I couldn’t click on this Variety story fast enough: “British Media Caught by Surprise as U.S. Outlets Continue to Break Meghan and Harry News.” Hehehehehe. As an American covering the royal beat, I have to say, the Duchess of Sussex’s entire journey on Salty White Folk Isle was really eye-opening for me. Before Meghan, I never really understood the deep well of anti-Americanism in the British press, aristocracy and establishment. I never understood how the British media and establishment is decades behind the US in understanding and identifying racism and bigotry and institutional white privilege. I never understood that the British media feels like their royal family is “theirs” to abuse and torment. The British media has been irritated this entire time that Meghan specifically has allies in the American media because of all of that, because they can’t control her and “own” her. So let’s check out what Variety has to say.
In one week, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s nuclear CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey became a global television event that toppled incendiary presenter Piers Morgan from “Good Morning Britain” and now leaves a sizeable question mark over Sharon Osbourne’s future as a co-host at “The Talk.” But it’s the war of words being played out across the Atlantic that has prompted extensive pearl-clutching from British royal watchers puzzled by U.S. outlets controlling the narrative about the British royal family.
In the latest jaw-dropping development, Gayle King, a co-host on “CBS This Morning” and Winfrey’s BFF, revealed on March 16 that Prince Harry has been in touch with his father, Prince Charles, and brother, Prince William. “The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive,” King declared live on TV. “No one in the royal family has talked to Meghan yet.”
To see a major update on private family conversations revealed by an American broadcaster rather than the British press is unprecedented, says royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams. “If you’d told me, I wouldn’t have believed it,” a flabbergasted Fitzwilliams tells Variety. “This is one of the royal family’s worst nightmares.”
Katie Nicholl, royal editor for Vanity Fair and the author of “Harry and Meghan: Life, Loss and Love,” says she was “really shocked” to see the couple “using Gayle King as their mouthpiece, not least because we heard so much from them previously that we didn’t expect there to be a running commentary from their friends in the media.”
Buckingham Palace is likely “very worried” but, notably, is in uncharted territory and “won’t know how to respond,” Fitzwilliams says. “It’s not possible to know how on earth you can have a conversation with Harry and then have Gayle King report it.”
Indeed, there’s a wariness among British media about Markle and Prince Harry’s revelations in their interview with Winfrey. U.K. outlets have focused efforts largely on debunking points made by the couple regarding their son Archie’s eligibility for a title, rather than interrogating racism within the royal family or a lack of mental health support for Markle.
Nicholl argues that the couple has received their share of “sympathy” from the public — particularly among younger generations — but that British media are less willing “to just accept everything the couple have said because they’re probably more aware than any other section of the media that there are two sides to this story. We’ve heard Meghan and Harry’s side, but there is another side as well,” says Nicholl.
Asked whether British press are rankled by royal news originating from the U.S., the commentator insists it “doesn’t make a difference.”
“Whether it was the U.S. or any other outlet, they’re continuing to feed the narrative. It’s got the world talking and selling newspapers, so from a journalist’s perspective, why would you want to cut that off?” says the commentator.
“But from the other perspective, here is a family trying to heal a very serious rift,” notes Nicholl. “It does seem a very unusual strategy [by Harry and Meghan].”
Chris Ship, royal correspondent for broadcaster ITV, which aired the program in the U.K., tells Variety that the impact at home is “slightly bigger” than even Princess Diana’s landmark interview with the BBC’s “Panorama” program in 1995. “What Harry and Meghan have done has really damaged the royal family’s reputation in the U.S.,” Ship says. “You have to think: How long does that international reputation for the royal family last?”
Super-shady (and accurate) by Variety: “U.K. outlets have focused efforts largely on debunking points made by the couple regarding their son Archie’s eligibility for a title, rather than interrogating racism within the royal family or a lack of mental health support for Markle.” The British press is trying to whine and nitpick this or that detail of Meghan and Harry’s interview instead of, you know, actually examining whether the broad strokes are right, whether there was a vile, racist hate campaign against Meghan which everyone in the British media was actively participating in, largely at the behest of the Windsors. That’s what’s bothering the British media more than anything else – that their actions and their history of misogyny and racism are suddenly under the microscope too. They’re also worried that their arrangements with the Windsors are about to be massively exposed.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
“I’ve been nasty to you for years, but why don’t you talk to me?”
And they probably don’t like that the American media don’t follow their hateful narrative en masse.
Correct and the fact that American media aren’t wined and dined by the BRF or The Firm. You can’t buy the American media – well not all of them. Plus, there is a greater chance, here in the US, for Sussex side to be heard. Not the case there. More importantly, Oprah and Gayle are on Side Sussex, that is HUGE (in my best Trump voice). So the Palace and the BM know they cannot control the narrative.
The Firm may not be able to buy the US media, but it sure bought the US justice & political system to protect Andrew during the Clinton years.
@MarineTheMachine
I don’t agree with this. The US systems of justice cannot touch Andrew without the UK’s and the Queen’s permission, due to Andrew’s political position. Now I agree they didn’t try very hard, but that is also likely because they knew there wasn’t a chance.
TCBC they didn’t try AT ALL with ANY of the pedophiles. Epstein skated for years. Wasn’t just Andrew. The US justice system did not care.
That’s because Epstein was, it’s been said, feeding info to the F B I. He was their informant. He was govt protected.
The F B I needs a clearout, between allowing crimes like that to go on, and the whole “oops we somehow lost piles of records on prominent white supremacist groups”.
@MarineTheMachine Do you mean the Bush years? Because It was George W’s people who gave Epstein (and Andy) a pass. Clinton wasn’t President in 2008 when Epstein took that plea deal.
And as @tcbc points out, it might not be possible to touch Andrew in the US. British authorities would have to pursue him, and they won’t. At least not while Mummy still lives. It will be interesting to see if Charles – who has never liked him – tosses him under the bus when he becomes King or if chooses to protect him for “the sake of the Institution.”
Beautifully put! But why won’t you let us continually abuse you and tell lies about you? Abusing you is our national sport. Just keep quiet and take it damn it! Why do you have to have the much bigger and international American media on your side?
We’re talking about the belly of the colonial mothership, the BRF and the BM. No one’s shocked that they’re nastiest, most vicious and entitled bullies on the block. They can dish it. They’re offended at even having to taste it, much less eat it.
“we didn’t expect there to be a running commentary from their friends in the media.”… but running commentary from the British press – who are extremely cosy with the RF – is perfectly ok? The hypocrisy.
I read the FBI asked the UK government to make Randy Andy available for questioning, but the UK balked and requested we first turn over the wife of the diplomat who killed their citizen on a bike. After that there were no further talks because really… I doubt the US wants to prosecute the son of the figurehead who is an ally.
The reason the US doesn’t want to extradite Anne Sacoolas, the woman who killed Harry Dunn, the British biker, in a car accident, is that she’s undercover CIA. Her lawyer accidentally admitted that in open court.
@Allyn Never heard that, but it kind of fits. In my life in the military I have never seen the government so adamant to not give up someone without any reasoning. Interesting. Plus, they aren’t even trying to charge her with anything. That’s unusual.
I was listening to a podcast last night about a con artist who got caught, and when faced with her allegations in court, she stomped her feet and shouted something that basically translated to, “*I* SUPPLY THE STORIES AROUND HERE!”
Which is exactly how I picture all of the RRs right now. They thought they alone had the sole rights to report on anything relating to members of the royal family, and now they’re positively *indignant* that they were wrong.
I don’t think the US media is going to lose interest in the Sussexes anytime soon, so they’d better get used to it, lol.
Yeah, well, shouldn’t have been talking shit, huh BM?
that’s a “f*ck around and find out” right there. 🙂
But our crap has been accepted by everyone at face value for years!! How can we now stop making and selling it now that everyone knows how smelly it is.
Like Janina said “It’s a new era”.
That’s probably why many were against Harry marrying someone outside their aristocratic circles. Outsiders, ESPECIALLY an American. Because there was the possibility of shining a light in their dirty little secrets and how they operate. They knew their control didn’t extend past their shores.
Now it’s all getting exposed and ricocheting back onto them, they are losing their power and their cash cows because they overplayed their hand.
‘Nicholl argues that the couple has received their share of “sympathy” from the public — particularly among younger generations — but that British media are less willing “to just accept everything the couple have said because they’re probably more aware than any other section of the media that there are two sides to this story. We’ve heard Meghan and Harry’s side, but there is another side as well,” says Nicholl.’
We’ve seen that other side in fairly close detail in the tabloids on a daily basis for the last five years, Katie. So we’re intimately familiar with it, thanks.
They want that “other side” to seep into
US media. But when you got big dogs like Oprah and Gayle not putting up with their shit, it makes it difficult. Even the ones who still tolerate these “royal experts” are simultaneously giving them them the side eye. Because the world’s media are WELL aware of Rupert Murdoch and the BMs utter shit reputation.
Harry said there was an invisible contract between the British media and his family, and we know this to be true from years of evidence. I LOVE the idea of Oprah and Gayle tag teaming as the big dogs on this side of the ocean. The Brit Media has no power here, plus we’re bigger and richer.
“This is one of the royal family’s worst nightmares.” Exactly. The RF don’t have an invisible contract with the American press. The RF can’t just call up the American press and tell them to squash this story and write this story instead. The RF has no idea how to do actual public relations work because they have never, ever had to do honest PR before. They have never had to honestly deal with a crisis. They have never had to explain themselves, apologize, and change their behavior in order to get a bad story to die. They have never had to actually sell themselves and their brand based on their real, actual talents, virtues, sparkle, press-worthiness, or value because the British press will always prop them up and write sycophantically about them no matter how little they do, how boring they are, or how ineffective they are. I can imagine that this must be an absolute nightmare for them. They have no way to control the story over here and their bargaining power is non-existent over here now that the American press has Harry and Meghan willing to work with them and talk to them. They can’t bargain with lies and stories about Harry and Meghan and they can’t/won’t offer different bad stories about themselves in order to get bad stories about themselves taken down. They have no leverage here. Now that we have Harry and Meghan doing “no topic is off limits” interviews, picking up the phone for Gayle King and the CBS morning show, sharing personal stuff like that the BRF doesn’t even share like that they’re having a baby girl, and letting a film crew get footage of their personal chicken coop, and Archie playing on the beach, I don’t think “a posed picture of the Cambridge kids from 6 months ago where they’re all wearing blue gingham plus a 3 minute interview with Will and Kate in which you’re not allowed to ask them about their personal life, their marriage, the BRF, their relationship with Meghan and Harry, the Oprah interview, racism, sexism, anti-American sentiment, their relationship with the BM, and why they cape for mental health and early years while they’re simultaneously driving a pregnant woman to suicide,” is going to cut it anymore. They’re going to be facing honest reporting for the first time in…ever… and they know if they’re reported on honestly, it is going to destroy the monarchy as an institution and each member of their family individually.
@ Amy Too: I bookmarked this page because of how truthful your comment is.
What Harry said about the RF having “contracts” with the media is correct. I have read the book Battle of Brothers: William & Harry, which was quite enlightening. All someone like Charles or the Queen has to do is ask the Palace’s Press Office to intervene which is always done.
Also, the Queen could step in and make baby Archie a Prince as she has done for Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
The other side has been the only side for the last 5 years. What Nicholls and the rest want is for the Sussexes to remain quiet and only have the Palace’s side out there.
What is at the heart of this, is that the British media has been in control of the narrative for so long and this gives them immense power. They’re pissed off that they’re losing control of the narrative which will mean a loss of power. The Internet has made media sources from around the world available to everyone.
We’ve heard nothing BUT the other side for years. Over and over. In repetitive articles across multiple British papers.
In the wise prudent words of President Biden: “Will you shut up, man?”
Someone needs to tell them that denial is a river in Egypt!
The responses are very telling. It’s much harder to laugh off an allegation that you know is true.
Also, I can’t get past this idea that Harry and Meghan can’t be trusted because of what Gayle King reported. She gave no details of the conversation, just that they’d talked (which apparently the palace had already leaked) and that it was not productive. At least they put their names to it. Would Harry and Meghan be more trustworthy if Gayle King had reported that “sources” told her the calls weren’t productive?
I know, what’s the big deal? Harry talked to his father and brother. No progress was made. What kind of a family thinks the mere fact that a few members had a phone conversation is some kind of dirty secret not to be discussed or exposed? If anything it’s a good look. At least they talked, even if they weren’t able to get past their differences (yet). Like you said, King didn’t disclose anything that was said or how the parties felt about it.
It’s a big deal because H&M are putting it out there, their voices their faces their words, and now everyone is aware they will respond, if necessary. The Royal family continue to tippy toe coyly in the tabloids and H&M are not playing that game anymore
This here:
“ Buckingham Palace is likely “very worried” but, notably, is in uncharted territory and “won’t know how to respond,” Fitzwilliams says. “It’s not possible to know how on earth you can have a conversation with Harry and then have Gayle King report it.”
What about Harry and Meghan trying to talk and negotiate and then seeing everything, including their whereabouts leaked?
The nerve.
The fact that Fitzwilliams is still being quoted as a credible expert despite being exposed for giving a full interview in response to the Oprah interview before the interview even took place is disgraceful.
@ Sunday Oh, THAT dude. Thanks for the reminder.
@ennie: Exactly.
The British media is like a abuse Relationship they honestly thought that Meghan and Harry would continually take their abuse forever . The royal family and the British tabloids thought that have successful beat Meghan and Harry down so much that they would 1 go away quietly 2 never speak out about the abuse and bullying they suffered now that the truth is being called out . The royal family and the British tabloids are freaking out because they succeeded in destroying Meghan and Harry reputations in the UK what ever the media tells the British public it’s believed . Now in us people aren’t not falling for the same lies and the British tabloids are freaking out because they are being called out dragged by legitimate media for their falsely reporting their racist antics.
It absolutely matters where a story breaks despite what KN is saying here. The most impactful headlines are the ones breaking news, not the ones reacting to news that has already broken. Sussex stories breaking in the US means that US sources get to set the initial tone of coverage rather than the royal rota. And as they’re finding out the hard way, once that initial tone has been set, it can be very hard to combat. It’s the inverse of what Harry and Meghan were dealing with when living in the UK and beinf controlled by the RF and the rota.
I really want to “like” your post. You have absolutely nailed the problem.
THIS!!
Really well put. And the British press know that as well – that’s why we saw the bullying allegations the week before the Oprah interview. they wanted to put Meghan (and Oprah) on the defensive. But it was so obvious that it just failed, at least here in the US, in my opinion.
That’s why CBers are doing such a great job discussing all these issues. I firmly believe the Rota reads these articles and comments, and they know full well they’re losing the battle bit by bit. When the big guns like Oprah and Gayle are supporting the Suxxeses and willing to go to bat publicly for them, the BRF and British tabloids simply look like whiny little brats.
If I may Jaded, brats is too kind a description for the RF & Rota. A couple of other B words come to mind when invoking the RR’s.
The hilarious thing is that technically, the BM did break the news that there had been talks (was it Tominey?) – it was just completly overlooked by everyone because of Waity’s memorial stunt and the subsequent backlash.
People only started paying attention wihen Gayle reported on it, heh heh.
Good analysis!
I think it’s not just that the UK tabloid press feels that they own the RF and are theirs to abuse, but this is very much a part of the deeply complicated relationship that the British people have with the RF, with the exception of the Queen herself. I think that the British public is completely aware of the “deal” between the RF and the tabloids and to a large degree they approve and even enjoy it- you live in castles, but you are a part of a ‘soap opera’ for my amusement. Like a soap opera, there is very little attention to the fact that these are actual people and I don’t think the public feels any particular outrage about false stories. To the contrary, they are amusing and widely read and discussed without anyone really caring if they are true.
And that brings us to the US press. I think the UK tabloids and these grotesque “royal experts” are freaked out because the rest of the world, including the US but more importantly the Commonwealth, don’t have any of this weird abusive ownership feeling about the RF and find the whole notion problematic. Which it is. It’s not something that can be translated if you will and it is very, very out of line with the modern world. Which is also what the RF is- a relic from another time that most of the world has moved on from and find to be out of step with progress.
In the UK, most of the polling shows support, and even increased support, for the RF from all of this and disapproval of H and M. That’s the opposite of in the US and the Commonwealth. The tabloids are doing what they do because it is POPULAR in the UK, but they need to be able to do it without any other audience really paying attention, because the British relationship with their RF cannot be “sold” to a foreign audience- it just simply can’t.
This comment is really long! I think that they are not “mad” so much as that they want to keep doing what they are doing in their insular closed off universe where it is considered normal and not problematic. They know it is indefensible and incomprehensible to everyone else so they really don’t want the attention on how they do things in the UK.
This is a really excellent point!! It’s easier to get away with terrible behavior/practices when you’ve got fewer people watching. But now that everyone is examining how they operate, they’ve lost the power of controlling the narrative. It’ll be curious to see the long term impact this will have moving forward, especially if Meghan and Harry continue a media presence here in the US.
I just mentioned this, but Global News Canada did a poll showing 8/10 are in support of H&M, and 66% of us think the monarchy should have no role in Canada after the queen goes. This Ipsos Reid poll was done approximately two days ago. It is also being mentioned on the BC news channel today.
Yes! This is also showing up in polling in other Commonwealth countries, with the added much more abusive and exploitative history these countries have with the British Empire.
To me, it makes a lot of sense. I am anti-monarchy on principle, but I recognize the real deal when I see it. Queen Elizabeth herself is the only authentic Royalty, and the last. Charles, William, all of them are too modern. This is not a defence or a view that I personally agree with, but I think that Queen Elizabeth truly, genuinely believes that her role is a duty and that Royalty itself is a form of national service. All the rest view it transactionally, it’s a trade off and about maintaining their class and economic privilege. I’m not saying that QE is not the epitome of privilege, she is. But, I don’t think she sees it that way because she is for lack of a better way of saying it really from a different time and she was raised and indoctrinated in the real “annointed by God to rule his dominion” philosophy of monarchal governance. Of course, the UK was not a monarchy in the real, real sense even in her youth, but the concept itself was much more widely held.
I think that there’s a grudging respect for the Queen because of this within the Commonwealth and even in the US, even while simultaneously knowing all the problematic aspects to inherited rule and supremacy. But, I think that feeling ends with her.
That is great news! I hope it still holds true once the queen is gone and this news cycle is forgotten. And hopefully the government will have the balls to act on it.
I’ve consulted for British companies in the past, and they literally, consistently referred to the US as “the colonies” so, yea, they’ve got a long way to go.
That’s just so weird. Like really weird.
I’m not one to be all “America! Fuck yeah!” but when I hear stuff like that I start getting patriotic and want to scream “Not only did we beat your ass centuries ago, we became a super power. And pulled your chestnuts out of the fire in TWO world wars. The LEAST you can do is drop your colonizer mentality towards us.
and, we were able to beat their asses centuries ago due to help from the French, which is why I always laugh when conservatives/righties bash the French for being “soft” on war. Remember Freedom Fries? too bad most of THEM don’t remember we would have never beaten the Brits* if not for France.
*at that time
Same here. I could listen to the King George songs from “Hamilton” on a loop all day. I just picture William stomping his feet and saying “I’m so blue, I thought that we made an arrangement when you went away….you were mine to subdue!” Entitled, petulant, and clueless.
England is nothing more than the dried husk America came out of.
(Credit: Kenneth Parcell)
The US has always had a special relationship with France. Looking at you Boris.
And Canada – another mere “colonial” country – saved British, Dutch and French allies in WWII. I was treated like a family member whenever I visited Amsterdam they’re still so grateful. I really *REALLY* resent being referred to as a “colonial” and have corrected several Brits who referred to me as such. A frosty “I’m actually a Canadian, born and bred” shot them down.
And now they’re begging America and other countries for trade deals. The irony
I’ve been feeling the same. We haven’t been your sweet, submissive subjects for CENTURIES. That they can’t let it go is creeping me out! Like an ex who keeps thinking you’ll get back together. No dude. Let it go.
whatWHAT, I’m always surprised at the number of people who don’t know, or don’t remember, that France was fighting on our side against the British in the Revolutionary War. Also, France came to our aide again in the war of 1812. If Spain and The Netherlands had not joined with France, which split the British forces so that they fought here and in Europe, we probably wouldn’t have won that war. The US allegiance should be more aligned with the other Countries first instead of the UK. But, that’s just my opinion.
THIS. It’s really hard to understand what the UK press is mad about without understanding that they are just a reflection of British society, who have some surprising ideas about the rest of the world and their relationship/importance to them, including the US.
they’re still bitter about 1776. it colors EVERY thought they have about the USA.
and no, I’m not joking.
Yep. You wanna hear an absolutely STUNNING illustration of that attitude? I have a British friend who once told me that her maternal grandfather and great uncles, all WWII veterans, would occasionally muse that perhaps it would’ve been more “dignified” to be defeated by the Nazis rather than accept American help. I mean…WOW. Just WOW.
@Miranda – Oh.My.Gawd. They must have been sycophants of Neville Chamberlain and his policy of “appeasement”…I can’t imagine what the UK, and probably the world, would look like if that had happened.
You are absolutely right. America got the hell out of dodge in 1776, and they did so because of all the same sorts of reasons that Meghan and Harry left the monarchy today–they were not being heard, they were not being treated equally, they were not given their due for the amount of work they put in to help the British prosper (no taxation without representation and all that).
When they tried to petition to be heard, Americans were constantly given the run around, dismissed, mocked, and told to be grateful for what they got which wasn’t much. Americans first tried to ask the British to allow American representatives in Parliament so they’d have a say in the laws that get passed that affected them. Britain said no. When Americans tried to protest by appealing it to George III, he blew them off too. When Americans pointed out that hey, ya’ll, your king is somewhat crazy have you gotten him tested for dementia recently, all his secretaries clutched their pearls and started hissing about how you don’t speak of such things because it’s disrespectful.
The parallels are funny to think about, but uncanny. America as a country did the whole fucking song and dance that H&M did as well, and fought a whole war to leave. And the British have never gotten over it. NEVER. They’ve never gotten over the fact that anyone can leave their shitty empire and then not only survive, but thrive. What’s insane to me though, is that the same sorts of issues that existed in 1776 are the same issues that exist with this systems today. They have not changed. They have essentially ossified and become immovable by this point.
A, your commentary is top notch. I’ll read your royal blog.
@ A and @Alexandria: Agreed. Top notch. I had bookmarked this page for another comment above, but this is the same calibre.
When I lived in Australia, the aussies and New Zealanders called people from England POMEs…..pronounced “pommies” – as a Canadian I had never heard the term before….. the term is an acronym for “Prisoners of Mother England”!!!
Yea pretty much explains my stand that the UK is bad at divorces and breakups.
The best thing they could have done to make it seem like they wanted to break with the profile of their colonial past ( without breaking down the whole institution) was to accept a woman of colour in to the family and protect her when needed. They didn’t. Nobody would have listened to meghan and harry if the royals would have at least made 1 public statement in support of the couple. They didn’t. And then those stupid bullying claims right before that interview gave meg&haz even more credibility. The windsors keep fumbling their own bags
Ha….that fear is now scattering them about the globe in a desperate attempt to save face and remind people of the pomp and circumstance they like to indulge in on a free weekend.
This family had Meghan pegged wrong from the jump. It is now seriously biting them in the ass. As many have stated, they learned Jack from Diana. And Waity was to desperate and frustrated to complain, she has now become the perfect supplicant…like a Stepford wife.
“The British press is trying to whine and nitpick this or that detail of Meghan and Harry’s interview instead of, you know, actually examining whether the broad strokes are right, whether there was a vile, racist hate campaign against Meghan which everyone in the British media was actively participating in, largely at the behest of the Windsors. That’s what’s bothering the British media more than anything else – that their actions and their history of misogyny and racism are suddenly under the microscope too. They’re also worried that their arrangements with the Windsors are about to be massively exposed.”
Yes to all of this. I also there is some guilt among some (not a lot of them) of the journalists involved as well. One reporter jumped into a person’s mentions to absolve herself of any wrong-doing when it was pointed out that Meghan’s friends put on the baby shower for her knowing she was having suicidal thoughts and that the event was spoiled when KP leaked information to the royal rota about it.
The BRF/BM’s Empire mentality does not wash outside its borders. They came after a US citizen as if she committed a crime in that country. The US press will stick up for one of its own.
And the US general public (or those of us who follow this). I wonder whether Hollywood would show up for William and Kate now?
In the past, yes. Now? HELL NO. And not just because of Meghan. But because of Trump Light Boris, Brexit, Prince Andrew’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, BLM and the fact that Will and Kate are DULL and BORING and just have no media cache anymore.
They really need to get over this delusion that the former colonies still defer to them. Nope. More like it’s utu time. I’d love to see all the former colonies screw them to the floor in coming FTA negotiations, and make reparations for colonial asset-stripping, genocide and war crimes part of the deal. Also return of looted artworks and cultural artifacts.
The royal reporters are crazy. Two sides to every story. They’ve been telling their stories for 4 years! H&M are finally getting a chance to respond. The “palace sources” have steadily been giving updates here’s Harry and Meghan’s. They’re a bunch of clowns and need to find somebody else to throw to the wolves is what I’m getting H&M. It was probably unproductive because they wouldn’t agree to lay off Meghan
It feels like we’re a hair away from a big expose piece in the NY Times or Washington Post. Honestly, if I was an editor at one of those pubs, that’s what I would do. This story is hot and is only getting hotter. Why shouldn’t American media go after the stories being ignored across the pond in regards to the royals?
Exactly. This is a bigger than Meghan. This is aboufuture heads of state who are supposed to be diplomats being exposed as xenophobic, racist, and cruel… all while trying to forge trade deals and relationships with diverse countries about the world.
Harry said he could not tell the family. There would have been no sympathy and more piling on and judgement. Likely, “I told you so”. And they were the ones feeding the tabloid press which put her mental health at risk in the first phase. However he specifically said he, and she, tried to get help from “the firm”. The response, as we now know, was to not get her help, but to spread the news about her mental health to the tabloids.
The comment on why Harry was embarrassed to tell the family that Meghan was suicidal was deleted. I’ll just slightly edit mine to reflect that Harry was also going through mental distress at the news. He may not have been in the state of mind to clearly and effectively help her out. Both of them needed help. From what’s been said, it seemed that they reached out to others, it’s just that the palace turned down the proposal for inpatient treatment. Ultimately he removed his child and wife from this toxic environment so he clearly did something to help.
First of all, the royals have been saying their side for 4.5 years now. And second of all, they are leaking to the press to complain so they can get their side out there (well they already are). And lastly, the royals can do their own interview with a Dimbleby if they want.
“Salty White Folk Isle” 😆😆
In all seriousness, that’s what happens when somebody keeps receipts and bides their time. H&M did and said and tried everything they could to get help to absolutely no avail, but *checks notes* they’re the bad guys for speaking out. Noted.
So much pearl clutching here.
@Ann I am starting to think William is King George reincarnated. He is JUST like him.
Which George? There were, like, six of them. Possibly more? And they were all kind of terrible in various way, except the last one who was QEII’s father.
That was actually why Queen Victoria and Prince Albert leaned SOOO HARD into the ‘normal, industrious, thrifty, morally upright Middle Class family’ idea, all the Hanoverian Kings that immediately preceded her (mostly named George) were quite publicly debauched and gluttonous in one way or another and the institution of the monarchy was hanging by a thread.
I do wonder who that vile family will use as a scapegoat now once the dust settles and Harry and Meghan move on with their lives in America. I have a feeling future King and Queen, Chuckles and the Camel, will actively work to destroy Kensington Karen and Baldimort and vice versa. I hope they destroy each other and that house of cards come tumbling down.
It would be interesting to see who the media would side with. I’m just enjoying the fact that they are finally realizing the rest of the world sees them as jokes without any journalistic credibility.
Oh, Mark my words – Kate and the entire Middleton clan are the next up to the cricket bat. Chuck will make the first move because he clearly HATES them.
It will start with her brother, he’s the easiest target. On the other hand, smearing James will really screw with their “our keen concern is the good mental health of everyone, honest” so who knows what the press will do. Start with the uncle or pull out the big guns right away and go after Carole to let W&K know they are serious?
@Keri I was just thinking the same exact thing — I’m really enjoying watching all of this implode in real time. It truly feels like the beginning of the end— or at the very least, the end of an era, the one in which the BRF sets and controls their own narrative. The palace staffers and the reporters are indignant and *scrambling*, not knowing wtf do to, and it’s fun to witness.
The UK press are mad because Harry &Meg going directly to Gayle King or others in the US press undercuts their royal sources BS. They can’t put as much of a spin on things if the Sussexes are saying directly “This is what happened “. Unless they are willing to give direct quotes, that shit won’t fly anymore as ” the absolute truth”.
Thank you for pointing out the absolute hypocrisy of the U.K. Media. They have brainwashed some Britons, mainly of the Caucasian persuasion, into believing there isn’t racism in Britain. I cannot tell you how many white Britons have tried to convince me, a Black American, that they don’t have racism like in America in their country. Canadians are fond of saying this too. It amazes me, but then I realize their media never acknowledges racism. They never report on it in depth, and the lack of diversity in their journalistic practices and the rigid class system continues to perpetuate this. Yet, they still spout this foolishness.
As stated in another comment, US publications breaking H&M news means they set the tone and BM has a very hard time in spinning it. This puts BM and the BRF on the defensive for the first time. They have to play catch up.
“What Harry and Meghan have done has really damaged the royal family’s reputation in the U.S.,” Ship says. “
What a moron!
Honestly, there has been no damage to the BRF reputation. If people like Trump can remain popular so can the royals. The royals can rely on the racists and magas, and conspiracy nut jobs to keep themselves relevant.
“What the BM and the willyleaks have done has really damaged Harry, and especially Meghan’s reputation in the world,” thinking people say. “
ah, and what equality says in her post down here.
There’s no such animal as a British maga.
Brexit….anyone?
Why do you Brats think you’re so above base and petty instincts?
Amazing? Not really…just short sighted and foolish.
I swear you Brits…and your traditions.
Tell that to the Brits I see on twitter with MAGA and GET BREXIT DONE in their profiles. Also accompanied by little Union Jack emojis…the very worst of them sometimes have St. George’s Cross flag emojis.
MAGA is Make America Great Again. Brexit is similar, but different country. Also, I’m American.
Again they seem all concerned about H&M influencing the royal reputation and not at all about Andrew.
Obviously, because a black American duchess who refuses to put up with abuse is way worse than a pedophile favorite son of the Queen in hiding. It says so much about the British media that they are willing to accept a child rapist but not a black duchess.
Well said. Watching him admit his embarrassment really brought home to me how unsupportive their environment was. The amount of work he must have had to do to overcome that mindset.
Edit: Meant to respond and agree with @Myra above.
A big problem with the Royal rota is they are not objective reporters. Worse than some of the US media playing transcribers for Trump, these people really sound like palace spokespeople rather than reporters. They use language that makes me think they take all this way too personally. There’s no two sides in their world. Which as many have pointed out is why they’re so miffed at the US media and H&M getting their voice accurately heard. And not only is the two sides angle a myth, the one side has proven to be full of lies and gamesmanship and now finally it’s under examination.
Gayle King et al should really rub in the fact their source is Harry and/or Meghan. Challenge the Brits to name their sources in the interest of transparency. But no one over there will put their name to bullshit.
@Feebee I was thinking the other day that anything published by a member of the ROTA should be firmly placed under “OPINION.” The NYT has a prominent op-ed section and the same should be in place for these people.
They’re not journalists, and they’re not even reporters, because they do not report what happened, they editorialize everything, basically telling the reader who is “good” vs. who is “bad” and how to think about any given story.
Facts are completely irrelevant to them; they’re beholden to an agenda set by the BRF in conjunction with their respective publications.
We all knew it, but having Harry confirm it to millions of people should force some sort of change.
I think their articles should be marked clearly as “ADVERTISEMENT” or “PAID PROMOTION,” since they are literally royal family propaganda writers meant to build up the royal family with spin and false claims of their goodness and effectiveness, while they degrade and trash the “competition.” They’re basically doing a screaming banshee version of “unlike OTHER paper towels, BRF paper towels are 10x more effective and 8/10 moms agree!”
Let’s not blame all of Britain for the actions of a few.
This statement right here is why the RF should concede this fight immediately. This will not be a repeat of House of Spencer vs. House of Windsor….a la Diana. This will be a fight against many Americans who are sympathetic and empathetic to H&M. The last time that happened….people across the pond said “F YOUR MONARCHY!” and you lost a war that still stings to this day,
Remember that!
I don’t know what you’re talking about. The young people of Britain are supportive of H&M. Why do you want to pick a fight with them? Also, your assumption that I am British is just wrong and weird.
A lot of this is professional jealousy and British media upset that they think US media is invading their turf. Also, US media isn’t that interested in the rest of the royals beyond the Queen and family drama. They don’t care about this or that charity visit or what Sophie does on the weekend to make her humble and thrifty or whatever. US press are more interested in the real news angle, about the real dynamics between the family and the Rota, the racism , finances or how the press and courtiers operate behind the scenes. This stuff the Rota will never touch.
How can talks were unproductive possibly have two sides Katie i know nothing Nichols? If the British media would have been doing honest unbias non racist reporting from the start , Harry. Megs and their children won’t have left and now feel the need to correct the record on false stories, the British press made their bed of thorns with willyleaks as the thorn provider so sweet dreams you bunch of racist bastards.
I wonder how these people feel about our president being a descendant of Irish Catholics.
I think CBS has done a good job with Gail releasing these tidbits. I’ve really appreciated that they all reports the FACTS. They don’t give their opinions, although you may guess what they are. One of the clips is where one of the men mentioned the investigation into the bullying complaints against Meghan, and then he said that Harry and Meghan will not be part of that investigation. I think there was murmured agreement, but that was it. This is what the BM is starting to freak out about. Anyone with half a brain can see that the bullying investigation is just a blind to smear Meghan. People who don’t really pay attention to Harry & Meghan are going to question that. The journalists in this country just need to tell the facts, and the BRF and BM will be scrambling to try to spin it. Up to this point, they keep throwing Kate and the crying incident out there to cover up everything else. The US media is going to be paying attention to the other issues that were brought up in the Oprah interview.
And, Charles, you really need to STFU. Too many in the US, Canada and the rest of the world see you.
The British press is all “yeah we don’t care where the sussex break news as long as it keeps breaking and we can keep talking about them.” And in the same article: “how dare Harry and Meghan speak to a reporter about their conversation with Charles and William! The poor BRF, they’ll never trust again, this must stop, it’s not right for them to speak to the press!”
They’re basically saying out loud that their outrage and upset over H and M talking to Gayle King was totally made up BS and that their supposed opinion that H and M should t be talking to Gayle is basically just a new smear campaign, because they literally also said that they love that the info is coming out because it gives them something to write about. The hypocrisy, and no one points it out. They’re always telling on themselves. They’re always admitting that the outrages things they write about the Sussexes are not their actual opinions and that they don’t really hate what the Sussexes are doing, they’re just pretending to because whipping up a hateful frenzy of outrage over anything the Sussexes do is lucrative for them.
I came here to say that also, a huge penny dropped in relation to English attitudes to America when I learned of the huge loan America made to them to keep their economy afloat after WW2. I think that rations were actually held way into the 1950’s because of the size of the loan, and it was only paid back in full around 2006. I think this also largely informs attitudes.
Their country would have collapsed and likely most of Western Europe would be typing Cyrillic if not for the United States bailing them out with billions of dollars. Ppl are still kind of miffed they used our money to build their welfare state, but…you know…. we still need them as an authority in Europe.
The conversation probably went like this: Harry says to William & Charles, “For every leak that we think comes from the RF to the British press, will be equalled by a direct comment by us to the American press speaking our truth. So you decide if you want all this to remain private or not.” And William called Harry’s bluff and got his mud slung back at him. Now watch the leaks against H&M come to a screeching halt.
I think the thing that amuses me the most is that even though there’s a lot of anti-Americanism in Britain (media AND the people), they REALLY care about what Americans think. The British have milked American fascination with all things English for years. A lot of people make a lot of money off American tourism and don’t get me started on Masterpiece Theatre which has being selling a fantasy about Great Britain for decades.
Now the script has flipped. Americans are not only deciding to make up their own minds about what’s going on with the RF, many of them are circling the wagons around THEIR GIRL. The British media was counting on American racism but they forgot that Americans also like an underdog story. And there’s nothing more ‘underdog’ than a pregnant woman fighting for her life.
The only hope the British media have is their good pal Rupert Murdoch.
Rupert cannot and will not save them. He’s already made his money off their backs. Plus, he’s not even British.
Rupert cannot and will not save them. He’s already made his money off their backs. Plus, he’s not even British.
Again they seem all concerned about H&M influencing the royal reputation and not at all about Andrew.
The more articles I read the more I realise that Harry really lucked out with Megan and he knows it. Megan is streets ahead of the royals she’s confident, smart, knows PR and has US connections, I think this made the royals feel very insecure and jealous. The royal family need to stop any leaks about H&M and try to repair their relationship as they are the ones who will look bad. There is not much tolerance right now for misogyny or racism and they will be called out and cancelled.