AT TIMES there doesn't seem to be an awful lot of sympathy for members of the royal family around these parts. Depending on what side of the community in Northern Ireland you're from, people either love them or loathe them for a variety of reasons.
I watched Tom Bradby's programme Harry and Meghan: An African Journey about Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's visit to Africa, and felt desperately sorry – once more, might I add – for Meghan. Yes, she is now royalty and leads a life of privilege, but for that she has had to sacrifice her privacy, her freedom, and no doubt a little of her sanity.
In the programme she and Harry seemed to be a couple under intense pressure and, at times, seemed to be buckling beneath it.
Meghan is a new mum, living in a fishbowl. Her every move is watched and scrutinised. Even her very facial expressions and what they could possibly mean are splashed across the tabloid newspapers and are fodder for talk show hosts.
While she was navigating pregnancy with her first child – a difficult enough task at the best of times – her father splashed her private business all over the newspapers which resulted in a tidal wave of hate being directed at her.
She is hounded by the media and is often portrayed in a less than flattering manner. Her husband has said that he fears history will repeat itself, and that she will be hounded to death just like his mother, Diana.
In a really emotional interview with Bradby, the 38-year-old said that she is "existing, not living" while struggling with the pressures of royal life and media scrutiny. At one point, she barely held back tears while admitting that she's "not OK".
Meghan said she had found the past year "really challenging" and that being a new mum in the spotlight was particularly difficult.
"Look, any woman – especially when they are pregnant – you're really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, and then when you have a newborn," she said.
"And especially as a woman, it's a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed."
When Bradby asked how Meghan was doing, she told him: "Thank-you for asking, because not many people have asked if I'm OK – but it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."
Bradby suggested that "the answer is, would it be fair to say, 'not really OK', as in it's really been a struggle?"
Meghan, close to tears, replied: "Yes."
I was glad she spoke out honestly about her emotions, admitting that she's not OK will all the pressure and the stress and the negativity, because it will give others courage to do so too.
It will show others that even royalty, with their seemingly perfect lives, no money worries and palaces, are sometimes not alright, just like the rest of us. If Meghan Markle with her prince and her Hollywood status and her lovely home and family isn't all right sometimes, then the rest of us with our ordinary lives shouldn't really feel so bad about it, or feel ashamed of it and maybe speak out about how we're feeling.
There's still an awful lot of stigma attached to mental health issues and the more encouragement we can give people to reach out and speak up the better. Even at the weekend, after just a short clip featuring Meghan's words, a hashtag appeared in online messages of support for her.
#WeLoveYouMeghan encouraged other women, new mums, older mums, everyone, to open up about their own struggles while giving Meghan their support. For a short time Twitter – which is usually wall-to-wall vitriol – was a beautiful place, where people were people were supporting and lifting one another up.
I think what Meghan did – showing real, true, raw emotion and telling everyone she is struggling – was an important thing for every new mum and every woman who normally says "fine" when asked if she is OK.
For every woman who feels like they can't tell anyone that they are not doing well – it's OK not to be OK. Speak up and tell someone. People will be there to lift you up. Things will get better.
