NOTICE OF THESIS EXAM DESSY MAHARANY

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NOTICE OF THESIS EXAM

  DESSY MAHARANY

202300010003

 

 

JULY 22, 2026, 13:00 AM

Building C, 7th fl., Room: C706

 

Adviser           : Dr. Engliana, M.hum

Examiners     : Ferdinan Okki Kurniawan, Ph.D. & Dr. Anna Marietta da Silva, M.Hum.

 

Title

 

 A TALE OF TWO DUCHESSES: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF KATE MIDDLETON AND MEGHAN MARKLE IN THE DAILY MAIL AND THE DAILY EXPRESS FROM 2011 TO 2025

 

ABSTRACT

The Daily Mail and The Daily Express portray Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton differently through language. From 2011 to 2025, selected online articles and reader comments were studied to see how lexical choices and reader comments created an unequal contrast between the two Duchesses. Van Dijk's ideological square, media framing theory, and intersectionality are utilized as tools to analyze the media representation of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton in the two British tabloids. Kate is considered as the legitimate royal and described with language features that highlight her sense of duty and stability. Meanwhile, Meghan is portrayed as a disruptive outsider, associated with rule-breaking and commercial ambition. The tabloids often report similar actions by the Duchesses differently, making the double standard evident in their coverage. Kate's faults are softened and defended, while Meghan's positive actions are often reframed as self-promotion. The unequal representation has become normalized by both tabloids and can be seen across major royal events, including weddings and coronations. Most reader comments continue to reproduce these frames, though there are a few who resists. There is a deeper ideological boundary created by the media contrast between Meghan and Kate which are formed by race, gender, and class. The study shows how tabloid language naturalizes these unequal representations of Kate and Meghan within the British monarchy.

Keywords: Critical Discourse Analysis, media framing, intersectionality, Meghan Markle, and Kate Middleton.