She could have been the world's most popular royal, Meghan Markle. She was loved at the start and a wonderful addition to the family.
We all thought a uniting force bringing the royals up to date with her mixed heritage. A role model for all regardless of race because, well, she had it all.
Good looks and effervescent exterior, youth, energy, beauty and intelligence, the perfect blend. And money. Limitless amounts of money.
But she didn't understand the sheer power of the monarchy, and that once you rubbed the glitzy surface off the trinket-clad Hollywood sign, all that glitters isn't gold, just illuminated, vacuous, empty lettering filled with nothing but hot air. Hollow.
Nana Akua shares her thoughts on Meghan Markle's exit from the Royal Family
GBN America
By crossing the threshold to become part of the Royal Family, while she may have initially felt restricted, Meghan Markle could have shaped her own destiny.
She should have realised that the global press speculation would never end, even if she wasn't a working member, and that by going on Oprah and selling her Royal Family down the river, she became one of us rather than one of them.
And outside the Royal Family, the Sussexes failed to make money from Spotify. Who pulled the plug?
Their only real hit on Netflix was that reality show where they slagged off their own family.
And now, in the vacuum that's been created by the King's health scare and Princess Catherine's absence, Meghan Markle has launched her own website.
So she's pretty much back to doing what she started with The Tig. She's an influencer dressed up as American Riviera Orchard to sell us butter, jams and birdseed, which sounds all very nice.
She had the world at her feet and she threw it back.
I get it, she had a dream to be amongst the stars in Hollywood, but sadly, she failed to notice that whilst America doesn't have a Royal Family globally, a King is the ace in the pack and Hollywood stars are at best of ten. Or maybe a jack. It's pretty simple really.
Family shapes you and reminds you of who you are. If you're lucky enough to have one that cares, keep them close. They will ground you.
They are the real people who will bring you back to earth when you fall for fakery. But sadly, in both Harry and Meghan's case, whilst they may now have a family of their own to shape, they have ruthlessly detached themselves from the loving, supporting mould from which they came.
I'm afraid it will only end in tears. It's not a case of if, it's just when.