Engagement of Prince Harry of Wales and Meghan Markle: November 27, 2017

[toukale]

Its kind of humorous to read that Meghan's ambitions was the US Presidency. I'd never heard that one before. One who has that kind of a goal has the idea firmly implanted in her mind that her aims are to make a difference. To create a better US and a more prosperous US in the long run.

She had an interview early in 2012 where she said as much. She later mention it when she met with Piers Morgan during that chat they had in late June. Don't have time to look for it now. But I am sure you guys can find that one. The one from 2012 I can't recall which interview, but I remember the one with Piers since that's more recent.

Edit: found it - I asked her if she’d always wanted to be an actress.

‘No! As a kid, I wanted to either be President of the United States or a news broadcaster like you. I’m also a trained calligrapher. I did all the cards and envelopes for Robin Thicke’s wedding! We’re losing the art of handwriting and it’s such a shame. There’s still something incredibly romantic and special about a guy writing to a girl and putting pen to paper rather than emailing it, whether his writing is chicken scratch or looks like a doctor’s note.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5121713/PIERS-MORGAN-Congrats-Harry-pal-Meghan-keeper.html

 

[Pranter]

Yeah don't know where the political (presidency) talk comes from...people are just stretching things now.

I don't think she would of ever been known in the US past the group of folks who watched her show...she was not some great award winning actress on the level of Meryl Streep etc. If she had been on that level we'd of already known about her years ago.


LaRae

 

[toukale]

I seriously doubt it. She was a late boomer as far as her acting career was concerned and the best she got was a role on a marginal cable TV show, which may be long running, but is by no means memorable as some shows on American TV are or were in the past. After Suits finished its run, Meghan would probably have a hard time landing another major role. Most likely, she could re-invent herself as a blogger or social media personality, maybe in connection with areas she has shown interest in like cooking, but I don't see her acting career lasting much longer as she moved into her 40s.

You are thinking about her acting career, I am talking about a career in politics, since I believe that's the route she was planing on taken eventually.

 

[jacqui24]

She had an interview early in 2012 where she said as much. She later mention it when she met with Piers Morgan during that chat they had in late June. Don't have time to look for it now. But I am sure you guys can find that one. The one from 2012 I can't recall which interview, but I remember the one with Piers since that's more recent.

Edit: found it - I asked her if she’d always wanted to be an actress.

‘No! As a kid, I wanted to either be President of the United States or a news broadcaster like you. I’m also a trained calligrapher. I did all the cards and envelopes for Robin Thicke’s wedding! We’re losing the art of handwriting and it’s such a shame. There’s still something incredibly romantic and special about a guy writing to a girl and putting pen to paper rather than emailing it, whether his writing is chicken scratch or looks like a doctor’s note.’

Piers Morgan on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry engagement | Daily Mail Online

Yea, lots of kids also want to be astronauts or Superman. I don't think that's any indication of what she seriously wanted to be as an adult. Let's be real, as kids, we don't know how dirty politics is.

 

[Osipi]

Oh I don't discount that she's had that as a goal and has stated as such. I just don't follow her life outside of these forums much. The main thing is that with that statement of her goals, it points to what is important to Meghan. As time passed and she actually stated that it was her acting roles that enabled her to do humanitarian work, we can see where she wanted to go and making a difference in the world was a major goal of hers.

This mindset of where she wanted her life to go and then meeting Harry, who basically has the same ambition of making a difference with the position he's been born into, united two people with a very common goal in life. Harry always said it was going to be difficult finding a person that would be willing and able to take on his public life's work. The night he met Meghan, he just happened to jump on the right merry go round and they had side by side horses.

 

[Curbside]

Okay, I knew I read somewhere that they had texted before they met in person:

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/20...arkle-text-message-courting-bananas-instagram

My guess would be that while she wasn't technically still dating her ex, there may have still been communication with him. Kind of "it's complicated" where they aren't really together, but one of the two has issues with walking away. None of this is a big deal to me, and again, I wouldn't say it's exactly lying because it's none of our business anyway.

On a similar vein, they may not have technically been engaged, but she's not going to give up her career, her home, etc., without Harry having run the traps of getting permission, buying a ring, and whatever other prep guys in his position have to do before they marry.

And you know what? I'm okay with the PR version of their courtship. For those of us who are married, do you feel you need to convey all the details that went into deciding to marry with your friends and family, let alone some random stranger on the internet?

I think the story we have about these two is true, even if some of the fine details are different than what they have chosen to tell publicly. As they say, it's close enough for government work.

 

[Mbruno]

First thing, I've followed Meghan a long time, and I've never heard her having a serious goal of one day running for President. She went into diplomacy because she studied international relations and theater, and from what we know now, she has an uncle that was a diplomat. And even if it was a goal by going through that route, she obviously gave it up long before Harry came into the picture.

It is odd to hear that she considered running for POTUS when she has been effectively living in Canada for a while and is even often mistaken in the UK as being Canadian rather than American.

Besides, anyone who is familiar with the US presidential system knows how difficult it is to become POTUS. First, one has to secure the nomination from one of the two major parties, which requires going through a nationwide primary election season lasting over six months. Then, even if one gets past the primaries, he/she has to run a general election campaign. The whole process, which takes nearly a year in total, requires a national campaign organization and a level of funding that very few candidates are capable of putting together or securing. In fact, a competitive US presidential candidate nowadays probably has to raise close to US$ 1 billion dollars between the primaries and the general election. That is completely out of Mrs Markle's league, especially considering that she never held a public office before and was probably unknown to large sections of the population before becoming Harry's girlfriend.

 

[jacqui24]

Okay, I knew I read somewhere that they had texted before they met in person:

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/20...arkle-text-message-courting-bananas-instagram

My guess would be that while she wasn't technically still dating her ex, there may have still been communication with him. Kind of "it's complicated" where they aren't really together, but one of the two has issues with walking away. None of this is a big deal to me, and again, I wouldn't say it's exactly lying because it's none of our business anyway.

On a similar vein, they may not have technically been engaged, but she's not going to give up her career, her home, etc., without Harry having run the traps of getting permission, buying a ring, and whatever other prep guys in his position have to do before they marry.

And you know what? I'm okay with the PR version of their courtship. For those of us who are married, do you feel you need to convey all the details that went into deciding to marry with your friends and family, let alone some random stranger on the internet?

I think the story we have about these two is true, even if some of the fine details are different than what they have chosen to tell publicly. As they say, it's close enough for government work.

I don't see any indication they are not really broken up or just "technically" broken up given that they lived together and he moved out of the house and she was single. Nursing a broken heart doesn't mean it's just technically broken up but complicated. It's broken.

I'm honestly not sure how much of the unnamed sources I believe about the beginning of their relationship at this point as NO ONE knew some of the things we heard about in the engagement interview like Botswana and yet unnamed sources have had multiple versions. Even Camilla Tominey, who originally accurately broke the story about them dating, didn't know exactly how they met. I do find Meghan's account to Piers about her relationship status at that time quite believable as she'd have to be quite psychic to know it would work out this way in the future in order to concoct any lie.

 

[Osipi]

As we grow up, we have these big picture goals that we see ourselves wanting to do. For me it was to be the world famous archaeologist or the world famous concert violinist. It evolved into a deep love of ancient civilizations and expressing oneself through music and the "world famous" part got dropped as I matured.

Older goals lead to finding newer goals and deeper interests. If Meghan's prime ambition over all these years was politics, she never would have taken up an acting career and moved to Canada. Her studies in international relations, however, are going to serve her well.

 

[Terri Terri]

I'm sorry but that Vanity Fair article quotes a story from the Daily Mail which is a totally unreliable source of information. A lot of the so-called stories on the beginning of Harry and Megan's relationship were totally untrue...,this was also mentioned by Meghan in the engagement interview.

 

[Osipi]

Basically, the way I see it is that Meghan has a much needed Private Secretary which could also be termed as a personal assistant or even the anachronistic lady in waiting.

There are many roles that this private secretary will perform. Walking along with Meghan and being there to carry flowers, gifts and such received on walkabouts. Helping with personal correspondence that has to be pouring into KP by the truckloads. A go between communications between Meghan and the other offices of the BRF. Managing a personal diary for Meghan and reminding her that she has an appointment with xxx at yy:yy for zz. In other words, helping Meghan to keep her life straight. Meghan's life has gone from being a single woman with everything on an even keel to the onslaught of public attention, demands on her time from all over the place, maintaining her personal relationship with Harry along with planning a huge, grand royal wedding which most likely has so many details to be sorted out and decisions to be made and people to see about this, that and whatever that its next to impossible for one single person to keep it all straight without going bonkers.

Most likely Meghan sees this as a godsend right about now and can breathe a little bit easier.

 

[Missjersey]

That makes a lot of sense to me Osipi!

 

[O-H Anglophile]

It is odd to hear that she considered running for POTUS when she has been effectively living in Canada for a while and is even often mistaken in the UK as being Canadian rather than American.

Besides, anyone who is familiar with the US presidential system knows how difficult it is to become POTUS. First, one has to secure the nomination from one of the two major parties, which requires going through a nationwide primary election season lasting over six months. Then, even if one gets past the primaries, he/she has to run a general election campaign. The whole process, which takes nearly a year in total, requires a national campaign organization and a level of funding that very few candidates are capable of putting together or securing. In fact, a competitive US presidential candidate nowadays probably has to raise close to US$ 1 billion dollars between the primaries and the general election. That is completely out of Mrs Markle's league, especially considering that she never held a public office before and was probably unknown to large sections of the population before becoming Harry's girlfriend.

From what I gather, this was an ambition she had as a child--not a recent ambition. Most children change career goals a number of times.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

Meghan told Piers that she wanted to be POTUS when she was a child. She didn't seem to harbour this career goal as an adult, none of her actions suggest that POTUS was her career goal as a grown up.

Didn't Vanity Fair have an article about Meghan moving to UK and that she was looking for her own place, and she wasn't going to live with Harry (at 'their' cottage). This article was printed when Meghan was already living with Harry, and they were most likely engaged already. NONE of these publications have any clue, all of their inside info has been wrong. Even Lainey, who I thought had some inside info, didn't really have any.

Harry and Meghan were masters of low key, stating under the radar, and their inner circle didn't talk at all. Quite impressive.

 

[Zaira]

I agree. I think for a long time people just didn't take the relationship seriously despite Harry making it pretty darn clear his feelings. I mean a lot of media knew it was. That statement was no joke and sent the message loud and clear to many of the serious royal followers. I think in their heart of hearts knew it was legit but just were in denial.

As for the current interest. It is to be expected. As mentioned up-thread, we had almost a decade with Kate. Harry and Meghan won't even have been together 2 years when they marry. That is a big difference. Everything with Meghan is brand new despite the fact she had a bigger public profile. I guess that is also the intrigue.

Funny enough Meghan's last episodes of Suits have been postponed. It was suppose to premiere this month but now rumors is that it will be pushed back until March. I wonder if they trying to time out the weddings for that added promo since Meghan won't be participating in anything.

^ it boggled my mind to see these so called "royal experts" and some of the long time royal watchers STILL dismiss how serious Harry was about Meghan even after he realized a very public statement in defense of her.

I knew right then and there she was his person. I wasn't as sure Meghan was fully on board then, but it was clear Harry had found his love.

 

[Lady Nimue]

I love this couple, I think Meghan can be great in that role. I have been a fan of hers since 2011 watching suits. I only have one reservation if this will be a successful marriage. [...]

[...] Which brings me to my only reservation about this union. Meghan to me does not strike me as someone who will be happy in that role for long. I am sure she can manage 5 years, but can she be satisfy in that role for life? I am not sure. This marriage to me will flourish if Harry can somehow help her channel all those ambition of hers towards humanitarian works. She will get bored easily if all she will be doing is ribbon cutting and playing dress up. She is too intelligent for that, and it would be a shame.

I share your views on the durability of the marriage. Meghan is a go-getter and she is entering a culture that does not approve of such (it's seen as being a 'social climber'). I hope her spirit isn't broken.

Totally agree about the 'ribbon cutting and playing dress up'. The work is what one makes it, of course, but the royals are not the movers and shakers of the charities they mentor (I don't think), unless they form their own charities, and then it's a day-in-day-out slog for funding and planning, hiring and organization. Have not seen them doing that kind of work, except maybe Charles with his Prince's Trust, and even then he hires others to handle the actual daily work.

The deciding factor to me will be if she gives up her US citizenship, if she does then I will be 100% sold. If she retains it, then I will remain at 99%. That's my only hesitation today, someone like her does not seem she will be satisfy with that role for life because she will be miserable.

I would counsel for her to hedge her bets. This is a huge change, moving countries, and signing up for such constraints that are at such odds to who she is. She is definitely not a Kate who is nestled into family, running a household and happily raising children.

What is hopeful is the words she spoke in the engagement interview about work 'across the Commonwealth' by them both. They have ideas. Maybe like someone has suggested they will move to somewhere in Africa and have a unique life. I hope so, for Meghan's sake.

 

[jacqui24]

I share your views on the durability of the marriage. Meghan is a go-getter and she is entering a culture that does not approve of such (it's seen as being a 'social climber'). I hope her spirit isn't broken.

Totally agree about the 'ribbon cutting and playing dress up'. The work is what one makes it, of course, but the royals are not the movers and shakers of the charities they mentor (I don't think), unless they form their own charities, and then it's a day-in-day-out slog for funding and planning, hiring and organization. Have not seen them doing that kind of work, except maybe Charles with his Prince's Trust, and even then he hires others to handle the actual daily work.

That’s quite untrue. I wouldn’t say that about Sentebale and IG. Harry was very involved with starting Sentebale and then turning it around when it was in trouble. He is also the driving force behind IG as well. They do hire good people to handle various aspects, but that doesn’t mean Harry is sitting on his behind. He puts a lot of it together. He does have to do a lot with those charities at the beginning and eventually he becomes less hands on as it begins to run well on its own. He is actually quite a go getter himself.

He also does a lot of work we don’t know about. We know he’s promoted youth involvement in areas like Nottingham, but what we don’t see is how often he is there. Chantelle (from Full Effect program) has said that he’s in Nottingham working with them on a monthly basis (I believe), but it’s not always announced. He’s there working with them on his own time when it’s not official business.

 

[royal rob]

Why do people think she would want to live in Africa? Has she ever said so ? I’m thinking around the 5 year mark too but if she did get bored etc I think it’s more likely she would want to go back to US

 

[wyevale]

if she did get bored

NO intelligent individual would 'get bored' by the opportunities now opening up for Ms Markle.. She has the privilege to engage with all manner of interesting individuals/causes/groups on an ongoing basis, and to use her talents to further their interests and aims..as well as hers..

If 'five years' is enough to exhaust the challenges and thrill of that, one REALLY has the attention span of a Goldfish...

 

[O-H Anglophile]

I share your views on the durability of the marriage. Meghan is a go-getter and she is entering a culture that does not approve of such (it's seen as being a 'social climber'). I hope her spirit isn't broken.

Totally agree about the 'ribbon cutting and playing dress up'. The work is what one makes it, of course, but the royals are not the movers and shakers of the charities they mentor (I don't think), unless they form their own charities, and then it's a day-in-day-out slog for funding and planning, hiring and organization. Have not seen them doing that kind of work, except maybe Charles with his Prince's Trust, and even then he hires others to handle the actual daily work.

:

But I believe this is changing.
Charles began the Prince's Trust. He was hands on in the beginning, stayed fairly hands on over the years and only more recently as he began taking on more of his mother's duties has the process of restructuring the Trust for him to take a few steps back really begun.
William and Harry began their Foundation and brought Catherine into it. The Foundation has continued to grow as the trio cultivated their charitable endeavors in the areas they discovered they were passionate about.
No they don't do the Daily office work, but they attend meetings, have meetings, talk regularly to people. I disagree that they aren't the movers and shakers-the marquee name, whether it is a Royal or a wealthy patron, always are one of the movers and shakers.
Meghan's drive and talents will be great in this venue. She cannot really be accused of social climbing- in marrying Harry she has no where to climb.

 

[Denville]

NO intelligent individual would 'get bored' by the opportunities now opening up for Ms Markle.. She has the privilege to engage with all manner of interesting individuals/causes/groups on an ongoing basis, and to use her talents to further their interests and aims..

If 'five years' is enough to exhaust the challenges and thrill of that, one REALLY has the attention span of a Goldfish...

Of course she could get bored. There are limitations on what a royal can do.. she will be subject to endless criticism and she wont be able to be all that "hands on" in her charties. She will always be junior to William and Kate.. and to an extent, to Harry.
She may find it restricting after being a private person who could choose her own work..

 

[Erin9]

But I believe this is changing.

Charles began the Prince's Trust. He was hands on in the beginning, stayed fairly hands on over the years and only more recently as he began taking on more of his mother's duties has the process of restructuring the Trust for him to take a few steps back really begun.

William and Harry began their Foundation and brought Catherine into it. The Foundation has continued to grow as the trio cultivated their charitable endeavors in the areas they discovered they were passionate about.

No they don't do the Daily office work, but they attend meetings, have meetings, talk regularly to people. I disagree that they aren't the movers and shakers-the marquee name, whether it is a Royal or a wealthy patron, always are one of the movers and shakers.

Meghan's drive and talents will be great in this venue. She cannot really be accused of social climbing- in marrying Harry she has no where to climb.

I’d include Philip on that list. The Duke of Edinburgh awards, for one thing. He’s always been very active- certainly beyond ribbon cutting.

 

[Somebody]

Everyone could get bored in any job so yes that is true for Meghan as well but the solution isn't to just give up but to find ways to make it more interesting. I believe that's what Harry himself has done. He wasn't to happy about his prospects in life given the limitations that his role brings but realized that his role also brings lots of opportunities to do good and he jumped on that bandwagon and with this new approach he has a purpose in life and he probably considers himself rather priviliged nowadays because of everything he can do that he couldn't have done had his grandmother not been the world's most famous monarch.

So, given that Meghan seems to have a positive approach in life in which she looks for opportunities rather than focuses on limitations and barriers, I'm not that worried.

 

[Pranter]

Bored? Good Grief. She's not 20 and taking her first job at the grocery store.

If she did get bored, so what...like the rest of the responsible adults in the world that get bored with their job etc...you get up and go to work and get thru it. You don't run away from your responsibilities.


LaRae

 

[Osipi]

We forget who Meghan is teaming up with. How can life with a person such as Harry is be boring? As we've seen from just the few engagements that they've been on together, they really get in there and get down and dirty with the people that they're meeting. Especially around children. This is a couple that takes life by the horns and goes on a wild rodeo ride with it.

Meghan will find her niche in the Royal Foundation with areas that she is solely interested in. She will join Harry in some of his passions such as Invictus Games and Sentebale and most likely partner up with Heads Together. There may even be a new awareness area of HT dealing with mental health and prejudice (not only biracial prejudice but prejudice that stems from any kind of being "different"). Then there's the private side of raising a family. Do we seriously believe that Harry and Meghan will not want kids? On top of all that, lately Harry's been a go to guy for doing royal tours representing his monarch and other engagements where they work for the "Firm".

Frankly, I don't see Meghan having any breathing space really in the near future to even contemplate being "bored". Should it cross her mind, I think she's more of the type of person to make some comfort food, lean on Harry and figure out what to do next. Meghan doesn't seem like the type of woman that's just sat back and let the grass grow under her feet and give up on anything but finds a way to make the proverbial lemonade out of lemons.

She's going to do just fine and not only do just fine but revel in the life she's leading.

 

[AlowVera]

Of course she could get bored. There are limitations on what a royal can do.. she will be subject to endless criticism and she wont be able to be all that "hands on" in her charties. She will always be junior to William and Kate.. and to an extent, to Harry.
She may find it restricting after being a private person who could choose her own work..

No matter who Harry marries that would be a problem and as Harry said they talked about all the problems he faces. I feel so sorry for Harry that his life and happiness have been destroyed by the same press that destroyed his mother and the moment he has enough and tells the press to back off they become even more evil about him and his future bride.

 

[Denville]

No matter who Harry marries that would be a problem and as Harry said they talked about all the problems he faces. I feel so sorry for Harry that his life and happiness have been destroyed by the same press that destroyed his mother and the moment he has enough and tells the press to back off they become even more evil about him and his future bride.

?? how is his "life destroyed? He is a well to do, socially privileged young man, and has now chosen a young woman whom I hope he is happy wth, for his wife.
And of couse the press will be crticial of him and his wife..that is a given. There will also be times when he and Meg are wildly over praised. As far as I can see, at the moment he and Meg are in "honeymoon stage" with the press being highly affectionate about them.
I hope that he and M have discussed the problems they are going to face.. it doesn't mean that she will defintley not get bored. She may well do so.. You can't tell what royal life is really like until you have lived it...

 

[royal rob]

No matter who Harry marries that would be a problem and as Harry said they talked about all the problems he faces. I feel so sorry for Harry that his life and happiness have been destroyed by the same press that destroyed his mother and the moment he has enough and tells the press to back off they become even more evil about him and his future bride.

I must have missed something when did his life become destroyed???

 

[Abbigail]

Everyone could get bored in any job so yes that is true for Meghan as well but the solution isn't to just give up but to find ways to make it more interesting. I believe that's what Harry himself has done. He wasn't to happy about his prospects in life given the limitations that his role brings but realized that his role also brings lots of opportunities to do good and he jumped on that bandwagon and with this new approach he has a purpose in life and he probably considers himself rather priviliged nowadays because of everything he can do that he couldn't have done had his grandmother not been the world's most famous monarch.

So, given that Meghan seems to have a positive approach in life in which she looks for opportunities rather than focuses on limitations and barriers, I'm not that worried.

Well said. I totally agree.

 

[Dani257]

I don't really know how to put this. I hope that people are concerned for nothing. I'm not predicting anything. I hope she thrives in the role. I hope she's not boxed in and she's allowed to do as much as she can.

But, as far as it's just a matter of having the right attitude, I can't help thinking of someone like my aunt. Who is in a job she hates. It's making her completely miserable. And I'm not using hyperbole for effect. It truly is. And the best advice is not for her to just have a positive attitude. It is for her to get out. There is nothing that will make this job even slightly okay for her. And the most responsible thing for her well being is to find something else.

And again, I'm not predicting that the royal life for Meghan will be akin to my aunt's situation. I hope she finds it fulfilling as is. And I know every job has its ups and downs, but you hope the pros outweigh the cons. And if it isn't automatically, I hope she's allowed to make it so. I know there are certain restrictions, but I hope she can fly as far as she likes within those restrictions and isn't yanked back. Because if she is miserable, she will never be able to get the advice my aunt has gotten. .

Please understand I'm not expecting misery, even if my post sounds gloomy. But, any job can be a miserable job for someone. And any job can be one where that's an overall joy to have. I hope it's the latter.I think we all do. I don't know if I've explained what I mean, but I think that's the best I can do.

But, I do want to address one thing. Please lets not say anything about a person's intelligence based on whether they find the royal life boring or not. What if I were to say that no intelligent person would find being a surgeon or a writer or a teacher or a pilot boring? Even though I know there are people who could tell you all the reasons why any of those (and other) professions are exciting and enjoyable and interesting. But, you ask someone else and they'll tell you all the reasons those jobs are mind numbingly dull. Same can be said for being a royal. And no one lacks intelligence based on what sort of jobs they find interesting.