Celebrity

We Can't Believe What Nelson Mandela's Grandson Said About Meghan Markle—This Is So Bad!

September 24, 2022 by Marissa Matozzo
shefinds | Celebrity

Meghan Markle sat down for her first major interview of 2022 with The Cut last month, and there were many takeaways. From detailing her and husband Prince Harry‘s new life in Montecito, California to revealing more about her experience marrying into the royal family, the interview went viral almost instantly after it was published. In the profile piece, Markle also recalled an exchange she had at the 2019 London premiere of the live-action Lion King film with a South African cast member, and Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela’s grandson recently spoke with The Daily Mail to share air his grievances.

Markle said at the event, she remembered a cast member from the film telling her, “When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison.” This, according to The Daily Mail, is not something that Zwelivelile ‘Mandla’ Mandela, grandson of the iconic South African president took lightly.

 

Mandela noted that he was “surprised” at these remarks in The Cut, and the idea that someone would compare Markle’s royal wedding and Madiba’s historic walk to freedom. “Madiba’s celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa,” he said, “so it cannot be equated to as the same.”

Under Apartheid rule, Mandela’s grandson explained, the politician served 27 years in prison for sabotage and treason before his historic and long-awaited release, which can’t be compared to marrying into a royal family. As per The Daily Mail, Mandela’s relative added that when the South African people expressed their joy at his grandfather’s release and memorably danced in the streets, it was for a “far more important and serious reason” than her marriage “to a white prince.”

The African National Congress MP continued, “We are still bearing scars of the past. But they (Mr Mandela’s celebrations) were a product of the majority of our people being brought out onto the streets to exercise the right of voting for the first time.” He went on, speaking of his grandfather’s legacy, “He spoke for oppressed minorities, children and women and protracting the most vulnerable people in our society. He always spoke about oppressed nations around the globe and yet people are silent on those issues, but this is what we like to see (from) people when they regard themselves as being a ‘Nelson Mandela,’ then you could be a a champion of the causes that he represented.”

 

 


While some fans are emphasizing on Twitter that Markle quoted someone else who compared her marriage to Mandela’s freedom and she did not “make the comparison herself,” as one wrote, others are expressing that they are “deeply offended” and “upset” by her even “bringing this up at all.” Elsewhere in the Cut interview, Markle spoke about racist attacks toward her and her children (which some are saying was related to her bringing up Mandela’s legacy and that comparison), and why this inspired her and Harry to be more protective and secluded when it comes to sharing photographs of their son Archie, 3, and daughter Lilibet, 1. She said, “Why would I give the very people that are calling my children the N-word a photo of my child before I can share it with the people that love my child?” Regardless, as many are still maintaining on Twitter, “Mandela’s inspiring legacy is meaningful for so many incredible reasons” that “cannot be compared” to a royal wedding.

Author:

Staff Writer

Marissa is a Brooklyn-based culture journalist and staff writer at SheFinds, covering edgy celebrity style, timeless beauty trends, lifestyle and entertainment news. Her coverage of indie music, NYC fashion, underground and pop culture is featured in PAPER Magazine, Paste Magazine, The Knockturnal, Bandsintown and more. You can reach her at [email protected]

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