Duchess of Sussex, Current Events 1: September 2018 - February 2019

[Stargazer]

The taxpayers are not paying anything extra for Doria to sit in the front seat of a car that is being used by working royals to go to the same place. If she had there would have been complaints from others of using multiple vehicles and the harm to the environment. Or some other complaint. Always some complaint.

 

[Anna Catherine]

Well, if Eugenie could have a carriage ride then Doria should be okey.

What does that have to do with anything?!

Also a couple of you seem to be ignoring the fact that I have no problem with Doria being there. I enjoyed the event. Just because I like someone doesn’t mean everything they do is right or that you can’t have legitimate criticisms or concerns. In the span of 10 minutes, I’ve had 3 posters make snarky remarks at me for voicing a concern because my entire post was glowing praise. It’s ridiculous! Not only that but you’re not contributing to the discussion.

 

[nightsky]

What does that have to do with anything?!

Also a couple of you seem to be ignoring the fact that I have no problem with Doria being there. I enjoyed the event. Just because I like someone doesn’t mean everything they do is right or that you can’t have legitimate criticisms or concerns. In the span of 10 minutes, I’ve had 3 posters make snarky remarks at me for voicing a concern because my entire post was glowing praise. It’s ridiculous! Not only that but you’re not contributing to the discussion.

I wasn’t trying to be snarky. I’m just saying there are bigger waste of tax payer dollars out there.

 

[jacqui24]

I mean, honestly, the car ride to the event that would've happened with or without Doria is quite petty. Come on.

 

[Anna Catherine]

That would be wasteful coming in a different vehicle. I’m just thinking of car pooling!Now if the taxpayer paid her way to to the UK I would be upset!

It doesn’t matter...she’s not a working royal and the funds for transportation and then attending are taxpayers funds.

It’s like using a company car. Unless stipulated and allowed you shouldn’t using it for personal means or have friends and family with you in the vehicle. It’s just how it works for royals. Like I said hopefully they address that the next time. Doria can be there I loved that she was but arriving with them is another issue. This wasn’t a family event.

Edit: The money for Doria to attend should come out of their personal expenses not the funding they get because she is a private citizen and not a working royal. When they go to work related events, the ride is on taxpayer money. When private, their own. It’s simple.

Besides that I one part of what I said. I’m not saying any more about. Otherwise I enjoyed everything.

 

[AlowVera]

Doria mentioned that she was happy to be able to put the recipes together with the faces. I have a feeling that Meghan shared in depth with her mother the recipes and the personal stories with the women. She came to know the project and the recipes and the personal stories through Meghan. She was incredibly proud of her daughter. I hope that as a social worker she is inspired by this project and perhaps will incorporate the lessons learned in her own job as a social worker. She was not present for the free ride or the food but seemed actively touched by the women, their stories and their recipes.

 

[jacqui24]

Doria mentioned that she was happy to be able to put the recipes together with the faces. I have a feeling that Meghan shared in depth with her mother the recipes and the personal stories with the women. She came to know the project and the recipes and the personal stories through Meghan. She was incredibly proud of her daughter. I hope that as a social worker she is inspired by this project and perhaps will incorporate the lessons learned in her own job as a social worker. She was not present for the free ride or the food but seemed actively touched by the women, their stories and their recipes.

Not to mention Meghan specifically talked about her mother and grandmother and what their recipes meant to her in the foreword. So I thought it was quite fitting.

 

[sndral]

...
So, what was the board's response when Catherine had Pippa join her for Wimbledon taking the central seats in the men's finals in 2012 using a Range Rover to arrive and leave together. Greeting dignataries etc. Did it lead to an enormous outcry?

Actually, there was a lot of criticism that yet again the 'upstart, social climbing, wisteria sister' Middleton's' were trying to climb the social ladder - so the classism undertone which drives a lot of the criticism of Catherine's 'middle class' family was out in full force.

I think that's a big part of why the Queen made a point to invite the Middletons to Ascot and to place them in one of the carriages in order to show that she accepted them, middle class or not, as part of the extended family. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...leton-family-royal-procession-Ladies-Day.html

First, Catherine was not patron of Wimbledon at the time and therefore attending the event was not work. Second, I only have an issue with Doria arriving with Meghan and Harry because this is work and therefore transportation is tax-payer funded. Doria arriving in the car with them shouldn’t happen. Hopefully, it’ll be addressed next time.
...

Really - I mean is this a for real criticism - how does that work? Harry and Meghan were leaving their KP cottage and driving to the venue together in one car. Doria was at the same cottage and going to the same place and some believe she should not have been allowed to ride in the same car which was going to and from the same places and had room for all three of them...because???
I mean did it cost more taxpayer money because Doria's extra weight caused the car to use more gasoline... or what?
I wonder if the Queen will be seen with Doria in a car next, (as she was with Meghan's beagle Guy) imagine the uproar, the Queen, at least, is not a snob.

 

[wyevale]

I’ve had 3 posters make snarky remarks at me for voicing a concern

Have you not heard ? ANY [perceived] criticism of the Duchess and her decisions, will bring down endless opprobrium on your head.. Her fan club are FIERCE, in these parts.

It really is just easier to 'scroll on by' rather than risk it, by adverse comment...

 

[Anna Catherine]

Actually, there was a lot of criticism that yet again the 'upstart, social climbing, wisteria sister' Middleton's' were trying to climb the social ladder - so the classism undertone which drives a lot of the criticism of Catherine's 'middle class' family was out in full force.

I think that's a big part of why the Queen made a point to invite the Middletons to Ascot and to place them in one of the carriages in order to show that she accepted them, middle class or not, as part of the extended family. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...leton-family-royal-procession-Ladies-Day.html



Really - I mean is this a for real criticism - how does that work? Harry and Meghan were leaving their KP cottage and driving to the venue together in one car. Doria was at the same cottage and going to the same place and some believe she should not have been allowed to ride in the same car which was going to and from the same places and had room for all three of them...because???
I mean did it cost more taxpayer money because Doria's extra weight caused the car to use more gasoline... or what?
I wonder if the Queen will be seen with Doria in a car next, (as she was with Meghan's beagle Guy) imagine the uproar, the Queen, at least, is not a snob.

I explained this up above. It’s not complicated. Public/work vs private. I’m not making a big deal out of anything. It’s a thing. If you don’t know or don’t understand, go look it up. I’m not continuing to talk about it with you guys since you can’t have a constructive conversation and take everything as negative.

Have you not heard ? ANY [perceived] criticism of the Duchess and her decisions, will bring down endless opprobrium on your head.. Her fan club are FIERCE, in these parts.

It really is just easier to 'scroll on by' rather than risk it, by adverse comment...

Yes, I’m realizing that...

 

[Osipi]

Really - I mean is this a for real criticism - how does that work? Harry and Meghan were leaving their KP cottage and driving to the venue together in one car. Doria was at the same cottage and going to the same place and some believe she should not have been allowed to ride in the same car which was going to and from the same places and had room for all three of them...because???
I mean did it cost more taxpayer money because Doria's extra weight caused the car to use more gasoline... or what?
I wonder if the Queen will be seen with Doria in a car next, (as she was with Meghan's beagle Guy) imagine the uproar, the Queen, at least, is not a snob.

When I read that they arrived all together, I figured that they were not staying at Nottingham Cottage but rather their rented place out in the Cotswolds. It then would be necessary that Harry and Meghan were driven to the event at KP.

I seriously doubt that Doria's added weight in the car drained the vehicle's gas tank or caused more wear and tear on the vehicle more than if it had just been Harry, Meghan and the RPOs. If Doria had been given her own private escort and vehicle to arrive at KP, the bleating would be all about Doria being treated as a "royal". Go figure.

 

[Empress Merel]

When criticism becomes ridiculous, don't expect people not to react. Her mother attending an event on the grounds of KP is not an issue.

 

[Lady Reem]

@Gertsroyals
Over the years we've seen a fair number of the british royals bring their children, sibilings, parents, ex-spouse, etc. with them on offical engagement. There is no rule against it, when there is some sort of reason or connection.
10:35 AM · Sep 20, 2018

I’m not going to touch upon the double standard aspect/lack of outrage/outcry at the above situations and the strange fact the world didn’t spin off its axis then, safe to say that even when Doria was fairly unknown and went about her business she was still ripped apart by commentators & media types. So let them at it, mehhh

 

[Rudolph]

Have you not heard ? ANY [perceived] criticism of the Duchess and her decisions, will bring down endless opprobrium on your head.. Her fan club are FIERCE, in these parts.

It really is just easier to 'scroll on by' rather than risk it, by adverse comment...

Even when the person who made the comment was 99% percent positive. That won’t due. 100% or look out.

 

[Somebody]

First, Catherine was not patron of Wimbledon at the time and therefore attending the event was not work. Second, I only have an issue with Doria arriving with Meghan and Harry because this is work and therefore transportation is tax-payer funded. Doria arriving in the car with them shouldn’t happen. Hopefully, it’ll be addressed next time.

Other than that I think it was a wonderful event and initiative. I loved that her mother attended her first personal event and project launch as a royal. I highly doubt it will be a habitual thing. She was very well-spoken and it’s right in line with her interests. Harry and her mother seemed very proud. Meghan should be proud. I’ll glad it was a more private event and not too big so that she could feel more at home and at ease. It must be daunting to do these events solo at first so I’m glad she had support.

As the reception was held at Kensington Palace I wondered why they needed transportation at all. Couldn't all three of them just walk?

 

[jacqui24]

Second, I only have an issue with Doria arriving with Meghan and Harry because this is work and therefore transportation is tax-payer funded. Doria arriving in the car with them shouldn’t happen. Hopefully, it’ll be addressed next time.

Now that I've thought about it, wasn't there reporting that Prince Charles just bought a Jaguar electric car for his engagements in London. If that's the case, I would assume Harry and Meghan's engagement vehicle is the same set up. How is that costing taxpayer if it's funded by PoW?

 

[Osipi]

As the reception was held at Kensington Palace I wondered why they needed transportation at all. Couldn't all three of them just walk?

My guess is that they were staying with Doria at their rented place in the Cotswolds rather than at Nottingham Cottage. That's why transportation was needed.

 

[Somebody]

It doesn’t matter...she’s not a working royal and the funds for transportation and then attending are taxpayers funds.

It’s like using a company car. Unless stipulated and allowed you shouldn’t using it for personal means or have friends and family with you in the vehicle. It’s just how it works for royals. Like I said hopefully they address that the next time. Doria can be there I loved that she was but arriving with them is another issue. This wasn’t a family event.

Edit: The money for Doria to attend should come out of their personal expenses not the funding they get because she is a private citizen and not a working royal. When they go to work related events, the ride is on taxpayer money. When private, their own. It’s simple.

Besides that I one part of what I said. I’m not saying any more about. Otherwise I enjoyed everything.

We've had company cars (lease and otherwise) from different companies and in different countries and never has there been a stipulation that nobody could join us for a ride. There are rules around who is allowed to drive the car (either only the employee or spouse as well) and whether private rides are allowed to a certain extend etc but never was it even suggested that others were not allowed into the car; especially not if they just join you on a trip you are already taking. Last week my husband's boss even dropped me off at our home which meant a small deviation from his normal route from work to home, on the way there he also managed to pick up his teenage son (who doesn't work at the company either) which required another short deviation. All of this is fully accepted practice and well within the boundaries enforced by the company.

So, while I appreciate your critical perspective (as of course not all Meghan (nor any of us) does is perfect), I do think that you apply extremely strict rules that wouldn't be applied in most other cases.

 

[soapstar]

Let's move on from the discussion about whether Camilla, Kate, Sophie and Diana’s families have attended royal events. As has been pointed out, in-laws have attended royal events before and in-laws have also been criticized for attending royal events. So none of this new. Any further comments will be deleted.

I've also removed a few comments about the Markles. Please remember that this thread is not about them.

 

[Dman]

A nice full length video coverage of yesterday’s event-

 

[MARG]

I love the way Harry handled his unexpected gaffe, It is a cultural thing and his grinning, moving his hands and arms back and coming in for a triple six-inch clearance "air kiss" with his eyes dancing and that inimitable grin disarmed an awkward moment and made people laugh. So did his pinching a couple or three samosas.

 

[Pranter]

The pinching of the samosas was quite cheeky..so Harry.


LaRae

 

[Zonk]

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[Curryong]

It was all very Harry, and his sense of fun. He wanted those samosas for when he felt a bit peckish later I'll bet, as I'm sure he had a full lunch!

 

[jacqui24]

LMAO! I saw the complete clip with Harry and sneaking those samosas all the way to the car. He’s cheeky, but he needs to realize he’s so so obvious.

 

[Pranter]

He really does remind me of Diana at times...this is one of those times. I can imagine what Meghan said to him after they got into the car..lol


LaRae

 

[jacqui24]

He was in fine form that day. He’s more relaxed and stayed in the background and just had fun while letting his wife do her thing.

 

[Pranter]

Yes just one of the husbands that tagged along lol I saw a couple others!

He's still beaming away in public nowdays.


LaRae

 

[jacqui24]

Yes just one of the husbands that tagged along lol I saw a couple others!

He's still beaming away in public nowdays.


LaRae

Did you see the one where the wind blew Meghan’s hair into his face, and he started blowing at it?

 

[Pranter]

Did you see the one where the wind blew Meghan’s hair into his face, and he started blowing at it?

Yes! That was so funny! Then he pushed her hair
down ...and after that he put his chin on her shoulder? Did you see that clip? Very sweet!


LaRae