My "read" on the book.
Harry's wife is biracial, but made choices to (1) live with her white father when he had money that gave her a private school education, and a lifestyle and industry connections she aspired to, (2) to only date and marry white men (this may not be 100% accurate but an internet search did not get me to any pictures that support diversity, I will happily stand corrected if needed) and especially to aggressively pursue a husband who is the ultimate representation of white privilege, a pale faced ginger, a Prince of the Realm. Except for what appear to be strategically staged appearances with her mother, a WOC, Harry's wife does not celebrate, let alone acknowledge, her black family. The latter is really difficult to understand since the few articles that were published about them around the time of the wedding were very positive and the family members quoted were amazingly gracious in reference to her, in spite of her dismissiveness. No one has dared challenge her publicly on this, so we have no idea "why" they were Markled.
Her "lens" (one of her oft quoted words: "Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens,” the duchess says.) of seeing herself as a racism victim is well documented. I believe she uses being a WOC for attention when convenient. But this does not necessarily translate into $$$$, which she craves along with the attention.
Which brings us to the present time: The PR team she employs has been working overtime. Harry's wife wrote some maudlin pap, but they employed Christian Robinson so her poetry is illustrated by a multiple award winning, delightful, successful young black man, who by association with the project gives the writing more gravitas than it merits. And in their final coup movement, product placement is in the "Children's Black and African American Stories" section of Books. "Ka-Ching"
Be prepared for a carefully staged photo shoot on a bench of the adoring mother, strategically placed for emphasis, father in less focus, and Archie with book cover prominently displayed supposedly enjoying the story. Of course, since The Bench features the boy in the family, there is sure to be a sequel in a few years, maybe with a swing, for the girl in the family. The sequel could be a challenge, what rhymes with "girl"?
