The royal family appears to be moving in a new direction and Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton are being credited for the change. One source close to the Sussexes even believes that Prince Harry and Markle have single-handedly modernized the monarchy.

During the documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, the Sussexes shared some of the emotional fallout of living in the spotlight.

Markle pointed to the unfair criticism from the press, while Prince Harry addressed rumors of a feud between himself and Prince William. The candid interviews humanized the monarchy in a way we dont usually see.

A source told CNN: The institution around the British Royal Family is full of people afraid of and inexperienced at how to best help harness and deploy the value of the royal couple who have single-handedly modernized the monarchy.

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South Africa After months of planning, Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in South Africa today for their official Royal Tour of Southern Africa focusing on community, grassroots leadership, womens and girls rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS and the environment. Their first stop was to the incredible Justice Desk Project which works to make women and children safer in Nyanga. Its an issue of vital importance in South Africa and across the globe, their Royal Highnesses wanted to learn first-hand about the issues people face and the work being done on the ground. One of the workshops Their Royal Highnesses saw was the Mbokodo project which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment workshops to young girls who are overcoming major traumas. This project's powerful motto is "wathint' abafazi wathint' imbokodo" which means "you strike a woman; you strike a rock" And just on one personal note, may I just say that while I am here with my husband as a member of The Royal Family, I want you to know that for me I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of colour and as your sister. The Duchess of Sussex @TheJusticeDesk Project is supported by the @Queens_Commonwealth_Trust and works with community leaders in Nyanga, with the firm belief that if you can change the mindset of a community, you can change the mindset of a country. #SussexRoyalTour #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica Photo PA images / SussexRoyal video SussexRoyal

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Sep 23, 2019 at 10:54am PDT

Prince Harry and Markles royal tour of Africa earned them rave reviews following a period of intense scrutiny. In an interview with Nine News Australia, royal expert Juliette Rieden shared: After all those criticisms and jibes that weve been covering for weeks on end here is Meghan and Harry doing what they both do best, which is meeting people, inspiring people, changing the face of the royal family, I think.

She continued, They dont meet people with a handshake, weve seen that, they go in for the hug every time. And they love it, everybody loves it, everybody loves that personal contact.

Rieden further explained how its evident that the Sussexes and Cambridges are making a huge splash, sharing: There is no question that Harry and Meghan are very important members of the monarchy They, along with William and Kate, are the young royals that are going to move the monarchy forward.

Yes, theyre doing it in their own way and, largely, the public like that, Rieden noted, adding, They are so impressive when theyre meeting people, they really do care, they really do listen, they really do want to interact and get involved and make a difference. Its not just handshakes, its not just cutting ribbons with them.

Winning public support can be challenging, but Middleton has tapped into a method Princess Diana used. Royal commentator Neil Sean told Australias Today Show how Middleton has taken a page from Diana, explaining: She sort of made sure that William and Harry had normal lives if you like. There was a very famous picture of them queuing in McDonalds in Kensington and then there was the other picture of them at funfairs and amusement parks. Well, Kate has done the same thing, she has taken the same route.

He pointed to the way Middleton is seen in non-royal situations with the children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, giving them a normal life which endears the Cambridges to the public and helps to modernize the royal family. This sense of normalcy makes it easier to identify with them.

Sean continued: According to a royal source, she wants her children to experience the reality of life. There was actually a picture of Kate shopping forHalloween treats with George and Charlottein a local supermarket near to where they were staying. This really endears people not just to William and Catherine but to the Royal Family in general.

He added: Although people werent allowed to take pictures, youve got to appreciate and I think Kate is very clever at this that the Royal Family has to modernize. By that, they have to get within the people, and I think thats a good trade Diana has given to William who passed it on to Catherine.

A royal insider told The Sun that Princess Diana was very unstuffy and wanted William and Harry to fit in with their school friends and experience normality. Thats the baton she handed to Kate.

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The Major Ways Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton Have Changed the Monarchy - Showbiz Cheat Sheet