Megan Markle has been receiving criticisms from the world after claiming that the South Africans had celebrated her marriage just as they celebrated Mandela’s release from prison. She made this statement in an interview while promoting her new podcast, “Archetypes.”
She claimed that a South African cast member had pulled her aside when she attended the London premiere of the 2019 remake of Lion King. She said he gushed to her, saying, “‘I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison.'”
Critics and South Africans worldwide have come out to straighten things out, saying those two events are not comparable even by a far stretch. Her statement also trended on different platforms for days. The Mandela reference was also not well received as South Africans started the hashtag “#VoetsekMeghan” and trended for days. In South African dialect, ‘voetsek’ is used when telling someone they are unwelcome, in the context of “get lost.”
What she said about the UK was unforgivable too. We weren’t just insulted, like Sth Africa. We were ACCUSED and had our reputation trashed on a global stage. We sustained irreversible damage and the entire world judged us on a LIE #VoetsekMeghanMarkle #VoetsekMeghan #MeghanMarkle pic.twitter.com/IoPe1vnofq
— Royal.Observer (@ItsAllTooBeaut1) August 28, 2022
Zwelivelile Mandela, a member of the African National Congress and Chief of his grandfather’s Mvezo tribe, reacted after hearing Meghan’s statement. He said, “It cannot be equated to as the same. Madiba’s celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa.”
People like Meghan Markle making it seem like going to South Africa was the bravest thing she has done because SA is an uninhabitable place which almost took her son’s life. All the time she is lying and was coddled in a Cape Town mansion. She must truly fokof. #VoetsekMeghan pic.twitter.com/Tmm7QoSIcX
— Gogo Ghosty 🇿🇦 (@beauchamp_lord) August 26, 2022
Mandela added that different people from different parts of the world every day try to be like Nelson Mandela and emulate him. However, he added that this set of people should at least try to be champions and advocate for the work Mandela did before comparing themselves to him. Mandela added that the celebration of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison after 27 years was not comparable to her union with a “white prince.”
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He added that Mandela spoke to minorities, children, and women and was a voice for every vulnerable member of the community. Mandela never once hesitated to lend his voice to communities worldwide, even when everyone was silent, and he expects even more from anyone who wishes to be compared.
Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, also asserted, “When she quotes an enthusiastic supporter saying that her marriage into the royal family led to rejoicing in the streets ‘the same as we did when Mandela was freed from prison it’s an utterly crazy comparison which speaks volumes about the person making it.”
Furthermore, Angela Levin, author of “Harry: Conversations with the Prince,” added that Meghan was arrogant and ungrateful. She said, “It’s breathtaking — her arrogance, her rudeness, and her taking everything for granted and not giving anything back attitude. And I think it’s a tragedy that she has convinced Harry that his family is so awful. When you mentioned they saw the Queen at the Jubilee, it was only for 15 minutes because she was extremely busy… they could have come another time.”
Levin added that she is not surprised that Mandela is crossed after learning of Meghan’s comparison to his grandfather and that much is expected.
https://twitter.com/CountessCommon1/status/1563529014232641540?s=20&t=IBbsCirFotHqgUduX-P11Q