Meghan and Harry Plus One

[muriel]

Ingrid Seward said Meghan "irritates" because she is not an "English Rose". Meghan will never get fair coverage if the British media is annoyed by her complexion and nationality.

I don't believe that, for the vast majority of the British Press, the issue is either complexion or nationality.

 

[Dman]

If she continues to persist with authorising her friends to speak to the media on her behalf without the consent of "The Firm", as was widely reported when the 5 friends spoke to a US publication not that long ago, she will find Palace support will rapidly vanish. For her, Harry and everybody's sake, I hope it does not come to that.

The royals have their friends to speak on their behalf lots of times. They’ve even been in documentaries about the royals. I don’t know why people have suddenly gotten into this idea that Meghan has done something totally different and wrong. She hasn’t. Although, I believe Meghan had nothing to do with anyone being interviewed in this program.

There’s a lot of false narratives about her and that’s what people are following. She’s not this Royal Breaker of Protocols and Traditions as people are trying to make her out to be.

As for her friends coming to her defense in the US publication: the right move was made with the palaces backing. She’s not going to do anything without her officials knowing about it. The KP officials didn’t seem to know how to deal with it all any other way. It was all snowballing into an incontrolable situation. Some of the British media wasn’t to happy about it because it went against their narrative, the move wasn’t made with them, but a with a US publication. A move had to be made.

 

[Ista]

The royals have their friends to speak on their behalf lots of times. They’ve even been in documentaries about the royals. I don’t know why people have suddenly gotten into this idea that Meghan has done something totally different and wrong. She hasn’t. Although, I believe Meghan had nothing to do with anyone being interviewed in this program.

There’s a lot of false narratives about her and that’s what people are following. She’s not this Royal Breaker of Protocols and Traditions as people are trying to make her out to be.

As for her friends coming to her defense in the US publication: the right move was made with the palaces backing. She’s not going to do anything without her officials knowing about it. The KP officials didn’t seem to know how to deal with it all any other way. It was all snowballing into an incontrolable situation. Some of the British media wasn’t to happy about it because it went against their narrative, the move wasn’t made with them, but a with a US publication. A move had to be made.

Why?

Obviously, there is a lot of interest in the Sussexes in the US, so I think programs like this are inevitable. A US program, presented by a US personality (Gayle King), however, does exactly nothing in the UK to promote the Sussexes to the people who they are actually supposed to be serving. If the program had been on British TV, I think you'd have a good point, but this is clearly designed to appeal to the American fan base, not to British consumers. It seems to me as though it is an attempted end run around the British press, which may or may not turn out to have been a wise strategy in the long run. I'm beginning to think that Meghan and Harry might be better served to try to get on a better footing with the British press rather than trying to circumvent them. I have no idea if that's possible or not.

 

[jacqui24]

Why?

Obviously, there is a lot of interest in the Sussexes in the US, so I think programs like this are inevitable. A US program, presented by a US personality (Gayle King), however, does exactly nothing in the UK to promote the Sussexes to the people who they are actually supposed to be serving. If the program had been on British TV, I think you'd have a good point, but this is clearly designed to appeal to the American fan base, not to British consumers. It seems to me as though it is an attempted end run around the British press, which may or may not turn out to have been a wise strategy in the long run. I'm beginning to think that Meghan and Harry might be better served to try to get on a better footing with the British press rather than trying to circumvent them. I have no idea if that's possible or not.

Members of British press are involved with this project as well. Although, the interesting tone compared to what they've written is telling. I wonder if it's the case of catering to their audiences or a case of someone writing whatever they want when they sit behind a keyboard versus in person. Or perhaps a bit of both.

And frankly, I have to question if the British press is actually pissed at the Sussexes because they were denied something or if they are just pissed that the American media have better access to people that knew Meghan due to her background? Either way, I don't see that the Sussexes has denied the press much. If we are to talk about getting on a better footing. The constant complaint from British press was that the young royals act like they don't exist at events. Meghan is the only one that consistently says hi, bye, or thanks them for coming to her engagement.

 

[muriel]

/

As for her friends coming to her defense in the US publication: the right move was made with the palaces backing. She’s not going to do anything without her officials knowing about it.

We don't quite know that, do we? A lot of the commentary at the time of the article with the 5 friends speaking out had suggested that the Palace had been blind sighted by the publication.

/

It was all snowballing into an incontrolable situation.

What was?

Why?

It seems to me as though it is an attempted end run around the British press, which may or may not turn out to have been a wise strategy in the long run. I'm beginning to think that Meghan and Harry might be better served to try to get on a better footing with the British press rather than trying to circumvent them. I have no idea if that's possible or not.

I think you are right. To me, the better strategy would be to work with the British press to rebuild the bridges that have been burnt in the last two years. Whether Meghan recognises it or not, Britain is the "home" and the "Main" market, and she has to get that right. At the end of the day, it is a symbiotic relationship, and is in the interest of both sides to make it work. Camilla is a classic example of evolving from one of the most hated women in the land to a well respected senior member of the BRF.

 

[Rudolph]

If Meghan and her team want to set the record straight why not use UK media. Britain has glossy magazines, Britain has morning breakfast shows. It's seems she's more concerned about what Americans think of her than Brits.

 

[Dman]

We don't quite know that, do we? A lot of the commentary at the time of the article with the 5 friends speaking out had suggested that the Palace had been blind sighted by the publication.



What was?



I think you are right. To me, the better strategy would be to work with the British press to rebuild the bridges that have been burnt in the last two years. Whether Meghan recognises it or not, Britain is the "home" and the "Main" market, and she has to get that right. At the end of the day, it is a symbiotic relationship, and is in the interest of both sides to make it work. Camilla is a classic example of evolving from one of the most hated women in the land to a well respected senior member of the BRF.

Meghan ain’t gonna do jack without Harry and their palace officials backing.

What was snowballing into an uncontrollable situation? MrM and his using the British press to slam her, her husband and the RF. I said it many times before, something had to be done and you notice how things quieted down after that. Don’t know how long it’ll last, but the record was set straight.

The DOC situation was different and she needed a whole years-long campaign to help her get to where she’s at today. That’s not where Meghan is at all.

Although the British people have largely embraced Meghan, in some corners, the idea of a biracial American woman stealing their favorite prince’s heart ain’t going down so well. Some of them are fully determined to rip her a new one cause of their own personal problems with her. Not that she’s done something wrong. She hasn’t.

If Meghan and her team want to set the record straight why not use UK media. Britain has glossy magazines, Britain has morning breakfast shows. It's seems she's more concerned about what Americans think of her than Brits.

Well, hasn’t it been parts of the UK media producing the onslaught of unfair treatment and bashing since she announced he pregnancy and got back from the big tour? She didn’t deserve that kind of treatment at all.

 

[Ista]

Meghan ain’t gonna do jack without Harry and their palace officials backing.

What was snowballing into an uncontrollable situation? MrM and his using the British press to slam her, her husband and the RF. I said it many times before, something had to be done and you notice how things quieted down after that. Don’t know how long it’ll last, but the record was set straight.

The DOC situation was different and she needed a whole years-long campaign to help her get to where she’s at today. That’s not where Meghan is at all.

Although the British people have largely embraced Meghan, in some corners, the idea of a biracial American woman stealing their favorite prince’s heart ain’t going down so well. Some of them are fully determined to rip her a new one cause of their own personal problems with her. Not that she’s done something wrong. She hasn’t.

Who is MrM?

And I still have no idea how an American program, made for the US market, is going to do anything at all to "set straight" any record in the UK.

And, not in direct response to Dman, but I will also add that I think the determination to view Meghan, an intelligent, accomplished, mature woman as a perpetual victim is becoming very odd to me. She's handled herself with a great deal of dignity, and consistently portraying her as a helpless victim is not doing her or anyone else any favors.

 

[jacqui24]

And, not in direct response to Dman, but I will also add that I think the determination to view Meghan, an intelligent, accomplished, mature woman as a perpetual victim is becoming very odd to me. She's handled herself with a great deal of dignity, and consistently portraying her as a helpless victim is not doing her or anyone else any favors.

I don't think anyone is portraying her as a helpless victim. The fact of matter is she has been treated unfairly by the UK press from the day her relationship with Harry came out. It's gotten to the point where the member of British press thought it was ok and normal to say to NYT that they will use their proverbial pen to settle personal scores rather than be a journalist.

Even when things have gotten to this point, people seem to have problem with her friends having an issue with the nasty things that is said about her though.

 

[muriel]

Who is MrM?

Mr Markle, her father.

And I still have no idea how an American program, made for the US market, is going to do anything at all to "set straight" any record in the UK.

That is indeed true. A program by a known close friend (close enough to be invited to her baby shower, though never known to have connected beforehand) telecast in a foreign land and not the UK, is hardly going to help the situation with either the British public or her father.

My guess is that the reason the father has stopped is either he has seen the error of his ways, or the Daily Mail is not seeing much value in what he now has to reveal.

 

[jacqui24]

In terms of this being a US program. Is the difference still that big? We live in a digital and global world.

 

[muriel]

I don't think anyone is portraying her as a helpless victim. The fact of matter is she has been treated unfairly by the UK press from the day her relationship with Harry came out. It's gotten to the point where the member of British press thought it was ok and normal to say to NYT that they will use their proverbial pen to settle personal scores rather than be a journalist.

Even when things have gotten to this point, people seem to have problem with her friends having an issue with the nasty things that is said about her though.

If Meghan is to succeed as a Princess of the UK, longer term, she can't really do without the UK press on her side. And if an individual member of the press does say something silly, can you demonise the entire industry? And one that she needs on her side as she tries to establish herself in her newly adopted land. The great British public don't really read People or watch CBS, but they do read about lavish baby showers, private plane rides, £50-100,000 gowns by foreign deisgners and so on.

 

[muriel]

In terms of this being a US program. Is the difference still that big? We live in a digital and global world.

CBS and most US channels are not really watched here. CNN is probably the most watched, but that too by a very small segment of society.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

I don't think this program was anything but a show catering to the interest in Meghan (& Harry) by some of the American public. I think Gayle had an interest in doing it, CBS had a interest in broadcasting it. I don't believe either Meghan or Harry solicited it.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/insid...ry-and-meghan-just-days-before-she-gave-birth

American network television, especially the anchors of network morning shows, and some cable channels have done programs like this in the past--there were lots of programs when William and Kate married and for anniversaries of Diana's death. They were for American audiences.

 

[jacqui24]

If Meghan is to succeed as a Princess of the UK, longer term, she can't really do without the UK press on her side. And if an individual member of the press does say something silly, can you demonise the entire industry? And one that she needs on her side as she tries to establish herself in her newly adopted land. The great British public don't really read People or watch CBS, but they do read about lavish baby showers, private plane rides, £50-100,000 gowns by foreign deisgners and so on.

This is hardly demonizing an entire industry for one. Hardly. Especially in the royal coverage, where it's almost a mob mentality. One writes an article, and everyone else repeat it to blow it up and state it as if it's facts without their own sources. The British public seems to remain mostly either supportive of Meghan or undecided despite the constant negative tone from press on everything Meghan does. That tells me they are more suspicious of the press and their narrative than Meghan.

And btw, this whole discussion about Meghan wanting to set the narrative straight is only people's speculation here. It's not based on anything else. Fact of the matter is, because of her previous career and nationality, most of her closest friends are in US and Canada. Their contacts in the media, and they've had their own contacts since before Meghan met Harry, are in those countries as well.

I'm just trying to think from a friend's perspective. I don't know if I would necessarily go to media, but I would've told any friend in this situation to get out and run the other way long ago. Nothing personal against Harry or his family, but this is terrible thing to watch happen to someone you love.

 

[Dman]

Who is MrM?

And I still have no idea how an American program, made for the US market, is going to do anything at all to "set straight" any record in the UK.

And, not in direct response to Dman, but I will also add that I think the determination to view Meghan, an intelligent, accomplished, mature woman as a perpetual victim is becoming very odd to me. She's handled herself with a great deal of dignity, and consistently portraying her as a helpless victim is not doing her or anyone else any favors.

Her father. I’m trying not to talk him up.

Just to add a comment, I, personally, haven’t seen anyone trying to portray Meghan as a helpless victim. I have seen folks try to point out that Meghan isn’t the person that some in the UK press have tried to portray her as. They’re pointing out that there’s no truth in the crazy and hurtful headlines.

If Meghan is to succeed as a Princess of the UK, longer term, she can't really do without the UK press on her side. And if an individual member of the press does say something silly, can you demonise the entire industry? And one that she needs on her side as she tries to establish herself in her newly adopted land. The great British public don't really read People or watch CBS, but they do read about lavish baby showers, private plane rides, £50-100,000 gowns by foreign deisgners and so on.

It’s only going to work if the UK press is willing to give her a chance to make her mark and carve her own path. If the press is hell bent on making it seem like everything step she take and every move she make is breaking an unheard of royal protocol and shunning made up traditions and punishing her for being a former actress...things aren’t going to go well. They gotta give her some room to breath so she can focus on her life and journey as a senior member of the royal family.

 

[Ista]

I don't think anyone is portraying her as a helpless victim. The fact of matter is she has been treated unfairly by the UK press from the day her relationship with Harry came out. It's gotten to the point where the member of British press thought it was ok and normal to say to NYT that they will use their proverbial pen to settle personal scores rather than be a journalist.

Even when things have gotten to this point, people seem to have problem with her friends having an issue with the nasty things that is said about her though.

I think there is a tendency to portray her as a helpless victim in many threads on this forum. While it's true that the press has given her a very hard time, the British tabloid press gives everyone a very hard time, but usually turns its fire elsewhere after enough time has passed. Unfortunately, Meghan's family provided way too much fodder, which is not her fault, but it's not like the press was just making up the looney-tunes aspects of her family.

So far as her friends speaking out goes, I don't think it helps much at all since by having them speak out on programs such as Meghan and Harry Plus One (American) or in People magazine (American) it's pretty clear that the target audience is not the British people, which, you know, are the people the Sussexes should actually be concerned about. It's the American audience/fan base, and I'm not convinced that is a wise move in the long run.

Royals have used friends to put out the story they want for a long time, with wildly varying degrees of success, so if that's the route they want to go, it might be worthwhile for the Sussexes to actually do that where they live, which is why I suggested that making an effort to develop a more positive relationship with the British press might pay off in the long term. Giving special access to American publications and media might be one in the eye for the British press, but it certainly won't help in the long term. What's the long term objective, here, and how does it serve what they want to accomplish? That's the question.

 

[Ista]

Her father. I’m trying not to talk him up.

Just to add a comment, I, personally, haven’t seen anyone trying to portray Meghan as a helpless victim. I have seen folks try to point out that Meghan isn’t the person that some in the UK press have tried to portray her as. They’re pointing out that there’s no truth in the crazy and hurtful headlines.

Thanks for explaining that, I was drawing a blank.

 

[sophie25]

Gosh, her Dad who SHE said was wonderful to her her whole life now gets ignored because he spoke to the media about her but her friends, and I use the word loosely in many cases, can and it's ok? Have I missed something?

 

[jacqui24]

Gosh, her Dad who SHE said was wonderful to her her whole life now gets ignored because he spoke to the media about her but her friends, and I use the word loosely in many cases, can and it's ok? Have I missed something?

Her father was not cut out when he's giving generic comments to the press when they went to seek him out in Mexico when the engagement was announced. He was not cut out when he made the mistakes he did right before her wedding, and they were big ones. He was cut out because he was conspiring with the press again and again and getting paid for it while lying to and about his daughter. And sharing far more private moment than any of her friends have.

BTW, for anyone curious, a lot of Brits participated in this special. Including Colleen Harris, Prince Charles' former press secretary, who said she doesn't think there has been anything quite so vicious before.

 

[Nice Nofret]

Gosh, her Dad who SHE said was wonderful to her her whole life now gets ignored because he spoke to the media about her but her friends, and I use the word loosely in many cases, can and it's ok? Have I missed something?

Any decent person tells only nice things about ones family in public and to strangers; washing the dirty linen in public is not the done thing.


Of course she tells to the media only how wonderfull her dad is; even if he is also a bully - just to keep it simple and nice.



One does not disown ones family lightly.

 

[jacqui24]

I think there is a tendency to portray her as a helpless victim in many threads on this forum. While it's true that the press has given her a very hard time, the British tabloid press gives everyone a very hard time, but usually turns its fire elsewhere after enough time has passed. Unfortunately, Meghan's family provided way too much fodder, which is not her fault, but it's not like the press was just making up the looney-tunes aspects of her family.

So far as her friends speaking out goes, I don't think it helps much at all since by having them speak out on programs such as Meghan and Harry Plus One (American) or in People magazine (American) it's pretty clear that the target audience is not the British people, which, you know, are the people the Sussexes should actually be concerned about. It's the American audience/fan base, and I'm not convinced that is a wise move in the long run.

Royals have used friends to put out the story they want for a long time, with wildly varying degrees of success, so if that's the route they want to go, it might be worthwhile for the Sussexes to actually do that where they live, which is why I suggested that making an effort to develop a more positive relationship with the British press might pay off in the long term. Giving special access to American publications and media might be one in the eye for the British press, but it certainly won't help in the long term. What's the long term objective, here, and how does it serve what they want to accomplish? That's the question.

Like I said, any discussion of using her friends is nothing more than speculation here. And we should be careful with going too far into that because frankly, it can be entirely off track.

And from what I've seen, her friends have not said anything more than what Elton John or Nacho Figeuro and other friends of Harry have said about Meghan and Harry or just Harry.

 

[Ista]

In terms of this being a US program. Is the difference still that big? We live in a digital and global world.

Only up to a point, I think, and only if the individual is strongly motivated to seek out information on a subject s/he is interested in, so basically, a self-selecting and probably very small group.

I'll also add that I think Americans have a tendency to overestimate how fascinated the rest of the world is in American media--not very, in my observation.

 

[Ista]

Like I said, any discussion of using her friends is nothing more than speculation here. And we should be careful with going too far into that because frankly, it can be entirely off track.

I don't disagree, although there has been tendency here for speculation to be repeated frequently enough that it is eventually accepted as a verified fact. I think we all need to be cautious about that.

 

[Fem]

I think you are right. To me, the better strategy would be to work with the British press to rebuild the bridges that have been burnt in the last two years. Whether Meghan recognises it or not, Britain is the "home" and the "Main" market, and she has to get that right. At the end of the day, it is a symbiotic relationship, and is in the interest of both sides to make it work. Camilla is a classic example of evolving from one of the most hated women in the land to a well respected senior member of the BRF.

Camilla is a great example that the old method of 'never complain, never explain' works when it comes to the Brits. She had to earn everything through her work, which is solid and exemplary. And if the British media gave anyone a hard time, Camilla is definitely that person.

As for the "Meghan and Harry Plus One" special, I think it's just the American media catering to the interest, which is still high in the US. I doubt it in any way is included in the Sussexes plan - it would happen even if they didn't want it to happen, as they'd have plenty material even without Meghan's friends. And as much as I find it cringeworthy that her friends were included in this, it happened. Maybe it's fine with her.

But I completely agree that trying to improve relations with British press is something the Sussexes should look into, because it'll help them in the long run.

 

[Dman]

Camilla is a great example that the old method of 'never complain, never explain' works when it comes to the Brits. She had to earn everything through her work, which is solid and exemplary. And if the British media gave anyone a hard time, Camilla is definitely that person.

As for the "Meghan and Harry Plus One" special, I think it's just the American media catering to the interest, which is still high in the US. I doubt it in any way is included in the Sussexes plan - it would happen even if they didn't want it to happen, as they'd have plenty material even without Meghan's friends. And as much as I find it cringeworthy that her friends were included in this, it happened. Maybe it's fine with her.

But I completely agree that trying to improve relations with British press is something the Sussexes should look into, because it'll help them in the long run.

Again, the improvement can only be made if the British press put those hard feelings on the alter and give Meghan some breathing space to do her job. That’s not gonna happen if they’ve decided to beat the hell out of her for absolutely nothing. This media campaign started when she announced her pregnancy and she and Harry got back from their tour down under. It hasn’t stopped since then. It’s all hurtful. What’s other pregnant royal went through this? Surely not her sister-in-law.

 

[sophie25]

Any decent person tells only nice things about ones family in public and to strangers; washing the dirty linen in public is not the done thing.


Of course she tells to the media only how wonderfull her dad is; even if he is also a bully - just to keep it simple and nice.



One does not disown ones family lightly.

The media were not remotely interested in her when she used to praise her father to the highest on her blog in the past. He was a great father to her by her own account and was due to walk her up the aisle only a year ago. This totally cutting the man off for what appears to be the rest of his life because he made some perceived mistakes in the past year seems extreme and strange. If my Dad had done the things Thomas Markle has done I might have gave him a telling off but he's done nothing so bad as to be cut off like this. I remember Sarah Ferguson even standing by Major Ron when he was caught with prostitutes when the royal household were pressing her to distance herself from him because he had been such a good father to her. Meghan's behaviour has went too far IMO and if and when her father dies she may well regret her actions, but then she seems so cold that I suspect she won't.

 

[Marengo]

The father of the Duchess of Sussex is not the topic of this thread.

This thread is now closed.