The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 8: April - August 2023

[FigTree]

This saga is just going to run on and on!
Much like it did with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and King George VI; which only ended when the King died in 1952. When Elizabeth came to the throne the feud stayed under the surface. Charles may as well just get on with his life; unless all parties are on board with coming to some sort of closure?

If this has to run until either Harry or Wiliam has completed their time on earth, we and future generations could be in for 50 years of this. I don't think we will. All kids know today is the King and the grandchildren...Williams kids. Harry will just cease to matter. Publically obviously. He is very important to his nearest and dearest.

There has always been family feuds. Princess Mary refused to turn up to a whole raft of stuff because David wasn't invited. In this day and age that would be 24 hour coverage. They are no better or worse than anyone who has gone before. They just have a weaponised media.

The royals are obviously going down the route of the families of Charles, Edward and Anne. As the most recent photo, while also being sensitive by not having B and E's kids in it, is beginning to show. What are the chances that Harry will be again sat beside one of them at the coronation. While William, Anne, Edward and heir families are 'closer.'

 

[soapstar]

Here is a link and some excerpts from the Telegraph article.

Source

The Duchess of Sussex expressed her concerns about unconscious bias in the Royal family in a letter to the King, The Telegraph can reveal.

It is understood that the correspondence was sent in the wake of the March 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, in which the Duchess alleged that a member of the Royal family had speculated about the colour of her unborn son’s skin.

A source has said that the Duchess feels she has not received a satisfactory response to her concerns, and that is believed to be one factor in her decision not to attend the Coronation on May 6.

A source claimed that the letters make clear the identity of the senior member of the family who made the comment. It is understood that both the King and the Duchess acknowledged that the individual’s remark was not made with malice and had been considered an innocuous observation.

The Duchess is believed to have thanked the King for his words. The Duchess’s letter is also said to suggest that she had never intended to specifically accuse the individual involved of being a racist, but was raising concerns about unconscious bias. However, it is understood that she does still consider the comment to be racist.

One royal source suggested that while the exchange was warm in tone, it had not eased the tension between the two sides. The Duchess is understood to feel that concerns she has raised, which crucially include the way in which bullying complaints against her were handled and the allegation that neglect by the institution led her to feel suicidal, have still not been resolved.

The Palace is also aware of the Sussexes’ frustration that initial email correspondence about the Coronation made no reference to their children and their potential involvement. The omission only fuelled their feeling that their family plays second fiddle to the Waleses.

Following the late Queen’s death, the Duke and Duchess confirmed that they would like their children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, to use the Prince and Princess titles they had automatically inherited.

But the Palace’s delay in recognising the children’s elevated status caused frustration, not least as the Prince and Princess of Wales’s titles, and those of their children, were swiftly changed upon the late Queen’s death.

———————

Tensions with Charles were soothed when the King did eventually reach out to his son and the pair had a heart-to-heart, shortly before the Duke confirmed his attendance at the Coronation.

But there were no such overtures to Meghan, with whom relations with the Prince and Princess of Wales remain at rock bottom.

 

[stellam]

For a couple of weeks I have been reading comments on this message board and refrained form posting a comment. However, I have to say that Megan is running true to form. Two weeks before the coronation and suddenly a story appears putting King Charles in a negative light. Why wait till now for this story to appear and not in Harry's book or the Netflix series? If the King's answer was unsatisfactory, why did they appear at the Jubilee. Their children were not allowed to be part of the Jubilee yet they accompanied Harry and Megan. Now she is staying home because the children will not be part of the Coronation. Boggles my mind. (Just my opinion.)

 

[FigTree]

For a couple of weeks I have been reading comments on this message board and refrained form posting a comment. However, I have to say that Megan is running true to form. Two weeks before the coronation and suddenly a story appears putting King Charles in a negative light. Why wait till now for this story to appear and not in Harry's book or the Netflix series? If the King's answer was unsatisfactory, why did they appear at the Jubilee. Their children were not allowed to be part of the Jubilee yet they accompanied Harry and Megan. Now she is staying home because the children will not be part of the Coronation. Boggles my mind. (Just my opinion.)

I am sure their children were very welcome at both the pagent and the concert. Given August and Lucas and the rest were tearing about. They choose not to be there.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Here is a link and some excerpts from the Telegraph article.

Source

The Duchess of Sussex expressed her concerns about unconscious bias in the Royal family in a letter to the King, The Telegraph can reveal. [...] The Duchess’s letter is also said to suggest that she had never intended to specifically accuse the individual involved of being a racist, but was raising concerns about unconscious bias. However, it is understood that she does still consider the comment to be racist.

[...]

Following the late Queen’s death, the Duke and Duchess confirmed that they would like their children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, to use the Prince and Princess titles they had automatically inherited.

But the Palace’s delay in recognising the children’s elevated status caused frustration, not least as the Prince and Princess of Wales’s titles, and those of their children, were swiftly changed upon the late Queen’s death.

Thank you for the link and excerpts.

If this story is true, it would appear that the Duchess's correspondence with the Palace about titles and family conversations expressed concern about private, unconscious bias in the family but did not express any concerns about the public, conscious bias in the usage of Prince and Princess titles which excludes other grandchildren in the same position as the Sussex grandchildren because, unlike the Duke, their royal-born parent is not a man.

The Palace is also aware of the Sussexes’ frustration that initial email correspondence about the Coronation made no reference to their children and their potential involvement. The omission only fuelled their feeling that their family plays second fiddle to the Waleses.

The second sentence is confusing as it is a matter of objective fact, not feelings, that the Sussex children are "second fiddle to the Waleses" in the order of succession to the throne, the order of precedence, and future working roles (just as the Mapelli Mozzi and Brooksbank children are "second fiddle" to the Sussex children in the same respects), so I am not sure what the "feeling" refers to.

 

[Nico]

I despise Meghan but i recognise something in her : damn, she's a clever girl.

She's caculcalting on the long run, and of course playing, ad nauseum, the racial card, with mutiple contradictions but whatever, is all about her current/futur role as a supposed egalitarian champion with global ambitions.

Attending a ceremony symbolizing, among other things, the imperialist legacy of a Nation would have somewhat tinted her activist "brand " she's patiently curating. Now she's giving us the perfect excuse , positioning herself, as always, as a victim of a tone deaf institution.

I say bravo to this PR, if not original at least sufficient enough in some circles, masterpiece

 

[Claire]

Personally I know longer care - harsh but true. I and I think I talk for many, believed that there was real reasons for the divison - not some he hurt my feelings, jealous petty nonscense.
If I left my work of 3 years or less - where it was piublically know I had negative feelings towards, then went on TV or other social media platforms compaining about them. If I spend another 4 years doing nothing but bring up that situation - and how I preceived they mistreated me in that period. Then publically made it known that I still am unhappy in how they addressed my complaints. How would I be perceived by the world ?
The Sussex's need to move on and grow up. There need to be vindicated is pathetic.

 

[Hallo girl]

I despise Meghan but i recognise something in her : damn, she's a clever girl.

She's caculcalting on the long run, and of course playing, ad nauseum, the racial card, with mutiple contradictions but whatever, is all about her current/futur role as a supposed egalitarian champion with global ambitions.

Attending a ceremony symbolizing, among other things, the imperialist legacy of a Nation would have somewhat tinted her activist "brand " she's patiently curating. Now she's giving us the perfect excuse , positioning herself, as always, as a victim of a tone deaf institution.

I say bravo to this PR, if not original at least sufficient enough in some circles, masterpiece

You are correct, she knows how to use people and situations.
I am so glad the King took the high road and offered the olive branch, they have chosen this response.

Meghan is full of contradictions, if she feels so strongly about the response to her letter why did she turn up for the Jubilee and the Queens funeral. She didn't refuse to go to them, as for the children did she really expect them to be in the Abbey.

Lets hope that this is the end of it. Let everybody move on with their lives.

I am still unclear why Harry is bothering to turn up. If this stuff continues for another 2 weeks he might get booed again.

 

[Hallo girl]

If this has to run until either Harry or Wiliam has completed their time on earth, we and future generations could be in for 50 years of this. I don't think we will. All kids know today is the King and the grandchildren...Williams kids. Harry will just cease to matter. Publically obviously. He is very important to his nearest and dearest.

There has always been family feuds. Princess Mary refused to turn up to a whole raft of stuff because David wasn't invited. In this day and age that would be 24 hour coverage. They are no better or worse than anyone who has gone before. They just have a weaponised media.

The royals are obviously going down the route of the families of Charles, Edward and Anne. As the most recent photo, while also being sensitive by not having B and E's kids in it, is beginning to show. What are the chances that Harry will be again sat beside one of them at the coronation. While William, Anne, Edward and heir families are 'closer.'

Rightly or wrongly I have always felt that the late Queen was very conscious of the Duke of Windsor situation and tried to avoid the same for Harry, giving them a year to decide, loved members of the family etc etc.

IMO she was trying to avoid the life long exclusion of David and Wallis for Harry and Meghan, but it was thrown back in her face just like they have done with the King now, i.e the latest story from sources.

They are obviously still pushing for HIHO, they are not going to get it.

 

[Somebody]

So, the whole article is about Meghan still sulking about something that happened years ago and hasn't been resolved according to her wishes (how convenient to bring an unanswered letter up two years later when you want the world to know that they didn't treat you well enough - although I don't think it will convince many of their point of view). At least, it is consistent that she doesn't turn up because earlier this year Harry stated that solving the issue of Meghan's treatment (i.e., apologies for looking into serious bullying allegations and not responding to something they weren't made aware of at that time but only were broadcast to the world by a television interview) was a prerequisite for attendance (apparently only for Meghan not for him?).

In addition, they still refuse to understand that the Waleses are in a different position than the Sussexes: Harry never seemed to think his cousins should be treated the same way he was treated, so why would he expect the same for his children compared to the children of a future king?!

Well, as long as they don't want to recognize the part they played and how that made matters worse, I don't think it will ever be resolved as so far they only point fingers to the BRF while it is clear as day to almost anyone else that their behavior is far from exemplary.

 

[Lilyflo]

That Telegraph article is all "sources say" and "it's believed that", so it could be true or it could just be press mischief stirring the pot.

 

[Granada]

Thank you Hallo Girl, great comment. Meghan IS full of contradictions..... is spot on too!

The inflammatory racism charge, NOW being rebranded as "unconscious bias" is getting old and tiresome and losing its bite too. Conveniently information about this LETTER (being written in 2021 after The Oprah Whinefest ) is now being released by The Sussex's two weeks before The Coronation. Is anyone surprised ? Funny how it didn't make the cut for The Netflix docu-series though ? Meghan sure loves her Letters about her grievances with her Father AND now Father in Law, getting sneakily released too.

Another BLATANT attempt to gin up drama and controversy and paint The Family in a bad light.

Plus, its always good to reignite the conversation over WHO, "The Senior Royal", that made the remark over Archie's supposed skin color. A favorite of theirs.

I still maintain that The Sussex's did, as reported, want some public "acknowledgment" of Archie in The Coronation proceedings. That would have included him in The Coronation Pageantry, for the Historical record in print, video and pictures.

What, I have no idea. I'm sure Harry and Meghan put forth *something* that was declined. Hence this is their latest rebuttal, and salvo fired back at The Palace.

Expect more after Harry returns.......

 

[TLLK]

The Sussexes are very predictable and personally I was expecting that something would be publicly be shared. I also believe that Charles likely knew that there was a very good chance that any of his private communication with Harry and Meghan would eventually be shared with a journalist. However it must be very disappointing when it is referenced in print.

 

[HRHTalDuchess]

I don't believe this Telegraph story is a Sussex leak. I believe it's a more Buckingham Palace leak to cover the King, and let it be know that:

1) The King did not make the comment about P Archie, and
2) the King knows who did make the comment, and can and will use it as a bargaining chip against the real culprit to keep them in line.

There is tension between BP and other members of the RF, and BP is letting it be known to that they (BP) are in control here and the rest of the RF better not step out of line. Once again, Harry and Meghan are being scapegoated to cover the real family feud and for BP's dirty work.

Notice now there are leaks to the press from recent employee departures from Kensington Palace (KP) about certain occupants being "short-tempered" and "difficult to work with." These leaks didn't come from the Sussex camp. There has always been tension between BP and KP, BP and CH when the King was PoW.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

If this has to run until either Harry or Wiliam has completed their time on earth, we and future generations could be in for 50 years of this. I don't think we will. All kids know today is the King and the grandchildren...Williams kids. Harry will just cease to matter. Publically obviously. He is very important to his nearest and dearest.

There has always been family feuds. Princess Mary refused to turn up to a whole raft of stuff because David wasn't invited. In this day and age that would be 24 hour coverage. They are no better or worse than anyone who has gone before. They just have a weaponised media.

The royals are obviously going down the route of the families of Charles, Edward and Anne. As the most recent photo, while also being sensitive by not having B and E's kids in it, is beginning to show. What are the chances that Harry will be again sat beside one of them at the coronation. While William, Anne, Edward and heir families are 'closer.'

Actually Princess Mary’s reason for not attending weren’t about David not being invited as rumoured but because she was unwell. Plus she was the least controversial member of the BRF because she was quietly living in Yorkshire and doing duties.

 

[Moran]

I can't sympathize with Charles on this at all. At some point, the line between a loving father doing everything he can do to reconcile behind the hurt and a soft-headed... full in the gap... can be crossed. What did he expect after their performance on Oprah? An unsatisfactory response, an exchange means that The King has replied. A big mistake (his and his advisors'). He gave them more ammunition in their preferred way - letters.

I'm not surprised by the Sussexes. The King, however, keeps surprising me. He isn't acting like the bigger person, he's acting like an enabler for them to throw abuse at his wife, son and daughter in-law. Honestly, I'm increasingly surprised that he ever got the guts to participate in the War of the Waleses. Those calling him weak might have been more right than I like to admit.

For those calling for him to forgive - I won't be surprised if he does. He might just be unable to understand that you can't forgive someone who thinks they are in the right.

 

[Hallo girl]

I don't believe this Telegraph story is a Sussex leak. I believe it's a more Buckingham Palace leak to cover the King, and let it be know that:

1) The King did not make the comment about P Archie, and
2) the King knows who did make the comment, and can and will use it as a bargaining chip against the real culprit to keep them in line.

There is tension between BP and other members of the RF, and BP is letting it be known to that they (BP) are in control here and the rest of the RF better not step out of line. Once again, Harry and Meghan are being scapegoated to cover the real family feud and for BP's dirty work.

Notice now there are leaks to the press from recent employee departures from Kensington Palace (KP) about certain occupants being "short-tempered" and "difficult to work with." These leaks didn't come from the Sussex camp. There has always been tension between BP and KP, BP and CH when the King was PoW.

What is the real family feud?

 

[HRHTalDuchess]

There are tensions on multiple fronts, but the real tension is between the occupants of BP and KP. This week's leaks about KP short-tempers and difficulty were not from the Sussex camp.

Harry & Meghan already know they can't win in the British Press, and they have pending court cases against certain British media outlets. They wouldn't be doing any leaking now. That would undermine their cases and be against attorney advice.

What is the real family feud?

 

[ACO]

Reading that article....

This seems more a BP leak than a Sussex leak, though I do think they very much confirmed it. It is full of Charles reached out. Charles knows who said the comment (aka it was NOT him). Charles, Charles, Charles...

It is chalked full of royal sources with a lot of opinions too. Hell leaked via a royal supporting publication. Let's keep it real. Meghan could (and would) have used a more sympathetic US publication especially when there are plenty jabs at the Sussexes in this very article.

I find the entire thing entertaining because this letter apparently was written 2 years ago and confirmed the "recollections may vary" comment that supposedly didn't happen but actually did but it wasn't meant in malice but it was racist in tone or whatever. And even many of the rota are tweeting oddly similar talking points as if they got a memo to say "Is this Meghan trying to prevent a reconciliation?" Interesting media agenda...

Anyways Happy 2 weeks until the coronation. ?

 

[Granada]

HRH Tal Duchess,

What does "The King knows who did make the comment, can and will use it as a BARGAINING CHIP against the real CULPRIT to keep them in line" huh ....? Who ? What ?

And this head scratcher....."there is tension between BP and other members of The RF, and BP is letting it be known that they BP are in control, and the rest of The Family BETTER NOT STEP OUT OF LINE. Once again The Sussex's are being scapegoated to cover up the real family fued and for BP's dirty work".

Wow, that sounds very Game of Thrones like.

I honestly don't know where you are going with this line of thought......

Especially regarding this " Letter", WHY, why in the run up to the Coronation, would Charles or BP, RELEASE any of this information and open that can of worms ? It makes no sense to reignite controversy.

 

[Denville]

Its easy. BP are doing the leakng to make the Sussexes look bad.

 

[Moran]

Its easy. BP are doing the leakng to make the Sussexes look bad.

When the BP's best interest isn't to make the Sussexes look bad but do their best to make people forget that the Sussexes ever existed in the public eye. At this point, no kind of Sussex-related publicity is good for the BP.

 

[Granada]

Respectively disagree Denville. Now this Letter Story about Meghan and Charles communications, 2 YEARS ago, about Meghan being ignored while suicidal, and the unnamed Senior Royal suffering "unconscious bias" IS FRONT page......AGAIN.

Not buying for one minute Charles, BP or any member of The Royal Family wanted this controversial hot potato being front and center again. Two weeks before The Coronation, no less.

 

[ACO]

Its easy. BP are doing the leakng to make the Sussexes look bad.

I mean honestly all it did was confirm what she said. People called her a liar and she could have easily revealed this letter back then. We got royal sources saying Charles "knows" who said it. I mean... anyways. Meghan is already massively disliked in the media. She doesn't need to help them be more hated. She hasn't said or done anything all year.

It does paint Charles is a very specific light though...

 

[Denville]

Respectively disagree Denville. Now this Letter Story about Meghan and Charles communications 2YEARS ago about Meghan being ignored while suicidal and the unnamed Senior Royal suffering "unconscious bias" IS FRONT page......AGAIN.

Not buying for one minute Charles, BP or any member of The Royal Family wanted this controversial hot potato being front and center again. Two weeks before The Coronation, no less.

I didn't say that I agreed wiht it, I just said that was the point that was being made.

 

[Moran]

True to form, Meghan and Harry screeched "Notice us! Notice us!" at a particular day - HLM's birthday. I am not surprised, they did try to upstage a three-year-old birthday a few years back. But I'm curious what they have in hand for the coronation itself. Meghan lovingly choosing a laurel? They already used this one. So, what?

The long considerations of Archie's birthday and how very hard it was for them to be separated from their babies for two whole weeks just make me shake my head. The whining of people of immense privileges was never appealing to me. I am far from the only child who spent months and sometimes years apart from their father. It didn't harm me or him permanently. He had to work abroad. He missed quite a few birthdays, quite a few very dangerous illnesses, quite a few important events. That's what people in real world and not Harry and Meghan's bubble do. They have to work abroad. It doesn't quite compare to Harry's famous everybody flied in private jets mote than he did remark but they're getting better.

 

[Hallo girl]

There are tensions on multiple fronts, but the real tension is between the occupants of BP and KP. This week's leaks about KP short-tempers and difficulty were not from the Sussex camp.

Harry & Meghan already know they can't win in the British Press, and they have pending court cases against certain British media outlets. They wouldn't be doing any leaking now. That would undermine their cases and be against attorney advice.

There have always been tensions between KP and BP why would they want to create a fuss now 2 weeks before the coronation.
It has been said before that William can be short tempered, and that his wife is a good influence over him. Nothing new there then.

Old news that didnt need to be leaked. Any royal watcher knew that.

 

[TLLK]

I don't believe this Telegraph story is a Sussex leak. I believe it's a more Buckingham Palace leak to cover the King, and let it be know that:

1) The King did not make the comment about P Archie, and
2) the King knows who did make the comment, and can and will use it as a bargaining chip against the real culprit to keep them in line.

There is tension between BP and other members of the RF, and BP is letting it be known to that they (BP) are in control here and the rest of the RF better not step out of line. Once again, Harry and Meghan are being scapegoated to cover the real family feud and for BP's dirty work.

Notice now there are leaks to the press from recent employee departures from Kensington Palace (KP) about certain occupants being "short-tempered" and "difficult to work with." These leaks didn't come from the Sussex camp. There has always been tension between BP and KP, BP and CH when the King was PoW.

I respectfully disagree.


Buckingham Palace is slowly releasing information regarding the events and traditions associated with the Coronation. It has acknowledged Prince Harry's attendance at the Coronation Service and the Duchess's decision to remain in California with her children with the briefest of statements. There is enough publicity associated with King Charles and the British Royal Family at this time. The BRF has simply continued to move forward while unfortunately the Sussexes are rehashing their grievances yet again.



However based on documented past behavior, the Sussexes cannot bear to be out of the public eye and releases are typically dropped right before a significant royal event. Also true to form, they've returned to a familiar tactic of revealing private correspondence with members of the British Royal Family as a method of gaining publicity. They need their association with the British Royal Family in order to stay relevant. Prince Harry has voiced his own concerns about his limited time before his nephews and niece eclipse him in the not too distant future.

 

[camelot23ca]

Here is a link and some excerpts from the Telegraph article.

Source

So, she only wrote to Charles with her concerns after she and Harry blindsided the Royal Family by publicly making unsubstantiated accusations during the Oprah interview? And then Charles apparently sent her a reply that was civil, even warm in tone. Meghan (and Harry) have consistently been treated with more compassion and patience than they deserve.

And they need to get over the idea that their family will ever be treated equally to the Wales’s. Harry and Meghan shouldn’t have been led to expect any sort of equal treatment even when William and Harry were only the sons of the heir. Now that William is Prince of Wales and Harry is not there shouldn’t be any question of William’s family being in a more privileged official position. Are they also going to resent King William getting top billing at his own coronation?

 

[Hallo girl]

I mean honestly all it did was confirm what she said. People called her a liar and she could have easily revealed this letter back then. We got royal sources saying Charles "knows" who said it. I mean... anyways. Meghan is already massively disliked in the media. She doesn't need to help them be more hated. She hasn't said or done anything all year.

It does paint Charles is a very specific light though...

To be fair it was the reason for Archie not receiving a title that was disputed by many, Meghan totally had her facts wrong. I personally didn't like how she made a wide ranging statement regarding Archie that affected a number of people and cast the doubt over them all.