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Meghan Markle has been very public about her time as a working member of the royal family. She and Prince Harry have spoken about it in TV and magazine interviews as well as in their Netflix documentary. The Duchess of Sussex admitted that as an American, it was difficult adapting to the British culture and fitting in with her husband’s relatives.

Now a fellow American, who also married into a British aristocratic family, is weighing in with her thoughts and believes Meghan had a dream of being a big star in the Firm and that got in the way of everything.

Meghan Markle and other members of the royal family watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Meghan Markle and other members of the royal family watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Who Julie Montagu is married to

Julie Montagu (nee Fisher) was born and raised in Sugar Grove, Illinois. She attended Indiana University where she majored in computer science before moving to London.

In 2003, she took a job at a digital agency when she met Luke Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke, who is the son and heir to John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich. The couple tied the knot the following year making her Viscountess Hinchingbrooke.

Julie is a cookbook author, a yoga instructor, a blogger, and a television personality who appeared on Ladies of London. She also hosted her own show called An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates. And since 2021, has her own YouTube series called American Viscountess.

Julie Montagu sitting on the set of Megyn Kelly's TV show
Julie Montagu sitting on the set of Megyn Kelly’s TV show | Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Viscountess says Meghan’s difficulties with in-laws is because she couldn’t let go of her celebrity

Given the similarities she and Meghan have such as blogging, working on TV, and marrying into an aristocratic family, Julie offered her commentary on why she believes Meghan struggled as a working member of the royal family.

Viscountess Hinchingbrooke opined that the former Suits star’s issues with her in-laws were because of Meghan’s inability to let go of her dreams of being a successful celebrity figure within the royal family.

“You can’t really be anything you want to be or do anything you want to do or say anything you want to say,” the viscountess explained via the Daily Mail. “Your duty is to the queen and that’s very difficult for someone like Meghan. To switch off that American dream and accept ‘now you have to do what we say’ is difficult.”

Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as the Royal family attend events to mark the Centenary of the RAF in 2018
Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as the Royal family attend events to mark the Centenary of the RAF in 2018 | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
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Comments come after Meghan topped the celebrities-people-are- sick-of list

Viscountess Hinchingbrooke’s comments came days after the Duchess of Sussex was voted No. 1 in a Ranker poll titled “Celebrities You’re Sick of in 2022.”

Meghan’s husband Prince Harry came in just behind her at No. 2 on the list and Oprah Winfrey, who sat down with the couple for their first bombshell interview in 2021, took the No. 3 spot.

Other celebrities who made Ranker’s list include Kanye West, James Corden, Ellen DeGeneres, and Amber Heard.