Ingrid Seward is the editor of Majesty Magazine and she’s also a royal biographer and a royal commentator at large. She was one of the royal commentators “outed” as deeply unethical by YouTubers just before Prince Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview aired – Seward went on camera and gleefully smeared Meghan for the interview before anyone had even seen it. And now that she’s seen it, C-word can’t shut up about it. Harry, Meghan and Oprah are absolutely living rent-free in her head. Seward chatted with Page Six specifically about the claims Meg and Harry made about the palace rejecting Meghan’s pleas for help:
Prince Harry knew he’d toss a grenade into the royal family with the interview he and wife Meghan Markle gave to Oprah Winfrey, a royal expert claims.
“He knew what he was doing,” royal scribe Ingrid Seward told Page Six. “I can swear to you that, and he wanted to rock that boat. Quite why, I don’t understand, but he did want to. And then he did, and I don’t think he’s surprised by the repercussions or that he regrets it for a moment.”
But what Seward, whose latest book is “Prince Philip Revealed,” doesn’t understand is why Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, decided to unburden themselves to Winfrey — or Markle’s claim that her request for mental health help was rebuffed by Buckingham Palace.
“I find that so difficult to understand … what she was trying to tell us there,” Seward says. “You don’t go to the HR department in the UK. You go and see a doctor, or you say to your husband, ‘Darling, I feel dreadful, I need you to find someone.’ Harry was in therapy himself, so he must have known people.”
Seward, also the editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, thinks that Markle struggled as a royal because “she has always had a voice and I think she just didn’t understand that as a royal duchess, you can’t have a voice.” Seward theorizes that Harry “didn’t explain to her the ordinary things about being royal. That it’s not about you, it’s about the monarchy — it’s not like being a celebrity.”
Seward says she was truly excited when the “Suits” actress with “those twinkly brown eyes” joined the royal family, “but I knew she was going to have a problem, being American.”
“I think she had no idea she wouldn’t be able to say what she thought or wouldn’t be able to voice her opinion. That’s what she was used to all her life, and suddenly she’s in a straitjacket.”
And the royal expert agrees that the couple’s bombshell interview — in which they lobbed accusations of racism and mistreatment against “the Firm” — has severely maimed the royal institution. “Nobody attacks the royals. I’ve never heard of a member of the royal family criticizing them the way Harry or Meghan does,” she added.
Re: “You don’t go to the HR department in the UK. You go and see a doctor…” Meghan went to HR and they did nothing. She went to a senior royal and asked for help and they told her they wouldn’t help a suicidal pregnant woman because the optics would look bad. They went through official channels for two reasons: one, to create a paper trail so that no one would be able to say, after the fact, that they didn’t know she was struggling less than a year into the marriage; two, because the palaces were actually responsible for what was happening to her on every level. I actually agree with Seward that Harry knew exactly what he was doing with the interview too – he wanted to get all of that off his chest because he’s still pissed off at the way his family treated his wife.
It also kills me that we’re still supposed to play along with the “royals aren’t supposed to have a voice” thing when every single week, we see the Other Brother, Keen Guevara and Prince Charles use their voices and platforms for the most mundane and stupid bullsh-t, like continuing to smear Meghan and Harry. If the royals aren’t supposed to have a voice, why are Keen and Baldemort YouTube vloggers now??
Photos/screencaps courtesy of CBS, YouTube.
I don’t normally read the royal stories but this headline really irked me- of course people would go to HR? HR is also a thing here?! I’m
Assuming this woman is only saying this because she hates Meghan.
LOLZ at baldemort
Historically here, it’s true that people would not disclose their mental health struggles with their workplace -including to HR. And that’s a really bad thing of course, so for years we’ve had massive public campaigns to end the stigma around it – including from the royals!
So Meghan going to HR is completely in sync with what we want to normalise… Seward is many years late
ah I see…I just jumped to the conclusion that this was a thinly veiled attack because that’s all there seems to be on Meghan!
I actually told my new company that I’m a 35 year old woman with ADHD so yeah, I may do things a little differently but they get done; just leave me to my devices. I wanted that paper trail. I’ve gotten nothing but support since then, asking if I want certain documents to be edited a certain way or knowing that my updates will come in a certain format. It’s refreshing from being screamed at literally by a boss yelling, “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST BE NORMAL?” in front of my collogues.
Now do I let them know of my other diagnoses? No, they don’t (usually) affect my work but I totally understand what Meghan was doing here and support it 100%. Mental Illness needs to have the stigma around it burned to the ground.
@ENI: You say, “people [usually do] not disclose their mental health struggles with their workplace”. I concur. There’s no reason for anyone to let their employer know about personal issues to which they are unrelated. That would be a willing violation of one’s own privacy. Now what if the employer in question, through his lack of discernment and integrity, unavowed racial bias and well-documented dysfunctional relation to the truth, was the main contributor to you feeling utterly depressed or suicidal?
The Meghan-made-Kate-cry shenanigan + the Meghan-rolled-to-the-floor-after-being-denied-the-green-tiara concoction + the Meghan-baby-shover-that-nearly-bankrupted-the-monarchy cheap sensationalism + the-all-too-black-baby-who-could-jeopardize-the-purity-of-the-lineage would have made any woman feel suicidal, and thereby entitled to report it the chief of Inhumane Resources who enabled the such a load of diarrhea to leak through the gutter press.
I think this is a tricky thing and I agree with both sides. I can understand why someone would go to their workplace and disclose their mental health issues, particularly if they thought they’d be supportive. Some workplaces are brilliant and will give time off and counselling. Others will use your mental health against you. Of course they won’t admit it but there are still those companies out there.
I don’t understand why they didn’t go to see a doctor or therapist though. We know they could have. They did not HAVE to go through Royal channels for that and if they were embarrassed by seeking help via the firm, you’d think that would have made more sense.
Even down to the firm claiming they wouldn’t help because of ‘optics’ doesn’t really add up because doctor and therapist appointments are completely confidential. Not everything the Sussex’s said quite adds up.
@GraceB there are a couple of very legitimate reasons she would have gone to HR for assistance:
#1 this actually was a workplace issue, not just an issue within the family or the press (one would think there are specific policies/procedures against courtiers and other employees going to the press leaking stories -especially false ones)
#2 we’re constantly hearing the there are specific protocols the royals & employees must adhere to which probably applied to seeking medical attention and who she could see
#3 she was being isolated and prevented from leaving the premises except when specifically booked for an engagement. she wasn’t allowed to meet friends for lunch because she was already getting too much press exposure even though she wasn’t going out, you really think they’d just let her go to a doctor on her own without their input? (I’m sure she eventually did just that but she was probably frightened of the repercussions she’d face from the firm as much as from the public when it hit the news)
I work in the UK and my HR dept are running a mental health programme for members of staff. Employees are encouraged to discuss any mental health issues with Senior managers and HR.
@Graceb: Duchess Meghan’s move was to hint that no amount of therapy could cure her, except restoring the truth publicly. So finding a therapist on her own and sorting things out stealthily as they wanted her to, would have defeated the purpose which was to get the royal counselors to stand in her defence as they do for the Cambridges.
So I’m not sure we should look in the direction the media are pointing for us. They oversimplify the matter as though it boiled down to “Why couldn’t Harry in the first place, find his wife the best therapist in the London phone book?” Meghan knew her well-being rested on equality of treatment and accountability.
Did yall not got to HR and specifically voice mental health concerns or did yall not to go to HR when dealing with mental issues bc that wasn’t considered a legitimate issue?
I know that isn’t really articulate. I guess I’m trying to ask if one you don’t go to hr with private issues, just help, or are mental health issues not considered to be needing help.
You are totally right and there’s also fear in some sectors that if you go to the HR staff to disclose your mental health issues you might be fired or forced to resign afterwards.
In this case Seward is right, majority of employees/workers don’t go to the HR department, attending therapy is often kept secret at the workplace and I have even known people who took days off their holidays to cover for mental health issues.
I have a different perspective on the HR dilemma, having referred an assistant to HR after she verbalized suicidal thoughts to the computer guy in our big, corporate office in Canada (at at top-rated employer). The suicidal ideation meant that a “community safety” team consisting of a former police officer and a social worker was brought in to convince her to take sick leave immediately. But after that the only help available was through the Employee Assistance program, meaning a social worker who does everything from anxiety-reduction, drug and alcohol counselling to marriage therapy. If you could afford someone with more specialist training that would seem like a good way to go, especially in you had connections that could help you identify some of the best therapists in the country.
Ingrid Sewer isn’t very bright. You go to HR to create a paper trail. And this is why our Duchess of Montecito has ALL the receipts.
She has the receipts, alphabetically filed and cross referenced by date.
My perfect filing system soul worships her.
You go to HR when you need time off to obtain treatment.
If I remember correctly, she wanted to check in to a MH facility somewhere. Wherever one works, you need to let your employer know you’ll need time off to do that.
Seward is assuming she wanted a discreet office visit. And I don’t think that’s what Meghan said at all.
— “Seward, also the editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, thinks that Markle struggled as a royal because “she has always had a voice and I think she just didn’t understand that as a royal duchess, you can’t have a voice.” —
Duchesses can’t have voices? That’s odd, considering we have been told day and night for the last decade all about how Kate is “finding” hers year after year.
@PEARL Grey, Spot on! Katie Nicholl was just praising Kate Keen with-
“She is doing things independently and voicing new ideas.”
I honestly didn’t understand myself. Harry famously talked at length about his mental health issues stemming from his mother’s death. He credited therapy with helping him.
He and William and Kate partnered up for the “Heads Together” campaign to remove the stigma around mental health. They did videos together on the subject and talked about their own struggles and getting therapy.
So I did find it strange that Harry would not know how to get help for Meghan.
Does one need therapy when being bullied, or does one use the proper channels to stop the bullying.
No amount of therapy can ‘cure’ you from bullying, gaslighting and public attacks. It’s like getting physical therapy while still in a burning building. Stop the harm then heal the psyche.
@Kelly, I’m speculating that his therapy may have started while he was in the army and away from the Firm. IIRC his therapy started around 2013? He probably knew the only way for Meghan to get proper help was to get the f%ck out of there. Since the bullying of her came from the BRF/BM they were not about to help.
Well Harry did find resources to help Meghan as she talked about liaising with a friend of Diana’s who’s believed to be a counsellor. but I think the point is she wanted in patient treatment not just therapy which likely required leave from royal duties which is why she approached senior royals or HR etc. Bryony Gordan & Matt Haig also mentioned speaking to Meghan about her mental health issues & Valentino Low confirmed the conversation with HR- another palace leak to the press of course.
And as much as the brothers have championed mental health issues& talking openly there were briefings that William called Harry fragile after speaking about his mental health in that Southern Africa documentary. And we hear a lot about William having rage issues. So not sure the palace have the healthiest attitude towards mental health or other causes they champion despite what they espouse.
See also William positioning himself as opposing racist abuse in football including a social media boycott but being silent about such abuse aimed at his nephew & sister in law & not enforcing palace Sm policies. Or how Andrew had a anti human trafficking initiative with Fergie shortly after his friend Epstein had been convicted.
I’m an American living in the UK, and going to HR here is positively encouraged from my experience — much more so than the USA.
This woman is talking out of her ass.
I think she meant just in the context of seeking mental help, that an employee wouldn’t go to HR to ask for help, they would just go to their doctor and get help.
And that may be true for most people, but she’s deliberately ignoring (for this interview) the way the Firm works.
Meghan quite literally says in the interview that she wanted to get hospitalized and got turned away by every branch of “the firm” because it would be a bad look for the monarchy. So as last resort she went to HR. Ingrid is willfully ignoring what meghan actually said.
@Cecilia of course Ingrid is ignoring what Meghan said, but I also think that people are reading too much into Ingrid’s comment about people in the UK not going to HR. I don’t think she meant that HR departments dont exist in the UK etc.
@Becks: Every modern HR department has a person or unit that helps employees find help for mental health issues. What Meghan highlighted is the Palace doesn’t have that.
@AmyBee I doubt Majesty magazine has the most modern HR department lol.
I work for a UK based company and they have a ton of mental health initiatives that are done in the workplace. Seward has clearly never held an actual job in the UK because she is 100% wrong on that.
I live in England and agree with Seward. Never knew anyone being encouraged to report mental health issues to the HR department, quite the opposite, it’s considered a private matter and obtaining days off for mental health issues is very difficult. A few people I know have lost their jobs due to disclosure of longterm health issues that needed a lot of time off and employers weren’t according that to them. Mental health still carries a lot of stigma and there’s little understanding on the employers’ part. Add to it that workers rights in UK are stuck in the 18th century.
If you work in London, please take into account the capital is an exception. No way in the rest of England we go to the HR department asking for sick pay due to mental health. Scratch that, there’s a big stigma on staying at home while sick with any illness/disease!
It’s a big cultural and societal issue in UK that needs addressing, but Seward isn’t wrong here at all.
This cow sounds almost as if she’s accusing Meghan of lying, as if what happened didn’t really happen. She’s not saying that, but I’m getting the vibe that she’s tip toeing around that idea. No matter what, Meghan made it very clear that she’s got everything in writing, so it amazes me that these clowns keep trying to go there with this.
Ingrid SEWER ….what a joke. Anything out of her mouth is bullshit! She proved that when she was one of the 4 “journalists” who were flamed in that fake QandA where they critiqued the Oprah interview having not yet seen it, but we’re ok with critiquing it as if they had just watched it. That should have gotten way more press than it did. Also, SEWER says no one attacks the Royals. Isn’t she constantly attacking the Sussexes? Last I checked, Harry was still a prince of England and Meghan was still his royal wife.
No one attacks the royals? I guess Ingrid has forgotten about Diana’s interview and book, lol. In fact those were some of the things they were so upset with her about. She said that she questioned how the monarchy would remain relevant in the future and that Charles wasn’t the right fit to be king.
Well, Valentine Low already messed up that argument for Seward, as he basically admitted on a podcast that he knew Meghan had approached HR about wanting to seek outside help.
There’s a trailer that they’ve been promoting on Sky called “recollections may vary” on discovery plus or something and I have to put it on mute every time it comes up. I try not to give Sky clicks but unfortunately they have the tv rights to Formula 1 so no choice. I wonder if ingrid c-word is in this show.
But supposedly people went to HR about Meghan? Which is it? People go or they don’t?
Huh. I agree with some of her comments, especially the part about Harry knew exactly what he was doing with that interview, he knew how the family would react, and he does not regret it. The talking points that Harry is “surprised and shocked” by his family’s reactions are just BS. Harry knew how they would react. He knew what he was doing. And he had decided that telling his side was more important than William having another tantrum.
And it’s interesting that she’s coming out and saying that being royal is like being in a straitjacket, isnt it?
I also think she’s right about Meghan losing her voice in the family – we do see other royals have their “voice” but MEGHAN was silenced, as she told Oprah. HER voice was not allowed to be heard, and I think that was a huge part of the problem, namely that she could see that others weren’t silenced as she was.
The part about the HR though….Seward is just being dumb. I think Meghan was using language that Americans would relate to, and just people in general, because the structure of the royal family is something that most people just don’t understand. I don’t think she actually went to the HR department and asked for help from the same person who was handling the bullying allegations against her. (I mean can you imagine?!?) I think she asked someone higher up in the family or pecking order for guidance – “I need to get help, I want to go to the hospital” and was told no, that wasn’t “done.”
ETA also the line about “nobody attacks the royals” – maybe if they were subjected to more criticism on a regular basis they would be able to handle it better, rather than freaking out over the Crown?
“Nobody attacks the royals” if a woman speaking of her experience is seen as an attack because the royals don’t come out of it looking like angels maybe that’s because they haven’t been. Meghan attacked absolutely nobody in that interview. Harry sort of did.
I agree that Meghan didn’t attack the royals, I’m just responding to the comment that no one attacks the royals – maybe they would be better off if people did.
Nobody attacks the royals? Says who? And what authority do they have to actually enforce it?
::crickets::
Had it up to here with the ‘she knew what she was getting into’ narrative. Tacit admission that the institution is cruel and abusive to chosen scapegoats, but they just have to accept being abused, because it can’t be changed. Why can’t it be changed? Reasons. What reasons? Protocol. What protocol? Where is this recorded and what’s the basis/rationale? Shut up and don’t ask questions, commoner.
Absolutely- to harry knowing what he was doing. I always think about the number of tv interviews royals have done in the nineties, all the way to Prince Andrew in 2019. Meghan and he would have watched the footage, and gone through the public and private responses to these interviews.
Harry himself lived through the aftermath of his mother’s Panorama interview, even if he was just 10 or 11. He knew what’s up. I detest the fan fic about him feeling sheepish at the funeral to face his family.
Seward has no idea what she is talking about. UK companies have HR and they often have workplace assistance provided as well.
What’s interesting to me is that this is a different narrative than the usual “Meghan is the evil schemer who led Harry astray.” Here, Ingrid is saying it’s all about Harry, that he was in charge, that he should have “trained” Meghan better, that he’s had a long-simmering grudge against the RF and doesn’t regret tossing a metaphorical grenade into BP, that he should have done something about Meghan’s mental health – which is something I have questions about, too.
All the training in the world would not have helped Meghan when she was up against a group of people who resented how well she was doing her job and how much positive attention she was getting from the public. Harry and Meghan did the best thing possible for her mental health. They left the UK and being working royals.
Eurydice, You know I’ve thought a lot about the statement that Harry made about not talking with his family about getting Meghan help. I just can’t help feeling that he DID talk to a family member (his father?), and got the same response that he got from the courtier or whomever he talked to at the Firm. He then got her help the best way he could, but I would bet good money that there wasn’t any way for him to check her into a hospital. I also think that he’s doing 2 things by keeping that bomb secret: He is protecting his family at the moment, and he’s drawn a line with the family that if they’re not careful and get the BM to cool it, he will tell the world. I just didn’t believe his response about “you just don’t talk about it with the family”. After Diana? Riiiiiiight.
Oh do f-off, you old biddy. I have zero patience with this nonsense.
Seward says you don’t attack royals while attacking royals.
But what about the * MURDER EARRINGS* ???
And the tErrOrISt aVOcAdoS????
Attempt to poison the flower girls to death with bouquets.
It’s hilarious how they dropped the murder earrings after 1 day. Meanwhile, I will hold that grudge until the day I die. They are blind idiots.
The idea about Meghan creating a paper trail took a while to sink in. At first view, I too wondered why she went to HR and made a point to say it on TV, but Megs is smart. Every statement on that interview was thought through (I mean H and M probably discussed and were on the same page on how to respond and what to reveal.) everything was the tip of the iceberg and a warning shot to her enemies. (I hesitated to use the word “enemies” but decided it’s more than appropriate.
Lol at ingrid “c-word”! I couldn’t put a face to the name before but I have seen pictures of her sour looking mug and wondered who she was?
Oh for Christ’s sakes.
There’s so much wrong with this.
The suggestion that if you are suicidal you “go to your husband and say ‘Darling, I don’t feel so well'”. Wtf is this. Stop phrasing it like it was nothing.
She DID go to her husband and tell him the problem but she wanted to be HOSPITALIZED not find a therapist. And since they took all her identification, she had to go through them to try to do that. Do these people think we can’t read?
WHY ARE THEY STILL TALKING ABOUT “well, here’s what I think her reaction was when she entered”? Why do these people STILL CARE? MOVE. ON. It’s so pathetic!
I HATE the fact that these ghouls are constantly downplaying mental distress as no big deal. SHE WANTED TO KILL HERSELF WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT. And they think she should’ve kept it to herself and just sucked it up. Why are mental health organizations around the world not loudly denouncing this horrible and frankly dangerous rhetoric??? This will not make anyone who struggles feel as though they will be taken seriously and helped. It’s just, “Oh, you’re just whining and complaining and causing trouble for other people with your imagined issues.” It’s unbelievably disgusting and infuriating how nobody is really calling them out for this.
It truly is!! She needs to STFU and sit down, ALL of them need to find a new hobby or someone else to beat up on, as this is getting so old!! Also, we have the Keens now on YouTube, why?!?!?! No one cares Baldimort and Keen Doucheness!! You have nothing interesting to say and we don’t care!!
Also, I thumbed through Eugenie’s IG, and she had conducted quite a few royal events last year, in fact she was at a patronage or a royal event at least 3 in each week. Yet, Keen Doucheness has done one project in 5 years!!
As someone who wanted to be hospitalized once, I can say that yes, there is a huge difference between saying “darling I don’t feel so well” and “I think I need to be under supervision.” You don’t say something like that lightly. You don’t WANT to feel that way…..you say it because what you are doing at home isn’t working, and you don’t think even your husband who loves you, medication, and the doctor you can talk to over the phone are enough of a safety net.
As someone who has family that struggle with mental illness, i know one of the main reasons for hospitalization is wanting to harm yourself or others. Even if its just a 72 hour stay, a person is supposed to be under observation. I’m surprised that more mental health professionals in the UK haven’t made a bigger deal about this, or maybe they have and the press won’t print it?
Agreed, this whole things is full of so many frustrating statements. Argh, I can’t even.
I was hospitalized twice 12 years ago. When you reach that point, you aren’t thinking clearly. Avenues that might seem obvious after the fact were not obvious at the time. Meghan’s best bet would probably have been to tell her OBGYN who had a duty of care, but even that isn’t a sure thing. I don’t know how well general practitioners and non-psychiatric providers are trained in the UK and if there is robust infrastructure and protocols set up for them to aid in getting someone under their care admitted. In the US, a doctor may just give you a referral or list of phone numbers for psychiatric providers and wash their hands of it or they may get more involved. I imagine it would be quite intimidating for a doctor of a Royal to rock the boat by kicking up a fuss and insisting their patient be admitted, especially when it’s a decision outside their specialty.
It’s not as if Meghan could just show up somewhere, even if she had her documents. She had to arrange security every time she went out. It’s hard to imagine any facility, where security would also have to be coordinated, would just admit her with no input from the firm. If they said don’t worry, they’re handling it internally, how likely would it be for a facility to admit her against the RF’s wishes? Just having her there would be a media and security nightmare, not to mention how disruptive her presence would have been for other patients.
“Meghan’s best bet would probably have been to tell her OBGYN who had a duty of care, but even that isn’t a sure thing.”
Yeah, within the Royal Family and their support team, including doctors, I can imagine the “duty” to the Institution sometimes trumps “duty of care” to the individual patient.
For example:
“King George V died on Jan. 20, 1936, officially of bronchial problems combined with a weak heart.
But the king`s doctor, Lord Dawson, wrote in memoirs disclosed Wednesday that he hastened George`s death with the approval of the royal family and timed it to ensure that the first news of the monarch`s death would make the morning newspapers, Independent Television News said.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-11-27-8603290225-story.html
@North of Boston I believe she saw an outside OBGYN, because I seem to remember her getting grief over it, but that doesn’t mean they would go up against the Royal Family. The haters make it seem like it should have been so easy for her, but I find it unlikely any doctor or facility wouldn’t be influenced by the “Palace Doctors” who would absolutely get involved and try to convince them she didn’t NEED to go anywhere.
I say that would have been her best bet under the circumstances because her doctor wasn’t part of the institution, but not a guarantee. She really needed to go to a private facility out of the country and no one but the RF had the ability to make that happen.
“Nobody attacks the royals. I’ve never heard of a member of the royal family criticizing them the way Harry or Meghan does,”
Hasn’t Charles alluded to the fact that his parents weren’t great at parenting? Didn’t Sophie call the Queen a cow? Did Fergie not complain about royal constraints (to Oprah!)? Didn’t Diana spill her guts about how they try to silence strong women (there’s a pattern the palace should explore). Didn’t Phillip spend decades super pissed off about the way he was treated as a married in? He must have told someone, because I’ve read about it.
It seems that royals attacking royals is pretty much par for the course.
Last I checked, Liz and co were not in the Bible. Who the f*ck are they to be above reproach? I am so sick of these people.
This is something that has really bothered me about how people are reacting to H&M – not just with the interview but before that too. There is a sense that ANY criticism of the Firm is JUST NOT DONE and that the Queen is above reproach and how dare you imply that Charles wasn’t the best father or that Charles had an affair (see: reaction to the Crown) etc etc. These people are human. They are imperfect. They are fallible. And given their public roles and public funding, they should be looked at with a critical eye.
That is how we serfs are kept in line….fed lies. Just another cult. Monarchs are no longer needed because the role they had is moot. Liz is not helping build up an army and protecting her citizens from Merkel or Putin or Erdogan invading.
It’s not just her, it’s so many of the people I see commenting on DM articles, screeching about how dare Meghan trash “Our Queen” and talking like Meghan is dirt and the Royals are untouchable. It’s really pathetic. There is a big swath of the British population that is just a bunch of forelock-tuggers. I can just see bowing and scraping and “”Yes, m’lord!” etc. Blech.
@Ann, I have no idea what forelock-tuggers means. But, if it means something against royalists who are not free thinking people, I give an upvote and will try to use forelock-tuggers in a sentence in reference to people who are gobshites.
Did she listen? Meghan went to HR as a last resort because every other part of the institution turned her away. She tried seeing a doctor and was told that it would be bad for the RF image.
Well since she comments on things that have not occurred, I will dismiss anything she says as unfounded. Ingrid is a mess
She has proven herself to be a actor, for pay, with fake reporting.
Ingrid Sewage also has the face she deserves. Horrible woman.
And didn’t The Firm or whoever go to “HR” about Meghan, accusing her of bullying staff? B*tch, please.
Seward talk only work with the moronic haters, it doesn’t even make sense. She should be ashamed not only she is a hater but a freaking lazy one. Of course you go see HR in the UK, they need to be notified that you need and will take time off.
“Nobody attacks the royals”, well what don’t you ask your tabloids friends imbecile! they were attacked daily until they started throwing MM under the bus. Page six is apparently trying hard to turn Americans against H&M. Good luck with that.
I think one of the reasons the negative attacks against H&M don’t work stateside is that the British Royal Reporters sound bonkers to us. The cultural divide is quite big. What is considered a “sin” in Britain is a “win” in the U.S.
Ingrid Sewer has never had a proper job so she doesn’t know what HR is.
Exactly
Ingrid should have a second listen, to what Meghan said, or she is being obtuse. Meghan said, she consulted a senior person in the household, and was disuaded from seeing anyone, then she consulted HR for permission to go somewhere, because in her previous work, they had a union, and they would help her, yet that also failed. Thank God Meghan has receipts., and she lives to testify to us about the diabolical and wicked behaviour of the institution.
Ingrid has a history of giving expert opinion on unreleased interviews she has never viewed for 💷💷💷. She is not a journalist she is a hired verbal assassin.
Regardless, they had a woman (whom married into the family and thus was FAMILY) who was having issues with depression. Doesn’t matter who or what or where she reached out to WITHIN the firm, they should have helped her. There is no excuse. Especially when the family is advocating mental wellness. Diana suffered from it and so has Meghan.
Why the feck not, Ingrid???!!! SMH
The only thing I agree with is that Harry knew exactly what he was doing and doesn’t regret it for a moment. In fact, I dare say he’s quite pleased with the outcome.
He had some shit he’s been dying to get off his chest probably for the past 20 years. Also, he wanted to make it crystal effing clear to his family and the whole world, he has ZERO intention of returning to work for The Firm.
He was giving them warning shots and some days i wish he would take it a little further. Like “anonymously” plant a new leak about a certain 🌹
Also, I bet seeing his wife go through what his mother went through was a trigger. I don’t think he is sorry one bit. He may lament his military involvement has been shut down and some of the charities he cared for but otherwise, he knew what he was doing. Harry and Meghan knew how the BRF would react and the BRF did just that. That alone solidified their decision.
I had toxic relatives who always compared us as kids – academically and physically. I started seeing my cousins doing that with our kids. Long story short, we are no longer on speaking terms. Not only am I happier, but I am happy my kids aren’t subjected to the BS. And H&M will be happy Archie is no longer going to be subjected to the toxicity of the BRF.
Oh absolutely. Harry made 100% the right decision and i said yesterday that he saved archie from being the scapegoats to the Cambridge kids. So he saw it coming.
What im trying to say is that harry & Meghan want the family to finally get of their arse and stop leaking + tell the press to stop with the harassment. And the RF have not done that. So maybe he needs to be a bit more forceful.
For what I understand from the interview she went to HR because she wanted to be admitted in a hospital maybe because she was afraid to actually do it. She needed to be in a place where there would be no means to do it. Obviously Harry had access to therapist. When you see a therapist those thoughts don’t immediately disappear. These people shouldn’t comment on the mental health issue she raised during the interview it’s triggering.
What I got was that she first went to senior management (whatever that is) and was told “no” because the optics wouldn’t be good. Then she went to HR, who told her that they couldn’t help because she wasn’t an employee. This is practically Soviet-style bureaucracy, each person doing their job and nothing more. You’d think somebody would say or do something to help, but maybe they’re all afraid to step out of line in the hierarchy.
Harry knew exactly what he was doing and how the family would react. As for no one criticizing the royals did Ingrid forget Diana?
Exactly!! Diana criticized the royals STRONGLY.
And certainly Ingrid knows that Charles complained about his parents.
It just gets more and more desperate and insane and especially silly. Who do you go to then? I guess with these types of people you just don’t go, that’s the message.
Has anyone ever said, “you shouldn’t go to HR” when they didn’t have ulterior motives? That’s like a sure sign that the person saying it knows very well that something messed up is going on, but doesn’t want it out in the open.
The BM and so-called carnival of experts are always moving the goal posts in regards to H&M. If Meghan had managed somehow to seek treatment herself, we would be hearing about how dare she not first go through the proper channels first.
She gave Diana the same treatment she is now giving Meghan. She slammed Diana after she died in books and articles.
I think both Harry and Meghan knew what they were doing. But I don’t think it was about vengeance or “rocking the boat”. They’re only leverage against the BRF/BM is the truth. A campaign to undermine them is being waged and has been waged the last few years. The only way to fight lies is with the truth. Also, it is critical that they (1) defend/protect their reputations and (2) after years of being mostly silent let people hear them. Also, I think this interview draws a line in the sand and establishes that they will not let negative narrative go unchallenged. I truly believe that if the BRF/BM had just left them alone this past year and let them establish themselves they would have just moved forward without doing an interview.
I’m sorry but whoever this person who said this is dangerous if you are feeling suicidal and depressed REACH out to any and everyone until you are heard and get help.. No on ever should be told not to or shamed EVER!
http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/international-suicide-hotlines.html
https://twloha.com/learn/
Today is 2 months after the Oprah interview they are still throwing a fit. It’s dawning on the Windsors the revelations are having lasting effects but they are still stuck on stupid on how to deal with it (see Ingrid).
Imagine marrying into a family where you literally have to go to “HR” to request mental health assistance. Instead of just going. Of course, Meghan and Harry are really smart and experienced. They knew they had to go through the “proper channels” and that it would be used against them, whether being denied or being criticized for asking.
I’m leaning more and more toward the idea that Harry and Meghan knew things very early on that things weren’t ever going to work out. They simply just did their best to toe the line while they got their ducks in a row. There is NO blame or shame in doing that. They had and have EVERY RIGHT to protect themselves and live their lives as they wish.
And I still think there is WAY more that hasn’t come out as to why they left, which doesn’t have anything to do with them. But I do think the main reason they left is like so many here have said: They have charisma, star power, powerful connections and a deep desire to serve. They knew they wouldn’t be able to do that under the thumb (knee?) of the Royal Family. No one is perfect, not even Harry and Meghan, but I have tremendous respect for their character and especially their chess moves. Royal Family, not at all.
+1000
Ingrid wrote an open letter to Harry, to take Cressida back, apparently, Seaward is friends with Cressida’s mum. She also disclosed on TV, that most Britons, wanted Harry to marry an English rose. This woman is so out of touch! The Firm did not help Meghan. Thank God she had her devoted husband who was able to get help for her, and got her out of this dark place.
I don’t understand why this ghoul doesn’t realize that neither she, nor anyone else, gets to have a say in who a person chooses as a partner. It’s obvious that this freak has no understanding of personal boundaries, nor does she understand what professional behavior is. If anyone actually works for her magazine other than her, I feel really sorry for them. Because it is clearly not a professional workplace.
How mortifying was that for Cressida, having this desiccated mad bitch begging and whining on her behalf. Cringing with embarrassment on her behalf.
I’m so fed up with them blaming Meghan for her own mistreatment. In spite of ‘not having a voice’ she was duchessing just fine, networking, establishing herself within her designated and chosen charities, representing the RF well in tours. When she was free to do so she did not act like someone constrained by a straight jacket! It was the RF’s own jealousy that set off the abuse and smear campaign. It wasn’t her dissatisfaction in her role that started the abuse. It was her success in her role that brought down the hammer.
Ingrid, go F yourself please
Ingrid is obsolete.
This Sewer woman is just furious because the Sussexes are winning in all fronts. Their fearless forecast that they will turn into paupers in the US and will come back begging to the UK with their tails between their legs has been proven all wrong. They hate the Sussexes now all the more because the world loves them and admires them for their humanitarian projects leaving William and Kate to eat Sussex dust. Tomorrow on the day of the broadcast VAX Live this Sewer woman, the British media, William and Kate will eat their hearts out. Harry and Meghan are the world’s mega superstars. Kate and William should work double time as YouTubers.
Sewage is literally invalidating Meghan’s confession that Harry would come home at night and she would be nursing Archie and sobbing because of her fear, isolation and suicidal ideation. “Darling I’m not feeling well” is such an insult about a truly terrifying feeling. I’ve been down that dark hole and I can tell you it was hell. It took me a year of therapy to get out of it. For C-word to be so unsympathetic and cruel about her mental state is disgusting.
I hate to agree with this horrible woman, but I think she’s right that Harry should have prepared Meghan better.
I think he was naive about what it would mean for her to join the family, and hoped that his family had changed enough since Diana to welcome and support her. I think Meghan only saw the good sides – the opportunities for public service and activism – without focusing on the bad – mainly the bizarre restrictions and rituals that the royal family indulge in. Partly that’s on Harry, for not explaining fully to her what she was giving up. But I also think it came from a place of genuine hopefulness that things could be different.
I’m not going to blame Harry for thinking his family would extend welcome and kindness to the woman he loves and married. I don’t blame Harry for believing that his family would defend his wife and child from a continual onslaught of vicious racism and slander. And I don’t confuse the mental abuse she suffered in this family with “bizarre restrictions and rituals that the royal family indulge in.”
Thank you Merricat. Never in a million years could Harry have imagined the swiftness and maliciousness of his own family turning on his wife.
Agreed, Jaded. What the royal family did to Meghan cannot be justified. That’s the real problem, it can’t be justified, and they will never admit accountability, so there’s just, as Harry said, space.
I’m sad that you chose to misinterpret my comment in this way, Merricat.
I in no way blame Meghan. I don’t blame Harry either, but I do think he was naively optimistic about how his family would behave. The British monarchy is steeped in racism and oppression. Its whole justification for existing is that certain people inherently deserve better than others simply due to birth. What was he expecting to happen?
The RF have struck a terrible bargain with the media. They need the media to stay relevant but won’t hesitate to throw ‘spares’ like Harry under the bus to feed the beast. The monarchy is fundamentally interested in its own survival and nothing else, which is why it trampled on Meghan and Harry (who are exciting and dynamic) in an attempt to boost the heir (Will, who is decidedly less so).
I stand by my statement that Harry was too optimistic and that he and Meghan didn’t fully understand, or want to think about, what they were getting in to. It doesn’t make it their fault. It actually makes it the RF’s fault – because it would always have been like this, no matter what Harry or Meghan did. The institution is broken and it needs to go.
Merricat, yes.
How else do you behave when you are madly in love, and you know you have finally found the person you want to make a family with? You expect for your family to be thrilled for you, welcome them, and not give a flipping whatever if there are media bargains in place.
He read the room, and he got them out.
Nope. Meghan’s been treated differently from others who married in most recently who were way more protected from the press eg the queen blasting the NOTW over Sophie’s sheikhgate. Buzzfeed did research that since marrying in Kate has rarely been criticised by the press individually. How should he have known that his wife wouldn’t be protected by the firm especially as he was meant to be this big part of the slimmed down monarchy.
Also popularity seems to have been an issue but Harry was always 1st or 2nd most popular royal so why did they go nuclear when Meghan got attention which would probably have died down without the smear campaign?
Harry said he knew it would be hard but not sure they expected the palace machinations to go so hard on her especially for the ‘crime’ of doing the job too well. She hasn’t had the type of scandal that usually causes bad press& internal relations eg caught having an affair like Fergie.
Meghan’s experience has also been exacerbated by the changes in staff- William got a new private Secretary who seems to have been one of the main press leakers. And many have said that Geidt ran a tighter. I don’t think we’ve seen this level of palace leaking since Harry was a kid. But also by things like re-emergence of allegations around Prince Andrew before Epstein’s suicide & rumours around William didn’t help. So Meghan probably became useful cover for the family in a way Harry could not have anticipated. Plus sounds like her fathers betrayal was a huge shock & that set off things badly around the wedding& after.
the negativity against Meghan was also amped up by the political climate in Britain& USA with Trump& Brexit as she’s become symbol for the right wing media & commentators to fixate on. so again not something he could have prepared her for. It’s been a perfect storm really.
On her mental health sounds like she wanted in patient treatment. For all we know her doctor or OBGYN might have recommended that. but the palace said no. Looking at it cynically I can see why because clearly not a good look for your newest recruit to already be having mental health issues if it had leaked to the press. And as it was before her maternity leave was to start there would have been questions about her absence from royal duties.
There’s also possibility that the palace said no to in patient treatment as they wanted her to feel unsupported & take it as a cue to go back to US. I can see why she went to HR as being deprived of being able to access mental health support would seem something they would cover in a typical org. She did get some assistance in the end as she said though.
You hit the nail on the head ABrit. This was done to drive her to leave Harry and go back to the US period. They just never imagined he would go with her.
Well put, ABritGuest
@bub244 – What you’re missing is that this is a completely unique situation (and if people try to equate it to Wallis and Edward VIII there is no comparison — hello, they were Nazi sympathizers). There was no template or rule book for the BRF on “how to handle a prince marrying a bi-racial, divorced American actress” so everyone involved was basically winging it. Initially they covered up their disdain of Meghan until William made the fatal error of telling Harry he was moving too quickly with her — then the knives really came out leading up to and after the marriage, and subsequent birth of Archie. I’m sure Harry was as helpful as he could be in easing her into royal life, however the tsunami of hatred, racism, smearing and leaking, both inside and outside the BRF, was way more than anyone could have imagined.
https://youtu.be/T_j35t3GCsk
Seward was exposed giving expert opinion on details re the interview without viewing and with full knowledge it was lies before the interview aired, how she still has a job or platform says everything about the BRF and herI need to know
So I work in HR and I’ve also personally been hospitalized for suicidality and depression. Seward is perpetuating some particularly damaging lies. Meghan went to HR for obvious reasons:
1) You go to HR if you need time away from work for mental health treatment – and thanks to disability rights laws that leave is job-protected (at least in the U.S. but I assume the U.K. has some protection as well).
2) In the U.S., you go to HR to access employer-provided in-network health care resources and EAP benefits (I’m guessing this works differently in the U.K. since their health care is not dependent on employment, but presumably HR still has a role in connecting newly-transferred employees with local resources?).
3) HR is a place to gain access to resources and have needs addressed with confidentiality preserved. Surely HR functions the same way at the Palace – or is meant to?
4) HR should stand up for your rights if a supervisor is infringing on them. Whoever told her she couldn’t get help (Charles? William?) was senior to her and had no right to tell her she couldn’t get treatment. In any public company that employee could sue and that supervisor would be fired. It’s reasonable that Meghan would think that Palace HR would advocate for her.
I gotta say, severe depression takes all your initiative and critical thinking away, and it becomes SO HARD to even ask one person for help. The fact that Meghan tried and was ignored is so heart-breaking. That entire Palace system is damn lucky they don’t literally have her blood on their hands.
Glad you were able to get through it Beana.
Thanks, Sid. ❤️ It was pretty awful to go through at the time but was definitely the beginning of some great treatment and putting my depression into remission. I wish more people were empowered to take time out and heal.
100%. Ingrid Seward’s comments will actively damage real people who are already suffering from depression or suicidal ideation. It is not “all in your head.” A darling husband isn’t going to be able to kiss it away. Those beyond ignorant words and that dismissive and contemptuous attitude literally kill people. I don’t say that lightly. People who don’t get clinical treatment from a trained professional COULD DIE.
Speaking as a woman who ended up fleeing a nightmarish work environment and was depressed and suicidal myself. Seward is so callous and cruel in her discussion of mental health. It’s like she sees a sign of vulnerability and must attack. Like she has no ability to show compassion. That’s appalling.
Yesterday I watched the documentary “7 days that shook the world”, about Princess Diana’s death. It’s so revealing years later after all this stuff with Meghan. These people, the RF, and their cronies have not learned a damn thing in the interim. The eulogy given by Diana’s brother still resonates today. Yet, these fools haven’t learned a thing. It’s kind of pathetic at this point.
@Shannon, after reading your comment, I found the doc on YouTube and am watching it now.
Why in the world does her loss affect me so much still? I know a lot of my affection for Harry and his beloved family stems from my affection for her.
Same. I always cry when I watch that documentary. Plus, these same royal commentators are the ones Diana had to deal with. They clearly haven’t learned a thing.
It’s like this woman intentionally chose to ignore what Meghan said. She was scared to be left alone with herself, that’s how bad it was. She didn’t just want to talk to someone. She wanted inpatient 24hr watch/ care. That’s not as easy to get or hide from the public.
God, she’s so damn FUGLY! And she’s never heard a member of the Royal family criticize them way Harry and Meghan did? Was she out of the UK or living under a rock during the time of Diana’s interviews?
’ Harry was in therapy himself, so he must have known people.”
Harry did know people, and he knew they were all terrible, so he grabbed his wife and son and FLED THE CONTINENT. How are there still “royal reporters” who do not understand this very simple concept.
Also? She is a blind a-hole. Remember all those times you drooled about Harry, William, and Kate, and how you fawned when they had the whole Heads Together moment? Yeah, that was Harry saying he prioritized mental health. It’s on you that you didn’t believe him, and also on Will and Kate, for pretending they cared about it, and then acted baffled when Harry wanted to SAVE HIS WIFE’S LIFE.
Don’t worry Ingrid. The duchess went to Oprah instead…and rendered you and all your kiss ass colleagues to the trash bin where the fishwrappers you write for belong…
I too am a royal commentator, ha. Really, she knew Meghan couldn’t hack it because she is an American used to saying what she wants? That’s rich when this cow was caught red handed reviewing the Oprah interview before it aired. Meghan might be use to speaking her mind but this cow is an out and out liar.
She looked off to me in this interview- anyone else think she looks different?
I would be very embarrassed if I were as stupid as Ingrid Seward.
Blaming Harry for not preparing Meghan is just shifting the blame for sh*tty behaviour& acting like they shouldn’t be better.
The focus should be why is yet another royal suffering within the institution-why havent they learnt from the past & installed healthier practices & support systems? What is being done now? How can they advocate on issues such as mental health etc?
Their attitudes need to be examined. It sounds like Elizabeth might have been more welcoming of the match – if hierarchy is key as we keep hearing why was somebody trying to supersede her authority & get rid of Meghan if the queen had accepted the match? Why WAS 95 year old supposedly more accepting than her younger heirs? Apart from monarchy’s
being out of date (but brits like serfdom too much so it’s not going anywhere soon) Why should her heirs be future kings of multicultural Britain and heads of the commonwealth if they have prejudiced attitudes? Etc
Ingrid is sewage.