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


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Harry is not a citizen neither of Canada nor of New Zealand and, unless he held a Crown office in those countries, or was an accredited UK diplomat there, what kind of representation role would he have there exactly? In fact, given his immigration status, I am not even sure if he could legally remain in the country beyond the normal grace period that is extended to visitors. And there would be restrictions too on his ability to work or get a paid job.


It seems to me that, despite H&M's talk about colonialism and dealing with its legacy, it was Harry who was confusing the Commonwealth with the old British Empire and showing a colonial mentality with respect to Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, which is out of touch with their current status as sovereign, independent countries.

One of the alleged reasons they quickly rushed to LA before the border closed was that their visa was up and couldn't be extended because neither of them were working or citizens and hadn't planned for that possibility.

You're right it seems like quite a colonial and unrealistic attitude to think "oh, we'll go to wherever, be "official royals" there whilst doing our own thing and the taxpayers will even pay for our security." That and believing your own hype.

They showed they didn't understand the Commonwealth at all with their previous comments, especially the fact that it's an entirely voluntary organisation which countries who were never even part of the British Empire want to join.
 
It was extremely rude for anyone to jeer at Meghan but you can't allege that a country of 70 million are all racists because of the actions of a few jerks.


There's also video footage out there of Camilla being booed at William's wedding. And Charles being jeered at. Some people just don't like the royals.


Also apparently Harry said something about never being able to ride a bike as a child with his dad. Twitter refuted that one.
https://perezhilton.com/prince-harry-bike-child-disproven-photos-twitter/




And the DM has this up this morning;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9356741/Harry-Meghan-inconvenient-truth.html
 
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The Duke & Duchess of Sussex & Family - General News March 2021 -

Their (weak) defense is, as they said, that Oprah is an entertainer, not a journalist, and, as such, she does not represent CBS News and is not held to the same standards.

If I understood it correctly, Charles stopped taking Harry's call when Harry was in Canada. Now he is taking his calls again, but the relationship between Harry and Charles is still strained.


It’s a very weak defense. Agreed. There should be standards. Lies shouldn’t be allowed to just air without a disclaimer or something.

One of the more bizarre parts of the interview was him acknowledging the strained relationships with his father and brother, saying he wants to work things out...while doing an interview that stabs them and what they work for in the back. This interview wasn’t going to improve things.
 
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Valentine Low did a podcast discussing the Sussexes. He mentioned his assertion Meghan wanted to be rejected because she was obsessed with that narrative from day one (he wrote it on his article about bullying).
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-of-our-times/id1501716010?i=1000512336555

And here’s reader letters to the Telegraph.
Letters: Did the Sussexes consider the mental health of those they vilified?



Another one:
Harry and Meghan on Oprah: Telegraph readers have their say


The “letter” story is a big deal for Meghan because it gave unwanted portrayal to her character, so do the “no-contact to Royal Marine” for Harry which he claimed would damage his reputation for his work in Mental Health.
Wouldn’t those Times’s story and their interview bring bigger damage to them? Would they sue? (because I’m sure the interview went through editing to make it more “dramatic”) Or is this what Meghan claimed with “they’ve already lost everything”? But don’t they still have Archewell, Netflix, and Spotify future programmes to consider? Or are they really just that short-sighted and impulsive? Or they’re really that naïve?

I’m questioning their “adviser” and “friends”. A true friend will say “no, don’t do it” instead of blindly “supporting” them when they’re being rash/stupid. Oprah is not “friend”, it was business for her. And it seems she won’t be the only one. I see a case fish who has lived in an aquarium for their whole life being thrown to sea full of sharks.

I’m not a fan of Piers Morgan (why anyone let him talk on national tv I’ll never understand). I don't know if it's true or not, but seems like the complaint has backfired.

Piers Morgan to stay at ITV after quitting GMB: the inside story of rows with Meghan Markle and Alex Beresford


There’s a saying “keep your friend close, but your enemy closer”.

Chris Ship has joined the Meghan team his reporting was very one sided.
I am not sure if he was told to provide the balance to Piers.
 
It’s a very weak defense. Agreed.

One of the more bizarre parts of the interview was him acknowledging the strained relationships with his father and brother, saying he wants to work things out...while doing an interview that stabs them and what they work for in the back. This interview wasn’t going to improve things.

No it wasn't.

But it seems it was more important to air out their grievances on international TV than actually do their part to mend the relationships. I guess he realised he'd gone too far at points (it's not my grandparents!) but he couldn't back out and didn't want to contradict Meghan. They seem to be going for a scorched earth policy at the moment.

"Daddy and big bro aren't talking to me, poor me!" gets some sympathy and the blame goes to his "trapped" and mean family.

If they aren't talking to him by the next interview "well I'm very sad but we had to say our truth!" and they get painted exactly as toxic as they claimed.

Next time "well we talked and they said sorry for some stuff and sent Archie and Doriana some presents" Headlines: Harry says Royal family apologises for being Racist"
 
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Next time "well we talked and they said sorry for some stuff and sent Archie and Doriana some presents" Headlines: Harry says Royal family apologises for being Racist"


Actually, headlines: "Royal family apologises for being Racist". Harry and Meghan's truth is THE Truth, to many.


Just today, I saw a headline "Leaked emails confirm Meghan's version" or something. That's the now famous (in-famous?) email of Meghan demanding to make the truth known re: making Kate cry in January 2020. That's the same as me saying, "If we're so adamant about getting the truth out, what about Heavs making me cry last December here, in the RoyalForums?" Does this prove that you made me cry last December? I was registered here in November, after all! Never mind that my first post was made just a few days ago.
 
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That's rich of ANL to complain of doctored headlines when it printed select parts of Meghan's letter to her dad without her permission. It seems like ViacomCBS's stance is ANL is in no position to say anything given it lost that case.
 
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Personally I felt the whole interview was M&H attempting to establish themselves as the owners of the mental health and racism portfolio. Essentially the royals cannot say anything about the issues as this is what they did to us - we are the authorities on those issues in the royal world. Question - I sincerely doubt William and Harry were the first brutish royals to talk about mental health. But since they are the ones that spearheaded it into the public spotlight - why cant both the Cambridge's and the Sussex's work on it - it is not as it there is a limited need for the cause.
As far as racisms is concerned - I don't think any senior royal will touch it now - they might do an engagement here and there.

You may be right but I don't think it will work out the way they'd like. For one, Harry plainly stated that he didn't seek out help for Meghan with his family because he was embarrassed. I believe William and Catherine will continue to be outspoken about mental health because of their personal experiences and the people they have met while doing this work.
 
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Up until this interview, I was one of the posters here that would always try and see the positives with this couple. I saw the huge potential they had for doing good and giving back and how they could be a huge asset to the BRF and the monarchy as a whole. I also thought that Meghan was absolutely persecuted in the media starting from when it first became public knowledge they were dating and having a long distance, over the pond relationship. I believed they were strong together and believed Meghan when she stated in Vanity Fair that she "tunes out the noise".



But there it was. In full color. For two hours. I don't discount that there were struggles and misunderstandings and brick walls that this couple ran into every where they turned, it seemed. Her family, the press, an 1,000+ year old institution that has as many quirks and protocols and traditions as politicians have lies. I thought if anyone could rise above all that, it would be them. The interview last Sunday has totally shot all that to pieces that can never be put back together again. I've lost just about any respect I've had for them and feel that this was the worse mistake they could have ever made.



I get the distinct feeling that Harry also feels that this wasn't perhaps a good move to make. It was the day *after* the interview aired that the disclaimer from Harry came out stating the statement about the skin tone was not the Queen or Philip. I'm wondering if there are others he may regret? This, alone, cannot be good for his mental health either.



The saddest part to me is that there are no do-overs. They cannot take it back. Most importantly though, in the eyes of so many people now, they can't be believed to be genuine or even trustworthy.



"Man does not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." (Chief Seattle) That sums it up for me.



I saw a lot of potential with them too. I thought Meghan being mid 30s, having charitable interests, was old enough to understand what she doing and would find certain aspects of joining the family to be rewarding and enjoyable. I also believed her when she said she blocked out the noise. (Obviously not- in her own words and emails, she’s shown she’s obsessed with media coverage.)

I didn’t start believing there was some truth in the media reports until the Africa interview. That’s where my perspective shifted. It was whiny. A pretty obvious sympathy bid IMO- and I don’t have much patience for those especially when- by anyone’s definition- you already have so much. And I’m not just talking about money.

It was obvious Meghan very much paid attention to the media, which I thought was a poor choice- and it was just that- a choice. Anyway- it all went downhill from there. I’d say they’ve hit rock bottom with how low they can go, but probably not.

Harry maybe has regrets. What I wonder is why he ever allowed that interview to air without clarifying that his elderly grandparents were not racists. He had to know people would point the finger at them due to age, some of Philip’s past comments, etc. They were easy and obvious targets. He’s not super bright, but he’s not that dumb either. Plus- when he clarified- he also narrowed the field. Which made the finger pointing at Charles, for instance, louder. The whole race part of the interview was cold and cruel IMO.

I don’t believe Meghan cares. I really don’t. She brought up the race issue, even though she never actually heard the conversation. I think so little of her at this point, I think she’s enjoying the fallout. And I do mean enjoying. I think she, in particular, got what she wanted.

I would agree- count me in as someone who doesn’t think they’re genuine or trustworthy. They sure aren’t kind and compassionate.

Too bad they’re living in the US. We have enough celebrities trying to moralize and tell us what we should think. Because they seem to think we need their advice and opinions. Meghan may have felt she lost her voice for a time, but hers sure isn’t one I care to hear. Or Harry’s for that matter. I don’t care what they think. I sure don’t need to hear them bash the BRF while making millions strictly because they are royal.
 
Actually, headlines: "Royal family apologises for being Racist". Harry and Meghan's truth is THE Truth, to many.


Just today, I saw a headline "Leaked emails confirm Meghan's version" or something. That's the now famous (in-famous?) email of Meghan demanding to make the truth known re: making Kate cry in January 2020. That's the same as me saying, "If we're so adamant about getting the truth out, what about Heavs making me cry last December here, in the RoyalForums?" Does this prove that you made me cry last December? I was registered here in November, after all! Never mind that my first post was made just a few days ago.



Yeah. I saw that headline too. All those emails proved to me was how obsessed she was with media coverage, the Catherine one in particular, and that she highly likely was difficult to work for. It doesn’t prove her version was totally true. Why because she said so in an email?

Here’s a thought: maybe Meghan convinced herself her version happened just that way. She wouldn’t be the first person to do that. But- no- that email proves nothing in and of itself about what actually happened.
 
Bottom line- Harry and Meghan knew they could say whatever they wanted, and Oprah wouldn’t really challenge anything. She’s a TV host. This wasn’t Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes. (who I imagine has better things to do anyway then interview these entitled whiners).

They also knew that anyone pointing out lies, misstatements, obvious twisting of events in the aftermath would not be read or heard by the majority of the audience.


Exactly. Especially Harry's past with racist remarks comes to my mind, using the P word but 'without malice' or wearing a Nazi outfit to a costume party, when he was still under the influence of his bad family and Meghan had not woken him :whistling:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/...akistani-colleague-P-word-without-malice.html
 
Yeah. I saw that headline too. All those emails proved to me was how obsessed she was with media coverage, the Catherine one in particular, and that she highly likely was difficult to work for. It doesn’t prove her version was totally true. Why because she said so in an email?

Here’s a thought: maybe Meghan convinced herself her version happened just that way. She wouldn’t be the first person to do that. But- no- that email proves nothing in and of itself about what actually happened.
Alas, to me it proved something sad as well: the utter lack of any critical thought where Harry and Meghan are concerned. It's a misleading headline at its best. No way journalists didn't know what you and I saw immediately - that an email sent in January 2020 only proved that Meghan sent an email in January 2020 claiming that something happened. All respect to you but from your posts I wasn't left with the impression that you worked in a media - I apologise if I'm wrong. I certainly don't work in one. And yet we saw the email for what it was. The media, though, took it at face value and ran with it. That, by itself, shifts the narrative against the RF and in Harry and Meghan's favour.
BTW, was the email truly leaked? Given the source - Scobie, - I'd rather think that they gave it to him quite happily.
 
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Have to say the emails just make me thing less of Meghan. She was obsessed with the Royal Household getting involved in a personal Family issue, it does add evidence to the idea she was obsessed with Catherine and any coverage comparing them IMO. I wonder if H&M are starting to believe their own hype too much, they need to be careful what they release as they may well trip themselves up
 
There was a definite push from BP about Meghan been the first non- European to marry into the family. If I am not mistaken that would have been one of the Harewood's? SO essentially the palace drew that distinction themselves.

Personally I felt the whole interview was M&H attempting to establish themselves as the owners of the mental health and racism portfolio. Essentially the royals cannot say anything about the issues as this is what they did to us - we are the authorities on those issues in the royal world. Question - I sincerely doubt William and Harry were the first brutish royals to talk about mental health. But since they are the ones that spearheaded it into the public spotlight - why cant both the Cambridge's and the Sussex's work on it - it is not as it there is a limited need for the cause.
As far as racisms is concerned - I don't think any senior royal will touch it now - they might do an engagement here and there.

The first non-European to marry into the BRF was Wallis Simpson of Baltimore, MD.
 
I was defending them on this board literally hours before the January 2020 announcement was posted. After that I avoided a lot of coverage and decompressed on Royal Watching for a while before examining everything and coming up with less than sympathetic conclusions to the H&M demands.

I was delighted when they announced their engagement because even though it was a whirlwind romance I thought there was no way and "independent woman in her mid 30s" who had been married before and done all this amazing stuff could possibly fail to do her research or be silly enough to believe it was a fairy tale situation.

I still thought they were genuine in their intentions for quite a while. But not really any more.

Autumn Kelly was also a Canadian of Irish Catholic origin. She also claimed she had no idea who Peter Philips was when they started dating and people didn't believe her either, despite him being much lower profile. She would have had very little reason to be knowledgeable about the workings of the monarchy or UK culture but they took their relationship slowly. And yes there was much less pressure.

The email of Jan 2020 was when they had already announced they'd left and you can say she was "leaving a paper trail" as she seems to have deliberately done all throughout her time there. It doesn't prove the initial incident happens as she said it did and it doesn't have anything to do with Kate's side at all. Let alone any replies from the palace or discussion about it. I think anyone who interacts with her should be cautious in case she has a falling out with you and out of context "proof" is held over your head.

I wonder if she identifies the Kate story as the start of the time of bad press, even though it only truly kicked into high gear with the baby shower?
 
I wonder if Netflix and Spotify are wondering what and who they have gotten in bed with.
I would be.

Personally I would be looking into a way to get out of those contracts. People who like making public accusation usually make a profession of it.
 
Well.... one thing Netflix may be eyeballing is a good storyline for an entire season of "The Crown". Wonder if Meghan would play herself? :whistling:

If we thought they really did a hatchet job on the Diana years and badly portrayed Charles, imagine what they could do with the Sussex years? :ohmy:
 
I wonder if Netflix and Spotify are wondering what and who they have gotten in bed with.
I would be.

Personally I would be looking into a way to get out of those contracts. People who like making public accusation usually make a profession of it.


Seeing their poll numbers in the UK plummet from already hardly high places I would be worried- but both are also huge international companies and may be happy to take the risk for their American market even if they don’t publicise H&M content anywhere near as much in the UK
 
Alas, to me it proved something sad as well: the utter lack of any critical thought where Harry and Meghan are concerned. It's a misleading headline at its best. No way journalists didn't know what you and I saw immediately - that an email sent in January 2020 only proved that Meghan sent an email in January 2020 claiming that something happened. All respect to you but from your posts I wasn't left with the impression that you worked in a media - I apologise if I'm wrong. I certainly don't work in one. And yet we saw the email for what it was. The media, though, took it at face value and ran with it. That, by itself, shifts the narrative against the RF and in Harry and Meghan's favour.
BTW, was the email truly leaked? Given the source - Scobie, - I'd rather think that they gave it to him quite happily.



I’m not in the media. You are correct.

The media was looking to generate headlines. But not honest ones.

When I first clicked on the Scobie article- someone here posted the link- I thought there was going to something relevant in the emails. I was pretty surprised that it was just Meghan obsessing about the Catherine story and how she’d supposedly been wronged. Nothing there .

I thought- and said here- there is no value add to this. The email proves nothing. But- I was wrong. The value add is that Meghan knew what the headlines would say.

I’m sure Meghan gave Scobie the email. He seems to be a favorite mouthpiece. You could make the argument that Meghan wrote the email in January 2020 with the intent of using it as “proof” later.
 
I wonder if Netflix and Spotify are wondering what and who they have gotten in bed with.
I would be.

Personally I would be looking into a way to get out of those contracts. Peop who like making public accusation usually make a profession of it.

I doubt that Netflix and Spotify can get out of the contacts, they are usually iron-clad. Unless M&H attorneys screwed-up. As I said, previously, we don't know anything about the contacts.
 
I thought- and said here- there is no value add to this. The email proves nothing. But- I was wrong. The value add is that Meghan knew what the headlines would say.

There was absolutely no wisdom to be found in that email and all it proves is that its um... an email. Coming out with all guns blazing shows a serious lack of clear thinking and reminds me of something Abraham Lincoln said once upon a time. "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
 
I doubt that Netflix and Spotify can get out of the contacts, they are usually iron-clad. Unless M&H attorneys screwed-up. As I said, previously, we don't know anything about the contacts.

The way I understand how these contracts work is it is basically a first look deal. So, Netflix has the right of first refusal. If they don’t want to buy whatever H&M are selling them, then H&M are free to shop their product around. So, the easiest way out for them in this scenario would be refusing to purchase whatever H&M provide them. That is if H&M every get around to creating anything
 
I don't remember people even thinking that the "she made Kate cry" story was such a big deal at the time. Tempers do tend to get fraught over wedding arrangements, and people do get upset. Unless I've misunderstood, the argument was over whether or not the bridesmaids should wear tights. It wasn't as if anyone was alleged to have made a hurtful personal remark. I really don't think that anyone started thinking badly of either Kate or Meghan because of an alleged spat over little kids wearing tights. It was just one of those storm in a teacup things.
 
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As a subscription streaming service, Netflix doesn't need every program to be a blockbuster. Even if the content is not great, and it could be, Harry and Meghan are high profile and generate publicity.

I keep wondering why, if Meghan was so concerned about the Kate story, she didn't use Scobie to set the record straight in Finding Freedom. It makes me doubt the veracity of her claim.

Unfortunately, Harry and Meghan have lobbed an unexploded bomb into the royal family. Sooner or later, the name will be disclosed or leaked out. The only way Harry can fix this is to admit that he exaggerated when he told Meghan about the comment. I am not holding my breath but it's possible if Harry truly cares about his family and has a conscience.
 
The way I understand how these contracts work is it is basically a first look deal. So, Netflix has the right of first refusal. If they don’t want to buy whatever H&M are selling them, then H&M are free to shop their product around. So, the easiest way out for them in this scenario would be refusing to purchase whatever H&M provide them. That is if H&M every get around to creating anything

So what did Netflix paid them 100 million for?
 
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Don't quote me on this but I don't think the entire value of the contract was handed to Harry and Meghan in cash. Perhaps they've received what someone here has referred to "seed money", an advance to get started with to develop something that Netflix would be interested in? With the pandemic, it's also possible that because of it, they've not started actual production on anything yet. We just don't know anything other than they've signed a contract.
 
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