Meghan Markle: Family and Background - November 2017-May 2018

[Pranter]

Seems like I've seen photos etc of Meghan having Christmas with friends more than one time. Perhaps her mother isn't into the Christmas stuff, not everyone is...or if she was when Meghan was younger it was just the 2 of them mostly.

Harry knows the background, I'm sure Meghan understands his comment. Of course folks will try to make something out of it into a negative thing.



LaRae

[Osipi]

The best way to assure that Ms. Grant's words don't get any traction is to keep a very wide distance between Meghan and Samantha. Just even inviting her half-sister to the wedding and celebrations is a sure fire guarantee that it'll rake in the mega bucks for her stories about the wedding.

I'm sure Harry has related to Meghan stories about the inner circle of trust he and William have built up over the years and how once something was leaked to the press (they'd plant false stories), that was the end of it. I don't see any possibility whatsoever of Samantha ever gaining entrance into that inner circle. In this respect, I think Meghan is going to be as protective of Harry as he is of her.

A clear case of don't poke the bear.

[Gaudete]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

Dealt with how? Samantha talks and the tabloids print it. Even if a friendly word is had with the British press, it will do nothing to stop the international press.

Even an informal meeting or phone call whereby some kind of non binding agreement can be worked out would be a start. Meghan is in a grace period at the moment but if this sort of thing continues to appear in the press long term, patience will wear thin. Hoping the problem will just go away or approaching it as inevitable so there’s nothing that can be done will only make matters worse IMO. As you say, the press will keep printing it and so the stories have to be cut off at the source. Which only Meghan can do.

[Terri Terri]

Informal meeting or phone call???? So that Samantha gets more information to tell to the tabloids or print in her book? Meghan hasn't spoken to or had a relationship with this woman in years....doubt that she will reach out to her now.

[Gaudete]

Then the alternative is just to let her keep talking to the press which is already having a negative impact in Britain on how Meghan Markle is viewed. The Royal Family has often ignored problems and hoped that they’d just go away. This one won’t it seems. Of course, if people think that British goodwill to overlook this will be enough that’s fine. Time will tell.

[Curryong]

Samantha has veered between praising Meghan and attacking her online in a way that defies rhyme or reason. The rest of Samantha's family, including her own daughter, have burst into print talking about her. She was blocked from several British media online outlets because of her rantings and inconsistencies and things went quiet for a while.

I don't quite know how Samantha is to be restrained from speaking out. Legal threats? An impossibility in the US. A pay-off? I can just see how that would play out in the British tabloids if payments were made and that was discovered. The Fail would go berserk.

IMO it will probably be best to let her moan away. Sooner or later people will become tired of her, especially as it's known that the half-sisters haven't had a relationship for well over a decade now.

[Terri Terri]

Samantha has shown that she will keep talking to the media anyway. I take my cue from Meghan....she clearly has no intention of having any relationship with her half-sister. The less contact that Meghan has with her, the less information that Samantha has to run to the press with or put in a book.

[Gaudete]

Again, that’s all very well but a lot of that is dependant on two things. 1) That the press or Samantha do indeed become bored and the stories are no longer of interest, 2) the patience of the British people holds up that long.

[Denville]

I think she's an embarrassment, and she may cause a certain amount of negativety towards Meghan, because ther will be people who will believe whatever her sister says.
however if she's very irrational, the mass of the public (who don't take htat much interest in the RF anyway) will just discount her.

[Gaudete]

I don’t think it’s just related to whether people believe what she says. I think that it adds a circus element and a celebrity element to things which is very unwelcome and took the Royal Family many years to resolve to get back to a popularity rating it enjoys today. Nobody wants to go back to the Pallas days and this will (if it continues) have the same feeling as that. Which means it’s an issue that has to be dealt with as best they can before people begin to switch off.

[rominet09]

Some people would do anything to be in the papers.... well certain kind of papers

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Gaudete

I don’t think it’s just related to whether people believe what she says. I think that it adds a circus element and a celebrity element to things which is very unwelcome and took the Royal Family many years to resolve to get back to a popularity rating it enjoys today. Nobody wants to go back to the Pallas days and this will (if it continues) have the same feeling as that. Which means it’s an issue that has to be dealt with as best they can before people begin to switch off.

I am inclined to agree, which is one reason I was a bit dubious about Meghan.. she seems to have a lot of things that are "new" and may add an element of "celebrity" to the RF's image. Being an actress, not being British or familiar with Britain, being a career woman in job which tends to demand self promotion.. and her family has clearly got problems with this sister. Its not Meg's fault but it does not help. It may indeed put off older fans of the RF who are part of its "loyal fanbase". Of course every family has embarrassing members.

But I can't really see what can be done to shut the woman up other than quietly payng her to sign some kind of "stay quite" agreement.. and even tehn I suspect she might not abide by it...
In short I think that Meghan will have to work really hard to seem ultra proper and to do a good job as a Royal duchess....

[Gaudete]

Originally Posted by Denville

I am inclined to agree, which is one reason I was a bit dubious about Meghan.. she seems to have a lot of things that are "new" and may add an element of "celebrity" to the RF's image. Being an actress, not being British or familiar with Britain, being a career woman in job which tends to demand self promotion.. and her family has clearly got problems with this sister. Its not Meg's fault but it does not help. It may indeed put off older fans of the RF who are part of its "loyal fanbase". Of course every family has embarrassing members such as Kate's uncle.

But I can't really see what can be done to shut the woman up other than quietly payng her to sign some kind of "stay quite" agreement.. and even tehn I suspect she might not abide by it...
In short I think that Meghan will have to work really hard to seem ultra proper and to do a good job as a Royal duchess....

I think it's worth stressing that point too. It isn't Meghan's fault. These things happen in families and when one person in a family has a very public life, people wriggle out of the woodwork and can be problematic. For celebrities, that isn't an issue. For a member of the Royal Family, it's a big issue.

The UK is a torn country and it'll be looking to institutions like the monarchy as a stabilising force. I absolutely believe 100% that Meghan can and will be a valuable asset for the monarchy in the future and I absolutely believe 100% that this unpleasantness from her half-sister is in no way her fault. But I also absolutely believe 100% that right now, the UK feasts on scandal and division in a way I've never seen it do before. There are big changes on the horizon and Britain could well find itself going through a sharp and sudden series of major reforms which will (in all likelihood) see the country as it is break apart. The monarchy will only survive that if it's blemish free. In these days of small issues being blown out of all proportion, anything that takes us back to the days of the mid 90s needs to be avoided and dealt with as soon as it becomes an issue.

[Denville]

Frankly I'm not that bothered about the Monarchy lasting per se, though I would like to see Charles as King. and Hary's not going to be King.. ever.. But if this woman is always going to be yammering on, they may need to take some action. However it is diffuclt to see what action can be taken...
if she's unstable, she might agree to a non disclosure agreement nad then not stick to it.

[Cocoasneeze]

I dint think, that Samantha will be a huge issue. Soon enough she will run out of things to say, when she's not given new material. I simply don't see how she can be forced to stop talking easily. Any attention given to her will just increase her talking. It'll get worse if she doesn't get an invitation to the wedding, then she will definitely hold no barrels. But she has no stories to tell, she has nothing on Meghan, except a few pictures from here and there.

[Denville]

the fact that people like that have noting new to say, never stops them. They just twist the old story or re use it in some way. Look at all the "I knew Diana" hacks that turn up and recycle their stories...

[Gaudete]

Originally Posted by Denville

Frankly I'm not that bothered about the Monarchy lasting per se, though I would like to see Charles as King. and Hary's not going to be King.. ever.. But if this woman is always going to be yammering on, they may need to take some action. However it is diffuclt to see what action can be taken...
if she's unstable, she might agree to a non disclosure agreement nad then not stick to it.

I hope that in time, this whole Samantha thing runs out of steam. And in the long run, Harry & Meghan will become more insignificant members of the extended family as the spotlight shifts. But that's long term. Short term is really where the issue will do most damage.

[Denville]

It really depends. Charles when he is king will problably just have W and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, and maybe his siblngs as assistant royals. So if H and Meghan are popular and hard working they will attract a lot of attention until the children are old enough to be of interest .. and that's problaby several years along.
And that may bea red rag to this woman, if she sees her half sister getting a lot of attention. But If Meghan DOES work hard, is ultra correct in her behaviour, I think she'll be liked and most people will admire her and ignore her sister's wild outbursts.

[Cocoasneeze]

There really is no way to force her to stop talking without giving her more encouragement and material.

[Skippy]

Is this Samantha *that* jealous?