The Duke & Duchess of Sussex with Oprah III - Post-Interview, March 9th 2021 -

[roseroyal]

That’ll just lead to mud slinging and drag this horror out. These were private issues. They should have stayed that way.

This response was very good. I imagine it took some time to craft it. It was well thought out IMO.

If one of the members of the BRF is racist then the world needs to know.
What bothers me as much as the accusations is the emphasis on how everything looks. What about real?
I’ve had certain life experiences- that I don’t want to talk about- but it is best to be real- and not sweep dirt under the rug.
Real people- real flawed people are the most beautiful.
All this let’s make everything look good leads to heartbreak.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

There are two parts to the security issue:

Who is going to pay for it? He said that he got told on short notice that security was going to be removed. (He had not signed the lucrative contracts with Spotify and Netflix at that point). I think this is where Harry feels let down by his father. Charles would know that Harry and his family still needed security. But he says his father cut off the money.

I would be more sympathetic if Harry didn't have millions of dollars on his own. Charles doesn't owe Harry and Meghan a particular lifestyle. It's not like Harry was a teenager who was kicked out without a penny. Harry chose to leave the UK where his security was covered without a plan in place. That is on him and Meghan.

 

[Moran]

In a basic questioning, during crime investigations for exemple, when two witnesses are contradictory regarding the same event , it never sounds good.
Just sayin'

If anything, it points at Harry and/or Meghan taking a rather innocent remark and running away with it to use it as a proof of racism.



My recollections have often differed from the recollection of others because time will do it to people's memory. However, regarding matters that have really upset, shocked, or changed both my life and the life of another person, we always get the basics straight - time, people present, the most important part of what really happened/was said. A difference of a few years? We've never had this.



I believe this might be the case here as well. It wasn't said in malice and it wasn't taken this way at the time but when one needed ammo for proving what victims they were, it came handy.

 

[RoyalNight]

It is not as simple as that.

"A source close to them shared today how the fact Archie didn’t have his own security was felt when the family was on their tour of South Africa in 2019. The source claimed that when Harry was traveling to other parts of Africa, Meghan would have to choose to leave one of her protection officers with her son and have fewer for herself or leave Archie without protection."


https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...-meghan-markle-interview-royal-family-impact/

Can we really believe it? Leaving Archie without protection in Africa seems reckless to say at least. I don't trust the story, because I don't think it was up to Meghan to decide to leave one of the protection officers with Archie when he/she should have been with her.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

If one of the members of the BRF is racist then the world needs to know.
What bothers me as much as the accusations is the emphasis on how everything looks. What about real?
I’ve had certain life experiences- that I don’t want to talk about- but it is best to be real- and not sweep dirt under the rug.
Real people- real flawed people are the most beautiful.
All this let’s make everything look good leads to heartbreak.

I respect your life experiences but I am not sure that it is fair to conclude that someone is racist because of one comment, made in private, and reported without context. Obviously, you don't think of Harry as racist despite his past comments. Any revelations that a particular person made that comment will be used as a cudgel to attack that person, while Harry sits back making his millions.

I've made thoughtless statements without understanding how they sound to someone else - and I regret it. I think it would be unfair for someone to dredge up that isolated statement, years later, and subject someone to revulsion and abuse.

 

[Durham]

Not sure whether this or the Commonwealth thread is the right place:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...racism-row-may-deepen-schisms-in-commonwealth

This is an example of the damage that has been caused by the reckless smearing of the RF by Harry Windsor.

 

[UglyAmerican]

There are two parts to the security issue:

1) Do they need it
2) Who is going to pay for it

Do they need it? Harry said that he asked if the risk level had changed, and he was told "No". Believe him or not ...As a celebrity, he needs security.

Who is going to pay for it? He said that he got told on short notice that security was going to be removed. (He had not signed the lucrative contracts with Spotify and Netflix at that point). I think this is where Harry feels let down by his father. Charles would know that Harry and his family still needed security. But he says his father cut off the money.

Security was one of the issues being discussed between their respective offices when Harry and Meghan announced their plan to be part-time royals as a done deal when they knew it wasn't. At that point, Charles or the Queen or whomever told them they needed to choose: in or out. They chose out - no responsibilities, and no perks like security. Harry conveniently left that out, and most Americans probably aren't aware of it.

I think there's a very good chance Charles would have continued to pay for security out of his own funds had they not publicly tried to force his hand like that, and not run up grossly excessive security costs by pursuing an unreasonably public and expensive lifestyle, which was the opposite of what they claimed to want in the first place. They could still have lived at Frogmore, where security would have been almost a non-issue, but they chose not to do that. They could have lived somewhere cheaper and less of a media circus than LA, and they chose not to do that, either. Charles knows how much money they have, and seems to have decided that if they'd rather spend it on a Hollywood mansion than on security for themselves and their child, that was their prerogative. I just don't understand why some seem to think he owes it to them to foot the bill for their desired lifestyle when they've got more than enough to live comfortably without his help.

 

[Durham]

If one of the members of the BRF is racist then the world needs to know.
What bothers me as much as the accusations is the emphasis on how everything looks. What about real?
I’ve had certain life experiences- that I don’t want to talk about- but it is best to be real- and not sweep dirt under the rug.
Real people- real flawed people are the most beautiful.
All this let’s make everything look good leads to heartbreak.

But we don't know. And we won't unless Harry Windsor tells us.

It doesn't really matter any more because whatever's said the RF's reputation has been besmirched. The fallout in Britain for the family is deeply unfair.

 

[Osipi]

Can we really believe it? Leaving Archie without protection in Africa seems reckless to say at least. I don't trust the story, because I don't think it was up to Meghan to decide to leave one of the protection officers with Archie when he/she should have been with her.

The way it works with royal protection is that the person being protected listens to the protection officers rather than deciding what happens regarding protection. Meghan would have had no influence in her protection detail nor Archie's when on tour. She wouldn't be consulted on the decisions made at all. RPOs are not answerable to the orders of their clients. They have their own set of rules and protocols and restrictions that are formulated by their supervisors at the Metropolitan Police Protection Command.

 

[HighGoalHighDreams]

I recall there being quite a row during the Africa tour because cars were imported for the couple's use. Stories were implying that the couple must have had the cars imported. There was a rebuttal put forward because the decision to import the cars had been taken by those in charge of security because none were available that met the security standards.

Are we to believe that security was such an important issue that cars were imported to protect the couple, but baby Archie was left unprotected?

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Can we really believe it? Leaving Archie without protection in Africa seems reckless to say at least. I don't trust the story, because I don't think it was up to Meghan to decide to leave one of the protection officers with Archie when he/she should have been with her.

I doubt that they would leave Archie without protection, but he may not have had a RPO specifically assigned when Harry and Meghan were out. He would have stayed in the safe environment. No one would want someone sneaking in while everyone was gone, so anyplace they were staying would have been heavily guarded around the clock, even while Harry and Meghan were out.

 

[roseroyal]

But we don't know. And we won't unless Harry Windsor tells us.

It doesn't really matter any more because whatever's said the RF's reputation has been besmirched. The fallout in Britain for the family is deeply unfair.

How is it unfair? If the truth is ugly, expect the reaction to be respectful but not good.

 

[Lori138]

There are two parts to the security issue:

1) Do they need it
2) Who is going to pay for it

Do they need it? Harry said that he asked if the risk level had changed, and he was told "No". Believe him or not ...As a celebrity, he needs security.

Who is going to pay for it? He said that he got told on short notice that security was going to be removed. (He had not signed the lucrative contracts with Spotify and Netflix at that point). I think this is where Harry feels let down by his father. Charles would know that Harry and his family still needed security. But he says his father cut off the money.

His father cut off the money as they wanted Financial Freedom (their words) so having an allowance from Daddy certainly is not financial freedom. And why would Charles pay for security for them. It is actually the British government that pays for the families RPO's and yes Charles could have paid privately, but again why? It is almost like having your children move out of the family home and you paying the bills for them for the rest of their lives. Real life does not work that way.

 

[roseroyal]

[...]

In an ideal world the BRF would not be racist. But if they are, they need to admit so publicly- and face consequences. They need to be real about it.

 

[victor1319]

I’m not accusing anyone in particular of racism. But what was said by whoever was racist.

So, asking, what colour Archie's skin might have is already racist? And not curiosity?

C'mon! If something was fishy, then the utter silence about Meghan's roots: Because of fear about saying something wrong, everybody pretended to be color blind...

 

[roseroyal]

So, asking, what colour Archie's skin might have is already racist? And not curiosity?

C'mon! If something was fishy, then the utter silence about Meghan's roots: Because of fear about saying something wrong, everybody pretended to be color blind...

Yes it was.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

[...]
In an ideal world the BRF would not be racist. But if they are, they need to admit so publicly- and face consequences. They need to be real about it.

I think a lot of people would beg to differ. I assume you made that determination based on the context, but you have condemned the alleged remark without having any context - or even the exact words. I think that is very unfair of you.

 

[Durham]

How is it unfair? If the truth is ugly, expect the reaction to be respectful but not good.

Unfair because we don't know who said what. And now the entire family is under suspicion.

How is that not unfair?

The entire family.

 

[Osipi]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jan/12/prince-harry-video-pakistani

I understand that you expect more from the royal family but they are human. The problem is that many people are concluding that only a racist could make a comment like that, which I don't think is true. Everyone occasionally says something thoughtless without realizing it.

I, also, am guilty of making remarks that were insensitive and ended up hurting a dear friend. It wasn't intentional and actually did not pertain to the person directly but could have been applied to that person. I've regretted it ever since even though my friend laughed it off and knew I meant no harm.

Humans make mistakes and often speak before thinking through what they're going to say. To me, that remark about the possibility of the child's skin being darker *may* have had racial undertones to it but it could also have been the same as wondering if a child will have brown eyes or blue or dark brown hair or blonde? There was no evidence presented that the remark was made as a racial slur. The context of the statement was missing. It was *perceived* to be racial which doesn't necessarily make it so. We'd have to know what the person making the statement was thinking and we obviously don't.

 

[Hallo girl]

I really appreciate your comments and agree with basically everything you said... my only potential point of disagreement being what any of us would have done if suicidal in Meghan's position, only because I do believe when you're that depressed you don't necessarily think logically so it's hard to say.

Does anybody know what the HR said as a follow up to I cannot help you?. Did Oprah ask that question?
Did they offer advice / suggestion or just sorry cannot help.
Do we know?

 

[Somebody]

I think it was important to say they’re still loved. I have no doubt they (or at least Harry and Archie for sure) are.

I’ve been thinking - it’s also not like they’re saying they’re well LIKED members of the family- regarding only Harry and Meghan of course.

And it is much more than what Meghan herself said about her father when announcing he would not attend their wedding. She only expressed "I have always cared for my father".

 

[roseroyal]

Unfair because we don't know who said what. And now the entire family is under suspicion.

How is that not unfair?

The entire family.

Put like that, perhaps unfair but un avoidable. Someone needed to think before they spoke.
Me personally, don’t suspect anyone, don’t accuse anyone. But believe someone is.
To be concerned about the reputation of ones family, as Harry said this person was - and therefore to make comments about ones skin tone was racist.
And perhaps it wasn’t family- perhaps it was the institution. But they said family.

 

[Queen Ester]

As far as the issue of security, I definitely think that Harry should pay for it, but it seems that Harry is a little stingy and tight when it comes to his wallet. Remember the story about Cresida Bonas, when Harry would not pay for her ticket to the US, his friend's wedding

 

[Osipi]

And it is much more than what Meghan herself said about her father when announcing he would not attend their wedding. She only expressed "I have always cared for my father".

All this falls into something I totally believe in. Something we all have the ability to say to anybody at anytime no matter who we are. It goes: "I love you but I really don't like you very much right now.". You can forever love the person but totally not like where they're coming from or what they're doing at the present time.

 

[Durham]

Put like that, perhaps unfair but un avoidable. Someone needed to think before they spoke.
Me personally, don’t suspect anyone, don’t accuse anyone. But believe someone is.
To be concerned about the reputation of ones family, as Harry said this person was - and therefore to make comments about ones skin tone was racist.
And perhaps it wasn’t family- perhaps it was the institution. But they said family.

Harry Windsor was clear. It was a member of his family. The media & social media have been full of it. Speculating who it is. They still are. Disgusting.

Harry Windsor knew he'd made a mistake because he scrambled to tell Oprah Winprey that it wasn't The Queen.

So we had the spectacle of Oprah Winfrey telling Gayle King on US tv that the Queen of the UK et all Head of the Commonwealth was not a racist! As if the world needs to be told that.

How demeaning for HM.

As if we need to be told this! The Queen has spent her entire life promoting the multi ethnic Commonwealth. It was well known that she & Mrs Thatcher disagreed about sanctions against Apartheid South Africa in the 1980's.

What this is going to do to race relations in this country is anyone's guess.

Harry Windsor has done a lot of damage. I hope he's happy with himself.

 

[Queen Ester]

I really appreciate your comments and agree with basically everything you said... my only potential point of disagreement being what any of us would have done if suicidal in Meghan's position, only because I do believe when you're that depressed you don't necessarily think logically so it's hard to say.

To be honest, from this side of the pond, I did not see racial attacks, just sharp criticism about her spending, her fashion style, not following the royal protocol, such as walking ahead of Harry. Could somebody point me to an article that actually attacking her for being bi-racial?

 

[HighGoalHighDreams]

Put like that, perhaps unfair but un avoidable. Someone needed to think before they spoke.
Me personally, don’t suspect anyone, don’t accuse anyone. But believe someone is.
To be concerned about the reputation of ones family, as Harry said this person was - and therefore to make comments about ones skin tone was racist.
And perhaps it wasn’t family- perhaps it was the institution. But they said family.

I was not aware of that Harry said this, but I have not re-watched the interview. Can you provide the quote where Harry said this? That the comment was made by someone linking a concern about his future children's skin color to concern about the reputation of the family?

I am unable to find it myself.

 

[andrew]

.

"CENTER FOR COMPASSION AND ALTRUISM RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, STANFORD MEDICINE
James R. Doty, MD is the Founder & Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford Medicine. Dr. Doty is a world-renowned expert on the neuroscience of compassion. Archewell Foundation supports the Center’s mission for groundbreaking research and education on techniques for developing compassion and promoting altruism within individuals and society."

I think somebody should explain to Harry and Meghan what compassion and altruism means, because they are promoting it on their Foundation 's website but I don't think they understand it.
In their interview I' ve heard them talking about only ME, ME, ME (or us) :we want titles, we want protection officers, we want funding, we want only positive media coverage, we want attention, we want freedom, we want understanding and so on.
What about the needs of others?! What about compassion for others?! They say that their life is service... Self-service, maybe...

 

[ACO]

A reader listening to podcast Stories of our Times noted Times reporter Valentine Low said he knew Meghan "had a very bad time in the summer of 2019 & she had been in a state of distress. I knew about the conversation she had with the head of HR."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369720233230016515

Interesting. I haven’t heard this myself though.

 

[Beckyhoneyface]

From where I sit, just *one* statement from Harry and Meghan that can be proven to have as many holes as swiss cheese, pours a bucket of questioning on *everything* stated in that interview. Which is honest truth? Which is elaboration? Which is misunderstanding? What is pure fabrication to fit a narrative? Without factual backup, its all perspective of the person talking.

The picture painted by this interview wasn't a clear and precise presentation of facts that can be backed up. A lot of it was perception of something as seen by an individual. The one that threw me off the most was the claim of Archie not getting "prince" because his skin tone may be "darker" and without the "prince" title, he'd not be eligible for security. Boris Johnson does not hold any title and he's covered by the same Metropolitan Police Protection Command that protects the royals and so is Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. Mr. Khan's skin tone didn't come into play there either. That made me question Meghan's perspective on security.

Could it be because Harry's and Meghan's marriage is considered morganatic? That is why William's children are princes and princess because the Queen changed the law for them?