Harry and Meghan: Relationship Musings

[AlowVera]

I don't think she will be re-branded ...can't imagine for what reason she would need to be.


LaRae

So true she does'nt need re-branding but they need to take control of the narrative. When there is a void, others like that non-sister step in and control the story.

 

[Alliec76]

So true she does'nt need re-branding but they need to take control of the narrative. When there is a void, others like that non-sister step in and control the story.

I agree with controlling the narrative. That is something I think the BRF, in my humble opinion, from the other side of The Big Pond, has not always been very good at. They tend to let stories get away from them, and then have to play catch up.

 

[Osipi]

I see it more that the BRF does not play into the media whatsoever. The old adage "never complain, never explain" has worked for them for a very long time. Once they try to "harness" a story, it gives the media fodder to make whatever they want out of it. We saw this with Diana, Princess of Wales and her use of the media for her own purposes and how, at times, it turned against her.

The only thing that will come out of Kensington Palace (Harry's office) or Buckingham Palace (The Queen's office) or Clarence House (Charles' office) will be able to taken as fact as it comes directly from the official staff of the royal themselves. They only use statements when deemed necessary. That's why Harry's statement of a year ago had such an impact. If Harry's office had been playing cat and mouse with the media about things, it wouldn't have been taken as seriously as it was when Harry issued it. In the school of public relations, any statement from the official staff of the royals is like a statement from the principal of the school. You heed it.

The BRF or the "Firm" does not and will not ever use or play with or try and sway things by using the media. They don't have to.

 

[Countessmeout]

The idea of remaking her is ridiculous. Why? And in whose image?

The BRF is sensible. They know that there is never going to be any way to please everyone. And no matter what statements they make, they are going to get criticism. The press will spin their words to suit their purpose. They saw the fall back from the statement that Harry had made already.

So what image should they try and paint her as? The humanitarian? There will be those who say she is trying to be the next Diana. There will be those who accuse her, if she lands a role with a charity in the UK, of getting special treatment do to the royals.

She could be presented as the dutiful girlfriend who has given it up for love. But then she would be called duchess in waiting 2.0. That she is a gold digger and just waiting for a ring. And not in it for love.

This is the 21st century. Being an actress and humanitarian are nothing to blink at. Being a woman who has supported herself and made her own career are not things to gloss over. Its not like she was a playboy model and stripper.

 

[Mirabel]

I hope this isn't off-topic, but I asked in the future wedding thread and didn't get an answer.

Could Harry and Meghan marry on a regular bank holiday, for example the Spring Bank Holiday on May 28? That way they wouldn't cause more expense because they wouldn't need to have an extra day off.

Or must they marry on a special bank holiday, or else a weekend?

 

[wyevale]

Mirabel

There is no prohibition on marrying on Bank Holidays, so yes they could be married then.

 

[Curryong]

I think it would be nice if Harry and Meghan did marry in late May on the Bank Holiday, actually. In terms of traffic in inner London (should they choose WA) it would be more convenient than on a weekday or even a Saturday. In Windsor it will be even less of a problem.
The Cambridge baby number three will be here, and three year old Charlotte can be a more mature bridesmaid.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

I'm quite eager to see what the end of November and December brings from this couple. I'm thinking Meghan will quite quickly relocate to UK, they'll be seen out and about, and there will be an engagement announcement. But whatever it is they'll do, I cant wait to hear or see about it.

 

[MARG]

I would like to comment on the curious notion that Meghan Markle needed to be "rebranded" to ostensibly make her more acceptable to the people of the UK. What an odd notion.

Prince Harry seems totally in love with Meghan. That is the woman he met and developed a long-term relationship with. He met an animated, educated woman whose lifestyle choices obvious impressed him. Having met her he found she wasn't just an actress with a pretty face but a socially aware, articulate and active woman who spent a lot of her spare time in philanthropic or charity work.

She is also a self-proclaimed feminist who believes in equality, but there is no way that would make it necessary to be rebranded for UK usage. So what would inspire the notion that something about her needs to change? Nothing, that's what because if she has to change she is no longer the woman he fell in love with but a puppet.

The only thing I think Meghan needs is a helping hand in the world of royalty for the little things that matter to those she will meet and to enable her to confidently meet on equal terms. To maat o/tom ah toe types of things such as dining. But that's hardly an insurmountable problem.

Sooo . . . what else is left?

 

[hel]

I would like to comment on the curious notion that Meghan Markle needed to be "rebranded" to ostensibly make her more acceptable to the people of the UK. What an odd notion.

Prince Harry seems totally in love with Meghan. That is the woman he met and developed a long-term relationship with. He met an animated, educated woman whose lifestyle choices obvious impressed him. Having met her he found she wasn't just an actress with a pretty face but a socially aware, articulate and active woman who spent a lot of her spare time in philanthropic or charity work.

She is also a self-proclaimed feminist who believes in equality, but there is no way that would make it necessary to be rebranded for UK usage. So what would inspire the notion that something about her needs to change? Nothing, that's what because if she has to change she is no longer the woman he fell in love with but a puppet.

The only thing I think Meghan needs is a helping hand in the world of royalty for the little things that matter to those she will meet and to enable her to confidently meet on equal terms. To maat o/tom ah toe types of things such as dining. But that's hardly an insurmountable problem.

Sooo . . . what else is left?

I don't think she needs to be rebranded. The hard things aren't forks or fashion or even to whom one curtseys. The hard things are "can I give up travelling for two months of wanderlust at a whim" or "can I be part of a system where Andrew is ahead of Anne in the line of succession" and "can I open my life to constant scrutiny, fair or not, that I cannot ever answer".

Regarding the culture difference that Meghan's already adapted to: before I moved to the US from Canada, a friend (who'd moved from the US to Canada years before) told me that, in some ways, it was a more difficult (not bigger) adjustment than moving from a clearly "foreign" culture. Because the two are so very similar on the surface that they lull you into a false sense that they're actually the same. Then you hit a difference and it's like a slap in the face. So I think that it's a mistake to dismiss Meghan's clear acclimation to Canada as not a big deal.

 

[American Observer7]

Word has it that it's William and Kate's 3rd baby that is preventing Harry from proposing or marrying Meghan? Totally ridiculous! First of all this is NOT their first kid, so the WOW factor that the excitement is not there. Secondly, Harry is grown and should not have to put his life on hold for his brother or his family. And finally because of who Meghan is and her background, they or she will always overshadow them. She's fresh, new and different. -American and Half Black. Meghan is an attention grabber!! That is just a fact.

 

[wyevale]

Meghan is an attention grabber!! That is just a fact.

In your head, perhaps. The REALITY is [if she marries Prince Harry] she will be the wife of the 5th/6th in line to the throne, and take her place behind the Monarch and her husband, behind the heir and his wife, behind the heirs heir and his wife.
She will be a of interest certainly, but since she is likely to be having Babies and mothering them [for the next 10 years] her opportunities to 'attention grab' will necessarily be limited. Her role will be 'supporting' NOT 'starring'. Something that as an Actress she will certainly understand.

 

[TLLK]

Her role will be 'supporting' NOT 'starring'

I so agree and it appears that all of those who have married into the BRF since 1990 have taken that role to heart. It seems to me that the palace is trying emphasize that the focus should be placed back upon supporting the monarch instead of being a "star."

 

[soapstar]

I've deleted the discussion about etiquette and dining habits in various countries, as well as the discussion about Meghan's diet and veganism. Let's keep this thread on-topic please.

 

[cepe]

In your head, perhaps. The REALITY is [if she marries Prince Harry] she will be the wife of the 5th/6th in line to the throne, and take her place behind the Monarch and her husband, behind the heir and his wife, behind the heirs heir and his wife.
She will be a of interest certainly, but since she is likely to be having Babies and mothering them [for the next 10 years] her opportunities to 'attention grab' will necessarily be limited. Her role will be 'supporting' NOT 'starring'. Something that as an Actress she will certainly understand.

I agree. I understand that Americans in particular will be excited and Us media will probably go into melt down and treat her like a mega celebrity.

But if she marries Harry, she will no longer be a celebrity but a member of the BRF and that comes with a sense of place, position and life long commitment.

 

[Osipi]

I agree. I understand that Americans in particular will be excited and Us media will probably go into melt down and treat her like a mega celebrity.

But if she marries Harry, she will no longer be a celebrity but a member of the BRF and that comes with a sense of place, position and life long commitment.

The US can go into meltdown as much as it wants to for all I care but with being a royal watcher, I've seen this relationship develop and got to know a little bit about the person that has captured Harry's interest. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people are stereotyped usually by one word as if that defined the all of who a person is.

I definitely see Meghan as a person that would take her place in the scheme of things seriously and totally. I don't think she'll be the type of person that will work *for* the Firm but will mesh in and work *with* the Firm to support it in any way she can. If anyone can cross the bridge between being a celebrity into being a royal, I think Meghan would be it.

 

[cepe]

The US can go into meltdown as much as it wants to for all I care but with being a royal watcher, I've seen this relationship develop and got to know a little bit about the person that has captured Harry's interest. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people are stereotyped usually by one word as if that defined the all of who a person is.

I definitely see Meghan as a person that would take her place in the scheme of things seriously and totally. I don't think she'll be the type of person that will work *for* the Firm but will mesh in and work *with* the Firm to support it in any way she can. If anyone can cross the bridge between being a celebrity into being a royal, I think Meghan would be it.

I wasn't commenting on Meghan but on the expectations of her "Fans".

 

[Osipi]

I think, in a way, so was I. If and when there is an engagement announcement, most people in the US will see Harry and Meghan as a celebrity love couple rather than how a royal watcher will perceive the upcoming nuptials. I'd even go as far as to say that even some British people will fall into the "fandom" angle.

We're lucky to be the royal watchers and know the differences between being a celebrity and a member of the British Royal Family and its "Firm".

 

[Denville]

She will be a of interest certainly, but since she is likely to be having Babies and mothering them [for the next 10 years] her opportunities to 'attention grab' will necessarily be limited. Her role will be 'supporting' NOT 'starring'. Something that as an Actress she will certainly understand.

I'm sure it will be dinned inot her.#
Though I don't see why she will be having babies for 10 years. how many is she going to have?

 

[AdmirerUS]

I'm sure it will be dinned inot her.#
Though I don't see why she will be having babies for 10 years. how many is she going to have?

Three, no five, no several multiple births because she has a private contract to personally keep People magazine afloat. ???

 

[Pranter]

I figure if they marry next year and there are no issues that they will most likely have 2 children by the time she's 40/41. I have a sister in law that didn't have a child until she was 43.


LaRae

 

[Curryong]

I don't know who's 'word it is' that Harry and Meghan won't be announcing their engagement until after Kate has had her child. All these 'follow my leader' articles about that happening (including the Fail) can be tracked back to one source, someone anonymous apparently told the website the Daily Beast that nugget, and Tom Sykes, a writer who for years has written negative stuff about Harry, duly repeated it in his DB column.

Even then he qualified it, by also consulting Richard Palmer and others. Penny Junor hasn't been a great fan of Harry either over the years so I expected her to be a doom-sayer. She has made similar remarks shortly after the romance was revealed. The truth is nobody knows what is going on.

I think it's quite natural for people to become interested in Harry's romance, especially since it has lasted well over a year. People are allowed surely to express their liking for his girlfriend and for what they see as those qualities that will stand her in good stead if and when she becomes a Royal. There was a fair amount of excitement over Kate and when she and William would become engaged and so it is now, with this couple.

With Prince Philip's retirement and the Queen unfortunately ageing, the younger royals, and that doesn't just mean the Cambridges but Harry (and his wife) too, will be doing more and more.

Harry will be a King's son and brother and will be carrying on royal duties for the rest of his life probably so he will hardly be hiding away in the back of the pack.

 

[TLLK]

The truth is nobody knows what is going on

BINGO!!!!

You speak the truth Curryong. While it's fun to speculate, we're just going to have to be patient and let things unfold in the couple's timeline.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Yes, we are all just waiting for real, actual news. Both Meghan & Harry have a way of keeping us guessing, and of keeping us surprised. More than likely it's simply that they are still enjoying this time for themselves. As Meghan said in the VF interview, their private time under the radar is very special because it belongs to them alone. Per Meghan: "It's just ours, that's what makes it special." Thus, H&M may not be in a big hurry to let the media in more than they have just yet.

Plus, there are complicated logistics involved if they are indeed making wedding plans. They may wish to have as many things resolved and planned out as possible prior to going public with an engagement announcement. IOW, they're putting all their ducks in a row, selecting a venue, figuring out the best date, possibly discussing the scope of anticipated guest list, putting into motion coordination between all of the various palace staffs, contemplating security concerns & seeking logistical advice, etc. They may in fact hope to have as short a lead-up time to the actual wedding, in order to stave off the worst of the media frenzy and OTT build-up as possible.

For all we know, Meghan may be getting on just fine with members of the royal family and palace staff. Plus, she surely is being given the opportunity to learn as much as possible about royal protocol and the firm's inner workings. Her background as an actress as well as a humanitarian, certainly makes Meghan ideally 'suited' to the public role(s) she will be expected to successfully manage as Prince Harry's wife. They will likely have at least 2 to 3 children if they marry next year (if possible and feasible). That said, with all of the help available in the form of nannies, friends, relatives and palace staff, Meghan's time is certainly not going to be taken up solely as a royal housewife and a diaper-changing mother! I think Harry & Meghan will be taking a fresh and refreshing approach to their lives and their royal duties that will in fact add to and enhance British royal traditions.

To paraphrase something I read recently: William and Kate will eventually reign as King and Queen. Harry & Meghan will be their helpmates, but H&M will also be able to approach their own lives with a bit more freedom than W&K. So it's a wonderful thing that the personalities of each couple seem suited to the royal roles that separately confront them.

BTW, the Channel 4 documentary is now available in full on Youtube, entitled: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Truly Madly Deeply. It's rehash for the most part obviously, but well worth viewing and forming your own opinion (filtering wheat from chaff; facts from half-truths, lies, speculation and embellishment). ?

 

[Curryong]

Thanks, Maia. I will be taking a look, purely for research reasons of course.

 

[Anna Catherine]

Her background as an actress as well as a humanitarian certainly make Meghan ideally 'suited' to the public role(s) she will be expected to manage as Prince Harry's wife...I think Harry & Meghan will be taking a fresh and refreshing approach to their lives and their royal duties that will in fact add to and enhance the royal traditions...H&M will also be able to approach their own lives with a bit more freedom than W&K. So it's a wonderful thing that the personalities of each couple are suited to the royal roles that separately confront them.

A lot of people reiterate this point that her background in acting and her humanitarian interests give her a leg up. I agree to a certain extent but I’m not understanding how that makes her perfectly suited to being a royal. In what ways will Harry and Meghan be ‘fresh and refreshing’ or necessarily have ‘more freedom in their role within the royal family? I’m just trying to understand what is meant by that. You’re not the only one who’s said it.

 

[EllieCat]

Harry will be a King's son and brother and will be carrying on royal duties for the rest of his life probably so he will hardly be hiding away in the back of the pack.

Tell that to Prince Andrew...

Anyhoo, back to Harry and Meghan. I think they're a lovely couple, I hope they get married, in whatever timeline they think best.

 

[Pranter]

Tell that to Prince Andrew...

Anyhoo, back to Harry and Meghan. I think they're a lovely couple, I hope they get married, in whatever timeline they think best.

Very different situation when Andrew was younger. The Queen had a number of relations already working for her. Then Andrew was in the military awhile and not doing many engagements. His marital situation didn't do him any favors. Plus from what I understand his manner can be a bit off putting. Not a great combo for public service.


LaRae

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Well @Ellie Cat, Prince Andrew is the third of four children of a sovereign. Prince Harry is the second of two sons of a future monarch. And Harry is very close to his brother, Prince William, who will one day be King. Also, ITA with the distinctions @Pranter has pointed out above.

@Anna Catherine, those are good questions you are asking. The truth is that we don't know for sure, and that is partly what makes H&M as a royal couple so intriguing. My view of H&M is based upon what I've learned about each of them through their interviews, speeches, photos, their public interaction with each other, and a bit of what I've read that's not tabloid crap.

Meghan is not the greatest and most accomplished actress in the world, but she has worked very hard at her craft and she's achieved a notable measure of success through dedication and hard work. Many of us do not realize all that being involved in a television series entails. Meghan grew up on the set of a television series, so in many ways she had a head start in terms of understanding something of the long hours and behind-the-scenes nitty-gritty. As an actor on Suits, Meghan has had to learn her lines, spend time in make-up and wardrobe, get along with her fellow actors, the head production staff, and the entire film crew. Over the course of her time on Suits, Meghan also took the initiative to advocate for her character to not always appear in skimpy attire during romantic scenes. Meghan has had to work with other cast on table readings, rehearsals, long nights of filming scenes and re-takes, as well as participating in publicity ads, print and television interviews, photo shoots, premieres, promotional events and tours. At the same time, as Suits became increasingly successful, Meghan began to think about other ways to increase her income and to build her image in a way that combined her personal interests in fashion, food, travel and lifestyle pursuits. From a young age, Meghan apparently learned from her parents the importance of caring about those less fortunate than herself. So starting her website The Tig fulfilled many of these objectives (self-promotion to build a brand; giving back to others; learning about and sharing with others her interests in fashion, food, travel, beauty tips, etc). Added to all of this, Meghan found the time to adopt and lovingly nurture two rescue dogs. And she's also publicly advocated for others to adopt needy shelter dogs.

The Tig website venture eventually led to Meghan forming a relationship with Reitmans department store to create an affordable capsule fashion collection. As well, one of Meghan's essays on The Tig website led to her being asked to join UN Women and One World Vision. Around the time that Meghan met Prince Harry, she was beginning to receive wider attention from people in the entertainment, politics, humanitarian, travel, fashion fitness & beauty, and upscale lifestyle fields. Her life might have taken any number of directions after her acting career ended. Meghan was on the cusp of achieving greater recognition and perhaps coming to a crossroads of decisionmaking as to what direction to take next, even had she not met Prince Harry in mid-2016.

We are all on the outside looking in. But I form my opinions based on a number of factors, which include not only my own knowledge, background and life experiences, but also reading, researching and thoughtfully reflecting on what I have learned. I have studied film history, and the acting profession, and I also have a background in the magazine industry and in the legal field. Plus, I've followed the British royals to an extent for many years, and I've read extensively about them.

That said, I do not think I know anything for certain. We are all speculating based on our best guesses, as well as on the solid facts we do know. When I first heard about Meghan dating Prince Harry, I was unaware of her and her work on Suits. Many things were written about her as soon as the dating news hit. Instead of forming an immediate opinion, I did some research and checked out her Instagram and her website, and looked at her U.N. speech, her revealing interview with Larry King, clips of her work with One World Vision in Rwanda, other interviews and published essays by Meghan, etc. I became impressed with the person that Meghan is, and I also became more interested in learning about Prince Harry's trajectory and the person he has become. They are both fascinating and charismatic people individually. It seems like a true love match that's also grounded in love of family and a genuine caring for other people. Plus, they both seem to be fun-loving and kinda sassy and adventurous in their approach to life. That's where I see their fresh, unpredictable appeal.

I'm sure that Meghan has had a steep learning curve, as she was used to courting attention and being quite open and generous with her fans, as well as outspoken about her opinions. She's probably been learning a great deal over the course of the past year not only about royal protocol, but also about life in an impossible fishbowl. I would think that her genuine connection with and love for Prince Harry is what makes the downside of the OTT public interest and tabloid crush, manageable.

I think Meghan's humanitarian endeavors are an obvious match for what will be expected of her as a royal wife. And her acting background has also prepared her for working long, exhaustive hours with others as part of a team. I don't think we should underestimate what it takes to learn your lines and to take on the challenge of portraying different characters in front of a camera. Actors in fact learn how to understand something about human nature in order to portray different roles. And as an actor, Meghan knows how to be both giving and withholding, both vulnerable & accessible while at the same time mysterious and unfathomable. Many royal observers have commented on how royal life today incorporates an aspect of celebrity. So, in that sense Meghan's knowledge of acting and celebrity gives her some important advantages that can aid in her further 'royalty' learning process.

Of course, the major difference is that should she marry Prince Harry, Meghan will be taking on a new role that will last a lifetime.

 

[jacqui24]

Tell that to Prince Andrew...

Anyhoo, back to Harry and Meghan. I think they're a lovely couple, I hope they get married, in whatever timeline they think best.

Andrew and Fergie had a number of scandals that did them no favors with the public and completely avoidable. Andrew’s own actions has led to many discussions about whether royals are profiting from their roles. Completely different situations. I would suggest Harry staying away from any position that can be seen as profiting from his public role, which so far hasn’t been a problem as he’s shown no interest in trade ambassador roles and such.