Two weekends ago, ITV aired a documentary about what went wrong between Prince William and Prince Harry. The Mail on Sunday got their hands on the documentary before it aired, and they made a very big deal about some commentary (in the doc) from Omid Scobie, who said on camera that Prince William deliberately briefed against Harry’s mental health. I cited the story Scobie referenced, from the fall of 2019, and yes, Harry had every reason to believe that William did just that. The Mail on Sunday then went to Kensington Palace to tell them all about it and William got his lawyers to threaten ITV. ITV then removed part of Scobie’s statement and the story became “William is throwing around his weight to deny something that everyone knows is true.” Rose Hanbury says hi. Anyway, Tom Sykes at the Daily Beast has a bit more about what’s behind all of this:
William’s new strategy: This week, the British terrestrial TV channel ITV became the first major media outlet to be silenced under Prince William’s aggressive and apparently new legal and media strategy, which is based on rapidly rebutting stories he and his aides consider inaccurate—rather than simply ignoring them as he has done in the past. The new strategy represents the pathology of William’s desires. He has always shared with his brother Harry a deep-seated desire to take on and confront the press when they, as he sees it, tell lies about him or his family or misrepresent him… he has been largely constrained from doing so up until now by Queen Elizabeth’s insistence that the royals shouldn’t dignify tabloid tattle with a response, and that doing so only makes it worse.
Respect his authority: However as William grows in authority, and faced with an unprecedented and highly credible tidal wave of allegations against him and his wife from the Sussexes, he is now moving forward with an increasingly proactive and aggressive stance.
The crisis manager? Day to day, William’s more forceful strategy is being overseen by his new private secretary, Jean-Christophe Gray, who was appointed to the role in February this year. Gray is assisted by an intensely media-savvy core group of trusted advisers around William and Kate, particularly Kate’s good friend and right-hand woman Natasha Archer. Another key player in William’s office is Edwina Iddles, officially chief communications officer for William and Kate’s charitable foundation but in practice their top media fixer. Iddles’ background is confrontation; she worked as a press officer for the Conservative government from 2015 to 2020, becoming a senior spinner in the Department For Exiting the European Union and ultimately chief press officer at the Home Office.
The Cambridges’ lawyer: Sources tell The Daily Beast that the royals’ most trusted lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell, a senior partner at their preferred legal firm, Harbottle & Lewis, remains in charge of William’s legal affairs, especially where the media and potential defamation is involved.
The Queen doesn’t want to abandon ‘never complain, never explain’: In an intriguing divergence between the households, however, the queen herself, palace sources tell The Daily Beast, will continue to abide by the old mantra of “never complain, never explain.” While William has always been more vocal when it comes to airing his grievances with the media—and seeking to silence unwelcome stories—than his grandmother, it was interesting to see the aggressive new strategy in practice last weekend.
The smear campaign: [The ITV] intervention marks an unmistakable line in the sand. It’s a change in direction that has been gathering pace for several years but was accelerated by Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey….Kensington Palace also made it clear they were not afraid to fight dirty by leaking allegations that Meghan bullied her staff to The Times before the interview screened. Meghan and Harry described this, with some justification, as a “calculated smear campaign.”
It’s very different now: As one senior tabloid newspaper executive told The Daily Beast: “There was a time when you could literally write anything about the royals and it was almost guaranteed you wouldn’t hear from them. However since about 2016 they have become steadily more interventionist, and seemed to be trying to create a culture where reporters were actively encouraged to go to them with stories for pre-publication guidance. What we are seeing now is an extension of that; there is more briefing to the U.K. press, more engagement—but more use of legal threats as well.”
William loves it when he’s described as “aggressive” and “forceful” and “authoritative.” He gets off on that, being the big important man, the man of action as opposed to what he is, a lazy, racist bum who only cares about petty grievances and smearing his brother and sister-in-law. I agree that it’s an interesting development to see William be more aggressive in how he throws his weight around with the media. It’s also interesting to see when he doesn’t throw his weight around – f–king radio silence about the racist abuse Meghan suffered through, but super-aggressive when it comes to smearing Meghan as a bully. I also found the info about KP’s new team fascinating. Hm.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Oh what a brilliant strategy. Eye roll.
If this is what he is like at 39, I dread to think of how awful he must have been as a child and young adult. In one week, he managed to upset Australia and Italy. I suppose we were due an embiggening piece/smearing of the Sussexes. His focus should be on his legacy and on the happiness of his immediate family. Cosplaying a mini dictator is not a good look.
I don’t think he’s ever cos-played mini-dictator. I think he always was one. And his own mother’s description of him as a child (along with other witness accounts) pretty much shows the boy he was before is the man he is now.
This is what happens when you’re never told ‘no’ and everyone protects you from your own mistakes.
If the British Media would grown a backbone and actually report news and truth, he would have had a better chance at not growing up this awful despite his crappy family.
Imagine what he’ll be like in old age. Bitter, volatile, greedy.
I really like Harry and Megham much better. Willlian is a cheater like his dad. HIs dad, by the looks in his face has a drinking problem.
I will be very surprised if this dirtbag is ever king of anything.
Yes, we’ve…realized
Haha that was my immediate response upon reading the headline.
Anybody else thinks that william is getting his lawyers in a row because he’s about to be exposed? By whom im not sure yet
@pao
Yes! I don’t think he necessarily knows where it’s coming from but I think he knows that because he can’t brief against Harry and Meghan anymore because he lost control and access, that they will start coming after him soon. He’s trying to prevent that from happening.
@snuffles, which is why we saw those stupid Kate is texting Meghan articles. I think that after William clearly shelved her over her PR tactics and the papers starting to go after the Cambridge’s bit by bit, I think it starting to dawn on them, especially her that the grace period of fawning, nauseating praise has reaching its expiration date. I’m starting to think that they’ll be asked by the papers and palace to go to California for a visit. Both of these entities want the Sussexes back but for very different reasons.
What will be interesting is whether the press change their strategy in relation to William changing his because we all know that you can’t sue if it’s true and the BM will not like being threatened.
William and his “intensely savvy media team” may find that they are not the only ones who have taken their gloves off….
@The Hench – the BM will turn on William like a pack of wolves if he gets too punchy with them. With no more carcasses to feed on and a spoiled little wanker taunting them he’s just asking for trouble. The tabloids are sitting on a treasure trove of dirt on William and I think they’re just holding their collective breath until either the Queen passes or hands off the role to Charles, then it’ll be open season on him.
@Jaded – so true. *buys popcorn*
@Jaded and @TheHench – I think the iTV thing was a step too far for some of the media. I don’t think we would have this story without KP having iTV change their documentary (even though William has been pressuring and controlling the press for a while now.) That was such a blatant power move on KP’s part, and while iTV obviously gave in, everyone who follows the royals knows what happened and I think that was a big misstep from him. The quotes from Omid were out there, removing them from the actual documentary didn’t do a whole lot, especially since the Mail made sure to tell us all about how the quotes were pulled from the doc.
Yep and it’s fascinating how it’s happening more and more in plain sight.
LOL the ellipsis makes it!
if something is clear about william over the last several months, it’s how spooked and unhinged he has become.
i understand the oprah interview really shook the firm, and if the firm wanted to push back directly on some what h+m said, that’s totally their right. but … they haven’t exactly denied any of the allegations made, have they?
they dug up old, flimsy allegations of their own against meghan, hired heaps of PR people (as other KP staff have been leaving, hmm), lawyered up, revved up the smear campaign, and generally stayed incandescent with rage since march.
what exactly is the plan here? just keep throwing smears until something sticks?
Someone has a Henry VIII complex.
Underneath all the bluster and braggadocio is a petty, insecure, philandering, cold and cruel racist who is desperate to deflect from his hellish marriage and possible impending divorce by continuing to blame Harry and Meghan for reasons. Refusing to take his grandiosity seriously. Refusing to fall on his sword. The sooner the UK becomes a Republic, the better.
Some historians think Henry VIII became that way due to a jousting incident. I simply think some people are not meant to rule – power goes straight to their head and makes them monsters of stupidity and arrogance. I mean, look at the US’ last president.
Prince William had a similar traumatic brain injury
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/prince-william-scar.html/
I have also read medical theories that Henry VIII developed Adult Onset Type II Diabetes which was impossible to treat back then.
for Henry VIII- The jousting incident was never mentioned by most of the people who would have witnessed it, so a lot of historians have concluded it probably didn’t happen and was overblown in subsequent accounts.
The fact is (and goes along with the examination of William) Henry VIII was always brutal and had that part of his personality. He executed the tax collectors of his father immediately upon acceding to the throne in 1509, for PR because they were so hated. He had more charming and sunny parts of his personality when he was young and attractive and fawned over, but as he got older (and of course as his reign grew more turbulent) the ruthless parts came into relief more pronouncedly.
Of course Henry VIII even with all his flaws was much more educated and intelligent than William will ever be. There was a brief blossoming of humanism at his court that he encouraged, the type of thing William could never do.
Power didn’t make Trump a ‘’monster of stupidity and arrogance’’. He was always that way prior to becoming president and every since.
Henry VIII was in chronic pain after his accident, which happened on 24th January 1536, and he also suffered from constant infections without any help from modern medicine so he used food to make himself feel better and was possibly diabetic. William’s head injury has healed without problem, right, and he is in excellent physical shape so I fail to see the connection.
I keep hearing William’s head injury being brought up to explain his behaviour. Yes, he did have a blow to the head, but the fact is, his behaviour both before and after the accident is completely consistent. The earliest reports of him, from close family or bodyguards who spent a lot of time with them, is that William was ALWAYS like this. It’s just another excuse and makes him not liable for any faults and there’s no pressure on him to do any better. I find it frustrating.
Henry VIII or Donald Trump.
Since 2016 as they say here and all. One must have felt emboldened by the ascent of another unabashed authoritarian leader.
We can tell, you whiny loser.
Best comment today, actually.
I concur!
Oh thanks! Flattered, lol!
The work of that supposedly august team is…not impressive. Methinks these may be rich folk old boy network hires, who are lauded for their backgrounds instead of their skills. Because this is as laughable and as sorry a pr campaign as I have ever seen from a major institution.
+1. Their “experts” are hilariously bad.
One might even say that they are a carnival of so-called experts…
It’s been an extremely bad week or two for the elegant prince pr. Did he and the missus go on vacation or have they been benched since the fall out from snubbing the Italian president and massive pushback to his hypocritical anti racism message?
Instead of monitoring the press maybe he could focus his elegant self on doing the very few things he does without causing damage.
These experts names are familiar. They’re the same courtiers that have always been around. So this ‘team’ is just going to do more of the same and continue to be bad at it.
Are you suggesting that these aren’t the “gold standard” advisors that H and M are missing out on? LOL
+1 If the past couple of months are an example of W&K’s “media-savvy core group of trusted advisers,” then they made some really bad hires. I don’t think “media-savvy” means what they think it means.
“Another key player in William’s office is Edwina Iddles, officially chief communications officer for William and Kate’s charitable foundation but in practice their top media fixer. Iddles’ background is confrontation.”
Iddles’ background is CONFRONTATION. How perfect, or actually, how tragic for this Prince who is already known for flying into rages when irked. I am entirely too excited to read that this is going to be KP’s modus operandi; this next year is going to be good. (Also, these British names are so Dickensian: Iddles and Harbottle in just this one post.)
OH. MY. GAWD. That second to last pic. It always, always throws me. You really get a sense of him in that one.
I also want to add that this makes me thank God that I do not have my brother controlling my fate. While I love my brother, thank you Jesus I don’t have to worry that he has any say in any part of my life. THANK YOU JESUS.
Is it just how I’m reading this piece or is it pretty shady towards William?
Def shady. Sykes also says there is “a tidal wave of highly credible allegations” against him and his wife by the the sussexes. Can we get some more details on that part please?
I’d assume that’s just the Oprah stuff? Like the baby skin colour thing, knowing she was depressed /anxious and not helping , etc
Please do not hate me but I like Tom Sykes.
Tom is from an aristocratic family (one of those that looks down on the BRF) but you can tell he is as feed up with all the Royals and there stupidity as we are.
To someone of Sykes pedigree (aka snarky, understated aristocrat), “highly credible” means “I 100% witnessed that bald egg calling Meghan every slur in the book with my own eyes and ears.”
Sykes gets his gossip from dinner parties with aristos, after all.
@bay – I dislike him because I think his coverage of Meghan was pretty racist – full of microaggressions – and minimized meghan’s background, education, etc.
but I do appreciate that he is shady towards the cambridges. He seems to hold all the royals in contempt.
I said that in my comment below….this is definitely shady. This does not make William look good (But Sykes doesn’t really care about that.) He’s basically saying that William is throwing a tantrum over his press coverage in general and the Sussexes in particular and he’s doing whatever he can to stop any negative story about him.
We were commenting this week on the lack of stories in the UK press about William and his behavior towards the Italian president or why the backlash against his anti-racist tweet wasn’t really being covered. Well I think now we know.
But the problem is that he can’t stop it internationally. His hypocrisy tweet and the fallout was covered all throughout the world. Maybe he’s only concerned about Britain but attacking Harry and Meghan is getting very boring. I noticed that the Meghan attacks have decreased a little, maybe that’s in response to the backlash William received, the Euro aftermath or the papers are fed up because we all know Meghan being quiet or not, she’ll be attacked in the papers regardless. Something is going on. I also get the sense that these papers are tired of the same song and dance articles about William and Kate.
“I noticed that the Meghan attacks have decreased a little”
The Italian football fans holding up the banner stating “Meghan is one of us” pretty much sums it all up with the regard to the world stage and The Commonwealth which the UK needs so much now due to BREXIT.
After a while it’ll become like that game Whack-a-Mole – gaffes popping up all over the place and his team hitting out as fast as they can.
Sykes has always saved some shade for the Cambridges and he’s the one who made sure to confirm how he learned of the affair story. (A daughter of an Earl told him at a country party). So he’s definitely being shady with this.
@Britt – yup, exactly, and I do think he cares about that. His actions over the past week have hurt his international image and someone at KP knows that, even if they aren’t telling him. I do think the Meghan attacks have decreased, not sure if that’s just because she and Harry are on leave and so are quiet, or if its because its getting boring. I mean I’m a royal watcher as you all know and omg the attacks on Meghan are getting boring because they’re so predictable and they’re just always the same thing.
The Italian fans are hardly Meghan fans, they were just using every insult available to them to discredit their competition. Just like the Brits .
Did anyone else notice that in the last paragraph of the article above it in essence says that the royal family have been framing the media coverage for a while (since Meghan)? Wow, yep, it’s shady as hell!
I especially love “the pathology of William’s desires.” So many interesting word choices in this piece.
He thinks because Harry and Meghan fight back against falsehoods and violations of their privacy, he can do the same when there is negative (and most likely TRUE) story about him.
This is going to blow back in his face in ways none of us can imagine right now. We already know that there are reporters chomping at the bit to expose William’s dirty little secrets. Especially now that the Sussex well is running dry.
I think William knows this and is letting them know that he will throw every ounce of his weight around to prevent that from happening. That may work temporarily but eventually, someone is going to say “fuck it” and taunt him to bring it on. Then he will be dragged for filth.
And once Pandora’s box is open, you can’t close it up again.
ONE reporter and publication is going to have the guts to come clean about William and then they all will, and is William going to sue every single paper in the UK? In the world?
This is what I think happened. William and Kate never liked and were jealous of Meghan and wanted her gone. So they leaked stories but when someone got wind of the affair, he offered Harry and Meghan, his kids on a platter and got his lawyer involved in exchange for the truth to stay quiet. Harry and Meghan leaving may have benefited the Cambridge’s temporarily but the tabloids didn’t want them to leave because they made too much money off them. Now that they can’t leak anything and it’s clear Harry and Meghan don’t trust them and the Royal family has not gotten them, or Harry back into the fold and the papers are pissed. The more Harry and Meghan thrive and the rota being shut out like they were at the unveiling, they’re looking at William like, you need to honor your part of the deal and he’s not doing it. There is no doubt in my mind that those papers have been threatening him and Kate behind the scenes. That agreement with the editors and papers is not going to last long and it seems to be coming to a head. It’s clear William is chose the wrong team. The man is a straight puppet but one who put himself in that position.
“know that there are reporters chomping at the bit to expose William’s dirty little secrets.”
I bet Charles love to be the one to officially leak William’s dirty little secrets.
No matter what is written and I cannot believe that Chucky & Baldy are in any way close.
That’s what I came here to say too. One day, one paper is going to call their bluff of a lawsuit. And the receipts aren’t going to be as neat and tidy for William as Meghan’s are. The British press can be monsters, sure, but they can also be vigorous defenders of their rights and keep pushing them and they might push back.
@BayTampaBay I think you are right about Charles. He is waiting to ascend the throne, and once he’s officially on it, then he will let William have it and sit back and laugh. Charles doesn’t want William taken down BEFORE he gets the crown, because he might get swept up in anti-monarchy sentiment as well.
But once Charles is king and gets his coronation in, all bets are off. It’ll be sweet payback for a lifetime of William threatening and leaking and for driving the Sussexes out of the country. Will King Charles and Camilla care if next-in-line William abdicates in an embarrassed huff? Nope. I think they look forward to it; their family gatherings will be so much more fun and cozy without Prince Mad Again around.
@snuffles- you make a good point in that there’s a difference between false stories and negative stories. Harry fights back against lies in the press while William fights back against anything that makes him look bad.
@becks1-wonder who will end up being the first to really break a William story.
I actually wouldn’t be surprised if its somebody who is camp Cambridges. Like richard kay, he has a history of saying more than he should. Or Dan wootton. As far as he is up williams bum hole, i think he’s petty and he wants rewards for his work. If he’s not getting that he might spill.
@Jais Maybe Emily Andrews? She’s mentioned before that the Cambridges have threatened her numerous time before about the stories she’s written. She was also very critical of their work shyness and completely scolded them for how they behaved on their India tour. Plus, I think they gave her some false information before that embarrassed her. Maybe it was a fake baby shower for Meg? Anyhoodle, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was her. Or Dan Wootton, because he is a snake in the grass. Maybe Piers too, as homeboy needs a comeback. You know what? All of those RRs are at risk of blowing the lid off the Keens.
ITA – sorry – commented above before I saw your take, Snuffles.
All this proves is that William is becoming more trumpian by the day.
Also, the more he grows “in authority” he also seems to be abandoning overall common sense.
One of these days he’s going to try this on a world leader and cause an international incident.
I’m surprised he wasn’t publicly rebuked by the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Raffaele Trombetta, after Wilbur snubbed the president and team. That was SUCH a dick move…
Oooh the shade in that article!
the “highly credible” allegations against him and his wife from Harry and Meghan (cough william asked about the baby’s skin color cough).
leaks to the times described “with some justification” as part of a smear campaign.
More use of legal threats, the palace expects to be able to approve articles before they go to press – that’s a great look for a future future king right there.
I am not a sykes fan overall, but I do think he knows where the bodies are buried and if he wrote a book I would buy it and read it – if it wasn’t edited by the lawyers….
Becks1- just cited the same details as you about the credible allegations. Am ready for some more writers to start using that language. Do you think the bullying smear campaign will expose him or it’s something else? Could be so many things really.
I think what will most likely happen is that, in the absence of Meghan and Harry, plus any reliable information about/against them, the press is going to start chafing against the restrains that William is imposing on them wrt printing the details of his own life. There is no longer any real story to print about the Sussexes that these reporters have any credible access to.
The only things left to talk about are the Cambridges, namely, the Cambridge smear campaign, and William’s own skeletons in the closet. The press has to make money at the end of the day, and if William keeps threatening them against printing any of the juicier details about his life, they’re not going to be very happy about him coming in the way of their livelihood.
And also this line: “there is more briefing to the U.K. press”. I agree that this article is actually quite shady towards William.
Sykes is no fan of either the Cambridges or the Sussexes. For different reasons sure, but he’s no fan of either of them. I think it was the Daily Beast who revealed that William’s lawyers were sending legal letters about their affair and Sykes has admitted that he heard about the Rose/William affair from the daughter of an Earl. And he’s also bragged about his aristo connections. So Sykes definitely knows a lot. I too, would enjoy an unedited book by him.
This reminds me of when Lacey (I think it was) said that “history will show” that William and Kate used “sharp-elbowed tactics” in their bid to get rid of the Sussexes. That means receipts are being kept, even if they can’t (yet) be published.
I think several journalists know what’s up, but are being compelled to pursue a pro-Cambridge angle. But the shade still shows through from time to time.
England is a small country and the reporters alllll know more than they’ve printed. They’re just biding their time until QE passes. Charles better get his boy in line before that.
Small? With a population of 56 million people, really?
Almost 67 million and almost twice the population of Canada, and you can fit seven England’s in British Columbia alone. As a BCer, (pop 5 mill) I cannot fathom living amongst that many people.
Something is about to come out that won’t make bully look good and he’s getting his lawyers ready to fight tooth and nail to keep it under wraps
Given that William has agreed to play the media game he has no fear of the press printing lies about him or stories that he doesn’t want out there so I think Sykes is misinterpreting this new “aggressive stance”. What William is actually doing is he is openly briefing about Harry and Meghan and working with authors like Lacey to get his side out. I’m sure he is cooperating with that the Hugo Vickers book that supposed to come out as well. He is acknowledging that he is behind the smear campaign and that he sanctioned Jason Knauf to go to the press with the bullying allegations and to claim copyright of Meghan’s letter.
Just not sure why he wants to acknowledge that he is behind the smear campaign? It’s not a good look considering the lack of evidence thus far. I mean it strengthens his base, I guess?
@Janis – I am as puzzled as you. When the truth comes out about the “smear campaign” and “bullying campaign”, it is not going to look good for the BRF and especially William.
If Mail on Sunday loses their final appeal on Megan’s latest legal victory, the truth will come out very quickly as Associated Newspaper, LTD. will have to quickly & drastically change their tactics to generate click bait and sell newspapers.
BayTampaBay, do you think it possible that Wilber is getting ready to start throwing Keen under the bus in order to avert the BM coming after him?
I don’t know that it wouldn’t look good for William. Considering the level to which public discourse has sunk in England, as well as the fact that William is exclusively hiring former Tory party staff members and Brexiteers, I’m willing to bet that he’s being told on multiple levels that the best defense is a good offence, and that putting on a show of strength by getting his hands dirty to fight back against the Sussexes (who, per the British media narrative, are scheming, grifting narcissists and bullies themselves) is the best idea for him right now. And I can’t say that it wouldn’t land well with the British public, who by this point, seem pissed off at the world and thoroughly unwilling to look in the mirror.
The last paragraph basically confirms that stories about Royals are coming from the palace and not from external sources
I don’t think William truly realizes how irrelevant he actually is. Outside of Britain, where he’s coddled and protected, no one really gives two hoots. If anything, going by this past weekend, he needs to rethink his PR. Also, getting in bed with the media is not solving his problems 😂 These people are quite literally laughing behind his back and using him for their own goals. Playing the game is not going to end well, which is why Harry never played it and got out.
Kaiser: “Rose Hanbury says hi.” Hahahahaha!
Hilarious
OMG that first pic! And to think this was him being “charming” and “flirting” with a pensioner. Poor old lady must have been terrified.
Plus, when did his jaw get so big?? It must be all that clenching.
Right? It’s so weird. I was watching a YouTube video of them when they were younger. Early to mid twenties. His face has changed so much. I get we all continously change with time but it’s like the actual structure of his bones has changed.
Maybe it’s all that rage and jaw clenching that’s done the damage
We do talk a lot about Kate’s various cosmetic procedures, but maybe William took some of their copious downtime to get himself a lantern jaw of manly might?
Isn’t that what they were the most upset about wit Harry and Meghan ? That they were complaining a lot and they needed to be more like the queen ?
Now they’re openly admitting that the bullying accusations was indeed a briefing ? I loose faith every day that these people will get their fair share of karma. As much as Meghan seems to be winning her reputation is ruined in some way she’ll never get back.
These people are disgusting.
“ As much as Meghan seems to be winning her reputation is ruined in some way she’ll never get back.”
With who, pray tell? Honestly, anyone with critical thinking skills knows it’s all bullshit. And the ones who do believe it were always going to think the worst of her because they’re racist, sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic and jealous. Even if every allegation and rumor was irrefutably disproven, they’ll just make stuff up to hate about her. There are people to this day who don’t think Meghan was ever pregnant and that Archie is a doll.
These people aren’t worth Meghan’s time and energy.
I just can’t get over how this spin is around that her ‘reputation is ruined’. With Andrew getting free passes and the trafficked young ladies demonized.
You lose faith that they will get their fair share of karma? William is becoming a laughing stock at best and being labeled a racist bully at worst. Yet here are Meghan and Harry making deals, being nominated for awards, etc. You must be seeing a different reality from the rest of the world @woke.
Honest question. Is her reputation ruined to you?
Of course not but there’s a narrative that stick even for sane people who don’t follow the drama, manipulative, separated Harry from her family, cut people who helped her from her life when she succeeded. I’m not saying she’s not successful or loved by a large group of people.
I guess it’s my frustration talking.
I wonder how execs at ITV feel about it being known that TOB pushes them around. Doesn’t do much for their credibility.
When people tell you who they are, believe them.
Why is Natasha Archer of all people advising on media strategy? Has Willy been sleeping with her too? And Sykes reminding everyone William always surrounds himself with Brexiteers. William is always jealous and fancies himself an authoritarian real king, which is why I think we have been getting closer to Cambridge divorce. William is likely jealous of everything Boris has gotten away with Carrie thanks to press protection and he likely believes he would get the same press protection. Willy might get that protection, but I would guess the billionaires that own the press know the difference between a prime minister with actual power and a symbol.
Oooooh, good catch with Natasha Archer. You’re right. Why is the personal assistant and Kate’s alleged stylist the one who is in charge of advising these two on social media strategy?
Well, this is about to get interesting. Lemme get the foldable chair, drinks and popcorn.
Save room for me!!! I’ll bring the chips and salsa!
So he’s a grower?
Ok. Two stories in a row of Willnot going against the Queen.
1. Didn’t think “smoothing things over” with the Sussexes as TQ wanted was working, decided to “play them at their own game.”
2. Abandons TQ’s beloved “never complain, never explain” in favour of “always unhinge, always whinge”
Add to this-
3. Charles will not give Wessexes the Edinburgh title, going against TQ’s wishes.
3a. “Charles should give Ed DoE” says Cambridge-Stan Wootton
I am not able to put my finger on a pattern emerging, but I will be watching for more on these lines.
It’s pretty interesting, isn’t it Nivz? The narrative’s always been about William protecting or emulating the Queen. Now we’re getting stories that explicitly say that he’s defying her wishes and preferred methods of dealing with stories. I’m not sure what to make of the change either, but something’s certainly afoot.
the pattern is they don’t care what grandma thinks anymore.
Exactly. They want her out of the way in a hurry. Especially since Meghan and Harry count her as an ally. Those two, William and Charles, are merging into one evil entity. “Chilliam”
Eek “chilliam” the monster that devours itself
What’s a grower
Does dumb-I-am realize no gives a flying f about him or his thoughts. They are responding to his place In the line of succession, abolish the monarchy and he is just another sad, dumb as fuck privilege asshole with zero talent to fall back on.
For shit’s sake! A clenched jaw is more eloquent than angry words. A disdainful look speaks more than a derogatory quip. What is he on about? His body language and leaks to the British rags FULLY convey his spleen and arrogance. He “says” so much that he doesn’t actually say and no, this does not make him subtle or circumspect. He is a loud silent whiner (whinger in Brit-speak). Utter ass. You can’t have a stiff upper lip if you’re always curling it in contempt.
He’s fighting on too many fronts. Usurp Papa, pigeon whole the Wessex’, smear the Sussex’, relegate the Yorks and stepford his wife. All while he’s turned into little more than the Queen’s booze taster on the most recent Scottish charm fest. No idea why Harry says his brother is trapped.
I feel the same. Diana worked with children, she must have been familiar with pedagogy and psychology, at least on a basic level. It is believed much of a person´s personality is forged in the first five years. Of course, many patterns/behaviors/attitudes will develop and change over time as experiences and outside influences pour in, but there are some core elements that stick for life.
Maybe that is really why Diana was so insistent Harry would be needed by William and RF seems to have agreed with her in this one point.
But I am curious how they react to William behind closed doors? For all her faults, TQ believes her job is very important, is loyal and mindful of her duty. William is not
As soon as William produced an heir, Harry reclaimed his life and ambitions as his own. His maturity emerged when he decided that voluntary service, with the Queen as his employer, was his life purpose. By this ethos, he has two major accomplishments, serving and lending a helping hand ( with foundation and charity work) towards his brother until his nephew became of age.
William has no right to expect that Harry will live his life in his shadow, an unstable one at best.
Whatever the limitations that William faced, it is incumbent on him to be self aware and seek the necessary help. His brother can lend emotional support and loyalty when required but not at the expense of his wellness and happiness.
Diana is on record of wanting the best for both of her sons , William’s unreasonable and unwelcomed expectations towards his brother does not acquiesce to his mother’s wishes.
More and more Trumpian by the day.
+100
Whatevs, bullyiam.
Truth remains the premier defense to libel…..H&M have the former; and bullyiam and his merrymen embody the latter. So he can contort and bluster all day long. He’s still gonna be exposed for what he did to H&M.
And, BTW, Schillings are leaders in the field in defending the right to privacy, reputation and security.
“Grows in authority”?
What authority? Wills couldn’t run a lemonade stand with a slew of assistants. He’s grown into no authority.
Grows in authority = becomes a louder, angrier, more incandescent rage monster that gets his way through incessant bullying.
Whiny baby thinks he’s in charge because folks give in to his tantrums. He’s got a lot to learn. Those tantrums aren’t gonna work once Granny Betty dies.
He has NO authority, HM and Charles just sat back and let him run amok.
Abandon it completely, William. Do a big interview.
As an aside I’ve always wondered what goes down in Bucklebury Palace? Do the Middletons have to bow and curtesy each morning to the Cambridge’s? Do they address Bully as ‘Sir’? I guess they have to. He must really enjoy that! Middletons have got ‘red carpet fever’ really badly. I saw them being referred to in a trash mag I wish I’d remembered as ‘the Royal Family’.
How very Trumpy of him.
I’d rather he throws his weight around trying to get something constructive done — charity work, social initiatives, etc. I don’t see too much passion there. In addition, if he thinks this kind of coverage makes him look like a tough guy, he is mistaken. He simply looks like a man-child with an anger problem.
It’s so awful that William stans believe everything he says and make accusations against the Sussees. Even believing the smear campaign with No Proof.
I don’t believe that they do. The stans don’t love William. They hate Meghan, and Williams animus gave them the authority to hate her openly. He gave them permission to exercise their racism and wear it loud and proud, just like Trump did with racists in America. But nobody loves the Cambridges. They haven’t done anything to earn anyone’s love. They didn’t have the engagement with fans and the fan enthusiasm that the Sussexes have earned. They believe the smear campaign because they want to. They want to believe that Meghan isn’t “good enough” to be royal and therefore must be shamed and punished for overreaching her station. When have the deranged ever raised any money on behalf of charitable causes on behalf of William and Kate? I’ll bet neither of them even considered the possibility of anyone doing that period.
Let’s see him throw his weight around when Meghans lawyers come at him over the made up bullying claims.
They need to replace “bombshell” with emmy award nominated now😂😂 if that obvious smear campaign against meghan is the new strategy then its safe to say the Sussexes are definitely winning the PR game.
1. The timing here is what intrigues me – why write a story about William’s new strategy, now? Like, why tell us instead of just showing us? William could, if he and his press office wanted to, issue daily public corrections refuting any report he didn’t like, or (snicker) attempt some viral reaction videos on the Cambridge YouTube channel( I said could, not should!) There’s no need to announce such a strategy, unless it’s a warning. So…is it a warning for William or from William?
2. Isn’t that the law firm that the family tried to push Meghan into retaining for her lawsuit against the DM?
Plausible deniability?
I’d say it’s a warning *for* William. It seems to me like Tom Sykes didn’t take very kindly to KP throwing its weight around with ITV, forcing them to cut Omid Scobie’s bit from the documentary. And I wouldn’t blame Tom Sykes for this one bit–shouldn’t William’s actions technically count as censoring a free press? And he’s done this more than once, most notably with the initial allegations about Rose Hanbury, and with Kate’s disastrous Tatler profile. And he succeeded both times–the press has kept quiet with the affair rumours, and Tatler folded to the legal threats and amended their article online.
But of course, there’s been not even as much as a peep from the British tabloid media about any of this. Compare this to how they treat Meghan and Harry, the extent of the screaming and the endless agonizing about how what they’re doing isn’t right, how they have no right to go after a free press like this. Why the double standard?
This isn’t the first time Tom Sykes has actually registered his unhappiness with William on stuff like this. He also wrote a very low key but snarky article about William cutting off ties with Tom Bradby, another ITV reporter, after Bradby made the documentary about Meghan and Harry’s tour in South Africa. And Tom Bradby was reportedly one of William’s closest media contacts, and he was the one who did William and Kate’s engagement interview. He cut off ties with him because Bradby had apparently “taken Harry and Meghan’s side.” All of this summed up doesn’t really paint the greatest picture of William, particularly where Harry and Meghan are concerned.
William has no information on the Sussexes any more, that’s why they keep him at arms length. Even the bullying allegations don’t amount to anything because we would know but now if there were specific that Meghan had done. They are already trying to get her to drop the whole thing. Charles is the one who should be worried. To me this is a warning to him to not try and use the press against William.
Charles needs to stop worrying about the DoE title and keep his eyes on mini trump here. He is flagrantly disobeying the queen. Can you imagine the rr outrage if Harry did that?
We underestimated the damage trump could do (and is still doing), don’t make the same mistake with William the Elegant.
The new report on Putin working to get trump elected said Putin thought he was dumb with low self esteem and perfect to ruin the country. Probably describes William the Elegant too.
“He has always shared with his brother Harry a deep-seated desire to take on and confront the press when they, as he sees it, tell lies about him or his family or misrepresent HIM.” Him and only him, of course.
He’s wasting goodwill with the papers. The story about him ignoring the Italian President wasn’t worth burying in the UK since it’s international news. One day he’ll have something important he wants to burry and the papers won’t pay attention because request # 552 is were they drew the line.
We live in interesting times.
His good buddy Dan Wootton literally ADMITTED it on one of his podcasts – that the palaces were the ones leaking and briefing against the Sussexes. It’s all over the internet. But yes, keep trying to cover up that which has already been openly admitted by one of your ratchet rat mouthpieces.
That top picture and glorious lines like “Rose Hanbury says hi” are what I love about this website 😍
So, I went and did a little digging into the backgrounds/CVs of William’s latest hires who are mentioned here, and here’s what I found out:
1) Jean-Christophe Gray was formerly the official spokesperson for the prime minister when David Cameron was in office, between 2012-2015. He was described in one article by Tim Shipman and Royah Nikkah over at the Times as, “an assiduous bean counter,” who worked with David Cameron and George Osborne on their hugely unpopular austerity measures. Quoting from that same article, he was apparently the head of the treasury’s public spending committing, which “is the home of the ultra-hawks who regard all the spending departments as useless muppets.” He apparently comes off as mild-mannered, but is actually a, “Whitehall velociraptor intent on kneecapping anyone who wants to spend money.”
2) Edwina Iddles is also a government civil servant. She previously worked for Conservative MP Caroline Dineage between 2013-2015. From there, she moved departments, eventually landing in the press team for the Department of Exiting the European Union in 2016. She then moved on to work for the Home Office press team in 2018, which would have been for the tail end of Amber Rudd’s tenure as Home Secretary, and going into the Sajid Javid and Priti Patel years. In short, she’s a Brexiter, who’s described as “confrontational”, who’s worked for the Home Office press team in the last couple of years. Considering the type of press the Home Office has received in the years she’s worked for them, and the sort of working environment set by Priti Patel, I would honestly say that I have some serious questions here.
In all, these are some incredibly politically aligned hires, especially coming after Simon Case, who also worked for David Cameron previously (as his private secretary), and who also worked with the Conservative govt on Brexit. He’s hired 3 total staff members in recent years, and of them, two have previously worked for David Cameron, and two have worked with the govt on Brexit (either on the policies themselves, or on the press coverage of Brexit). Let’s not forget, also, that William has seemingly struck up a relationship with Tim Shipman, who isn’t a royal reporter–he’s the political editor of the Sunday Times, and his career was spent covering politics, specifically politics within the Conservative party in the UK.
I honestly can’t understate this point strongly enough–the people who William has hired, both now and before, are not likely to be the sort of white people who give much of a sh-t about being allies to POC or advancing the cause of racial justice in the UK. These are people who likely have nothing but overwhelming contempt and disdain for the poor and the working class, who have spent their careers working for and supporting those who attempted every effort to strip the disadvantaged people in Britain of every safety net available to them. These are people who don’t see anyone who isn’t white and privileged as a human being worth caring about. They see them as unnecessary expenses who need to be scrapped.
These are the people who William, at this point, is starting to make a pattern of hiring. These are the people who are, most likely, his closest advisors. They are his window out into the world, the ones who offer him insight that comes from outside of his privileged royal bubble. Whose interests are these people primarily used to serving? What sort of world view do they bring to the table to William? What vision do they have for the sort of monarchy they think needs to exist in the UK? Whose interests do these people think the monarchy should serve? Most importantly, what the f-ck does this say about William and his own politics/political viewpoints, especially since he’s supposed to be the monarch some day?
Thanks for the digging A. Wow. Your last paragraph is really kind of chilling in terms of what kind of king it seems William is shaping up to be.
Thank you for this breakdown. Your last two paragraphs say it all, perfectly.
Really insightful. Thanks for posting this.
Really insightful. Thanks for posting this.
Pretty sure Natasha Archer was Kate’s stylist?
PA, who then also took on the duties of dresser (royal-speak for stylist).
At least, that’s what KP said, so as far as we know she may have been hired on as a stylist from the get-go and after a while somebody got tired of saying ‘oh no, she’s a PA, Kate is her own stylist, isn’t she wonderful? They really want to keep it down-to-Earth with as little staff as possible’ so they started phasing in the truth.
Just wanted to add, an amazing post A. These are people that I would not want to spend any time around.