Well, I was wrong. I thought the British tabloids would lighten up on the Duchess of Sussex ahead of Christmas, but as it turns out…not so much. Good Morning Britain organized a surprise for their broadcast this morning: an exclusive interview with Thomas Markle, in which he calls his daughter “controlling.” He also begged the Queen to step in and, like, order Meghan to answer his texts. Yeah. I still don’t care. Thomas Markle is only pulling these stunts because A) the racist British media will do anything to attack Meghan, including pay her father for these bullsh-t exclusives and B) he has no access, no new information, and he knows he needs “new” stuff to talk about if he’s going to continue to get paid. Or not, whatever. The British media doesn’t seem to mind that he hasn’t spoken to Meghan since May. They’re just going to keep paying him to act like a stunt queen a–hole.
Meanwhile, speaking of the Queen and Meghan, apparently the Queen did summon Meghan and Harry to Buckingham Palace last week. And it was about Her Maj passing on some patronages to Meghan:
The Duchess of Sussex is set to receive her first royal patronage from the Queen in the new year, as the monarch looks to further reduce her workload after turning 92 this year. Discussions are said to be ‘ongoing’ as to what role Meghan will take on, with royal insiders speculating that the former actress could be handed causes that reflect her interest in feminism and the arts.
The Duchess, 37, is reported to have met the Queen for tea at Buckingham Palace, along with her husband Prince Harry, last week to discuss her potential new patronages, with an announcement set to be made by February. She will then visit each of the charities or organisations ahead of giving birth to the couple’s first child in the spring, according to the Sunday Times.
I hope Meghan gets a good patronage! I’d love it if it was something to do with the arts. I bet the royals really regret giving the BAFTA presidency to Prince William – since taking on the presidency, he’s only attended the BAFTAs a handful of times, he’s never attended the BAFTA reception at Kensington Palace, and he basically acts like BAFTA is some huge ass-ache. Why not give it to Meghan??? But more likely, she’ll get something related to theater, or maybe an arts program.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.
Is it not odd that her first patronages are being given to her? Catherine was free to choose her own.
TQ is seven years older now, and they have probably realized what a mistake it was to let Cathy Cambridge pick her own work. Meghan clearly does more work, but they want to make sure.
And Kate has been a lazy disaster. TQ won’t make the same mistake twice.
The Queen had over six hundred patronages, she is 92yrs, she passed on about 22 to Charles, Anne and other Royals. It’s time for others to take on more of her patronages.
Meghan will get to choose some of her patronages.
Id rather have help from the queen. Keeping the queen close will simply make Meg better part of the family, she will understand things faster and it will give her more power in the future. The queens sons aren’t hard workers but her daughter is.
Absolutely. Meghan needs as much of the Queen’s backing as she can get just to shut up the idiots.
Actually, I think Charles has been a hard worker.
Meghan is due to visit Brinsworth House the care home for retired performers and techs that the Royal Variety Club run tomorrow .
HMQ is the patron of the RV that might be a good one for Meghan
I think it’s a combination of both, Meghan will be selecting some herself and also taking on a few of the Queens.
This. She gets to pick her own and may also receive a few from the Queen.
No matter what she gets, they’ll be lucky to have her. She clearly goes after things with both enthusiasm and conviction, and she seems to work hard at it. I’m not familiar enough with the Queen’s stuff, so it’ll be a fun surprise for me.
+1
Yup! 🙂
Are we assuming that’s what Kate was summoned for the other day by the Queen too or has other info come to light on that meeting. I’m assuming the Queen is trying to pass on quite a few of her patronage’s at the moment.
Kate regularly uses the Buckingham Palace swimming pool.
Not dressed like that she wasn’t!
Yes, I agree – give the BAFTAS to Meghan, that is so much her world and she will understand it a lot better than William.
Love that the Queen is supporting Meghan & Harry. xx
She had an audience with the director of The National Theatre last week, they do a lot of work for aspiring actors and enchancing diversity. Meghan is someone who struggled advancing her own career because of her undetermined place in the industry, so she would do so much better as The Royal Patron of The National Theatre than the BAFTAS. She strikes me as somebody who wants to do something rather than sit back.
Yes, and technically the National Theatre is the Royal National Theatre. Meghan would be a great choice as patron.
There was also a meeting in October with Jane Goodall. From Goodall’s Roots and Shoots website –
“Dr. Jane believes that every individual can make a difference and that today’s young people are some of the most compassionate, creative, solutionaries our world has seen. She founded Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots in order to empower and encourage youth of all ages to pursue their passion, mobilize their peers, and become the leaders our world needs in order to ensure a better future for people, animals, and the environment.”
That would fit with Meghan’s interests from what we’ve seen thus far.
I can’t imagine the pressure she must feel from the negative publicity and then her toxic father keeps adding to it while she is pregnant. He obviously has no regard for anyone but himself. What a major loser and what a sad excuse for father.
I really can’t believe just how unbelievably awful her father and half sister are. It boggles my mind. It makes the terrific person Meghan has become even more amazing and remarkable.
Blame Piers Morgan, he is totally obsessed with Meghan.
“Stunt Queen assh@le” gave me life today lol
Between Thomas Markle and Offset…. toxic masculinity is on overdrive this holiday. Funny how no one asks Thomas about his daughters book and how Meghan feels about his daughter getting paid to hurt her half sister.
Excellent points. No one is asking Thomas Markle lots of things. I’m assuming he gets a deal ahead of time limiting the questions, just like I assume he’s demanding a carefully-worded statement saying that he’s not being paid for interviews, but which are mute on the pictures and notes he provides.
I’d love to know what he says about:
Yvonne (Samantha’s real name) upcomg tell-all book. Does he approve?
If he got anything for the pictures of Meghan that have appeared beside the interviews which he has said he’s not being paid for. Is being paid for the photos a way to deny being paid for the interviews?
He’s been giving an interview about once a month-ish since the wedding. Why is publicity so much more important than his daughter’s well-being during her pregnancy?
Bunny, I wish YOU were a reporter or commentator! I’d love someone to pin that snake down with some of your questions, and more!
Amen to Piper’s comment on toxic masculinity. It’s a cancer on humanity.
Christmas is a week away, Thomas is probably putting the final touches on his “Blue Christmas” video gift for Meghan.
Framed photos of Meghan in the background, gifts to Meghan and future grandchild under a sad “Charlie Brown “ Christmas tree decorated with a few broken ornaments. The final frame of the video will be a close up of a single tear rolling down his cheek.
He calls Meghan “controlling”? Gross
I’m surprised. I thought they’d wait to see that she had the baby and recovered safely before adding more duties. She is, medically speaking, an advanced maternal age, especially for a first delivery…but then she does have top-notch medical care. Rather than the arts, I’d like to see her get something with less pre-existing coverage.
AMA doesn’t automatically mean high risk though. I had my first kid at 37 and am pregnant with my second at 38. My pregnancies have both been treated like normal pregnancies-no additional ultrasounds (I do choose to do the early blood test screen, but nothing is forced on me) and labor was normal. My guess is, she’s healthy and having a normal pregnancy, which is why they aren’t concerned.
Thank you.
Ha! The Queen barely noticed her four pregnancies. Just kept on working.
Yes. And look how that turned out. Better to have a mother around.
Well, Anne and Sophie worked hard and three out of the four of their children seem all right (and it’s not that Peter is a bad person, he’s just not above using his connections).
Kate just had a baby at 36 and is only 7 months younger than Meghan. I don’t see anyone, other than Kate stans, thinking Kate is too precious or fragile to work during or after the pregnancy.
It’s first time pregnancies for mothers over 35 that are treated with extra caution in terms of the birth in particular.
Wasn’t Kate feeling really ill during her first pregnancies?
I hope she chooses to patron an organization related to arts and underprivileged kids. Use her image and “power” to advance them in an industry that’s more and more elitist.
I was hoping the British tabloids lighted up, but if people stay interested and keep clicking on the BRF gossip, the stories will keep coming
I can’t wait to see which patronages are announced.
I will love something in the art camp for Meghan
Thomas knows his relationship with his daughter is over, he can keep on braying until the birth of the baby.
If he wondered why she is controlling in his opinion, Could it be because her father don’t have a backbone.
First she was uppity, then willful now controlling, next week he most likely will add another derogatory word.
I hope he his using some of his ill gotten gains to pay Uncle Sam the 67,000 ??? he owes in back taxes.
Notice he is not asking Harry or Charles for help, have to wonder why.
I’m excited to see what she takes on in the new year. My guess is that she will get 2-3 patronages from the queen, and then pick a few more herself, and then probably in the next few years pick up a few more from the queen. How many patronages is it normal to have? I know Kate doesn’t have that many, and obviously the Queen herself has hundreds, but I’m not sure what the expectations are. Like if Meghan has 20 or 25 would that be decent?
I was curious about that as well. I’d think 20-25 seems reasonable but I really have no idea. I wonder how many Camilla has? She might be a good comparison for Meghan as she is relatively new to the family and a hard worker.
I think that Thomas is using to get his way with Meghan and this is the very first time she has actually stood up for herself and cut him off completely. I honestly think that Thomas thinks because he Meghan father he entitled to her time and attention Thomas is no longer this loving doting father he and Samantha try to portray him to be . He sold letters that Meghan wrote to him when she was younger to the same publication that constantly bashes his daughter daily he copy right his pictures with Meghan. Him and his sleazy daughter Samantha had made so much money off meghan instead of the press calling them out for their disgusting behavior their blaming Meghan because she choose not to have horrible abuse people in her life like she the bad guy.
This is when I think Heads Together, while sounding nice, is just silliness and the younger royals are not understanding the point of patronages in general. They don’t need to be recreating the wheel. They can take over the hundreds of patronages the Queen has and just show up as she has done. Cut the ribbons, meet people and look interested, and draw attention to the hundreds of good causes that are already out there. Why does Kate need a new initiative? Why does Meghan either? (Outside of something like the cookbook which could absolutely happen organically.) So yes, I hope the Queen does give Meghan the arts patronages.
In addition to regular patronages you discuss, several royals have particular ones or projects that get much of their attention. Charles with Prince’s Trust and Dumfries House, Harry with Invictus, WWTW, Sentebale, Anne with Save the Children.
I don’t think it has to be either or – they can have both patronages with the traditional show up, cut ribbons/unveil plaques (that word looks insane to me right now an I suspect I misspelled it)/christen boats or buildings or whatever and also do work that they find more meaningful. Diana maybe got too in the weeds and overstepped some bounds in visiting patients, but I think visiting patients and whatever is nice, too.
There’s nothing wrong with more meaningful work in addition. But there are only so many hours in a day-and there’s nothing wrong with doing the bread and butter of being a royal (the visits, the speeches, the ribbons.) Spending months “behind the scenes” or trying to create some over arching new program seems like a total misstep.
BAFTA would be good for her because they have a lot of events in Los Angeles, which would allow her to visit her mother and childhood friends, while also doing a working event.
Pier Morgan’s behavior has been so deeply disturbing. Like, she met with him once because he was – in her mind – a good connect for her as a working actress with stuff to promote. They were not friends, on any level.
The way he uses his show to harass her would never be tolerated in America. Network bosses wouldn’t stand for it.
I agree Talie! I think once she started dating Harry someone took her aside and told her that Piers is not someone you want to befriend. And he continues to prove that time after time.
Piers Morgan is another creep I am waiting for a “MeToo” moment or some other scandal to blow up in his face. I refuse to believe he does not have some major skeletons rattling around in his closet. He is a nasty piece of work
I don’t understand how he gets so many tv shows. He was a disgraced journalist who somehow managed to resurrect his career and now is a regular on most of the crap on ITV. ITV is pretty trashy, I watch very little on that channel life is too short.
We’ve all talked about how one of the palaces should be doing something about all the vicious, hateful press Meghan has received and I think that this is the Queen’s way of saying she has confidence in and respect for her new granddaughter-in-law. Events like tea with the Queen and handing over of patronages to the newest member of the family just don’t get leaked unless the Queen wants them to be leaked.
Yes, nice one your maj – Meghan and Harry would be wise to shelter under her wing – she is AWESOME!…and I don’t normally watch Good Morning Britain or whatever its called with Piers Morgan but unfortunately, I caught 5 minutes of it today and couldn’t believe how him and Suzanna Reid were telling Meghan she should make contact with her “heartbroken father”! I mean WTF? No-one knows what TM is like as a father except Meghan – she has obviously chosen to cut him out of her life because he’s poison… and how dumb is this guy? They asked him not to talk to the press at the beginning of the relationship – he’s STILL doing interviews and selling pictures and bleating about how he loves her – if he really loved her he would STFU and leave her alone!
Can you imagine getting BAFTA as a patronage and being too lazy and/or snitty to attend? I agree, take it from William and give it to Meghan, it’s a perfect fit.
Meghan getting a patronage from the queen is awesome. Can’t wait for the announcement. I wonder what else Harry and Meghan talked about with the queen – a tiara with emeralds? a Royal Family Order for Meghan? Baby Sussex gets HRH?
As for Bad Dad, that GMB interview backfired . The mainstream press is coming for the Daddy
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/dec/17/its-no-surprise-thomas-markle-and-his-daughter-meghan-are-now-estranged
and Sam is beefing with different people on social media who are pushing back on Pops. Piers gave away the game in his op ed piece in the Fail. He said Dad is doing the interviews to make Meghan feel guilty, which probably cramped up the Sr. backlash. When the tabloids are writing about a backlash against you, it’s bad.
Thank you for that link, Aquarius64. Really great article that all women can relate to actually.
Here’s another
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/dec/03/the-fake-feud-between-meghan-and-kate-reveals-the-prejudice-of-the-press
1. How do we know that this tea happened? We have the video evidence of KM going to BP but nothing of Meghan and Harry. After all of the smearing, I find myself side-eyeing any vague reporting — “sources say” , Cambridge insider, etc. — without definitive proof.
2. Assuming that the Sussexes did go to tea as it’s being reported, do we read into it that Harry went along with Meghan, while Kate Middleton went alone without William? If so – what’s the inference? Kate was alone because she was being chastised for the rumors of her having a falling out with MM ? Harry going along because he’s so hovery/ protective of MM ? What does it all mean?!??!?!
I’m excited to see which patronages she takes on (both from TQ and on her own). She has shown that she can work hard and I hope that continues. I think she will be a good patron and will show up when she says she will.