The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 3: March - April 2021

[Alison H]

Meghan said that they were never offered a hospital photocall, does that mean that H&M wanted it and were denied?

If they'd contacted the press and said they wanted a hospital photocall, the press would have been there as fast as humanly possible! They hushed it all up - there were reports that it was going to be a home birth, or at one of various different hospitals, and then they didn't announce she'd gone in until Archie had actually been born, and then they announced the birth about an hour later, and Harry made the announcement in person, and it was all just a bit crazy.


There's obviously no law requiring royal parents to present their baby, like the Lion King ?, but it's usually done and it's something that people really like. Harry and Meghan have done a lot of complaining about negative press attention, but the birth of a baby is something lovely, and those photocalls are a time for everyone (except the odd miserable republican) to rejoice and wish the parents and the new arrival well. Harry and Meghan weren't willing to do that, and people were disappointed.

OK, the public doesn't own them, and certainly doesn't own a new baby, but it would only have been a few minutes. It's not like anyone was expecting them to let members of the public queue up outside Frogmore to come inside and have a turn at holding the baby.

Again, they seem to be twisting the truth. They made a really big deal of not wanting a photocall. It caused a lot of disappointment. How can they now claim that they weren't offered something they'd made it crystal clear they didn't want? They wouldn't even release a photo taken privately, at first.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke & Duchess of Sussex & Family - General News March 2021 -

I still can not believe that she had reminded the world that Catherine was mocked as "waity Katie', that was really mean

It was. That was mean. And unnecessary of her. As I recall she said that because she felt the need to explain why her plight with the tabloids was so much worse than Catherine’s. As if it’s really appropriate to compare your experience to someone else’s and conclude it was worse. She tried to trivialize everything Catherine went through. Which was a lot.

Guess she thought mentioning the nude photos of Catherine taken with a long lens while she was on a private estate wouldn’t bolster that argument. And that they came out while she was on tour and she had to immediately face the world. She then did so with class and dignity. I imagine if anyone doubted Catherine could handle the job- she assuaged those doubts then and there.

It’s also interesting that she reminded everyone of the flack William and Catherine took for waiting so long to get married in light of how well her and Harry rushing everything worked work wise. (Yes- I know what the probable reasons were.)

 

[ladongas]

If I knew nothing about...

Meghan and Harry other than what I read on this thread, I would say OMG! No wonder they wanted to get away from Royal life! Seventy-odd pages of repetitious criticism, few facts, many rumors and opinions which have been misinterpreted and embroidered... They are not evil people, but you wouldn’t know it by reading this (or comments on the tabs).

 

[Queen Ester]

I don't think it's the question of being offered that. If they let the press know in which hospital Meghan gave birth (we didn't know where, and we didn't know she gave birth until the family was safely back in Frogmore Cottage), the press would be there. 100%. Everyone is always so excited for a royal birth
So they weren't asked to take a picture. After they went to extreme lenghts to make sure the birth was as private as possible, now they're surprised they weren't asked to do that.
Also the part "if the's not a price, then it's not part of the tradition" is another lie. Princess Anne did it with Peter and Zara (no titles at all), Countess of Wessex did it with Lady Louise and Viscount Severn (titled like children of an Earl, with no HRHs).

That's what bugs me, Meghan could have simply say that they wanted to keep it private, why does she have to lie and malign RF in such a petty matter.

 

[tommy100]

Meghan and Harry other than what I read on this thread, I would say OMG! No wonder they wanted to get away from Royal life! Seventy-odd pages of repetitious criticism, few facts, many rumors and opinions which have been misinterpreted and embroidered... They are not evil people, but you wouldn’t know it by reading this (or comments on the tabs).

Questioning their actions or even criticising them is not evil. That sweeping statement goes there with all negative or even less than glowing media stories being racist. To be fair one could say there are as many facts on this thread as in their Oprah interview

 

[Lori138]

got it thanks



Meghan said that they were never offered a hospital photocall, does that mean that H&M wanted it and were denied?

They could not have been offered or denied a photocall as they lied about when Archie was even born. Harry announced Meghan was in labor when she was already home with their son, so a photocall would have been impossible.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke & Duchess of Sussex & Family - General News March 2021 -

Questioning their actions or even criticising them is not evil. That sweeping statement goes there with all negative or even less than glowing media stories being racist. To be fair one could say there are as many facts on this thread as in their Oprah interview

Lol I was about to say that about the interview.

Harry and Meghan put themselves out there. The fallout is what it is. They could have left quietly in a dignified manner. They opted not to.

 

[Osipi]

Meghan and Harry other than what I read on this thread, I would say OMG! No wonder they wanted to get away from Royal life! Seventy-odd pages of repetitious criticism, few facts, many rumors and opinions which have been misinterpreted and embroidered... They are not evil people, but you wouldn’t know it by reading this (or comments on the tabs).

What were your reactions to the statements made in that interview? Do you think they were all "gospel truth" and presented things exactly as they happened? Do you question any of the words that came, verbatim, out of their mouths or do you believe that everything happened exactly as the Sussexes portrayed things to have happened? Do you have an opinion?

The discussions in these pages evolve from statements made during the interview which can be proven to be either false or misleading or seem to have a definitive purpose in its directive.

Just *one* questionable "truth" puts everything they said in that two hour long interview into question. Of course it's going to generate discussion into the hows and whys and wherefores that lie behind something *they*, themselves, have called to our attention.

We aren't making these things up. The Sussex threads, in and of itself since day 1 when Harry met Meghan are an archive of information to draw on and many of us have been here since that day 1 and remember things. We're not here to be a "stan" or a "hater" or form camps for or against Harry and Meghan. We're just trying to really figure out what they've been smoking and where they're coming from as their behavior is so controversial (to say the least).

 

[Queen Ester]

Duchess of Gloucester, yes. Duchess of Kent as well: https://meghanpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DuchessofKent.jpg

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at St Mary's Hospital with their son, Lord Frederick Windsor, 9 April 1979

 

[Queen Ester]

Duchess of Gloucester, yes. Duchess of Kent as well: https://meghanpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DuchessofKent.jpg

Princess Michael Of Kent presents baby son Frederick to Prince Michael of Kent in April 1979 https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-p...=1&vd=0&lb=&fi=2&edrf=&ispremium=1&flip=0&pl=

 

[Lee-Z]

..
Just *one* questionable "truth" puts everything they said in that two hour long interview into question. Of course it's going to generate discussion into the hows and whys and wherefores that lie behind something *they*, themselves, have called to our attention.

...

That's possibly the thing though, for you and me if one of the statements they uttered is proven to be wrong, we question the other facts, or should i write 'facts'.
When they contradict eachother in the same interview, we interpret it as them not even getting their stories straight, so why would any story be straight.

From experience i realized over the years that that doesn't work tjat way for lots of people, one or two or a bunch of disproven facts, do not negate that one thing *can* be true (in this case, racism in the RF)
Them not telling the exact same story will actually make it more believable, because people's memories of an event are always slightly different.

We can discuss this for ages to come, but these two very different views of looking at things will never align...and a good thing too, otherwise it would be awfully quiet on these forums

 

[Curryong]

Meghan and Harry other than what I read on this thread, I would say OMG! No wonder they wanted to get away from Royal life! Seventy-odd pages of repetitious criticism, few facts, many rumors and opinions which have been misinterpreted and embroidered... They are not evil people, but you wouldn’t know it by reading this (or comments on the tabs).

Thank you, ladongas, you said what I have been trying to say for weeks. And it’s not just the Oprah interview either. Every bit of a story, even from the tabloids about the couple is dissected and criticised while any good they’ve done such as the donation to the women’s refuge in Texas is dismissed in maybe a couple of comments. They don’t do what other royals do. Oh God, how dreadful! Negative opinions and criticism of Harry and Meghan dominate this thread. It makes for very repetitious and boring reading as well.

 

[Fem]

Princess Michael Of Kent presents baby son Frederick to Prince Michael of Kent in April 1979 https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-p...=1&vd=0&lb=&fi=2&edrf=&ispremium=1&flip=0&pl=

Yeah, but we have to remember, Harry and Meghan were not asked to do that...

It doesn't matter that they asked for privacy around the birth, did not release any details, gave very confusing statements to the press (I don't want to say straight out lied) and timed the birth announcement for the US media

 

[Curryong]

Harry came out at Windsor and spoke directly to the British media about his and Meghan’s new baby boy and how overjoyed he was. There are clips online of him doing so.

 

[Heavs]

They were certainly aware of the new baby photocalls and did everything in their power to do the opposite - which was absolutely their right.

Some of their supporters in the press at the time actually made fun of having to get dolled up and look perfect right after having a baby and how allegedly Meghan thought that was "archaic" or something similar.

It was all part of the package that said they didn't want Archie to have anything to do with public life - no photocall, no title and nothing named after him (Australian fire plane).

They also knew because they eventually DID have a photocall two days later in Windsor Castle. Which at the time I thought was a nice compromise if they didn't want to do it right away. That's how we got the lovely photos of HM and PP meeting Archie and with Doria as well. So all this was definitely part of the discussion for them. Not to mention Harry coming out to the waiting world grinning all over.

It's completely disingenuous to now claim it was a kind of sinister sounding spin on the part of "The Institution" to downplay Archie, his safety and importance and blame the Sussexes for the press disgruntlement.

I need help here, because I honestly can't remember, but I'm quite sure we got some sort of a statement/clarification that there was no rift between the (then) Duchess of Sussex and Duchess of Cambridge. I just don't remember when - but it might've been a try to put those rumors to rest? I'll try to find it, but I'm sure it happened at some point.

I think there was something to that effect from some journalist something like "it's been a hectic few weeks for both but there is no rift". Not saying nothing happened but saying it wasn't important. I can't remember exactly though.

That's possibly the thing though, for you and me if one of the statements they uttered is proven to be wrong, we question the other facts, or should i write 'facts'.
When they contradict eachother in the same interview, we interpret it as them not even getting their stories straight, so why would any story be straight.

From experience i realized over the years that that doesn't work tjat way for lots of people, one or two or a bunch of disproven facts, do not negate that one thing *can* be true (in this case, racism in the RF)
Them not telling the exact same story will actually make it more believable, because people's memories of an event are always slightly different.

We can discuss this for ages to come, but these two very different views of looking at things will never align...and a good thing too, otherwise it would be awfully quiet on these forums

The thing is it was more than "one or two disproven facts" it was at least 8 that have been proven to be factually incorrect and others that are highly questionable.

I agree that two people having different recollections doesn't mean it didn't happen (10 different witness statements and all) but their statements about the "racist" comment(s) don't line up at all. And if theirs don't line up might not the possible member of the BRF also have a completely different recollection of a potentially benign conversation as well?

 

[Hallo girl]

Thank you, ladongas, you said what I have been trying to say for weeks. And it’s not just the Oprah interview either. Every bit of a story, even from the tabloids about the couple is dissected and criticised while any good they’ve done such as the donation to the women’s refuge in Texas is dismissed in maybe a couple of comments. They don’t do what other royals do. Oh God, how dreadful! Negative opinions and criticism of Harry and Meghan dominate this thread. It makes for very repetitious and boring reading as well.

Sometimes things are repeated partly because posters have not seen an earlier similar post or sometimes because others keep going on about the same issue and refuse to accept other views.
An example would be the constant coming and going over Frogmore Cottage another example was the constant discussion as why the rules should have been changed to make Archie a prince.

I shall add I am not saying people must agree with other views but just accept that there are differing views.
We are a broad church I like to read other peoples slant on an event or a comment.

 

[Curryong]

And Harry came out at Windsor and spoke about the birth of Archie and how overjoyed he was.

 

[bertie5252003]

I am always happy to read others thoughts am grateful for this. community ... I think though and this is only me of course, that I see you location is the USA it is hard to understand Monarchy, it's history and the rules around those members of the RF [look at the embarrassment for Princess Alexandra]They may not be evil, in it's true sense of the word in the Oxford Dictionary but they are completed out of line Harry has ruined his own chances of life with a family, your comments are your view these are mine

 

[Hallo girl]

Harry came out at Windsor and spoke directly to the British media about his and Meghan’s new baby boy and how overjoyed he was. There are clips online of him doing so.

That is correct and it was lovely and emotional , different to what normally happened outside the hospital. In the interview Meghan claimed she was never asked to pose outside the hospital.
Which does seem strange that nobody had ever discussed with her that after a royal birth it is the tradition to stand outside for the cameras for a few minutes. In fact her choice was fiercely debated on this forum. Her sister in law gave birth a month before the wedding, and posed outside.
I am not saying she should have posed I just find it strange that it was never discussed with her before the birth.

 

[poppy7]

Thank you, ladongas, you said what I have been trying to say for weeks. And it’s not just the Oprah interview either. Every bit of a story, even from the tabloids about the couple is dissected and criticised while any good they’ve done such as the donation to the women’s refuge in Texas is dismissed in maybe a couple of comments. They don’t do what other royals do. Oh God, how dreadful! Negative opinions and criticism of Harry and Meghan dominate this thread. It makes for very repetitious and boring reading as well.

I have seen you put up many things that they have done. Donated money etc and I have also seen it doesn't get much response but I think that it is just indicative of the fact it isn't that much to be talked about. I mean they gave money. Okay. They won a court case. Okay.

And a lot if what they have done is cringe with bringing the reporters to events they created for themselves. It is a bit cringe.

So in short they really aren't doing much to be talked about...except interviews and war through spokes people. And an inane conversation over who made who cry.

 

[Hallo girl]

They do donate large sums of money to excellent causes , which I think is more philanthropy rather than royal duties.
Royal duties are the visits to various locations, some quite small, foreign tours, meeting the people. Raising awareness of a cause, thanking people for their efforts. It is not all about donating large sums of money. I have read criticisms of the royals on other forums because a few hundred people turned up to see them but a fund raiser raised thousands in Archies name.
If you can , watch the documentary on George V bringing the royals out to the people.
I am not putting the Sussexs down for their work but I am not sure if what they do is royal duties.
Just my opinion but happy to hear other views.

 

[soapstar]

Let’s keep the discussion about Harry and Meghan and not turn this into a discussion about what other members post. Thanks.

 

[Sandy345]

got it thanks



Meghan said that they were never offered a hospital photocall, does that mean that H&M wanted it and were denied?

I thought the controversy was they were expected to have one? I am curious if this is something that is recommended...or not?

 

[Claire]

In the end everyone - yes everyone reaps what they sow. If the Sussex's didn't want people talking about them - especially dissecting what they said - they wouldn't have said anything at all.

Especially not so obvious mistruths - The press were informed that the Sussex's would not disclose the hospital and that they would not present the baby to the press. Then they told the press that Meghan was in labor when the baby was already born. There was lots of problems here - the ends and outs of it we will never probably know unless someone's tells us.

I would be more proactive in lauding the good of Meghan and Harry's if it wasn't so obviously PR. A Sunshine Sachs head honcho is the head trustee of the charity. The damage is actually for ceiling board and not the roof, only the ceiling board was damaged when the fire sprinklers froze. That however was not what was reported - it was said that they were replacing the roof and the donation was made to seem a sustainable more then what it is. A local Texas newspaper noted it, but few people in the news made much of it.
There always seems to be something underhanded about what they do. Something always seems odd - off and oily.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke & Duchess of Sussex & Family - General News March 2021 -

Thank you, ladongas, you said what I have been trying to say for weeks. And it’s not just the Oprah interview either. Every bit of a story, even from the tabloids about the couple is dissected and criticised while any good they’ve done such as the donation to the women’s refuge in Texas is dismissed in maybe a couple of comments. They don’t do what other royals do. Oh God, how dreadful! Negative opinions and criticism of Harry and Meghan dominate this thread. It makes for very repetitious and boring reading as well.

It was a nice thing for them to help Texas out after the storm. I say that as a Texan. The help was appreciated. Also when AOC raised money and helped.

But- I will say the same thing I said when Alexandria Oscario-Cortez helped- it was also good PR. Because it was. That doesn’t mean they weren’t genuine in their desire to help after a disaster too. I hope they were. But it was good PR. And I suspect that was a factor.

That being said- I’m not sure there’s much else to say. They helped after a disaster.

 

[Curryong]

I have seen you put up many things that they have done. Donated money etc and I have also seen it doesn't get much response but I think that it is just indicative of the fact it isn't that much to be talked about. I mean they gave money. Okay. They won a court case. Okay.

And a lot if what they have done is cringe with bringing the reporters to events they created for themselves. It is a bit cringe.

So in short they really aren't doing much to be talked about...except interviews and war through spokes people. And an inane conversation over who made who cry.

The BRF don’t have to bestir themselves to get reporters to their events. It’s all done for them. The Royal Rota is there to bring publicity to their causes and write accompanying often cloying articles about clothing etc. Part of the ‘you scratch our back we’ll scratch yours’ arrangement Harry spoke of in the interview clips.


If they weren’t there then the RF would be in exactly the same position as the Sussexes are in a new country and having to begin again. They want to donate to causes and make a difference through Archewell. How do you suggest they do that without any publicity? And at least some of what they have done singly and together was publicised on the charities and causes’ own Twitter Pages first as well.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke & Duchess of Sussex & Family - General News March 2021 -

And Harry came out at Windsor and spoke about the birth of Archie and how overjoyed he was.

I really liked that. It was different, but it worked really well IMO.

 

[Heavs]

I'd also like to point out that when other members of the BRF are said to have given private donations to various charities, relief efforts or commemorations those are often noted here but don't get much attention either. It's not just the Sussexes.

I think it's great when anyone donates time, money or effort to a good cause.

 

[Fem]

I would be more proactive in lauding the good of Meghan and Harry's if it wasn't so obviously PR. A Sunshine Sachs head honcho is the head trustee of the charity. The damage is actually for ceiling board and not the roof, only the ceiling board was damaged when the fire sprinklers froze. That however was not what was reported - it was said that they were replacing the roof and the donation was made to seem a sustainable more then what it is. A local Texas newspaper noted it, but few people in the news made much of it.
There always seems to be something underhanded about what they do. Something always seems odd - off and oily.

I didn't know that, I really thought it was the whole roof, the way it was blown up by their PR. And now it turns out it was just the ceiling board Smoke and mirros, baby, smoke and mirrors...

 

[Curryong]

This article quotes the original Twitter announcement by the charity concerned. It doesn’t mention any ceiling board.


https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/meghan-harry-pay-repairs-texas-23543459

[FONT=&quot]The shelter wrote: "Today, the news of our damages reached Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Through their nonprofit, they are supporting us by replacing the roof at our transitional housing facility & helping us meet our immediate needs. THANK YOU, ARCHEWELL FOUNDATION!"[/FONT]