I have an American friend in London who rolls her eyes and grits her teeth every time the name Meghan Markle comes up in conversation, which is more or less all the time now.
It鈥檚 a release, I suppose, from the gloominess of Brexit, Trump, Putin, Russian spies, and Syrian mass murder. All depressing compared to a royal wedding.
A small royal wedding, indicative of Harry鈥檚 rank in the family these days. He used to be known as 鈥渢he spare,鈥� but is now so far down the line of succession, he鈥檚 like a side dish on a menu.
That鈥檚 maybe not fair, when you consider the bride-to-be, who could be described as the catch-of-the- day. Bi-racial American beauty wearing killer pumps and Hollywood lip gloss. Harry the prince suddenly became HARRY!
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing I feel quite passionate about,鈥� says my friend, deadpan serious. 鈥淭here鈥檚 something about her that doesn鈥檛 feel authentic.鈥�
It鈥檚 a minority opinion for sure; the palace image makers are working overtime.
Meghan is everywhere. Here鈥檚 a recent sample of British headlines:
Her arrival on the scene has been met with nothing less than a new book by Andrew Morton, who blasted into fame 26 years ago with his sensational bestseller on Harry鈥檚 mother: "Diana: Her True Story鈥擨n Her Own Words".
Morton is back with "MEGHAN, A Hollywood Princess". If you do buy it, or borrow it, go directly to the pictures, and there you will find Meghan and her friend Ninaki on a summer trip to Europe posing in front of Buckingham Palace. 鈥淧rescient鈥� says the cutline.
Morton is more or less nice to Meghan. I think he likes her, but then it鈥檚 that kind of book.
鈥淵ou know what surprised me the most about Meghan?鈥� he says, during a round of promotional interviews, which meant sitting in a TV studio answering the same questions over and over. 鈥淚t was the activism in her early life.鈥�
鈥淪he was organizing demonstrations about the Gulf War in her schoolyard when she was aged 10.鈥� He speaks in proper sentences. 鈥淢any of her friends thought she was going to be a lawyer or a diplomat, or a politician.鈥�
She settled for being a princess. Ah, but what a princess.
A princess who stands up to the 鈥渕ean girls鈥� at school, who volunteers at a soup kitchen on Skid Row in Los Angeles, who fits neither into white America nor black America, who endures years of 鈥済oing to endless auditions in a clapped out old car, being told you鈥檙e the wrong face, color, creed, whatever.鈥�
And then at the age of 30, she makes it in TV-land and soars to prominence.
鈥淵ou could argue, just under the wire,鈥� says Morton.
Meghan gets married, Meghan becomes a star, Meghan moves to Canada, Meghan ditches her husband; Meghan returns her wedding and engagement ring by registered mail.
鈥淗er friends were astonished,鈥� says Morton. 鈥淏olt out of the blue was the common description when the marriage of two years ended.鈥�
In the book, he adds a little more tittle-tattle about success and the Meghan 鈥渃hill,鈥� as he called it. 鈥淪he no longer had the time for friends she had known for years.鈥�
Morton is not just another royal biographer. He has written books on Tom Cruise (unauthorized), Angelina Jolie (unauthorized), Madonna and Monica Lewinsky. In his early days before Diana fame, he was a royal stringer for Canada AM.
Conveniently, he spends part of the year in Pasadena, California, his wife鈥檚 home town. And where is Pasadena? Very close to Los Angeles.
鈥淧asadena was basically Meghan Markle central,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he went to school nearby. Her drama teacher lived nearby, boyfriends, fellow pupils.鈥�
And Pasadena is where she went to practice drinking tea at Rose Tree Cottage. Page 231: 鈥淚t is where Meghan learned to crook her finger as she held her cup and saucer and sipped Earl Grey.鈥� It has to be the best story in the book.
鈥淭hat was good preparation for a very significant moment,鈥� says Morton鈥攖he day Meghan Markle, 鈥渨ithout any script, without any second takes,鈥� went for tea with her majesty the Queen of England.
We know how that worked out.
鈥淎nd she gave Prince Harry permission to marry a divorced, bi-racial American actress, quite an extraordinary transformation in the House of Windsor.鈥�
And a last question for Morton. How does a divorced bi-racial American actress take tea with the Queen?
鈥淐arefully,鈥� he says. 鈥淒on鈥檛 spill.鈥�
Practice helps.
