The Duchess of Sussex: Family and Background

[Cocoasneeze]

This is only embarrassing for the Markles. Meghan, Harry and the Queen have no reason to be embarrassed, they've done absolutely nothing wrong. The Markles are only humiliating themselves, no one else.

I also don't know how this should've been stopped already. The freedom of press and freedom of speech give the tabloids the right to print these stories, and the Markles to blab as much as possible. It won't do any harm to anyone else but the markles, though.

ETA: BBC and ITV took the stand to not have markles on their reality shows BECAUSE the palace lawyers are doing something. They're working behind the scenes to limit media access to the Markles.

[Kataryn]

Originally Posted by carlota

i am not sure how this was all allowed to happen. i knew there would be trouble as soon as the engagement was announced.

I think there is only so much that the queen and her family can do nowadays. But Harry loves Meghan, he wanted to marry her (not her family) and his family obviously agrees with his choice. But I think they knew exactly what they were getting with the Markles, that's IMHO why Meghan was immediately welcomed into the inner circle and why there was the statement that she has no real family. With today's knowledge, we surely agree -apart from her mother and some decent relatives the closest on her father's side are terrible and should not be considered real kin at all.



Meghan has been such an achiever, but being saddled with a family like this surely was one reason why their courtship was quiet, very private (and Harry loves nightclubs) and short - IMHO as soon as Harry thought she was Miss Right, he wanted her to see with her own eyes how it would be to marry into the Royal family and once she was willing, he married her as fast as he could plus bringing her into the safety of being a member of the RF aslready as his fiancée. They all knew how it would be, IMHO, but still even the only living contrahend of a bad family feud and his long dispised wife opened their arms to her. Talk about a stoic, stiff-upper-lip family with warm hearts and incredible sense of duty.

[Osipi]

When I think about how warmly Meghan was brought into the royal family fold, it occurred to me that if there is anyone among them that would know and be able to empathize with Meghan not being in a position to strike back at her e(strange)d family in all their public rantings, it would be Charles. This is a man that was in the same sort of a situation many years ago with a public war in the press and he persevered. In Charles, Meghan may have found a port in storm and a kindred soul to lean on. Now, m'friends, *that* is what family does.

[Cocoasneeze]

I agree with all what @Osipi said, and this is why I am 100% sure, that no one in the RF, in at least close quarters to Meghan, would feel anything but empathy for her. They all know how the media operates, and how hard it is to fight against it.

I *think* that Meghan has chosen to ride this out the long route, unless lies are told about her, or lies, that would be damaging to her reputation. She won't go tit for that with her father, but has cut him off until foreseeable future, and has left him with the shovel to just dig himself deeper and deeper.

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by carlota

i find it embarrasing that BBC and ITV had to make a pact to not hire any of the markles for their programmes (unless purely informational like news broadcasts) to avoid the markles from further embarrassing themselves. the fact that some outsider needs to help the BRF because some adults do not know how to behave themselves is just plain embarrassing for meghan, for harry and for the queen. i am not sure how this was all allowed to happen. i knew there would be trouble as soon as the engagement was announced.

The BBC and ITV didn’t decide that for the Markles sake, they decided that policy because it was in their own best business interests to limit their Markle exposure to news.
Those Markles are an embarrassment to themselves, it has nothing to do with Meghan, Harry or the Queen-they’ve done nothing embarrassing in this situation. It’s sad that Meghan doesn’t have a loving paternal family but I don’t think most of that is new to Meghan.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by carlota

i find it embarrasing that BBC and ITV had to make a pact to not hire any of the markles for their programmes (unless purely informational like news broadcasts) to avoid the markles from further embarrassing themselves. the fact that some outsider needs to help the BRF because some adults do not know how to behave themselves is just plain embarrassing for meghan, for harry and for the queen. i am not sure how this was all allowed to happen. i knew there would be trouble as soon as the engagement was announced.

ITV and BBC does things out of their own self-interest. These people are so destructive that putting them on would cause backlash and potentially be denied access in the future. Just look at how ITV got access in the first place. It’s not exactly a secret how that works. They are helping themselves. I’m not sure what do you mean by allowed to happen? Everyone is a grow adult, if they want to talk, there is no stopping them.

[Tarlita]

The BRF have weathered many storms and scandals in the past. This particular scandalous behaviour from the Markles will just end up as a storm in a teacup. Harry and Meghan will clearly show they can rise above this moving forward with grace, humility, passion for the causes they support and as valued members of the Royal Family and therefore decent representives for Britain.
And I also believe that Meghan will get plenty of chances to give rousing speeches about women's empowerment etc just as Prss Diana did. But it will be done within the context and guidelines of the royal way of doing things.
I see Harry and Meghan forging a very strong marriage together. Because they both have a great Strength of character.
Well that's what My crystal ball says.

[Osipi]

What has happened is that because of an upcoming wedding of a very popular member of the British royal family, all eyes were turned on his bride and the world wanted to know everything there is to know about Meghan. Its happened even here. Meghan is a very popular topic of discussion among us even down to how she dresses and how she wears her hair.

This upsurge of interest also drew her e(strange)d family to the forefront and put them in the limelight and starting with Meghan's e(strange)d half sister blasting out vitriol and hatred and doing her best to denigrate Meghan in the public eye, the rest of the Markle family found an outlet to gain their own 15 minutes of fame and even thought they were latching onto some lucrative deals (the Dooleys) just because of being somehow blood related to Meghan.

The wedding has come and gone and the pre wedding mania has basically died down and the world continued spinning on its axis. However, certain members of the Markle family weren't about to give up the limelight quite so easily and the only way to continue to remain there was to up their game, pulling focus on themselves by any means necessary and, IMO, believe that they deserve the spotlights and the attention. As their rantings and ravings got worse and worse and crazier and crazier, the tide started turning against them and people began to see these people for what they really are. Leeches and narcissistic personalities that had very little of real value.

Tabloids that feed on this kind of thing encourage them but those outlets that value the content of what they produce and their standing not only with the British royal family as a whole, but also with the British public are stepping back from exploiting these clowns and choose to give their viewers quality over sensationalist programming.

As I see it, this way, no matter how much and how loud and how obnoxious the bleatings of any Markle will get, it will be geared towards the demographics of the kind of people that thrive on this kind of thing. The Markles will be finding themselves bleating and mooing and cackling to the barnyard filled with people just like themselves. Will they get the message? I sincerely doubt it. Meanwhile, BBC and ITV and media that has the "real" royal reporters will be focusing more on Harry and Meghan's endeavors and real royal news rather than degrading themselves over stories such as did Tom, Sr. smoke pot all those years ago and serialize Samantha's book "In The Shadow of the Duchess".

All this serves to widen the gulf once again between Meghan and her e(strange)d family. Its the difference between responsible journalism and the crap a tabloid puts out.

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by Osipi

What has happened is that because of an upcoming wedding of a very popular member of the British royal family, all eyes were turned on his bride and the world wanted to know everything there is to know about Meghan. Its happened even here. Meghan is a very popular topic of discussion among us even down to how she dresses and how she wears her hair.

Well yes, but don't you think much of that has to do with current circumstances?

Both Kate and Zara have recently given birth and are temporarily out of the picture. Beatrice is not really making headlines either.

So who is there to discuss? Mostly Meghan and Eugenie.


(I'm not saying interest in Meghan is likely to die out; just that there will soon be stories about other royals, and her spotlight may not be so intense).

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Mirabel

Well yes, but don't you think much of that has to do with current circumstances?

Both Kate and Zara have recently given birth and are temporarily out of the picture. Beatrice is not really making headlines either.

So who is there to discuss? Mostly Meghan and Eugenie.


(I'm not saying interest in Meghan is likely to die out; just that there will soon be stories about other royals, and her spotlight may not be so intense).

I don't think it has as much to do with others as it has to do with the drought of royal news with summer break. Usually these things fall off the headlines as soon as Meghan and Harry makes an appearance. But until then, they need something to talk about.

[Osipi]

It *is* summertime and the known "silly" season and I do have to admit that the Markle antics do somewhat keep me amused. I, like the rest of us here, also know not to take anything out of a Markle mouth seriously and this summer just may be waiting to see how low can they go.

TRF will always be a place where Meghan is front and center with us along with the rest of the threads on the royals around the world. Its what we do here.

Its just kind of reassuring that we can talk about the Markles and what they get up to without it being taken seriously by anyone that their words, their antics and their strategies are actually breaking news and will make a difference in the world "out there".

My point was to enhance the decision by BBC and ITV that they're not going to treat these Markle e(strange)d family members as anything but what they really are. They're not celebrities or newsworthy in their own rights by any stretch and they're not going to bill them as such.

I, for the life of me, could never understand why people that have had no contact really with Meghan at all other than distantly being related (the Dooleys and Tom, Jr's ex-wife) could have been thought of as "important" and knowledgeable enough to be "royal correspondents" for Meghan and Harry's wedding. That really baffled me.

We'll *always* talk about anything and everything to do with the British royal family down to the minute detail. Its what we do best here.

[Winnie]

Originally Posted by carlota

i find it embarrasing that BBC and ITV had to make a pact to not hire any of the markles for their programmes (unless purely informational like news broadcasts) to avoid the markles from further embarrassing themselves. the fact that some outsider needs to help the BRF because some adults do not know how to behave themselves is just plain embarrassing for meghan, for harry and for the queen. i am not sure how this was all allowed to happen. i knew there would be trouble as soon as the engagement was announced.

Heck, there is no embarrassment at all to the Queen, Harry , Meghan or any other member of the BRF that someone or any company had to make a proper statement that certain people were maliciously bulling a person and they wanted no part of this endeavor. It is the three Markles that should be hanging their heads in shame, if of course they have the sense or morals to do so.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by Osipi

One thing I can almost guarantee and I don't need my crystal ball for it is that Harry and Meghan will have those times that they look at each other and say "I love you but I don't like you very much right now". Any good marriage has those days. No couple can get along 100% of the time. Marriage takes work, patience, understanding and compromising and sometimes it can seem like its a tug of war. I do think, however, that Harry and Meghan have gone into this marriage with their eyes wide open and are sure that this is what they both want going into the future together. Their courtship was spent basically on a one on one basis at home doing everyday things. They knew they could live together comfortably. I do think they put each other first and that, to me is a good start.

About Sam's education. I agree that she's gotten a few degrees perhaps an Associate Degree or a Bachelors but if she had gotten a doctorate anywhere, she'd be boasting of that in everything she says as "the good doctor that knows these things. The strangest thing I've read that one of the degrees she does have certifies her as a mental health counselor. Its actually Doria that has worked in the mental health profession (and I believe she still does).

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those that see their world as being part of a circle where there is caring and compassing and thought for the other persons in that circle. Then there are people that put themselves in the middle of a circle where they come first and those making up the circle are ones that affect them, are there for their benefit or not depending on what they can do for a person. In other words, have the "me first always" attitudes. Its not rocket science to figure out that Tom, Sr., Sam and Tom Jr. see themselves as separate entities from the people around them whereas people like Doria and Meghan feel more comfortable being part of the circle. This illustrates this concept.

"Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." - Chief Seattle

I've been married over 30 years now and there have sure been times that we did not like each other much. Love is a separate thing. Being committed to push thru it (whatever it is) is important..both parties have to want to do the heavy lifting.


LaRae

[Lady Nimue]

Originally Posted by Osipi

I, for the life of me, could never understand why people that have had no contact really with Meghan at all other than distantly being related (the Dooleys and Tom, Jr's ex-wife) could have been thought of as "important" and knowledgeable enough to be "royal correspondents" for Meghan and Harry's wedding. That really baffled me.

It has everything to do with the way reporters approach such 'marks', and that's really how it goes. There is an awesome level of soft-soap being applied by said reporter to said 'mark'. Always note how personable said reporter is (if one happens to be able to see the reporter interviewed). It was the case with the young man from TMZ who got Mr Markle to pose for photographs. It's not like the reporter is yelling at the person over the fence and the person scrambles out of their house falling over themselves to oblige. (There is also the matter of the money offered 'for 15 minutes of your time' and the ka-ching when that gets multiplied by 4 or 6 increments).

For sure some are savvy enough to seek it out (Samantha), but more often a 'very nice young man/woman' convinces said 'mark' through reasoning 'clear as crystal' why talking to them is okay/useful/helpful/benign/interesting.....fill in the blanks.

This is at the feet of the tabloids, make no mistake. Most people are innocents. JMO.

[Dalriada]

“My point was to enhance the decision by BBC and ITV that they're not going to treat these Markle e(strange)d family members as anything but what they really are.

Let’s not forget it is Piers Morgan on ITV’s good morning Britain who regularly talks about Meghan as hè met her personally before the engagement and he has conducted the interviews with Tom Snr and Samantha. This airspace coverage was on Prime breakfast Television on mainstream TV.

[Rudolph]

Look, fair or not, this is part of the hazing all new members of the royal family go through.

Meghan’s family is having a very public meltdown and of course it’s going to be in the papers and on tv

It is what it is

[jacqui24]

This is beginning to feel like a PSA for kids with toxic parents. Another opinion piece worth reading.

https://www.the-pool.com/news-views/...ranged-parents

It is, quite obviously, a most transparent and unsophisticated guilt-trip. For those of us with estranged parents, the fear that they will die without us knowing and the responsibility to make sure that does not happen, regardless of how hurt we get ourselves, is constantly, quietly present. The feeling is particular to parent-child relationships, because of the narrative of “unconditional love” that is tied up in biological bonds. As a result, we’re taught to feel responsible for the upkeep of parent-child relationships, no matter how many times we’ve been rejected, or humiliated, or ignored, or made to feel unimportant or worthless. These feelings play out quietly at times and dramatically at others; they seep into other relationships disguised as defensiveness or jealousy or as other deep-seated issues with trust. It takes a lot of effort to try and stop this. Even when it’s not front-page news.

More to the point, we should be asking: when will the media stop facilitating this behaviour? If Markle’s actions were that of an ex-boyfriend or ex-husband, we’d regard them as coercive control (which, as a reminder, is a criminal act in Britain). Yet, instead, Thomas Markle is afforded platforms and sympathies; described as “heartbroken” and defiant that he “WON’T let the palace silence him”. The topspin on his actions is almost as despicable as the act itself.

Originally Posted by Rudolph

Look, fair or not, this is part of the hazing all new members of the royal family go through.

Meghan’s family is having a very public meltdown and of course it’s going to be in the papers and on tv

It is what it is

At some point, it goes past a line of let's dig up dirt on her to facilitating abuse by a parent. It stops being the price of fame, but begins to be a painful issue for a lot of people in society. To have a national paper and TV show facilitating this behavior is as despicable as the parent doing it.

[M. Payton]

Very interesting article Jacqui, and Thank you for sharing it. I certainly can relate to what the writer was saying as I know just how horrible patents can be as they create guilt trips that hurt and can destroy relationships.....best advice is to walk away with your head held high and stay very quiet....Meghan is doing just that and will that will carry her through the despicable actions of of the Markle Clan.....good riddance to them.

[ACO]

I’m glad a lot of press are coming to Meghan’s defense. Seeing some of royal reporters doing it too. It took awhile but they finally seeing the nonsense for what it is.

I don’t fault the tabloids for running the Markle drama. It’s their job but it’s severely backfiring on them. Now everyone understands why Meghan was estranged from them and the over the top nitpicking is doing them no favors.

But this will be her life but at least people aren’t being blind to it.

[Rudolph]

Richard Palmer is defending the coverage on Twitter. He said he’s not writing articles but it’s clear it’s a news story to cover the Markles.