Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Future Duties, Roles and Responsibilities

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Cocoasneeze

Roya actually named names who were involved in crafting this plan. All of whom could easily rubbish her story. They haven't. This wasn't a "royal sources say" kind of story. Imho someone tipped Roya.

According to the DM, can't access the times as it's behind a paywall, Sir David Manning and Sir Christopher Geidt are "said" to have drawn up plans for DOS' "are set to be given a role that involves the Commonwealth, charity work and promoting Britain".

It then goes on further to speculate;

"Although this is unlikely to be decided until next year, the role is likely to be in Africa because of the couple's ties there."

So the previous private secretary to HM and the previous advisor to DOCa and Prince Henry have made some sort of plan for Henry and Meghan to basically continue what they're doing now. The fact the role is abroad, specifically Africa, appears to have come from thin air.

I genuinely don't see how the optics on this are bad at all.

There is one issue right now with communication, if Henry and Meghan are forming their own social media accounts and communications people, a rebuttle should come from this account and not Kensington Palace. KP speaks for William and Catherine now, not Henry and Meghan.

I don't believe a rebuttle is necessary though, it's just someone taking a piece of generalised information and running with it because we haven't seen our royals in a while...

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by Cocoasneeze

Roya actually named names who were involved in crafting this plan. All of whom could easily rubbish her story. They haven't. This wasn't a "royal sources say" kind of story. Imho someone tipped Roya.

This “story” came out a little over 12 hours ago and today is Easter Sunday.
These are not the sorts of people who are going to tweet some half baked response.
And very, very few stories get comments from the Royals or their staff.

[Cocoasneeze]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

According to the DM, can't access the times as it's behind a paywall, Sir David Manning and Sir Christopher Geidt are "said" to have drawn up plans for DOS' "are set to be given a role that involves the Commonwealth, charity work and promoting Britain".

It then goes on further to speculate;

"Although this is unlikely to be decided until next year, the role is likely to be in Africa because of the couple's ties there."

So the previous private secretary to HM and the previous advisor to DOCa and Prince Henry have made some sort of plan for Henry and Meghan to basically continue what they're doing now. The fact the role is abroad, specifically Africa, appears to have come from thin air.

I genuinely don't see how the optics on this are bad at all.

There is one issue right now with communication, if Henry and Meghan are forming their own social media accounts and communications people, a rebuttle should come from this account and not Kensington Palace. KP speaks for William and Catherine now, not Henry and Meghan.

I don't believe a rebuttle is necessary though, it's just someone taking a piece of generalised information and running with it because we haven't seen our royals in a while...

BP did put out their rebuttal already. All this is speculation, no plans have been made for Harry and Meghan.

And I'd say putting names in an article saying, that there are plans to send Harry and Meghan somewhere in Africa in 2020, well their names are tied to this story.

[O-H Anglophile]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like an idea that was thrown out there for Harry back when he was a bachelor, kind of at loose ends with his life. There were rumors then that he wanted to run off to Africa. Especially considering this plan is supposedly the idea of Manning and Geidt.

Because none of it makes sense for his life now.

[Ista]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

According to the DM, can't access the times as it's behind a paywall, Sir David Manning and Sir Christopher Geidt are "said" to have drawn up plans for DOS' "are set to be given a role that involves the Commonwealth, charity work and promoting Britain".

It then goes on further to speculate;

"Although this is unlikely to be decided until next year, the role is likely to be in Africa because of the couple's ties there."

So the previous private secretary to HM and the previous advisor to DOCa and Prince Henry have made some sort of plan for Henry and Meghan to basically continue what they're doing now. The fact the role is abroad, specifically Africa, appears to have come from thin air.

I genuinely don't see how the optics on this are bad at all.

There is one issue right now with communication, if Henry and Meghan are forming their own social media accounts and communications people, a rebuttle should come from this account and not Kensington Palace. KP speaks for William and Catherine now, not Henry and Meghan.

I don't believe a rebuttle is necessary though, it's just someone taking a piece of generalised information and running with it because we haven't seen our royals in a while...

Thank you for this.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Mirabel

Eh, the same was said of Andrew, once upon a time.
He was more popular than Charles, hard as it is to believe today.

And the Snowdens were once the glitzy ones...

Popularity is very fickle; it can turn sour in a heartbeat. What matters is position in the hierarchy, and William is the one who has it. The RF is well-aware of that.

Exactly. For a time Andrew was the good looking young guy and he and Sarah were quite popular..
But I do fear that perhaps Charles is less popular than he ought to be, because a lot of people still have a distorted pic of him due to the Camilla factor..So its not just that Charles is older and not so glamourous or fun as his 2 sons...

[wyevale]

^ I have no worries regarding the PoW's [perceived] unpopularity, given the outpouring of support and love he is certain to receive in the aftermath of his Mothers death..

[Denville]

Originally Posted by wyevale

^ I have no worries regarding the PoW's [perceived] unpopularity, given the outpouring of support and love he is certain to receive in the aftermath of his Mothers death..

I don't see any evidence that that is likely to happen. I don't think that Charles attracts that sort of emotion..

[wyevale]

Generally he doesn't, but as eldest son and heir, the new King will be chief mourner and leader of the Nation and Commonwealth at the funeral of a much loved Queen. The focus, and the sympathy of all will be on him.
His sons and their wives will have supporting roles [at best].
As such he and his Queen will garner huge levels of support in the first days/weeks and months of his reign.

[Madame Verseau]

I don't know who hatched this plan to send Harry and Megan to Africa but the fact BP gave a response within 24 hours they realized this is going down wrong. William and Kate should have been working on their royal roles long before Harry met Megan.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

Why does it have to be a leak...?

It certainly didn’t walk out by itself.... so someone had to talk. Whether that someone is realiable or not. Or do we now think journalists just make up sources now?

And I know someone mentioned Roya and her track record and such above. But Roya isn’t the primary on this. Tim Shipman is. Roya is credited behind him on one of the two articles.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Madame Verseau

I don't know who hatched this plan to send Harry and Megan to Africa but the fact BP gave a response within 24 hours they realized this is going down wrong. William and Kate should have been working on their royal roles long before Harry met Megan.

well they rather were. They were members of the BRF long before harry Met Meghan...

[Denville]

Originally Posted by wyevale

Generally he doesn't, but as eldest son and heir, the new King will be chief mourner and leader of the Nation and Commonwealth at the funeral of a much loved Queen. The focus, and the sympathy of all will be on him.
His sons and their wives will have supporting roles [at best].
As such he and his Queen will garner huge levels of support in the first days/weeks and months of his reign.

I don't think it will be all that emotional. The queen is admired and respected.. but I woud not say deeply loved.. and it is not the Victorian age any more. Charles will be OK - I mean he' will be accepted....but I dont think people are going to get very emotional about him or the queen..adn I thnk that the Camilla factor will unfairly damage his and Cam's popularity.

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Cocoasneeze

And I'd say putting names in an article saying, that there are plans to send Harry and Meghan somewhere in Africa in 2020, well their names are tied to this story.

Your comment doesn’t make much sense. Yes their names are included in this story, but they were once Private Secretary to HM and Personal Advisor to (first of all) Henry and William.

There aren’t actually any plans to send Henry and Meghan anywhere. All the stories speculate it’s Africa and it’ll supposedly be next year.

This is not like someone’s for a hold of an official document and leaked it, and it specifically said William wants to send Meghan and Henry to Africa next year.

This is literally a story made from nothing other than Henry and Meghan doing what they already do...

[jacqui24]

Harry and Meghan do not live in Africa.

This story’s point isn’t just about Africa, but to send Harry and Meghan away on a permanent basis as a starting point. Apparently both Australia and Canada have been discussed without success. So to me, the location seems to be secondary. Just to find something for them somewhere else that will keep them busy.

[Ista]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

Your comment doesn’t make much sense. Yes their names are included in this story, but they were once Private Secretary to HM and Personal Advisor to (first of all) Henry and William.

There aren’t actually any plans to send Henry and Meghan anywhere. All the stories speculate it’s Africa and it’ll supposedly be next year.

This is not like someone’s for a hold of an official document and leaked it, and it specifically said William wants to send Meghan and Henry to Africa next year.

This is literally a story made from nothing other than Henry and Meghan doing what they already do...

Agreed. And in addition, there is nothing to suggest that even if there has been some discussion, that it isn't something that Harry and Meghan would like to do, and that they haven't been consulted about it. If I were them, I'd certainly be interested in an opportunity to move somewhere for a couple of years to do work that I was interested in doing, but with, perhaps, a bit more privacy for my very young family. I keep on remembering that very friendly greeting between Sir Christopher and Meghan a while back, which does suggest that they know each other fairly well and that there's a degree of warmth to the relationship.

I'm really astonished that there is so much assumption of ill-intent without a shred of evidence.

Originally Posted by jacqui24

Harry and Meghan do not live in Africa.

This story’s point isn’t just about Africa, but to send Harry and Meghan away on a permanent basis as a starting point. Apparently both Australia and Canada have been discussed without success. So to me, the location seems to be secondary. Just to find something for them somewhere else that will keep them busy.

Nowhere is it said or implied that they would be sent away permanently. That is sheer nonsense.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Ista

Nowhere is it said or implied that they would be sent away permanently. That is sheer nonsense.

To live somewhere else for a few years isn’t considered permenant? It’s not just a tour we are talking about.

[Ista]

Living somewhere for a couple of years, when you know it is only for that time period, is not permanent. Their permanent home, as far as we know it, is Frogmore Cottage, which is where they will return for the foreseeable future between engagements, overseas tours, and even temporary assignments abroad, if that should happen. It sounds much more dramatic and alarmist to say that Meghan and Harry are being sent elsewhere permanently, than to say that they are being given an opportunity to work overseas for a couple of years.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Ista

Living somewhere for a couple of years, when you know it is only for that time period, is not permanent. Their permanent home, as far as we know it, is Frogmore Cottage, which is where they will return for the foreseeable future between engagements, overseas tours, and even temporary assignments abroad, if that should happen. It sounds much more dramatic and alarmist to say that Meghan and Harry are being sent elsewhere permanently, than to say that they are being given an opportunity to work overseas for a couple of years.

To live somewhere is permenant. Whether a couple of years or a couple of decades. And if the opportunity is simply to keep them away is alarming. It’s not as if an assignment came up and they thought it’d be a great idea for Harry and Meghan.

What’s being said here is that courtiers are actively looking to see if they can find anything anywhere that will take Sussexes out of the UK just because some feel like they attract too much spotlight, through no fault of their own I will add.

[Abbigail]

Originally Posted by Mirabel

Eh, the same was said of Andrew, once upon a time.
He was more popular than Charles, hard as it is to believe today.

And the Snowdens were once the glitzy ones...

Popularity is very fickle; it can turn sour in a heartbeat. What matters is position in the hierarchy, and William is the one who has it. The RF is well-aware of that.

Harry is not Andrew, whose popularity was born out of him simply being a handsome young royal and war hero. Harry is not only that but also Diana's son, a charismatic man in his own right and one who is committed to championing several worthy causes. Unless he really screws up, his "star power" won't be fading any time soon. I can see why that may have some people worried.

Oh and I highly doubt Meghan and Harry are going anywhere, definitely not Africa. How ridiculous.