HARRY: It’s not going to be easy, but, let’s face it, guys, there should be no place in this world for things which really have no place in it. We’ve got to find a way to move on. Because unless we move on, there’s no turning back. And that’s what we’re so proud to communicate in our amazing new project with Netflix. You see, we both understand the inspirational power of the human spirit, the need to listen to all voices, great and -
MEGHAN: - and that’s why I want to share something with those of you who are crying out for change in this world. It was five, six years ago. I had just grabbed a guava and agave smoothie and I was walking along the sidewalk when something in a shopfront caught my eye.
Call it happenstance. Call it synchronicity. Call it providence. But what I saw that day changed my life. It was a sign. And this is what it said. “TOMORROW IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.” And that’s what I want to talk to you about today. Tomorrow -
HARRY: - not yesterday, not today -
MEGHAN: Tomorrow is the first day. Of the rest. Of our lives.
HARRY: - not just our lives, but your lives too -
MEGHAN: Ten little words, but, they mean so much. Because, you know what? Together, Harry and I have embarked on a journey to open a new chapter in the history of mankind.
HARRY: So, the way I see it. In the old days, when I went on night patrol with the totally brilliant guys in my regiment, we’d have this fantastic sense of being in this thing together, like it was us against the world, and, given the chance we’d just, like, blow the bloody enemy to smither -
MEGHAN: - But this time, no-one’s “against” anyone else. Together, we’re poised to harness the values of a generation to rebuild our broken world and set a tone for a more inclusive and - yes - empathetic direction not only for all humanity, but for all humankind.
You know, a wise person once told me -
HARRY: And we so need wise people in these troubled times. What I always think is, if you are in need of wisdom, a wise person should be your first stop.
MEGHAN: Right.
So a wise person once told me that the most important part of the healing process is the conversation. Put it this way: you would never visit a doctor without having a conversation. Because without a conversation, nothing heals.
HARRY: And without heels, there are no shoes. And - yes - we desperately need shoes to walk with. Because, as I learnt from my time in the armed forces, without a decent pair of shoes -
MEGHAN: What I can’t believe is that the Palace offered us absolutely no help with our shoes. Remember, I was totally new to this game. So when Kate saw me in my new pair of Louboutins, of which I was so proud, and she said nothing, anyone could see why I’d be hurt, very deeply hurt.
HARRY: And William didn’t mention those shoes either, even though he knew how proud you were of them. I was furious. And when I mentioned this to granny, she just changed the subject and asked how the building works were coming along. And that makes my blood boil - not just for the two of us, but for all of humanity.
MEGHAN: A word of praise costs nothing. Anyone who has the courage to wear a new pair of shoes deserves encouragement, regardless of their race or gender. That’s why there’s no turning back. We must own this conversation. We need to show the world that from one little grain of salt, you can grow a forest.
HARRY: We have one planet. Just one. And that’s like incredibly few.
There’s not another planet attached to this one, or if there is, we haven’t discovered it yet. The nearest other planet is literally miles away, out in space. So let’s treat our planet the way we would treat our best friend. Share some laughs with it, down a few, give it a high-five. Yes, put it there!
MEGHAN: Sometimes, I look at the moon and I worry it’s sidelining me, or treating me, as a woman, with disrespect. I’m sorry, but Princess Anne’s the same. She’s never once complimented me on a single episode of Suits, even though it was such a landmark series and contains some of my finest work as a woman of color.
HARRY: We continue to represent and support Her Majesty, albeit in a more limited capacity.
MEGHAN: I have such deep respect for Her Majesty. Despite her immense old age, she’s still a great listener. So why has she never asked me for fashion tips, when she knows I used to manage my own hugely successful fashion and lifestyle website?
HARRY: Deeply, deeply hurtful. I was furious.
MEGHAN: Well, it just makes me sad on her behalf. You see, I know she admires me, and the feeling is mutual. But do I detect a hint of, I don’t know - envy? Envy at our friendships with George and Amal, with Oprah and Idris and David and Victoria? Envy at the way Harry and I have created a life of our own in the sunshine, putting all our energies into creating our own brand and helping mankind?
Last time I saw Her Majesty, I looked into those beautiful, blue, young-at-heart eyes of hers, and reached out to her with a pearl of wisdom to treasure forever.
“With fame comes opportunity - the chance to advocate and to share,” I told her. “And if we are given the right tools to succeed, we can create incredible futures, not only for ourselves, but for all those around us. Elizabeth - you are a child of the universe. And you have a right to be here”
In her position it must be so tempting to just focus on the clothes and the shoes and the glamour and applause, so easy to ignore those less fortunate. So I had privileged her with a glimpse into another reality. And you know what? Her gratitude shone through.
I’ll never forget her reply. That truly great old lady looked me deep in the eyes, as if she could see into my very soul, its passions, its ideals, its heartaches. And she said:
“Have you come far?”
Four little words - but a universe of experience.
“Yes, I have come far,” I said. “Do you have a problem with that?”
Craig Brown is a columnist for the Daily Mail and the author of One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
