The Collapse of the Crown: Will the Royals Last?

After the split of Harry and Meghan from the royal family, a debate has sparked as to whether the royal family will last. Of course, America’s interest in the spectacles and scandals involving the royals has continued. Personally, I admit I did not understand the interest in the British royal family. After all, this is America. Our nation split from the Brits. What does it matter who marries who or what color dress the duchess wore to tea? 

However, after considering what might result from dissolving the royal family, I realized that they do hold some importance. The crown has been constant, lasting more than 1,000 years. Queen Elizabeth II is symbolic of the nation; she is like a piece of history. The royal family embodies a nation that we separated from not long ago. When I look at it from that perspective, it does not seem all that strange that America is still invested in the story of the royals.

The position and existence of the royal family is growing more unstable. Recently, the media surrounding Harry and Meghan’s split from the family is causing a stir. They are voicing their experiences of being in the royal family, and from their perspective, it isn’t a pretty picture. There are two main complaints they have voiced: the royal family is racist and the royals are actually weak, trapped in their roles as public figures.

Most notable was Meghan’s interview with Oprah, which provided a clearer view on the Sussexes’ view of the situation. Her responses raised questions about issues of race and privilege within the royals. People have taken different stances on this issue. The couple will not name who was involved in these issues, but Harry did say that they do not concern the queen or her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The second issue raised by Meghan in the interview is the transition into public life. Her statements seem to reveal that she was not prepared for being all that a royal entailed. It’s not exactly surprising that being a public figure isn’t as glamorous as it seems. The role comes with responsibilities, a lack of privacy and putting your duty above everything else. 

Harry and Meghan were hurt by being cut off financially in January. However, to me, it seems perfectly reasonable that the royal family cut them off. Being royal is a job, a job that they did not want to do. The Sussexes seem to be doing just fine in America anyways, as they have signed major deals with Spotify and Netflix.

In Britain, the royal family has mostly gone quiet. The queen released only a four-sentence statement as a response to Meghan’s interview with Oprah. The majority of people in the UK still hold a popular opinion of the queen, so it seems unlikely that the monarchy will be abolished, though this event has shed some light on instability inside the family. Nigel Cawthorne, an author of numerous books about the royals, stated to Insider magazine that the monarchy will be “severely damaged in the long term” by these events. I think the damage will be apparent when the queen leaves the crown to Prince Charles and when it eventually passes to Prince William.

The queen is the cornerstone of the royals. She has maintained elegance and grace through all the hardships, such as the death of her father, the tragedy of Diana and the split of Harry and Meghan from the family. It will be interesting to see how the royals manage without her. While Charles will probably be strong enough to hold onto the crown, it will be interesting to see how William manages it.

Sierra Lastine is a sophomore

English literature major from

Grand Junction, Colo.