British Royal Family: Documentaries, DVDs, Films and TV shows


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Harry and Meghan need better PR people.
 
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I agree wholeheartedly.

Completely agreed -

I was asked recently if people would be supportive if this wasn't Harry or even one of the younger royals. If this had come from any of the Queens children - the public would be crucifying them.

Yes. Harry and Meghan need better PR people.

The sad thing about all of this when I was watching the promo for the interview was that what if this is all PR. Meghan is an actress and they have heavy hitting spin doctors on their team now. I don't know if anyone remembers an interview about how Diana manipulated the press by looking under her eyes and the using her body language.

They don't need better PR people - they need to stop all the spinning. You cannot control the media - you can not control social media. You develop thicker skin.
 
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The sad thing about all of this when I was watching the promo for the interview was that what if this is all PR. Meghan is an actress and they have heavy hitting spin doctors on their team now. I don't know if anyone remembers an interview about how Diana manipulated the press by looking under her eyes and the using her body language.

They don't need better PR people - they need to stop all the spinning. You cannot control the media - you can not control social media. You develop thicker skin.

Spinning or not, nobody can honestly believe that tearing up in front of the camera, using emotional body language or complaining/self pity will change anything for the better. Not when at the same time lots of other actions don't add up. Not sure who or if anyone is advising them, but to use a best buddy to do a sentimental documentary during a royal tour that will totally deflect from the original aim of that tour is one of the worst ideas somebody could come up with.
 
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Spinning or not, nobody can honestly believe that tearing up in front of the camera, using emotional body language or complaining/self pity will change anything for the better. Not when at the same time lots of other actions don't add up. Not sure who or if anyone is advising them, but to use a best buddy to do a sentimental documentary during a royal tour that will totally deflect from the original aim of that tour is one of the worst ideas somebody could come up with.

great points.

i think the interview with brady was an error too. their PR team is attrocious - i can't stop saying it.
 
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I’m just going to say what Meghan is being put through is absolutely disgusting and it’s racist.

I know we’re all royal watchers and care about the British Monarchy. But we can’t allow ourselves to get too caught up in all the hoopla over the royals titles, castles, royal roles, duties, money and prestige, because we’d end up forgetting that members of the royal family are real human beings. They’re not some robotic machines who’s only purpose is to open hospital wings and royal wave and not exit afterwards.

No human being should go through endless bullying and a smear campaign. I don’t care if they’re a royal named the Duchess of Sussex or Angela from down the street. No one should go through this and no one should be told to shut up, sit back and take the abuse because speaking out make others uncomfortable.

We have the luxury of not going through a massive smear campaign in the public eye.
 
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they need to stop all the spinning. You cannot control the media - you can not control social media. You develop thicker skin.

This is painfully true... and its tragic that Diana's Son [of all casualties] cannot see it..
 
Spinning or not, nobody can honestly believe that tearing up in front of the camera, using emotional body language or complaining/self pity will change anything for the better. Not when at the same time lots of other actions don't add up. Not sure who or if anyone is advising them, but to use a best buddy to do a sentimental documentary during a royal tour that will totally deflect from the original aim of that tour is one of the worst ideas somebody could come up with.

The tour was successful, Duke of Marmalade. Don’t fall for the narrative that the meaning of the tour was thrown off by the statement and lawsuit. This couple worked their tails off on that tour and they made a major impact on all the people they met.

Also, who are we to judge a woman for being emotional in front of a camera because she has endured a massive amount of bullying for being biracial, American, a former actress and whos family issues have been weaponized against her? Who are we to say she’s not entitled to some hurt feelings? I mean, really?

This is painfully true... and its tragic that Diana's Son [of all casualties] cannot see it..

The only painful truth is that people are telling this couple they deserve to be bullied and they should shut up and just take the abuse. Sad stuff.
 
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I'm going to start with focusing on what we *don't* know.

1. We have absolutely no clue whether the entire royal family is supportive of Harry and Meghan and how they're handling things or not.

2. We have no idea if HM, the Queen has a need to have a "sit down" with Harry and Meghan at all. For all we know, the Queen may be on the top of Harry and Meghan's list of who to seek advice from and seek it frequently.

3. We don't know that Harry desperately wants to leave the royal life behind and retreat to the solitude of somewhere in Africa. I could honestly say I'd love to live in the highlands of Scotland but does that mean I would ever give up my life in the mountains of West Virginia? Never. There are times though when it seems like Scotland would be a dream come true but then reality sets in. Ye olde "grass in greener on the other side of the fence" thing we all get.
:D

One thing I do know is that what you see with Harry and Meghan is what you get. They're *real* people. Not phony. Not playacting. Not sorry (now I want a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup). This is why they connect so easily with their work and with the people they meet. Its also a reason that rubs the wrong way with a lot of people that believe that being *real* is something adverse to their makeup or is something they just can't allow themselves to be. The adage "to thine own self be true" isn't an easy one to claim for oneself but I do believe that both Harry and Meghan exhibit this quality in bucketfuls. People just have a hard time processing that.

No amount of PR or a staff of a bazillion geniuses can ever change the innate nature of this couple. IMO, should they try and succeed to pacify the unruly masses and an institution called the "fifth estate" and "tame" two people to toe a line and meet up with expectations, what we will see with Harry and Meghan are two puppets on a string. Its toeing this kind of line that dampens spirits, deadens emotions and is detrimental to all aspects of a happy life. Its creating what I call "sheeple" that blindly follow what they're told to do. There's no better example of a severe mental illness than this would be.

(Osipi jumps off her soapbox and heads for a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup)
 
I pray that all these nastiness would subside soon.

Master Archie is only five months old -

.
 
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I’m getting ready to watch the documentary because I can’t deal with some folks who are downplaying and sugarcoating the seriousness of this massive smear campaign.

I hope no one of these forums and elsewhere will be subjected to this kind of abuse that Meghan is going through. No one.

#WeLoveYouMeghan
 
Also, who are we to judge a woman for being emotional in front of a camera because she has endured a massive amount of bullying for being biracial, American, a former actress and whos family issues have been weaponized against her? Who are we to say she’s not entitled to some hurt feelings? I mean, really?

I think the question Duke of Marmalade is asking is not whether or not Meghan has endured some horrific bullying but whether or not Meghan is playing up her hurt for the cameras. It isn't inherently wrong, nor is it bullying, to point out that she was a successful actress when questioning whether or not this documentary is part of a larger spin operation. That falls in the same category as questioning the timing and the selection of Bradby to conduct the interviews.

As to the larger point of whether or not H&M will eventually just chuck it all in and quit the BRF... I think Harry would kidding himself to think that giving up the HRH status will make the intrusive tabloid press go away. They are always and forever going to be interested in him, his life, and his family. It is what it is. Moving to the US or Africa is not going to change the vultures from surrounding them.
 
I don't know the solution to their negative press problem, but moving to Africa certainly won't help in my humble opinion.


As Rudolph said, although South Africa is a Commonwealth country, it has been a republic since 1961 (?) and the British Royal Family has no legal or official standing there. Whatever project Harry may be engaged in while living in Africa will most likely be a private project then, unless he is based there as an official representative of a British government agency/department, which would violate the neutrality of the Crown in my opinion. Living on the other hand in Africa as a private citizen, but supported financially by the Sovereign Grant or some other kind of public funding, would not fly well in the UK.

I am not overly concerned though because I doubt Harry's desire to move to Africa is being given serious consideration by the Royal House.









There are plenty of conservation issues in Australia and Canada too, just to name two Commonwealth countries where the Queen actually happens to be the Head of State. So why an exclusive focus on Africa ?


Yes, Harry's connection to Africa is not as a hunter. But he certainly mingled with the white South African elite having dated Chelsy Davy and having his uncle and cousins living there for a while. And he is close to the tribal royal families like in Lesotho, who are not so clean. There is nothing wrong about any of those relations per se, but it is a more multifaceted relationship than the way you are painting it.


How am I painting anything? I simply stated he started a charity with Prince Seiso in honor of their mothers. Please tell me what correction needs to be made there???? As for partnering with the elite, wow imagine that. No charity has ever thought to pair with rich people who can donate to the charity, ever. Unheard of. Doesnt he know the best funding for charity comes from people in poverty he is trying to help in the first place??


I don't see anyone but the media saying that Harry and Meghan plan to focus on Africa alone. Yes his conservation work so far has been in Africa, that doesn't mean he doesn't have an interest else where.

They are commonwealth ambassadors/queen's commonwealth trust. This does not refer just to the queen's realms. This refers to the 53 member nations of the commonwealth. So yes, the focus of the couple and their work will not be simply on the 16 realms of the queen.

As for focussing only on Africa for conservation: how soon we forget other trips. The queen's canopy trust. Harry has visited (and many opened) canopy locations in Australia, NZ, Tonga and St Vincent (all queen's realms) and Fiji (commonwealth). William was the one who opened the one in Canada.


Harry's travel initiative will certainly take conservation well beyond Africa. The intention to focus on sustainable travel, combining tourism and environmental issues around the globe. Including in the queen's realms.
 
There was something about the Princes William and Harry in a book about Prince Charles (was it Jobson or Bower?): they resemble their mother. Charles and the staff are used to sudden mood changes - or not used to...? These books must be taken with a heavy pinch of salt,but these events do somehow verify the image. A sudden meltdown during a high-profile trip?
Do you remember when Princess Diana broke in tears in June 1992 when somebody asked how she was?
This does not mean I am not sympathetic to these struggles in public. It is however interesting that inherited character/personality traits are stronger than looooong years in the Windsor household, and in the care of father, who is not unkind or remote (just not AT home, present, not a lot.)
 
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I’m getting ready to watch the documentary because I can’t deal with some folks who are downplaying and sugarcoating the seriousness of this massive smear campaign.

I hope no one of these forums and elsewhere will be subjected to this kind of abuse that Meghan is going through. No one.

#WeLoveYouMeghan

Some people are downplaying, others are overreacting.
I guess the truth is, as always, somewhere in the middle.
 
[...] leaving the BRF is rIdiculous. It would be letting these bullies win and they certainly won't lay off if they did leave. They will try to turn them into the Duke and Duchess of Windsor 2.0.

If they are spending Thanksgiving with Doria they are blessed with one family member in their corner. Christmas at Sandringham is going to be ... who knows? The press will be out with body language experts.

Perhaps you can point to specific articles that discuss her mixed race in a derogatory manner? Or is it a perception that any criticism is due to her mixed race? I keep hearing about it for her avid supporters, but have yet to see it in print.

I think the bigger eissue is that she is American and a Hollywood actress which means she has a lot to overcome to prove she is worthy of the position she now holds. So far, it’s not going well due their own PR mistakes. They have chosen to ignore her family’s toxic and embarrassing behavior which is now completely out of hand. The media wouldn’t have that letter if Meghan had picked up the phone rather than putting her feelings down on paper and giving her father yet another thing to use to embarrass her.

I haven’t seen anything they have done that is helping them. It’s as if they are in their own little world separate from TRF. It’s not working for them.
 
Meghan (and Harry) did speak to her father on the phone, including one where Harry warned Tom about speaking to the media. Tom reported to the Press afterwards what Harry had said, including an observation about Trump etc.

As for demeaning articles about Meghan, how about, even before the engagement, the DM article about 'Straight (almost) outta Compton' referring to her background, which even other members of the British tabloid press objected to. Or, remarks in an article by Boris Johnson's sister, before Meghan's marriage, in an article written by her, about Meghan's 'exotic blood' as well, that raised eyebrows.

And, just how many posters here have seen the Bradby documentary (in its entirety) not just clips or what the DM reports the couple said, before rushing to judgement on the Sussexes? Seen the entire documentary? Fine. If not.....
 
I may change my tune after the documentary has screened, but for now, my sympathies are with Harry and Meghan. The only problem is, the issue goes beyond traditional press. For example, there will be an article in the Daily Mail about an event, and nothing negative is said in the article. But the comments section will be full of vitriol. Then there are the message boards that are much less polite than this one, and Tumblrs, Instagrams and Twitter pages that are set up specifically to dump on Harry & Meghan. It creates a narrative that the couple is disliked, which then can become fodder for actual news stories or opinion pieces in the press. There's no way to control those social media pages, except for newspapers possibly moderating or eliminating their comment sections.

My best advice to Harry and Meghan would be to avoid reading their press coverage and get on with things as normally as they can. I wish they could lower the veil of secrecy that they erected around themselves, too. IMO all the secrecy around Archie's birth was the final straw that really unleashed negative commentary. Any way I look at it, their conduct was strange. Yes, it's their business, but if they had just done the usual re where the birth would take place, when Meghan went into labor, and done the hospital photo op, and the traditional St. George's christening, there would have been so much less to say.

I'll be interested to hear the thoughts of those who see the whole documentary.
 
Perhaps you can point to specific articles that discuss her mixed race in a derogatory manner? Or is it a perception that any criticism is due to her mixed race? I keep hearing about it for her avid supporters, but have yet to see it in print.

I think the bigger eissue is that she is American and a Hollywood actress which means she has a lot to overcome to prove she is worthy of the position she now holds. So far, it’s not going well due their own PR mistakes. They have chosen to ignore her family’s toxic and embarrassing behavior which is now completely out of hand. The media wouldn’t have that letter if Meghan had picked up the phone rather than putting her feelings down on paper and giving her father yet another thing to use to embarrass her.

I haven’t seen anything they have done that is helping them. It’s as if they are in their own little world separate from TRF. It’s not working for them.

I'm not going to promote the articles but they are out there you can google them. But a few include referring to her as almost straight out of Compton, talking about her 'exotic DNA', using words I'm not going to repeat, referring to Archie as a monkey, calling her vulgar and then turning around and calling other royals gorgeous for the wearing similar things. Harry being called a 'race traitor' and having death threats because he married Meghan.


That being said why do you think they are their own separate world from TRF? How are they doing anything differently than any one else in the family? Most of them do their own work and occasionally have engagements with the Queen. Anne, Sophie, Camilla & Charles have all been on tours. The women speak up on women's issues. Charles & William have done environmental projects. Catherine & Charles have both guest edited magazines (in print or online).

The only major difference is that Harry connects to people in a way most of the family can't it has always been that way. Meghan also has that attribute and because of it there is a larger global interest in the couple.
 
I can also trace much of the simmering resentment online and in the media to all of the secrecy surrounding Archie's birth and christening. It started with the foolishness of the million dollar Stateside celebrity studded baby shower, but the dam broke after the christening debacle.

At the time it happened, I criticized the Sussexes for making a totally unnecessary, unforced error and despite my sympathy for their troubles I continue to feel that way.

For some reason I am convinced that the Archie christening secrecy (as well as the choice of that name, which I still can't abide:bang:) can be laid at Harry's feet. With his almost petulant stubbornness and insistence on privacy and secrecy in his never ending battle with the press, he probably inadvertently added to his beloved wife's troubles. :sad:
 
Articles in print media? Or opinion pieces on blogs? Those are two different things but posters on TRF are treating them as though they are the same thing. There have been some eyebrow raising references in print media, but they tend to be fairly few and far between, and are justifiably called out.

Opinion pieces on blogs run the gamut from vicious to gushingly positive, but they are only someone's personal opinions. None of them are "the media," and I think it is really important at this point to begin to parse out where the most objectionable, toxic stuff is coming from. If you lump it all in together, you're left imploring everyone to just be nicer, when in reality print media might be held accountable for grossly inaccurate reporting or illegal actions, and social media and blogs most likely need to just be ignored.
 
I think the question Duke of Marmalade is asking is not whether or not Meghan has endured some horrific bullying but whether or not Meghan is playing up her hurt for the cameras. It isn't inherently wrong, nor is it bullying, to point out that she was a successful actress when questioning whether or not this documentary is part of a larger spin operation. That falls in the same category as questioning the timing and the selection of Bradby to conduct the interviews.

As to the larger point of whether or not H&M will eventually just chuck it all in and quit the BRF... I think Harry would kidding himself to think that giving up the HRH status will make the intrusive tabloid press go away. They are always and forever going to be interested in him, his life, and his family. It is what it is. Moving to the US or Africa is not going to change the vultures from surrounding them.

What the Duke of Marmalade is saying that folks think because Meghan was an actress, she’s incapable of real feelings. I think that’s just ridiculous.

This couple isn’t trying to spin a trick before us. They’re being real and candid and honest about their work and feelings about the smear campaign. The only spin that’s going on is folks trying to downplay what’s really going on here. That’s just wrong, silly and a game for kids. People just need to grow the hell up and realize this stuff is real and about real people. Not about some made up characters in a play.
 
The sniping of the tabloid press at Meghan began long long before Archie's birth. It began when Harry and Meghan were dating and has continued ever since. Social media has been poisonous towards this couple since the beginning, and unfortunately some tabloid articles have trawled those sources to get dirt. Not to mention the payment to ex friends for memories/photos etc, and tryng for statements from ex boyfriends and ex husband.
 
I have not finished watching it yet, but its alarming to, in real time, see Chris Ship spinning every word on Twitter. Reading in things that Meghan never said. How disappointing.

What I've seen so far to me tells a very different story then the "they are overwrought and mentally unwell/hysterical" story the press was pushing. They seem concerned, but focused.
 
Chris Ship is the royal correspondent for the network carrying the documentary.
 
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I haven't watched the documentary (And there may well be a thread for it but I can't see it atm) but I will say that at the moment a lot of the newspaper websites are carrying the view Harry basically confirmed a rift between him and William.

Whatever else (and I'm not brushing it aside I'm just not going there with media etc) that headline is bad for the monarchy and I think shows that H&M are operating to some degree outside of the main RF / BP team.
 
I may change my tune after the documentary has screened, but for now, my sympathies are with Harry and Meghan. The only problem is, the issue goes beyond traditional press. For example, there will be an article in the Daily Mail about an event, and nothing negative is said in the article. But the comments section will be full of vitriol. Then there are the message boards that are much less polite than this one, and Tumblrs, Instagrams and Twitter pages that are set up specifically to dump on Harry & Meghan. It creates a narrative that the couple is disliked, which then can become fodder for actual news stories or opinion pieces in the press. There's no way to control those social media pages, except for newspapers possibly moderating or eliminating their comment sections.

Thank you for explicitly explaining exactly what the "fifth estate" is. :D

Welcome to the zoo... errrm The Royal Forums. We're a good bunch here and we don't bite. Much. :cool:
 
I have not finished watching it yet, but its alarming to, in real time, see Chris Ship spinning every word on Twitter. Reading in things that Meghan never said. How disappointing.

What I've seen so far to me tells a very different story then the "they are overwrought and mentally unwell/hysterical" story the press was pushing. They seem concerned, but focused.

How is he spinning every word? I looked at his twitter feed and so far all I'm seeing is stuff that they both actually said, at least according to the video clips and the Guardian article I read. Could you please point out the discrepancies? It would be much appreciated.

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It's pretty clear that there is some kind of rift/coolness/something between Harry and William.
 
Whatever else (and I'm not brushing it aside I'm just not going there with media etc) that headline is bad for the monarchy and I think shows that H&M are operating to some degree outside of the main RF / BP team.

Yup I’m watching it now and it seems the Sussexes aren’t happy with the structure within the BRF
 
Chris Ship is the royal correspondent for the network carrying the documentary.

Yes, and? What does that have to do with anything I said? He is still taking things wildly out of context. An MP just called him out for it.
 
Yes, and? What does that have to do with anything I said? He is still taking things wildly out of context. An MP just called him out for it.

Ah yes and that M.P. is who? It’s amazing how people decide something is out of ‘context’ when Harry says something in his own words. The documentary is out there for everyone to see.
 
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