But this sense of “they are like us only” goes only so far. Harry’s naivety is rooted in a unique kind of warped privilege, a gilded cage always under the spotlight. But that spotlight is part of the “job” and the royal reality TV circus stops Britons from asking why, even as public healthcare and housing crumble, they are subsidising a family. Meghan, who had some minor successes in Hollywood, should have known that good content thrives on conflict: People watch when there is drama.
The couple’s detractors will claim that the “return” is like a new season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. That the spotlight will become brighter if there’s family drama in the UK. That’s a bit mean-spirited. Their fame and recent dip in fortunes do not preclude genuinely emotional reasons for going back. And, like most people, royals can probably lie to themselves about why they do what they do.
