“Were you silent or were you silenced?” The clip of Oprah Winfrey asking Meghan Markle these famous words during their sensational 2021 interview may have entered the meme canon, but its meaning continues to resonate today. While reports of the royal family “in turmoil” may be exaggerated, there’s no disputing the impact felt by the release of Harry and Meghan, a six-part Netflix series aimed at telling the couples’ side of the story following their decision to step down from royal duties in 2020.
Revelations include Prince Harry recalling the “terrifying” way his brother Prince William “screamed and shouted” at him during a tense meeting in 2020; the discovery that the Queen’s office may have leaked plans for Harry and Meghan’s move to South Africa in 2019; and Meghan expressing “surprise” at the formality with which the royals conduct themselves – even behind closed doors. Amid a culture of silence and the notorious “don’t complain, don’t explain” edict apparently enforced on serving royals, the opportunity for individuals to articulate their views is limited in the extreme, driving some members of the royal family to comminicate using a sartorial message instead.
