Prince Harry: Relationship Suggestions and Musings 2016-2017

[Curryong]

Andrew and Sarah had a short TV interview. It wasn't really a press conference but it went out on the BBC.

 

[loonytick]

I looked back at Edward and Sophie's announcement, and they had a formal announcement and a photograph opportunity. I'm thinking Harry would get something similar. Not as much as Kate and Will.

Andrew and Sarah had an announcement interview, not unlike Charles and Diana. The question is whether Harry, as second son, gets Andrew style treatment or, as part of the post-Diana effort to tighten up/ratchet down, he's now deemed far enough from the throne to not need to grant an engagement interview.

Actually, if this romance does follow through to marriage, their engagement and wedding may end clarifying an awful lot about just where the lines are to be drawn in a more focused royal family. Sometimes we talk about it on these forums as though we know what's in store, but we really only have a pretty good idea about the future roles for those at the absolute center (Charles, Will) and at the absolute fringes (the York sisters, Edward's kids); Harry's neither.

 

[Pranter]

I would imagine it also depends on what Harry (and his fiancee) want to do...do they want to have a presser or just avoid the media stuff and have an announcement made?

I'm guessing their PR folks will push for them to at least hold a photo call.


LaRae

 

[Osipi]

Most likely what will happen is that a few hours before the engagement is announced, the media will be alerted that there is an announcement coming and to congregate in a specific area for it. I think the media had only about 3-4 hours notice ahead of William and Kate's.

Regardless of the pecking order, Harry is a pretty popular guy with the media and they've been running rampant with anything they can find on this royal romance so I would find it odd if there isn't a formal announcement of the engagement very similar to Will and Kate's.

The world loves a royal wedding and Harry's will be no exception. It will be a positive and bright time in an atmosphere that exists right now with horrific events.

 

[rominet09]

I really have a lot of hopes there ! Such beautiful and likeable people....

 

[USRoyalWatcher]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3739694/mike-tindall-plans-to-ask-prince-harrys-girlfriend-meghan-markle-for-a-cameo-in-suits-when-theyre-introduced/

Cute interview with Mike Tindall about what he will do when he meets Meghan. I find it somewhat interesting that he hasn't met her yet, but maybe he is just not stating that he has met her.

Also, I think you guys brought up some good comparisons about Andrew and Fergie. The situations are quite similar, as both William and Harry were born by that point, just like George and Charlotte. I just thought of Edward and Sophie because it was the last wedding I could think of outside of Will and Kate.

 

[Pranter]

I'm not sure when Mike and Zara would of met her....they don't live near Harry and all of them seem to have pretty busy lives.

I'm pretty confident in saying she's met William and Kate....past that I doubt she's been around the rest of family yet.

LaRae

 

[cepe]

Most likely what will happen is that a few hours before the engagement is announced, the media will be alerted that there is an announcement coming and to congregate in a specific area for it. I think the media had only about 3-4 hours notice ahead of William and Kate's.

Regardless of the pecking order, Harry is a pretty popular guy with the media and they've been running rampant with anything they can find on this royal romance so I would find it odd if there isn't a formal announcement of the engagement very similar to Will and Kate's.

The world loves a royal wedding and Harry's will be no exception. It will be a positive and bright time in an atmosphere that exists right now with horrific events.

Harry is a senior member of BRF and there will be an official announcement if and when he becomes engaged. He needs HMQs permission to marry.

He isn't going AWOL on this - he knows the rules regardless of what US tabloids write

 

[Dman]

I'm not sure when Mike and Zara would of met her....they don't live near Harry and all of them seem to have pretty busy lives.

I'm pretty confident in saying she's met William and Kate....past that I doubt she's been around the rest of family yet.

LaRae

The whole family knows who's he's dating. I'm sure they know her.

 

[Countessmeout]

Knowing who she is and having met her are two different things.

We only know for sure she met the Cambridges as she attended Pippas reception.

 

[Pranter]

The whole family knows who's he's dating. I'm sure they know her.

That doesn't mean the family has met her except W&K


LaRae

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Andrew and Sarah had an announcement interview, not unlike Charles and Diana. The question is whether Harry, as second son, gets Andrew style treatment or, as part of the post-Diana effort to tighten up/ratchet down, he's now deemed far enough from the throne to not need to grant an engagement interview.

Actually, if this romance does follow through to marriage, their engagement and wedding may end clarifying an awful lot about just where the lines are to be drawn in a more focused royal family. Sometimes we talk about it on these forums as though we know what's in store, but we really only have a pretty good idea about the future roles for those at the absolute center (Charles, Will) and at the absolute fringes (the York sisters, Edward's kids); Harry's neither.

So, you feel that Harry is alone in the middle, neither at the 'absolute center'/ forefront, nor at the fringes?

It seems to me that with William and Harry being the only children of Charles (at some point, King Charles III), both sons hold a great deal of importance that places them each at the forefront of the future of the royal family. Of course Harry will not have any of the heavy traditional responsibilities and role-playing of a future monarch, but since William and Harry are very close, and Harry is the spare (no other siblings), Harry will surely play a significant royal role in backing up both Charles and William, until Prince George begins to come of age. Should William have more children, as they attain adulthood, Harry's role as royal backup will become less crucial. Meanwhile, Prince Harry currently is playing a significant role in backing up his grandparents, HM QE II and Prince Philip.

In response to the earlier references to how Edward's engagement to Sophie was handled: Seemingly Prince Edward, as the youngest of four children and the third son, has always played less of a major high profile role as a member of the British royal family. Edward also did not have a traditional military career in the way that royal males who are sons of a monarch or of a future monarch are expected to complete. I recall that Edward made an effort to attend military school but he did not like the rough and tumble life so he dropped out of rigorous military training, amidst a storm of bad publicity. Fortunately Edward was ultimately allowed to pursue his own path and personal interests.

Hmmm I don't know that they will hold the press conference type thing as they did with William. My bet is just an official/formal announcement.

I would imagine it also depends on what Harry (and his fiancee) want to do...do they want to have a presser or just avoid the media stuff and have an announcement made?

I'm guessing their PR folks will push for them to at least hold a photo call.

I would guess that with Prince Harry being so popular and highly visible (and again, the second son of only two children of a future monarch), his engagement announcement will receive notable attention. Harry's eventual wedding will also be one of the last high profile royal weddings for at least three decades or so.

I'm betting at least a formal announcement with a brief photo opportunity and engagement interview followed at some point by a brief television interview. Why would they significantly low profile an engagement announcement with Prince Harry being so gregarious, and Meghan so articulate and used to being in front of cameras? There will be a great deal of interest as well 'on the other side of the pond,' what with Meghan being an American.

IMO, it's one thing to set personal boundaries to protect their private lives and current dating relationship. Once an engagement is announced, they can still maintain reasonable media parameters regarding protecting their privacy, without continuing to keep Meghan's appearances in public so securely under wraps.

 

[Dman]

That doesn't mean the family has met her except W&K


LaRae

I think some of othe family have met her already. Why would Mike mention about getting a role on the show if he don't even know who she is? We have to understand that this couple have been dating for awhile and I'm sure she's met several members of Harry's family. They know that girl.

 

[Countessmeout]

I think some of othe family have met her already. Why would Mike mention about getting a role on the show if he don't even know who she is? We have to understand that this couple have been dating for awhile and I'm sure she's met several members of Harry's family. They know that girl.

It's not like Zara and Mike live in London. Or Meghan lives in the UK. She is only there for visits. We have no idea if Zara has had a chance to meet her. That doesn't mean Harry doesn't talk about her. Likely told plenty of stories to his cousins on family holidays.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Ah well, we do know that Meghan has spent quite a bit of time in London with Prince Harry, and there are reports that she already met most of Harry's close inner circle of friends during intimate dinners and evenings out, etc. Plus, it has been reported that Harry introduced Meghan to Will & Kate, Prince George & Princess Charlotte, and probably Prince Charles.

Since Harry is fairly close to his cousins, Meghan has possibly been introduced to Zara & Mike Tindall, and to Peter & Autumn Phillips, or else they've heard a great deal about her from Harry. Surely Meghan and Harry haven't spent all of their time together at NottCott by themselves. They must have hosted some afternoon and evening guests (family & friends) on occasion.

 

[Countessmeout]

There is no evidence, pre wedding, Meghan hat met the kids or even William and Kate. The adults likely. But the kids are usually at Amner.

We're not talking family who lives close. Peter and Zara both have their own families, jobs, lives outside London. They likely have heard plenty.

The yorks are more likely to have met her. Why? Not simply because they live in London. But because they are young, Single and move in the same social circles. They have many friends in common with Harry. If Harry was having a group of friends over for dinner, or going out for a drink on the town, they are the more likely to be invited. Not to mention available.

You usually introduce a date to friends first. Wait till family till more serious. Most circles, if you didn't introduce your new partner to your buds, they'd joke she or he was invisible. So yes, no doubt she has rubbed elbows more then the wedding and polo, with his friends. But that doesn't equal also meeting family.

 

[Pranter]

I think some of othe family have met her already. Why would Mike mention about getting a role on the show if he don't even know who she is? We have to understand that this couple have been dating for awhile and I'm sure she's met several members of Harry's family. They know that girl.

IIRC someone already posted an article where Mike was saying he's not met her yet.



LaRae

 

[hel]

There is no evidence, pre wedding, Meghan hat met the kids or even William and Kate. The adults likely. But the kids are usually at Amner.

We're not talking family who lives close. Peter and Zara both have their own families, jobs, lives outside London. They likely have heard plenty.

The yorks are more likely to have met her. Why? Not simply because they live in London. But because they are young, Single and move in the same social circles. They have many friends in common with Harry. If Harry was having a group of friends over for dinner, or going out for a drink on the town, they are the more likely to be invited. Not to mention available.

You usually introduce a date to friends first. Wait till family till more serious. Most circles, if you didn't introduce your new partner to your buds, they'd joke she or he was invisible. So yes, no doubt she has rubbed elbows more then the wedding and polo, with his friends. But that doesn't equal also meeting family.

There's a picture from the polo of William about 10 feet away from H&M, so I'd feel confident that William met her pre-wedding.

 

[Dman]

What I'm saying is they know who's he's dating. Yes, William and Catherine have met Meghan. The girl was at polo with Harry and William not that long ago folks. She just attended Pippa's wedding party. I dont know why people are so uptight about his family knowing her. They know who he's dating and some have met her. It's not like he's got her hiding in some sort of closet when she's with him.

 

[Lady Nimue]

It seems to me that with William and Harry being the only children of Charles (at some point, King Charles III), both sons hold a great deal of importance that places them each at the forefront of the future of the royal family.

I agree. If we look at the Queen's children, it is Charles and Anne who have always shared the burdens of the workload for their parent. I think the same will happen, and more so with just two sons. Harry will be like Anne methinks.

I would guess that with Prince Harry being so popular and highly visible (and again, the second son of only two children of a future monarch), his engagement announcement will receive notable attention. Harry's eventual wedding will also be one of the last high profile royal weddings for at least three decades or so.

I'm betting at least a formal announcement with a brief photo opportunity and engagement interview followed at some point by a brief television interview. Why would they significantly low profile an engagement announcement with Prince Harry being so gregarious, and Meghan so articulate and used to being in front of cameras? There will be a great deal of interest as well 'on the other side of the pond,' what with Meghan being an American.

Agree. Good points. Especially given she is American. Lots of interest.

 

[Pranter]

What I'm saying is they know who's he's dating. Yes, William and Catherine have met Meghan. The girl was at polo with Harry and William not that long ago folks. She just attended Pippa's wedding party. I dont know why people are so uptight about his family knowing her. They know who he's dating and some have met her. It's not like he's got her hiding in some sort of closet when she's with him.

I think most people agree she's met W&K (probably the kids) and his inner circle...Mike has said he hasn't met her ...we don't know about the rest.

I would be surprised if she's met the Queen/DoE. Charles, maybe.


LaRae

 

[Dman]

Don't know about The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. I'm sure they know of her though.

 

[Ish]

What I'm saying is they know who's he's dating. Yes, William and Catherine have met Meghan. The girl was at polo with Harry and William not that long ago folks. She just attended Pippa's wedding party. I dont know why people are so uptight about his family knowing her. They know who he's dating and some have met her. It's not like he's got her hiding in some sort of closet when she's with him.

Some people are determined that this relationship isn't serious and that members of the BRF would only meet a serious girlfriend of Harry's. It's like there's supposed to be a bubble around the Cambridges, Charles/Camilla, the Queen/DoE, etc, where those who are unworthy (or not yet worthy) to meet them never pass into it.

This is despite the fact that there are many indications that this is a serious relationship, that Harry is fairly close to his brother, and really it's fairly unusual for your girlfriend of almost a year to have not met family members (even if they're not doing so in the public eye).

It's all just an attempt to put the Cambridges on a higher pedestal while diminishing Harry and Meghan's relationship.

 

[Pranter]

Don't know about The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. I'm sure they know of her though.

Oh I am sure they know of her...and I bet Harry has talked to all of them about her.


LaRae

 

[loonytick]

So, you feel that Harry is alone in the middle, neither at the 'absolute center'/ forefront, nor at the fringes?

No, I certainly don't think he's the only one in the middle.

The monarch and direct heirs will always be the absolute center. We've already been given very strong indications of what role/treatment is planned for Will and Harry's cousins. The big question going forward into the next few decades is what's in store for folks like Anne, Andrew, Edward, Sophie and, yes, Harry. Right now he's still the fashionable, exciting, young one. He certainly gets a lot of press. But what are the plans internal to the royal family for what status, what role, what expectations and what treatment are attached to a second son in a streamlined version of The Firm?

I'm just saying that we tend talk a lot about it as though we know what's in store but we don't, really. It's the milestone events that speak volumes about what the family has decided the new pecking order to be, and if Harry does get married soon then we'll have a milestone to help us better understand where things stand for him.

 

[loonytick]

Re: Zara and Mike meeting Meghan...

The whirlwind of Harry's romance and Meghan's time actually being able to be in London coincided with Zara's miscarriage. For a lot of women, that's a time when you sort of hole up in your house and cry things out with your husband for a while. No matter how close you are to your cousin, it may not be the ideal time to meet his girlfriend over dinner or whatever.

 

[Osipi]

Does it really matter who has met who? Many times, extended family members such as aunts and uncles and cousins by the dozens don't meet a potential spouse until the actual wedding day. I've seen this happen so many times in the people around me.

It makes sense that Mike Tindall hasn't met Meghan yet at all. I don't recall reading anywhere where Mike and Harry are on each other's radar socially. Harry and Meghan are in a long distance relationship right now where the time they do have to spend together is limited and they mostly want to spend their time together and not going about socializing as they would be if they lived and worked living in the same vicinity.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

There's clearly no official confirmation of much of anything. Just because Mike Tindall indicates he has not yet met Meghan does not necessarily follow that Zara has not yet had an opportunity to meet her cousin Harry's girlfriend.

Plus, there have been a number of reports (again unofficial) that Harry has already introduced Meghan to Will, Kate, Prince George & Princess Charlotte. William surely has already met Meghan several times. There was an earlier report that Harry sometime in March introduced Meghan to Kate and Princess Charlotte, and more recently to Prince George on a separate occasion. I happen to believe that Meghan has also met Prince Charles, and that Harry may have met one or both of Meghan's parents. None of this meeting of family members of a 'significant other' should be seen as impossible or unusual!

Let's not forget that Meghan likely met most of the Middleton family members and relatives at Pippa's after-party. William and Kate were there too, so if you believe Meghan hadn't already met the adult Cambridges before the party, she surely has now.

In my opinion, William previously was introduced to Meghan by Harry (likely at NottCott) prior to them seeing each other again at the polo match, and at Pippa's after-party, if not at additional private get-togethers the public and the media are not privy to knowing anything about.

Prince Harry privately introducing his steady girfriend to friends and close family members is not such a huge deal to look upon with doubt and circumspection. Prince George and Princess Charlotte are brought to KP on occasion. Obviously, there's a lot we don't know about the private personal time and comings and goings of members of the British royal family amidst their private residences.

As far as the York sisters, there have been reports that Eugenie has met Meghan and they've gone out together with their respective boyfriends. I haven't read anything about Beatrice meeting Meghan.

As far as M&H's relationship being 'serious,' it reached that stage IMHO, a long time ago despite the relatively short time they have been dating. Therefore, I don't doubt that Meghan began to be introduced to Harry's closest friends by early last fall and increasingly during the winter months. M&H already had mutual acquaintances in common before they met at Soho House. And there has also been ample time and opportunity for Meghan to have been introduced to both Prince Charles and Prince William prior to her reportedly meeting Duchess Kate and Princess Charlotte in March, and Prince George sometime later. I don't see any reason to disbelieve that with all the time Meghan and Harry have spent together in London that she wouldn't have had occasion to meet Harry's immediate family members, friends and a few cousins (with the exception at this stage of his grandparents, probably).

 

[Osipi]

Good reasoning MaiaMia_53.

It really does point out in black and white that the private lives of very public people are beyond our scope of knowing. Any normal couple that has headed into a serious relationship don't remain forever enshrined in a butterfly cocoon until they emerge as an engaged couple. Private relationships don't stand on formality and there's no pecking order of whom to meet, when to meet them and just how to go about doing so. For all we know, Meghan could have gone with Harry to Balmoral to pitch the Walking with the Wounded event that's upcoming and has had tea with Granny. We just don't know and we're not likely to ever know.

We, the public, are the last on their list to be "informed" of how the relationship is progressing, what their plans are and how they're going to be implemented. When it comes to the "need to know" details of things, we're at the very bottom of the heap and to be honest, we don't matter in the plans of things to come.

Harry is well aware of what his engagement and subsequent marriage entails and once they do go public with an announcement, they know everything and everything will be a focus by the public who will want to celebrate Harry's happiness with him.

At least I did get something right on the money. Before Meghan became known, I was of the opinion that Harry needed a dog. I've stated it often. What I didn't know is that in finding two dogs he really had an affinity for, they would come with a beautiful woman that could end up being his life partner.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Thanks @Osipi. ITA! Common sense and good humor always seem to make rational sense.

Something tells me that a number of the current royals have had to develop more than their fair share of common sense and good humor! They would probably shake their heads and roll their eyes at some of our torturous turns of discussion here, eh. Thanks for conjuring up that delightful picture of Prince Harry basking in the comfort of Meghan's home cooking while helping to feed and play with her sweet and loving dogs, Guy and Bogart! Indeed Prince Harry seems to have an extra spring in his step these days, as well as an extra brightness to his smile.

No, I certainly don't think he's the only one in the middle.

The monarch and direct heirs will always be the absolute center. We've already been given very strong indications of what role/treatment is planned for Will and Harry's cousins. The big question going forward into the next few decades is what's in store for folks like Anne, Andrew, Edward, Sophie and, yes, Harry. Right now he's still the fashionable, exciting, young one. He certainly gets a lot of press. But what are the plans internal to the royal family for what status, what role, what expectations and what treatment are attached to a second son in a streamlined version of The Firm? ...

Eh, but you are mixing metaphors and subject matter, which tends to confuse what point you are trying to make. Sure there's validity to some of what you are saying, but you are lumping a bunch of topics together. Bottom line, you earlier stated that you didn't feel Harry was at the 'absolute center,' nor at the fringes of the royal firm, which would seem to leave him in your estimation in some kind of undefined limbo because of Prince Charles' rumblings about desiring to streamline the 'firm.'

I would argue that Prince Charles' desire to streamline the Brit royal firm is NOT intended to sideline his second son Prince Harry, in any way shape or form. Of course Prince William and Prince George, as he comes of age, will take precedence in terms of the traditional and highly regarded stature and burdens of direct royal inheritance. However, Prince Harry currently carries out and will continue to be charged with important and significant royal duties as a backup to his grandparents, to his father, to his brother, and to his brother's children. I don't see any scenario in which Prince Harry, as a deeply beloved personality within the confines of his immediate family and among the general public, will become less popular or unpopular. For example, it can be argued that Princess Anne and Prince Andrew (the Duke of York), and even Prince Edward for that matter, have never been exceptionally popular either individually or collectively (regardless of their few periods of favorable high profile media coverage). So their respective fading into the background in terms of visibility and 'popularity' is unremarkable.

Some issues are common sense. I don't believe there's any huge question about the role Prince Harry will play in the royal family going forward, particularly since he's the second son in a two-child family of a future monarch! Of course as Prince William's children come of age, Prince Harry's current royal backup role will become less 'front and center.' Harry has even spoken of looking forward to that eventual evolution. However, by that time, Harry will likely have established a number of important social and humanitarian initiatives that will continue to keep him busy beyond an increasingly lessening high profile public role. This is entirely understandable and hardly unusual, especially as one begins to age and take on a less prominent role outside of the huge spotlight of supporting the wearer of the crown, currently HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The question of what's in store for royals 'on the fringe,' to coin your phrase, once Prince Charles inherits the throne, is I think separate in many ways from reflections on Prince Harry's current and future role within the family 'firm.'