Let's Discuss the Lifetime Movie Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal
Lifetime's Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal is nigh, and based on early glimpses, the royal wedding-themed TV movie (note the exclusive-to-Vogue photo above!) draws heavily on the salacious, real-life Markle family drama. In one sneak peek ahead of Monday night's premiere, Markle (Tiffany Smith) and Harry (Charlie Field)—both newcomers after the roles were recast in this sequel to last year's Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance—log a contentious call from her father, Thomas Markle. Meghan (who is wearing a "Spiritual Gangster" sweatshirt in the palace, FYI) subsequently comes down with cold feet. I would say that I don't buy this scene, but the whole movie requires a definitive suspension of disbelief.
In another clip, Meghan is chatting with her future sis-in-law Kate Middleton (Laura Mitchell, who was blessedly not recast) when she's interrupted by what the closed caption astutely describes as "slow dramatic music"—and yet another call from Thomas. This time, he's attempting to broker the peace between Meghan and her half-sister Samantha, who I shall not say a word about. As the world well knows, Mr. Markle never made it across the pond to the royal wedding, so I have to wonder: is this entire plot just going to unfold in a series of creepy phone calls, like a horror movie in which the call is coming from inside the family?
On a brighter note, however, there will be a dose of Meghan's mom, American queen Doria Ragland, as seen in this exclusive photo. Even if, somewhat troublingly, the role of Doria does not appear on the movie's IMDb page.
The sequel has a tough act to follow after last year's surprisingly satisfying A Royal Romance, which imagined the Sussexes' courtship... and memorably featured a lion appearing on their sexy safari date that was implied to be Princess Diana reincarnated. From the little I've seen of Monday night's sequel, the original Meghan (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and Harry (Murray Fraser) better captured the essence of the real-life royals, making the re-castings feel a bit like Aunt Viv's abrupt replacement on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The jury's still out on the chemistry between the new Meghan and Harry, who in this clip have a few chuckles about a potential shotgun wedding (as if!).
Will Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal be good, or even awesomely bad? Unclear. But do I, freakish royal-watcher, solemnly vow to view it live regardless? I do.
Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal airs on Lifetime at 8pm EST on May 27.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
