What Harry and Meghan’s news tells us about modern Britain

Glasgow author Amna Saleem has herself been a victim of racial abuse for suggesting there were elements of racism in the treatment of Markle.

“She has been undermined by racism because she is a mixed-race black woman,” said Saleem.

“People said how progressive it was that the royal family were accepting her without realising how offensive that is.

‘‘It is as if people think white people are the default and we are different versions, whereas we are all people. Every time people do that they ‘other’ us even further.”

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“Newspapers begged the question: ‘Are we ready for a mixed-race royal?’ As if she were a foreign species yet to be seen by the world.”

Before the couple’s baby was born, another internationally respected publication asked how black he would be, pointed out Saleem.

“As if that is appropriate discourse and not blatant race baiting,” she said.

“Meghan was supposed to suck it up but what privilege is it for her to be a royal? She was already a successful self-made woman and now her life is severely restricted. The royal family has not done anything for her.”

Saleem added that there was also an element of racism in the fact that the couple’s decision appeared to be attracting more of a negative reaction than the scandal surrounding Prince Andrew, who is alleged to have had sex with a teenager trafficked by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“It’s interesting all the focus is on this when there are serious allegations against him,” she said. “That tells you everything you need to know.”

Saleem, who tweets under the handle @AGlasgowGirl, said she had been accused by Facebook of bullying when she responded to someone who called her a “c**t” after she talked on radio about the racism Meghan has faced.

“Facebook decided I was the bully and said they were taking my post down – that is how it feels to be a minority most of the time. Every time you stand up for yourself you are told you are the bully.”

She said she was taking the matter up with Facebook.

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“How many people are there of colour being told they are the bullies?” she asked. “I want to make sure that does not happen. I don’t understand why talking about racism is considered more offensive than racism itself.”

Saleem is not alone in the view that racism has played its part in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision. “Of course Meghan Markle is attacked by the British press because she’s black, and of course Prince Harry is right to defend her. What a foul country this is,” said author Philip Pullman.

Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo said: “Dear Meghan, my sister, you go and do your thing with your family and get away from the race hate you’ve been subjected to in my country.”

Some commentators have pointed out that the mainstream media in the UK was more indulgent towards Prince Harry when he dressed up in a Nazi uniform at a fancy dress party than since his wedding to American actress Meghan Markle.

Speaking to the Sunday National, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard said that although he was a republican, he felt some sympathy towards the royal couple.

“People should be allowed to leave the royal family if they want to, although we do need to start talking about reform,” he said.

He said there was a “head of steam” building up for a debate over the place of the monarchy in a modern state, although it was still treated as a taboo subject in the House of Commons.

“I have tried to discuss it a couple of times and it went down like a cup of sick,” he said. “It’s very much frowned upon to try and raise these matters here. Everybody has a pop at the unelected House of Lords, but hardly anyone talks about how we have an unelected head of state.”

However, Sheppard said there was a generation of young people coming up who liked the junior royals as individuals but were concerned about the power the monarchy still has.

“There is a head of steam building up and when the succession takes place this will be the opportunity to define the nature of the institution and its constitutional position. I think this might open up whether the Government likes it or not.”

“It’s not a matter of whether Prince Charles is suitable for the job. It’s a question of what the job is.

“Short of ending the monarchy, there are a whole series of questions that need to be raised such as why the Duchy of Cornwall does not pay tax when it is a private company, the profits of which go to Prince Charles’s private income. He is a big beneficiary of the Sovereign Grant so why not pay taxes?”

The amount of money given to the royals and the number who receive it should also be up for discussion, according to Sheppard, who stressed he was speaking in a personal capacity and pointed out that any debate over the monarchy in Scotland would be secondary to the argument for independence.

At the moment, the SNP position is that Scotland should remain in the Commonwealth and recognise the Queen is head of it, although Sheppard pointed out that other countries are starting to question why this should be the case.

However, Scots author Alan Bissett said it was unrealistic to think that the latest royal shenanigans would be the beginning of the end for the monarchy.

READ MORE: Meghxit has burst the bubble of royal illusion

“I think the rest of the royal family and their sycophants in the media will circle the wagons,” he said. This move has already been framed as one that is fundamentally disrespectful to the Queen – the real seat of power in the UK – not one that might be good for the mental health of a young couple under extraordinary strain.

‘‘But it is entertaining to watch royalists, hopped-up on Brexit fumes and racial entitlement, froth about this uppity woman, who has the temerity to not even be British, luring a prince away from their suffocating clutches.”

He added: “It looks as though the royal family are having their Yoko Ono moment. But we shouldn’t forget that after that, The Beatles broke up and John Lennon managed a pretty good solo career. A truthful one too.”

Since the couple’s decision to effectively resign from their royal roles, there have been calls for them to give up their Scottish title of the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton. The couple have never visited the town.

“If I lived in Dumbarton, I would be pretty miffed they had taken the title but not supported the community they claim to represent,” said Graham Smith of Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state.

There has also been criticism of the couple’s intention to continue with their state-funded Metropolitan Police protection officers who cost more than £600,000 a year.

They no longer intend to take public money from the Sovereign Grant but this only paid for 5% of their official office last year, with the remaining 95% (£2.3 million) coming from Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall.

More than £2.4m from the Sovereign Grant was used to renovate Frogmore “Cottage” at Windsor for the couple, who have said they now intend to split their time between the UK and North America. They are worth an estimated £35m in their own right.

The debate over the future of the monarchy is one which has also engaged Amna Salem, who told the Sunday National she hoped this could be the “beginning of the end” for the monarchy.

While not a fan of the monarchy, Saleem said she had sympathy for Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision which she believes is as a result of the “harassment” they have endured.

“I think there is going to be a different era for sure,” she said. “It is going to be the moment that people look back to and see where things changed.

“I can understand the whole tourist thing but what use are they really? England can always keep them and release Scotland – we don’t want them and we are also held hostage to the Crown.”