How Meghan Markle stacks up against the women in the Royal Family

How does Meghan stack up against the other women in the Royal Family?

At the moment she has very low popularity ratings, both in the U.S. and the UK. Her much-vaunted life away from royalty has only spelt failure.

Meghan will have very little impact in the story of the Windsors, but even her minute influence is overwhelmingly negative. Her ham fisted attempts at fame have only highlighted how lucky the royal family is to have the late Queen Elizabeth, the Princess Royal, Sophie, and Catherine.

Here’s how I think Meghan will stack up against the other royal ladies.

Wallis Simpson - bold, ostracised, impeccably stylish

Wallis forever altered the path of the British monarchy when Edward VIII chose to abdicate the throne to marry her. Without her it’s likely that we would not have had Elizabeth and her heirs on the throne.

Subsequently, the Duchess of Windsor was despised by the rest of the royal family. Her reputation as a Nazi sympathiser also tainted her memory. Still, her role in changing the line of succession, and her impeccable sartorial style, has ensured that Wallis has a lasting place in history.

Meghan has often been compared to Wallis, as both are divorced Americans who caused their husbands to abandon their royal careers. However, since Meghan married someone who’s destined to be the spare anyway, her impact on the course of history is negligible.

Queen Elizabeth II - diplomatic, dutiful, enduring

Even after her death, QEII still ranks as one of the most popular royals. Her commitment to her duty, and her quiet diplomacy, made her a much loved and respected Queen.

QEII guided the Firm through tumultuous times - from the post war years to the social media age. Yet she managed to preserve the British royal family through her steadfast commitment to her role as matriarch and monarch.

Meghan didn’t even last two years working as a royal. Could she and Harry build up their own “royal court” in America? Doubtful. Meghan is a divisive figure. She tears down rather than builds up.

She is so hungry for attention that she says and does things that alienates people. QEII was a diplomatic leader whose maxim, “never complain, never explain,” defined her rule, and made her a much loved figure.

Princess Margaret - glamorous, spoilt, ultimately tragic

Margaret was viewed with sympathy after she was not permitted to marry Peter Townsend. However, it was her inability to give up the trappings of royal life which determined many of her choices. Her hedonism, preference for young men, and haughty behaviour eventually led to her loss of popularity.

While Margaret had little impact on the British monarchy, she is most remembered as a tragic figure - a glamorous princess who was denied the love of her life.

By comparison, Meghan’s love story is hardly compelling. She keeps grinding it into the public consciousness - always holding hands with Harry, talking about their “unique” bond, and emphasising that he left the family for her. In light of her overwhelming selfishness and greed for money, it seems less like a love story and more like a social climbing exercise.

Queen Camilla - despised, down to earth, low key

Camilla was viewed as the villain in the story of the Windsors - the “other woman” who destroyed a marriage and hurt the “people’s princess”. She was always compared unfavourably to Diana, even though the latter was hardly perfect.

Through years of quiet work behind the scenes, Camilla has turned her image around. Many applaud her down-to-earth nature and keen commitment to multiple charities. She’s shown that she is the supportive partner whom Charles needs the most.

In contrast, Meg can’t stay in the background, always pushing ahead of Harry. When Harry speaks, Meghan stares at him with disdain. Ultimately, her constant emasculation of Harry will lead to both their downfalls because her fortunes depend on him.

Princess Anne - athletic, no-nonsense, hardworking

Princess Anne has never suffered fools gladly, nor has she courted the British media. This has resulted in little coverage of her royal charities. In her early years, there was more focus on her love for horseback riding and her tumultuous first marriage.

Still, Anne has proven to be the most hardworking Royal, outnumbering the rest of her family with the amount of royal engagements.

In keeping with her no-nonsense attitude towards life, Anne refused titles for her children.

She is the polar opposite of Meghan, who spent only seventy-two days as a working royal (despite her boasts about her work ethic) and clung to titles for Archie and Lili.

Anne’s children are successful individuals, proving that one can have the best of both worlds without formal titles. It remains to be seen if Meghan can similarly guide both her kids. Given her hunger for fame and riches, some fear that Meghan’s children - whose existence is viewed with suspicion due to her and Harry’s extreme paranoia - will be used as a means to an end.

Sarah, Duchess of York - quirky, controversial, enterprising

Sarah - or Fergie, as she’s popularly known - has courted controversy ever since her marriage to Prince Andrew. She was never forgiven by the royal family after she embarrassed them by being photographed topless and enjoying some toe sucking from a lover.

Fergie has fallen into one scandal after another. She’s peddled her influence within the royal family and then later gave an interview with Oprah. She’s always busy trying to make money off her title, one way or another. In this aspect, she’s not so different from Meghan.

Still, Fergie has not severed her connections outright, and is being slowly welcomed back into the royal fold. It’s doubtful that the same will happen with Meghan.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh - ordinary, practical, adaptable

Many have lauded Sophie for being “normal”. She and Edward provided the family with an image of stability, especially after Edward’s siblings had messy divorces.

Sophie made her own mistakes early on, after being “entrapped” by a fake client and recorded as criticising the royal family.

She quickly learned though, and quit her PR business to devote time to the Firm. Sophie realised that there would always be a conflict of interest and chose to be loyal to the family.

Meghan has shown no such adaptability, making the same mistakes over and over again. It either shows an ego unwilling to admit fault, or a lack of intelligence.

While the terms “ordinary”, “practical” and “adaptable” might not seem complimentary, these are the exact qualities which make Sophie an asset to the family. These traits form the supportive pillars on which rest the values and traditions of the royal family.

Sophie has passed on these characteristics to her two children, Louise and James. She makes smart decisions for herself and her family, proving that she lives up to her name (which means “wisdom”) - a quality that Meghan sorely lacks.

Catherine, Princess of Wales - accomplished, uncomplaining, beloved

Catherine was the first royal wife to have a university degree, which caused many to lament why she abandoned a potential career to instead become a wife and mother.

She understood all too well the demands required of being part of the Windsor dynasty. She knew she had to give up a lot of things - her privacy, her agency, and her individuality. As a princess and future Queen, she belongs to the people and represents the best of the UK. As a high-profile public figure, she has to be perfect at all times, and bear both praise and mockery.

Yet she never relinquished her own identity - instead melding it with her public persona - keeping parts of herself hidden away, only for closest friends and family to see.

This was what Meghan never grasped. Meghan only saw the titles, the glittery gowns, the glamour, and the accolades. She did not want the boring duties nor the criticism. And she complained. A lot.

No one likes a whiner. This is why Catherine is beloved and Meghan is not. Catherine remains resolutely focused on her family despite public gossip.

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It’s a pity that Meghan chose to be selfish. Queen Elizabeth offered Meghan patronages to the arts and a leadership role in her beloved Commonwealth. Meghan could have been a global force for good and not just a would-be influencer. She had the platform to change thousands of lives. Instead, she chose to be a campy Hollywood celebrity. This shows that Meghan has no concept of making a lasting impact. She’s only in it for short term gains. This is why she no longer has any place in the history books of the Royal family - except perhaps as a cautionary tale.