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Meghan Markle's long awaited Netflix documentary series made its debut this month, providing a behind-the-scenes look at her whirlwind romance with Prince Harry. However, many of her claims in the docuseries have been roundly criticized as implausible or self-serving by Royal experts and the public alike.
Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising anecdote was Meghan recounting an encounter on a flight from Canada to London shortly after deciding to step back from royal duties. She tearfully describes how an unknown crew member came to her seat, removed his hat, and thanked her tearfully for her service to his country.
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The notion that a crew member would abandon his duties mid-flight to deliver such an effusive personal statement is met with widespread skepticism. Airline crews are strictly regulated and would never leave the cockpit unattended. Furthermore, Meghan had no official role or duties within Canada at that time to merit such praise. Many see it as a manufactured story to paint herself as a self-sacrificing heroine.
In another scene, Meghan collapses sobbing in the arms of a security guard upon landing, melodramatically wailing "I tried so hard!" It seems an over-the-top reaction for someone who voluntarily left the royal family after less than two years of part-time duties. Her tenure was hardly the suffering of soldiers or diplomats who dedicate careers to national service.
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The level of self-pity on display struck many as unseemly from a wealthy, privileged woman with worldwide fame and opportunity. She attempts to portray normal criticism as cruel attacks, ignoring that public figures face scrutiny. Every celebrity endures negative press without portraying themselves as victims of a vast conspiracy against their wellbeing.
Elsewhere, Meghan makes the dubious claim that upon marrying Harry, she gave up her successful acting career and passport, when she in fact continued working for another year. She also portrays their royal exit as an inevitable necessity, rather than an optional personal choice as multiple insiders attest. Selective facts and quotations shape a storyline absolving any responsibility on her part.
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Netflix came under fire for distributing what many see as blatant propaganda rather than a balanced documentary. Royal experts accuse the production of failing to conduct basic fact-checking to verify claims. The lack of opposing viewpoints or criticism contributes to perceptions of skewed bias. As with other "autobiographies" promoted uncritically by the Sussexes, skepticism abounds.
While tensions between Harry/Meghan and the royal family are well documented, this docuseries appears to inflame matters further with contested accounts positioning Meghan as a victim of plots against her. The self-aggrandizing tone does little to unite divided sides or resolve long simmering conflicts and resentments within the family. Calmer objectivity could have better served their stated goal of "setting the record straight."
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Overall, Meghan's histrionic portrayal of her royal experience as a crushing loss from which she barely escaped with her sanity intact seems wildly at odds with reality for many viewers. The cringe-worthy exaggerations and selective recollections undermine her credibility and good faith at a time when reconciling rifts remains a fragile prospect. Substance over spin could have served the Sussexes' best interests far more constructively.
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