If there’s one woman who is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in, it’s J.K. Rowling. This time, the Harry Potter author used nothing but a hashtag to defend newly engaged Meghan Markle and fellow divorcées everywhere. As HuffPost reports, British magazine The Spectator published an article criticizing Prince Harry‘s recent engagement to the Suits actress, suggesting that she is unfit for the royal role.
The news of the happy couple’s engagement broke on Monday, and shortly after is when the controversial piece written by contributor Melanie McDonagh went public. McDonagh wrote, “Obviously, seventy years ago, Meghan Markle would have been the kind of woman the Prince would have had for a mistress, not a wife.” McDonagh went on to criticize Markle, calling her divorce into question and deeming her “unsuitable as Prince Harry’s wife.”
Meghan Markle is unsuitable as Prince Harry’s wife for the same reason that Wallis Simpson was unsuitable: she’s divorced and Harry’s grandmother is supreme governor of the CofE
https://t.co/CnEasK1T67— The Spectator (@spectator) November 27, 2017
J.K. Rowling, who is also divorced, jumped right in with this message of support.
#TeamDivorcée https://t.co/p1sVmRsw9i
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2017
Rowling wasn’t the only person to defend the princess-to-be. Several responses point out that divorce, in fact, is not a big deal to the royal family. Did McDonagh forget that Prince Harry’s father divorced his mother, Princess Diana? Or that Prince Charles later went on to marry Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles, who was also divorced? Readers were not happy with the article, to say the least.
Someone better tell Prince Charles. Camilla’s a divorcee too.
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) November 27, 2017
Wasn’t the CoE founded as a pro-divorce institution? pic.twitter.com/iImznNOMyv
— Joel Furze (@JoelFurze) November 27, 2017
You HAVE noticed that his Father is also divorced? As is our future Queen. And Harry’s Aunt Anne. And his Uncle Andrew.
— Michael Mooney (@Michael_Mooney) November 27, 2017
Spectator: ‘If you’ve nothing nice to say, may we offer you a weekly column?’
— orchidsonmybudget (@orchidsbudget) November 27, 2017
Some Twitter users wonder if Markle’s divorce is truly the problem here. Could it be that Markle is an American marrying a British royal? Or does it have something to do with her interracial background? Regardless of The Spectator‘s reason for criticizing her, the royal couple is not lacking support.
#TeamMeghan