The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 1: September-December 2020

[Osipi]

Harry stepping in and speaking about voting in the US is like me scrubbing in to assist in brain surgery. We both don't belong there.

[HighGoalHighDreams]

Also worth noting that while the couple was trumpeted by Time's promotional material as Harry and Meghan before the clip was released, when the actual clip was released, it had The Duke and Duchess of Sussex splashed across it as the pair talked about the US election.

Interesting indeed.

[Durham]

Originally Posted by Osipi

Harry stepping in and speaking about voting in the US is like me scrubbing in to assist in brain surgery. We both don't belong there.

Well yes indeed he doesn't. The puzzle is why he thinks he does. Arrogance? Lack of judgement? Lack of awareness?

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Durham

Well yes indeed he doesn't. The puzzle is why he thinks he does. Arrogance? Lack of judgement? Lack of awareness?

My first gut reaction was that Harry is turning into Meghan's parrot. It happens when one person in the marriage is a leader and the other is a follower. Dominant/recessive kind of thing.

[caethi]

I can't speak directly to what it would feel like as a US citizen to be hearing this message from Harry and Meghan. It is pretty clear, however, when they say that this is the most important election in their lifetime, or however they said it, that they are encouraging an anti-Trump vote. This is quite different from the Queen giving a neutral speech about voting as asked/approved by the government. The BRF handling of Prince Andrew, for good or ill, also has nothing to do with Harry and Meghan.



They are embracing the culture of (benevolent) celebrity. I speculate that Harry is not an equal participant in shaping their message, but we can't really know. Their efforts to be relevant in the US seem more than a little contrived to me, but that's just my opinion.

[REAL COUNTESS]

I agree with Osipi and caethi just to get started. I am a US Citizen for half a century, I would not give a nickel for Harry's or Meghan's opinion, or some of the Washed up Actors who believe they are allowed to control other people, because who they are, or think they are. The American people are way smarter and are able to THINK for them self's. American's don't mix Oatmeal with stupid pills. We all know what we want and need,believe it or not. Thank you for letting me post this my opinion ,if you feel it has to be removed. please do so.

[angieuk]

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

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

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...al-titles.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lls-court.html

Are they moving to Australia if President Trump wins the Election?

[acdc1]

Originally Posted by angieuk

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

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

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...al-titles.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lls-court.html

Are they moving to Australia if President Trump wins the Election?

This quote sums up my feelings the best:
“'I think it's appropriate for any private citizen to comment on the US election. The problem is that Harry has retained his HRH status and is not a private citizen but still a representative of this country,' Mr Baker told MailOnline. 'He needs to stop trying to have a foot in both camps - royal when it suits him and private when it doesn't.”

I would actually agree that Meghan falls into this category as well. As an American myself (who actually agrees with their political views) it also rubs me the wrong way to see two people using their British titles and styles telling me, as an American, to vote. If you’re talking about politics as a private citizen, style yourself as Harry and Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor, not The Duke and Duchess I’d Sussex.

I think they are much more outspoken and decisive than anyone in the royal family thought they would be. I never thought I would say this, but I am leaning more towards stripping them of their titles... or at least now allowing them to use them in a public capacity when not in the U.K.

[Nico]

You have to admit that this wonderful couple knows exactly how to embarrass itself in the most inventive and unexpected ways, and , again, with the greatest timing.
It's not foolishness at this point, it's an art.

It's really, really giving the stick to be beaten with.

Why... just, why ?

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Alison H

I really don't think this is appropriate. It's not Harry's place to be lecturing the American electorate on what they should or shouldn't be doing.

I agree. I understand Meghan as an American citizen encouraging others to vote in the upcoming election. However Harry as a British citizen, should not be involved in this at all.

[Curbside]

Eh, I can't get too fussed about H&M urging people to vote. All kinds of celebrities urge people to vote. If Meghan had been encouraging people to vote without Harry sitting beside her, it would be weird.

Agree with the poster who mentioned Harry looking unhappy in the video. However, I wouldn't put much stock into why he looks that way.

[Madame Verseau]

So Harry has no agency; people are back on the scheming American Jezebel again? That was not a hostage video. Do people really think Harry longs to go back to a world where maligning his wife and child is a bloodsport? He and his wife bought a home in the States and entered a deal with Netflix. The fact they rather contend with California wildfires doesn't say much for what was left behind.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by Curbside

Eh, I can't get too fussed about H&M urging people to vote. All kinds of celebrities urge people to vote. If Meghan had been encouraging people to vote without Harry sitting beside her, it would be weird.

Agree with the poster who mentioned Harry looking unhappy in the video. However, I wouldn't put much stock into why he looks that way.

I agree. Taylor Swift has also urged people to vote, as have many others in the public eye as of late. The counter argument could be the Sussexes shouldn't because of their royal connections, but they are no longer working royals, so in my view they are free to do what they want with their platform. And encouraging people to vote is a very worthy thing to use your platform for - because they do have many people around the world who will listen to them and be influenced by their words. I can imagine that Harry himself has always been exposed to political opinions as Charles in the past has been criticised for being too political - Harry also seemed genuinely disappointed at not being able to vote in the video, so I can imagine he has an interest. The Sussexes have been clever as well in this message at not pinning their words on one political party so people can relate them to either Republican or Democrat, depending on what your political spectrum is.

[Alison H]

There's been a trend in recent years for celebs to try to dictate to people about politics, and it's very annoying - I don't know why the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and Hugh Grant think they have the right to tell other people how to vote. But at least they're citizens of the country they're speaking about. Harry telling Americans how to behave - I know he hasn't spelt out which candidate he thinks people should back, but he's still talking about a presidential election - is just wrong in every way.


I don't know what they think they're doing. Surely anyone can see that Harry shouldn't be making comments about an American election. He's upset people in the US, embarrassed the Queen, and now one of Donald Trump's advisors has hit out at him. Have we not all got enough problems at the moment without him causing a row?!

[Eskimo]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the US has already registered a formal complaint with the Foreign Office.

[Durham]

Originally Posted by Alison H

I don't know what they think they're doing. Surely anyone can see that Harry shouldn't be making comments about an American election. He's upset people in the US, embarrassed the Queen, and now one of Donald Trump's advisors has hit out at him. Have we not all got enough problems at the moment without him causing a row?!

What can be done? I think the monarchy will looking increasingly complicit if this sort of behaviour continues. And I presume it will. The duke is clearly contemptuous of convention.

[AC21091968]

Buckingham Palace has somewhat responded, according to Chris Ship (ITV news royal editor)

Chris Ship @chrisshipitv
Asked about Harry’s comments, Buckingham Palace would only say: “The Duke is not a working member of the Royal Family and any comments he makes are made in a personal capacity.”
Sounds to me like they are seeking some distance
1:36 AM · Sep 24, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/chrisshipitv/sta...92275598802949

Other reporters were more cynical. For example Rebecca English (Daily Mail) and Camilla Tominey (The Telegraph)

Rebecca English @RE_DailyMail
Buckingham Palace have told me that they are not commenting on this, adding: ‘The Duke is not a working member of the Royal Family and any comments he makes are made in a personal capacity.’
Which I personally think IS a comment in itself.

https://twitter.com/RE_DailyMail/sta...92451658907653


Camilla has published two tweets with two different articles attached individually

Camilla Tominey @CamillaTominey
'He is not a working member of the #RoyalFamily', says Palace after #Harry jumps into US voting drive #HarryandMeghan
4:52 AM · Sep 24, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/CamillaTominey/s...41798106832898

Camilla Tominey @CamillaTominey
It’s hard to see any way back into the #Royal family for #HarryandMeghan after risky decision to appear in US voting video
4:54 AM · Sep 24, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/CamillaTominey/s...42180048572418

The two articles attached to Camilla tweets are
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-fa...e_Av77p3vMrVg8(For first tweet)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-fa...e_Av8DRrmT1yvj(For second tweet)

Russel Myers (Royal Editor for the Daily Mirror and Royal commentator for Lorraine) has not responded to the Buckingham Palace's release, but has tweeted out earlier

Russell Myers @rjmyers
In a rare moment for a member of the royal family to comment on politics, Prince Harry urges Americans to 'vote against hate' in the upcoming US election
7:15 PM · Sep 23, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/rjmyers/status/1308696381578768384

The attached article to his tweet: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-new...paign=sharebar

[Curryong]

Harry and Meghan are members of the British Royal Family already, Camilla, as son and daughter in law of the Prince of Wales, so don't need to return to the Royal Family. If she's saying there's no way for them to return as working members of the Firm, have they made any statements that they wish to, because I haven't heard any?

Meghan was marking National Registration Day yesterday, so that put her remarks about voting in context, and neither she nor Harry told people to go out and vote Democrat.

Harry's remarks

He said he couldn’t vote in this year’s election, nor had he ever voted in any UK elections, (making his status clear) but said he hoped Americans would remember that “it’s vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity. When the bad outweighs the good, for many, whether we realize it or not, it erodes our ability to have compassion and our ability to put ourself in someone else’s shoes. Because when one person buys into negativity online, the effects are felt exponentially. It’s time to not only reflect, but act.”

That's partisan? is Hate Speech so identified with one side that everyone should automatically think that he is speaking against one particular Presidential candidate?

[camelot23ca]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

I agree. Taylor Swift has also urged people to vote, as have many others in the public eye as of late. The counter argument could be the Sussexes shouldn't because of their royal connections, but they are no longer working royals, so in my view they are free to do what they want with their platform. And encouraging people to vote is a very worthy thing to use your platform for - because they do have many people around the world who will listen to them and be influenced by their words. I can imagine that Harry himself has always been exposed to political opinions as Charles in the past has been criticised for being too political - Harry also seemed genuinely disappointed at not being able to vote in the video, so I can imagine he has an interest. The Sussexes have been clever as well in this message at not pinning their words on one political party so people can relate them to either Republican or Democrat, depending on what your political spectrum is.

He’s no longer a working member of The Royal Family but he still has his succession rights and is still using his royal ducal title. He’s currently one family tragedy away from being the next Head of State of the UK.

I find it funny that Harry talks about not having been able to vote in the UK but clearly doesn’t have any insight as to why this might be. If he had any understanding of why members of the BRF don’t vote in domestic elections he’d probably also grasp why a member of the BRF in the line of succession- working member or not - shouldn’t be making any sort of comment about a foreign election.

[Curryong]

I think Harry does understand why he's unable to vote. He told a member of the public a few years ago who asked him that he was unable to speak about what he thought of Brexit?
Or give any opinion on domestic elections? As I do remember two non working sisters, members of the Royal Family attending Boris Johnson's post election victory party. Surely a statement in itself.