Invalidations of Meghan’s claims hurt Black women

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s TV interview reverberates internationally, it’s left the more than 50 million viewers grappling with the couple’s claims of racism and lack of support that Meghan says drove her to thoughts of suicide.

But for many Black women worldwide, the headlines and social media discussions were painfully familiar. With social media conversations questioning whether racism affected Meghan’s treatment by the British press and royal family, many Black women say it is yet another example of a Black woman’s experiences with racism being disregarded and denied.

“White supremacy seeks to isolate you, make you feel like no one is listening and no one is supporting you. It uses that as a tool to keep in power,” said Gaye Theresa Johnson, associate professor in the Department of African American Studies at UCLA. “And so when you aren’t validated in your feelings or feel supported, that does real harm.”

Meghan, the daughter of a white father and a Black mother, said that when she was pregnant with her son Archie, a member of the royal family expressed “concerns … about how dark his skin might be.” The former television star also said she sought mental health help through the palace’s human resources department but was told there was nothing it could do.

Almost as soon as the interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, many were quick to deny Meghan’s allegations of racism. The New York Post published a column titled, “Meghan Markle’s interview was full of bull.” British television host Piers Morgan quit his job on “Good Morning Britain” after facing backlash for saying on air that Meghan lied about suffering suicidal thoughts in what he called a “two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family.”