"Courtiers, The Hidden Power Behind The Crown" by Valentine Low (2022)

[Alison H]

Here are the actual extracts from the book serialized thus far in the Mail Online:



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...e-Queens-press-secretary-new-book-claims.html

Some interesting insights into Prince Andrew's behaviour there. 40 years ago, he was the hero of the nation, the number one pin-up for young girls, etc etc. How things change.

 

[Curryong]

A certain tabloid editor knew before time that Harry and Meghan were going to leave the UK for Canada before they departed and was going to headline this on the front page. That leak could only have come from a member of staff at a Royal Household, Clarence House or Kensington Palace, from which Harry and Meghan had split months before. It certainly wasn’t the Sussexes who would have leaked that story.

 

[Marchesina]

Now please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was Charles and William who didn't want to meet with Harry for fear of it ending in the media yet Harry's fear of exactly that pre-dated their actual leaving. It is no wonder everyone is paranoid if they have to explain themselves to their Private Secretaries before they spend time with their family members.

My understanding is William needed to clear his schedule in order to have this "emergency" meeting, so clearly he needed to tell his private secretary. This was certainly not the kind of matter you discuss after work in your living room with some chips and a beer, even if it is family related.

 

[The Crown]

A certain tabloid editor knew before time that Harry and Meghan were going to leave the UK for Canada before they departed and was going to headline this on the front page. That leak could only have come from a member of staff at a Royal Household, Clarence House or Kensington Palace, from which Harry and Meghan had split months before. It certainly wasn’t the Sussexes who would have leaked that story.

I think this is not possible because nobody knew it before, no member of the family and also no one of the staff. So nobody was able to tell it anybody. Only the Sussexes theirself.

 

[Alison H]

Agreed. By all accounts, the Queen, Charles and William were taken by surprise when Harry and Meghan announced that they were jumping ship. If a member of any of their households had known about it, they would have been told. So it can only have been a member of the Sussexes' household who leaked the story, or possibly even the Sussexes themselves.

And of course William had to tell his private secretary if he was going to have to cancel engagements in order to hold a meeting with Harry. Someone was going to have to telephone the people/organisations involved and tell them that William was no longer available. Royal visits and other appointments are arranged well in advance and are a very big deal to people.

 

[Curryong]

Daniel Wootton editor of The Sun. He dislikes the Sussexes and broke the story.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1215623262522281984

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/...nalist-who-broke-prince-harry-and-meghan-news

 

[The Crown]

The book says that nobody of the family knew it. So it could not be someone of Buckingham or Kensington Palace. But even the staff of the Sussexes didn't know it, says Low. So it could only be the Suxxexes theirself or one of the persons whom they needed for preparing the move to Canada.

 

[TLLK]

The book says that nobody of the family knew it. So it could not be someone of Buckingham or Kensington Palace. But even the staff of the Sussexes didn't know it, says Low. So it could only be the Suxxexes theirself or one of the persons whom they needed for preparing the move to Canada.

I've always suspected that it was one of the Sussexes' staff members who was aware of their upcoming plans and tried to dissuade them from that path. In the end they chose to tip off Dan Wooten.

 

[Erin9]

"Courtiers, The Hidden Power Behind The Crown" by Valentine Low (2022)

On a related note- I think I recall one of these extracts saying their own nanny didn’t know where they were going until they got on the plane. They’re lucky she went at all- if that’s the case. That’s utterly absurd to me.

 

[HRHHermione]

On a related note- I think I recall one of these extracts saying their own nanny didn’t know where they were going until they got on the plane. They’re lucky she went at all- if that’s the case. That’s utterly absurd to me.

I can’t imagine being asked to get on a plane at the holidays with no knowledge of where I was going or when I’d be back to leave with my family. That detail from the excerpts stood out to me too.

 

[muriel]

On a related note- I think I recall one of these extracts saying their own nanny didn’t know where they were going until they got on the plane. They’re lucky she went at all- if that’s the case. That’s utterly absurd to me.

I can’t imagine being asked to get on a plane at the holidays with no knowledge of where I was going or when I’d be back to leave with my family. That detail from the excerpts stood out to me too.

It just shows the level of trust H&M had on their nanny, whom they would entrust with their most precious possession, their son!

 

[Curryong]

We don’t know whether that story is true. And the nanny, Lauren, is the same nanny the couple had in South Africa. She remained with the Sussexes until they went to the US, but could have left to fly back to the UK at any time after the arrival in Canada.

 

[Erin9]

We don’t know whether that story is true. And the nanny, Lauren, is the same nanny the couple had in South Africa. She remained with the Sussexes until they went to the US, but could have left to fly back to the UK at any time after the arrival in Canada.

Maybe. Maybe not.

To me- it’s not really the point that she obviously could have gone home.

It’s the general lack of trust and unreasonable expectation from an employer toward an employee. Which seems very typical of the Sussexes in general imo.

 

[Curryong]

IF that story of the nanny is true. However, let’s say it is. If they didn’t even tell the nanny who was in charge of their son where they were going, why would they have confided in a member of their staff remaining in the UK? None of their staff knew where the family were going. But Harry’s father, grandmother and brother would have been informed, and it would have drifted down to their staff and to courtiers.

 

[The Crown]

IF that story of the nanny is true. However, let’s say it is. If they didn’t even tell the nanny who was in charge of their son where they were going, why would they have confided in a member of their staff remaining in the UK? None of their staff knew where the family were going. But Harry’s father, grandmother and brother would have been informed, and it would have drifted down to their staff and to courtiers.

No, they told nobody about it. At least the family. They had no longer any trust in the family (and the family not in them). It could only be a person who helped them to prepare their move to Canada.

 

[muriel]

IF that story of the nanny is true. However, let’s say it is. If they didn’t even tell the nanny who was in charge of their son where they were going, why would they have confided in a member of their staff remaining in the UK? None of their staff knew where the family were going. But Harry’s father, grandmother and brother would have been informed, and it would have drifted down to their staff and to courtiers.

No, they told nobody about it. At least the family. They had no longer any trust in the family (and the family not in them). It could only be a person who helped them to prepare their move to Canada.

Or H&M leaked it themselves!

 

[Curryong]

After months of negative Press in all the British tabloids I hardly think that the couple would be confiding in one of their fiercest critics.

And a timeline of the whole thing.


https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...t/news-story/38e9ebf554ba6ca87da27da65b9edbf7

 

[Heavs]

Didn't they say that "had" to leak it because they were afraid someone else was going to.

Tom Bradby gave an interview saying that he thought they would leave and it was given credence because of his documentary and then suddenly a few days later they put up the Sussex Royal post.

The family knew that they were unhappy and were exploring other options for them (that was partly what South Africa was about in the first place) but they didn't know they had this "plan" in place because literally nothing had been agreed.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, they were afraid someone was going to leak it, and that someone was Executive editor Dan Wootton of the Sun. In the links I put up here (#246) Wootton states that he gave the Sussexes and the Royal Households a certain time to respond and he was then going to print with the story. He did go ahead and print. His source in fact had rung him about the Sussex’s departure when he was in NZ visiting his family, and he decided the source was viable.

 

[Lori138]

Daniel Wootton editor of The Sun. He dislikes the Sussexes and broke the story.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1215623262522281984

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/...nalist-who-broke-prince-harry-and-meghan-news

Neither of these prove that the Sussexes did not leak the story. The Dan Wooten one states he gave them 10 days notice before it would be published, that does not mean that someone OTHER than the Sussexes gave him the news, just that he was giving notice of publication.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

The truth is that they (the Sussexes or someone in their camp) thought that someone in the household would leak their plans so they put it out there before anyone else could. They had been discussing their plans with the BRF for months and were probably supposed to finalize things with the family. IMO, they grew impatient and were paranoid so they put out their statement about stepping down. Months after this, when Harry returned from Canada they had the Sandringham summit and pretty much finalized things.

Maybe. Maybe not.

To me- it’s not really the point that she obviously could have gone home.

It’s the general lack of trust and unreasonable expectation from an employer toward an employee. Which seems very typical of the Sussexes in general imo.

Not only that, but that is terribly discourteous and tactless to do to someone.

 

[Heavs]

Yes, they were afraid someone was going to leak it, and that someone was Executive editor Dan Wootton of the Sun. In the links I put up here (#246) Wootton states that he gave the Sussexes and the Royal Households a certain time to respond and he was then going to print with the story. He did go ahead and print. His source in fact had rung him about the Sussex’s departure when he was in NZ visiting his family, and he decided the source was viable.

Right. But that didn't mean that they had to put up that website and make the announcement right away in the fashion that they did. Which clearly was a shock to everyone else because they publicly went "we didn't agree to any of that!" And then the Summit where the Sussexes got very little of the Half in, half out that they wanted.

The website had clearly been worked on for some time, it looked professional even if the content was a flight of fancy.

Meghan also left Archie with Jessica Mulroney and stayed in the UK less than 72 hours, just long enough to go to Canada House - a move that BP didn't approve, and then fly back. That suggests a lot of planning and that the story would have leaked as soon as people realised she wasn't in the UK anyway.

I'm not saying they leaked it but there was a lot more potential for knowledge among the Sussex staffers, the people in LA and friends than the other groups who were clearly caught unawares by the Sussex Royal website and manifesto.

However secretive they may have been there were too many people involved to be sure that someone hadn't told a PA in Meghan's US team for example. And as I said Tom Bradby was giving interviews saying he thought that they were going to leave and they can hardly blame that on BP or KP.

The best thing for the royal households would have been to agree a peaceful settlement with the Sussexes, anything else just made everyone's lives that much harder.

Harry and Meghan then made it much harder for *themselves* by releasing something that hadn't been agreed, in a very chaotic manner, clearly hoping to present some form of fait acompli to the media and hope the BRF would go along with it. And were shocked when they didn't apparently.

 

[FigTree]

Or H&M leaked it themselves!

I thibk that looks likely to be fair. The family weren't moving quickly and they wanted it done.

 

[HRHHermione]

I thibk that looks likely to be fair. The family weren't moving quickly and they wanted it done.

That is what I have always thought too. We may never know or it could come out in ten years when one or the other confirms it.

 

[muriel]

I thibk that looks likely to be fair. The family weren't moving quickly and they wanted it done.

That announcement of 8 January 2020 certainly achieved its objective of forcing the Queen's hand into focussing on the issue. The problem is it also forced the Queen to issue a clear ultimatum: in or out, no half way house. Given the SussexRoyal announcement, out was the only option left to H&M. They were, IMO, forced out by their own announcement.

 

[Heavs]

That announcement of 8 January 2020 certainly achieved its objective of forcing the Queen's hand into focussing on the issue. The problem is it also forced the Queen to issue a clear ultimatum: in or out, no half way house. Given the SussexRoyal announcement, out was the only option left to H&M. They were, IMO, forced out by their own announcement.

I think this is something that they have continued to struggle with. There seems to be a lot of focus on short term goals and reacting to things and not a lot of long term planning and when things don't go the way that they thought they would, they're left floundering. For example after Oprah, it seemed from various statements that they were surprised that they didn't have the family begging forgiveness. And for all their apparently great ideas, it's taken them two years to deliver a podcast, a documentary similar to ones Harry has already done and a reality series.

If they had worked out a deal in private then they may well have got more of a HIHO. Maybe not much considering they wanted to be very commercial but some - like the security paid for that they desperately want. Instead they assumed in writing that it was a Home Office matter and that they wouldn't be commenting on it, (assuming that they would still be covered) and thus drew attention to it.

 

[FigTree]

I think this is something that they have continued to struggle with. There seems to be a lot of focus on short term goals and reacting to things and not a lot of long term planning and when things don't go the way that they thought they would, they're left floundering. For example after Oprah, it seemed from various statements that they were surprised that they didn't have the family begging forgiveness. And for all their apparently great ideas, it's taken them two years to deliver a podcast, a documentary similar to ones Harry has already done and a reality series.

If they had worked out a deal in private then they may well have got more of a HIHO. Maybe not much considering they wanted to be very commercial but some - like the security paid for that they desperately want. Instead they assumed in writing that it was a Home Office matter and that they wouldn't be commenting on it, (assuming that they would still be covered) and thus drew attention to it.

I think the book seems to say that there is no forward planning and react to everything at a moments notice. In that respect they seem fantastically unsuited to a public life.

 

[Erin9]

"Courtiers, The Hidden Power Behind The Crown" by Valentine Low (2022)

I think the book seems to say that there is no forward planning and react to everything at a moments notice. In that respect they seem fantastically unsuited to a public life.

I think the book nails that aspect of their personalities.

From everything I’ve seen from them: beginning of their relationship to today-I don’t see forward planning. Or real thoughtfulness before making a decision. I don’t see a clear vision. I don’t see good execution. I see some big ideas.

Just thinking about the website makes me cringe. The plan wasn’t well thought out at all. Which is why it was rejected. Even the philanthropy and “financial independence” they wanted doesn’t appear to be well thought out from what I’ve seen.

And- on top of all that- why publish a plan as fact when no one has agreed to it? You run the risk of exactly what happened: having to publicly walk the whole thing back. Talk about thoughtless. And a gamble. But if they wanted A decision from the palace- they got it.

 

[TLLK]

Right. But that didn't mean that they had to put up that website and make the announcement right away in the fashion that they did. Which clearly was a shock to everyone else because they publicly went "we didn't agree to any of that!" And then the Summit where the Sussexes got very little of the Half in, half out that they wanted.

The website had clearly been worked on for some time, it looked professional even if the content was a flight of fancy.

Meghan also left Archie with Jessica Mulroney and stayed in the UK less than 72 hours, just long enough to go to Canada House - a move that BP didn't approve, and then fly back. That suggests a lot of planning and that the story would have leaked as soon as people realised she wasn't in the UK anyway.

I'm not saying they leaked it but there was a lot more potential for knowledge among the Sussex staffers, the people in LA and friends than the other groups who were clearly caught unawares by the Sussex Royal website and manifesto.

However secretive they may have been there were too many people involved to be sure that someone hadn't told a PA in Meghan's US team for example. And as I said Tom Bradby was giving interviews saying he thought that they were going to leave and they can hardly blame that on BP or KP.

The best thing for the royal households would have been to agree a peaceful settlement with the Sussexes, anything else just made everyone's lives that much harder.

Harry and Meghan then made it much harder for *themselves* by releasing something that hadn't been agreed, in a very chaotic manner, clearly hoping to present some form of fait acompli to the media and hope the BRF would go along with it. And were shocked when they didn't apparently.

Heavs-After reading your post, I've reconsidered my earlier theory and now agree that it's very likely that the leak came from one of their North American based team members. They were the ones who had financial motive in supporting the couple's decision to step back from senior royal duties and moving to North America.

 

[Denville]

Heavs-After reading your post, I've reconsidered my earlier theory and now agree that it's very likely that the leak came from one of their North American based team members. They were the ones who had financial motive in supporting the couple's decision to step back from senior royal duties and moving to North America.

Cant imagine that at least some of their own staff in the UK did not know what was in the air?