PRINCESS ACTRESS: Grace Kelly, Meghan Markle, Double Standards, and Royalty as "Cinema" by Paris Sewell

Why do we treat the real lives of people who marry into royal families like cinematic dramas we can enjoy and comment on without consequence? Why do the royals of the near past and current moment seem so analogous to actors who rise then crash and burn? A look at two cases that literally involve actresses marrying into royal families-Grace Kelly in the 1950’s and Meghan Markle in the 2000’s-show the double standards that apply in how we consume real grief and suffering as entertainment.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry did not shy from public attention and scrutiny. The recent expose interview with Oprah has shaken the world by storm. Social media was ecstatic to see Meghan’s side of the story after years of slander printed on British tabloids. She revealed heartbreaking stories involving racism and suicide. The Royal Family were not shy to attack her relentlessly due to her ethnicity. She disclosed that they were concerned for the darkness of her son’s skin tone and did not want him to have a title. Honestly, I can very much see it because the Royal Family seem very traditional. Meghan is the black sheep (no pun intended): she is ethnically different, she is American, and has no ties to royal bloodline. Because of this, they probably think that she is not good enough for Prince Harry and turn their noses. Being the first African American princess in the Royal family, she can’t help but stand out.

As someone who is not invested in the royal family, I truly feel so horrible for her. I never understood why she was subjected to harsh criticism and hate as opposed to Princess Kate, for example.  Over the years, I have noticed that Meghan was painted out to be a villain in her narrative. A love story like hers deserves to be celebrated. However, she is seen as a gold digger, a manipulator, and annoying due to her feminist views. In a 2020 interview, Meghan also divulged that the royal family did nothing to correct the tabloids. These images of her really ruined her reputation and it is insulting. It is one thing to ignore a petty rumor or scandal, however, when it is damaging, I think the family should have cleared the air or allowed her to share her side of the story. Their silence caused their downfall. 

Seeing the recent British royal drama got me thinking. Was Meghan the only one subjected to harsh criticism by the tabloids? Similar to her story, Grace Kelly, another American actress, dropped her lifestyle to join the royal family of Monaco. Kelly is a classic Hollywood icon, featured in movies such as Rear Window, M is for Murder, High Noon, To Catch a Thief , and High Society. She caught the eye of Prince Rainier III, became the Princess of Monaco, and ended her acting career never to appear in another movie. She got married in April 1956. She remained in the royal court until her untimely passing on September 14, 1982. Oddly enough, her death is eerily similar to Princess Diana; both died by car accident injuries. 

Meghan Markle, also an actress, did not have a major impact in the movie industry. She was in Suits, 90210, and Horrible Bosses. She was introduced to Prince Harry through a friend and they fell in love. She became the Duchess of Sussex in 2018. Being the first of her kind, she is the first mixed race woman to be in the royal court. Along with that, her and Harry made history by stepping out of the royal family in January 2020. Both quit their acting jobs once becoming princess and duchess, respectively. “Kelly dramatically gave up her career as an actress in order to step into the new role of princess. "One of the reasons I believe you're marrying this man is because this is the best script that you ever received in your life. You will be a star for years to come," she was told by her friend the fashion designer Oleg Cassini” (Molony). Apparently, the court did not feel it was morally acceptable for Grace to be kissing male co-workers in romance movies as it was not fit for a princess. (Nicholson). 

Some differences between the two are their statuses and how they went about their destinies. Meghan was a C-list actress as opposed to Grace, whom was in all-time classic Hollywood successful movies. Some could feel that Meghan marrying Prince Harry was for financial gain. Both Grace and Meghan were not happy in the royal family.

Women in the 1950s did not have much of a voice as they do now. “It wasn't the simple happy ever after she'd hoped for, however. Once the wedding was over, it's seems unlikely that Kelly found true happiness in Monaco. According to Judith Balaban Quine, the role she had taken on was to be more difficult than "any day on a movie set, and she would be called upon to create more illusion that she had as an actress" (Mohony).

Meghan left. It was a huge controversy when it happened as it was the first of its kind. I am sure haters claim she manipulated Harry to leave his family. Social media has been a housing outlet for negativity and hatred. So many users can hide behind a screen and hurl insults without repercussions. 

I decided to turn to Reddit for public opinion between the two. Some users noted that Grace exuded more grace and elegance than Meghan. Grace is the epitome of classic Hollywood beauty. Meghan might not share the same feat. Secondly, the British court does not want Hollywood invading them unlike Monaco. Prince Rainier wanted to insert Hollywood glamour into the court, hence wanting to find an actress to become his wife. England, however, is fine as it is and “didn’t want flash and glamour, that’s what Hollywood’s for. Their Royal family is supposed to be classy and high society all the way” (Reddit). Lastly, the 1950’s was a time of romance and fairy tale love. Grace being married to the prince was a real-life Cinderella story viewed with rose colored glasses. The modern generation is a lot more cynical. 

This Oprah interview opened a lot of eyes to the lies and toxicity brewing in the royal family. I am glad that her and Harry got a chance to clear the air about their experiences. I have seen massive support for her, and I love to see it. It breaks my heart to see the hypocrisy between her and Kate. I have seen newspaper postings of the tabloids tearing her down to shreds and it is terrorizing. Harry and Meghan deserve the absolute best. They are humans at the end of the day. I think a lot of people forget that they are human too and view them as targets for hate. There is so much pressure to be a celebrity and I am sure it is even more when you are a part of the royal court. It may look glitz and glamour in public but behind closed doors tells another dark story. 

Paris Sewell is a recent graduate of Cal State Northridge and a new member on the Secret Movie Club team. She will from time to time be writing pieces on the intersection of cinema, pop culture, and current society.

You can follow Paris @parishatesyouxo on Instagram and @blkspicegurl on twitter.

Works Cited: 

Lyall, Sarah, and Tariro Mzezewa. “What We Learned From Meghan and Harry's Interview.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/world/europe/recap-of-harry-meghan-oprah-interview.html. 

Molony, Julia. “Marriage, Scandal and Heartbreak in Monaco's Royal Family - the Legend of the Grimaldi Curse.” Independent, 22 Apr. 2019, www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-features/marriage-scandal-and-heartbreak-in-monacos-royal-family-the-legend-of-the-grimaldi-curse-38032531.html. 

Nicholson, Kate. “Meghan Markle Warning: Why Duchess 'Must Not Repeat Grace Kelly's Mistake'.” Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk, 25 Mar. 2020, www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1259961/meghan-markle-news-grace-kelly-megxit-prince-harry-acting-hollywood-spt.