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Power couple

Meghan and Harry are very busy these days taking part in video calls and now announcing that they will be hosting a special edition of the Time 100 Talk of the State of Our Shared Digital Experience on October 20. Ok, but what does that mean? Essentially, Meghan and Harry have established themselves in the top tier of the social and political echelons of politicians and socialites promoting their ideals for a better future for America and the world. Along, side by side with the Obamas and UN general secretary António Guterres, Meghan and Harry have now reached the top. Learn more about the Time100 Talk here.

Relaxed

To mark this new step, the power couple has released three new pictures of themselves. The black-and-white images echo the business character of their new project. Meghan and Harry both wear business attire underlining the seriousness of the meeting. Yet, the images also portray a relaxed and confident couple that also seems to be quite relieved in what they are doing these days. Especially Meghan oozes a new-found happiness after the trials and tribulations of the past months and years. The image of her looking sideways seems to capture the spur of her current state of mind: Freedom from royal constraints and an embracing look into a future that she can finally determine herself again. Also Prince Harry looks settled and relaxed. He seems to have left the boyish charm behind him and looks more grown up now. At Meghan’s side he has transformed into a man with an own agenda. Gone are the days in which Harry would play the clown for photographers. He is about to host top and renowned politicians from around the globe.

Message

Let’s have a closer look at what is behind those pictures. The message is certainly to show the die-hard critics of Meghan and Harry that they are happy in the United States. More even: Meghan and Harry want the world to know that it was definitely the right decision to step down as senior royals at the beginning of the year in order to gain more independence and freedom from “the institution” – as the Royal Court is also being referred to. Here we see a couple that will not silently retreat and hang their heads in shame. On the contrary: Meghan and Harry are full speed ahead in their agendas helping building a better society. With these images it appears that they are celebrating their independence form the constraints of the royal court. When they were still part of the royal family, Harry and Meghan had to follow the royal protocol which dictated them how to dress, act and move in public. For a newcomer like Meghan, most of these rules probably didn’t make any sense whatsoever and were therefore very hard to abide by. Today, she can do as she pleases without having to consult royal courtiers and be limited in her actions.

Independence

Also, Meghan and Harry are indeed now their own “entities” as William has been rumored to have said earlier this year. When news broke of Meghan and Harry stepping down in January this year, William was alleged to have said that he and his brother Harry are now separate entities. These words were widely viewed as William breaking with his younger brother. What we see today is exactly that. The difference being though, that this time it is Meghan and Harry who are affirmative about that. They carry on with their program and their numerous meetings, seemingly not looking back and not regretting their withdrawal from the royal family. One can only speculate about what went on behind the scenes, but it becomes ever more evident that Meghan and Harry didn’t want to be reduced in playing the second fiddle behind William and Catherine. With William being the second in line to the British throne, Harry’s role has always been the side-kick. After the birth of William and Catherine’s three children George, Charlotte and Louis, Harry is currently ranking 6th in line to the throne with little to no chance of ever becoming king. Both, Meghan and Harry, must have had many discussions about their roles within the Royal Family. Shall it be supportive (like so many royals had done so before them) or shall they set their own goals and determine their own agendas? At the beginning of this year and after a lot of hatred from the predominantly British press, the couple have announced to step back from their senior roles within the royal family. This was hitherto unheard of and sent shockwaves through the institution! But for Meghan and Harry it was freeing themselves from the shackles of a dusty and old institution that would always keep them and their interests at bay in favor of William and Catherine’s agendas.

A (new) man

Looking at Harry’s new images we can’t help but wonder what transformation Harry has undergone in the past two years. Harry has always been the clown of the family. In numerous photographs from the past he ran, jumped and grimaced in front of TV and photo journalists. In 2005, he sparked a scandal when he showed up in a Nazi costume to a friend’s party (he later publicly apologized for that). One year earlier, Harry was involved in a ruffle with photographers who were waiting for him outside a London nightclub for some lurid paparazzi shots. William was always the more serious one of the two brothers. Harry knew that he wasn’t destined for the throne but lacked guidance and support for his future role within the institution. Later he was able to channel his energy and sorrow over his mother’s early death by joining the British army for two tours to Afghanistan. After that he launched his successful Invictus Games for handicapped army veterans. Then he met Meghan who up to this day was very supportive of this positive development. Harry is now all grown up, equally supporting his wife with her new projects – like hosting the Time 100 special edition. Meghan, it seems, has had a very positive impact on Harry’s development. She appears to have given him the self-confidence he sometimes so desperately lacked. Before he met Meghan, Harry was often the third wheel next to William and Catherine. Harry surely must have longed to have a partner, a wife with whom he could enter the next phase of his adult life: Being a husband and father and a new as well as independent man.

Not everyone is amused

Surely, the royal family is keeping close tabs on Meghan and Harry. There are two main reasons for this. First, the royal courtiers want to make sure that Meghan and Harry don’t do anything that might tamper with the reputation of the royal family itself. Meghan and Harry did that a few weeks ago, when they indirectly endorsed the Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in his bid for the White House. The British Court published a statement that the royal family has always been politically neutral and that they intended to remain so. This was considered to be a warning shot from Buckingham Palace. On another level, this statement has deepened the trenches between the Sussexes and the Palace even further. Meghan and Harry had infuriated the palace against them. The second reason for why the court might not be amused by Meghan and Harry’s hectic schedule is that it puts pressure on William and Catherine to keep up with that. The notion is certainly that it must be avoided at all costs that William and Catherine look idle next to Meghan and Harry. And indeed, we see some evidence of that in action. William and Catherine are much busier these days than they had been before! There is always the fear of William and Catherine getting eclipsed by the new power couple in the US. Read more about the pressure that is piling up here.