On January 8, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle publicized their decision to step back from their royal duties, focus on their private work, and spend equal amounts of time in the UK and Canada, all while fully supporting Queen Elizabeth II. This has come following years of endless media coverage towards the couple—and not all of it was positive. Harry and Meghan both clearly have reached a breaking point, and they took the initiative to put themselves in an environment that gives them the best opportunity to improve both their causes and organizations, as well as their personal lives. Whether people are for or against the so-called “Megxit”, there is no doubt that they had every right to step back from their duties and help make the world a better place in a different position.  

From the time Harry and Meghan got married—and even before—they have been the center of harsh criticism for what seems to be the smallest situations. Two sources of news media based in the United Kingdom, Daily Mail and the Sun, are some of the biggest offenders. Both sites have gone on to consistently criticize the couple—especially Meghan. Many of their articles seen under the Meghan Markle category focus more on the former Duke and Duchess’ lifestyles—mainly criticism—rather than updates on their work or other important news. BBC News, on the other hand, publishes more objective pieces about the matter. 

The amount criticism that Meghan and Harry have both received since they got married in May 2018 is extremely high compared to that of William and Kate. According to the British news media outlet Independent, Meghan has been receiving “more than twice as much negative press as the Duchess of Cambridge”. In many instances, what reporters positively acknowledge Kate for doing causes Meghan to receive harsh words from much of the press. Whether it is how they both dress, how they choose to travel, or what they do or say, it is very clear that the media—especially in the UK—heavily favors Kate over Meghan for quite honestly no valid reason.  

Meghan seems to be a strong, independent woman who can hold her own as if it was second nature and does not depend on Harry to lead the way. She also is an advocate for women empowerment and gender equality all over the world, as well as being a global ambassador for World Vision Canada Although Harry hasn’t received as much negative press as Meghan has, he still saw himself in the wrong side of the spotlight in British media. She also has a husband who genuinely loves and supports her and her endeavors, which is just as important. 

However, this doesn’t mean that Harry is immune to negative press. The same news sources that consistently have been crucifying Meghan have also labelled Harry as an alleged victim of Meghan’s “negative” influence and has allegedly been selfish and mistreating many of his assistants, as reported in multiple British tabloids. In addition, British tabloids have had their fun with the strained relationship between Harry and William, with Harry being the obvious scapegoat, further blaming Meghan and other factors for this situation. 

Some believe the causes of Harry and Meghan’s negative press may be due to Meghan’s personality, as Meghan has more of a bold, fierce, and passionate personality than, for example, Kate does. According to many of the British news outlets and tabloids, that type of personality does not exactly fit into royal standards. Other people believe that the causes may be rooted from racism, sexism, and a conservative mindset rather than one open to change. All these causes are valid and contribute to why it is beneficial for Meghan and Harry to remove themselves from the toxic environment that is both the royal family and the British news media.