The Royalist, Tom Sykes, had yet another exclusive about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Cotswolds adventures. Reportedly, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet started school in the Cotswolds area last week, and Harry and Meghan are still adjusting to life back in the UK. There have been zero photos of the Sussex family in the Cotswolds thus far, which I take as a good sign. However, there have been sightings. Two weeks ago, Meghan apparently stopped by Soho Farmhouse (which is in the area) and she was introduced to some of the employees there. Well, now Sykes says that Harry was seen at Soho Farmhouse last Thursday. Here are the basics (I’m editing down some of Sykes’ over-the-top analysis).
Following up on the world’s least surprising scoop (that Meghan’s first sighting in the wild in the UK was at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire last week), my sources tell me that Prince Harry was spotted at the Soho Farmhouse pool area on Thursday.
Yes, hold on to your hats with astonishment because my sources tell me that Harry was wandering around the reception of the pool area, known as the Boat House (the incidence of “Something-House” related puns in the nomenclature of Soho House’s various areas is, I must caution you, a wearying feature of the franchise), looking for a towel.
History, sadly, does not relate where the rogue royal headed next, whether to the delights of the gym, the pool house, the ice house or the steam house (I jest, but, you see what I mean).
Soho House is a private members’ club, but it has a vast membership, and, given that Prince Harry’s office has declined thus far to confirm on the record that he and his children (the fifth, sixth and seventh in line to the British throne) have moved to the United Kingdom, I consider this, and the sighting of Meghan there that came my way last week from my impeccable Cotswold sources, more than valid stories to report.
The country outpost of the storied members’ club in North Oxfordshire is about 40 minutes away from the property where I am told Harry is staying, which I am not naming.
But here’s the thing that strikes me most forcefully about the Sussexes’ apparent adoption of Soho Farmhouse as their local: it is, without question, one of the single most high-profile venues in the English countryside. The reality is that while members and their guests are not allowed to take photographs, the comings and goings of famous faces have a way of getting back to ink-stained wretches like me. If you go to Soho Farmhouse, someone like me is probably going to hear about it.
If Harry and Meghan genuinely did not want to be seen, well, one assumes that the lavish property where Harry is staying comes equipped with its own bench press, and quite possibly its own pool.
There is also the property question. The Sussexes rented a house in the nearby village of Great Tew when they were working royals, and there has been persistent speculation that they have been looking at property near Farmhouse, including one house in particular, quite close to the entrance, which I’m told has been on the market for a long time and could suit them: a big house with a decent amount of land. Every journalist on the planet has been sent the brochures of houses they might be looking at, could be looking at, and no doubt among them are houses they actually are looking at.
Hello Magazine actually confirmed that there were sightings of both Meghan and Harry at Soho Farmhouse last week: “HELLO! understands that Harry used the gym on the premises, before enjoying brunch with his wife.” Nice. They had brunch after the school run, I am assuming. In a separate piece, Sykes called these Soho Farmhouse visits part of the Sussexes’ “normalization campaign.” Because why simply say “hey, Harry and Meghan had brunch at their favorite private club” when you could turn it into a five-act drama? I don’t think this is a normalization campaign as much as it’s Harry and Meghan trying to replicate the kind of peaceful, low-drama life they had in Montecito.
Photos courtesy of Netflix, Meghan’s Instagram.
Tom calls himself an ink-stained wretch. Wretch definition: “1. an unfortunate or unhappy person.” Yep, that’s accurate, and funny that he admits it in writing! These people are miserable.
Yes, a rare bit of insight.
Who said H&M don’t want to be seen? The only ones who wish that are Charles, William and Kate.
I mean, maybe they want to be seen, or not, but Sykes’ sliminess still shines through.
1. Sykes pays some mole at Soho Farmhouse–that’s not anything remotely like courting publicity.
2. Sykes “assumes” Harry’s has a pool and bench press at his “lavish” new Cotswolds digs; how convenient for pivoting to Harry being a hypocrite for not staying home to use his hypothetical pool that may not even exist.
Hope Soho Farmhouse tracks down this mole and fires them or kicks them out.
Rich couple does rich couple things…..breaking news for Tom Sykes, lol.
This line though – “If Harry and Meghan genuinely did not want to be seen…” – who said they didnt want to be seen? I dont think they especially WANT to be seen, but I dont think they DONT want to be seen…..if that makes sense. I think they’re living their lives as many of us do – meeting up with friends, the school run, kids’ activities, work etc – and if someone sees them, then whatever, it’s fine. They didnt live behind 10 ft walls in Montecito and never emerge. They lived their lives and sometimes the press got a tip about them at a restaurant or something, which is what happens with celebrities.
I think the same thing will happen here. They will be seen out and about because…..well that’s how people live.
My thoughts exactly. When did they claim that they didn’t want to be seen?
It’s like the whole ‘privacy’ thing: derangers cannot understand that posting personal curated stuff on your own account isn’t an invasion of privacy. Snooping reporters and paps are.
Tommy , according to your king there are private citizens so please allow them to do what the f they want without stalking and reporting on their every move. This man’ really needs to be on a watchlist. He is not well
The tone of this is so bizarre, like Sykes has caught Harry and Meghan doing something embarrassing.
Maybe for certain types of people in certain spheres, it *is* scandalous being seen to actually like one’s spouse!
Or Sykes thinks H&M existing outside is the real issue, etc. etc. He’s deranged and exhausting.
So they’re not allowed to socialize now? Does this wretch (his words, not mine) expect them to stay secluded in their bolt hole like hibernating animals or something? JFC.
“Soho House is a private members’ club, but it has a vast membership…”
Here’s what he’s doing. Soho House is a private member’s club. Such clubs pride themselves on discretion and live or die by their reputation for discretion. The fact that Sykes has now TWICE published details about the Sussexes’ visit to the club reflects poorly on the club’s reputation and Sykes knows this. There are only around 5 people (max) who could have told him anything, because the staff are not leaking, and he knows that it’s only a matter of time before one or all of these people are identified and ostracised – or booted from the club. I suspect one of these people is his sister, and he’s probably already in hot water with her because of his need to be seen as “in the know”. And it’s not just about “photographs” as he knows full well. It’s about the TOTALITY of discretion. Members don’t snitch on other members. They mind their business. So people can meet and have private discussions about mergers and takeovers, for example, without it ending up in the news media.
So by emphasising that it has a “vast membership” he’s muddying the waters and pretending that “ANYone” could have given him this information – as IF. People will either soon stop talking to him or feed him outright lies which will get him into trouble. He’s packing his reporting with excuses and justifications for breaching their privacy because he KNOWS that he’s in the wrong and could be looking at a cease and desist letter in the very near future. I hope this happens sooner rather than later.
And the absolute NERVE. The entitlement. He’s literally saying that he feels justified in stalking the Sussexes (two PRIVATE citizens) and revealing their private movements because their communications team refuses to give him information? I’m glad to hear that they are being so discerning.
I briefly posted this comment but deleted it when I saw you posted this a minute before me, so I’m posting as a comment to your excellent post.
I can’t imagine that SoHo Farmhouse is pleased with this type of specific reporting about its private members activities down to the date, approximate time, and activities within, going beyond the occasional reports of “Sir Paul McCartney is sometimes seen there” or so-and-so is known to be a member. Are we going to start seeing reports now of what they ate or who Harry or Meghan was seen conversing with?
Exactly! SoHo Farmhouse will NOT be pleased, and neither will its other members. And for the most part, they aren’t going to blame Harry and Meghan, they are going to blame whoever is talking to Sykes. Meghan and Harry actually met and dined at SoHo House in London and NO-ONE leaked a thing. He spent at least one night there with her and there was NO leak, in a city where the risks of a leak would have been higher. She has visited SoHo Houses all over the world and there has never been a single leak about her movements. But they visit a remotely located place in the Cotswolds and all of a sudden every visit is being leaked, with descriptions of what they did?
The nerve of the man. He’s saying “if you didn’t want me to write about your visits then you shouldn’t go to SoHo Farmhouse” but he would STARVE to death if he and his stalker buddies didn’t write or talk about the Sussexes, and especially about Meghan.
I had been hoping that their security team added Sykes to the long list of fixated persons after he stalked Meghan to Switzerland, but if they haven’t, after this breach of privacy and his insistence that he has the right to stalk and harass them, I sincerely hope that they add him to it without further hesitation.
I agree with your excellent points @Magdalena. His sources are going to dry up, whether its his sister or someone else, because SoHo House isn’t going to be happy about these kinds of leaks and other members aren’t going to be happy. Is it a big deal that Harry and Meghan had brunch there? of course not. is it that big a deal if [insert celeb name here] has a drink there? of course not. but like you said its about the totality of discretion and privacy. The staff aren’t going to fall on the sword and take the blame for these leaks bc that would mean losing their jobs. So whoever is ratting out to Sykes is going to find themselves in hot water very soon.
And yes, the idea that Sykes has a right to know where Harry has brunch because his team hasn’t confirmed to him that they’ve moved back is….disturbing.
Well, someone around the pool area is talking.
Excuse you, “pool house.” that really bothered Sykes didnt it lol.
@Becks1 – Lol, those grapes are sooo sour.
I think it’s more emphasizing the oddness of it. England is huge on private member’s clubs, and soho house is quite far down the food chain. Anyone and their mother can join. The more elite ones are 5 Hertford street, etc. It is a bit odd that Meghan and Harry make Sohohouse their go to. Maybe just because the other main ones are in London?
Nothing odd about it at all. Meghan has been a SoHo House member for years, long before she met Harry, and she is very close to the top team, especially to Markus, one of the leadership team. SoHo House is considered to be elite in some circles, so I guess it’s a matter of viewpoint. It’s not snobbish or exclusive in the sense of the “elite” ones you mention. A fair number of its members are working professionals, as Meghan was before she married and remains to this day.
Meghan has always been a loyal and supportive friend. But she would not remain associated with SoHo House if she did not enjoy the experience of being in their locations in whichever country she visits and the discretion it affords its members – until this leech Sykes latched onto her and decided to use her name for clicks to boost his bank balance, without caring that he’s harming the very sources he keeps boasting about. She has never struck me as the sort of person who would only want to belong to a club because it is “elite”. And to be fair, neither has Harry.
Oh dear: “Every journalist on the planet has been sent the brochures of houses they might be looking at, could be looking at, and no doubt among them are houses they actually are looking at.”
On the planet? Every journalist? Really?!! 😀 But I thought they were irrelevant? 😀
Sykes has found his golden goose in Harry and Meghan and has to churn out a constant stream of over dramatic guff to keep his Substack and YouTube subscribers happy. I did watch a few of his videos and observing his descent into local village drama club level acting was initially morbidly entertaining, but now he’s trapped himself into a corner and any mention of a balanced observation is met with a vitriolic response. And he has the nerve to call Harry and Meghan grifters.
Is it that Tom Syko believed that Harry was not a member of Soho House? I don’t get why he’s upset about them going to Soho House.
Also I just looked it up and the membership prices dont seem that exorbitant. Like even a basic country club around here costs more (let alone the swanky golf clubs.) Is the point that the membership is exclusive, and you have to apply etc?
Sykes doesn’t seem to know what a pun is. It’s not a pun to attach “House” after another noun.
But more importantly, he’s such a ridiculous man, acting as if it’s some huge scoop that Harry was wandering around a club’s reception area. What’s the next scoop? Prince sips sports drink after working out! Prince uses club towel to wipe away sweat! Prince leaves club to go home!
Really earth-shattering developments there, Syko.
The black and white photos of Meghan and Harry knock me out. Swoon-worthy.
Tom Sykes keeps diving into the pool without checking to see if there’s any water in it.
He’s getting more and more sweaty, isn’t he?
What a weirdo!
So, Tom’s Soho Farmhouse “plant” calls him up on Thursday and says that he saw Prince Harry wandering around the Soho Farmhouse pool…possibly to find a towel.
And he comes up with THIS article. It’s embarrassing–I wouldn’t even sign my name to it.
Poor Sykes tries to make a case out of anything and everything the Sussexes do, like most of those too-tightly-laced royalist commentators. They all try so hard to use logic to make illogical points – it’s ridiculous. Meghan was allegedly spotted briefly at a private members-only club but he goes all in with the Orwellian paradoxes. She’s running around in public! Next, we’ll probably see her hanging her laundry! She might as well start busking at Buckingham Palace!