The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 3: March - April 2021

[_Heather_]

This placed a peculiar twist to her claims of being a strong, independant woman.

That particular line has rankled with me right from the very start four years ago or however many it's been now. I can't hear this without thinking of that old saying "a lion never has to tell anyone it's a lion." Truly strong and independent women simply are. They demonstrate it and they walk the walk. If you have to tell someone you're strong and independent then you're, well, not.

 

[Queen Ester]

And over whether or not little bridesmaids should wear tights. If someone had made a really nasty, hurtful, personal remark, you might well still be upset about it 2 years later, but not over bridesmaids' tights!

It only seems to be Meghan making a fuss about it, though.

I know who would cry over the tights, so I think that there is more to the story that they let on

 

[Heavs]

Even assuming "close source" is often the royal themselves or one of their team it's a bit different from having Gayle on the morning shows saying it hasn't been productive yet.

How is that supposed to help anything or actually get a productive result? All I can think of is that they don't actually want one. They want the drama for as long as possible. I'd personally be worried that if I uttered the words "I'm sorry for letting it get this far" GK would be on the news telling everyone "Heavs has begged forgiveness, I'm sure you can guess what for...." even though the initial comment was nothing about the serious accusations at all.

William himself said he was going to make contact but he didn't say "and this is what I'm planning on saying...."

For people who've sued for their privacy they're very cavalier with other people's.

 

[Osipi]

We literally had “William and Harry make contact” on the front page of the Times this weekend with the “source” coming from the Cambridges. Harry seemed to confirm it. Though all of it is second hand.

Oh my Dog!!! The world is hunky dory and all governments and countries and races and religions have bought each other a Coke and are in agreement with each other and Covid-19 has bit the dust!! The most scathingly, brilliant and breaking news is that brothers talked to each other!!

Waitaminute..... I'm running low on coffee here. Nevermind.

Then again, *they* might wholeheartedly believe it's totally correct. These are the people who thought that "working toward becoming financially independent" meant "whining to Dad and Dad-in-law to keep us in grander and costier style than the one we would have had back in the UK", so... I have to say, it was Meghan who surprised me more on this count. This placed a peculiar twist on her claims of being a strong, independant woman.

Personally, I think they honestly believed that they wanted to be "financially independent". In their public roles. That's why it was mentioned "we'll drop the Sovereign Grant.. thankyouverymuch" but they also expected to continue on with the allowances and perks of being "royal" in their private lives. When they were told "no half in and no half out", the thinking may have been "so.... we live without the Sovereign Grant money. We can do Archewell without it".

 

[princess gertrude]

This latest headline is telling me that Harry and Meghan do not want to heal relationships, at least not right now. And for me, it's a big difference in a "source" from the palace saying something and Gayle King saying she talked to Harry and Meghan directly. Advise for Harry (not sure that Meghan would listen), if you want to rebuild relationships with your family you must talk and listen to each other, not talk, listen and then blab to the media. This for me has gone too far.

 

[Denville]

That particular line has rankled with me right from the very start four years ago or however many it's been now. I can't hear this without thinking of that old saying "a lion never has to tell anyone it's a lion." Truly strong and independent women simply are. They demonstrate it and they walk the walk. If you have to tell someone you're strong and independent then you're, well, not.

I can't make up my mind about MEg's attitude to being royal. On the one hand, she seems to have ben horrified at a suggestion that she could go on working.. as if she had beleived that she would just do royal duties for the rest of her life.. yet you'd think given her determination to be an independnet woman, she would be more likely to resent having to give up her career. and a couple of years ago, I thought that she was quite willing to play the Princess, curtsy, live within the court etc.. and had no desire to resume life as an independent person... I wonder if, had she had adoring press and the RF doing everyting to please her, she would have been willing to stay, and her deicsion to get out was due to angry sulks because the RF were not as willing as she had wanted, to let her do everyting she liked.. and the Press was not all that adoring as they had been wiht Diana..and the Royal households were also not willing to just let her have her own way all the time.

 

[_Heather_]

I can't make up my mind about MEg's attitude to being royal. On the one hand, she seems to have ben horrified at a suggestion that she could go on working.. as if she had beleived that she would just do royal duties for the rest of her life.. yet you'd think given her determination to be an independnet woman, she would be more likely to resent having to give up her career. and a couple of years ago, I thought that she was quite willing to play the Princess, curtsy, live within the court etc.. and had no desire to resume life as an independent person... I wonder if, had she had adoring press and the RF doing everyting to please her, she would have been willing to stay, and her deicsion to get out was due to angry sulks because the RF were not as willing as she had wanted, to let her do everyting she liked.. and the Press was not all that adoring as they had been wiht Diana..and the Royal households were also not willing to just let her have her own way all the time.

I certainly think that could be a big part of it. However, for me personally, I never once saw her as willing to play the part of royal duchess. It really hit home for me that this was all going to be a trainwreck when I watched that engagement interview and she played to the camera, talked over and interrupted Harry constantly, and generally behaved came across as overacting and disingenuous. I know there was a huge uproar about it at the time and I was pretty harshly attacked here at the time for saying exactly that but, well, it's true. And it certainly has come to pass. It's been my personal experience with people who love to shout from the rooftops about how strong and independent they are that they're putting on a front or a show and that they're generally the exact opposite. Now, every situation is certainly different, but I think this is probably the image she'd like to see projected to the world when instead, she clearly isn't either of those things. For me this is clearly evidenced by the constant demand for the palace to "defend her" and "call out stories she doesn't like" and the constant claims that she didn't feel "supported" by anyone in the palace or the RF. Honestly, women who are truly strong and independent would roll their eyes, let their work speak for itself, and move on with their lives without constantly needing to be supported, defended, asked if they're okay, and coddled.

 

[ACO]

That particular line has rankled with me right from the very start four years ago or however many it's been now. I can't hear this without thinking of that old saying "a lion never has to tell anyone it's a lion." Truly strong and independent women simply are. They demonstrate it and they walk the walk. If you have to tell someone you're strong and independent then you're, well, not.

Except Meghan was never screaming that. Those are the labels people tossed on her to play that Kate vs Meghan game. Also woman can be strong and also have moments of feeling fragile. These are the very stereotypes woman are constantly fighting against. No one is just one thing.

Oh my Dog!!! The world is hunky dory and all governments and countries and races and religions have bought each other a Coke and are in agreement with each other and Covid-19 has bit the dust!! The most scathingly, brilliant and breaking news is that brothers talked to each other!!

Waitaminute..... I'm running low on coffee here. Nevermind.

I know right? The world has truly stopped spinning.

 

[Denville]

I certainly think that could be a big part of it. However, for me personally, I never once saw her as willing to play the part of royal duchess. It really hit home for me that this was all going to be a trainwreck when I watched that engagement interview and she played to the camera, talked over and interrupted Harry constantly, and generally behaved came across as overacting and disingenuous. I know there was a huge uproar about it at the time and I was pretty harshly attacked here at the time for saying exactly that but, well, it's true. And it certainly has come to pass. It's been my personal experience with people who love to shout from the rooftops about how strong and independent they are that they're putting on a front or a show and that they're generally the exact opposite. Now, every situation is cert.

me too. I also felt she was fakey from the very first and she did interrupt H quite a lot on that first interview.. But i thought that she also was smart enough to know that being a Princess might have its limitations but it would materially be a much more comfortable life than that of a working actress in Canada...
I didn't thnk that she had a secret plot to get out.. and I can't make up my mind if she did. It might be that she was willing ot give it a try and thought that she would be the next Diana, adored by the public and the press but also unlike Di with a doting husband..
Then again, i think her arrogance IS such that she really thought that she could be a working Princess and also keep up some kind of Hollywood/American career which would add to her lustre and her finances.. that she saw it as a like being in a TV series, and that she thought that when she was really successful in the TV role, she could negotiate more time off to be in a movie or whatever...(In her case It might be public speaking in teh US or narrating documentaries _ I dont think she really wanted to go back to acting per se).
Harry I suspect was more ambivalent and while he was willing to leave to be wiht her, he wasn't willing to take on work in the US.. he still thought that someone else (ie Dad and the British tax payers) would still pay most of his expenses...So he only did the Netflix deal when eh was scared that he would run out of money....

 

[Moran]

Personally, I think they honestly believed that they wanted to be "financially independent". In their public roles. That's why it was mentioned "we'll drop the Sovereign Grant.. thankyouverymuch" but they also expected to continue on with the allowances and perks of being "royal" in their private lives. When they were told "no half in and no half out", the thinking may have been "so.... we live without the Sovereign Grant money. We can do Archewell without it".

But they strategically left the "public roles" part out of their statement and said they wanted to be "financially independent" without any clarifications. This way, the majority of people (aka not royal forum watchers or simply slightly more knowledgeable than most) were left with the impression that they wanted to win their bread and pay their way into the world wholly. While not technically a lie, their statement was misleading, that's why I said their "we won't talk about it anymore" statement have started sounding in the same vein.

 

[Denville]

But they strategically left the "public roles" part out of their statement and said they wanted to be "financially independent" without any clarifications. This way, the majority of people (aka not royal forum watchers or simply slightly more knowledgeable than most) were left with the impression that they wanted to win their bread and pay their way into the world wholly. While not technically a lie, their statement was misleading, that's why I said their "we won't talk about it anymore" statement have started sounding in the same vein.

But that's been discussed many times, what "financial independence" meant.. and I thought it was clear that Financial independence must mean either living on the private fortune they had, or starting some kind of business (NOT a charity) to make a living.
Now clearly they had no intention of living on Harry's private fortune.. and Harry at least evidently thought that the Canadian govt would go on paying their security and that his father would go on giving him a few million a year to live on. and I think he is really furious with his father when Charles gave him some money to cover his initial expenses but made it clear that he would not go on funding them for years to come.

 

[_Heather_]

Except Meghan was never screaming that. Those are the labels people tossed on her to play that Kate vs Meghan game. Also woman can be strong and also have moments of feeling fragile. These are the very stereotypes woman are constantly fighting against. No one is just one thing.

Oh, please. There may not be a specific video of her stating "I'm Meghan. I'm strong and I'm independent." However, there's a million and fifty quotes out there from her both before and after her marriage about being strong, being independent, empowerment, etc. and goodness knows we've all heard the story ad nauseum about the dish soap commercial from her childhood. Most royal watchers really are smart enough to infer from the mountains of evidence that she puts herself out there as the strong, independent, empowered, girl-boss type and has for quite some time.

 

[ashelen]

I do not follow so much Meghan but what is this thing that she is postulating for president?
I read once she has this book called The Rule as her bible, I read that book and once you read it you know how she catch harry. I think she is an ambiscious woman, nothing wrong with that. But i Think she enjoys her fame and fortune and play with the media. If they left becasue they wanted privacy why the TV interview. Not to mention if it is true that she wants to ruan for President. Who they think are they fooling?

 

[Sionevar]

I can't see how allowing Gayle King to say what she said is in any way productive.

How is this going to persuade Charles or William to open up, and have honest, helpful discussions, if they now have to worry about GK giving running status updates on American morning TV?

I do have some sympathy for Harry and Meghan, but if they are truly interested in healing the rift, they need to stop talking, and let the healing happen in private.

 

[kathia_sophia]

Two grown women are arguing about who made who cry? Unless I missed it one of them hasn't said anything about it. What I thought when I saw that part of the interview is THAT is what upsets Meghan? She really thought BP should set the record straight on that?

That's quite right. Moreover, Meghan spoke about "forgiveness" but apparently she is still bitter about it...

 

[Osipi]

But they strategically left the "public roles" part out of their statement and said they wanted to be "financially independent" without any clarifications. This way, the majority of people (aka not royal forum watchers or simply slightly more knowledgeable than most) were left with the impression that they wanted to win their bread and pay their way into the world wholly. While not technically a lie, their statement was misleading, that's why I said their "we won't talk about it anymore" statement have started sounding in the same vein.

I just checked. In the official statement released, they stated the wish to be "financially independent" but going into the "funding" area of that time and their "manifesto" how they perceived things to work (at the time, still half in and half out), its stated "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take great pride in their work and are committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones. In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing."

For anyone kind of new to the Forums here that perhaps never saw Sussex Royal or their statements, here's a link. https://sussexroyal.com/funding/

 

[kathia_sophia]

I can't see how allowing Gayle King to say what she said is in any way productive.

How is this going to persuade Charles or William to open up, and have honest, helpful discussions, if they now have to worry about GK giving running status updates on American morning TV?

I do have some sympathy for Harry and Meghan, but if they are truly interested in healing the rift, they need to stop talking, and let the healing happen in private.

If I had family members like Harry and Meghan, I would feel "fear" to even talk to them because even one word could be given to the press...This is not how you fix a broken relationship. How can Charles and William trust Harry now?

 

[US Royal Watcher]

But that's been discussed many times, what "financial independence" meant.. and I thought it was clear that Financial independence must mean either living on the private fortune they had, or starting some kind of business (NOT a charity) to make a living.
Now clearly they had no intention of living on Harry's private fortune.. and Harry at least evidently thought that the Canadian govt would go on paying their security and that his father would go on giving him a few million a year to live on. and I think he is really furious with his father when Charles gave him some money to cover his initial expenses but made it clear that he would not go on funding them for years to come.

Some reports have indicated that Charles was willing to continue an allowance. I think what happened is that the Canadian government said it would pay for security, so Harry and Meghan felt they could get by without really working or running out of his inheritance. When the Canadian government withdrew the offer, Charles was still willing to give them the amount he expect to pay but wouldn't increase it to cover the cost of security because they chose to leave a place where their security would have been a lot less expensive or even free.

 

[Hallo girl]

It is now obvious that the plan was always an American / UK life.
Look at the guest list for the wedding. She didn't even know some if them or had met them once but excluded family from both sides.
That was her stepping stone to be an A lister, the new Diana.
They had been discussing the move for 2 years.
So obviously the move was not as a result of what she claims to have experienced but an existing plan.
The shock was Bank of Charles closed.
I thought the interview was a money maker but because of the drip feeding of info 're existence of e mails, a diary, letters written to royals that no doubt there will be copies I now believe they are trying to manipulate the family to get what they want by threats.
I do not know what it is they want but I can guess though.

Some reports have indicated that Charles was willing to continue an allowance. I think what happened is that the Canadian government said it would pay for security, so Harry and Meghan felt they could get by without really working or running out of his inheritance. When the Canadian government withdrew the offer, Charles was still willing to give them the amount he expect to pay but wouldn't increase it to cover the cost of security because they chose to leave a place where their security would have been a lot less expensive or even free.

The nonsense that she spouted, she claimed that they left for Archies safety because there was to be no security for him.

 

[Moran]

I just checked. In the official statement released, they stated the wish to be "financially independent" but going into the "funding" area of that time and their "manifesto" how they perceived things to work (at the time, still half in and half out), its stated "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take great pride in their work and are committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones. In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing."

For anyone kind of new to the Forums here that perhaps never saw Sussex Royal or their statements, here's a link. https://sussexroyal.com/funding/

Thank you. I had forgotten the exact wording.


It doesn't look well for them at all. In the interview, Harry stated outright that he started working - or signed a contract to start working - only because he couldn't afford to pay for security otherwise. I fail to see how they could have expected to earn the professional income (mentioned in the statement) without working... And I'm saying this as someone who was entirely provided for by her parents all through university. When I found the first company I ever worked with (a freelancer here), my mum bought me a computer fitted to it and said, "Sweetie, you have... months to pay it back." I have to admit that I thought, "Hell, this just got real. What am I going to do if I don't find another company?" But I knew my ever so generous mum was done paying for me and I'm glad she was.


I've had my bad moments and so did my brother but we never thought that "professional income" would just fall in our laps. We knew it involved working. Harry, on the other hand... And Meghan seems to have failed to correct him on this.

 

[Kataryn]

So I have to ask, did anyone watch Harry and Meghan's hands during the interview with Oprah? I fully admit that I absolutely did not and that I really didn't notice them at all. And frankly, I really can't drag myself through watching that farce again just to watch their hands.

The reason I ask? I read an article yesterday (don't ask me where, I'm functioning on very little sleep and can't remember) that stated that during the interview, when Harry spoke, Meghan would discreetly tap him on the hand and he would almost immediately go silent. Now, I admit, I've never found Harry to be a particularly eloquent speaker either while giving prepared speeches or in these sorts of settings and it's been noted time and again that he tends to put his foot in his mouth in these settings but, I didn't notice the hand tap. I also wasn't paying any attention at all to their hands. So, did anyone notice a hand tap?

Yesterday I saw an analysis by 4 gentlemen who were lauded as importand advisors when it comes to body language on YouTube about exactly that. It was quite a good analysis, I thought.

Here it is:

 

[Hallo girl]

We literally had “William and Harry make contact” on the front page of the Times this weekend with the “source” coming from the Cambridges. Harry seemed to confirm it. Though all of it is second hand.

William did say himself he would be speaking to his brother.

 

[Kataryn]

It is now obvious that the plan was always an American / UK life.
Look at the guest list for the wedding. She didn't even know some if them or had met them once but excluded family from both sides.
That was her stepping stone to be an A lister, the new Diana.
They had been discussing the move for 2 years.
So obviously the move was not as a result of what she claims to have experienced but an existing plan.
The shock was Bank of Charles closed.
I thought the interview was a money maker but because of the drip feeding of info 're existence of e mails, a diary, letters written to royals that no doubt there will be copies I now believe they are trying to manipulate the family to get what they want by threats.
I do not know what it is they want but I can guess though.

But I read that the "Bank of Dad" only closed after Harry wanted Charles to buy that house in Santa Barbara for them. He was willing to still give them a million a year as allowance, but did not want to pay 15 millions for the house. Harry must have known that Charles couldn't get his hand on that amount easily without having to write it down on his published accounts. he had problems with Diana's divorce sum, so had to borrow from the queen (IIRC) and he has to lay open his accounts when it comes to the money from the dukedom of Cornwall. Still, Harry had to buy a palace with 16 bathrooms...

 

[Denville]

Thank you. I had forgotten the exact wording.


I

Harry, on the other hand... And Meghan seems to have failed to correct him on this.

makes you wonder.. did they intend to start up some kind of deal with a company like Netflix..
Do they boht think that while they talked about making a professional incoem, they really thought that Dad would go on paying for them and they could swan around doing nothing?

 

[Hallo girl]

But I read that the "Bank of Dad" only closed after Harry wanted Charles to buy that house in Santa Barbara for them. He was willing to still give them a million a year as allowance, but did not want to pay 15 millions for the house. Harry must have known that Charles couldn't get his hand on that amount easily without having to write it down on his published accounts. he had problems with Diana's divorce sum, so had to borrow from the queen (IIRC) and he has to lay open his accounts when it comes to the money from the dukedom of Cornwall. Still, Harry had to buy a palace with 16 bathrooms...

I cannot confirm anything about buying a house, it had been reported here sometime ago that Charles had made a one off payment to help them get started but The annual allowance would stop.
Until Harry mentioned it there had been no confirmation .

 

[Moran]

makes you wonder.. did they intend to start up some kind of deal with a company like Netflix..
Do they boht think that while they talked about making a professional incoem, they really thought that Dad would go on paying for them and they could swan around doing nothing?

They might have thought that pretending they love and respect the racist RF who has played so welcome to poor victim Meghan consituted jobs... Acting ones After all, Meghan was an actress.

 

[Heavs]

I just checked. In the official statement released, they stated the wish to be "financially independent" but going into the "funding" area of that time and their "manifesto" how they perceived things to work (at the time, still half in and half out), its stated "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take great pride in their work and are committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones. In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing."

For anyone kind of new to the Forums here that perhaps never saw Sussex Royal or their statements, here's a link. https://sussexroyal.com/funding/

That's for getting the exact wording.

So either they were lying at the time when they said they "valued the ability to earn a professional income" and thought that would scare Charles into paying for everything so they didn't flog branded tat, or they had every intention of signing with Netflix or another media company and thought "I only did it because Daddy cut me off!" sounded better and suited their current "burn it all down" mood.

I can't believe they thought Netflix plus royal tours would work (half in half out). Equally don't see how they could have thought having someone else pay for everything (including a 16 bathroom mansion in the most expensive place in California!) whilst they lectured the world and did a bit of charity work was sustainable either. I know Harry might have very little idea how the world actually works but Meghan did.

There are rumours that Charles helped them with the mansion but that was the last of it.

 

[Osipi]

That's for getting the exact wording.

So either they were lying at the time when they said they "valued the ability to earn a professional income" and thought that would scare Charles into paying for everything so they didn't flog branded tat, or they had every intention of signing with Netflix or another media company and thought "I only did it because Daddy cut me off!" sounded better and suited their current "burn it all down" mood.

I can't believe they thought Netflix plus royal tours would work (half in half out). Equally don't see how they could have thought having someone else pay for everything (including a 16 bathroom mansion in the most expensive place in California!) whilst they lectured the world and did a bit of charity work was sustainable either. I know Harry might have very little idea how the world actually works but Meghan did.

There are rumours that Charles helped them with the mansion but that was the last of it.

I'm wondering what Netflix is thinking hearing they only signed with them for productions because they a) had no choice and b) realized they needed "big money" and needed it fast? Now they're under contract to provide something worth the money they contracted for. With Harry moaning to the world he's been "cut off" Is Netflix worried they won't have the funds to actually produce something worth their while to air?

As their reputations sink from being philanthropists and influencers to being *talk show entertainment*, is Netflix worried at all about what they're going to come up with? I sure would be.

 

[Erin9]

You know, this is true, I suppose. However, when those mouthpieces make an absolute point of saying "I spoke to them and they said" or "I absolutely have their blessing to speak" or "they told me it was fine to say this on the record" I find it very, very difficult to use the "we said we wouldn't and we aren't, they are" defense. This really is splitting hairs. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely agree with what you said and I'd bet good money that this would be Meghan and Harry's line of defense if questioned directly about why they said they wouldn't speak but they are. However, I just don't find it a very watertight defense. Technically correct, yes. But actually correct, not by a long shot.

ICAM with this. That would be the Sussexes defense for sure. But- they are still talking IMO when they’re authorizing their friends to talk.

 

[Denville]

That's for getting the exact wording.

So either they were lying at the time when they said they "valued the ability to earn a professional income" and thought that would scare Charles into paying for everything so they didn't flog branded tat, or they had every intention of signing with Netflix or another media company and thought "I only did it because Daddy cut me off!" sounded better and suited their current "burn it all down" mood.

I can't believe they thought Netflix plus royal tours would work (half in half out). Equally don't see how they could have thought having someone else pay for everything (including a 16 bathroom mansion in the most expensive place in California!) whilst they lectured the world and did a bit of charity work was sustainable either. I know Harry might have very little idea how the world actually works but Meghan did.

There are rumours that Charles helped them with the mansion but that was the last of it.

I think its been mentioned that Charles gave them some hundreds of thousands to start up their new life.. but he probably jibbed at paying for a house or continuing to pay £2M a year to them... and i think it shows that harry was making himself very unpleasant, if Charles did stop taking his calls....