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


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They literally won't let the story pass! They're expecting a child yet all they do is trying to further diminish the royals but it backfires on them.
It's so tacky that now we know about a unproductive call with Williams and Charles. Oh and how no one called Meghan. H&M try to sell anything, they're already out of bullets, the receipts are bluff or "she said he said" scenario.
Michelle Obama dissed them with comment what public service is. It must have been hard. Losing beloved Michelle. The public is further tired of them, seeing how thirsty they're so they're digging their old grave. So I believe those who believed them are now re-considering it. Also their dignity is simply gone. I wouldn't speak to them if I were a Royal ever again.
 
I'm wondering what Netflix is thinking hearing they only signed with them for productions because they a) had no choice and b) realized they needed "big money" and needed it fast? Now they're under contract to provide something worth the money they contracted for. With Harry moaning to the world he's been "cut off" Is Netflix worried they won't have the funds to actually produce something worth their while to air?

As their reputations sink from being philanthropists and influencers to being *talk show entertainment*, is Netflix worried at all about what they're going to come up with? I sure would be.

I wold say that Netfilx has made sure that it has a get out. If they dont produce ideas and do some work, they will possibly have to drop out of the contract and if they've been given an advance, they'll have to repay it.
 
I wold say that Netfilx has made sure that it has a get out. If they dont produce ideas and do some work, they will possibly have to drop out of the contract and if they've been given an advance, they'll have to repay it.

Agreed. I mean, I certainly don't claim to know the ins and outs of running a multi-billion dollar corporation like Netflix but I do know with absolutely certainty that they have the best lawyers money can buy and with that, airtight contracts. There's absolutely no way they wouldn't have a "get out fast" clause in that contract if they don't feel that they're getting value for their money.
 
Personally, I don't believe that their value to Netflix was in producing content, in which neither of them has any experience. It might have been part of the deal to save face, akin to Princess Michael's books, but there is just one thing that places Harry and Meghan above 99% of the people Netflix works with and it's their royalty. In one shape or another, at some point they would have been expected to provide salacious content about the royals. Hence Meghan's receipts, emails and so on.


If I'm right, their value to Netflix can only be diminished if people get fed up with them, not because the worth of their noble aims might be put into question and tarnished by it lowly money...
 
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Personally, I don't believe that their value to Netflix was in producing content, in which neither of them has any experience. It might have been part of the deal to save face, akin to Princess Michael's books, but there is just one thing that places Harry and Meghan above 99% of the people Netflix works with and it's their royalty. In one shape or another, at some point they would have been expected to provide salacious content about the royals. Hence Meghan's receipts, emails and so on.


If I'm right, their value to Netflix can only be diminished if people get fed up with them, not because the worth of their noble aims might be put into question and tarnished by it lowly money...

That's actually a great point and it certainly speaks to the no publicity is really bad publicity thing. But, I have to wonder, where do you draw the line? I mean, it's all well and good, I guess to do their tell-all, rehash all the old complaints ad nauseum, etc. but at a certain point the RF will stop speaking to them entirely if they continue to pull stunts like this Gayle King thing. Then what happens? How long can they traffic on the same old rehashed whines? How long do they really have have to be big draws when they run out of material? I mean, I'd think that high-priced publicity firm would warn that if they overshoot the mark too frequently or too boldly they will eventually shoot themselves in the foot...:whistling:
 
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I agree that it is not likely that netflix is expecting big broadcasting ideas from the duke and duchess. But wouldn't it more be a matter of branding/ marketing? The company wants to be associated with the name/brand of the duke and duchess.

I assume it was the same for the Obama's. I am sure that some people may watch their documentaries but for the station it is more valuable to have their brand associated with the brand of the the former president and his wife.
 
I just checked. In the official statement released, they stated the wish to be "financially independent" but going into the "funding" area of that time and their "manifesto" how they perceived things to work (at the time, still half in and half out), its stated "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take great pride in their work and are committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones. In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing."

For anyone kind of new to the Forums here that perhaps never saw Sussex Royal or their statements, here's a link. https://sussexroyal.com/funding/


But I don't read that as if they planned to actually earn money themselves. They say that on getting rid of the 5% of their income payed by the Souvereign Grant, they become "members of the Royal family with financial independance",
"During the course of 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made the choice to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and no longer receive funding through the Sovereign Grant, thereby making them members of the Royal Family with financial independence."
So it was always income "allocated by HRH The Prince of Wales, generated through the Duchy of Cornwall" they planned to live on.



Plus once they were not longer working all the time for the queen, they could surely enjoy all those gifts Meghan had gotten when she was still an upcoming actress (infors taken from the book "Finding Freedom": travel, clothes and accessories, cosmetics, wines etc., all the stuff that top-tier influencers get for free in exchange of presenting the things in public. At least I guess that's what Meghan thought and what Harry wouldn't know because I don't think anybody was really interested if he payed for his drinks or hotel rooms or was invited when he was out with the boys.



But as we knew, the RF doesn't work like that and it makes sense they don't.



Another point: where would they live? According to their former website, they intended to keep Frogmore Cottage so "that their family will always have a place to call home in the United Kingdom." Plus surely a place in the US or in one Commonwealth state.


So what some people here mentioned, that the fact that Charles closed the bank was one main reason for their anger and the way they gave that interview? it sound plausible to me.


Not sure what I should think of that because I have been in a similar, though not soo luxurious position as Meghan, having gotten trips around Europe, invitations to posh parties etc. due to my former job and I'm sure I'd have missed that when I was so young as Meghan still is. So the "overexposure, so stay at home" advice by a grey man and the rules about which invites to accept and which not etc. must have irked her very much. Espeially when she figured that there is no expanding of their roles to work forward to.



For her, this double trouble plan made sense. Harry thought it could work out as he as a single prince was not under so much scrutiny as he was as a married man and now a Royal duke. Charles IMHO wanted to see both of them happy. So he let them go and gave them a buckload of money in his eyes. But not enough to pay for a palace near LA. Yep, security would be a problem but I doubt Charles and Harry realised that in the beginning.


But now meghan and Harry have to show the companies that they are worthy influencers and guests... So jump up on the hot topics like race, personal security etc.



They remind me of poor Diana here who did not have the money to finance holidays with her boys in the way the RF could have, if they wanted to. So Diana and the connection with Al Fayed happened... I wonder who Harry and Meghan will consort with if it all doesn't work out as they think it should. So I hope it does! But poor prince Charles.
 
I really don't know their situation to even guess but what it *appears* to me like being is that they decide they're going to strike out on their own and make it big in California. To do that, they get the house, the car, the credit card (well.. for them, the Netflix contract). They're all set and ready to roll! On top of the world no less! Now... we can complain about the previous life and its ills and woes because that's all behind us now and doesn't matter.

But wait! There's more! Surprise, Harry! Taxes come due and the garden is getting overgrown and heat and drought are drying up the lawns and driving up the water bill (oh yah, don't forget flushing 16 toilets is expensive), the staff paychecks are due and the PR company and lawyers all are standing in line for their share and pay. The car needs security officers to guard it wherever it goes and those guys don't come cheap! (should have scouted out for retired hockey players when they were in Canada). Archie is at the stage of going through the terrible two times and Meghan is pregnant and hormonal and dagnabit... Netflix is on their case about what they've actually done so far. Can't call family for a sympathetic ear these days and even Psychic Friends cost and arm and a leg and three hangnails. (Costs start at $1/minute).

What to do? What to do? Welcome to the *real* world Harry! :D
 
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I agree that it is not likely that netflix is expecting big broadcasting ideas from the duke and duchess. But wouldn't it more be a matter of branding/ marketing? The company wants to be associated with the name/brand of the duke and duchess.

I assume it was the same for the Obama's. I am sure that some people may watch their documentaries but for the station it is more valuable to have their brand associated with the brand of the the former president and his wife.
The brand thing was certainly a consideration. But the two situations were vastly different. The Obamas are accomplished, they *have* accomplished something. They're much more famous than the Sussexes for the right reasons.



What was the main draw of the Sussexes? They are famous, for sure, but not anywhere near the Obamas' level. It's ridicilous to compare their achievements. Yes, they are royalty but without the trappings of royalty, their glamour and the reaffirmation of their belonging to the *core* RF would fade pretty quickly, thus devaluing the brand. I mentioned Princess Michael for a reason. I don't think Netflix would pay the sums mentioned in the media to Princess Michael for simply working or even associating with them and lending them her HRH. And as George, Charlotte and Louis grow up and become media's favourite objects, Harry and Meghan will be turning into Princess Michael. Even on a purely family level, Eugenie and Beatrice and their children would occupy a bigger space in the British media once the dust settles because Harry and Meghan chose to live elsewhere. Without publicity, be it good or bad, they'll be soon forgotten.


Harry and Meghan's main draw was always the ability to give an "inside" look to the RF. And no one would be interested in nice, boring things even if they were inclined to say them. Netflix certainly wouldn't.
 
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That's actually a great point and it certainly speaks to the no publicity is really bad publicity thing. But, I have to wonder, where do you draw the line? I mean, it's all well and good, I guess to do their tell-all, rehash all the old complaints ad nauseum, etc. but at a certain point the RF will stop speaking to them entirely if they continue to pull stunts like this Gayle King thing. Then what happens? How long can they traffic on the same old rehashed whines? How long do they really have have to be big draws when they run out of material? I mean, I'd think that high-priced publicity firm would warn that if they overshoot the mark too frequently or too boldly they will eventually shoot themselves in the foot...:whistling:


There is so much they can do: eg buy documentaries about Royal assets and history full of bling and then speak an introduction and dub the docu with their voices. Or go to museums around the world, make visits to the "Treasure troves" of former monarchies and talk with jewelers about the pieces. When a rich person buys a chateau, Meghan could meet up with the interior designers etc. to get infos about that and be shown everything from the plans to the finished palace. Topics Meghan felt close to when she did The Tig. Yes, she could meet the current Marchese Antiniori and the countesses of A., who run the wine empire of the family!

There are so many either noble or rich or both people who will be proud to be interviewed by HRH The Duchess of Sussex. ("Lady Colin" was only married for 10 months and that was 45 years ago, but she still is considered to be a lady of the nobility...)
 
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I wouldn't read anything into this at all except for your final sentence. For all we know, the calls could have been just to acknowledge that Philip was being released from the hospital. I would seriously doubt that Meghan was even in on the conversation (unless it was a zoom call) and if she related a private conversation between Harry and his family to a "friend" for public release, that's just unthinkable to me.

Just this being "in the news" would be enough to warrant that William and Charles decide to let the phone ring and ring and ring when an overseas call from California comes in and send a message "BEEP! Access denied". I think Harry remembers all to well what that "circle of trust" used to work like.

I agree why would P Charles and P William want to speak to Harry and have it blabbed to the media. Megs doesn't want to make peace.
 
But I read that the "Bank of Dad" only closed after Harry wanted Charles to buy that house in Santa Barbara for them. He was willing to still give them a million a year as allowance, but did not want to pay 15 millions for the house. Harry must have known that Charles couldn't get his hand on that amount easily without having to write it down on his published accounts. he had problems with Diana's divorce sum, so had to borrow from the queen (IIRC) and he has to lay open his accounts when it comes to the money from the dukedom of Cornwall. Still, Harry had to buy a palace with 16 bathrooms...



They seriously have 16 bathrooms-really?!

And they’re complaining that Dad closed the bank.
 
Harry and Meghan's main draw was always the ability to give an "inside" look to the RF. And no one would be interested in nice, boring things even if they were inclined to say them. Netflix certainly wouldn't.

So is that the next move a documentary about the royals.
 
So is that the next move a documentary about the royals.
Hehe, why not? They won't even think they're being hurtful. It's everyone else who's wrong. I mean, they complained to Gayle that the conversation has now turned to the RF being racist when all they wanted was for the RF to shut them nasty tabloid racists up.


Such wounded innocence would serve them well in an incendiary documentary if they don't do too much exposure and make people fed up with them...
 
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They literally won't let the story pass! They're expecting a child yet all they do is trying to further diminish the royals but it backfires on them.
It's so tacky that now we know about a unproductive call with Williams and Charles. Oh and how no one called Meghan. H&M try to sell anything, they're already out of bullets, the receipts are bluff or "she said he said" scenario.
Michelle Obama dissed them with comment what public service is. It must have been hard. Losing beloved Michelle. The public is further tired of them, seeing how thirsty they're so they're digging their old grave. So I believe those who believed them are now re-considering it. Also their dignity is simply gone. I wouldn't speak to them if I were a Royal ever again.

P Harry wants reconcilation, but has no idea how to get it.
 
They seriously have 16 bathrooms-really?!

And they’re complaining that Dad closed the bank.
It's just a small starter home for a family of four! :lol:
According to this article: https://variety.com/2020/dirt/heirs...y-14-7-million-montecito-compound-1234733871/
Public documents also reveal the buyers secured a $9.5 million mortgage to acquire the 7.4-acre compound, which is securely tucked away on a private, gated street. Despite the unquestionably hefty pricetag, it could be argued Meghan and Harry scored the property at a discount of sorts — the seller, low-profile Russian businessman Sergey Grishin, acquired the estate in 2009 for $25.3 million and had attempted to sell it many times over the past decade before finally accepting a $10 million-plus financial loss.

Built in 2003, the Mediterranean-style main house includes a trove of beige and off-white decor, plus a library, gym, separate wet and dry saunas, an elevator, arcade, game room and home theater. There’s also a detached guesthouse with two bedrooms and bathrooms; altogether, the estate boasts nearly 19,000 square feet of living space with a total of 9 bedrooms and a whopping 16 bathrooms.
 
P Harry wants reconcilation, but has no idea how to get it.

Honestly, though, I don't think so. I think that was maybe true for a little while at the beginning of this trainwreck but now, I think he's so angry and confused that he doesn't know what he wants or how to get it. I do wonder if he's caught on yet that he will, in all likelihood, never really be a core part of the RF again no matter what happens in the future regarding his marriage, living arrangements, etc. Part of me really believes that he always thought he could behave however he wanted because he'd always have his family to fall back on and while I'm certain that they love both he and his children, I doubt very much that they trust him as far as they can throw him and certainly could no longer trust him to be at the very heart of the establishment either in terms of business or family.
 
So I have to ask, did anyone watch Harry and Meghan's hands during the interview with Oprah? I fully admit that I absolutely did not and that I really didn't notice them at all. And frankly, I really can't drag myself through watching that farce again just to watch their hands.

The reason I ask? I read an article yesterday (don't ask me where, I'm functioning on very little sleep and can't remember) that stated that during the interview, when Harry spoke, Meghan would discreetly tap him on the hand and he would almost immediately go silent. Now, I admit, I've never found Harry to be a particularly eloquent speaker either while giving prepared speeches or in these sorts of settings and it's been noted time and again that he tends to put his foot in his mouth in these settings but, I didn't notice the hand tap. I also wasn't paying any attention at all to their hands. So, did anyone notice a hand tap?

I have it recorded so had a look, they mainly clasped hands, I didn't notice a regular hand tapping as such. There was one part though when Meghan was speaking about not receiving any help with regards crossing legs, Curtsey etc , and Harry went to say something, she tapped/slapped him on the hand and said NO then she continued on. That was when she said she had been up all night googling the National Anthem.
 
So is that the next move a documentary about the royals.

Isn't that what Edward tried, back when he had his production company?

Being royal may help them get the foot in the door, but as Edward's forays prove, it certainly won't help them produce content that is successful and watchable...
 
Ok so I went back and read the DM reporting of Gayle King's words again:

But she said the conversations were 'not productive' and the Sussexes were keen for the 'royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant'.

Ms King, 66, who is also close friends with Oprah, failed to give any examples of the stories she was referring to, but added that Meghan has 'documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview'.

If Ms King is correct about the details of the chat, William and Charles are likely to be appalled at it being leaked to a US media personality - with royal experts pointing out that senior royals are unlikely to want to talk to the Sussexes if they just pass on information to a friend who then reveals it in the American media.

She told CBS This Morning: 'Well I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.

'And I think what is still upsetting to them is the palace keep saying they want to work it out privately, but yet, they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan, still. No one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet, at this particular time. And I think it's frustrating for them to see that it's a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant.

If the royal family came out now and "told the press not to be racist to Meghan" all they would get would be a barrage full of "tell us who the racist in the family was then!" Entirely thanks to that interview. The royals are less likely than ever to openly call out unfair coverage. What about the unfairness of tarnishing the whole family with a racist brush?

Does Meghan consider the DM dossier and others correcting her verifiable lies and untruths to be racist? Because I haven't seen a lot of racist coverage towards Meghan in the UK in the last couple of weeks. Some calling her a liar, sure.

She is never going to get 100% or even 90% good coverage. Charles could tell her that, his has sunk thanks to them and he isn't calling up GMB to complain.

And they most certainly did accuse them of being racist with the title.

I don't think they know what the meaning of "reconciliation" actually is.

It's never, ever their fault is it?
 
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Honestly, though, I don't think so. I think that was maybe true for a little while at the beginning of this trainwreck but now, I think he's so angry and confused that he doesn't know what he wants or how to get it. I do wonder if he's caught on yet that he will, in all likelihood, never really be a core part of the RF again no matter what happens in the future regarding his marriage, living arrangements, etc. Part of me really believes that he always thought he could behave however he wanted because he'd always have his family to fall back on and while I'm certain that they love both he and his children, I doubt very much that they trust him as far as they can throw him and certainly could no longer trust him to be at the very heart of the establishment either in terms of business or family.

It could also be that he lived too many years with "people" to take care of problems for him. Office and staff and private secretaries. It could also be that now they're surrounded by sycophants that tell them what they want to hear and base their advice on the American entertainment world with no thought to anyone (let alone anyone "royal") as a person but primarily the publicity garnered for 15 minutes of fame.
 
I'm wondering what Netflix is thinking hearing they only signed with them for productions because they a) had no choice and b) realized they needed "big money" and needed it fast? Now they're under contract to provide something worth the money they contracted for. With Harry moaning to the world he's been "cut off" Is Netflix worried they won't have the funds to actually produce something worth their while to air?

As their reputations sink from being philanthropists and influencers to being *talk show entertainment*, is Netflix worried at all about what they're going to come up with? I sure would be.

I would guess that there is a time stamp on the contract, and instead of wasting time arguing with Charles, they would be better of coming up with content, unless, H&M realized that they have nothing that would attract a new audience, or worse, the content gets rejected by Netflix (what an embarrassment that would be), and that lead them to literally blackmailing their family
 
I'm still just flabbergasted and yes, I know I shouldn't be, that they seem to fully expect that the palace is just going to change their long-standing policies just for them and basically act like a nursery school teacher with the whole "Stop saying mean things about Meghan. Good. Now apologize and you'd better mean it." I mean, good grief, these people and their constant need to be defended.

"All they ever wanted..." No. I genuinely don't believe they know what they want other than Meghan somehow or another feels wronged and what else is new on that front and wants what? Nothing is going to satisfy her. She's bent on waging some spiteful and vengeful scorched earth campaign but really, what's the end game? To bully the RF into handing their kids titles earlier than they are due to receive them and to hand them a bucketful of money? Really?
 
So is that the next move a documentary about the royals.

That's a possibility and as someone pointed out, there's different ways to do it.
Voiceovers on a documentary etc. Thing is, Netflix already does have quite a few of these kind of things and so do other streaming channels. There's even a stand alone streaming channel now called True Royalty. I did the free trial there but I wouldn't pay to keep it. If they went this route, it wouldn't be something unique and new.
 
I have it recorded so had a look, they mainly clasped hands, I didn't notice a regular hand tapping as such. There was one part though when Meghan was speaking about not receiving any help with regards crossing legs, Curtsey etc , and Harry went to say something, she tapped/slapped him on the hand and said NO then she continued on. That was when she said she had been up all night googling the National Anthem.
I came back to this moment and TBH, I interpreted it in a completely different way.
Meghan: There was no guidance, as well, right? There were certain things that you couldn’t do. But, you know, unlike what you see in the movies, there’s no class on how to . . . how to speak, how to cross your legs, how to be royal. There’s none of that training. That might exist for other members of the family. That was not something that was offered to me.
Oprah: So, nobody tells you anything?
Meghan: No.
Oprah: Nobody prepares you?
Meghan: Nobody even . . . 
Harry: There’s . . . 
*hand touching*
Meghan: Sorry, but even down to, like, the National Anthem. No one thought to say, ‘Oh, you’re American. You’re not going to know that’. That’s me late at night, Googling how . . . what’s the National . . . I’ve got to learn this.
So from my point of view, Meghan wanted to say this, basically interrupted Harry (who tried to speak), then said "sorry" and touched his hand. So I interpreted it as a part of that apology, if that makes sense :flowers:
 
After watching part of it again this afternoon, I am even more confused. He had said they did not blindside the queen as their new plans were first raised two years before, I then realised Harry said that when he was in Canada he had spoken to his grandmother three times and his father twice. I had previously understood that part as conversations over the two years.
So now I am confused as to where the two years came in, did the family know 2 years ago , or did the family only get told when they were in Canada.
Sad as I am I am going to listen to that bit again.
 
A good start would be not going to the media every time you talk to a family member...

Continuing in this vein with the press alerted every time something is done or said connecting the Sussexes to the British Royal Family, it's a surefire way to guarantee the focus is on the BRF and not the Sussexes as the prime time, prime interest people in the tidbit. It does nothing for the Sussexes, who if I'm remembering right, are striving to build up their own "brand". This is the complaint now that the focus is on the BRF being racist and Meghan moaning she just wanted the press to stop being racist against her.

You don't make a name for yourself riding on somebody else's coattails.
 
They remind me of poor Diana here who did not have the money to finance holidays with her boys in the way the RF could have, if they wanted to. So Diana and the connection with Al Fayed happened... I wonder who Harry and Meghan will consort with if it all doesn't work out as they think it should. So I hope it does! But poor prince Charles.

I think that might be of the things that they are holding over the RF's head, give us money or we will embarrass you with questionable friendships
 
After watching part of it again this afternoon, I am even more confused. He had said they did not blindside the queen as their new plans were first raised two years before, I then realised Harry said that when he was in Canada he had spoken to his grandmother three times and his father twice. I had previously understood that part as conversations over the two years.
So now I am confused as to where the two years came in, did the family know 2 years ago , or did the family only get told when they were in Canada.
Sad as I am I am going to listen to that bit again.

Well, I flatly cannot watch any of that nonsense again. But if you can, I'd be very interested to hear what exactly was said. I do remember that part but certainly not word for word. It almost sounds as if he's admitting that they were, if not planning their exit, at least entertaining the idea earlier than they'd have us believe. Now, there have certainly been rumors to that effect but whether they're true or not, who knows.
 
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