarily that “people” see her in this way, but Mather, herself, feels that way.
Not to mention, “trailer trash,” Markle is far from. Though her parents divorced, she was raised in Los Angeles, the child of a former social worker mother and director of photography and lighting for TV shows father. She graduated from Northwestern University as a double major in theater and international studies. And while her father Thomas Markle’s side of the family, specifically he and daughter Samantha Markle, have been outspoken in their disdain for her in their quest for attention and opportunities, she is simply estranged from them. And she is, perhaps the most successful member of the Royal Family outside of the cushy lifestyle being a member provides. She accomplished a great deal before marrying Prince Harry, including starring on the hit USA series Suits and in films, having a popular lifestyle website called The Tig, doing her own fair share of charitable work around the world and she even released a line of clothing. Put some respect on her name, please.
Markle married Prince Harry in 2018. They have a son, Archie, born in May 2019. They announced their plans to step back from the their duties to the Royal Family in January of 2020.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the announcement said at the time. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
Hit the flip to see reactions to Mather’s comments, which people obviously were not happy with:
This commenter said Mather’s time on MSNBC Live was the perfect reminder as to why Meghan and Harry needed to get very far away from the Royal Family and British tabloids: “Ms. Mather needs to retire because she is terminally sick with vitriol. Her comments were evil.” We would have to agree.
