Duke and Duchess of Sussex, General News 2: December 2018 - February 2019

[Dman]

Despite it all, she’s doing what the royals do best..carrying on with her head held high and with a smile on her face. I just feel bad a pregnant woman is being put through so much.

[King of the Jungle]

Personally, I think the usual 'don't complain, don't explain' works the best for the BRF.
If they are going to bring proper charges against someone then communicate through legal or confidential avenues.

Keep a dignified silence and ignore the press and hurtful online comments.
There has been too much in the press, instigated by Meghan's family. I think many people would lump all the Markle noise in together - as unfair as that seems to Meghan's well meaning 'friends'.

Meghan is attending engagements looking very well, fortunately.

[Heavs]

I doubt there's anything that would actually be legally actionable but even if there was the "but they shouldn't do anything/say anything" would still be there. For some the narrative is "we should be able to say anything we like including having people brief against you and writing blatant lies to get clicks/sell copies but you can't do anything ever".

We know the staff often try to privately brief or come to an agreement but that doesn't seem to have worked in this case when things like bump cupping is discussed as a controversy on national news programmes and not as a personal choice of a heavily pregnant woman.

[MARG]

I imagine the horrendous down-side of social media with which she has always had a fairly benign relationship and royal reporters claiming utterly vile things about her and Catherine's supposed feud, etc. must have come as a rude shock. Worse, not being in a position to stand up and say "that didn't happen!" or "that's not true" has probably been a source of more than a little heartache to Meghan and, by extension, Harry.

She is now in a totally new environment, expected to say nothing and do nothing, be totally above such scurrilous trash, supremely unaffected and treating it with the contempt it deserves.

But the trouble is, it is 2019 and the type of attacks have changed from those aimed at the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Prince Charles, etc.twenty odd years ago. This is a whole new world of trial by gossip, whether the gossip rags or on blogs, etc and are totally different. There are no newspapers to sue, no way to receive redress of the wrongs done to them.

Never complain, never explain may have been Queen Mary's dictum, but it really doesn't cut the mustard these days, which is why I can see friends of Meghan trying to help out but unaware that this behaviour unbelievably, is seen as unacceptable as the original dirt.

All is pure to the pure and watching Meghan writing messages on bananas came from a place of thoughtful kindness, the media saw it as facile and pathetic and so very Hollywood.

I believe I will make a conscious decision to see the world through Harry and Meghan's eyes, understand that kindness is never wasted, and know that trying to be the best person you can be without fear or favour is the best we can do in this world. The colours are brighter and the people nicer in that world.

[CTchic]

It must be hard for these friends to see Meghan being battered and bruised by the UK media. FGS SHE IS PREGNANT! Has anyone had a thought for the baby? While there are gushy parts to the article, you can Google and YouTube variations of Meghan's actions.

Funny how some of you take the negative stories as fact but are cynical and question anything positive Meghan does. Just say you hate her and go.

Originally Posted by Heavs

I doubt there's anything that would actually be legally actionable but even if there was the "but they shouldn't do anything/say anything" would still be there. For some the narrative is "we should be able to say anything we like including having people brief against you and writing blatant lies to get clicks/sell copies but you can't do anything ever".

We know the staff often try to privately brief or come to an agreement but that doesn't seem to have worked in this case when things like bump cupping is discussed as a controversy on national news programmes and not as a personal choice of a heavily pregnant woman.

Not to forget Bananagate and blaming her for drought and famine because she likes avocado.

Originally Posted by King of the Jungle

Personally, I think the usual 'don't complain, don't explain' works the best for the BRF.
If they are going to bring proper charges against someone then communicate through legal or confidential avenues.

Keep a dignified silence and ignore the press and hurtful online comments.
There has been too much in the press, instigated by Meghan's family. I think many people would lump all the Markle noise in together - as unfair as that seems to Meghan's well meaning 'friends'.

Meghan is attending engagements looking

That era died. The digital era has ushered in clickbait and Meghan is a gold mine.

Originally Posted by alvinking

My question is why do they care?
They are not mainline, they are irrelevant, they are so low on the totem pole, They are not senior royals, they have been sent to Frogmore; a graveyard, their children should not be HRH. This is the usual mantra even here. So really why do they care since they are so irrelevant.

Because the media got called out for their BS reporting.

[muriel]

Why WAS the Palace kept in the dark over Meghan's media fightback? Royal handlers were only told about article featuring duchess's letter to her father MINUTES before publication

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...fightback.html

[Dman]

Originally Posted by muriel

Why WAS the Palace kept in the dark over Meghan's media fightback? Royal handlers were only told about article featuring duchess's letter to her father MINUTES before publication

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...fightback.html

Don’t fall for the oke doke headline. The palace knows what they’re doing.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Dman

Don’t fall for the oke doke headline. The palace knows what they’re doing.

I am not falling for anything, but it is clear that this story is not going away i a hurry.

[Lady Reem]

I suppose the good thing to come out of all this for Meghan is that sections of the U.K. tabloid/media, a few palace operatives, as well as those estranged relatives of hers, now know Meghan’s friends are prepared and will somehow confront the smear campaigns from wherever they spring. I hope that gives Meghan some comfort at least.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Lady Reem

I suppose the good thing to come out of all this is that we the public, sections of the media and Harry’s family now know Meghan’s friends are prepared and will somehow confront the smear campaigns from wherever they spring. I hope that gives Meghan some comfort at least.

Quite the contrary. All this proves to me is that, if this has been authorised tacitly or otherwise by Meghan, her judgement in these matters is not great. Apart from the obvious issues of engaging with the media, she will be attracting the disapproval of the Queen, Charles, William and the Palace machinery; never a great step, and certainly not one so early in her royal career.

[Dman]

Originally Posted by muriel

Quite the contrary. All this proves to me is that, if this has been authorised tacitly or otherwise by Meghan, her judgement in these matters is not great. Apart from the obvious issues of engaging with the media, she will be attracting the disapproval of the Queen, Charles, William and the Palace machinery; never a great step, and certainly not one so early in her royal career.

No, there wouldn’t be a disapproval because the same folks you just named have done the same thing. They’ve been there, done this.

[muriel]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ying-fire.html

RICHARD KAY: Like Princess Diana, I fear that Meghan may be playing with fire by allowing friends to speak for her
By RICHARD KAY, EDITOR AT LARGE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 23:40, 7 February 2019 | UPDATED: 01:47, 8 February 2019

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by muriel

Quite the contrary. All this proves to me is that, if this has been authorised tacitly or otherwise by Meghan, her judgement in these matters is not great. Apart from the obvious issues of engaging with the media, she will be attracting the disapproval of the Queen, Charles, William and the Palace machinery; never a great step, and certainly not one so early in her royal career.

While I am not openly suggesting some of the relentless attacks against Meghan originate from a few of the names you mention, she hasn’t exactly received help from that side either. For a pregnant newly married royal who hasn’t actually done anything bad, this just isn’t good enough quite frankly.

[CTchic]

Originally Posted by muriel

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ying-fire.html

RICHARD KAY: Like Princess Diana, I fear that Meghan may be playing with fire by allowing friends to speak for her
By RICHARD KAY, EDITOR AT LARGE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 23:40, 7 February 2019 | UPDATED: 01:47, 8 February 2019

He can't write anything without Diana. Btw last I checked, Meghan did not give the interview to People.

[Terri Terri]

I don't read the DM articles so I don't know which "palace aides" they are referring to.

Be that as it may, I will write here what I posted on another message board.

I do think that KP has begun to work on this whole cyber bullying issue in particular. Some things are too coincidental to ignore.

1.William made a very important speech last year about cyberbullying and did plead with the social media inventors to work on solutions
2. KP hired a new communications/PR staff member in December
3. Meghan was publicly seen having lunch with said staffer
4. Hello started their "Hello to kindness" campaign aimed at the cyber abuse of Kate and Meghan
5. The DM "outed" Meghan's social media trolls (sarcasm intended here as I thought their actions were hypocritical)
6. KP has asked Instagram for assistance with the cyber bullying issue

I have wondered if KP has reached out to these publications.

[Terri Terri]

Originally Posted by Lady Reem

While I am not openly suggesting some of the relentless attacks against Meghan originate from a few of the names you mention, she hasn’t exactly received help from that side either. For a pregnant newly married royal who hasn’t actually done anything bad, this just isn’t good enough quite frankly.

If indeed these "palace aides" were not informed, it tells me that there is an issue with trust. Especially since the smear campaign against Meghan in the last few months were from so-called "palace sources".

Funny how since these "palace aides" were NOT informed until the last minute and there was no leak of this story. Coincidence?

[alvinking]

Originally Posted by muriel

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ying-fire.html

RICHARD KAY: Like Princess Diana, I fear that Meghan may be playing with fire by allowing friends to speak for her
By RICHARD KAY, EDITOR AT LARGE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 23:40, 7 February 2019 | UPDATED: 01:47, 8 February 2019

The pot calling the kettle black. Of all people on this earth, it is Richard Kay who has the nerve to say that. Really astonishing It is as if he is suffering of memory loss

[muriel]

Originally Posted by alvinking

The pot calling the kettle black. Of all people on this earth, it is Richard Kay who has the nerve to say that. Really astonishing It is as if he is suffering of memory loss

Whilst there is no doubt that Richard may have been one of Diana's key "enablers" in her trysts with the media, his broader point is actually highlighting that it can be a slippery slope, with a lot more for Meghan to loose than gain.

[Terri Terri]

The difference is that Meghan has a husband who loves and supports her. Diana did not. Harry is a true protector of his wife and I can imagine that he has wanted to address the abuse that Meghan has received just like he did in November 2016.

[Madame Verseau]

Never complain never explain was not working. I'm glad there was pushback for Meghan.