The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 4: April-June 2021

[Durham]

Getting paid to say nasty things about your own family is pretty grim.

US corporate capitalism will eat him up & spit him out if he runs out of things to sell.

"The business of America is business" as Coolidge didn't quite say.

 

[Betsypaige]

Getting paid to say nasty things about your own family is pretty grim.

US corporate capitalism will eat him up & spit him out if he runs out of things to sell.

"The business of America is business" as Coolidge didn't quite say.

He already has..who would take Harry seriously regarding mental health when he’s not only unqualified to be America’s therapist, but he’s off the hinges with regards to his family?

The ironic thing is that H has ONE thing to sell, and it’s the one thing he’s attacking and rejecting (except for his titles, those he’s holding tightly to). He apparently doesn’t understand that his connection to BRF is the ONLY thing keeping him afloat. Once corporate America reads the tea leaves (that the part of America who cares about Royals is annoyed/angry and would love to see his titles stripped or H/M being truly cut off), then it won’t be long before they wash their hands of him. Is big business going to want to hire H to give speeches about mental health when he’s SO angry at a family who loves him that he viciously attacks them? When he attacked the First Amendment and, by implication, the foundation of our nation?

 

[Osipi]

It's odd but I think Harry's not in great demand for anything other than what he's already done as far as trashing his family. That isn't something that is sustainable in the entertainment field but rather a "flash in the pan" as something he's doing that has never been done before. TV viewers in the US most likely do not remember the Duke and Duchess of Windsor other than the fact that Wallis Simpson was an American. Even they didn't publicly trash David's family.

I kind of see Harry already at the stage of his "fame" where he's similar to Eric Roberts and Pat Boone hawking walk in bathtubs and Joe Namath telling senior Americans to get what they're entitled to in Medicare benefits. These people, along with Harry are known to the American public for being famous once upon a time and a familiar face. Nothing more.

 

[Betsypaige]

It's odd but I think Harry's not in great demand for anything other than what he's already done as far as trashing his family. That isn't something that is sustainable in the entertainment field but rather a "flash in the pan" as something he's doing that has never been done before. TV viewers in the US most likely do not remember the Duke and Duchess of Windsor other than the fact that Wallis Simpson was an American. Even they didn't publicly trash David's family.

I kind of see Harry already at the stage of his "fame" where he's similar to Eric Roberts and Pat Boone hawking walk in bathtubs and Joe Namath telling senior Americans to get what they're entitled to in Medicare benefits. These people, along with Harry are known to the American public for being famous once upon a time and a familiar face. Nothing more.

Harry never had nothing to truly offer except his Royal connections. That’s not to say he couldn’t have eventually, but if his name were Harry Jones, he’d never have gotten noticed by Netflix, hired by that firm in CA, hired to speak to groups...Americans like the merit system, where you move up based on hard work and your own personal success. H is the antithesis of that.


I have to completely disagree about Namath - any sports fan knows who he is, and even those that aren’t sports fans at least know him for predicting victory against the Colts. I get your point, though. If he spends his life here, I think he’s going to mostly be known as the Royal who cruelly attacked and rejected his father and entire family. Should HM and/or Charles die before a reconciliation, I don’t think he’ll live that down. People won’t forget how much pain and grief he caused. Imagine H flying in for either of those funerals ?

 

[Osipi]

Harry never had nothing to truly offer except his Royal connections. That’s not to say he couldn’t have eventually, but if his name were Harry Jones, he’d never have gotten noticed by Netflix, hired by that firm in CA, hired to speak to groups...Americans like the merit system, where you move up based on hard work and your own personal success. H is the antithesis of that.


I have to completely disagree about Namath - any sports fan knows who he is, and even those that aren’t sports fans at least know him for predicting victory against the Colts. I get your point, though. If he spends his life here, I think he’s going to mostly be known as the Royal who cruelly attacked and rejected his father and entire family. Should HM and/or Charles die before a reconciliation, I don’t think he’ll live that down. People won’t forget how much pain and grief he caused. Imagine H flying in for either of those funerals ?

Joe Namath actually did a whole lot of things over his career that *earned* him the respect and notoriety which is why a lot of senior citizens today would identify with Joe. He's a senior like the rest of us are now. Seniors are the ones who would remember Pat Boone at the height of his career. Eric Roberts, besides being the brother of Julia Roberts, has had a marvelous film and TV career himself. They've *all* done something on the merit system that you reference.

The question is though "Who can identify with Harry?" In my book, not many people.

 

[ladyjolene]

Harry never had nothing to truly offer except his Royal connections. That’s not to say he couldn’t have eventually, but if his name were Harry Jones, he’d never have gotten noticed by Netflix, hired by that firm in CA, hired to speak to groups...Americans like the merit system, where you move up based on hard work and your own personal success. H is the antithesis of that.

I have to completely disagree about Namath - any sports fan knows who he is, and even those that aren’t sports fans at least know him for predicting victory against the Colts. I get your point, though. If he spends his life here, I think he’s going to mostly be known as the Royal who cruelly attacked and rejected his father and entire family. Should HM and/or Charles die before a reconciliation, I don’t think he’ll live that down. People won’t forget how much pain and grief he caused. Imagine H flying in for either of those funerals ?

It's bad enough that he did that while his grandfather was dying. I'm amazed that wasn't the nail in H's coffin. That was a really bad look. Thankfully, the queen and Charles seem to be in good health.

 

[Denville]

Joe Namath actually did a whole lot of things over his career that *earned* him the respect and notoriety which is why a lot of senior citizens today would identify with Joe. He's a senior like the rest of us are now. Seniors are the ones who would remember Pat Boone at the height of his career. Eric Roberts, besides being the brother of Julia Roberts, has had a marvelous film and TV career himself. They've *all* done something on the merit system that you reference.

The question is though "Who can identify with Harry?" In my book, not many people.

More to the point, these poeple have all had long careers, and if they are old now, they are still recognised. Harry's only famous for bieng a member of the RF and marrying an American actress.

 

[Betsypaige]

Joe Namath actually did a whole lot of things over his career that *earned* him the respect and notoriety which is why a lot of senior citizens today would identify with Joe. He's a senior like the rest of us are now. Seniors are the ones who would remember Pat Boone at the height of his career. Eric Roberts, besides being the brother of Julia Roberts, has had a marvelous film and TV career himself. They've *all* done something on the merit system that you reference.

The question is though "Who can identify with Harry?" In my book, not many people.

That’s true....and here in NY he’s especially huge. When you get to be a certain age, you get to be kind of cute, lol, often doing commercials that younger people recognize them for, lol. Another example is former Yankees shortstop and announcer Phil Rizzuto (Scooter). He did commercials for The Money Store for years. Yes, Eric Roberts is a fantastic actor, and even though he’s most known for his sister, like you said, he’s had a marvelous career

Um...I can’t think of anyone who can relate to him, lol. I can’t think of anyone who would relate to any Royal, but that’s not a big deal because other Royals aren’t going around rubbing their privilege in our faces, complaining about being asked to help those in need and attacking their family.

 

[Betsypaige]

It's bad enough that he did that while his grandfather was dying. I'm amazed that wasn't the nail in H's coffin. That was a really bad look. Thankfully, the queen and Charles seem to be in good health.

That’s almost unforgivable - and trashing Philip after he’d died is, IMO, unforgivable. That is, if there is a future reconciliation, I don’t think anyone in the BRF will ever forget that...and even if they’ve forgiven H for many things, I’m not sure they will for that.

 

[Osipi]

That’s almost unforgivable - and trashing Philip after he’d died is, IMO, unforgivable. That is, if there is a future reconciliation, I don’t think anyone in the BRF will ever forget that...and even if they’ve forgiven H for many things, I’m not sure they will for that.

Even with Philip's funeral, Harry managed to turn it into something about himself. The fear of going back to London and having his "triggers" go off. Of course, the trigger factor is a valid thing for Harry but something that he should have kept private. In fact, Harry's demeanor and words drew attention to Philip's funeral service that shouldn't have been there. The gawkers looking to see what the body language and the warmth or coldness that greeted Harry on his return to the UK. To me, the coverage of all the "family together or not together" cast a pall on a day that should have been totally about Philip.

 

[Betsypaige]

Even with Philip's funeral, Harry managed to turn it into something about himself. The fear of going back to London and having his "triggers" go off. Of course, the trigger factor is a valid thing for Harry but something that he should have kept private. In fact, Harry's demeanor and words drew attention to Philip's funeral service that shouldn't have been there. The gawkers looking to see what the body language and the warmth or coldness that greeted Harry on his return to the UK. To me, the coverage of all the "family together or not together" cast a pall on a day that should have been totally about Philip.

The FF update is going to have more info about the funeral, etc.. At this point, I actually think anything H says - or approves on his behalf - is only going to hurt him. If I were him. I’d think long and hard about allowing any stories from the time of the funeral to be printed because that will be there forever, and it’s going to make him look even worse than he does now.

[.....]

 

[Curryong]

Harry has appeared in a promo for Peak State, a mental health charity set up by two Invictus Games veterans he knows. He provides the commentary, and in January announced his support for the new app.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...tness-campaign-just-hours-new-Oprah-show.html

https://twitter.com/x/status/1397957307057807360

 

[Alison H]

The FF update is going to have more info about the funeral, etc.. At this point, I actually think anything H says - or approves on his behalf - is only going to hurt him. If I were him. I’d think long and hard about allowing any stories from the time of the funeral to be printed because that will be there forever, and it’s going to make him look even worse than he does now.

[.....]

I think that people were hoping that the funeral would be a chance for reconciliation, but first Harry had to make it about himself, with his comments about trigger factors, and now he's planning to leak private details about it?

What does he hope to achieve by any of this?

 

[Curryong]

[.....}

FF is likely to have a couple of extra chapters, beginning where the original left off, dealing with the Sussexes’ new life in Canada then California. It might mention the Oprah interview and funeral but there aren’t likely to be huge revelations in this edition IMO. It’s only a new edition, not a complete new book.

 

[Betsypaige]

Hmm. I don’t consider the Sunday Times to be a tabloid, and I believe them. If others don’t want to, that’s fine, it doesn’t bother me.

Finding Freedom, a flattering biography of Harry and Meghan, giving their account of their departure from royal life via friends and Sussex sources, is being updated with new chapters. They will cover their interview with Oprah Winfrey, allegations against Meghan over the bullying of royal staff, which she denies, and Prince Philip’s death.


The updated edition is also expected to take in their new life in America, their multimillion-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify and the Queen’s decision to strip them of all royal patronages earlier this year. Harry is understood to remain devastated by the loss of his military roles.

Harry and Meghan: no holiday from royal feud as Sussex ‘hagiography’ gets a summer update

After the death of her beloved husband and a tumultuous year for her family, the Queen, who turned 95 last week, might reasonably hope for a quieter few months

www.thetimes.co.uk

 

[Curryong]

Hmm. I don’t consider the Sunday Times to be a tabloid, and I believe them. If others don’t want to, that’s fine, it doesn’t bother me.



https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ex-hagiography-gets-a-summer-update-whwjv5g32

The Sunday Times article speculates that the new edition of FF may include Prince Philip’s death. It doesn’t say anything about Harry leaking details of the funeral.

 

[Leopoldine]

Harry never had nothing to truly offer except his Royal connections. That’s not to say he couldn’t have eventually, but if his name were Harry Jones, he’d never have gotten noticed by Netflix, hired by that firm in CA, hired to speak to groups...Americans like the merit system, where you move up based on hard work and your own personal success. H is the antithesis of that.


I have to completely disagree about Namath - any sports fan knows who he is, and even those that aren’t sports fans at least know him for predicting victory against the Colts. I get your point, though. If he spends his life here, I think he’s going to mostly be known as the Royal who cruelly attacked and rejected his father and entire family. Should HM and/or Charles die before a reconciliation, I don’t think he’ll live that down. People won’t forget how much pain and grief he caused. Imagine H flying in for either of those funerals ?

If Harry was to emulate Namath, he'd be in adverts pushing shaving cream, men's cologne, Dingo boots and pantyhose for men. Joe was also part owner of the most swinging singles bar in NYC at the time, Bachelors III. Let's hope young Harry chooses his business ventures wisely! Joe will NEVER live down that pantyhose ad.

 

[Betsypaige]

The Sunday Times article speculates that the new edition of FF may include Prince Philip’s death. It doesn’t say anything about Harry leaking details of the funeral.

That's fair.....We'll see, then, although I admit I'm expecting the worst.

 

[Ista]

Several posts have been deleted or edited as they were either speculative, or involved back and forth exchanges that were derailing the thread.

If you aren't sure about the reliability of a source, don't post it here.

Further posts along those lines will also be deleted without notice.

 

[Betsypaige]

The original source is TMZ....

It’s interesting that it was the Embassy who called and not anyone from the family

The Duke of Sussex was told his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, had died after police were called to his California home in the middle of the night, it has emerged.

Prince Philip, 99, died at Windsor Castle on the morning of April 9, prompting a series of urgent calls across the Atlantic shortly before 3am local time, 11am in the UK.

Buckingham Palace aides contacted the US embassy in London, which in turn called the Santa Barbara sheriff’s office. An officer was then sent to the Sussexes’ home in the wealthy enclave of Montecito, around 10 miles away

Prince Harry, 36, is understood to have been asleep at the time.

It is not known whether family members tried to call him to break the news before police were alerted, but aides will have been acutely aware of the need to inform the Duke before the media were alerted.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-f...-prince-philips-death-police-sent-california/

 

[Alison H]

I've no idea what their set-up is with landlines and mobiles, but a lot of people switch their phones off at night, especially if they've got a young child in the house and don't want to risk them being woken up, so it's possible they just couldn't get through.

 

[UglyAmerican]

I distinctly remember Omid Scobie appearing to deny that Finding Freedom's new edition would have extra chapters.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1386294883632156672

As to whether those chapters will "reopen royal rifts," I suppose that's a matter of opinion, and at any rate, those rifts can't be "reopened" if they never closed in the first place. It's hard to imagine them not making this worse, though. Even if Harry and Meghan didn't cooperate with the new chapters, the family will never believe that they didn't.

On another note, multiple sources are reporting that Harry learned of Philip's death via a phone call from an embassy staffer, not from anyone in the family.

https://www.tmz.com/2021/05/28/prin...lls-prince-philip-death-cops-home-california/

https://www.ok.co.uk/royal/breaking-prince-philip-death-harry-24211536

TMZ isn't terribly reliable, but OK! is usually, well, ok.

I think some of the details may not be quite right, because tracking down and dealing with UK citizens in the US is the job of the British embassy in the US, not the US embassy in London, but maybe things work differently in high-profile situations. And I don't think him only learning of it an hour before the media necessarily means anything, because that could still have been very soon after it happened, and we know he was able to get on a plane before it was announced.

What seems strange to me, though, is that if this is true, no one from the family tried to call him to break the news themselves. Instead, the task was assigned to some bureaucrat. I don't know how the royals normally deal with such situations, but this suggests to me that William and Charles were extremely angry with him.

 

[Betsypaige]

Harry making not so subtle jab at his family. It’s ridiculous - why would anyone feel shame for not knowing that a loved one is in pain ? We’re not mind readers...

Linking mental health to climate change is .....bonkers, to use a favorite H word

Prince Harry today dropped more truth bombs and took new swipes at the Royal Family in a bonus episode of his Apple+ TV show, telling viewers he had 'learned' that relatives 'feel shame' when confronted with mental health problems and are 'incredibly good at covering it up'.

....

He told Ms Close: 'As parents, as siblings, certainly from what I've learned - there's an element of shame we feel, because we're like, 'How could we not have seen it?' How did we not know? How did you not feel comfortable enough to come to me and share that with me? But we all know when people are suffering and people are struggling, that we're all incredibly good at covering it up for those that know that we're covering it up', he added

....

Harry also told Winfrey he felt mental health and climate change were 'two of the most pressing issues that we're facing and, in many ways, they are linked'.

'The connecting line is about our collective well-being and when our collective well-being erodes, that effects our ability to be caretakers of ourselves, of our communities and of our planet ultimately,' the 36-year-old added.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...eling-suicidal.html?ito=amp_twitter_share-top

 

[Somebody]

It makes sense that they wanted to make sure that Harry knew about it before the news went public.

Nonetheless, it again shows his privileged position that a US sheriff's office is called by a foreign embassy to inform someone of his grandfather's passing in the middle of the night.

 

[Betsypaige]

I've no idea what their set-up is with landlines and mobiles, but a lot of people switch their phones off at night, especially if they've got a young child in the house and don't want to risk them being woken up, so it's possible they just couldn't get through.

I get turning some fingers off, but not all...I mean, goodness, what if there’s an emergency ? I don’t see it...

 

[Somebody]

telling viewers he had 'learned' that relatives 'feel shame' when confronted with mental health problems and are 'incredibly good at covering it up'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...eling-suicidal.html?ito=amp_twitter_share-top

Hmm, that's not at ALL what Harry apparently said. According to that same article the person experiencing mental health problems is covering it up and the family members feel bad about not noticing it earlier on (so, are actually very compassionate and would have loved that person to come to them earlier on - which should lead to the conclusion that they don't feel any shame about someone having mental health problems).

Nonetheless, Harry seems to imply that the family should have known that they were covering up mental health problems as he claims that they knew they were covering it up - but did they really? Especially, since they have shown in the past that they actively persuaded family members (Harry himself!) to seek help for his mental health issues.

I get turning some fingers off, but not all...I mean, goodness, what if there’s an emergency ? I don’t see it...

Well, in that case the embassy will call your local sheriff and he will come to your house... if you're as important as they are...

BTW, I think that many people turn of their phones or put them in silent mode etc and are indeed unreachable at times (by accident or on purpose).

 

[Betsypaige]

I distinctly remember Omid Scobie appearing to deny that Finding Freedom's new edition would have extra chapters.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1386294883632156672

As to whether those chapters will "reopen royal rifts," I suppose that's a matter of opinion, and at any rate, those rifts can't be "reopened" if they never closed in the first place. It's hard to imagine them not making this worse, though. Even if Harry and Meghan didn't cooperate with the new chapters, the family will never believe that they didn't.

On another note, multiple sources are reporting that Harry learned of Philip's death via a phone call from an embassy staffer, not from anyone in the family.

https://www.tmz.com/2021/05/28/prin...lls-prince-philip-death-cops-home-california/

https://www.ok.co.uk/royal/breaking-prince-philip-death-harry-24211536

TMZ isn't terribly reliable, but OK! is usually, well, ok.

I think some of the details may not be quite right, because tracking down and dealing with UK citizens in the US is the job of the British embassy in the US, not the US embassy in London, but maybe things work differently in high-profile situations. And I don't think him only learning of it an hour before the media necessarily means anything, because that could still have been very soon after it happened, and we know he was able to get on a plane before it was announced.

What seems strange to me, though, is that if this is true, no one from the family tried to call him to break the news themselves. Instead, the task was assigned to some bureaucrat. I don't know how the royals normally deal with such situations, but this suggests to me that William and Charles were extremely angry with him.

TMZ is actually extremely reliable when it comes to these things - they are often the ones to break death news, as an example Kobe Bryant.

I find it more likely that they didn’t think Harry would speak to them. Charles may have been angry, but he would never put his anger above his father’s death and informing Harry. Even now, reports indicate he would love to reconcile with H...

Hmm, that's not at ALL what Harry apparently said. According to that same article the person experiencing mental health problems is covering it up and the family members feel bad about not noticing it earlier on (so, are actually very compassionate and would have loved that person to come to them earlier on - which should lead to the conclusion that they don't feel any shame about someone having mental health problems).

Nonetheless, Harry seems to imply that the family should have known that they were covering up mental health problems as he claims that they knew they were covering it up - but did they really? Especially, since they have shown in the past that they actively persuaded family members (Harry himself!) to seek help for his mental health issues.

Well it’s how I’m reading it, in addition to the fact that H is implying that if his family really knew him, they’d have known he was covering his pain up.

 

[Erin9]

BTW, I think that many people turn of their phones or put them in silent mode etc and are indeed unreachable at times (by accident or on purpose).

That is true. People do that. It may have been the case here.

Anyway- bottom line-Harry found out before the media did.

 

[Somebody]

I think some of the details may not be quite right, because tracking down and dealing with UK citizens in the US is the job of the British embassy in the US, not the US embassy in London, but maybe things work differently in high-profile situations. And I don't think him only learning of it an hour before the media necessarily means anything, because that could still have been very soon after it happened, and we know he was able to get on a plane before it was announced.

What seems strange to me, though, is that if this is true, no one from the family tried to call him to break the news themselves. Instead, the task was assigned to some bureaucrat. I don't know how the royals normally deal with such situations, but this suggests to me that William and Charles were extremely angry with him.

Didn't he arrive at Heathrow on Sunday afternoon? While he lives far away from his family, it doesn't take over 48 hours. So, he most likely left home on Saturday. Not on Friday morning before it hit the news.

 

[Somebody]

Well it’s how I’m reading it, in addition to the fact that H is implying that if his family really knew him, they’d have known he was covering his pain up.

I was only responding to the quote in the DM which I still think is an inaccurate description (but of course they prefer to dramatize).

You apparently added your own thoughts later on.