DEAR MEGHAN & HARRY
BEST WISHES SIMON, ELVIANNA AND FAMILY
Firstly, Elvianna, the family and I would like to congratulate you on this brave and exciting new direction and wish you every success with your future plans. We sympathise with and understand fully why you have both decided to take these steps, and we strongly believe you have done the right thing for you, your wife Meghan, your son Archie Harrison and your relationship. I personally admire the courage and fortitude it took to take the actions you have whilst facing the personal assaults that you’ve endured.
As I stated in our previous communication via New Idea, being in a cross-cultural relationship is never easy and I don’t think for one minute either Meghan or yourself quite expected the treatment you received. It was hard to watch and not defend and both my wife and I compliment Meghan and yourself for the manner in which you have weathered the storm. Personally, we understand and respect the struggle Meghan has faced in her journey just to succeed at university, follow her dreams to be a successful actress and escape the crab pot that could have too easily dragged her back before meeting you. For years I have witnessed the pain [that] similar actions, statements and disrespect have had upon my wife, Elvianna, and we can truly relate.
Facing discrimination and vilification is never a pleasant ordeal and I am sure you have learnt much from this experience, and this will inform your decisions in future years to come.
When the ‘Four Generations of Royals’ photo was released, I immediately thought of you and how it would make you feel. Christmas is a time for all the family to be together, and being the first with your wife and son, I feel it would have been more appropriate to have an inclusive family portrait − I can imagine how this image left you feeling excluded at such a special time as it did for me.
From a Commonwealth perspective, I am also delighted that you have chosen Canada for your place of residence, and as Dr Elvianna and I have learnt from travelling around Australia, you
will witness and hear much that you wouldn’t have from the UK; some of which you won’t believe until you see it. You never really know how a place works, or doesn’t work, until you reside there for a while and experience the whole package. This can only benefit the people of Canada and yourself and I am sure you will be greeted with much respect and acceptance by the people of Canada wherever you go.
The UK will always be my home, too, and whilst I’ve been away from Portsmouth for many years, it never leaves my mind, and I understand the homesickness you will endure. Thankfully these days we have the internet and social media to keep across our home country’s daily activities. This is at least some comfort!
We wish you a prosperous and successful 2020, and hopefully this year we will finally get to meet. Safe journey and may God bless and protect you and your family.
• New Idea has made a donation to NSW Rural Fire Service on Simon’s behalf