As we discussed last week, there was a curious CNN report where a “royal source” told the outlet that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “have single-handedly modernized the monarchy” and that there is an anti-Sussex “hysteria” around the palace courtiers, and that those same courtiers have no idea how to best harness and use the Sussexes’ star power. It became a BIG deal quickly, with royal courtiers sniping away almost immediately… which sort of proved the “royal source” correct, but whatever. Courtiers were truly sent out to smear the Sussexes and say… that they never smear the Sussexes. The whole thing has gotten incredibly stupid. But wait, it’s about to get dumber. The Mail on Sunday has a new piece trashing Harry and Meghan for that same CNN piece. Some highlights:
On the “single-handedly modernized the monarchy” thing: A senior courtier last night offered a carefully worded riposte to the couple’s unnamed adviser who made last week’s startling claim – with its implicit criticism of the rest of the Royal Family and their household, saying ‘There’s enough experience here – despite what was said – to know that people who jump in with comments from the sanctity of being unnamed and unidentifiable might think they are helping. But the family is clear that if there are issues to be discussed they will be discussed behind closed doors.’
There’s still a plot to send the Sussexes away: The Mail on Sunday has learned the “six weeks of family time” may be the precursor to a much longer absence from Britain. It is understood plans for the couple to spend up to six months abroad are being actively considered, with the United States the most likely destination. A British diplomatic source in the US said: ‘Everything is fluid at the moment from the Government’s point of view but I wouldn’t be surprised if [Harry and Meghan] end up here. The way it is going in Britain at the moment, there is nothing for them to lose in leaving.’
The CNN story: The story caused widespread dismay in royal circles. One insider said: ‘It’s akin to saying that the Sussexes are too good for the Royal Family, which is extremely disrespectful to everyone who works for, and on behalf of, the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family.’ Many aides – fearing a protracted internecine squabble – want to draw a line under the affair. ‘We’re not getting involved,’ said the Palace aide. ‘If people who think they are closer want to brief, that’s fine, but we’re not.’
“There’s enough experience here – despite what was said – to know that people who jump in with comments from the sanctity of being unnamed and unidentifiable might think they are helping,” said the… unnamed royal courtier. I mean, it’s clear that people from all of the palaces (Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace) are trying to speak to Harry and Meghan through the press. But when Harry and Meghan and their people do the same, all hell breaks loose. As for this: “It’s akin to saying that the Sussexes are too good for the Royal Family…” They didn’t say anything like that. They said that the sniping royal courtiers are too busy being gigantic bitches to actually use the Sussexes’ popularity in meaningful ways. Which is 100% the truth. And this MoS is still threatening the Sussexes, who have made it clear that they plan to stay in the UK. The threat is that they’re going to be “sent away,” like they’re wayward children who need to be put in a time-out. It’s all so stupid.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
This is now, quite literally, the story of Chicken Licken.
She looks incredible in that outfit.
IKR? I’ve already mentally bought that shirt.
+1, fab from head to toe.
I believe that “modernization” story was a plant from KP, attributed to the Sussexes. I believe that because, Prince Harry specifically said he will not be bullied into playing games. The Sussex team is also tight. They don’t have “sources” putting information out there. They speak out in the open as they did in the documentary. Or Daniel, Gayle on CBS. Their documentary was picked up all over the globe. So they are able to speak directly to their audience… unlike his dad and brother’s work.
I hope the Sussexes continue their work as they have, either in the royal family or out. Hopefully not surrounded by all these petty people who prefer to gossip to tabloids rather than doing their jobs.
KP? Really, so you think Prince William is behind all of this & not royal courtiers? Prince William is doing a lot of things wrong here but actively smearing his brother & sister in law is not of them. I wish this dumb narrative would stop about Prince William. What he’s doing wrong is not using his influence with same media to stop these stories to begin with, he’s not calling out the racist campaign against his sister in law & he’s not stopping the royal courtiers. Many on this site are quick to blame KP when the fault lies with a more senior household but he does need to step in at this point & start seeing this for what this is. I mean this did happen to his mother & was orchestrated by royal courtiers. She was left abandoned by BRF in the press…so why is so hard to believe this started in Clarence House? Everyone on this site believes the worst about Prince William but think Prince Charles is some great person? Really? When was everyone born on this site?
The courtiers at KP work for him. So the buck stops with him.
Actually, if what you are saying is true, it makes William look worse, not better. Either he cannot control the people who work for him or he is too disinterested to care. Either way it is a bad look considering this is his own family he is dealing with. I guess he is over it again.
There are royal courtiers in BP & in Clarence House @ Sunshine , too. Any one of them could have planted that in the press. And MsIam ..where do I say Prince William looks good? I don’t. But so many on this site don’t look critically at Prince Charles or The Queen. The same Queen who’s protecting Prince Andrew right now. The same Prince Charles who carried on an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles throughout his marriage.. So, please excuse me if I hold all of them equally responsible. The buck stops with all of them.
When his press secretary goes to dinner with a reporter, and a couple days later that same reporter publishes a hit piece on the Sussexes? It’s not hard to connect the dots.
Kaiser literally says in the post that BP, CH and KP are all involved/complicit. No one is giving the Queen a pass here. But I think most of us think the Queen has different motives – i.e. right now she is willing to “sacrifice” Meghan to protect Andrew – I don’t think she’s concerned about Meghan’s popularity or anything the way Charles or William might be.
@Becks1: My point is I’m tired of the Cambridges are to blame for everything narrative…it’s getting old & it lacks objectivity & a critical eye. There are quite a few players involved here. But many on this site haven’t looked too critically at the other houses before this documentary or before Epstein’s death blew up in Prince Andrew’s face.
@Purplehaze – I think that’s bc right now, so much of this just seems like its coming from the Cambridges (I do think Charles has a hand in the current smears though.) I think a year ago, it was from Charles and the Cambridges, depending on the story/angle, but I think with the rose hanbury story/hush up it just made us look at the Cambridges a lot differently.
I do think the Queen and Charles could be doing a lot more to stop this campaign (if they aren’t a part of it/encouraging it), and I agree with you that its shameful they’re not, and they all play a part.
I actually believe that the majority of these stories are coming from courtiers or just made up by the press. I don’t think the Cambridges have been as terrible as people are making out but I do believe they’ve sat back, watched the show and even had a hand in stirring the pot at times (the budget airlines photos).
Who ever made the hyperbolic and ridiculous modernization comment did not help the Sussexes. Whether they were misguided allies, or some enemies playing some three-dimensional chess, I don’t know. But the anti-Sussex camp doesn’t seem smart enough to be the latter, and their attacks seem to be more direct.
This whole “modernization” comment may be a result of “the filter.” It’s been proven that when black women say something perfectly normal — in this instance, it may have been:” We’re trying to do our part to help modernize the monarchy” — many people will hear: “I single-handedly mondernized the Monarchy!” Another way “the filter” works is if a black woman knows the answer to something, nobody else in a given room does and she simply answers the question. In those scenarios, the answering black woman is immediately deemed a “show off” or “uppity” or “arrogant.”
This is why so many black women have to deal with accusations of uppityness and arrogance, etc…it’s because people literally distort the words coming out of our mouths.
Now, not ALL people are wired to filter black women’s statements in this way, but a lot more than you think are.
It could be that was reported that way by the press. Since it is an unnamed source I don’t know if they are obligated to directly quote the person. So whoever it was could have said something like the Sussexes like a more more modern approach and it is written as “they are single-handedly modernizing the monarchy”.
I honestly didn’t think the modernization comment was actually all that OTT. I think it made sense, in the context of what was being said, which is that the RF at large is unprepared to utilize the work H&M are doing in a positive, beneficial way. Which is the truth. The RF remains staid in their traditions. Their progress has come incrementally, only after a lot of teeth pulling. They are, and remain, unequipped for the spotlight thrown on them and the expectations heaped onto them after Meghan married into the family, and their defense was to retreat into a cavern of their habits, which had the effect of not only leaving Meghan and Harry at the mercy of an unrelenting press, but also fundamentally demonstrated that they don’t know how to change at all. Change is more than just letting a divorced biracial American woman marry into the family. Change also involves supporting her, and providing an environment for her to do well, which they have consistently failed to do.
Simon Case, current press secretary for the Cambridges, worked on the Brexit Leave campaign and that entire campaign was full of lies, distortions and innuendos so it’s not like Case would be above distorting things to make his boss look better. William may not be giving explicit orders to provide some of these comments, although the fragile comment made to the BBC was badly done and insensitive to his supposed cause of mental health, but. Case was hired for a reason.
I personally don’t think that the stories about an avocado apocalypse or Duchess difficult were directly ordered by Prince William for his little minions to carry out. If anything, it’s “who will rid me of this troublesome priest?” territory (except it’s character assassination not actual assassination).
The courtiers are giving false or hysterical anonymous statements, the tabloids are running with them and the actual royals have a mutual understanding to step back and leave Meghan unprotected. They all have different reasons. The Queen is happy to have fire drawn away from Andrew, William is jealous, and Charles wants to seem pure and unblemished in comparison. Meghan is a scapegoat….a sacrificial lamb to serve up to the masses.
They may buy a property in SOCAL, near Doria, but I doubt they would go more than 2 months of the year. It would be a temporary escape not a new home base. I think the Sussexes are more stubborn than they are being given credit for (and she does need to stay in the UK for citizenship).
I don’t think the Sussexes team said the modernization comment either. Harry stated in the documentary that he wasn’t trying to change the monarchy, just be authentic in their work. I don’t know why it’s so hard for these people to comprehend what’s there on the screen. Some of these courtiers should be fired because they flap their gums too much and probably don’t actually do real work to serve the person they’re working for. Do some real work for a change, instead of talking smack about other people. What a sh*t show. Seriously, why are thy so threatened by this couple.
Tina Brown, once said, the courtiers are vicious gossips, and always vying for the attention of the Queen or the nearest in line, they make up half of the stories, nobody can challenge them. I don’t believe that Charles is smearing H&M, what would the morive be? Harry does not threaten his crown? I think, because Charles likes Meghan, the media is trying to give us the impression that Meghan has nobody supporting her, it’s a clever plot. Charles may not have reached out to Meghan in the midst of all the bullying, but don’t forget, he is a product of his upbringing, the Queen never cuddled them, they are a cold lot. Charles wouldn’t know how to do it. The Queen returned from a long ttip, only yo shake Charles and Anne’s hands, compare that with Diana and her boys, atfter a long trip abroad.
Listen, Julie Andrews endores Meghan taking back her power. That’s literally all I needed this morning.
Oh man, that’s all I need too
What?? Julie Andrews and DoS is a dream team! Did they meet?
It was on WWHL with Andy Cohen a few days ago. Clip is in on YT but my links never get through.
Here’s a link to a T&C article with the clip. I love this.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/amp29587737/meghan-markle-julie-andrews-lawsuit-defense-quote-video/?__twitter_impression=true
That was amazing!
I am so confused.
Like
Me too!
“They said that the sniping royal courtiers are too busy being gigantic bitches to actually use the Sussexes’ popularity in meaningful ways. Which is 100% the truth.“
1000000% true. Had the RF welcomed Meghan, not overreacted to the Oceania tour, and looked at the big picture and harnessed H&M for the good of the Firm as a whole, we probably wouldn’t be here. It’s incredible to see how they screwed away the goodwill from the wedding and Archie’s birth.
I remember a quote with regard to a high-profile political situation some years ago (don’t remember who said it) – “They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Seems very apt for the RF with respect to Meghan. Things started off well with Charles at the wedding, and HM and the train ride – and then, they drove themselves off a cliff.
Not only that, but by allowing the media/bullying campaign against Meghan to go unchecked, they’ve created what they fear. The biggest spotlight, at least in the press, now shines on Harry and Meghan, who, uncommon in the context of that family, aren’t really looking for it (IMO). They need publicity for their patronages and charities, and want proper credit for what they do (instead of having their work co-opted by other family members – looking at you Will and Kate) – but I believe they’d be fine not being the center of attention. There’s room for more than one person to shine, and the recent Pakistan trip, for example, shows the future heir can draw attention when he actually works/does something worthwhile, e.g., more than announcing some vague “initiative”.
Around the time of the wedding there was a lot of talk in the press about how the inclusion of a biracial, American, divorced, working woman was going to modernize the monarchy. And it might have at least modernized how they appeared to the public, if they played their cards a different way. Possibly the latest comments from the “royal source” hark back to that discussion.
I feel like the situation could be resolved quite easily by having Billy and Henry play in different fields i.e. Bill doing more of the ‘soft diplomacy’ work and Henry doing more of the Charity / community outreach type work. That would also play into their constitutional roles down the line. Meghan is also clearly more interested and suited to that sort of work.
Talk is now that they want to relocate to California. Such BS.
With Meghan’s UK citizenship request still pending, I don’t understand how they can keep suggesting permanent banishment/ relocation. I mean I think 6 months she can do out of UK but not a day more a year.
That said I wouldn’t be surprised if they chose to spend half the year in LA. England doesn’t fit Meghan’s personality. But I think they’ll find living in TMZs backyard won’t be “easier” press-wise, especially if the US picks up the security tab because you know the politicians are looking for any hot button issue with elections fast approaching.
What Meghan’s personality have to do with England? any HUMAN being is not going to lay down and take abuse forever.
TMZ is kids play to the nasty British Media.
Why would the US pay for the Royal Family Security?
@PEG NY paid a security bill for the weekend she was in new york for the babyshower. Remember they’re representatives of a head of state, they’re not random celebrities. They don’t pay their security privately, it’s usually UK and a mix of local security/ police which costs local areas.
As for personality, I mean, she hasn’t really clicked with his old friends. UK doesn’t seem to be gelling with her personality, regardless of tabloid crap which makes things so much worse. I don’t doubt she misses home.
She’s also still a taxpaying US citizen
IF there was a permanent move, it would be mostly up to the Sussexs, and also some official British protection officers, to provide security, unless they were *visiting* for gov’t reasons (then the “host” country provides additional security for the visit).
Meghan has never said she wanted to become a British citizen so whatever. Archie has dual citizenship, Harry would never take on a dual American citizenship, he has no need for it, so why does Meghan have to become a British citizen. It’s not like she wants to stay in the U.K. They don’t want to live in S.A. so they have chosen the U.S. Americans will have to pay for them there, they are under diplomatic security as Royals. Lol at the thought of telling the British public they will need to pay for Sussex security with RPOS, when they will be living in a non Commonwealth country, doing part time Royal duties in the U.K. Interesting times ahead. Having a second base in a Commonwealth country wouldn’t work either because we are not under colonial times when the Royal family could just send one of their members to a country to become an Ambassador or something. That would go down well, not. Tricky tricky logistics. Somehow I think the public will end up paying anyway because the Royal family never wants to dip into their personal billions – they would rather unload it all to the taxpayers. No, Harry is not Royal family type rich!! He has 20 million or 30 million, maybe 40 according to some reports. That is not enough to buy a big mansion in California and pay for millions a year in security costs, household costs, haute couture, personal staff, etc. Have you seen those mansion costs? 20 million and above for a big home, damn. I’m sure they would make money as they go along but they don’t have it at the starting point. People always seem to forget that British taxpayers pay millions a year for Each Member of the Royal Family in security costs alone – that’s not millions for one single family, that is millions for each individual!!! Pass the popcorn as we see how this plays out. Oh and I know Meghan is independently well off but her 5 or 6 million wouldn’t be enough to buy a home in a nice area of London, let alone LA. That might be a lot of money for you working class people but it isn’t for 5% and 1% types.
@LvSK who says Harry and Meghan would buy some big, expensive high-end mansion in SoCal? There are some pretty nice, large and spacious houses out here in SOCal that do NOT cost $20 million. Because in SoCal it isn’t so much just the size of the house, it’s also the *location* that you are paying for as well.
The Westside is one of the more expensive areas, but even that area has houses that don’t cost $20 million. A post a few days ago noted that a paper in the area of SoCal that I live in, the Star News of Pasadena, has a column about Harry and Meghan supposedly looking at properties around here. I don’t know if I believe it, but if it IS true, Harry and Meghan could get a nice, upscale and spacious house in La Vina or Kinneloa Mesa (both gated communities) for only $1 to $6 million. Or they can go over to La Canada (a town even MORE private and upscale than Pasadena with their own gated communities) for the same price.
Yes, SoCal is expensive, but it is no way out of Harry and Meghan’s price range. And frankly, honestly speaking, if they ever DID decide to move out here, it would probably be better for them to NOT live on the Westside, but chose one of the more less-known but still upscale places around here to live instead for more privacy. Hell, they could probably get even MORE relief moving/living somewhere like Napa Valley in Northern California and not have to pay $20 million for a place either.
ETA: They could get a house like this out here for only $6-7 mil: https://www.redfin.com/CA/Pasadena/2288-Villa-Heights-Rd-91107/home/8116168
My guess is the courtiers are building up that narrative so that when the Sussexes don’t move (because they never planned to) they can say it was because the Firm gave them the what for.
California is literally on fire, north and south. Those of us not directly affected are breathing smoke or have our electricity cut off. They may have to rethink those short term plans, just saying.
Heard on NPR news about an hour ago that Brentwood is on fire and multi-million dollar houses of the rich and/or famous are burning.
The news last night said 2.3 million were without power.
As a native Californian? No, it’s not fun or ideal, but you honestly get used to it if you’ve lived here long enough, just like earthquakes. I remember one time when the mountains right behind my house were on fire and I went to school with ashes falling down all day.
So clearly the sussexes called their bluff about being quietly exiled to Africa (which honestly the optics of which would be terrible for the ONLY POC in the RF) and now they are trying to force them to move to the US.
Yes, let’s banish the only multiracial member of the royal family and the only likable prince who recently admitted to struggling with his mental health. Great look! /s
The more the courtiers talk, the more they confirm the fact that they are behind the Sussex smears. Are they so dumb that they don’t realize it? And exiling 2 hard working royals while keeping the pedophile under protection looks even dumber. Meghan and Harry are potentially being exiled because why, exactly? Associating w/shady people? Nope. (Yorks) Shady pay-for-access on record Nope. (Yorks) On RECORD disparaging the Queen. Nope. (Wessexes). Breaking a no-filming embargo on a fellow family member? Nope (Wessexes). Adultery? (Wales, Princess Royal). Nope.
Three successful projects in one year? Two successful charities? Pushback against racist media coverage and emotional blackmail from family? Exile them!!!
The courtiers are showing how utterly incompetent they are, and proving the point of the CNN article, as Kaiser said. These idiots don’t know what to do with the Sussexes other than trying to hold them down. And they show their asses to the world in the meantime. Old, racist, out-of-touch. They should know better than anyone that if monarchy doesn’t adapt to change, it dies. With these folks in charge, the British royal family has a generation left. If the push out the Sussexes, I’m not sure if they make it that long. (Not saying that the Sussexes are that important, but they would be the perfect catalysts for a growing republican movement, and the actions of the RF will make it increasingly hard to defend). How sad would it be if the Queen spent her last few years watching everything she worked for fall apart. Well, maybe her favorite little boy Andy can keep her company in that case.
I still contend the main target of the documentary was the courtiers and not the media. Good game, Sussexes.
co-sign this post 100%. You did a good job putting my thoughts into words, so thanks! lol
You make a good point here and also point to something I think the Sussexes haven’t done. They’ve kept it moving but they haven’t stopped to summarize their projects/successes as a PR stunt/statement. That should be their next move in the PR to show that they add value too and how they add value by summarizing the collective weight and heft/impact of their projects and partnerships. That can be down via their Instagram page. Media outlets will pick it up.
It’s a given that they’ve pissed people off because they won’t meekly fall in line. Change is hard for everybody. That’s not to dismiss the courtiers but simply to say that swimming against the tide in any workplace or in any relationship is never ever easy especially when the people who have traditionally benefited either don’t see the need for change or feel threatened about it.
@lanne yes agreed.
I’d like to add that let’s face facts; not much of what the royals have traditionally done can be considered work, and that goes for Ann too.
Showing up and shaking hands, smiling and nodding politely can take up time in your day, but let’s agree that it’s not much.
Now when you compare it to what Meghan does, a woman who was accustomed
to working. She has demonstrated competencies the others don’t have like; planning, organizing, troubleshooting, Leading, executing, launching etc. she is literally showing us their lazy a$$es and they don’t like it because they don’t want to work.
I have not heard about the Wessexes previously. I always read that Sophie and QEII were quite close. Can you provide more context for your comment here? I am afraid to search for these stories and end up on disreputable or unreliable sites.
The famous “fake” sheikh (of some UK tabloid) pulled a con on Sophie Wessex when she had her own PR company.
Yeah, Sophie was recorded making some less than nice remarks about the queen, but it was a setup I think, shortly after that is when she shut down her PR company and became a full time royal. Someone like Notasugarhere or DigitalUnicorn knows more of the details. Basically she screwed up, and then put her head down and got to work and is now one of the Queen’s favorites supposedly. So that’s part of the point of Lanne’s comment I think – you had people like Sophie, Edward, the Yorks who actually DID something wrong, and were never “exiled.” Yes people make mistakes and I don’t think anyone holds Sophie’s against hers, but its worth bringing up when there is all this outrage over the Sussexes.
Are you on drugs?
I just love how they make Harry and Meghan the worst thing to ever happen to the monarchy but not Prince Andrew. Harry and Meghan are two good people that want to do good work and that’s bad?
Despite my politics I’ve always had a soft spot for the british monarchy. I think they were so lucky to have Meghan marry in and they have made such a mess of it that I don’t think I can support them anymore. The fact that neither Charles or the Queen has come out and made a statement in support of Meghan and Harry’s unfair treatment while Andrew, who likely raped children, IS getting support? Too much for this Canadian. I don’t want that BS as my head of state. Those courtiers are dumba$$es and they are the ones “destroying the monarchy” or whatever they’re accusing the Sussexes of now…
The Royal family is pissed at Meghan for taking credit for her work and now Harry is doing the same, and is not the court Jester anymore.
Charles was not above using Meghan for his Documentary, sure he walked her down the Aisle, she walked halfway, so i am sure she could’ve continue walking the rest of the way.
The Archbishop Justin Welby talked about the divisive climate in England, and said Harry and Meghan are entitled to time off because they did not use all their maternity leave that everyone in the Country is given, the reporter did not expect such a strong response.
Meghan is an American, and the Royal family have no control in America or anywhere else, to tell Meghan to go to this country or the next.
What they keep forgetting is Meghan can’t get citizenship for five years, so leaving the country for long periods of time, not sure about that.
The Royal family knows that if push comes to shove Harry will leave with Meghan.
I agree with many parts of what you’ve said but I also think members of the royal family, the courtiers and by extension the royal reporters just aren’t used to someone essentially saying no to them. Harry seemingly went along with it to a certain extent until his wife was made the target. Perhaps he needed someone more than himself to fight for to fully activate them.
This will backfire on the BRF – I was having dinner on sat with a friend who is a big Diana stan and until recently thought the sun shone out of the Cambridges asses. Well that attitude quickly changed with the SA documentary. My friend has gone from a Cambridge stan to not a fan – her comment was that its obvious that they (W&K) don’t like Meghan and are threatened by her. She said that the budget flight stunt was aimed at adding to the bad press that they (the Sussex’s) were already getting and its clear that M&H are struggling with the stress of it all esp as they have a young baby. She agreed that the UK press are being racist and stated that the Cambridges are as well based on the evidence that they working with the press to pile it onto the Sussex’s as it suits them to.
She also said that if the Sussex’s leave the UK, William and Kate will get the blame for it regardless of what the press say – her comment was that people have bought into the Diana fairytale and they will not react well to seeing William throwing Harry under the bus the way Charles tried to do with Diana.
Its beyond irony that both couples support mental health yet only one couple practice what they preach. Someone needs to explain in idiot terms to the Cambridges and the rest of the RF what gaslighting is. This ‘stiff upper lip’ nonsense has and will continue to cause a lot of damage to people.
@DU – omg, yes to your last paragraph. William and Kate have spent years pushing this narrative of “talking about mental health,” and not being afraid to ask for help, or say when you are hurting – and now that Harry and Meghan have dared to say that they are hurting- they’re “fragile,” William is super concerned, etc. They’re really not practicing what they preach.
There were many Kate stans who started falling off before Meghan was in the picture. They’d started to realize the lifelong laziness, the press games, the refusal to work, the unprofessionalism. There wasn’t much to stan for, beyond clothing. Now more W&K fans are waking up to how awful Harry (and now Meghan) have been treated by W, W&K, etc.
This is news to me bc the ones on twitter are downrigth vitriolic and digging in their heels further…
There were people who started royal watching with the wedding in 2011. They were all caught up in tiaras, wedding gowns, and the Disney idea. They knew nothing of the 10 years leading up to that day. They were fresh, new, and ardent about Kate. After a few years they saw Kate wasn’t doing the royal job, wasn’t improving, was nothing compared to the more interesting royal ladies. There was nothing to be a fan of. They left before Meghan was even on the scene.
The Kate fans who did remain are dig-in-the-heels CATHERINE fans. The ones who switched to “regal” “English Rose” “Queen Consort” as their defense for Kate the Barbie doll. They’ve also stopped hating the Yorks, whom they hated because people brought receipts of Kate bullying them as teens. Now they love the Yorks because they’re not Meghan.
There’s the crop of wannabee Princess Harry’s who hate Meghan because she exists. They are awful. And of course the brand new people who showed up simply to hate Meghan, who are all over tumblr and DM. Like the US ones outed by the Fail a year ago (ex. the Florida retiree living in a trailer and spending her days making dozens of accounts to hate Meghan on SM).
Combined they’re a cabal of racist cyberbullies.
@notasugar – is the Florida retiree Sadie ? lots of tea on her….
Different opinions are always helpful. I appreciate the opinions here and elsewhere but it is astonishing how much these people are loved/hated.
The friends I speak to in the UK laugh at me when I ask about the family because they don’t care so at least DigitalUnicorn’s friend had something to say besides you sound like an American?
I laugh at myself actually when I think of how much time of my own life I’ve spent on this family’s messes.
@nota, I hear you, it’s just the way it was framed. Not to pick on digital here but the comment opened with a declaration/prediction and the supporting source seemed to be the long-winded random opinion of a friend of a friend. Had it been framed differently, it probably wouldn’t have garnered that reaction. For e.g. I think people are starting to see through the situation. One of my friends is a long term Middleton Stan and even she has changed her tune.
Speaking of long-winded, I’m putting too much into this discussion. Before I drop this forever my main point from this still stands – there are far more offensive comments being made here lately and people aren’t piling on them like they have here.
Something that just makes me scratch my head about the whole “exile the Sussexes” plan (besides the obvious issues with it)……these people who talk about it like a viable plan….they know that we have the internet now, right? satellites? social media?
Its not like they would move to LA and just go silent and never be heard from again. They would probably be MORE of a force.
So it’s fine for courtiers to talk to media off the record about Tiara fights, making Kate cry, Duchess Difficult/Me-Gain nicknames and pending banishments to Africa. But the minute there’s a riposte from the Sussexes, all of a sudden issues should be kept within the family and anonymous sources are bad. That’s some high grade hypocrisy right there.
This.
This X 1000!
Game, set, match! Exactly!
This is pathetic. With all that’s going on in the world, the courtiers need to get a grip and stop talking.
I think William wants them gone and I think William gets what he wants.
I actually hope William does “banish” the Sussexes. Do that, so we can watch him and Kate try to pick up the slack. They won’t be able to do it because they are both lazy, incurious people who want the love and accolades the Sussexes are getting without the work.
Meanwhile, the Sussexes, in their exile, would have high profile people WORLDWIDE who would LOVE to team up with them. They’d likely make more money than the allowance they’re getting now, while being away from the stress of being with the Royal Family.
I actually think the Royal Family will banish the Sussexes and they will retire Andrew & Fergie in exchange for Beatrice & Eugenie to become working royals to replace Harry & Meghan.
W&K have already set up their future (lazy) tack: they’ve said they plan to “scale back” to a “few” select “umbrella” charities instead of the 100s that TQ, Anne, and the rest cover. They will pretty much eliminate the “bread and butter” meets for local charities.
As always, as little “real” work as possible for the Cams!
@lurkmode do you really think Bea and Eugenie want back in? Why? They are living their best lives now and get away with everything because quite frankly whatever they do is no one’s business. Why would they want back in to the cesspool?
I think Andrew would very much like for his daughters to become publicly funded working royals. What his daughters themselves want is unclear but Andrew definitely wants his daughters to have all the status and perks of princesses of the blood – because he is a massive snob on top of all his other nasty qualities.
I wonder if this is Charles… Remember, he loved Diana at first too, but then as he realized she had more star power, rather than celebrate it, he grew threatened by it. He must be feeling more threatened than ever w Brexit raising all kinds of questions re this institution. Remember too Diana said she didn’t think he’d ever be king. I don’t think that was just about her pushing William forward, I think it was intuition…that he just doesn’t have it…
Diana never said that. She was being a passive aggressive bitch in that entire interview, lashing out and trying to take Charles down. Implying it was for his own good if he didn’t have the top job, Charles would be happier not burdened with the restrictions of being king, etc..
Read the transcript.
nota, Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking the exact same thing.
IIRC, Diana did say that she thought that she would never be queen consort.
Wow, Nota, I actually agree with you for once. Looking up from under those heavily made up eyes saying “I want to be the Queen of People’s Hearts” Yuk. And trashing her sons’ father in public is not a good idea.
She tried to play the press, and that is never a good idea.
Poor Diana knew that she can’t divorce him. So she went to the press. And got divorce. Charles was awful to her, but it breaks my heart that people think Will and Harry are mortal enemies. No one knows what happened but the media pressure won’t help Harry and Meghan or Harry and Will. Do you think Will and Charles are close? They don’t look that way. Harry and Will were.
Also, Charles NEVER “loved” Diana, not like you and I would define love.
I’m sure he was “fond” of her for a very short time, like until her popularity started to eclipse his (ie: the 2nd or 3rd walk-about when the crowds called out for her, saying they were disappointed to get HIM on their side of the street).
And let’s not forget, he let Diana KNOW that he was NOT HAPPY when Harry was born (a boy), and even worse, “a ginger”. That was the final nail in the coffin.
Right, Charles was the guy in his wedding engagement interview standing with Diana, when asked if they were in love, she said “Of course!” and then he said, “Whatever in love means!” ugh
They loved the idea of each other, not the reality. He wanted a suitable royal wife, she deliberately targeted the one man in the UK who wasn’t legally allowed to divorce her. He caved to huge pressure from the RRs (I’m looking at you Arthur Edwards) and married her, to both of their detriment. Diana herself admitted they were very happy for a couple of years. They never should have married and would not have lasted long-term.
Charles doesn’t hate redheads. He dated Diana’s sister Sarah for a time, and she has red hair. Diana told him they’re were expecting a girl, knowing it was a boy. If Charles was surprised or momentarily unhappy his wife had deceived him, who would blame him.
Diana played so many weird games around Harry and his hair, not only with Charles but with the press. She told a group of reporters his hair was blond, after Princess Michael of Kent had told people at an official dinner that Harry was a redhead. Diana knew he had red hair, she was just playing more games.
I think Charles married Diana out of a sense of duty, and imagined that love would follow in due course, or that he’d at least be able to carry on with extramarital affairs as it suited him. He had been raised with a mindset (helped in no amount by Louis Mountbatten, who had his own issues w/ his marriage) that women fell into two camps–the ones you had some fun with, but weren’t settling down material, and the ones who were. Diana was young, from a distinguished aristocratic family, and inexperienced enough in life and love that she fit the bill for Charles. I don’t think it was family pressure about marrying a virgin that spurred him onto this as much as it was his own preconceived notions about what constituted an acceptable wife. Camilla wasn’t it. I imagine he learned his lesson only too late into the marriage to Diana that you can’t split women into groups like that.
He didn’t love Diana nor did he want Harry when he was born. A horrid man.
@nota “Diana told him they’re were expecting a girl, knowing it was a boy.”
I had NEVER heard that story. That’s seriously awful of her. Like… I just can’t even imagine.
He loved Diana (and the idea of Diana), but wasn’t in love with her. Similar to what has been said for years about W&K. Charles thought she’d be a suitable wife, after neither her sister nor Camilla wanted to marry him. Philip told him to marry Diana or drop her, because he was ruining her reputation. Under public pressure, Charles married her.
Of course he wanted Harry, and from what you can see, read, and hear from him he loves Harry and is proud of him. Diana pulled yet another trick on him, led him to believe they were expecting a girl, but that doesn’t mean Charles didn’t want Harry.
There are a lot of legs to this:
I think the changes have happened too quickly for the folks at KP/BP and they can’t adapt as quickly. Then you have Brexit as a backdrop. They are probably overwhelmed and anxious as hell over there. I’m talking outside the Sussex smears.
1. QEII is not getting younger. So, they need to put in a contingency plan. Does that mean that Prince Charles becomes Regent? If so, should he be appointed Regent at this time (read Brexit) or wait until all of that is settled? It’s a known fact that QEII won’t abdicate, so do they wait until she dies to start “selling” Prince/King Charles? Ok. Tell you what, they say, let’s start doing a soft PR campaign that showcases Charles’ worth and value. His offices and BP have actively been doing that or trying to do that for the last few years. By a stretch, I think that’s what the recent comments about the Sussexes overshadowing Prince Charles sort of was alluding to.
2. The Cambridges. They NEED to look weighty and consequential. They may look the part, William more so than Kate, but simply as an onlooker, they are a long way from being ready–despite Catherine Quinn being on board. William has big shoes to fill and he’s lost valuable time due to his apathy and petulance. Prince Charles has tried to create a bridge for William in his PR-documentary by including William but I seriously doubt if William truly understands the depth of what he is expected to lead/sustain.
#s 1 & 2 were probably the focal points for the next few years. And arguably probably should be. But then, #3 happened. Harry and Meghan. And that’s when it got messy.
#3. Little brother used to go along to get along. To what extent? Who knows? Brother no longer goes along to get along. WTF? Has to be that upstart wife. They are not following “protocol” and f-ing stuff up. They must be contained. And there you go. The simple story. There are now enemies all over the place and palace intrigue has spilled into the streets. Simple story: It’s all Meghan’s fault. She is the only new player or different thing in a setup that was going smoothly or was supposed to go smoothly.
Re: KP/BP and even Charles’ office – they are old dogs using old dog tricks trying to beat the new dogs into submission. It’s all they got. It’s all they know. But the new dogs are saying we know those old tricks and we’re not going. As a matter of fact, we are going to teach you old dogs some new tricks. Bring it. And now it’s war. (Big smile)
Gotta say, your last paragraph, ESP. that last sentence, gave me a BIG smile! #TeamSUSSEX!
yeah all of this makes perfect sense.
I really think the Sussexes want out of the UK. If they move to California, it would be terrible for the royal family, for all the smart reasons identified above. So I’m left with the conclusion that this is something they want. And why wouldn’t they? If their goal is to have a global profile, then California is just as good a place to do it – and perhaps better. The paparazzi is more manageable than the sniping British tabloids, and the rules about photographing children would protect their children. It’s clear to me that neither of them want the kind of life that Sophie or Anne have – endless ribbon cuttings. Those are important but Meghan wants to talk (see The Tig and all her speeches) and Harry wants to run things (see Invictus). They have great talent. Why not move to a place where they can really shine?
I do not think the Sussexes will move to California because the amount of money it would take to insure their safety would be insurmountable. From all that I have read on several posting sites, neither the US Taxpayer or the UK Taxpayer would be willing to pick-up the cost. Your will hear many questions from John Q. Public of all countries concerned regarding funding. I suspect it would even be brought up in Parliament during Prime Minister’s Question Time.
Don’t rich people live all over the world and have security? And H&M are rich, you know. And It’s not like California is a war zone. Most wealthy people use security companies, live in gated communities etc. Hell, they could probably carry guns if the law allows that. It’s not like they need their own private SWAT team or anything.
The level of security they would need is along the high-level lines of the Secret Service securing the Obamas. See TheOriginalMia’s comment on another thread.
There is not a “rule about photographing children” in the US. There is in the UK, however.
I think this narrative of “they want to leave” is made up by people who simply don’t like Meghan. Just more wishful thinking and racist bullying. No thank you.
Even thought I doubt they will ever leave or be banished from the UK, IF they did — their star would turn into a supernova x 1000. They would be supported by powerful people all over the world, they would get decent (aka Fair-ish) coverage in the media, and if they moved to California the weather would be better all around. Also, our laws are better her against the paparazzi and would allow them room to breathe.
I find it beyond disturbing that the British press/paps have always been out for Harry’s blood–using him as the scapegoat, the patsy, destroying his previous relationships and now going after the one person who wants to be his partner in all of this. Like what did Harry ever do to warrant such virulent hatred that these people live to RUIN his happiness and life at every turn??? Seriously Eff those mofos — they are horrible, horrible, disgusting less-than human beings.
I think many, many women over the age of 30 when Princess Diana died saw that little boy walking behind her casket and thought of him as a quasi-son. Which is terrible. Because that means he has millions of older women who have cast themselves unilaterally in the role of mother in law. NO WOMAN would be good enough for their “boy” (except, maybe, their own age-appropriate daughter if they have one). Maybe they even looked at Kate and thought “that could be My daughter!” How DARE he choose some biracial divorced AMERICAN? Chelsy wouldn’t have been good enough for him–she was labeled a partying floozy. Cressida would have been “good enough,” but she (understandably) didn’t want the job. Had he married Chelsy, should would have been “Fergified.” What’s happened to Meghan is worse. The Angela Levin-style old bats who think they own Harry will NEVER accept Meghan. They need to go grumbling back to their kitchens and re-think their obsession over a complete stranger that they will, at most, shake hands with, or see in a motorcade sometime. It’s completely inappropriate.
I believe the Sun’s story is from Wooten who has had egg on his face about a few of his Harry and Meghan stories. Shame that none of their Sussexes insiders gave them the heads up about the lawsuits which they were all shocked about.
I feel like this story is probably just spinning a trip to the US for downtime into something bigger. After the whole ‘Doria is coming to Sandringham for Christmas’ or ‘the Queen is going to host a birthday meal for Meghan in Scotland’ stories I wouldn’t even be surprised if this US thanksgiving trip wasn’t true although seems more likely to be true than not.
Has anyone seen any mainstream media report on the particulars of claim that Meghan filed in the Fail case? It shows how her letter was allegedly edited& talks about articles proves an agenda against Meghan. I’ve seen a report that Meghan’s phone/email records may be made public during any trial but nothing else. Seems like there is a concerted effort to focus on feuds/rifts/exiles etc not analyse if there’s any merits to what Meghan said about unfair coverage. Also some Uk royal historians/ commentators suggested there’s an agenda for negative comment on Meghan https://twitter.com/katewilliamsme/status/1187037717223411713?s=21
Shows me some are very concerned about the outcome of these cases.
Another made up rumor gaining traction on other sites is that the Sussexes will do an hour long interview with Oprah.
The British tabloids are playing this for all it is worth and making a metric-$hit-tonne of money.
Is this before or after Oprah’s interview with Doria?
Harry is doing some new show WITH Oprah for Apple+ TV. Wouldn’t surprise me for him to have an interview with her.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/entertainment/prince-harry-oprah-winfrey-mental-health-tv-series-intl-scli-gbr/index.html
The DORIA fantasy is another story lol
Another “royal source”?
It’s interesting that the Sussexes have a lawsuit pending against Mail on Sunday for publishing that letter to Thomas Markle, and look who a “senior Buckingham Palace aide” is going straight to with an agenda to brush back the Sussexes….yes, the Mail on Sunday!
No wonder Meghan and Harry are absolutely fed up. There is no loyalty to them within the royal system. And I blame the top royals, the Queen and the Prince of Wales, because if they told their “aides” to stop this BS the aides would have to stop this BS.
Their aides largely speak on behalf of them. Whenever it’s “palace sources” it’s pretty much just people sanctioned on behalf of the royal family to speak on the record for them. The RF can’t speak out on their own, unless it’s to refute stories about Kate having gotten Botox.
Then that is really bad—if this aide speaking to the MOS was directly given permission by royal family to do so. yikes
MoS with the two recent editors having been long-time, paid media advisors to the Middleton family.
I believe the lawsuit is going to make public a lot more of the connections between the courtiers and the media. The newspapers being sued will need to blame someone for publishing their information and what better sign of royal approval then the information coming from a courtier to one of the palaces. Right now the only personal recently let go has been Sophie from KP, but we may see more from BP or CH and that will hunt at who has been speaking to the press.
And it may remind people, publicly not just here and on forums, of the long-time relationship between the Middletons and the MoS, Tanna, Nicholl, etc.
There are a lot of reasons why I firmly oppose the Sussexs ever leaving the UK, and one of them is the plain and simple fact that this is precisely what the courtiers want. Leaving the UK sets up the Sussexs as extremely handy scapegoats for the rest of time for the royal family. It undercuts Harry’s popularity, props up Will and Kate as the loyal sons and daughters of Britain who put “duty first” instead of gallivanting off to parts unknown on the taxpayer payroll. The headlines pretty much write themselves. Imagine how much demonizing of Meghan they could get in for the foreseeable future. “She TOOK Harry WITH her, give him BACK” etc. etc. etc. repeat ad infinitum.
The courtiers don’t want Harry and Meghan to leave and never be heard from again. They want them to remain in the press, but only in a negative light. They don’t want to break up Meghan and Harry and Meghan to go away and disappear. They want her to stay, but only as long as they can define the narrative. She doesn’t get a voice, she only gets to be what they want, even if the things they want is just contradictory bullsh-t.
“instead of gallivanting off to parts unknown on the taxpayer payroll.”
I do not think this will happen as John Q. Public will not tolerate any member of the BRF gallivanting off to parts unknown on the UK taxpayer payroll.
Precisely my point. I don’t think the public would accept that at all, especially given the current climate wrt Brexit. Which is exactly why I think that the palace stands a lot to gain from propagating this story, if not actually attempting to do it. It serves to undermine the credibility of the Sussexes, especially if they make it seem like it’s their idea to begin with, and it heaps onto the fact that people already see Meghan as an outsider trying to come in and change everything up.
“John Q. Public will not tolerate any member of the BRF gallivanting off to parts unknown on the UK taxpayer payroll” — I 100% disagree. The taxpayer puts up with a LOT, including paying to support a child rapist (Britain) and a racist idiot (America). So living off the taxpayers in a foreign luxury estate? That’s nothing, the taxpayers will barely notice or care. History has shown this.
I think, much of the internal problems they are having is bc the RF is not modern enough for M. I dunno how a liberal woman (of color) would function in a system that’s deeply rooted in the belief that their blood puts them above everyone, esp in the time of Brexit, they were always going to clash. That said, Meghan deserves to cultivate a life she wants without people making her feel like she’s unworthy of it but nothing, not even fairness or morality will stand in the way of making money, and we ( fans, haters and random clickers) are the sponsors.
“The RF is not modern enough for M” should read as “Meghan’s too black for the RF” Meghan’s very existence is the problem. If she walked three steps behind Harry and never said a word the haters would STILL hate. Then, it would be “lazy welfare queen who refuses to work.” In the US, the same thing happened with Republicans on January 19, 2009 when they realized they really had a black president and WIGGED THE F OUT!!! All of the “Obama is not a real American” began that day, necrotising into the whole “Birther” movement. The British RF went “Oh Shit, they love the black duchess!” after the Australia tour and sent their minions to bash her in the media. I’m starting to think those old mutherfuckers wanted Meghan to miscarry her baby. They threw everything at her that they could: double standards, fake stories, even her nasty old father. Poor Harry. I don’t think he had any idea it would get this bad. And to realize your own family is behind it must be just horrifying. I still say he has the upper hand. He needs to play hardball to get the courtiers to back the F off.
@lanne, exactly. You could do everything in your power to conform, and the people who are in charge of arbitrating your acceptance would still not be happy. Because the point is to not be happy. The point is to act like nothing is every satisfactory, because the point is that black women are not satisfactory by virtue of their being black women. Period. You can’t win.
@Lanne:I’m not implying that she’s too black for the RF. I said it terms of she’s a modern woman in the middle of a really traditional (and maybe conservative) entity that will not shift to accommodate her. The way she views things vs how *it does would and will always be different, even if she tries to conform.
My Brit friends said that most of her circle thinks Harry is dim and they are sick of him using his mother’s death as a excuse.
I have Brit friends who have said a different variation of the exact same idea. Harry is dim and Harry is the problem as he is afraid of losing Meghan.
delayed post
I can understand that. It could come across as using it as an excuse not a reason.
Funny given William is the one who has always used Diana as his excuse. That has become a popular theme with the tumblr haters recently, claiming Harry is doing it when the evidence is to the contrary. Tumblr haters have also recently been claiming Harry is dumb because of dyslexia, which was beaten down by list after list of other whip-smart people who are dyslexic.
Agree, notasugarhere, and that is exactly what is being done in this thread. Like we don’t recognize the usual suspects’ motivations for injecting another smear on Harry or Meghan’s intelligence or character into the conversation.
What exactly is he using his mother’s death as an excuse for? If anything he is using his mother’s death as an example of what can happen with a vicious and out of control press, not some excuse. You don’t see him out here hiding from anything do you? He and Meghan are fighting back at the press (and hopefully taking a ding out of the courtiers too). Sound like your Brit friends are the one’s who are “dim”.
I am a “Brit” and your statement is not correct. Harry is respected, unlike his brother. And most of the royal family (including Kate) are considered dime with their Art History degrees and leg up into uni to study this. You will note that quite a few privileged people have these useless degrees and end up being politicians, or royal and political reporters.
You can’t be dim and do well in Art History. This discipline is no walk walk in the park if you are serious about it. During the last 40 years, a LOT of sophisticated theory has made inroads in the discipline. Not to mention how you are expected to know foreign languages. When I started studying Art History in Denmark, I was told that it really wasn’t enough to just know English. I was expected to know German and French as well (+ Norwegian and Swedish of the Scandinavian languages). A lot of my first year texts were in German and English (only a few in my native Danish).
Maybe, the requirements aren’t as high in the UK and US, at least for undergraduates. There’s a big difference between a BA, an MA and a Ph.D. I know in the UK a PH.D requires at least one foreign language. Generally, a BA is only useful for further study in most disciplines.
Yeah Harry is dim but he is still the one who married the smart woman……isn’t that amazing? Yet,
1) He is the one who married the accomplished woman,
2) he is the one who married the articulate woman,
3) he is the one who married the woman who knows the meaning of hard work,
4) he is the one who married the woman capable of addressing the world stage without shaking,
5) he is the one who married the woman who can write, and READ her own speech,
6) he is the one who married the woman with her own money
7) he is the one who married the woman whom in < 2 years in the family has done more than some in their entire life
8) he is the one who married the woman with a CAREER
should I continue?
If he is dim (which is just another way to attack Meghan), what does that mean about William? William must be 'stupider' than stupid
I think anyone who thinks that William and Harry quotes use their mother excuse are heartless human being no wants to ever lose their parent . Now imagine lose your mother and having the public watch you mourn her having to walk behind her casket at the age of 12 while people are lined up in streets to watch . Harry isn’t using his mother as excuse he see the woman he loves being slandered by the press daily for no other reason other then pure racism and hatefulness because she a woman of color . People love to boast about the mistakes Meghan has allegedly made but you asks them specific what has she done they can’t name anything real just hearsay from the internet trolls and the racist royal reporters as sources . Meghan has have three successful charities projects since she joined the family has done everything with grace with a smile on her face. Even though the press throw everything they could at her while she was pregnant.
Vanessa, well said, and the three projects done within a year of marriage. I can only imagine the vitriol, if she had took the time off to adjust to royal life.
Imagine if she had also taken 7-8 years to adjust to Royal life despite having 10 years to supposedly prepare for it??? my goodness, all the stereotypes thrown at minorities will be thrown her way……unfortunately for them, the woman understands WORK
This may seem ignorant but who are the royal “courtiers”? Are they employees or just part of the royals’ inner circle? Whenever they are mentioned, they are never named nor is there any indication which royal(s) they work for. If they are employees, what is their job description(s) – pr, butler, personal assistant, etc.?
And to add to the “Throwing the Sussexes Under The Bus” to distract from Andrew’s CLEAR involvement with Epstein and young girls, read this. It will make you want to scream, day drink and punch the wall all at the same time:
https://www.laineygossip.com/prince-andrew-enlists-help-of-forensics-experts-to-prove-virginia-roberts-giuffre-is-a-liar/58858
I am so sick of people saying Harry is stupid. The fact that he has dyslexia and gives speeches speaks of his intelligence. My son has a learning disability and he is one of the smartest people I know, he just leans in a different way. William wasn’t that great in school. He wanted to drop out his first semester If University but his dad pulled some strings. Harry might be the only one in that family with intelligence.