Though there has always been a pool of controversy surrounding the royal family, this year has been one of the most dramatic in Windsor family history.

Prior to the death of Prince Philip, rumors had circulated that Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, had been mistreated by several members of the royal family. Then, in March, Prince Harry and Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey and made some explosive revelations about several negative things said regarding the skin color of Meghan and Harry’s son Archie. 

“There were ‘concerns and conversations’ about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” Markle told Winfrey. 

Markle said that her duties have also taken a toll on her mental health. She mentioned that it was hard to get help from the palace, as she was not a descendant of the family. 

“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” she added. 

Though the interview with Harry and Markle showed the internal drama between them and other members of the royal family, there is another factor that Markle has had to deal with: the British tabloids. These tabloids have negatively portrayed Markle, especially in comparison to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. 

While the negative treatment to Markle is upsetting, it is nothing new to the Windsors. Her treatment is eerily similar to that of Lady Diana Spencer, the former wife of Prince Charles. Spencer was subjected to intense public scrutiny for her nontraditional methods of charity. She was also alleged of having numerous scuffles with Camilla Parker Bowles, the current wife of Charles, and was shunned for her marriage struggles with Charles. Her mental health was alleged to be poor as well, as it was rumored that she was suffering from bulimia. 

Markle, like Spencer, has been scrutinized by the press because of her nontraditional methods for her royal duties, and her arguments with Middleton.

With the death of Prince Philip, the royal family has gone even more public, as people all across the world are mourning his death. This could lead to even more negative coverage of Meghan Markle, who has already been berated by the press.