Dear Harry and Meghan

Dear Harry and Meghan:

I know you will never read this, but I’m going to write a letter to you online and post it on my blog anyway!

I want you to know that I’ve become somewhat addicted to your story since not only do I find it interesting, but I also find your voice almost soothing Harry, so I use the Audible version of your book to fall asleep!  

Meghan and Harry: Your Netflix series and Oprah interview also put me to sleep (this is not your fault, but television in general puts me to sleep!), so I watch those things over and over and over again in addition to listening and reading Harry’s Spare book so I don’t miss anything!

Anyway, I really have enjoyed your openness since I have realized that even though you are Royals, you are just regular people who love their kids and want to enjoy life without being stalked.

My cousin lives in Montecito so I have somewhat of an idea of where you are and how nice it is.  I’ve been to the beaches there and ate at some of the restaurants there.  I can picture you sitting outside and looking at the beautiful views in the area.  My cousin’s house has the same views.  I’ve also taken my cousin’s grandchildren skating at the beautiful Ice In Paradise ice rink in Goleta and I hope when your kids are old enough you can take them there.  It is totally awesome!

Meghan, I’m impressed at how you love your kids and spend time with them.  As a homeschool-unschool mom, I did the same.  I hope as your kids grow older that the love you have poured out to them becomes a part of their being.

And…Meghan…your mother seems like the best mom ever!  I can picture her driving you places as a kid and taking you to activities in Los Angeles.    My mother did the same thing!  She drove the “There Schneiders” to skating activities, school in Hollywood, and to ballet lessons and never complained.  She put hundreds of miles on our car.

I was sad to hear about the evening you left the Hollywood Bowl with your mother and witnessed racial prejudice towards her.

I also was touched by how close you were with your father and I was sad to hear about all the bad things that happened with your relationship with him before and after your wedding.   My father died just a little over a year ago and I was very, very close to him and seeing that there were any issues at all broke my heart.

And…your poem about two homes…it made me feel so fortunate that my parents were always together and that my husband and I have been together for almost 44 years.  Divorce sometimes has to happen, but wow does it make things hard for the children!  Both you and Harry are products of how difficult that is.

What a hard thing to happen to have issues with your father before your absolutely incredible wedding.  I could picture Harry coming home and finding you crying.

I too, experienced a miscarriage and was so sad to hear about your loss.  My miscarriage was my first pregnancy.  It must have been slightly different since you already had Archie, but still, wow…

(Actually, I think I may have had a couple other miscarriages after my third child was born. The pain and sadness can be overwhelming.)

Harry, I was so sad to hear that right after your mother’s death that you just went back to boarding school as if nothing had happened. You needed to be cuddled and loved, not sent away.  And…at Eton, when your brother wanted to pretend he didn’t know you was awful.  One reason I homeschooled-unschooled my three children was so they’d be one another’s best friends for life.  I guess in British society things may be different.

One thing I like about your Netflix series is that you both come out as just regular people.  You make coffee.  You cook.  You look at your computers.  You talk on the phone.  You watch TV.  You hang out in your house in comfy clothes.  You read stories to your kids.  You play with your dogs.  You laugh.  You cry.  You helped me realize that all Royals are just regular people.

I am sad Harry, that you haven’t been able to do anything without a camera following you ever.  I kept thinking of what it would be like to wonder if you look the wrong way or forget to comb a bit of hair or turn the wrong direction how it could be interpreted.  I can see that anything you do including the unfortunate interpretation of you wearing a Hitler costume could turned into a scandal.

Thank you for being so transparent and telling your story!

Jo Ann Schneider Farris

February 2, 2023