Throughout history, royal women have frequently been the focus of intense media scrutiny, often facing criticism and public judgment disproportionate to their male counterparts. This theme is explored in Catherine Mayer’s new book, *Divide and Rule*, which examines the experiences of eight royal women who have been targeted by the press over the centuries.

Mayer, a former editor at Time magazine and author of a 2015 biography of Prince Charles, draws parallels between figures such as Anne Boleyn and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. She argues that both women were singled out by critics for being "too dark, too ambitious, too difficult." While men in royal families have also faced public attention—with Prince Harry’s personal struggles and caricatures of the Prince Regent as examples—Mayer’s focus remains on the unique pressures faced by royal women.

The book covers a broad historical range, opening with Anne Boleyn, who was executed shortly after the death of Catherine of Aragon, and moving through the reigns of Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. Mayer portrays iconic moments, such as Elizabeth’s speech to troops at Tilbury and Victoria’s deep attachment to her servant John Brown, illustrating how the media has long shaped public perceptions of queens and consorts.

Mayer’s most detailed chapters concern figures closer to her own lifetime, including Diana, Princess of Wales. She describes Diana as “too modern” for the royal family, struggling under the relentless media spotlight that pushed her toward dangerous dieting and personal turmoil. Despite this, Diana is depicted as a savvy media figure who used public attention to her advantage after her marriage to Prince Charles became strained, notably due to his ongoing relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. Mayer acknowledges that media harassment contributed to the conditions surrounding Diana’s death.

The book also highlights Camilla’s resilience amid press criticism, contrasting her eventual acceptance by the public with the intense trolling faced by Meghan. Mayer suggests that ambition and visibility frequently make royal women vulnerable targets for media hostility, particularly when rivalries within the family, such as those suggested between Meghan and Catherine, Princess of Wales, are emphasized by the press.

Mayer credits Catherine with managing a difficult balance between protecting her privacy—especially regarding health matters—and fulfilling a public role that supports her husband, Prince William, who, like his brother Harry, was deeply affected by the loss of their mother. The former editor expresses respect for Harry’s memoir *Spare*, using it to underline the emotional toll of constant media scrutiny on Meghan and Harry.

While Mayer is sometimes seen as accepting parts of *Spare* at face value, she engages with broader dynamics of power and media portrayal, noting how royal women can be alternately praised or vilified depending on shifting public and media narratives. Ultimately, Mayer suggests that joining an ancient institution like the Windsor family comes with the reality of relentless public exposure, and fair treatment by the press is rare—an experience exemplified by both historical and contemporary royal figures.