General News about the Sussex Family, Part One: May 2019 - March 2020

[Betsypaige]

Claire, I’m getting annoyed at the “protection” comments, too - and it does sound like he’s not just referring to the media, sadly. It almost feels like he thinks his family is and has been a bad influence on him, and he doesn’t want them to touch Archie.

I just read this article, and I couldn’t agree more with it. I know it’s the DM, but it sums up everything I feel. I had only really glanced at what Harry said, but now some of the things are even worse than I thought.

“Greta” suggested marrying Prince George - even as a joke, that’s gross as he’s 6 years old. He shouldn’t have even been brought up - how did Harry laugh at that? If I’m William and Kate, I’m furious.

Chunga-Changa? Penguins at the North Pole?

The digs at his family are ugly. He lives a “much better” life? He and Meghan believe in inclusivity, so they are “separate” from his family? This attitude is not going to endear him to anyone except his fanatic fan base.

He’s utterly naive to have opened up like this to a teenager - a stranger. Sadly, he’s given us a window into his feelings...

I still think, even so, that these pranksters are awful people

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Y-Prince-Harry-Greta-Thunberg-pranksters.html

 

[Denville]

I see your point, but I believe that privacy is a basic human right. Even if he didn't know her, I think he should be able to let down his guard and speak frankly, without having to worry about the conversation going viral. It must be so stressful to always have to assume that you are being recorded.

Of course in an ideal world, he should...but he is a royal, he is famous and that means the press and public are going to follow him and look for stories. Which is why he has security and staff to protect him. he knew about the phone hacking by the Brtisih Press, he knew about pranksters calling the queen even.....

 

[Lilyflo]

If the phone call is genuine then Prince Harry believed it to be a private conversation so I'm treating it as such. What he says and does in private is his own business, which is why the phone hacking scandals (for all not just Harry) are so disgusting. Within the law, everyone has the right to a private life. I find the picking over of what he (might have) said distasteful.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

I’m blocked from that account, lol

This is the picture (from sussexroyal Instagram) that the Twitter comment was referencing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kS7YjJ_kI/


Articles by the three reporters who covered Meghan's last event at BP on Monday (saying goodbye to staffers and meeting with ACU scholarship recipients), give us a different view of Meghan's emotions behind-the-scenes. Here is one of the articles, by Omid Scobie:

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a31405025/meghan-markle-transition-out-of-royal-life/

 

[Mirabel]

I mean was he wrong? Little one was all of a few days old when he was likened to a damn chimp. I don't think I have seen any of the other little ones treated like that. I am sure it was just the beginning. They do what they do.

Only one person said that- one!
And he was immediately fired.

Yet people keep mentioning this as though it was a common occurance.

 

[Alison H]

I don't know whether I believe this or not. The latest reports claim that Harry gave the hoaxers his e-mail address and mobile phone number, and that he replied to an e-mail purporting to be from the President of Switzerland. And would anyone believe that there was an island called "Chunga-Changa", and that people wanted to ship penguins to the North Pole? They even claim that they suggested they could help Harry claim the throne of Russia! OK, he does technically have a claim, on Prince Philip's side , but would he seriously have thought Greta Thunberg would say that? I can understand someone being taken in by hoaxers, but not all this.

It's very odd.

 

[wyevale]

^ If any of that is true.. he is less intelligent than anyone might have believed...

 

[yukari]

Still no comment from BP or Henry?

IIRC the last time palace issued statement for something like this was in 2012 to confirm that the naked photo was indeed him. So there's possibility that this is fake and there won't be any comment from them just like toward any other fake rumour.
OTOH St James's Palace also didn't state anything about Catherine's hospital-prank-call. It was St Mary Hospital who issued statement about the prank and later St James's Palace issued statement of condolences of the nurse's suicide.

I really want to believe that the 35 yo Henry who was a royal all his life and had served in army (so he should had been briefed about security and vigilance) wouldn't be that naive to discuss something like that over a phone with someone who isn't his close friend/family/inner circle and all of this is simply media "revenge".

But then again, it was proven that his 27 yo self was reckless enough to be caught naked in foreign country so it's rather hard to think otherwise because even though some may argue that 20 yo is young, prone to mistake and unwise decision (eg Nazi costume), but if for a 27 yo still hold the same argument then maybe 35 yo still "young" as well.

PS: just like old Moody's famous word: "Constant vigilant, Harry".

 

[Claire]

It is a weird situation as many people are assuming that BP isn't saying anyting as Harry was a non-royal at the time . Sorry non-royal doesn't really work - need a new term. Part time royal also doesn't.


Oddly enough this has happened before to the Earl of Wessex back in the 1980's when he was teaching at a school in New Zealand - but Edward immediately asked how they had the number as only family members and close friends had been given it. The radio presenter admitted the prank and they ended up having an almost 2 hour discussion about Bond films and Mars Bars. Most of Ingrid Seward's biography on Edward at 18 is from this interview.

 

[Denville]

Still no comment from BP or Henry?

I
OTOH St James's Palace also didn't state anything about Catherine's hospital-prank-call. It was St Mary Hospital who issued statement about the prank and later St James's Palace issued statement of condolences of the nurse's suicide.

I really want to believe that the 35 yo Henry who was a royal all his life and had served in army (so he should had been briefed about security and vigilance) wouldn't be that naive to discuss something like that over a phone with someone who isn't his close friend/family/inner circle and all of this is simply media "revenge".

But then again, it was proven that his 27 yo self was reckless enough to be caught naked in foreign country so it's rather hard to think otherwise because even though some may argue that 20 yo is young, prone to mistake and unwise decision (eg Nazi costume), but if for a 27 yo still hold the same argument then maybe 35 yo still "young" as well.

PS: just like old Moody's famous word: "Constant vigilant, Harry".

But Kate herself did not have anything to do with the call to the hospital. It was the nurses who took the call who were the victims, and one of htem committed suicide. I think that Harry has a bit of a history of silly things, like the naked billiards... so he might well have fallen for the call and might well have talked indiscreetly

 

[wyevale]

need a new term. Part time royal also doesn't.

'Ex Royal'...? 'Beyond the Pale' Royal ?

 

[Betsypaige]

This is the picture (from sussexroyal Instagram) that the Twitter comment was referencing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kS7YjJ_kI/


Articles by the three reporters who covered Meghan's last event at BP on Monday (saying goodbye to staffers and meeting with ACU scholarship recipients), give us a different view of Meghan's emotions behind-the-scenes. Here is one of the articles, by Omid Scobie:

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a31405025/meghan-markle-transition-out-of-royal-life/

He certainly does look happy there, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s happy overall. My general thought is even if he is, it doesn’t mean he can’t also be sad about leaving family and the only life he’s known.

Thank you for the link, but I stopped reading (no surprise given the reporter) after this quote:

Harry and Meghan’s hopes were quickly dashed by an institution seemingly unable to accept change as a viable option (even though some royals across Europe—and even other members of the British royal family—have succeeded in balancing duties to the crown and individual careers).

I don't know whether I believe this or not. The latest reports claim that Harry gave the hoaxers his e-mail address and mobile phone number, and that he replied to an e-mail purporting to be from the President of Switzerland. And would anyone believe that there was an island called "Chunga-Changa", and that people wanted to ship penguins to the North Pole? They even claim that they suggested they could help Harry claim the throne of Russia! OK, he does technically have a claim, on Prince Philip's side , but would he seriously have thought Greta Thunberg would say that? I can understand someone being taken in by hoaxers, but not all this.

It's very odd.

I’m going back and forth because I don’t even the voice sounded that much like Harry, who as a very deep voice. The one thing I can’t imagine real Harry abiding is the joke about marrying George, for many reasons. Aside from it being gross, the children should be completely off limits.

Is it possible the pranksters are pranking everyone and are just using fake Harry to do so?

 

[yukari]

Is it possible the pranksters are pranking everyone and are just using fake Harry to do so?

Possible since we're so close to April 1st.

 

[Kataryn]

I just saw that these Russian "pranksters" got theirbelievability through Good MOrning America, where as I recall, Piers Morgan of the Daily Mail is somehow involved. The article at Harper's Bazaar wrote that they pranked people like Elton John or Bernie Sanders "for" Good Morning America, so got their marching orders from them. Does that mean the Daily Mail payed and oredered them to go after Harry? And why using "Greta" and not a potential client to talk to Harry? There is something so fishy behind this that I feel sorry for Harry because this was not a rather innocent "prank" but a trap for him - though I'm not sure it actually happened. They could have made it up to show Harry what they can do and to shut him up.

 

[evolvingdoors]

This is the picture (from sussexroyal Instagram) that the Twitter comment was referencing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kS7YjJ_kI/


Articles by the three reporters who covered Meghan's last event at BP on Monday (saying goodbye to staffers and meeting with ACU scholarship recipients), give us a different view of Meghan's emotions behind-the-scenes. Here is one of the articles, by Omid Scobie:

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a31405025/meghan-markle-transition-out-of-royal-life/

Did you actually read this shameful excuse for journalism of an article?
Because Omid in his role as Meghan mouthpiece and therefore insanely biased in her favor, even when she is very wrong!) has essentially accused the royal family of being mean to his wonderful “perfect” Meghan, in this very same article.
I am shocked Harpers Bazzar (what I always thought of as a respect publication) published such a disgrace to journalism.

 

[Marengo]

Harper's Bazaar is a fashion magazine and hardly an investigative journal. When a celebrity gives them access -which is good for their sales- of course they are going to write a nice and fluffy piece. Magazines like this have done so for decades. The entertainment industry has worked like this for decades. It is not going to change now, it is IMO naive to imagine that it would.

Although we debate the Duchess of Sussex to a great extend, in the bigger scheme of things this is unimportant entertainment news which hardly requires in-depth investigative journalism. If you do not want to read fluffy pieces do not read these kind of magazines.

 

[Lady Marlboro]

Something has been bothering me about not only Harry's actions but his continuing talk about his mental health and other comments about how fragile he seems. If and I hope this never happens but if this marriage were to go south, all of his comments could be grounds for Meghan to go for full custody of Archie and any other children they may have. All she would have to do is take Archie to the States and file there. A US judge is not likely to care that Harry is the Queen's grandson just that Archie is a US citizen. Harry could end up having to go through court ordered psyche evaluations and end up with only supervised visits with his child. I think it would be in his best interest to deal with his issues in private and stop talking about it so much.

 

[xenobia]

I never understood why people assume that this is a "Megxit" - meaning that it is she who is the driving force behind their exit as senior royals. I think that it's very much Harry who wanted to leave, even though he might also be conflicted about it.

I just hope they find joy and happines in their new life, and that the relationships with various members of the BRF will heal.

 

[evolvingdoors]

Harper's Bazaar is a fashion magazine and hardly an investigative journal. When a celebrity gives them access -which is good for their sales- of course they are going to write a nice and fluffy piece. Magazines like this have done so for decades. The entertainment industry has worked like this for decades. It is not going to change now.

Well... I would expect HB to do their due diligence and at least not post articles that are very one sided! Seriously there are too many lines in that article that a decent editor should have cut. I wonder if maybe this is the edited version?

I expect nothing from Omid, he has shown his true colors multiple times!

I just saw that these Russian "pranksters" got theirbelievability through Good MOrning America, where as I recall, Piers Morgan of the Daily Mail is somehow involved. The article at Harper's Bazaar wrote that they pranked people like Elton John or Bernie Sanders "for" Good Morning America, so got their marching orders from them. Does that mean the Daily Mail payed and oredered them to go after Harry? And why using "Greta" and not a potential client to talk to Harry? There is something so fishy behind this that I feel sorry for Harry because this was not a rather innocent "prank" but a trap for him - though I'm not sure it actually happened. They could have made it up to show Harry what they can do and to shut him up.

I can’t imagine a show as Good Morning America would stoop this low.
You maybe mean, Good Morning Britain?

I can’t see either shows going that far.

Again it is amazing no one from the palace have yet to deny this, given the things that are said, tells me this is not fake! And... either the family have decided to wash their hands clean of Harry and Megahn after this, or they’re scrambling to do some serious damage control.

 

[Alison H]

All anyone's interested in at the moment is the coronavirus situation, TBH. This has barely merited a mention on the news or even in the papers. At another time, it would have caused a problem, but not now.

 

[_Heather_]

The Omid Scobie article is just stupid. I'll admit that I read it but the whole thing is so fanatical that it really couldn't even be considered journalism. At best I suppose it could be considered an opinion piece but in reality it's nothing more than PR spin.

I'll say again that it speaks volumes that more than 24 hours have passed and no one from either Harry and Meghan's camp or that of the RF will comment or deny. The things said in that call were certainly personal slams at the family but that's relatively inconsequential and par for the course these days with them. The things said about leaders, though, could and might be potentially very damaging for relations and should have been immediately denied if untrue. Particularly given how Trump and his cronies like to use those sorts of things to their advantage. I think it's certainly worth remembering that these calls apparently took place on December 31 and January 22. At that point Harry was still very much considered a "working royal" and at the time of the first call they hadn't yet delivered their grenade. That makes these comments look even worse.

There's a lot to unpack about Harry's mental health and what Meghan may be doing in relation to it. There's also a lot to unpack with regard to Meghan's sincerity and what the "real" Meghan really is and if we've ever really seen that "real Meghan." I must admit that I agree with the poster above who stated that all of this could and more than likely would be used against Harry in the event of an eventual custody dispute. He really should be more careful about airing all of this dirty laundry.

I also must say that I fully agree with evolvingdoors here...we all see things from our own perspective and experience but I, too, have experience with a family member dealing with a relationship that, quite frankly, reminds me very much of that between Harry and Meghan and I think that's why from the start I've never seen this relationship as healthy or wonderful and have instead seen the insincerity, the overacting, the awe factor, the complete reliance...

It's inevitable that in a forum such as this there will be differing opinions, differing viewpoints, differing experiences and we all see all of this from our own vantage points. That's great. It's actually a wonderful place to have real conversations and open eyes to differing viewpoints. But it's rarely, if ever, advisable to become fanatically wrapped up in the defense of a public person that one doesn't personally know, particularly when that public person or persons have made some massively ill-advised missteps over the course of a few years and appears to be pinballing from one PR disaster to the next.

 

[Denville]

All anyone's interested in at the moment is the coronavirus situation, TBH. This has barely merited a mention on the news or even in the papers. At another time, it would have caused a problem, but not now.

True and possibly the Palace has had enough of harry and Meghan by now and is not going to say anything whether it is him or not.

 

[Betsypaige]

Possible since we're so close to April 1st.

Still a few weeks away, but still...

If it is true, I have to believe that the BRF is gobsmacked. Where do you even begin to talk with Harry about it? There’s so much wrong...

As for Scobie, every time I see his name, I think of Scooby Doo, lol

 

[Osipi]

I've just been sitting here taking everything in and finding that I really don't have too much to say about what is going on. I won't even begin to start postulating on Harry's mental health as a) I don't know him and b) I'm not a mental health professional and c) I don't think its any of my business to think about someone else's mental health where my main concern should be my own.

As far as the prank call to Harry, there's something just really off about it all that doesn't sound like its actually credible to me. Can't say it did or didn't happen as stated but it just seems off. If this is actually what happened, I can see where its a case of Harry finding out how different things can be. No BP to refute such claims or send an "official" word anymore. Its totally Harry's to deal with as Harry deems fit. Perhaps some of the "perks" of being connected to the "Firm" and being royal were so much taken for granted as always being there, Harry won't realize just how "protected" he really was until the advice, help and support that's always been there for him is no longer there anymore.

Its yet to be determined just how much the Sussexes will return to the UK and their involvement continues with the charities and patronages already established and I do wish them well and success in whatever they choose to do but I can't help but think that the biggest bridge that they've burnt behind them is the global platform they were handed to establish their philanthropic work on. I think now they'll find they have to work harder to get less done and their publicity level is not going to be as good as it was.

I do wish them all the happiness and success in the world as they go forward. If they're happy, that's all that really matters in the long run. We can only sit and watch as things happen. Keeps us off the streets and out of trouble.

 

[Kataryn]

I can’t imagine a show as Good Morning America would stoop this low.
You maybe mean, Good Morning Britain?

I can’t see either shows going that far.

Look, I did research and looked the "pranksters" up. What I wrote is what I found. You don't believe it, okay. But I do wonder if you don't watch the world too much through your own biased eyes and you believe so many things about Meghan when she has done nothing so far to warrant that. Apart from the hatred Piers Morgan and certain tabloids have for her.


In the end it is your gut feeling and the one I have that makes us believe things that we weren't witnesses to. I just wish you would accept that and allow for a bit of a doubt when it comes to living, feeling humans.

 

[Rose74]

I really liked the Harper's Bazaar piece. I thought it was incredibly interesting to read a rare account from someone who was there on the last day, and what the emotions felt like. Well-written, sensitive. I greatly enjoyed it.

 

[Claire]

The thing that bothers me with a lot not just the Harper's Bazaar article is that much of the language, sentiment is what is said in a lot of the Sussex's own press releases. If this article wasn't written or full condoned by the Sussex's it would be plagiarism.
I think he is just making certain that he is top on the list of preferred press for them and the worldwide Meghan and Harry tour they are planning for later in the year.

 

[Curryong]

Who has said that the Sussexes are planning a 'world wide tour' later this year? Certainly not the couple themselves.

 

[BaiSoSo]

The thing that bothers me with a lot not just the Harper's Bazaar article is that much of the language, sentiment is what is said in a lot of the Sussex's own press releases. If this article wasn't written or full condoned by the Sussex's it would be plagiarism.
I think he is just making certain that he is top on the list of preferred press for them and the worldwide Meghan and Harry tour they are planning for later in the year.

How would it be plagiarism when they are repeating the information that the Sussexes have shared with the public through their own press releases? Other news outlets have said similar things based on what they published on their website and instagram and weren't condoned by the Sussexes.

I really liked the Harper's Bazaar piece. I thought it was incredibly interesting to read a rare account from someone who was there on the last day, and what the emotions felt like. Well-written, sensitive. I greatly enjoyed it.

Agreed and I liked that it gave a little more insight to the background....some seem to thinks this is all easy for Meghan. When in reality it has been a very difficult and emotional process for both her and Harry. (...)

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Not looking too deep into this recent supposed scandal; when I first heard about it I thought it was true, but now I don't think it's legitimate and the palace isn't bothering to acknowledge it because it's ridiculous. I could be wrong, but I don't see why Harry would be so candid with a minor and a stranger.