Huge Enthusiastic Crowds for Harry and Meghan in Australia Belie the Media Narrative
After weeks of media narratives claiming Australia didn’t want Harry and Meghan, reality has slapped the hate click media in the face again.
After weeks of media narratives claiming Australia didn’t want them, reality has slapped the hate click media in the face again.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan just completed a Diana-esque tour of Australia, and not because it was glamorous, although it was, but because they connected with people in authentic ways, sharing their own vulnerabilities and spreading hope.
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They drew crowds at every turn.
“Harry and Meghan have just wrapped up their whirlwind visit to Melbourne flying out after a final day with fans. From an unannounced Yarra walk to a summit focusing on mental health, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex drew crowds at every turn,” Australia’s channel 7 @paul_dowsley reported.
The couple, who have been villainized by a media machine that rarely admits many of the organizations reporting so negatively have been sued by Harry and one time by Meghan, have chosen to continue the service work that attracted them to each other in the first place — work Meghan was doing before she met Harry.
But as with Princess Diana, aka “the People’s Princess”, this is not about worshiping celebrities; it’s about people who use their privilege to put something good into the world.
Princess Diana wasn’t perfect, and neither are Harry and Meghan. It’s those shared human frailties combined with authentic charisma that comes from actual interest in other people that make them so compelling.
Like Diana, they have chosen to leave the protected institution of the royal family, and have continued with the work that matters to them even in the face of threats, harassment, trolling, and nonstop hate.
After her divorce from then Prince Charles, Diana intensified her focus on humanitarian efforts, becoming a passionate advocate for the vulnerable. Some of her key initiatives included high-profile campaigns against landmines in Angola and Bosnia and championing HIV/AIDS awareness by destigmatizing contact with patients.
People reported on Harry and Meghan’s visit to a local children’s hospital:
On April 14, after touching down in Melbourne in the early morning hours, local time, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex kicked off their visit to Australia with a stop at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.
There, they were welcomed by hundreds of patients, their families and staff, who lined up, filled balconies and watched from office windows.
…
“Look around and you can see the crowds of people, the smiles on their faces and what it means to them. Everyone is absolutely delighted.”
Professor Christie Kilpatrick AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) who serves as Board Chair of The Royal Children’s Hospital told PEOPLE. “You can’t measure the morale boost, but it is palpable. Many of these patients have been here for quite some time and are often very frequent visitors to the hospital, a joy like this is wonderful for them.”
People linked their trip to Princess Diana, saying they were following in her footsteps in terms of their itinerary because Diana and Charles had visited the same hospital.
But the “world’s biggest couple” did more than that. They followed in her footsteps in sharing their individual struggles and pain in an effort to help others feel less alone and to inspire them that they can get through tough times.
Opening Up
After giving a speech to business leaders, Prince Harry about how his mother’s death just before his 13th birthday made him realize he didn’t want the role that killed his mother.
“After my mum died just before my 13th birthday – I was like: ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role – wherever this is headed, I don’t like it.” LBC reported that Harry told the crowd, “It killed my mum, and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.”
“Eventually I realized – well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?
“And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective.”
Vulnerability and Authenticity
