*Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Harry & Meghan documentary!*
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released their docu series on Netflix, Harry & Meghan, which detailed their high-profile love story. The series starts from the very beginning of their relationship to the institutional challenges that the couple endured and continues to face in the public eye. Most importantly, this documentary reveals some stunning mental health revelations.
Mental health impacts everyone regardless of gender, race, and socioeconomic status, and Harry & Meghan certainly sheds light on this fact. The docu series highlights Meghan Markle’s battle with depression and suicidal thoughts. It even draws strong parallels between the royal life of Meghan Markle and Princess Diana of Wales, Prince Harry’s mother.
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What is Harry & Meghan about?
The Harry & Meghan documentary follows the lives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The two captivated public attention in 2016 when news of their relationship was splattered across newspapers and media outlets around the world. The series takes a look at Harry and Meghan’s relationship for its stages of early courtship to their highly-watched royal wedding and eventual pregnancy. The scrutiny that the couple faced was undeniable. This scrutiny also had undeniable mental health affects, particularly on Meghan Markle.
The six episode documentary examines the life of the power couple, chronicling their battles with the royal institution, media outlets, racism, sexism, and, of course, mental health. Because of its authenticity, this documentary even became Netflix’s biggest documentary debut. The couple decided to reclaim their power and share their story on their own terms.
What mental health struggles did Meghan Markle face?
In a March 2021 interview with Oprah, Meghan Markle disclosed her mental health struggles with Prince Harry by her side. Meghan Markle decided to openly discuss the hardships she faced as a senior family member in the royal family. Despite the constant backlash, Meghan Markle stands by her mental health confession - believing that sharing her story is worth the criticism if it can help anyone who is struggling mentally and emotionally.
Meghan Markle confided in Oprah stating, “Look, I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it, to [my husband Prince] Harry especially, because I know how much loss he's suffered. But I knew that if I didn't say it that I would do it—and I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought.” Meghan Markle believed that the treatment she received from the British press did not compare to the treatment other senior royal family members were receiving. The treatment that she received, including negative stories about her past and intimate family secrets, placed such a mental burden on Meghan Markle that she contemplated suicide.
What did Meghan Markle mentally struggle with?
Meghan Markle struggled with suicidal ideation during her first pregnancy with her son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. When Meghan Markle was having these thoughts, she decided to go to the royal family for help. In response, the royal family denied her access to adequate mental health resources out of fear. The royal family was worried about how it would look if the world knew that Meghan Markle was struggling with her mind.
Unfortunately, the royal family’s response is not uncommon. Many people do not reach out to get the help of a licensed professional because they are afraid of how it may look to other people if they find out. A lot of parents may be hesitant to get help for their child or teen for a range of reasons, from not believing in the severity of mental health conditions to falling victim to the stigmatization of mental health.
What is the mental health stigma?
The mental health stigma refers to the negative attitudes that many people have about mental illness.
It is estimated that over half of the people who have a mental disorder do not get help for their illness. People often avoid seeking therapy because they are afraid of being treated differently. Stigma in mental health is very real and has very real consequences.
There are three different types of stigmas in the mental health community:
Public stigma - Involves the discriminatory attitudes that people hold regarding mental disorders
Self stigma - Refers to negative attitudes, encompassing internalized shame, that people have about mental health including their own illness
Institutional stigma - Is systemic; involves policies that intentionally or unintentionally limit opportunities for people who are struggling with their mental health
What stigma did Meghan Markle face?
Meghan Markle did not struggle with self stigma as she openly admitted her struggles to her loved one and asked for guidance during her pregnancy, the midst of her suicidal ideation. With that being said, it does not mean that Meghan Markle did not face any stigma.
First and foremost, Meghan Markle faced an institutional stigma. The royal family was afraid of outside opinion and chose to deny access to mental health resources. Secondly, Meghan Markle also was up against the public stigma. The public stigma played a role in the royal family’s decision to limit mental health resources since there was concern over public image.
After Meghan Markle disclosed her mental health struggles in her interview with Oprah, she faced a large amount of scrutiny from the public. Regardless of the backlash, Meghan Markle wanted to speak her truth so it can open the doors for more mental health opportunities for other people. She wanted to spark a change in the stigma surrounding mental health, encouraging everyone to seek therapy if they are struggling.
What did Meghan Markle do to help with her mental health?
Meghan Markle stated: “I share this because there's so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help,” she continued. “And I know personally how hard it is to—not just hard it is but when your voice is silenced, to be told no...This was emails, begging for help, saying very specifically I am concerned for my mental welfare...Nothing was ever done. So we had to find a solution.” The solution came in January of 2020 when Harry and Meghan made the brave decision to step down as senior working members of the royal family.
How is Meghan Markle working to erase the mental health stigma?
Meghan Markle decided to speak her truth regarding mental health because she did not want anyone to feel alone like she did in her darkest moments when she was having suicidal thoughts. Contrary to popular belief, feeling alone does not mean that you are actually alone or have no support. In fact, you can have many family members and friends, but you may feel like you truly do not have anyone to talk to. That is where a mental health professional can help. A licensed therapist can provide you with an unbiased perspective.
Meghan Markle revealed: “I don’t want anyone to feel alone. And when you’ve been through anything that’s challenging, and everyone, especially in the past few years with lockdown and COVID, that spike in numbers of people having an experience they might not be voicing. We all need to, when we can, if we feel brave enough, to just speak honestly about your own experience. It gives other people space and the courage to do the same, but more than that to really feel like you’re not alone, because I think that is often what can be the largest hindrance when you feel that way, you don’t see a way out.”
Meghan Markle is an example of how doing what is best for your mental health can enhance every aspect of your life. In the case of Meghan Markle, these moves for her mental health included leaving the royal family and speaking openly about her mental health struggles to encourage others to seek professional help. For you, it may look like leaving your job or exiting a toxic relationship. Whatever it is you are facing, speaking to a professional therapist can help.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, don't hesitate to call the suicide hotline at 988 right away.
If you know someone who is struggling with depression, check out our blog: “3 Ways to Support Someone with Depression.”
In addition to depression and suicidal ideation, what other mental health struggles did Meghan Markle face?
The Netflix docu series Harry & Meghan detailed their longstanding legal battle with the British press. As with any legal situation, there is a palpable level of stress. The stress became so severe in Meghan Markle’s life that her husband, Prince Harry, speculated that it was the reason for Markle’s miscarriage in 2020.
Prince Harry proclaimed: “Now, do we absolutely know the miscarriage was created, caused by that? Course we don’t. But bearing in mind the stress that that caused, the lack of sleep, and the timing of the pregnancy, how many weeks in she was, I can say, from what I saw, that miscarriage was created by what they were trying to do to her.”
The “they” that Prince Harry is referring to is Britain’s Daily Mail, a tabloid newspaper and news website. The Daily Mail published a private letter that Meghan Markle sent to her father, Thomas Markle. The letter that Meghan Markle sent to her father was private and personal, containing intimate information regarding the state of their father-daughter relationship and its slow deterioration.
If you are struggling with your stress levels, read our blog: “Everything You Need to Know About Stress Management Therapy.”
Meghan Markle stated many stressors in her life at the time of her miscarriage. She stated: “I was pregnant. I really wasn’t sleeping. The first morning that we woke up in our new home is when I miscarried.” Not only was Markle having family issues with her father, but she was also dealing with difficult media coverage and moving into her new home in Santa Barbara, California. If you are struggling with moving stress, check out our blog: “How to Cope with Moving Stress.”
Meghan Markle eventually had her second child, a daughter named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Her journey to get there certainly was not an easy one, but Meghan Markle paints a positive picture of what life can be like when you prioritize your mental health. If you are in a similar situation, read our blog “5 Common Emotions Felt While Pregnant If You Previously Experienced A Miscarriage” for more information and guidance.
How did this impact Meghan Markle’s mental health?
As stated previously, Meghan Markle struggled with suicidal thoughts. In episode four of the Netflix series, Meghan Markle details her mental health journey and the decline it faced after the couple’s trip to Australia.
Meghan Markle voiced, “All of this will stop if I’m not here. And that was the scariest thing about it, it was such clear thinking.” Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, stated, “To just constantly be picked at by these vultures, just picking away at her spirit, that she would actually think about not wanting to be here … that’s not an easy one for a mom to hear you know. And I can’t protect her. H (Harry) can’t protect her.”
While Meghan Markle clearly faced very different circumstances with constant media supervision, her mental health struggles still hold takeaways for people of all backgrounds. The bottom line is that poor mental health does not discriminate. No one can exactly “protect” you from a bad mental state, but you can reach out to speak with a professional therapist if you are struggling.
Is Meghan Markle’s mental health story similar to that of Princess Diana’s?
According to Prince Harry, no one in the royal family speaks openly about mental health concerns with the exception of his mother, Princess Diana. Meghan Markle worked to break that barrier even further in the royal family and beyond.
The Harry & Meghan documentary showed clips of Princess Diana’s controversial interview with Martin Bashir. In that Bashir interview, Princess Diana expressed that she felt “at the end of [her] tether, desperate.”
It is no secret that Princess Diana struggled with her mental health, including an eating disorder. The royal struggled with bulimia for many years and even mentioned her journey with postpartum depression. If you are interested in learning more about Princess Diana’s mental health, check out our blog “How Spencer Accurately Depicts Bulimia.”
Overall, the Harry & Meghan series not only shares important components of the couple’s life, including their battle with the British media and details of the inner workings of the royal family, but it also offers many important mental health messages.
Meghan Markle’s bold decision to bring honesty to global mental health conversations opened the door for many others to seek the professional treatment they need without fear of retaliation or being treated differently. Seeking therapy does not make you weak- it is one of the strongest things you can do. If you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out for help today. At Anchor Therapy, we have counselors who specialize in a myriad of issues, helping you feel like your best self again.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager and Intake Coordinator at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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