I can’t tell you how many Hallmark Channel movies have been made about a prince who meets an American who is a “commoner.” The girl doesn’t know that he is a prince and they fall in love – and he would give it all up for her but he doesn’t have to and they all live happily ever. There have been a LOT of these movies made. Chicks dig them (not to mention my husband).

But in real life, Prince Harry DID give it all up for his wife, Meghan Merkel, and there was outrage. How dare Harry leave the royal family for an American… how dare he decide to have a “normal life” and get away from all the pomp and circumstance. And Meghan, of course, was to blame.

I doubt Harry’s decision was made with only Meghan’s feelings in mind. Maybe he didn’t like the life. Maybe he didn’t like what led up to his mother being killed. Maybe he didn’t like being around the “other woman” his father was seeing while being married to his mom. Maybe he didn’t like palace life and all the responsibilities. Maybe he wanted to be happy.

A TikTok user surmised, “He didn’t want what happened to his mother to happen to Meghan. He is a good husband.”

Yes, maybe that’s precisely what all of this is about. Harry moved to America with his wife to keep her and his children safe and to have something of a normal life. He wanted to be a good husband and father.

But unlike a Hallmark movie, real life is different and the media won’t let it go. They seem to think it’s their mission to obsessively treat them badly for the sin of leaving the royal family. Especially Meghan.

In the beginning of the romance and the marriage, Meghan was treated pretty well and movies were made about the love story of her and Harry. But that didn’t last long. It’s what the media does. They build people up to a new adoration level – and then take glorious pleasure in bringing them down.

But with this new life, Harry and Meghan are able to show what kind of people they are. They are able to do more of what they want to do and not what is ordered of them. They can be judged, good or bad, positively or negatively, on their own merits.

With the Queen’s death came the visit of Harry and Meghan and an appearance with Harry’s brother William and his wife, Kate. A video of their interaction has gone viral with people noticing that Harry was chivalrous with his wife and Price William was not. Harry opened the car door for his wife and William did not.

A Twitter user said, “Harry holds the car door open for his wife. Make sure she’s safe. Wills does not. Case closed.”

Another says, “Harry is a gentleman. William, however acts like his father” while someone else says, “Harry is a true king and son of Diana. Look at how he cares for his wife.”

Another Twitter user said, “One thing is for sure: he is not going to treat his wife like his father did his mother. That’s what the British public don’t get. He opened the door for his wife on his own accord and his wife responded by saying ‘thank you.’ That’s mutual respect.”

Respect, while not earned with the media, seems to go back and forth between the un-royal couple.