The Hodin royals are no good

“Attention seekers.” “They’re overkill.” We’ve heard it all before.

At some point in recent times, this soap opera has moved from a compelling and vulgar storyline to a sad, pathetic and jarring one. And it is currently unclear how the continued assaults and stalking of the Sussexes serve a further purpose.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have long been easy targets for the media. They are portrayed as the foremost public enemies because they have fled the very prestige they have earned and carefully cultivated. President Vladimir Putin is issuing simultaneous orders to steal children, rape Ukrainian women, imprison opponents, and bomb millions of homes.

In Britain, ordinary people have an underlying loyalty and respect to the King and the royal family. Some are openly patriotic, but many just keep quiet. Most people over the age of 50 think little of the royal fugitive now living in California.

Since stepping down from royal duties in 2021, they’ve gone by many names. Some, if not most, of it had well-deserved consequences. Their actions and motives are sometimes questionable and sometimes simply dishonest. But along the way, they exposed some nasty home truths about us.

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So what’s the point of continuing hatred? Who does it serve and what does it accomplish?

In recent weeks, Prince Harry has used a British court to expose a history of some pretty egregious behavior from the media. Not all of his claims were accurate, but many were certainly. There are still some very uncomfortable facts to face in terms of how both he and his wife have been treated.

So where are we going? Do we need to go back to that scene in the Paris tunnels to adjust our perspective as a whole? Does it have to be a lunatic who hits them in the streets, like the murdered British MP Joe Cox or The Beatles’ John Lennon?

New York City Mayor Eric Adams walked a tightrope of healthy skepticism and sympathy. Mr Adams called the incident “a bit reckless and irresponsible”.

“The press and the paparazzi obviously want to get the shot right,” he said. “But public safety must always be at the forefront.”

But then he mentioned what we were all thinking when we first saw that headline, and it was something we should stop and think about.

“I don’t think many people remember how his mother died,” Adams said. “And it would be terrifying to lose innocent bystanders during a chase like this and something happens to them.”

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The demonization of Prince Harry and Meghan needs to end before it goes too far. Hate them no longer serves a purpose. Even less chasing them.

At the very least, two young children from Sussex deserve a chance at parental love as they grow older.

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