'You also have to face the press at some points.'
American actress Meghan Markle is no stranger to the spotlight due to her time on Suits, but there’s nothing that could have prepared her for the attention surrounding her relationship with Prince Harry. One unexpected royal has offered some sage words of advice - and he probably has better insight than most.
Prince Albert of Monaco, the son of Prince Rainier of Monaco and American sweetheart Grace Kelly, saw firsthand how his mother dealt with the media and the pressures of being dropped into the royal circle. Speaking to PEOPLE in the US, he said Meghan and Prince Harry ‘are doing a pretty good job so far’ but that things would only get harder as time went on.
‘The only kind of advice I can offer is the British expression: ‘Keep calm and carry on’’, he said.
It’s easy to draw parallels between Meghan Markle and Grace Kelly, both accomplished actresses in their own right who have been catapulted into the public eye because of their royal relationships. Grace Kelly withdrew from Hollywood after marrying into the royal family and amidst Prince Harry engagement rumours, Meghan Markle has quietly shut down her blog The Tig and has appeared less and less on her show Suits.
Prince Albert reflected on how his mother adapted, ‘Mom said being an actress did prepare you a little. It familiarised you with the press. But the press was a little more respectful in those days. The press, mostly the photographers, seems to have changed. Mom taught us that you have to do all you can to protect your private life, but you also have to face the press at some points.’
He is no stranger to his own taste of the press, as his 2011 marriage to Princess Charlene (a former South African Olympic swimmer) was widely publicised and he said it was ‘difficult for [her] to handle’. However he acknowledged that it’s going to be next level for Prince Harry and Meghan, especially as technology and the media have taken massive strides forwards.
He said that dealing with the press ‘is a pretty tough act. Especially in the British royal family, which is scrutinised by the press as no one’s been.’
Kate Middleton and Prince William can certainly attest to that, with all eyes on their internationally broadcast royal wedding and the birth of their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Prince Albert said of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, ‘I can’t imagine how [the press] will be on them, on her. Being an actress, in a way, gets you a little prepared but nothing really can prepare you for the constant pace of it. Particularly now that the pace has changed so much. It’s hard for anyone to handle...I can’t imagine the difference now with the increased pace of news and social media.’
