Duchess Meghan Markle of Sussex is Back with a New Lifestyle Series on Netflix. And Social Media Proves Once Again How Divided Sentiments Are When It Comes to the Sussex Royal Brand.
The New Year is off to a challenging start with the domestic terrorism attacks in New Orleans and a bomb explosion in a Tesla at a Trump property. The passing of America’s 39th President Jimmy Carter has also cast a shadow on the start of this new Year.
As we leave 2024 behind and enter into this new season, we could all use an extra dose of grace, good cooking, laughter, joy and good manners. And NETFLIX as ever does not disappoint, Enter the Duchess of Sussex, also known as Princess Meghan, wife of the 6th in line to the British Throne, Prince Harry of Wales.
The Duchess, who has been the subject of much public and media scorn in the UK, made her return to social media public on New Year’s Day with a short black and white video shot by none other than Prince Harry himself. I for one, believe that there are lessons to be learned from her seven year hiatus from social media, as well as her triumphant return to instagram, and to Netflix with a new series that reminds her fans of her former lifestyle food BLOG “The TIG”.
I have been following Meghan’s rise as a successful millennial bi-racial woman, turned actress, and media power broker since she was a star on the hit TV series, “Suits” and, of course, once she began dating and ultimately married Princess Diana’s baby boy, Prince Harry. Like many women of color, I am proud of her global impact and celebrity, but I am deeply disappointed with how she has been treated by the Royal Family and the British media. Not to mention the horrible comments and smears leveled against Markle daily on social media. It has been non-stop since she married Prince Harry in 2018.
Although I am more than a decade Markle’s senior, I have learned a lot from her on how to handle your business rivals, personal detractors, and yes, even your downright “haters” too. Here are five (5) life lessons in grace and resilience that I think we can all take to heart from Meghan as we start 2025:
1.) Practice the Power of the Pause: Meghan took a seven year social media hiatus from Instagram. She backed up so she could catch her breath. Regain her perspective. And get on firm footing with her family and finances.
2.) Move in Secret—Launch in Public: Never let people know what you are up to until you are finished with the vision, and the planning in secret. Then and only then do you let people see the finished product, or watch you celebrate the win.
3.) Regain Your Strength-Lean into Love & Healing: Meghan and Harry left a very toxic environment in the UK. The moved where they had support and great opportunity in the US. And they leaned into one another despite the uproar, attacks and barbs thrown against them.
4.) Do Not Dim Your Light: Meghan knows full well her power. She also knows that she is a lightening rod for haters and people who want to pit her against Princess Catherine of Wales. And yet, she does not shrink from telling her truth, building her brand, and gleefully spreading her light around the globe. Princess Diana would be proud.
5.) Come Back Bigger than Ever: Harry and Meghan have each in their own ways taken the world by storm. Harry’s book “Spare” broke records in publishing dating back to the publication of the King James Bible. And Meghan, answered her critics and haters not with equal acrimony, but by spreading light and love on the world’s biggest streaming platform, Netflix. As one of my mentors told me: “Success is the best revenge.”
These five lessons are just a few we can glean from the Duchess of Sussex. But they are powerful real life examples of powerful 21st century women living their best lives, by being true to themselves, and regardless of the noise of our modern world, dare to inspire others to do the same.