Well, that explains it. Now we know why we haven’t seen much of the Duchess of Sussex lately. She’s clearly been working on a bit of a makeover.
Having some me time. Investing in some self-care, as young people say. Gone is the messy bun and the fresh-faced, just-stepped-off-the yoga-mat Meghan.
In her place is a glossy, razor-sharp Duchess, all primed and plumped-up like she’s been dipped in the double cream, rolled in cashmere and infused with 24-carat fabulousness.
She’s channeling Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Michelle Obama. Sexy but strong, independent, confident, uncompromising.
As my daughter would say, she came to slay.
Princess Diana had her “revenge dress”: this is a revenge makeover. Meghan’s back — and she’s not going anywhere any time soon. No coincidence, I’m sure, that she chose to resurface so close to the Coronation. She’s not coming — but she might as well be. Meghan is many things, but she’s not stupid.
She knows the power of a picture and the reach of social media. She can do as much damage to her in-laws from her garden swing in Montecito as from a seat in Westminster Abbey. Perhaps more. It’s a nightmare for the Palace, of course. Especially since, inevitably, there will be more to come.
The message is loud and clear: while you’re all getting ready to dress up in moth-eaten old robes and perform some arcane ritual, we’re out here in the land of the free, being all cool, spontaneous, and modern.
No doubt they’ll be cooking up something special for the big day, which also happens to be Archie’s fourth birthday. An adorable tableau, perhaps, of Meghan and the kids in California, Zooming Harry back in dusty old London as he prepares to do his duty to King and father.
There won’t be a dry eye on Twitter. However, I can’t help welcoming this new Meghan. Well, maybe not welcome her, exactly, but her emergence feels like something of a relief.
I feel like we’re finally starting to see the real Duchess, that this laser-focused power player may be more authentic than the persona we Brits were served up when Prince Harry first introduced her to the world.
Right from the start, I sensed that she was playing the part of the carefree American, breathing fresh air into a stale old institution. All that spontaneity seemed to have a whiff of deception, as though she was trying to be what she thought we wanted her to be rather than herself.
Meghan’s slick, new look is more indicative of the person she really is: a highly ambitious woman who knows what she wants and is determined to get it and who doesn’t enjoy being in the shade. Ambition is admirable — but not when it’s at the expense of others. Meghan and Harry have tried to build themselves up by bringing the rest of the Royal Family down.
It’s a toxic kind of success. Let’s face it, Meghan would never put up with being second fiddle to the Princess of Wales or anyone else.
Maybe she didn’t think it through, or perhaps she could rewire the old place from the inside. When it became clear that wasn’t possible, it was suddenly no more sunshine and rainbows. The mask fell away, and we saw the truth.
