Justine Bateman, a well-known actress from the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, recently shared her strong opinions about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in a fiery post on Substack. Titled “The Problem With Meghan Markle: It’s Not What She’s Doing, It’s the Victim Olympics Road She Took to Get There,” Bateman argued that the couple has masterfully turned playing the victim into an “Olympic sport.” She criticized their consistent portrayal of themselves as victims, which she claims they have used to gain opportunities and sympathy over the past few years.
Bateman, who is now 59, pointed out that while Meghan and Harry’s “Victim Olympics” campaign may have worked a few years ago, times have changed. She wrote that by 2025, people have grown tired of their narrative. “No one wants to see victims anymore,” she declared. According to Bateman, the couple’s constant allegations of abuse and mistreatment at the hands of the royal family, such as claims that someone in the royal family questioned their son Archie’s skin color, have started to fall on deaf ears. The public, she argues, has lost interest in their “narrative” and no longer wants to watch them “playact at something they didn’t earn.”
Bateman went even further by highlighting the material benefits she believes Meghan and Harry have gained from their victimhood. She noted that their lucrative deals—including a $100 million contract with Netflix, a $20 million book deal with Penguin Random House, and Markle’s now-defunct $20 million Spotify deal—weren’t earned through their skills or talents. Instead, these opportunities were “the spoils of them crying out to anyone who would listen about the ‘injuries’ they had sustained.” She made it clear that she doesn’t believe these deals were based on merit, like Harry’s writing abilities or their production skills, but rather on the public’s temporary appetite for their victim story.
Bateman also criticized Meghan and Harry for their hypocrisy. She pointed out that they often complain about lacking privacy yet take every opportunity to be highly public about their lives. The couple’s decision to leave the royal family and step back from their duties has not stopped them from clinging to their royal titles, which Bateman sees as contradictory. She argues that they’ve burned their bridges with the royal family but still fiercely hold on to the titles and privileges that come with being former members of the royal family.
In her post, Bateman suggested that Meghan and Harry need to shift their approach. She believes they should focus on “earning their spot” in the public eye rather than relying on their victim narrative. Bateman wrote that she believes everyone has a set of skills and talents, but she doesn’t think the couple has taken the time to discover and nurture theirs. She even went so far as to suggest that if they took a step back to focus on personal growth and self-discovery, they might surprise people with their potential.
Bateman’s critique of Meghan and Harry is not new. She has been vocal about her disapproval of the couple before, even going as far as to call them “disaster tourists” after they visited the site of a wildfire in Los Angeles in January. She accused them of using the event as a “photo op,” likening them to “ambulance chasers.” However, a source close to the couple defended their actions, emphasizing their genuine commitment to volunteering and their deep connection to Los Angeles, where Meghan grew up. The source explained that their involvement in charitable efforts long predates media attention and that they have also donated money and resources to those in need.
In summary, Justine Bateman’s post laments what she sees as Meghan and Harry’s over-reliance on a victim narrative to advance their careers and public image. She argues that while this approach may have worked during the height of the “Victim Olympics Era” (from 2020 to 2024), the public has now moved on. Bateman believes the couple needs to pivot, focus on their true talents, and stop leaning on a narrative that has lost its appeal. Her critique reflects a broader cultural shift, where many have grown weary of victimhood being used as a tool for personal or professional gain. Whether or not one agrees with Bateman’s views, her essay has certainly sparked a lively conversation about the role of perception, image, and authenticity in the lives of public figures like Meghan and Harry.
