By Davis Carlton

The recent interview of Prince Harry and his mulatto wife Meghan Markle with Oprah Winfrey typifies Prince Harry as a modern day Esau. There are many striking comparisons between Harry and Esau. The first being that both men seem to be red heads (Gen. 25:25), accounting for the lame pun in the title. Other comparisons are more to the point. Esau is called a profane person who sold his birthright for a morsel of meat (Heb. 12:16). The same verse also calls Esau a fornicator; likely alluding to Esau’s marriages to Canaanite women (Gen. 26:34). Esau is given as an example of grossly misplaced priorities. Esau sold his birthright in order to satiate temporary hunger. Esau’s callous disregard for what was rightfully his is so stark that we are told that Esau “despised his birthright” (Gen. 25:30-34). As the oldest son Esau was the heir apparent to the wonderful covenant promises made to the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, and yet he was willing to let all of that go in exchange for a full stomach.

Prince Harry has shamed his family and heaped scorn upon his illustrious heritage as a prince of the British royal family. Harry has married a mulatto whose political activism is opposed to everything that encompasses the traditions of the British monarchy. Harry’s wife Meghan Markle is an attention whore with a victim complex who obviously hates the traditions of the British monarchy, in spite of her own ancestry distantly linking her to the royal family. The British monarchy is certainly far removed from its glory days as the head of the world’s great superpower, and Harry’s betrayal should be understood as the conclusion of a prolonged period of decline to the point that it has become obvious that the monarchy is a mere shell of its former magnificence. Prince Harry understands this firsthand, and instead of bravely soldiering on and trying to rebuild this once great institution on what remains of its foundations, he has metaphorically placed his moist finger to the wind and taken up with those who hate his heritage, his country, and even his own family.

Prince Harry is a traitor to his people, the monarchy, and his own family. I dare say that Esau comes out better in comparison to the wayward prince and Duke of Sussex. Esau was slow to understand how his marriages to Canaanite women dishonored his parents (Gen. 26:35, 27:46), but at least when he did he made some efforts to correct the offense by marrying a daughter of Ishmael (Gen. 28:6-9). Esau also graciously reconciled to his younger brother Jacob (Gen. 33) who had taken his birthright through extortion and stole Esau’s blessing through deceit (Gen. 27). Esau is also present with Jacob to bury their father Isaac after he dies (Gen. 35:28-29). Later generations of Israelites are told that they are not to abhor or hate the Edomites (descendants of Esau) because they are brothers descended from the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac (Deut. 23:7).

This did not prevent neighborly relations between Israel and Edom from breaking down, but Esau has many redeeming qualities and personally comes across far more sympathetically in Scripture than he is often given credit for. Both Harry and Esau have displayed an inordinate desire for ease and comfort and a profane detachment from that which is truly valuable, but Harry comes out far worse than Esau given the extent of his betrayal. No one is beyond hope, and it is possible that Harry will someday understand the depth of his disloyalty and pursue reconciliation with his family like Esau of old. Until that time, Prince Harry deserves the opprobrium of his countrymen and all men of the West for the disdain he has showed to his family and people. Even Harry’s effeminate, wife-imposed Vegan diet contrasts with Esau’s healthy, masculine taste for savory meat. In comparing Prince Harry to Esau, I might end up owing Esau an apology.