President Biden appointed a lot of new ambassadors to replace Trump’s cronies. The current American ambassador to the UK is Jane Hartley, a Democratic donor and political ally of President Biden. She came into the ambassadorship in early 2022, having also served as an ambassador during the Obama administration. While she’s a Democratic fundraiser and donor, she knows what she’s doing. Biden wouldn’t have appointed some know-nothing crony to such an important ambassadorship. Despite his Irish pride, President Biden understands the need to have a mature diplomat in that position in London. Which makes it ridiculously funny that every time Ambassador Hartley is interviewed in the British media, she’s fielding questions about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, not Ukraine, not Brexit, not relations with the European Union. Back in January, there was a kerfuffle because the ambassador refused to answer a question about the Sussexes:
Jane Hartley, US ambassador to the UK, has just sidestepped a question on television from @bbclaurak about whether the furore over Harry and Meghan has damaged relations between the two countries. But she praised the King for his work, particularly The Prince’s Trust.
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) January 29, 2023
LMAO. Even if Ambassador Hartley was like “yes, maybe the Sussexit did lead to a PR crisis for the monarchy,” what the hell was she supposed to do about it? Tell President Biden to launch missiles at Montecito?? Well, it got even funnier this week when Ambassador Hartley once again spoke to the British media and OF COURSE they asked her about Meghan and Harry. British people are going to do this to every American from now on, right?
The US ambassador to Britain has said she hopes Prince Harry and Meghan will support the King this weekend. Ambassador Jane Hartley also played down fears that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s complaints about the monarchy have taken away support for King Charles in her homeland.
Speaking to Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, hosts of The News Agents podcast, Ms Hartley suggested the Sussexes were getting very little mainstream media attention in the US.
When asked how much support they have in the US, Ambassador Hartley said she had not been home so may not have the “total sentiment” but added: “I’ve said this before, every family has their issues. You should come to our Thanksgiving dinner sometime with my extended family. Everybody has an opinion, and everybody speaks it clearly and loudly. And you know, I just hope that for this Coronation, there’s support for the King. That’s what I would want from them.”
Asked if she believed the Sussexes had taken away support for The King in the US, she replied: “If you look at our media, look at our New York Times, look at our Washington Post, they’re not getting that much coverage, to be very honest with you. The coverage right now is really about the Coronation. The coverage right now is about what the UK is doing with us in terms of Ukraine. The coverage right now is the alliance that President Biden has put together. So, you’re not seeing them in mainstream media, if you want to know the truth in my view, and once again, I’m here, I’m not there.”
She defended President Biden after former President Donald Trump said it was “disrespectful” of him not to attend the Coronation. “I could not disagree more. I think what was behind it was truly just scheduling and logistics,” she said.
“The President has been here four times. And the President has committed in a great phone call with the King, which I don’t want to talk about, that he will come again to the UK before the end of the year, when he and The King will have some much more private time together. So, I think that whole thing is ridiculous if you want to know the truth.”
“Look at our New York Times, look at our Washington Post, they’re not getting that much coverage, to be very honest with you. The coverage right now is really about the Coronation…” The Times and WaPo have been covering the coronation stuff, but they’ve been increasingly critical, as have other American outlets. The American press is aghast by the expensive medieval pageantry and historic unpopularity of the new queen consort especially.
And again, you have to understand the question asked of the ambassador and the mindset of British journalists, who operate in partnership with the monarchy and Tory government. The British media is not “adversarial” in the way the American media sees itself. The British media believes that if the Sussexes aren’t getting wall-to-wall, full-throated support in the American media, that means that the Sussexes are “unpopular.” When really, Harry and Meghan can do whatever they want, whenever they want, and the British media is going to be gagged no matter what. Just the sheer fact that Ambassador Hartley continues to field questions about the Sussexes is proof enough that the Sussexes are the story.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- The Duchess of Sussex looks on as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is paraded through the streets of London on the way to Windsor via Wellington Arch after her funeral at Westminster Abbey. September 19 2022.,Image: 724167331, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Casey Gutteridge / SWNS / Avalon
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- Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Camilla Queen Consort The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Service, Westminster Abbey, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724168860, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- London, UK, 19th Sep 2022. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Behind the Coffin, King Charles III walks with Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward behind him, followed by Prince William and Prince Harry and Peter Phillips, and others. The Queen Consort, Princess of Wales, Duchess of Sussex and others follow in cars. The funeral procession for Queen Elizabeth II makes its way from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, via Horse Guards Parade and the Mall. People line the street and watch military personnel march, and the coffin pass along the route. The procession is led by massed Pipers and Drums of Scottish and Irish Regiments, The Brigade of Gurkhas, the Royal Air Force and a total of 6,000 representatives from all three Armed Forces.,Image: 724176026, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is driven down The Mall after the funeral for HM Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London, United Kingdom. 19 September 2022.,Image: 724176085, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian / P / Avalon
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- 19/09/2022. London, United Kingdom. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex watches the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II leaving Westminster Abbey in London at the end of the State Funeral Service.,Image: 724203950, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / i-Images / Avalon
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- Prince Harry, King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, and Princess Anne The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Gun Carriage Procession, Wellington Roundabout, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724224245, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- (front row, left to right) The Duchess of Sussex, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Charlotte, and the Princess of Wales during the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Berkshire.,Image: 724425806, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones / Avalon
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- 01/12/2022. London, United Kingdom. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with the United States ambassador to the United kingdom, Jane Hartley at No10 Downing Street. 10 Downing Street.,Image: 741762521, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: This image is for Editorial use purposes only. The Image can not be used for advertising or commercial use. The Image can not be altered in any form., Model Release: no, Credit line: Rory Arnold / Avalon
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- US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley at a vigil jointly organised by the Ukrainian and US Embassies to mark the one year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia (which is tomorrow 24th) at Trafalgar Square in London, England, UK on Thursday 23 February, 2023.,Image: 758184076, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
For gods sake she has better things to talk about the the Sussex family. This is just how enraged the British press is about Harry and Meg thriving. Ridiculous!
This is what the British Press has to do to $ell newspapers and generate click$ for revenue$.
Ye$. $u$$exe$ seem to £ell Brit papers and generate click£ for revenue£. I was Meghan fan before BRFCo., so I never look at the Fail or other tabs they exed. Also check bylines on US pubs to avoid Brit ‘journos’ with Meghan (anti-American) taint. Glad to see local affiliates of major broadcasters are running coverage of Chuck & Consnort dingus from 2-7am Saturday here on left coast making it true SnoreaNation. CNN is overboard with overnight 10pm-9am Fri-Sat coverage repeated Sat nite (gag) – good that CNBC has alternative in Berkshire Hathaway Annual 2023.
@susanCollins, Susan maybe she should warn president Biden, that the British media don’t care about Ukraine, don’t care about the economy, don’t care about the NHS and don’t care about America or its own Royal family. All they care about is trolling Harry and Megan’s every move and thought. The world can go to hell in a handbasket as long as they can report on Harry and Megan
I’m sorry.. what? She says the papers in America are talking about the UK in terms of Ukraine and the coronation and president Biden’s relationship with the UK? Is she drunk? That’s literally NOT true, and the fact she’s always asked about the Sussexes shows how relevant they are and the fact she continues to comment shows how much she’s paying attention to them.
President Biden needs to send her ass back home since she’s incapable of doing her damn job.
Exactly, Mary Pester. FFS, things are incredibly bleak in the U.K. right now, and all these idiots can do is ask the U.S. ambassador questions about Meghan and Harry, in the hope she will malign them?
I wish telegrams were still a thing. Jane Hartley’s to Biden:
All questions about Meghan and Harry. STOP No other ongoing concerns among the press. STOP Can I please get reassigned to anywhere else. STOP These idiots are giving me a headache. STOP
Precisely! This woman could run circles around the reporters and the rf, as far as politics, etc… are concerned. All the rejects can talk about is H&M! LOL
Yeah I wish she would have just come out and said “our newspapers have more important things to report than two private citizens from a famous family”. Unlike the UK media, which has NOTHING more important to report on…
THE SUSSEXES ARE THE STORY, AND THAT’S IT. The whole idea of the interview is to talk about the Sussexes.
Then it is a sad state of affairs for everyone involved except the Sussexes.
As an American politician the only real answer is no comment. Kings and queens aren’t our deal. Especially the ones we fought a war to kick out.
If you must answer the question you have to keep it family based.
What kaiser wrote about wall to wall praise being used as a measure. I first noticed that with Sharon osbourne. I remember thinking; Does she think news articles matter?
I think it’s a fundamental difference in US and UK media business models. UK press will beat the same drum of content over and over. Big or small, doesn’t matter. Meghan/Kate crying over flower girl dresses was a story for YEARS. The Oprah interview just got brought up this week!
Contrast that with US press, particularly political press, who flushes major stories down the memory hole in a day. We just move right on along.
They can’t move on because they have no new stories. If they write new stories they will have to be about the rest of the royal family. And they get a lot of push back when they do that. Plus they don’t sell.
I like that she said, she is not in America, should have ended there instead of saying she hope they are supporting Chucky this weekend, none of her business.
Yep, that was bad. It’s embarrasing (for the UK press) that she keeps being asked about the Sussexes but that part of her answer shouldn’t have happened. She needs to not engage at all if she’s gonna say dumb shit like that.
I agree that Hartley misspoke but I would imagine that the constant hounding of the so called “journalists” in the UK are truly showing how inept and unprofessional they are. Hartley simply needs to not feed into their obsession with H&M.
Let’s face it, the UK is blatantly showing everyone how incompetent their “journalist” all are.
I would be so livid if I spent all my political capital and time learning to be a diplomat and then had to answer 3rd rate soap opera questions at every news conference
@Whyforthelove
Excellent point. It should be about the present state of affairs and the upcoming event.
I know she has to be diplomatic in her responses, but I would love if she would say
On Meghan and Harry:
“They’re minding their business and doing their thing, but y’all keep asking me about them.”
And on Trump:
“I would think he’d be too busy to comment on others. He has a lot going on with his lawsuits. I’m not sure why he’s not focused on that.”
She should say exactly that. 👍
Harry and Meghan are overshadowing the coronation and that’s all I wanted to see.
It’s beautiful to see isn’t it Amy Bee! And they aren’t even trying. Their existence is enough to overshadow Chuck and the Mistress
ITS GLORIOUS!!!!!!
The Sussex Squad fundraising for Archie’s and Lili’s birthdays is going well, charity is Kaboom, building playgrounds for underserving neighborhoods.
Slightly off-topic, but has anyone watched The Diplomat on Netflix with Keri Russel? The British and American culture clashes are funny. It’s pretty unrealistic and different scenarios but I kept thinking of Meghan while watching it. Clearly we’re talking about politics v royalty but more the fish out water scenario. The real US ambassador must be like yeah no it’s not like that all. In reality, she spends her time fielding Meghan and Harry questions.
I’m watching and loving it. It is pretty preposterous but it’s really fun. The acting and writing is so good. I love Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell. I hope there is a season 2 and more.
I want to watch this! I have to catch up on Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Bridgerton, Ghosted, Air… but it’s on the list. I just don’t have enough time to watch everything I want to watch right now!
So the King, worth billions, head of state for numerous countries, and almost 75 years old power player, needs “support” for his party? He has to have his son and daughter-in-law backing him up and showing loyalty?
Not only does that make Charles look weak (because he should be able to support himself) and vain (he’s fussed about support for a party celebrating fealty to him), but it makes him look STUPID.
Harry and Meghan’s support means nothing. Charles needs the support of people who aren’t living thousands of miles away. He needs the support of the aristos, the press, and the rest of his England dwelling family. Craving support from H&M makes him look dumb and short sighted.
Old UpChuck can’t see the forest through the trees.
Has he realized that he lives on a speck in the Ocean?
Embarrassing that such an unserious woman has a high-ranking political post.
Her background is serious, but the ambassadorship maybe not so much. I mean, it’s a plum position and high profile, but the UK is a nice, modern country without a lot of major emergencies the ambassador has to deal with – it’s not like she has to evacuate the embassy in the middle of a civil war, or something. This ambassadorship has pretty much always been a reward for political help. In any case, there’s nothing she can say about Charles, the coronation, or H&M except bland platitudes – that’s her job.
They’re not covered by NYT and WaPo that much because believe it or not, our press is apparently somewhat saner than the British press and don’t talk about people who aren’t doing anything but living their lives. (although NYT and WaPo did have stories up when Harry’s attendance was announced, lol.)
There’s no reason for NYT et al to talk about two private citizens who havent made a public appearance in months and even when they do, its not necessarily newsworthy to those publications. Like our coverage of them here is NORMAL, you know? Yes sometimes there is an article about them that gets it wrong or whatever, and obviously they’re in Page Six an absurd amount, but like…..I don’t know. I’m trying to think of how to word this. The press also isnt writing 200 stories a day about beyonce unless she is touring or releasing a new album. They don’t write endless stories about Angelina Jolie unless she’s in DC or the UN etc. We just don’t have that same obsession with people that aren’t being public in their lives, you know?
Yeah it’s weird The British media really tries to equate they’re not being talked about 24/7 by every talk show, newspaper, radio show so everyone hates them. It’s utterly bizarre how they really don’t get American culture and how people would react if the WaPo or NYT did cover them that way.
American papers cover American politics and the British press being obsessed with American citizen Meghan loving her life with her husband in California shows how parochial they really are.
I know Canadian media gets like this when there is a Canadian angle to stories, but canada wasn’t the head of an empire. What an embarrassment for the UK media to ask an ambassador questions like this. I bet they had to cover trump and his stupid comments but that is only because he is a former president.
“I do not comment on private citizens.” is all she should say about HM. Jfc, how is this so difficult?
So the 5th on line to the throne and his American wife are so powerful they can disrupt the Special Relationship? Is the UK still trying to get a trade deal with the US? I wonder if No 10 and Whitehall is really worried the BRF has messed up an alliance with the US because of the treatment of its countrywoman who marries into the family?
aquarius64, interesting questions. I think No 10 and Whitehall are worried because every time No. Ireland and/or the Good Friday Agreement is mentioned they know that Biden is listening very carefully. I think the other thing that Biden is careful about is that the Tories are the equivalent of the US rightwing. He knows what that means and he knows just how carefully he has to do everything or the bm will spread misinformation.
I hope that the people of the UK find these questions about H&M to the US Ambassador as absurd as we do. In the US, we would be astounded if the US media asked the UK Ambassador about Adele or any other British individual who lives here. This certainly shows us the the bm are not reporters or journalists.
Since the Monarch cannot do anything political, why does our President have to meet with KFC?
This only shows how the UK or UK media in particular, does not understand how HUGE the United States is. The continental US is about 3000 miles +/- wide. People on one side of the country do not care about what people on the other side of the country are doing. People in Rhode Island don’t GAF if Meghan took Archie to school or if Harry was seen riding a bike down the street. The only time the Sussexes would be covered in the NY Times or Washington Post is if it’s a Op-Ed from somebody seeking clout, a book review or they actually did something like get an award or their charity did something. That’s it. Only entertainment media would care about the Sussexes and quite frankly their daily comings and goings are not interesting enough to warrant wall to wall, daily coverage. The inability of British media to understand 99% of Americans don’t give 2Fs about what Harry & Meghan are doing is why they will continue to look and sound stupid when they ask Americans about Harry & Meghan.
With that said, the ambassador lady should have said she hopes the Coronation is a success but the American government doesn’t discuss what private American citizens and residents are doing.
Exactly! Tomorrow is Saturday! People will be going to festivals, picnics, music events, etc… not one person that I know will be watching their FOLLY!
That quote didn’t read to me like she wanted the Sussexes to support the King; it seems like she wanted the King to be supported at his coronation for the sake of the monarchy which is obviously understandable as the UK and US are allies and her job is to be diplomatic.
And yes she is right that the Sussexes who are hardly ever seen in public and rarely make public statements are not obsessively covered here like they are in rags like the Express that can pump out 40+ articles about them in a day and i imagine that is a huge part of the appeal for Harry in living here. There’s enough interest in them here to make his book and anything else they put out sell like hotcakes but not enough where he, Meghan, and the kids are hounded every day and subjected every morning to hour long roundtables of people arguing that Meghan straightening her hair is an attempt to bring down the monarchy.
Chelsea, I thought as you did until I went back and reread it. This is what is says, “And you know, I just hope that for this Coronation, there’s support for the King. That’s what I would want from them.” That’s definitely directed at H&M. If she had left off the last sentence, she would have been alright. Tell people what she wants from the Sussexes? She overstepped. I hope someone tells her to not comment in future.
Even the American ambassador to the UK can’t keep the Sussexes’ names out of her mouth. They ARE the stars of the coronation alright.
Brassy Rebel, I remember reading about Joe Kennedy’s removal as ambassador to GB and not only did he support appeasement, but supposedly made a fortune illegally selling booze to Germany. My exact recollection of FDR’s words, and he was fuming: “Get that sonofabitch out of there!”
The British media is so insular. They sound like small village people. And it always strikes me that they really have no understanding of how vast the US is. There really is no such thing as dominating/being popular/unpopular unless it’s a national issue – elections etc.
They are the size of Alabama and about the same mentally!
I think she spoke well.
Hartley is a serious player. Not a professional diplomatic but successful geopolitical analyst. Editor of the G7 Report, subscribed to by major corporations. The ambassador to UK, France and Japan are always big and well heeled donors because they have to have the funds to personally supplement the embassy budgets there. The congress does not appropriate the amount of funds needed to entertain the way the US needs to in those embassies. She is a twofer, actually. Rich and expert in the field.
I think the fact that our ambassador told the BM to look at the Washington Post and NY Times, to me is just saying how much more mature our journalists are compared to the BM obsession with HM and Biden not attending. It’s really the BM who are focusing on HM instead of their own king’s coronation. And in regards to the BRF PR, please look at their own team and advisers with all the mistakes and missteps they’ve done the past couple of years. Why they still employ these people who keep failing at tasks and not able to adapt to a changing world, is beyond me.
Going back to the What If moment. The firm forcefully let go 2 people who clearly and I mean clearly would have been Assets to the BRF. If the firm had only supported HM, they already had the charisma, work ethic and determination to help support the King’s initiatives . But they let their own pride, jealousies and biases take over and instead let go 2 people that could have made the BRF have a more positive visibility. What would the coronation look like this week IF they only supported HM instead of trashing them which caused them to leave the Uk. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out!
HM left, came to the US, and they’re still successful with the projects they have. And that’s why the BM and BRF are just obsessed and cannot fathom their success is still happening without them.
Support the King, my big behind.
The US has plenty of troubles we should be working to fix here and abroad.
War in Ukraine still going on, no?
The list of problems, we all know.
Fine, send First Lady to Coronation.
Everybody else including the Ambassadors, Diplomats, etc., etc.
Get useful work done!
Better yet if she had said that H&M are mentioned by the media in the US mostly for the several awards that they have won.
She should only say that HM are none of her business. The end. No further comment.
this type of event shows the world how small-minded and stupid their journalists are-they need to go back to school-there is so much to discuss good and bad in the UK that could help the country improve-asking questions about people who don’t live there anymore is downright shitstain thinking.
PS-I read someone ‘s take on Harry and Meghan’s decision about going to the cornation-Harry and Meghan made the best decision for their family obligations and royal obligations-meaning they were not going to neglect Archie’s birthday that is a family obligation-the cornation is a duty and family obligation for Harry-if the royals and the media had any thinking sense about family obligations they would be better people-Harry is meeting an obligation and request by his father-Meghan is meeting her obligation as a parent. she is being respectful of Charles’s big day which is not about the Sussexes at all-