Harry and Meghan: Tour of Southern Africa - September 23-October 2, 2019

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by Ista

I think this is one of the biggest downsides to them trying to draw a large circle of privacy around Archie. At this point, he's this Super Secret baby, so of course "will we see him?" is a huge question, and yes, runs the risk of overshadowing everything else the Sussexes are in SA to do. I agree that arrival photos would have been the quick and easy way to short-circuit that, but as we have discussed before, there may very well be good reasons for the private arrival and departure. It is unusual, though, so of course it is going to draw a lot of commentary.

Edited to add: And, since Meghan has shown she is not at all averse to being separated from him, it might have been wiser to have left Archie at home, and for Meghan to have flown home at the end of her published appearances on day 3 or 4.

He's hardly a super secret baby...we've seen him or pics of him at least 5 times since he was born.



LaRae

[Duchessmary]

Like a few others, I remember Charles and Diana doing the South Pacific tour with baby William. Now it seems everything's under wraps and full of controversy. What the...?

I'm sure we'll see a few snaps of the baby and family, or I hope so.

[Pranter]

Really it's just some ppl putting the most negative/dramatic spin on things they can. Almost everything you see said here is supposition by either the person themselves or based on a media story (often wrong) or something a reporter (depending on who not overly reliable). Unless it's an official statement from their press office, the Palace, their spokesperson or they themselves I take all of it with a grain of salt.


LaRae

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Pranter

He's hardly a super secret baby...we've seen him or pics of him at least 5 times since he was born.



LaRae

Yeah I dont get the criticism. We have seen him more then we saw Louis at this stage. Besides his birth photo/departure we saw his christening. The next time we saw him was in November when he was nearly 7 months old.

[Ista]

Originally Posted by Zaira

Its worth noting that they also didn't do an official welcome and plane photo op in Australia either, so I actually dont think it has anything to do with Archie and is maybe more of a logistics thing or timing thing. Idk.

What time does the flight get in? If it's very early or very late, that could be part of it.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

Yeah I dont get the criticism. We have seen him more then we saw Louis at this stage. Besides his birth photo/departure we saw his christening. The next time we saw him was in November when he was nearly 7 months old.

Once again they seem held to different standards then others.

Very true. We have seen quite a bit of Archie. I bet if one compares him to that of the Cambridge kids at his age it will be a real surprise how much we have seen of Archie.

Originally Posted by Ista

What time does the flight get in? If it's very early or very late, that could be part of it.

From what I gathered via the correspondents they are leaving tomorrow night which would put them in very early AM... likely before 6am. Then they will have a few hours to gather themselves before their first engagement,.

[Frelinghighness]

Whatever they do it is designed to attract attention

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

Whatever they do it is designed to attract attention

Yeah because you know royals are supposed to be hidden under cover and covert. No one would ever expect a royal to draw attention to their causes. How unroyal like

[hel]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

Yeah I dont get the criticism. We have seen him more then we saw Louis at this stage. Besides his birth photo/departure we saw his christening. The next time we saw him was in November when he was nearly 7 months old.

Once again they seem held to different standards then others.

I don't think that's actually true. We've seen exactly two decent pictures of Archie, from his christening. All of the other pictures we've seen have either had him turned away from the camera (the picture with the Queen), wrapped up so that you couldn't see most of his face (the presentation pictures), or with his face half-hidden by Harry's arm.

The number and quality of pictures from outside the Lindo wing for Louis is much better than the number and quality of the Windsor presentation pictures.
The number and quality of pictures from the christening of Louis is much better.

And you're forgetting entirely the pictures released when Louis was 3 weeks old, which were very good, close up shots.

I think suggesting that we've seen more of Archie is just plain incorrect. I say that without judgement of Meghan and Harry's decision; it's their baby and they get to choose to release or not release whatever they want.

[Cocoasneeze]

Originally Posted by Ista

I think this is one of the biggest downsides to them trying to draw a large circle of privacy around Archie. At this point, he's this Super Secret baby, so of course "will we see him?" is a huge question, and yes, runs the risk of overshadowing everything else the Sussexes are in SA to do. I agree that arrival photos would have been the quick and easy way to short-circuit that, but as we have discussed before, there may very well be good reasons for the private arrival and departure. It is unusual, though, so of course it is going to draw a lot of commentary.

Edited to add: And, since Meghan has shown she is not at all averse to being separated from him, it might have been wiser to have left Archie at home, and for Meghan to have flown home at the end of her published appearances on day 3 or 4.

Except Archie isn't a "Super Secret Baby". He's been seen plenty for his four months of age. He was seen first with Harry and Meghan a few days after he was born, his christening pictures were published, he was seen with Meghan watch Harry play polo. Then the added little pictures on Sussexes' Instagram account. How much more is he supposed to be seen or shown?

And Meghan has engagements throughout the whole 10 day tour, longer with flights. Are people REALLY suggesting Harry and Meghan should've left Archie home for nearly two weeks, without neither parent there, based on a false "secret baby" narrative? Why on earth is this negative false narrative built around this tour already, even before the tour has began?

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by hel

I don't think that's actually true. We've seen exactly two decent pictures of Archie, from his christening. All of the other pictures we've seen have either had him turned away from the camera (the picture with the Queen), wrapped up so that you couldn't see most of his face (the presentation pictures), or with his face half-hidden by Harry's arm.

The number and quality of pictures from outside the Lindo wing for Louis is much better than the number and quality of the Windsor presentation pictures.
The number and quality of pictures from the christening of Louis is much better.

And you're forgetting entirely the pictures released when Louis was 3 weeks old, which were very good, close up shots.

I think suggesting that we've seen more of Archie is just plain incorrect. I say that without judgement of Meghan and Harry's decision; it's their baby and they get to choose to release or not release whatever they want.

Incorrect:

Louis:
-bit of his face at Lindo
-photo with Charlotte (what I called his birth photo)
-his christening


Archie:
-his introduction video (so not at the hospital, still saw as much as we did of Louis)
-his birth photo with the queen, Philip and Doria
-his christening
-photo for father's day
-polo match
-a new photo from the christening released for Harry's birthday

Simple math: 6 to 3 in favor of Archie (not counting the foot photo for mother's day or the airplane shot which really dont count).

So I stand by my statement, we have seen him more.

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

Whatever they do it is designed to attract attention

Whatever the Sussex's do draws attention full stop. There are better ways of drawing attention to yourself than it being announced there will be no arrival photos.

[Pranter]

...New engagement(s) in S.A.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebr...own-announced/

LaRae

[Gawin]

An overview of the tour from CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/22/afric...cli/index.html

[Princess Larisa]

Do we know at what time the first engagement will be?

[Pranter]

I'm not seeing any times released yet from any official source nor any royal reporter.



LaRae

[Sun Lion]

"Hello" reporting Mum, Dad and Archie are enroute ... have a great tour Africa, looking forward to colour and sunshine.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalt...a-baby-archie/

[JessRulz]

Off-topic and baiting posts have been removed.

Shockingly, this thread is not about Prince Andrew or Sophie Wessex. Keep it to the Sussexes.

[Princess Larisa]

Court Circular 22nd September:
Buckingham Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex this evening departed from Heathrow Airport, London, for South Africa.
Ms Samantha Cohen and Ms Sara Latham are in attendance.


---
Google says there is only one direct flight Heathrow → Cape Town:

9:40 pm → 10:10 am+1
British Airways 59
11h 30m duration

[Madame Verseau]

Because of the uptick of violence on this visit there will be tight security for this visit. They are not going to release much. Safe travel for all.