Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela dismissed comparisons between South Africans celebrating in the street following Meghan Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry and the celebrations upon the release of his grandfather from prison, saying, “It can never be compared to the celebration of someone’s wedding.”
Markle reported in a recent interview that she was at the premiere of the live-action Lion King in July 2019 when a South African cast member approached her to tell her the story. The former actress was in London at the time and would go on to meet Mandela’s widow Graca Machel in October of that year.
“He looked at me, and he’s just like light. He said, ‘I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison,'” Markle said.
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Meanwhile, Zwelivelile Mandela, chief of the late South African president’s Mvezo tribe, reported he was surprised by Markle’s remarks regarding her wedding to a “white prince,” according to the Daily Mail. Mandela’s grandfather served 27 years in prison before later becoming president.
“Madiba’s celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa,” Mandela explained. “So It cannot be equated to as the same.”
“We are still bearing scars of the past. But [the 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.”
Markle’s interview, including a photoshoot and cover shot, was published Monday to a large reaction online. #VoetsekMeghan began trending on Twitter, meaning “get out Meghan” in Afrikaans.
“How long is Meghan going to pour out her drivel,” journalist and royal commentator Angela Levin tweeted Tuesday. “It’s enough already. Not a surprise to learn that Mandela’s grandson is cross Meghan compares her wedding to Mandela’s release from prison.”
How long is Meghan going to pour out her drivel. It’s enough already. Not a surprise to learn that Mandela’s grandson is cross Meghan compares her wedding to Mandela’s release from prison.
— Angela Levin (@angelalevin1) August 30, 2022
“How can those words leave her mouth??” a self-proclaimed Royal gossip tweeted, including a picture demonstrating Markle’s resemblance to a portrait taken of Princess Diana. “She’s gone beyond what is sanity at this point!”
Meghan’s own words about what someone said to her when she married Harry!!
‘The people rejoiced the same as when Nelson Mandela was released’
How can those words leave her mouth?? She’s gone beyond what is sanity at this point! #VoetsekMeghanMarkle #VoetsekMeghan pic.twitter.com/8cJ5SX0wym
— According2Taz (@according2_taz) August 29, 2022
“This is an extraordinary interview,” journalist James Max wrote. “To those who love Meghan, it’s everything they want to hear. ‘Her’ truth. For the rest of us it’s a narcissist, raking in cash, off the back of the institution she walked away from. Whilst being tone deaf to the problems many face.”
This is an extraordinary interview. To those who love Meghan, it’s everything they want to hear. ‘Her’ truth. For the rest of us it’s a narcissist, raking in cash, off the back of the institution she walked away from. Whilst being tone deaf to the problems many face. https://t.co/VlpVh4GpJX
— James Max (@thejamesmax) August 30, 2022
“When she quotes an enthusiastic supporter saying that her marriage into the royal family led to rejoicing in the streets ‘the same as we did when Mandela was freed from prison’ it’s an utterly crazy comparison which speaks volumes about the person making it,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said. “She inhabits a world where, as on Oprah, the truth seems to be subsumed into her truth. Who are the royals who have the half in, half out job they were denied? Why is there not a note of regret that they gave the Oprah interview when Prince Philip was so ill?”
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Markle, 41, and her husband, Harry, 37, gave up their roles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex in January 2020.
