Ateh Jewel on the Monarchy: ‘For Better or For Worse’
The British journalist, historian, and diversity advocate share her thoughts on the late queen, the way Meghan was treated, and the upcoming coronation.
Hello! Today’s newsletter features the first of several guest essays about the coronation written by long-time royal watchers. As we explore this complex time in Windsor history, it is important to me to amplify other voices and points of view. I reached out to several women I admire and asked them to reflect on their earliest royal memories, how their feelings on the royal family have evolved, and what they are thinking about ahead of King Charles’s coronation. Each essays leans into the nuanced, and at times conflicting, feelings the writer is having. I’m grateful for their willingness to share!
🎧 Stay tuned for a special episode of the So Many Thoughts Coronation Podcast featuring conversations I have had with these writers.
Below you will find an essay by Dr. Ateh Jewel, a British journalist, historian, and diversity advocate. Ateh and I connected several years ago for a piece I wrote for the New York Times about headbands (Ateh has a fabulous collection!). She then shared her incredible insights following Harry and Meghan’s Netflix docu-series in a video chat here on Substack (you can watch a replay here). I admire the depth and context Ateh brings to every conversation — and was very excited she was up for writing an essay for SMT.
Ateh shared her thoughts on what the monarchy means to her, what she thinks of how Meghan was treated, and what she will be doing on coronation day.
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Read all about my coronation coverage plans, along with my interview with Hello! Royal Editor Emily Nash.
Check out my coronation style inspiration, including what I’m packing for London and suggestions for your own at-home coronation watch party.
Listen to the first three episodes of the So Many Thoughts Coronation Podcast. Episode 3 is free for all! New episode coming this weekend.
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Ateh Jewel on the Monarchy: ‘For Better or For Worse’
The first time I saw Queen Elizabeth II in real life, and not just off the telly, was in the 1980s outside my house. I was playing on my front steps when a huge black fancy car stopped at a red light with a royal flag on top. I thought to my little 6-year-old self: That looks like out of a fairy tale book. When I looked closer, it was the queen sitting in the back seat gossiping, giggling, and being her most unguarded and authentic self with her lady in waiting. I started screaming and waving and they continued to talk. I screamed some more and, in pure Caribbean grandma energy, she stopped her conversation, gave me a look (side eye) as if to say, The grown ups are talking. Then she gave me a rushed warm royal wave and sped off once the light went green.
That moment captures the magic of the queen and the appeal of the royal family for me: Fairy tale, otherworldly glamour, history, power, which also feels so strangely accessible. Most Brits, even those who are anti-monarchy, felt the queen was an extended part of their family — a warm, ever-present, dutiful, colorful figure that made you feel everything was going to be alright.
Growing up British, there has never been anything other than the royal family and the monarchy — like, literally. The royal family’s reign spans 37 generations and 1209 years. There is something deeply reassuring and comforting in that, knowing there is an invisible golden thread that links us to the past and creates a sense of continuity and stability. The royal family has been a focal point and reassuring presence through the World Wars, the Blitz when bombs rained down on the UK, through economic crisis and the pandemic. Paddington Bear, a cup of tea and the monarchy — it doesn’t get more stoic and British than that. The monarchy is a useful tool, a soothing balm, something unique and quite special, which is why I’m pro-monarchy with a little ‘p.’
I’ve always loved history, even though as a Nigerian / Trinidadian / Brit I never saw myself represented in history books, stately homes, or palaces. I knew — even as a kid — these bastions of power were literally all built by the blood of my enslaved ancestors. You would think it would make me anti-monarchy. But instead I say lean in, acknowledge the past. I feel we should honor and shine a light on all the erased achievements, power, and stories of the enslaved and programmed children of empire, so we can all heal and move forward with strength and honor.
On coronation day, I will be waving a flag but at the same time so angry that the royal family wasted an opportunity to grow and change by flinging their arms open to embrace Duchess Meghan. I think the royal family are an incredible social barometer, which helps us discuss issues such as misogyny, class, racism, and unconscious bias — all things many people in the UK and around the world think no longer applies or exists.
For example, take Princess Micheal of Kent wearing a Blackamoor brooch to one of the first functions with Meghan. My guess is that it was worn as a welcoming gesture, which makes it even more scary. These figures are offensive, with the decorative style becoming popular in the 17th century yet again fetishizing Black bodies, the statues and jewelry were that of servitude and oppression.
I have been very vocal about the way Meghan has been treated by the press and how the royal family — especially in light of the Jeremy Clarkson comments about his dreaming of her being stripped naked, paraded in the streets, and excrement being thrown at her — stayed deafening silent. And what have been Meghan’s crimes? Has she had a decades-long affair or hung out with convicted pedophiles? In my opinion, her real crime was not only being “uppity” but being “ungrateful” and rejecting wholeheartedly the alleged toxic situation she found herself in. She created her own fairytale ending by whisking off her prince to Southern California with her chickens and babies while all being a “ghastly” American and a divorced actress with mixed heritage ancestry. Meghan has it all in the bullshit bingo stakes, she triggers and hits the jackpot when it comes to class, empire, misogyny, divorce, and her ethnicity. You go, girl! Show them what power, grace and fabulous looks like.
With all that said, I’m still hopeful. I still think things will change for the better and I believe in healing, growing and evolution rather than cancel culture, which would be the abolition of the monarchy. A huge, intergenerational, thousand-year cancel.
Instead, on coronation day, I will be in front of the TV, perhaps at a street party, cup of tea in hand, a scone and some coronation quiche in the other. I will wish my king well, raise a toast to the late queen for her duty and commitment to this country, think of the future and also reminisce about how far we have come. That’s why the monarchy and the coronation are important — social, glitzy, community-bonding glue, for better or for worse.
My sincere thanks to Ateh. Follow her on Instagram and be on the lookout for her new beauty line, coming soon (details here!).
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Dr. Jewel’s essay wonderfully expressed the complexity of the monarchy as a (somewhat) modern institution. It’s possible to hold a few conflicting thoughts about the royal family, and I do. Thank you for bringing us this perspective.
I admire Ateh Jewel’s candor and honesty. It was refreshing reading her essay. I’m not a Camille or Charles fan but have much historical perspective on the British monarchy.