Just FYI, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a quiet visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen yesterday. There were no photos, and the stop seems to have only been announced after the fact. There was one photo of Adele, who apparently stopped by around the same time. Now I want photos of Adele, Harry and Meghan cooking together with the Hubb Kitchen ladies.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visited the Hubb Community Kitchen on Thursday. And they weren’t the only familiar faces at @almanaar — #Justice4Grenfell supporter @Adele stopped by too!
Hubb chef (and one of its founders) Munira Mahmoud shared a snap from the pre-holiday event📸 pic.twitter.com/Ku4W33COTY— Omid Scobie (@scobie) December 21, 2018
Anyway, the fact that Meghan and Harry added this visit onto their schedule just before Christmas is pretty interesting. One, they don’t look like they’re in a hurry to get to Sandringham. Two, they’re doing things their own way… while they can. People Magazine has another part of their cover story this week, where “sources” talk about how Meghan has… ambitions. And the courtiers keep telling her she can’t do sh-t.
Meghan Markle is the first American to marry into the British royal family since Wallis Simpson in 1937 — and since her wedding to Prince Harry in May, there have been tensions that some insiders blame on a culture clash. Veteran royal aides “might not be used to the ‘say-it-as-you-see-it’ American mentality,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
Meghan, 37, has yet to announce which patronages she will back as a member of the royal family, but it’s clear she has ambitions to advance education and empowerment for women and young girls around the world. Her first solo project as the Duchess of Sussex – a cookbook launched to support a community kitchen – spearheaded that cause.
“The palace is a magical place, and it is also a place where all you hear is ‘no, no, no,’ ” a source in royal circles says of the confining rules that govern royal life. Adds a source close to the family: “The most difficult job in the royal family is to work with Meghan’s ambitions and make them realizable. She will get frustrated if she is told, ‘You can’t do this or can’t do that.’ ”
Kate Middleton, on the other hand, “has maneuvered herself in a different way, but she is still strong.” William and Kate “have created their own nest, and they are confident in what they’re doing,” says the insider.
The royal courtiers are like Goldilocks – they have one duchess who does too little and one duchess who does too much, and they’re just looking for a duchess who does just the right amount. I’m really starting to believe that a good chunk of the smear campaign isn’t even coming from Charles or William or Kate, it’s coming from these fussy courtiers who have never encountered an American woman with a Type-A personality and a work ethic. The courtiers are experiencing such culture shock, and so they’re doing what they always do – try to clip a royal woman’s wings in the press. I can’t wait for Harry and Meghan to hire some staffers dedicated to their interests, who understand “chain of command.”
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.
At what point do the British start getting insulted that traits like ambitious and hard working are attributed to her American ways?
Indeed!
And funny, though everyone implies that Americans are so blunt, I’ve found my British coworkers to be much more caustic and direct than my American colleagues. Granted, I work in corporate America where efficiency is prized and there is a focus on results, but I’ve never found my European colleagues to be particularly soft or subtle.
Thought the same thing! Are brits so lazy that a work ethic scares them sh*tless?
It is kind of rude! Hardworking Americans versus stuffy, lazy Brits. The royal family is a very specific, old institution and it seems pretty obvious that someone coming into it, especially from abroad, would need to do some adjusting to it. Almost anyone would, including 99.9999% of British people. Why would you see it as a good thing to come into the royal family from outside with the purpose of trying to change it to be more like the culture that you came from, unless you assume that your own culture is superior?
Agreed! There certainly are cultural differences but these articles always seem to imply that Brits are in some way not hard working. Brits are polite and may phrase things in a less direct manner but their sense of humour is much more dry and sarcastic, as someone else pointed out. I believe that many employers tend to treat staff as equals and from what I know of the Royals, that is especially so. They’re spoken to with respect but they know their place.
Roux are you trying to say the Royals treat their staff as equals? Because it would be absurd if you did. Royalty is based on the premise of hierarchy of status, the exact opposite of equality. They consider themselves better or superior to others simply by basis of being born to that family. The Queen considers herself essentially divine – having a unique connection to God – the divine right of kings and all that. Royalty is the foundation of the class system. They may be polite to their employees, but they are employees of a lower social class.
Aides should be seen and not heard – I’d fire their racist butts and get some young blood in there
And it all seems to be the same story, framed in different ways. But always, essentially, “slow your roll, American.”
That struck me too lol.
Does anyone read Blind Gossip? They just had a blind about Meghan’s supposedly bossy, manipulative ways. The comments were obnoxious. I usually try not to give BG clicks because the political blinds are anti-Democratic, pro Trumpian garbage, with a smug “please be civil” admonishment 🖕.
Minx – That, and it’s 99% straight up crap. Barely a step above CDAN, which at least admits they make a lot of their sh*t up…
Kristen—yes! I dropped CDAN years ago, what a joke.
Yeah, why do Blind Gossip and CDAN hate Meghan so much? As for the Brits, Meghan is doing the job she was “hired” to do: make lots of visits to charities, do well at these visits, and bring publicity to the charities. So far, she’s done a great job. Also, these visits are the only verifiable facts, I said facts, about Meghan. Again, knocking the ball out of the park.
I stopped reading CDAN too a few years ago too.
CDAN is crawling with deplorables, sociopaths, douchebros, and their complicit female enablers on both sides. To top it all off, they can’t even keep their creepy little unethical community to themselves. They have to run all over the internet sharing everything they read there with everyone else, to the point where even people who want to avoid it can’t. ‘Anti-Democratic, pro Trumpian garbage, with a smug “please be civil” admonishment’ sums it up just right.
Your comment made me laugh: quite on point! I guess there IS a cultural difference in the way dissension or disagreement is handled, with English being much less direct in general. I can believe the courtiers are very threatened by Meghan, but how horrible for her to wonder which employees are trashing her constantly. I think it was the courtiers Princess Diana called “the men in grey”, and who made her life very difficult. It sounds extremely oppressive to me. I don’t understand the chain of command much; who controls these courtiers?
On the question of communication styles, I got some insight from a Canadian colleague of mine who took his PhD in England about 5 years ago. He told me that in the UK, he found communication at least in the university setting where he worked and studied to be highly understated. A colleague would preface a request with “when you have a moment, could you …”, which he realized later actually meant “this is very urgent”. Some cultures are more direct, particularly in a work setting, and others are less.
By contrast, a South American woman I know was told by her Canadian employer that she was insufficiently direct. No one could tell what she was getting at. She thought she was just being polite but it was actually impeding her ability to do her job. The point is that cultures are different.
Back to my colleague in the UK. The most interesting thing he mentioned was how insular his British colleagues were. Non Brits in the program were rarely invited out for drinks etc by their British colleagues. While quite mutually friendly and so on during the day, the Brits never chose to socialize with their non Brit colleagues after work. What does it mean? I don’t know.
Back to Meghan. She is a steely strong woman who I imagine is going to be well supported by Harry within his ability to change things. BUT, I fully expect that if those who are around her cannot take it when someone emails them early in the morning (if indeed any of this is even factually correct), it’s time to find staff who can take this kind of “aggressive American” (!!!) behaviour. No one is suggesting that they have to get up at 5 am and action these emails. It’s when she has sent them. If she is being clear and direct in what she needs, and reasonable in when it needs to be done, then they have to get over it that she isn’t someone born to the same culture as she is. I imagine given her clear EQ that she will modulate her communication style, but I hope she never changes who she fundamentally is.
It’s clear she wants to make a difference in the world. That is probably a good part of what drew her to Harry as so does he. If she feels an urgency to do good and help people, let her get on with it. Frankly, I hope she cleans house staff-wise. And if that means some American or non Brit staff, so be it. She doesn’t have time for all of the ludicrous drama from supposed aggressions and the like.
She’s the Duchess and they need to get over it.
I was wondering if she could hire Americans or non Brits for staff b/c the people around her now seem to not be able to handle how laser focus she is in the things she wants to accomplish and get done. It does give off the vibe that these people are lazy and don’t want to work hard which I don’t think is true but those are the optics.
@Marianne, this is so true. You want a good example of British understatement? I have a condition in my hand (trigger finger) which will require an injection into the tendon. This being in the palm of the hand, it is one of the three most painful places in the body to have a needle inserted. The pain is excruciating. My doctor, when discussing this option, warrned my by saying: “it’s not too pleasant”.
American living in London. Brits are lazy as fu*k.
Thanks. My (also English) husband, who has just completed over 100 chargeable hours in the past 10 days, would thank you too, but he’s at work.
I have heard similar from several Americans about people from various European countries – and the British have some of the longest working hours in Europe – but do they want to stop and wonder if it’s them who are working too hard? From what they say it sounds to me like the American work-life balance is messed up.
LOL. So true. Brits are VERY different than Americans. Europeans in general have a very different work ethic. Maybe lazy is a harsh word but the sentiment is correct.
Some brits really do not like Americans or at a minimum are confused by them.
Sort of funny story. Spend fair amount of time in UK. Was approached by a sweet looking older woman, needing help with her tube map.
When I started talking she looked like I had smacked her. Where was I from, was I Canadian? When I told her I was from washington dc, the states, she said she had been waiting for some time to spot someone English to ask for help.
I apologized, said yes my hair is English, but it had been born in the states.
I suspect her reasons for waiting so long in 40f weather were somewhat racist.
I did wind up helping her get her trains and stops figured out, but her distaste for Americans was quite clear.
Many brits are lovely and interested in Americans. But many are not.
The Markles are given such visibility in the British press because they represent every redneck, hick, stereotype American some in the UK enjoy looking down on.
It’s just code for “she’s an uppity black woman.”
Markle, after all, spent YEARS in Canada, the land of “Sorry, no, sorry. SORRY” as a passive-aggressive power play. Brusqueness doesn’t go far in Canada, and Markle got along just fine here.
I doubt so much that this has anything at all to do with the colour of Meghan’s skin. The debacle that was Wallis Simpson has never really been forgotten by the British public, she was a hideous social climber who caught herself a rather dim witted prince. People are seeing a similarity here. There is also the natural British attitude of “None of our colonies will ever match Old Blighty”. They hate to see Americans, Australians, Canadians, whoever, do well, or appear to be one up on the British public.
No. It is not code for anything. And Canada is really nothing like England. It is very American, especially Toronto which is less than 2 hrs from the border.
Yes, it does carry a lot of that weight raincoaster. Those who deny it are either pretending or guilty of it themselves.
I don’t for one second think doing too much is a bad thing in BRF. What I do think is the courtiers don’t like what she wants to do. I’m starting to think she asked for particular patronages after the tour down under and someone, somewhere disapproves.
“… she has ambitions to advance education and empowerment for women and young girls around the world.”
I think you make a good point. Along with, she has an “agenda” that she started pressing right away, probably challenges the nay-sayers directly rather than employing a more familiar passive-aggressive style, and is a confident woman, not a girl waiting to be molded in the tried and true BRF way. All while testing their classist/racist prejudices.
I think it’s its more that’s plot point from The Crown—it’s not about individuality, it’s about the institution. There shouldn’t be any one person who “shines” above the rest except the monarch. It’s not about what Meghan wants, it’s about what the Queen and her courtiers decide.
SickandTired:
You do realize that the British Commonwealth is comprised of 53 countries *Around the World,* right? Further, Harry and Meghan were appointed as youth ambassadors for the Commonwealth, which means she is actually doing her job. And since when is the Hubb Kitchen a “non-British” charity? Please do educate yourself on what the British Royal Family is and what their responsibilities actually are.
@ SickandTired – their number one obligation is to represent the monarch. And, as Anon said, HM appointed Harry as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador in April. So, for example, part of their Australia etc, tour involved highlighting youth initiatives in the countries they visited.
It’s not their only work, but prepare yourself for more events overseas going forward.
Maybe her ideas bump up on political issues. The monarchy can withstand personal and financial scandal (war of the Wales’s and BP deterioration), but if they interfere with the workings of Parliment, they just might go under.
You should research the ground breaking work Prince Charles has done with the muslim community for decades. He’s felt felt strongly about the importance of building bridges. He’s is hardly apolitical but his good work doesn’t generate as much buzz.
Also, for people who are supposed to be world class at enforcing hierarchy, none of them seem to know their place. Do they really think that their position is more secure than Meghan’s? What fools. If we’ve seen anything in the last 7 years, it’s that palace employees are expendable. Gossip only bites the gossiper.
@ahoyoy,
Fergie might disagree, she got thrown out and was clearly very expendable. Not that I didn’t feel sorry for her. She seemed like someone lovable but too impulsive.
And Diana bumped heads with her own brother in law, sir Robert Fellowes, the queens private secretary. He was on duty the night she died.
I somewhat disagree Rapunzel. I certainly think they want the royals working and to be seen doing good, but I do think they want to see a limit to that. They don’t want another Diana. Meghan is the new shiny thing and she’s working right off the bat, she also has drive and ambition. I don’t even like her that much, the fawning over her like she can do no wrong kind of turned me off of her, but 5 or more years down the line if she is constantly working and doing things like the cookbook, always being seen doing something for the more unfortunate, I can totally see her being beloved like Diana was. She has the charisma and seems very genuine when she is meeting with people. I think the courtiers see that as well and are trying to stop it now and put her in her place. I doubt the royal family ever wants another Diana situation. Not to say that her and Harry would end up like Charles and Diana did, but I don’t think they even want to risk it.
I think it’s also cultural differences. The fact is, when you move or marry in to a different culture, a person needs respect that culture and not go in guns blazing and expect to change it overnight. She knew what she went into. I only hope that she doesn’t lose Harry’s support, because after all those are his people.
You are assuming she went “in with guns blazing”. Why? Because the tabloids and royal reporters say so?
Because Meghan herself said she was going to hit the ground running. In her engagement interview it was all about going in full out
Ha! Never have I ever heard or read someone interpret “hit the ground running” as “guns blazing” AND being overbearing or rude to people. But, never mind. Your dislike of Meghan for whatever personal issues you have with her isn’t important or relevant to her life or mine. It does make me wonder how people with your kind of attitude interpreted Kate’s keen intent to “learn quickly and work hard” during her engagement interview. The hypocrisy is real.
To be honest, as a Dutch person I have never experienced a lot of difference between Americans and Brits apart from Americans not being able to deal with my sarcasm as well as the Brits do.
Oh there is a difference coming from an American living in London. I think Americans tend to say what they think vs keeping the stiff upper lip sort of thing. Also I do hear oh that’s a typical American a lot but not sure what “typical” is suppose to mean. EG loud? can’t work out time zones ? lol Followed by oh I am not talking about you.
I find them to be more similar to eachother than to us from the continent ( although Europe is far to diverse to be put under the same umbrella).
Canadian here….I always thought my inability to deal with sarcasm (it tends to go completely over my head, and then when it is explained to me, I often have found it somewhat mean-spirited, in all truth) was a personal thing, not a nationality thing. I am, frankly, delighted to learn there are more people in the world who don’t ‘get’ sarcasm. My son learnt sarcasm on the job (construction) and now he’s like…Oh, Mom….le sigh!! My favourite lover started carrying a sign in his shirt pocket “JOKING” and would simply hold it up in a social situation when he could see I was missing the ‘joke’ entirely. I always thought that was very sweet and wonderful of him…especially when he was the one ‘joking’. Still and all, I find sarcasm generally a “funny” (odd and not very nice) way to get one’s point across. Most of the time, sarcasm seems to be used as a passive-aggressive way to get one’s point across without taking responsibility for the outcome. My truth and my truth only.
Oh, I don’t think it’s a nationality thing, though different cultures would have different overall feelings about it. I’ve been a sarcastic Canadian since birth, though quite generally not in a mean-spirited sort of way. There are ways it can be done more self-deprecatingly, or you’re right- it can often just be mean-spirited. Catching it is generally more about being able to pick up on tone or facial cues, though – which admittedly makes it much harder in writing.
Generally though, different parts of the brain are needed to work together to pick up on it properly because it’s tone and expression in addition to language. People with autism usually have a harder time picking it up, or people with prefrontal cortex damage, though it’s not related to only those things. I would suspect though, that if someone finds it harder to pick up on emotion in faces it would be harder.
Interesting thoughts! As an American with recent roots in Britain (my grandparents emigrated post WWI), I assumed that the gentle, but constant sarcasm that I grew up with was a British thing. I do notice that my cousins use it a lot also.
As an adult visitor to Canada and the UK, I notice that indirect requests are more common and sales people seem more pessimistic about being able to find something for you.
In any case, I wish all members of the royal family the best. And hopefully our orange idiot won’t blow us all up over the holidays!
Meghan isn’t the only royal with a work ethic, she’s not even in the top 10 of hardest working royals. This is less about work ethic and more about a culture clash & a lack of understanding of the institution she has married into.
The “men in grey” as Diana famously called them, are the ones who wield the power and Meghan needs to learn to play by their rules, otherwise she’ll find herself ostracized like they did with Fergie.
Yeah, I do agree. I think Meghan is great, but it’s not like the RBF had never experienced hard work until she came along. This, if even true, is either because her personality clashes, racism, or classism. Maybe all of the above.
It is ultimately Harry’s job to ensure that his wife has a smooth transition into the institution he was born into, but I suspect a lot of things were rushed which is also adding to the uneasiness. The bullish manner in the way things were handled such as “what Meghan wants Meghan gets” is typical Harry. Though Harry is able to get away with being headstrong because he is a blood royal but the same can’t be said of Meghan. Blood royals have usually been able to get away with much more than their spouses.
No but the Duchess of Cambridge hasn’t had any competition before Meghan and she doesn’t work hard.
Meghan has done roughly 115 engagements in 7 months. That’s a pretty good pace for a first year on the job, especially as Kate only did 34.
Plus I don’t think this includes the 28 she did before the wedding, compared to the 5 Kate did before their wedding.
She’s also coming off of a long distance relationship, pregnant and new to the country. That’s pretty damn good.
But it’s not crazy impressive like you make out to be. Shes still pretty lazy. All the young ones are lazy.
I can just imagine that when she’s not at an event, Meghan is reading up on her charities and hopefully taking princess lessons from someone, hopefully Camilla or Sophie. Meghan would be good on a joint visit with Anne.
No one is saying that the royals work hard like regular folks, but in their system of what is considered work Meghan is pulling off decent numbers. She isn’t hitting Anne’s numbers yet, but she has eclipsed Kate by a mile. Tours are where they all boost their numbers, but even some tours are more packed with events than others. Charles and Camilla maximize their time as much as possible whereas Kate and William still don’t do as much during each day.
rukidding, Sophie did about 210 last year in a full year of working. Duchess of Gloucester did just over 100. Meghan is roughly keeping pace with that or doing more, and only had 7 months that counted this year. That is before she even has any of her own patronages to visit.
Kate just had another baby for petes sake. I know Americans don’t believe in maternity leave, but most western countries have a year, sometimes even longer.
Again, Tessy, Kate didn’t earn a paid maternity leave as she’s never worked full time at anything, much less for the required year prior to taking leave. No doubt you know that but keep pretending otherwise.
I was referencing Kate’s first year as a royal, during which her royal work shyness did 34 engagements. No amount of pretending but W&K weren’t full time and all those lies? They just don’t stack up. Bill and Kate are lazy, always have been, always will be.
With every story, Palace stuff looks more and more dumb.
And embarrassingly provincial.
Provincial and antiquated
This is what I’m saying. They’re supposed to be world class at undermining and calculating and plotting demises and we’re all over here like, ‘stop, you’re embarrassing yourselves, we can see your mess coming from outer space’. Their problem is that the business of crisis management- manipulating the media is now common knowledge thanks, hilariously, to tv shows like Suits and Scandal. People are aware that reporters are very rarely reporting straight news anymore without an agenda. Courtiers tricks have not evolved, so know they’re caught out when they try to use 1984’s tactics in 2018.
I like that Harry and Meghan are still going about their business and cutting out the royal reporters when they can.
Quite right and I agree.
IMO that’s a mistake as one of the reasons why the recent smear campaign blew up like it did was Harry gagging the media during their engagement. And now it’s back-firing like crazy. They need to play the game with the media, which of course is a tricky thing to do. But they can’t avoid / ignore the media and hope it will go away.
The media just linked that kitchen to terrorists so maybe they didn’t want the extra media scrutiny. They still do public events, like when she was at the royal variety home.
It also undermines the narrative that Meghan is an attention seeking phony.
What kind of article is that? It’s so short and seems like a repeat of the previous People article.
Kate apparently knows her place as the future Queen but what does that mean? A title is empty unless the person does something with it. Diana made the title Princess of Wales so iconic that even 20 years after her death, it’s not floated that Camilla should use that title even though it’s hers now. Kate just existing with the title of Queen Consort means very little unless she as a person brings something to that role. Who is Kate as an individual versus how she is tied to others whether as Middleton daughter, William’s girlfriend/wife, and mother?
The courtiers think the public should bend to liking what the royals are currently and if they don’t, it’s because the public is too vulgar to get it. They maneuver with contempt. The way forward needs to be different. And Kate’s doing her initiative next year anyway. How will her ambition be treated?
Can we also get a post just on the wailing of the royal reporters for being called out? Namely their hypocrisy about questioning Meghan but not the Markles?
The public is so sentimental about Elizabeth, that I don’t think the monarchy will live on after Charles. Then what will Will and Kate do? At least M & H are making a future for themselves so they don’t have to rely on the royal firm if they don’t have to.
How? They are completely financially dependent now on Charles and his Duchy income (the Duchy is ultimately a public resource, not privately owned) and once Charles becomes King, Harry and Meghan will be doled out money from the Sovereign Grant to keep them. The Duchy and its moolah will have passed to William as the next Prince of Wales. The point is that ALL royal lifelstyles are subsidised up the wazoo by the taxpayer. All the royals live waaaay beyond their private means (which they don’t touch) and live off taxpayers as much as possible. They live in premises belonging to the state and could definitely not afford that lifestyle on their own money as it would quickly run out. That’s the long and short of it.
@Chrome: Markle is a multi-millionaire on her own and she and Harry could move back to the U.S. and live on her money if they want to, or if they have to. If the British Royal Family collapses as an institution, Markle would work for the rest of her life as an actress, even in bit parts she would never be out of work.
It was easy for Kate to never set a foot wrong when she literally did nothing. Meaghan is the kind of person most Americans want to hire. But The Firm struggles with anything but a docile gal who waits on instructions.
I would say that Kate definitely put quite a few feet wrong by flashing us her backside 5 or so times over the course of the last 7 years. The fact that she still managed to embarrass herself and the monarchy that many times when she hardly works is especially shameful.
More like three dozen times.
Same story, different day, just recycled with a different headline.
Exactly, not one new detail, just rehashing of previous crap.
Meghan has “ambitions”, is it because she is a woman or a POC that the “men in grey” have a problem with her? She doesn’t come across as a screaming, tantrum throwing diva who must have her way all the time. She just wants to work hard and give back to others who are not as fortunate as she.
With each story the racism is becoming more clear. Just sad
all cultures are different when compared to one another. And we are all raised differently and it shows, regardless of who you are.
I will ask though, why smear a woman who is trying to get things done. I understand it is the English monarchy and not some celebrity foundation. There should be a hally medium and I believe Megs is level headed to understand that. I would be more upset with do little than do too much.
The smear tactic needs to stop. It isn’t working and just makes the press and the leakers and the speculated haters seem like entitled spoiled brats who live in a Marie Antoinette era.
I still think those photos with the plum coat are some of the prettiest of Meghan. Her hair looks effortless but tidy, her face looks super young and content, makeup is perfect for daytime – she just looks amazing.
I think they’re among her best pictures, too. So pretty.
ITA!
Completely agree.
If Meghan had real ambitions to change the world she should have gone into politics or the Non profit sector. My friends daughter went to work with Mother Teresa straight from Uni and has used holiday to stay in the Amazon rain forest on research trips. That’s a commitment to trying to make the world a better place.
Being a member of the Royal family does not automatically give you the key to make change in the world. Prince Charles has has slowly gradually chipped away at his interests. Diana’s landmine campaigning work was after she lost her HRH status and probably wouldn’t have been possible as a member of the RF. The big initiatives aren’t important, the important work lies is supporting existing charities and bringing attention to them. If they do have a good ‘big’ idea great, but they shouldn’t force it and they should steer clear of anything political. The men in grey have years of experience and probably know better than Meghan what is acceptable.
Didn’t Diana do her AIDS awareness work when she was HRH? That was a much bigger political hot potato than Landmines.
I really don’t think that Meghan’s ambition per se is the issue anyway. It’s the fact that her ambition reflects poorly on William and Kate. Her star is rising to high and too quickly and this is just a means to put her in her place. I don’t think it will work at best and at worst it will backfire.
Mother Theresa actually did a lot of terrible things.
Mother Theresa believed in the dignity of suffering and as a result a lot of poor people died because she didn’t believe in giving them the medical attention they needed. They would be with god or so she thought. No one outside of Christopher Hitchens really questioned what she was doing and of course the Catholic Church wanted her to be a saint because she was popular. Most physicians would never have permitted their patients to be treated the way they were at her charity homes.
Sonya, yes! I remember reading quite a bit about that years ago and feeling disillusioned, because she had been one of my heroes. Now, though, I have no idea where I read about it. Do you know of any resources?
Oops, didn’t see Nic919’s informative comment until after I posted. That was all it took to find plenty of information.
She wants to have some successful charitable initiatives and now has the platform to do so. And there’s no indication that she won’t do the everyday work.
The Grey Men do what exactly? And who are they? Let’s get some names.
And these are the same Grey Men that helped enable the condition of Buckingham Palace?
Time to retire the lot of the them, and move the BRF into the 21st century.
“The big initiatives aren’t important, the important work lies in supporting existing charities and bringing attention to them.” Isn’t Kate the one you should be addressing this to?
And we’re supposed to think Prince’s Trust, Sentebale, Invictus Games, WWTW aren’t important?
@nota – I’m American; had pretty much stopped paying attention to the RF. I only became aware of Invictus when the games were held in the US, and to me Prince’s Trust was basically about the fabulous concerts they used to produce, and broadcast here.
But I’m interested in historic homes, and a couple of years ago came across a program from 2014 about Dumfries House. That was an amazing, creative, and important piece of work on so many levels, not the least of which is its outreach to and involvement of the local community. It gave me an appreciation of Charles I’d never had, having been around for the Diana years.
@SickandTired – her point is, these were NOT existing charities. Prince’s Trust was started by Charles, Sentebale and Invictus, by Harry. They’re established organizations now, but started as initiatives by RF members.
I would argue that big initiatives also have their place along with pre-established charities. If they help, they’re important.
Not interested in being placated with shiny buttons or making crafts with children all day = Too much woman for royal courtiers. Even the Queen does nothing but what she is *allowed* to do. Harry would leave behind his titles before he’d divorce Meghan. It would be nice to see. They can come power couple it up over here.
So very tired of the “brash American” stereotypes being trotted out by the tabloids in this smear campaign because that is what it is – a stereotype. Meghan strikes me as a very well mannered kind person and these labels just don’t stick for me. These articles are such a sexist, anti-American racist stew it’s just laughable. Notice the props given to William and Kate at the end? Are the courtiers really that enamoured with them or is this coming from the Middleton/Cambridge pr machine cough Carole.
^This. Anything that makes an ambition person look bad in comparison to lazy W&K, makes W&K look good.
William has worked harder than H&M this year. If he is lazy then those two are super lazy. I cant keep up with your “logic” notasugar.
William has done about 20 more engagements than Harry this year. That’s not a huge difference at all. William should be working more than Andrew, Anne and Edward at this point and he is not.
Harry is also above Andrew, Anne & Edward in the line of succession so in theory he should also be working more than them but he’s not. Harry too is lazy but many of his fangirls like to infantalize him. We keep getting told that Harry is a senior royal & part of the future slimmed down monarchy so he needs to step up. The tour helped him immensely to shore up his numbers but he hardly did anything in the UK.
Harry’s numbers have always been artifically lowered, especially in the last few years. His work with Sentebale, all the behind the scenes work with Invictus and WWTW, his volunteering with MOD rehab. Two days worth of engagements on an orienteering workshop for kids in Scandinavia was only counted as one thing. We’ll see if they count things fully moving forward or if they keep cheating the balance sheet to make billy look better.
…Sorry, but I’m actually beginning to find these articles a bit rude. So, just to recap – British people have no work ethic, we’re allergic to happy people, and each and every criticism of Meghan can only be attributed to courtiers reduced to quivering wrecks at the sight of a woman who can lift a finger?
See, to me, if these articles are coming from courtiers, there may be a culture shock happening, but not in the way this article implies. Firstly, the UK is no stranger to hard work, and that goes for its courtiers. The Queen works. Prince Charles works. Princess Anne works. What is generally not done is, as has been alleged, messaging employees outside of working hours. Because if you do that, even if it’s only to say “I think this is a great idea, what’s your opinion?” you’re turning an employee’s personal time into work time, without compensation. Meghan, used to the weird American working culture where you’re expected to be ‘on’ even in your down time, might think that there’s no issue as she’s not expecting them to reply immediately. Which, by the way, has proven to be a stressful and unfairly demanding way of working that makes Americans less productive. But a) a royal employee receiving a work email at 5:AM may panic thinking that it’s something urgent like Prince Philip dying or Andrew causing trouble and thus have to rush to their phone immediately to check and b) fear that not replying immediately will be seen as them not working hard enough for their boss with a corresponding effect on their employment prospects. And that would brew resentment against Meghan like nothing else, even if she’s only acting in the way she used to in America.
Secondly, British people on the whole tend to be more stoic, quiet and less ‘touchy-feely’ than Americans so Meghan’s well-meaning attempts to interact with staff may be getting her on the wrong foot. But to be honest, that would be on Meghan – she has moved to a different country (with far more ease than immigrants marrying into less privileged families) and it is not unreasonable to say that she will need to learn cultural boundaries and the ways in which her new countrymen differ from what she’s used to. She’s obviously not acting out of malice, but it’s also unfair to paint any slight against her as ‘the fusty old BRF just don’t understand it when they get a woman who works!’ There needs to be take and give on both sides.
Thank you Maiera!
A thousand times this! These articles are really turning me off this site. For some reason it had been OK to comment constantly on Kate and her appearance and call her ‘Waity Katy’ and dig out her family skeletons and interview her crazy uncle millions of times in the lead up to her wedding but when same is being done to Meghan you guys are all over it?
Yes there is a culture clash and no it’s not acceptable on this side of the Atlantic in most firms to contact anyone outside work hours. That does not mean we don’t have work ethic or are lazy, it’s a CULTURAL norm here. Meghan will need to change those aspects of her working ways to fit successfully into the British firm she has joined as anyone would have to adjust to American cultural norms of being contacted day and night if they joined an American firm.
Nothing like the Markles being given free reign in the press happened to Kate. The Prime Minister weighed in and attacked when Hilary Mantel wrote an essay that discussed Kate.
Does anyone know if Meghan was informed of the cultural difference? It can’t expected for someone to “just know.” Or did the overwhelmed stressed out staffers go whine to the media first?
Irish gal, I so agree with you. The hypocrisy on this site is near pathological.
I work at a firm where the head office is in the UK and while I am not American, I don’t notice any real work culture difference at all. There are no lowered work expectations. The courtiers are doing themselves no favours with all these petty complaints.
The Middletons lived off sketchy Uncle Gary while pursuing the Prince hunt and nothing else, vs. Meghan being publicly abused by half of her biological family and facing death threats and racism every day. Honestly you pretend not to understand the difference?
Very well said, Maiera!
I agree with the fact that when you move to a new country that’s it’s important to consider the country’s cultural norms at work. But what I don’t understand is why get upset about a 5am work email unless you’re checking work emails at 5am? Just address it when you get to work, I really don’t understand what the big deal is. I get emails from my boss all the time at 5:30 or 6 am but I don’t get around to answering them until….9. 10. Ok, noon.
Except I don’t think this is all about a work emails at 5am, it’s about putting her in her place with ideas and ambitions that the courtiers probably don’t like and agree with.
They were supposedly texts. Texts at 5am are more intrusive and very much outside of UK workplace culture (if they happened at all).
No where did it say she texted people at 5am, it said she started Her day then.
It said she texted multiple times a day.
People need to read that article again
Of course there are going to be issues with all parties involved being able to acclimate to different cultures. If her staff are not able to acclimate to Meghan and vice-versa then changes in staff will have to be made. I don’t think anyone is truly at fault here. It’s like this in almost all work environments in one way or another.
Of course there are going to be issues with all parties involved being able to acclimate to different cultures. If her staff are not able to acclimate to Meghan and vice-versa then changes in staff will have to be made. I don’t think anyone is truly at fault here. It’s like this in almost all work environments in one way or another.
She’s one person fitting into a large organisation that has been running for centuries, surely she’s the one who needs to adapt? It’s not like they’ve offered her a £2m pa contract and told her to shake up the company and get rid of dead wood.
I like Meghan and Harry but agree with what you said. I was asking a British friend what she thought about Meghan and she really likes Meghan and Harry , however, she said that Meghan needs to adapt to the rules of the monarchy that she accepted when she married Prince Harry. She said that the BRF is subject to the expectations of the British people and that Meghan needs to be aware that her first obligation is to the monarchy (which Harry belongs) and Great Britain, not America. So I guess Meghan needs to insert herself gradually so she doesn’t alarm the old guard like Trump is doing here.
I understand your point completely but it’s only been about six months since they were married. That’s not a lot of time yet to be fully acclimated to everything and everyone. Especially considering her being an American and dealing with a full staff/aides that need to adapt to a large change in their jobs as well. I think it’s unfair to put all of the fault on Meghan.
@rosie so true!
There was no yes or no referendum held in the UK asking if the royal family should adopt an Americanized image or values.
She MARRIED in, she has no mandate with the British tax paying public.
If staff are not willing to work as hard as Meghan wants to, the staff are the ones at fault. These courtiers have gotten too used to the laziness of W&K. Harry and Meghan need to hire staff who are willing and able to help make all these great ideas happen.
Who says that they’re not willing to work hard, though? Based on most recent articles, it sounds like the tension within KP is coming from not being able to realize Meghan’s goals, and they’re not being allowed to implement her ideas because they’re getting shot down from higher ups. If she’s consistently sending them new ideas to explore or implement, even just 5 or 6 a day, that’s work (and potentially big ideas = big research/work) on top of their normal day to day tasks, planning for future tours, and the programs and initiatives that they’re already managing. I agree the Sussexes need their own dedicated team, but it’s not like the current one at KP sits around all day throwing pencils at the ceiling until they can go home at 5.
Post disappeared. Entirely possibly they are happy sitting around shooting rubber bands at the ceiling. They’ve had seven years of W&K’s laziness. They might not want to work harder so they are standing in her way.
@Notasugar So who planned and coordinated the Sussexes’ epic 70+ event tour…?
Why are you so obsessed with hating WK? And dont say “they’re lazy!” Why are you so OBSESSED?
The staff who work for Charles must be busy. Same with Anne. Maybe it’s just the KP ones who aren’t used to working.
The Queen herself takes direction and advice from her staff.
If the Queen does not just snap her fingers and make her dreams and ambitions come true, why on earth should these courtiers be taking orders from an American citizen married in for 7months?
It sounds like a lot of the problem is what she wants to do and how she wants to do it.
No one in the royal family does anything without guidance from the courtiers. Not even the Queen
All royals set their own schedules and select their own work. They may be given patronages or requested tours, but they have a lot of discretion in choosing their own work. The W&K staff have skated for years with lazy Bill and Kate. Time to move to new jobs or get with the new, harder-working program from Harry and Meghan.
If all of these stories are originating from staff, I think that just goes to prove they need to be better compensated. We know that the BRF underpays because it is supposed to be an honor to work for them, but perhaps a pay raise is in order.
I think some firings are in order. They are refusing to work harder so give them a raise? Nope.
Oh, absolutely clean house, but going forward I think if staff were paid the rate they would be in the business world it would go a long way towards making sure you really were hiring the best people.
I agree. This foolishness that it looks good on a resume (or CV) so the richest family in Europe can pay pennies is utter bullcrap. Again, it’s the 21st century outside that castle and if they can’t adapt, they will cease.
Why can’t the Queen just tell the courtiers to knock it the hell off, and problem solved?
Because she is ok with it as she herself is following all kinds of rules. That’s an essential part of being a member of the BRF – which stands for stability, continuity, tradition etc. Just take a look at the clothes the Queen is wearing, it’s basically always the same, just in different colors.
IMO that’s one of things Meghan has fundamentally misunderstood: the BRF does not need someone to shake things up, to do things differently etc. Considering Brexit and the volatile times we are living in, the main asset of the BRF is its stability, its continuity, more of the same.
That’s why the leaks don’t stop because a very clear message is delivered to Meghan.
@Elisa, your post is commonsense and so correct
So, Elisa, you know the Queen’s mind as well as you know Meghan’s?
Olenna – Elisa is likely British as I am and we understand the subtext of all these that may be lost upon most Americans.
Nothing lost here. After reading these royal threads for several years, I understand many of people, Brit and American, think they know the Queen and every other royal’s mindset, until they don’t. As you can see, speculation, not fact, is why these threads generate so many comments.
@Olenna: for me speculating about celebs / RF is the whole point of commenting! that’s where fun is. 😉
You know, this site is called Celebitchy, not Celefacts – and is regularly quoting sources like “The Sun” and other rags.
PS: IMO = in my opinion
I’m also curious as to why the Queen won’t/can’t do that?
“The courtiers, the way things are done, men in grey suits”, Diana and Fergie had a time with this too. Fergie told of how frustrated she was that she had to use low wattage light bulbs in her suite at Buckingham Palace, as that was the wattage used. The symbolism is pretty rich, ‘don’t be too bright’!
Possibly because the wiring is antiquated and wouldn’t withstand higher wattage bulbs otherwise it would blow a fuse. It’s a decrepit old building, cold and miserable. None of them like living there.
I have always believed this is coming from courtiers. There might be some tension between the duchesses, who knows, sisters in law don’t have to be best friends. But from the word jump this whole anti-Meghan campaign has reeked of the men in grey. Remember on The Crown when Elizabeth wasn’t even allowed to name her own private secretary? She is the queen! She can’t even chose her own personal staff! Of *course* those uptight binches are having a hard time with a self-starting American who doesn’t need their lessons in public persona. (I realize The Crown is a soap opera, but it is verifiable fact that QEII was not allowed to name her own private secretary and had to deal with Tommy Lascelles.)
It’s early AM over here in California. Thought you wrote Tommy Lasorda (Dodgers former baseball manager) for Tommy Laselles! Lol! I guess it’s true. We all tend to get up early!
@Algernon
Correct, even the Queen is shaped and directed by her courtiers. Im guessing with decades of experience now, she has more authority than she did in her youth.
Meghan will be finding out that if the guys in grey don’t like her ideas, and if she can’t get support from a more senior royal, her ideas won’t be happening.
Being sassy, hardworking, and keeping her head held high won’t help her get her way.
Because ultimately it is the household as well as the British government that decide what she can do. Diana was married to the direct heir, and she had to ask permission for many things on a wide range of areas.
@hershey,
You have no idea how MM acts IRL around the staff, yet you keep repeating opinions and rumors as if they are fact. Your dislike of her is obviously clouding your critical thinking skills and ability to objectively process tabloid news and gossip.
It sounds more and more like Harry didn’t give Meghan the introduction to how things work within the Royal infrastructure. I could also see him telling her she’d be able to do all of the things she was envisioning pre-marriage, and now that’s not the case.
I don’t think Meghan’s problems with the courtiers will go away when they move to Frogmore. It might not even be the amount they want to work so much as the kind of things Meghan wants to work on, which could border on political. They might have staff able to keep up with them and better suited to their personalities (side note: Poor Jason is American, right?), but my guess is that every major thing they do needs to be vetted and approved by Buckingham Palace. She might have a more sympathetic ear in Charles when he becomes king, but I would be surprised if the BP staff infrastructure blocking her now completely vanished.
I think you’re right Lexa. It sounds like Harry completely oversold the job.
Well I mean he got Sentabale and the Invictus games up and going didn’t he? I think oversold is maybe not the exact right word. He was probably like look at these great initiatives I started (endorsed essentially)! But maybe left out that he did high level approving and brainstorming and she took it as oh cool I’m gonna manage the crap out of this because I’m a go-getter?
It’s possible that distinction is getting lost in cultural and royal translation.
He didn’t simply endorse those, especially with Sentebale. Way to keep bashing him for accomplishing things in the face of William doing nothing.
Yikes nota. I didn’t bash him at all. I love prince Harry and I think his charitable initiatives are innovative and well placed. Apologies if I implied otherwise.
I do not believe however that he did day to day management and planning of them. Involved yes. But I think he was very much in a brainstorming and final approver role (all I meant by endorsed) and I think it is conceivable that Meghan envisions her own initiatives to be like his (and maybe even a part of what drew them together!) but thought of it as more of a day to day management job. And given all these stories and others suggesting PH didn’t prep her enough it’s possible that’s where some of this disconnect is coming from. It would explain a lot around these supposed cultural differences or being direct with staff or not acclimating to royal life. I think it’s also likely all of those stories are way exaggerated and overblown anyway. I was merely commenting on the speculation about Harry’s role in all of this.
I dont think I believe that tbh. I think Harry was very blunt with Meghan about royal life and strictures. Harry has always emphasized he wanted someone for the “job” of being a royal versus simply just a partner. I think that includes both the media and national scrutiny but also the internal melodrama too.
I know people like to envision Harry as this hapless man in love, but I think he is much more clear-eyed and pragmatic then dumb in love. I think he cared enough/loved Meghan enough to be very explicit with how things are within the family and what she will be fighting against. He himself had to fight to get back to the frontline in the war, to set up his initiatives. He knows first hand how wary the royal courtiers are to change. I think he would want Meghan to have that full picture more than anything. But whether Meghan took his cautions, warning, etc to heart is another story. I still remember in the engagement interview when Meghan said she was shocked by the media frenzy around them that Harry quipped ” I did tell you how it would be,” but sometimes being “told” isn’t the same as experiencing first hand…
Did they marry for love or not? If Harry and Meghan are so passionate abotu their causes , why do they need to fight the family. Go off on our own and do it. Many ordinary people have had bigger impact. reason is they need the institution to do what they want, since they can’ on their own, but they think they are smarter than the institution and are intent on changing it.
They you didn’t pay attention to all the quotes from the people actively involved in Invictus, Sentebale, the Sentebale Gardens, etc. Harry was even calling in from deployments and tours for meetings and planning for those things. None of which counted in the CC.
I believe that the media is making things up as they go long they realize that people are interested in the royals more because of meghan. And the British and American media are just piggy bank off each other adding more established details to make the stories all more believe able to their Readers. I think the British press though they had meghan in state of crying being miserable but she show them when she shown up to the fashion award show looking happy and healthy and that pissed off the British press even more that’s why they rampant up their campaigns against her using her father and half sister at all costs.
I’m definitely going to sound off in her favor. She has had a successful book involvement that brings diversity to the spotlight, has done a royal wedding (very stressful), gone abroad while pregnant, given speeches, gotten to know a new country, gone to meetings. I think she is trying hard (maybe a little too hard?) to fit in and do what’s right in her role. So bravo to her. Re early emails, in America, you can write an early email all you want, but unless something is “on fire,” no one I know expects you to jump up and service it until work hours.
To me, after all these “clashes for being American” or whatever stories — these “men in grey” or whomever they are just sound LAZY.
Oh sorry you have to do your job more than once every two months! Also, this might be a very American thing, but IF they don’t like it — they can always FIND ANOTHER JOB that suits their, “OMG, I got 5 emails today!!!!!!!!!!!!!” whining.
to me it sounds like: a bunch of uptight, head in the sand, dramaqueens, that live too much in the past in order to keep power and inflate their egos. aka ignorant to the times…
What is funny is that she hasn’t done anything much yet. And what these people do is NOT work. Constantly seeing what this “hard work” and fantastic “work ethic” talk is getting just ridiculous and even offensive for those who work.
What she’s doing behind the scenes that is putting the entire UK to shame? And scaring people used to plan dozens of engagements a day with all the security issues in place? LOL And what if these emails that allegedly were sent at 5 a.m were not even related to this alleged “hard work” but the preparation for the wedding?
What if the problem is not this alleged “hard work” but what she wants to do and how she wants to do it?
For me and a lot of people they’re just gossip fodder,and I believe the UK can easily live without their taxpayer-funded “work” ,but there’re those who believe their role should be about being devoted to “public service”,whatever that means,and not making everything about themselves,not promoting their own initiatives and believes,being front and center in everything.
Putting aside the racist undertones and the extreme hatred,I think some people didn’t like her BFA appearance because it was seen or it looked like self promotion and nothing more. Meghan has the tendency to make things about herself. Another poster, who certainly doesn’t hate her,wrote a spot-on comment about her speech at the BFA. It reminded me of when I found the link to a piece she wrote for Elle about her trip in Rwanda with World Vision. I cant’say that even that wasn’t slightly eye-rolling inducing.
The cookbook wasn’t very much?
She didn’t make the cookbook. She supposedly wrote a forward which was two pages about herself. She essentially put her stamp on it. Calling it her cookbook is under-minding the actual work the Hubb women as well as those compiling and publishing it did.
She is the reason why the cookbook happened. Sorry that upsets the haters so much but it is the truth. Because she made that happen, they’ve raised over 300,000 pounds to keep the kitchen open 7 days a week. That is real impact that only happened because she made it happen.
Uh, she came up with the idea and made it happen. The cookbook and the funds it generated would not exist without her. She was the one who connected the people necessary to make it happen and ensured that the project made it to completion. No one handed her a project for her to put her name on.
But you keep trying to minimize her @Bee. Good luck with that. I heard she also didn’t mill the paper, take the photographs or create the ink!
Meghan ran a small business with the Tig in additition to her job on Suits. Reguarly traveled on weekends for speaking engagements. All of her friends are ambitious women in their mid-thirties who have careers and pursued multiple jobs at the same time as well as philanthropic interests, even the non-famous friends. I’m sure courtiers have a difficulty time dealing with a woman like that even if the causes Meghan supports aren’t any different from that of Prince Charles. Meghan had conversed with heads of state, rode in government motorcades, traveled to military bases, and so on before she even met Harry. I’m sure she is unintimadated and demanding. The way she managed the tone of the wedding and cook book project could only happen if she was demanding. She spent over a decade learning to survive hundreds of additions, agents, and producers where people L’s jobs are constantly and risk and in competition. And now Meghan is in a world where the media praises William for a speech where he admitted his project was a complete failure.
Friends? Oh you mean those invisible ones! By the way she’s pregnant not sick!
Ha! You know nothing about her personal life or her friends, but here you are taking a cheap shot at her ability to socialize and maintain personal relationships. Why? What has she done to you to generate such animosity?
Type-A personality and a work ethic?
My God. All she has to do is going to events and wear expensive clothes.
The British government, the Queen, all the royal households, as well as the senior members of the family, all play a part in what this family does on behalf of the government and crown.
None of the daily work or the foreign tours is undertaken on behalf of the individual royal.
In Australia, Harry and Meghan represented the crown.
They were sent at the request of the government, and invited by the Australian government. Taxpayers in both countries supported the cost of the tour.
Very little that Meghan does is supposed to be about her. She married a working member of the royal family. The royal family represents the Queen
Thank you Hershey. Well done for explaining.
Meghan is not the head of her own private charity organization. She is now a member of a family that represent the Queen.
The Queen is the head of state and head of commonwealth.
The queens family members have some latitude in the areas they choose to support. But the Queen and her household have veto over everyone else.
The government can and has contacted the households to veto or make requests.
Meghan is no longer a private person who can make these choices alone without input and permission.
I think that every woman should be able to make her own choices about career, marriage, and child rearing without being judged. It’s her life and her family.
Meghan appears to have led an independent life, had a successful career and had a large resume of charitable work to her credit.
Had she married almost anyone else, she could have continued to make her own decisions about her career or charitable work and the causes she supported.
But of all men on the planet, Harry literally represents his grandmother and government in all he does in his public life and work.
His organization Sentebal had the blessing of grandmother and her government or it would not have happened.
Meghan has the large platform not because of who she is. Other than Harrys decision to marry her, she has it because her husband is a member of a family that represents the crown.
Her platform exists only because of the crown. She can decide to be an asset to the organization, but fighting it and trying to forcefully change it will not likely be successful.
The leaks are happening because she likely does not understand her role that she wants to shape, and the platform she finds herself on do not belong to her.
The royal household and the Queen have the ability to reduce or takeaway Meghans platform.
Diana did not have carte blanche to do as she wanted. To travel outside the UK, she needed permission. The Queen had far more say over her daily life than any other mother in law would have.
If the controversy keeps up over Meghan, if she is asked to keep a low profile and she does not listen, the more senior royals and households can curtail her public engagements.
Prince Andrew is a monarchs son. His daughters were not chosen to represent the Queen full time. He was mad about that, but so far has not gotten his way.
He might have more sway if he hadn’t been besties with a pedophile, but my point is any royal can have their wings clipped and their platform taken away.
The Queen herself has had to undertake months long tours because the government asked her to.
She had to move out of her newly decorated home after her father’s death. A move which supposedly upset her husband.
Her government decided her children would use her surname, not their fathers, until she was able to make her own voice heard in 1960.
The Queen has been forced to support prime minister’s she may not have liked. And has had to watch them put policies in place she found distasteful.
Her whole life has been daily duty, government boxes, and never being able to voice an opinion about her own government.
Meghan is this woman’s granddaughter in law. She represents the Queen and some of the restrictions also apply to her.
The Queen has lived a very privileged, but restricted life. She and her household will have final say on what kind of a role Meghan will have.
Thank you for taking the time to try to explain the facts Hershey. I don’t think any one will listen because…W&K are lazy, the courtiers are lazy and despite employment law, long time employees should be sacked for doing the job the way they’ve done it for years. 😉
@Rosie,
Thanks, liked your earlier posts. Have no idea if w and k are genuinely lazy people, as I don’t know them. Or any of the royals.
But I do not get how the role the Queen and her family play in representing the crown seems to be completely forgotten by anyone admiring or following news about these people.
For me it’s what makes the news about them more interesting than news about David Beckham or the Clooneys
Yes, some of her work will be representing the Queen. But you are conveniently forgetting that Sentebale was done outside the royal fold for years. Harry didn’t start getting even partial credit for that until a year or two ago.
Meghan is hard-working and ambitious, that that is what the royals need right now. They’re more likely to side with letting her move forward than holding her back. They need to look good right now, and Meghan on a global stage makes them look good.
It cannot be had both ways. People cannot keep saying these two mean nothing but then demanding they are not allowed to do charity projects. Doesn’t equate.
And yes, lazy royal staffers should be fired for wanting to continue to sit on their bums and not working harder.
When Diana and Charles were married, the courtiers were leaking about how Diana was upstaging the Queen and other royals.
After she died, there were leaks about how the mistakes made with Diana would not happen again.
When Sophie Wessex married in, palace insiders said care would be taken she did not become the next Diana.
Same was said about Kate, and the palace put out statements that her introduction to public life would be gradual and that she and William would not be full time royals.
Leaks from Charles camp suggested he did not want to be overshadowed by either of his sons or their wives.
The gist from all of these leaks seems to be no family member is going to allowed to deliberately outshine Charles. I don’t like him but he has a point, he’s next in the queue and has waited a very long time.
Enter Meghan. She has plainly said much about her intentions to hit the ground running and accomplishing big things. During the engagement, she joined Harry on engagements full time. If courtiers wanted to leak about introducing her gradually, they did not have the chance to.
I don’t think Charles has had a shift in his feelings about not being overshadowed. The Queen probably does not want a new Diana like wife blazing into public life.
Meghan being a huge royal figure out working or overshadowing other royals is not going to be welcome by the rest of the royal family.
As unfair as that might seem, it is their show.
Charles has been getting out shined by his sons for years now. Honestly, I don’t think his gripe is that Meghan is “getting too big” and might outshine him. He knows he’s not the most popular and if he can attach himself to his sons and their families to look like a nice guy, he will. Meghan looking bad does nothing for Charles, specially when all the conversations are her v. the Cambridge.
If what you believe is true, he wouldn’t want the Cambridge’s looking better than him either, even if it’s “against” the Sussex.
Overall, I don’t think Charles, so late in life, wants to be on the outs with his son. Those games he played with Diana damaged his reputation beyond repair in some cases. I don’t think he’s interested in repeating that.
@hershey….I agree with most of your points. But it is very clear that Harry wants Meghan as an equal partner in the work he does, and wants her by his side as much as possible. Harry has made it clear that from now on the Invictus games, which he started, will involve Meghan prominently. I was actually surprised that she made at least three speeches on the Oceania tour. Meghan also wants Harry to be involved in her work with Grenfell, otherwise she would not have gone back again to show him the improvements.
I don’t think Charles minds Meghan getting the spotlight, he appears mesmerised by his son’s new wife much to the chagrin of William. ( I saw William looking very left out as he glanced at the trio of Charles, Harry and Meghan sharing a very happy and relaxed little chat).
The Cambridges on the other hand do have the most to lose if the Sussexes are winning the hearts and minds of ordinary people around the world. Try as they might Meghan is already firmly on the world’s stage, whether she is reined in or not. My advice to them is rather that fight it they should find ways to use the popularity of the Sussexes to their own advantage, as its good for the monarchy as a whole.
Charles needs his line to be popular, and to eclipse all the nightmare of Andrew. To that end, he needs Meghan to be hard working and popular. It makes him look good, therefore Charles is going to help her however he can.
We were told, from Kate’s own mouth, that she was going to hit the ground running. That she was the most prepared royal bride ever.
Two days after the wedding that was yanked out from under our feet and we were told she was going to be a full time housewife in Wales. With four full-time staff including cook and housekeeper.
The royals need the younger ones working hard. There is no fear that Kate would ever become another Diana. Kate doesn’t care about anyone or the world around her, that is obvious. And she has absolutely no charisma. She just needs to get off her bum and get to work doing hundreds of engagements a year, just like Sophie.
Like so many I am looking forward to tomorrow morning? Will we or won’t we see the Fab Four walking in solidarity as a group? Will they position themselves to be photographed as a group or will they avoid it, so as not to pander to the wishes of the hungry press packs? Will they do something so that they can have the last laugh after weeks and weeks of innuendo and plain lies.
I do hope that the royal family will go out of their way to be kind to Meghan, the treatment she has received from the media, egged on by some malcontents within the Palace walls, has been unbelievably harsh for someone who is a pregnant first time mother to be.