Meghan has been cast as the inverse to Diana, a photonegative of adoration. Why do we need scapegoats? | Brigid Delaney

The public perception of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stands in stark contrast to the adoration once lavished on Diana, Princess of Wales. While Diana was celebrated with near-religious fervor, Meghan has often been the subject of intense negativity and scrutiny. Data from 2019 shows Meghan appeared in over 21,000 negative news stories, roughly five times more than Catherine, Princess of Wales, highlighting the disproportionate media hostility she faces. This animosity persists despite Meghan and Prince Harry’s relatively private lives and their efforts to establish financial independence through commercial ventures such as memoirs, a Netflix series, and wellness seminars. The intense public and media backlash against Meghan reveals deeper undercurrents in British society, reflecting anxieties and cultural tensions that go beyond the couple’s personal choices. The contrast between the public’s emotional investment in Diana and the hostility toward Meghan suggests a complex dynamic where Meghan has been cast as a scapegoat or symbolic figure embodying broader societal fears. This phenomenon mirrors the reaction to Diana’s death, which Christopher Hitchens described as an “orgy of sentimentality,” marking a shift in the British psyche from imperial pride to emotional vulnerability. Meghan’s vilification also raises questions about the role of the media and public in shaping narratives around royal figures. Despite their private status and limited public impact, the couple’s commercial activities have provoked disproportionate outrage, suggesting that the hostility may be less about their actions and more about what they represent. The ongoing negative coverage and public sentiment toward Meghan underscore the enduring complexities of the British monarchy’s place in contemporary culture and the persistent need for scapegoats in public discourse.