'I'm British and even I don't want to hear about the royal family dramas anymore.'

Listen to this story being read by Laura Jackel, here.

There's something on Netflix tonight that I guess you may have heard about. It's a little documentary about a couple called Harry and Meghan who used to be part of the British royal family but then left and now can't stop talking about it 

As someone working in the media and with an interest in popular culture, I have had different feelings about this very public couple since they wed in front of millions in 2018. 

When Meghan first joined the royal family, it seemed like a positive step in modernising an ancient and highly problematic institution. I had a sense of hope that their love and marriage would herald a new era for the royals. 

Watch the trailer for Netflix's Harry & Meghan. Post continues below.

Since then, well, we all know just how quickly things fell apart. And now, even as a British expat, I am exhausted. Because the royal family's drama and all the related headlines are everywhere I look.

I understand why this topic continues to dominate the media. It's like the reality show no one asked for; The Crown come to life with a touch of 21st century Hollywood glamour to boot.

On one side stands Harry and Meghan with accusations of racism, claims that the royal family allows mental health issues to go unchecked, and a lot of feelings, whereas on the other side, there are the British royal family and a whole lot of silence.

As a 'youthful' Gen Xer (or almost elder millennial), I felt empathy for Harry and Meghan as their story first unfurled. I wondered how history could repeat itself after Diana, and why were the royals so insistent on Meghan having to wear knee-length skirts with stockings? 

Where once the royal family might have simply been irrelevant or invisible to younger generations, Harry and Meghan opened up debate about their purpose and ethics in the 21st century. 

I understand why a young couple would be unhappy to be hamstrung by weird archaic rules that include sanctions on working, sharing how they really feel, and wearing what they want. All the while not having their mental health needs met and possibly being discriminated against. These are not conditions to flourish under.

But then there's all that wealth, privilege, and fancy free castles with built-in butlers that come with the royal titles, and as a commoner from a working class town in the UK, I find it hard to muster sympathy for the 'spare' Prince and his Duchess. In fact, I can see why there may have been some side-eye from Wills and Kate who were just busy getting on with the job that comes with being at the very top of the British class system. 

I have no doubt being royal can be tough, and I don't want to minimise anyone's mental pain, but none of their troubles are tough in the way that indentured workers of the British Empire had it tough. Where's the perspective? 

The millions of media headlines that this story (alongside the coverage of The Crown and the recent death of the Queen) has generated and continues to generate, is astounding. And because of this, I feel like I need to have An Opinion. A hot take. And trying to sum up how I feel, even for this article, is just giving me a headache. 

My feelings about these people I don't know have changed and will change again and they are also nuanced. 

Why do we have to be Team Royal Family or Team Harry and Meghan? Can't we just be Team Can We Please Talk About Something Else?!

And I really don't want to talk about any of it with my parents who have just arrived for six weeks for the Christmas period. Or talk about it with anyone in my extended family, or the man in the coffee queue. 

It's starting to feel like Brexit all over again (although I should clarify, my parents and I agreed on this) and I am all out of fight. There has been a lot of disagreement and fighting, and I am ready for amiable agreement and peace. 

As Holly Wainwright wrote in her piece about the generational divide and what your age means for how you feel about the royals, I have disagreed with people on this issue in the past and I'm not pleased that the documentary drops right at the start of our Christmas holiday. 

Is there a point where we can just agree to disagree and then move on? I thought we had reached that point after Harry and Meghan's Oprah TV interview and I wondered if the Queen's death had changed things, but no. There's now this six-part documentary series to unpack and pick over, and then Harry's book release in 2023, so this topic isn't going anywhere. 

Thanks to Netflix, there's a heated family discussion coming to a Christmas dinner table near you.

Everyone say 'yay' for more royal content. Image: Netflix. 

It's not that I don't care about institutional racism or mental health as broader issues, but I question how much energy do we need to spend fighting with people we know in real life, about issues and people that we really don't know? 

The column inches and resulting family arguments or disagreements around the world that this whole sad debacle has already inspired is too much and I want to tap out now, please.

Ultimately (and whatever your politics or opinions on either side), the issues between Harry and Meghan and the royals comes from the clash of a feminist raised by a single mother coming up against The Firm. The union of these two was always going to be difficult, no doubt in particular for Harry who was only 12 years old when his mother Princess Diana died. 

When the documentary airs on Netflix tonight, I shall be on the train home from work and I won't be watching. But I know tomorrow I will read all about the drama to find out what they had to say - I'm only human.

Harry and Meghan's story is interesting, sad, and challenging and while I wish them all the best in resolving their family issues and doing good in the world, I just really hope there isn't a second season.

Laura Jackel is Mamamia's Family Writer. For links to her articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Feature Image: Netflix.

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