Duke and Duchess of Sussex, General News 3: February - May 2019


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If she had learned her lessons, she would have developed a sixth sense for what is proper and what not as a member of the Firm. Her adventures last week suggests she still has to learn a lot. I am surprised that apparently there is no guidance from the men in grey suits. Or from her father-in-law and husband. Or there was but the Duchess made her own judgement.

OR...
She is confident enough to trust her own and Harry's judgement on what is proper. Honestly, sometimes it seems like we think it is a GOOD thing that the UK establishment acts like a bunch of high school girls to enforce highly dated rules of proper dress.
We have heard all this before especially with the height of Kate's skirts. I don't want to get off on a fashion discussion but Meg is just not doing anything that crazy that we need the smelling salts.
Why is it that we complain when the royal men are rumpled or not flashing enough cuff, but we shame women's judgement for different fashion choices. It's sexist and ridiculous.
Sorry - had to let that out. :flowers:
 
At least we're not back in the time where girls were told that only "bad girls" wore patent leather shoes because they reflect up to you know where.

And yes, I was schooled to believe this. :lol:
 
I think it's probably just a legal threat. I hope Thomas Markle isn't sued. He absolutely did the wrong thing, reprehensible really, in giving this letter to a newspaper (or selling it to them) but a Royal suing anyone isn't a good look, and that goes double for a new Royal taking legal action against her own father, even though she is in the right.
...
Since that same article also reports that BP took issue with photographs taken of the Queen and Anne at a pheasant shoot, both could be legal threats aimed at changing behavior rather than an actual intent to sue. Perhaps aimed at getting the publication to remove the complained of content from their sites?
The article also mentions Charles’ suit in 2005 over publication of his private written commentary. I recall William and Catherine’s successful lawsuit against the French magazine. The Middleton’s threatening to take action for photos of their family playing tennis years ago, etc..
The pattern I have gleaned is that they don’t often sue, but occasionally the Royals do sue, so I am not surprised that Meghan’s advisors have perhaps decided to do as has been done in the past and suggested legal action in this case when the press has gone a step too far. In this I don’t see Meghan as any different than every other member of the BRF. I am reminded of Harry’s strong statement issued after someone broke into Meghan’s house (and William’s endorsement of it.) The Royals seem slow to react at times, but they do react and take action when they perceive that a line has been crossed.
I agree that it is a balancing act - will suing do more harm by prolonging the life of the story v. what good could come from a successful suit.
 
If she had learned her lessons, she would have developed a sixth sense for what is proper and what not as a member of the Firm. Her adventures last week suggests she still has to learn a lot. I am surprised that apparently there is no guidance from the men in grey suits. Or from her father-in-law and husband. Or there was but the Duchess made her own judgement.

You assume there is no guidance :ermm:

Perhaps no one thought it inappropriate for her to have a baby shower. Now if she was the one who planned the baby shower, Charles may have said something. Especially as he likely would have footed the bill. But her friends planned and paid for the event, and the chartered jet she went on.
 
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To me the issue some people have is being seen "indulging" in such luxuries so publicly. Of course part of that is the media and being able to cover it. Finding and photographing Meghan in New York will of course be easier than happening to be in the right place when W&K jet out off some low key airfield to Norway for a holiday.
All members of the RF have used private jets for holidays and private visits but, IF, we believe the media not many organise their own press pen outside the hotel. In fairness logistically it is easier to use a private jet when you are travelling with protection officer in-tow.
Personally I couldn't care less if she uses a friends jet to travel, as long as its not costing the taxpayer. But I do think the general tone of the baby shower was rather extravagant.
 
To me the issue some people have is being seen "indulging" in such luxuries so publicly. Of course part of that is the media and being able to cover it. Finding and photographing Meghan in New York will of course be easier than happening to be in the right place when W&K jet out off some low key airfield to Norway for a holiday.
All members of the RF have used private jets for holidays and private visits but, IF, we believe the media not many organise their own press pen outside the hotel. In fairness logistically it is easier to use a private jet when you are travelling with protection officer in-tow.
Personally I couldn't care less if she uses a friends jet to travel, as long as its not costing the taxpayer. But I do think the general tone of the baby shower was rather extravagant.

Considering the media has admitted they learned she was in NY because someone spotted her in a restaurant, I hightly doubt she 'planned her own press pen'.

You do realize she didn't plan the baby shower right???? It was planned and paid for by her friends, many of whom are celebrities. It was likely not even considered that extravagant in their world.

Its okay for the other royals to stay in extravegent luxury hotels in the Alps, or in Mustique and such, because they are 'private'??
 
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To me the issue some people have is being seen "indulging" in such luxuries so publicly. Of course part of that is the media and being able to cover it. Finding and photographing Meghan in New York will of course be easier than happening to be in the right place when W&K jet out off some low key airfield to Norway for a holiday.
All members of the RF have used private jets for holidays and private visits but, IF, we believe the media not many organise their own press pen outside the hotel. In fairness logistically it is easier to use a private jet when you are travelling with protection officer in-tow.
Personally I couldn't care less if she uses a friends jet to travel, as long as its not costing the taxpayer. But I do think the general tone of the baby shower was rather extravagant.




That's the thing though she didn't organize a press pen . The Mark put up it's own barriers to keep the exit to their place of business clear (pretty much like they do every May when the Met is happening and it's the jumping off point for a bunch of the guests)



As far as what we know the visit was pretty low key for 3 days until somebody tipped the paps off that she was staying at her friends house and it then became a security issue because of the loons that populate the interwebs - one of the conspiracy theorists wack jobs did turn up by the way to try to get close enough to 'snatch that fake belly off of her '
 
To me the issue some people have is being seen "indulging" in such luxuries so publicly. Of course part of that is the media and being able to cover it. Finding and photographing Meghan in New York will of course be easier than happening to be in the right place when W&K jet out off some low key airfield to Norway for a holiday.
All members of the RF have used private jets for holidays and private visits but, IF, we believe the media not many organise their own press pen outside the hotel. In fairness logistically it is easier to use a private jet when you are travelling with protection officer in-tow.
Personally I couldn't care less if she uses a friends jet to travel, as long as its not costing the taxpayer. But I do think the general tone of the baby shower was rather extravagant.


I think that it was Harry who, after having seen that Meghan was "busted" in New York, made sure that she was properly protected. I read she stayed for the first days with her friend in her house. I can imagine that once it was known that she was in NY, it was decided that she should move to a hotel to protect her friend and have official security at that hotel, including dealing with the media. She is, after all, the American's Royal and as she was back home for the first time since her marriage, My guess is that the officals of NYC wanted to make sure her stay would be a secure one. And who would have thought that some papers would make suc h an affair-of-the-state out of it? I doubt the RF thought so in advance, otherwise they (Harry and Charles) would have invite Meghan's friends to Highgrove or another place where they could ahve fun in private. I can so imagine Harry wishing that Meghan could have a bit of the fun she used to have before she married him but then got afraid for her security.
 
That's the thing though she didn't organize a press pen . The Mark put up it's own barriers to keep the exit to their place of business clear (pretty much like they do every May when the Met is happening and it's the jumping off point for a bunch of the guests)



As far as what we know the visit was pretty low key for 3 days until somebody tipped the paps off that she was staying at her friends house and it then became a security issue because of the loons that populate the interwebs - one of the conspiracy theorists wack jobs did turn up by the way to try to get close enough to 'snatch that fake belly off of her '

Which makes sense. The hotel while likely happy to host Meghan, is still a business with many other clients. The press pen not only helps for security measures, but also clears the way for guests coming and going.
 
The off-topic discussion about William and Kate, the Middletons, the Yorks, Ben Affleck and Roger Federer, has been deleted. This thread is about Harry and Meghan and not a place to compare members of the BRF. Stay on-topic, please.
 
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That's the thing though she didn't organize a press pen . The Mark put up it's own barriers to keep the exit to their place of business clear (pretty much like they do every May when the Met is happening and it's the jumping off point for a bunch of the guests)

As far as what we know the visit was pretty low key for 3 days until somebody tipped the paps off that she was staying at her friends house and it then became a security issue because of the loons that populate the interwebs - one of the conspiracy theorists wack jobs did turn up by the way to try to get close enough to 'snatch that fake belly off of her '
The Mark put up its own security press barriers as having well known VIP's is fairly routine for them, but where did you find out about the "bump snatcher"?

I think the problem occurred after Meghan's presence was busted. The protection officers would have been routinely in contact with the State Department prior to the visit if for no other reason than Meghan Markle is now a member of the British Royal Family and a high profile one at that.

Their decision to introduce overt security rather than the previous covert security made headlines. It really is difficult to be "discreet" with a couple of honking great black State Department Suburbans double parked in front of the various venues when picking her up or dropping her off. That was not Meghan's fault, just as the guests at her Baby Shower were not all rich and famous.
 
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The Mark put up its own security press barriers as having well known VIP's is fairly routine for them, but where did you find out about the "bump snatcher"?


There is a group of crazy Meghan-haters eg on twitter, where they have several tags like 'charlatanDutchess, #megxit and #moonbump who believe Meghan is not really pregnant and will use a surrogate. One of them was pictured following Maghan around in NYC and trying to come close to her. When she had no success, she cried those hashtags at Meghan. I saw a little vid of that and honestly, that woman appeared crazy enough to really try to "snatch the #moonbump" to prove her crazy idea.
 
There is a group of crazy Meghan-haters eg on twitter, where they have several tags like 'charlatanDutchess, #megxit and #moonbump who believe Meghan is not really pregnant and will use a surrogate. One of them was pictured following Maghan around in NYC and trying to come close to her. When she had no success, she cried those hashtags at Meghan. I saw a little vid of that and honestly, that woman appeared crazy enough to really try to "snatch the #moonbump" to prove her crazy idea.

:eek::ohmy::eek::ohmy::eek:
 
The Mark put up its own security press barriers as having well known VIP's is fairly routine for them, but where did you find out about the "bump snatcher"?

I think the problem occurred after Meghan's presence was busted. The protection officers would have been routinely in contact with the State Department prior to the visit if for no other reason than Meghan Markle is now a member of the British Royal Family and a high profile one at that.

Their decision to introduce overt security rather than the previous covert security made headlines. It really is difficult to be "discreet" with a couple of honking great black State Department Suburbans double parked in front of the various venues when picking her up or dropping her off. That was not Meghan's fault, just as the guests at her Baby Shower were not all rich and famous.


That pretty much sums up what happened as far as I can see .The RPOs would probably have had a standing plan of how to make their presence at Misha's house low key because if she is still in the same place she was prior to her divorce ,Eugenie and her detail would have already been there multiple times .
 
I had to laugh at one instance when the "Big Boys" were there. Meghan's somewhat casual male friend got "moved along" as not being deemed to be part of the good and the great. I'll bet they laughed their heads off over that little faux pas.
 
There is a group of crazy Meghan-haters eg on twitter, where they have several tags like 'charlatanDutchess, #megxit and #moonbump who believe Meghan is not really pregnant and will use a surrogate. One of them was pictured following Maghan around in NYC and trying to come close to her. When she had no success, she cried those hashtags at Meghan. I saw a little vid of that and honestly, that woman appeared crazy enough to really try to "snatch the #moonbump" to prove her crazy idea.

Yeah I saw the video on youtube of her leaving the hotel where 'she has no bump' and the rest. Ridiculous what people are trying to say now :bang: Or the video set to chariots of fire music, where she is 'running a marathon' ahead of Harry (she ran like 3 steps). Suggestion seems to be Meghan is a beard for Harry, and now its become a goal, a very dangerous goal, to prove she is faking.
 
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Yes, the false belly that changes shape, inflates, deflates. Nobody pregnant can jog, bend down, lean over... I must have spent my pregnancies in constant denial and I didn't do yoga, wasn't particularly fit.

And just wait until Meghan goes into hospital to have her baby. The conspiracy addicts will go nuts. It was seen with Kate. Surrogate, baby smuggled into the hospital, the staff, doctors and midwives all in on it. Doll in the mother's arms for the photo op etc.
 
As if all ex-expecting mothers and probably their husbands as well couldn't see and interpret the signs on Meghan even before it was announced that she is pregnant. It was a lot of talk about that here on the forums, even though the mods don't want speculations about pregnancies. After her wedding Meghan was constantly surrounded by people, who, due to the fact that she married into a family where children have an unusual high interest in them even pre-birth, were actually looking at her for any signs first of pregancy and then because they are concerned for her and the baby's health. How should she have been able to fake something like that? And why should a Prince of the Uk support her with that when he knows all too well that accepting a child not born by his wife would be so against every tradition of his family and against the idea of the "Blood Royal"?
 
:previous: There's something about royal pregnancies that seems to bring out the lunatic fringe. I can remember reading the same kind of weird accusations of faked pregnancies with Catherine and CP Mary, and I always felt a little sad for the people who bought into those conspiracy theories. I just ignore it all as much as possible, because there is no convincing them, and I can't believe that the vast majority of people pay any attention to them at all.

And I agree that if there was ever a woman who broadcast she was pregnant long before the announcement, it was Meghan.
 
Okay, how about we don't give credence to insane conspiracy theories by discussing them here?

Further posts of this type will be removed.
 
To me the issue some people have is being seen "indulging" in such luxuries so publicly.

But I do think the general tone of the baby shower was rather extravagant.

I think those two sentences really state perfectly why people are having a bit of a hard time with this shower business. It really is more about the optics and perception of everything than the actual facts. It's crummy that it has to be that way but that really is just how it is. Kind of like the "favors" we've heard about the guests receiving....if they really did receive luxury suitcases as a shower favor it seems a bit over the top but then again these are people with money to burn. However, when you take into consideration the reports that the hosts didn't purchase those suitcases as favors but instead they were gifted by the company almost as a publicity stunt or sponsorship, it's easy to see why the optics quickly turn bad. Hollywood parties and showers such as those frequently held by the Kardashians have sponsors. Regular gatherings of friends giving good wishes do not. So, even if there's no truth to the rumblings of freebies, etc. the royal family must still be cognizant of the impression and the perception and the optics of it all and they definitely didn't come off as nicely as they might have wished in regard to the shower.
 
The BRF is not going to be cowed by the obfuscation the media. Telling half the truth is worse and more misleading than an absolute lie. Meghan was not staying in The Mark hotel until she was discovered.

The Mark was obviously where her friends had organised the actual Baby Shower to spoil and indulge a very special friend and it makes sense that they chose there if for no other reason than it has the requisite security.

Most rational adults know not to let the DM et al dictate their opinions but rather decide for themselves. The only reason Meghan was seen entering The Mark was that the State Department doesn't 'do' discrete. As to using a private jet, well that is common and in this case, in the gift of friends trying to make her arrival in the USA as under the radar as they could and they succeeded as it took days for the media to spot her.

At no stage was Meghan herself conspicuously indulging but rather fitting in with what her PO's and later the State Department representatives deemed necessary. (It is possible she had a wee hit on her credit card in the exclusive Babywear shops but, I think that inclination is common among first-time moms-to-be).

IMHO, while the Baby Shower was held in an expensive place what was Meghan supposed to do? Demand they move to McD's so it would 'look' better. No, of course not.

I like my royal family and I don't expect them to do what they do "on-the-cheap". We need only look at the Sussexes madly successful trip to Morocco to see their "worth" to the UK. Arriving in clothes from Target would definitely have been . . . ah . . . not appropriate, if not insulting to their hosts.
 
There is a fine line between being too normal and too showy. It is something every royal has to get on board with at some point.
 
The BRF is not going to be cowed by the obfuscation the media. Telling half the truth is worse and more misleading than an absolute lie. Meghan was not staying in The Mark hotel until she was discovered.

The Mark was obviously where her friends had organised the actual Baby Shower to spoil and indulge a very special friend and it makes sense that they chose there if for no other reason than it has the requisite security.

Most rational adults know not to let the DM et al dictate their opinions but rather decide for themselves. The only reason Meghan was seen entering The Mark was that the State Department doesn't 'do' discrete. As to using a private jet, well that is common and in this case, in the gift of friends trying to make her arrival in the USA as under the radar as they could and they succeeded as it took days for the media to spot her.

At no stage was Meghan herself conspicuously indulging but rather fitting in with what her PO's and later the State Department representatives deemed necessary. (It is possible she had a wee hit on her credit card in the exclusive Babywear shops but, I think that inclination is common among first-time moms-to-be).

IMHO, while the Baby Shower was held in an expensive place what was Meghan supposed to do? Demand they move to McD's so it would 'look' better. No, of course not.

I like my royal family and I don't expect them to do what they do "on-the-cheap". We need only look at the Sussexes madly successful trip to Morocco to see their "worth" to the UK. Arriving in clothes from Target would definitely have been . . . ah . . . not appropriate, if not insulting to their hosts.

I don't think having a private jet for a cross-atlantic flight is normal; not even among most European royalty. It probably differs a bit between royal families but I believe most would use a normal scheduled flight for long distances. So, what your point of reference for considering that normal? Or do you think that Harry and Meghan have been doing that all the time while they were dating (given your sentence about staying under the radar)? It wasn't Harry's typical way of traveling previously.

And I do understand that it were her friends who organized it; nonetheless, it again highlights that prior to Harry she (purposively) mingled in those circles and might suggest that she was actively looking for celebrity-type friends.
 
I suppose people who work in show business are often networking. Many of Meghan's pals at the shower were actresses she's met over the years. A couple were in Suits. There were friends from her days at NorthWestern.

I've always understood that Serena Williams and Meghan met at Wimbledon in 2015, when Meghan was promoting Calvin Klein sportswear. I don't believe they were close friends before Meghan's engagement to Harry, though, which suggests a celebrity type friendship to me, though Serena was pretty generous re the baby shower. I've read that Meghan and Harry became friendly with the Clooneys by both couples being regular members of the Soho Club in London and in Oxfordshire and grew close because of that.

AFAIK Meghan and Jessica Mulroney met after Meghan settled in Toronto and was working in Suits. They bonded over a love of fashion. I really don't know what the Oprah/Gayle King connection is except that Oprah and Doria attend the same church in LA and I have a strong suspicion that Oprah would really really like an interview with Mum!
 
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Again this is nothing new. Remember when Princess Michael was almost outed as a potential Nazi sympathiser, Sarah frankly body shamed because of her weight, Diana mocked for her eating disorders and, yet, her wardrobe expenses .
But we must admit that for Meghan personnal attacks reached a new level, social medias helping (added a peculiar family and borderlines antiamericanism and racism, let's face it).
My two cents is that she's still learning, made some mistakes but some pretty successes too. She's a princess in progress (just like Kate some years ago, and look how confident she's now !), and i do think she'll find some good, and universal, recognition in the futur. And the key of this sucess is work, work work. Just take a look at maybe the most hated of them all, Camilla, who calmly but firmly made her way to acknowledgment and respect because of her work ethic.
"Keep calm and carry on" has never been so relevant. She's a strong woman, i'm pretty confident ...
 
And I do understand that it were her friends who organized it; nonetheless, it again highlights that prior to Harry she (purposively) mingled in those circles and might suggest that she was actively looking for celebrity-type friends.

In addition to this, she mingled in these circles (consistently making it a point to highlight any meetings with celebrities on her social media, name drop any brands, etc.)* yet, she was not treated in kind until her relationship with Harry became public. None of these people felt compelled to fly her on a private jet, or rent her a penthouse, none of these companies felt the urge to take photos of the merchandise they make for her and name-drop her on social media, when she was Meghan Markle the actress. Which leads to the ugly and uncomfortable, but justifiable, questions we have seen.

The reality is that because she had a career that involved a public social media life, it is clear to see that she is treated very differently as The Duchess of Sussex than she was as Meghan Markle. The difference between Meghan and another person who might have married into her position is that anyone else might have married Harry and realistically said, "Wow, I am so glad to have met Amal and formed this friendship. I never would have gotten a chance to move in these circles if not for my husband"-- as happens in any relationship when two social circles combine. The difference here is that, by Meghan's own accounting, she had spent her acting career trying to break into those social circles, was largely not successful in doing so, and was given access by marrying Harry. Which. Is. Fine. It is not a criticism of her. But, frankly, it is going to raise eyebrows if people who did not give you the time of day two years ago now offer to fly you on a private jet and you accept, but then expect the narrative to be that these individuals are your friends.


*A necessary and entirely appropriate result of her career at the time.
 
I don’t get media comments that the shower was over the top and it most likely didn’t cost as much as they say it did. It was held in a suite that Serena and her husband were already using (and provided the security she needed), the private plane (a manner in which many royals have traveled most recently the Wessexes and Yorks…and in the past the Cambridges) was already being used by Amal so there was no extra cost to have Meghan on board. The flowers they used at the shower were donated to local charities… something that royals promote on a daily basis.

As for Meghan’s relationships

Meghan and Serena had been friends before she met Harry; they apparently met in 2010 or somewhere in that time frame and not 2015. She was at Wimbledon cheering Serena on as a guest in 2016 before she Harry. She had also been to previous matches.

I don’t think it clear she was looking for celebrity-type friends. As some of her friends at the shower (and even wedding) weren’t/aren’t celebrities and were friends from college and her childhood. It was most likely that as she started working in on TV show many of the people she spent time with were in those circles and she connected with some of them.

As for how she was treated by them before she met Harry it isn’t known because the interest wasn’t as strong as it is now and not documented.
 
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I think it's largely the media that has emphasised the narrative that Meghan and many of these celebs are besties. I don't think that Meghan is, at 37 and having been an actress since her early twenties, a naive person.

I'm sure she liked being fussed over and treated as special by these celebrities (and let's not forget that while there were actresses and others present that she'd known for years and were good friends, it was the media that concentrated on highlighting the very well known guests.)

However, I'm equally sure that she knows very well that the celebrity world behaves like that, for as long as the recipient remains in the public eye. One minute you're a rooster, the next a feather duster, in that world.
 
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