The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 4: April-June 2021


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Question - how do you think he will fair without Spotify or Netflix?
I do not think that the comment towards Joe Rogan went down well - and considering he is the highest rated podcaster on the planet and flagship show of Spotify. It might be interesting if Rogan doesn't want H & M on the bill anymore.
I do not think their Netflix contracts or indeed any of the work that have found is very safe or secure. They have build their 'empire' on the sand and feel superiors enough to go to war.

Well it seems they've entirely backed away from Spotify with recent announcements through Scobie about rethinking things. I think opposing Joe Rogan came after they realised they had bupkiss and didn't have a format that would automatically leap to the top of the charts because they and a few celebrity friends/clients of Sunshine Sachs were on it.

Netflix is more interesting. Invictus will probably be very worthy and it's a great event. It's also no something unique or necessarily must watch, you can see similar docs any time there's a big sporting event. That said if Netflix package it with a season of The Crown or splashy royal docu drama it might do very well.

They've hired a decent content creator I suppose we'll wait and see if he has any ideas.

It all *seems* to be a bit built on sand at the moment.
 
I am still trying to understand the 'genetic' aspects of his pain (next to being convinced that this is not helping in anyway to alleviate his pain but will only add to his and also to his children's future pain).

What is 'genetic' about it? Isn't life full of learning from past mistakes and successes (by yourself and those around you) and making conscious decisions on what you want to continue in your adult life and which things you might want to do (slightly or completely) differently than what you grew up with. Especially if a couple comes together they will have to find a way to make things work taking into account the different backgrounds they are coming from. Lashing out doesn't seem to be the most productive way to deal with it (understatement).

Harry and Meghan both coming from broken families clearly isn't the best start, so I hope they will avoid continuing the cycle of broken families. Ensuring a more private life might be a good start for the future mental health of their children.


Based on the later comments from their camp that the talks with the BRF weren't 'productive', it seems they indeed want something (money? position? security? the BRF to kowtow to whatever they want at any moment?) from them.

Genetic and environmental situations are not something a child asks to inherit. The trick though is that it *is* up to the child as he grows into an adult to take what's been handed to him and decide what he's going to do with it in his life.

Right now, Harry seems to be focused on everything negative that has crossed his path and led him to be where he is today and with his words and actions, it seems the being happy is the last thing Harry is right now. That's his choice. He very well could have examined everything in his life up until now and chose to see the positives, the benefits and the good characteristics that he's inherited from *both* parents. He could realize how fortunate it is to have a wife that loves him and they're establishing their own happy family.

It's up to each of us as individuals to decide if the glass is half empty or if it's half full.
 
It is a pseudo-science that is currently getting a bit of head space due to identity politics and woke culture. Essentially it is the old sins of the father manta from old. That the mental pain of your great grandparents are embedded into your mental makeup.
So all the emotions pain and sufferings that your ancestries went through are on you.
Personally I think it is a lot of hooey.

My grandparents grew up during the Depression, in the industrial heartlands of Northern England which were very badly affected. My grandfathers both saw terrible things during their time in the Army during the Second World War, whilst my grandmothers endured bombs raining down during the Blitz. Is this the reason for any problems that I've faced during my lifetime?


Nothing Harry says is making very much sense to me. What next? He's being affected by the pain that Elizabeth of York suffered when the Princes in the Tower disappeared?
 
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It is a pseudo-science that is currently getting a bit of head space due to identity politics and woke culture. Essentially it is the old sins of the father manta from old. That the mental pain of your great grandparents are embedded into your mental makeup.
So all the emotions pain and sufferings that your ancestries went through are on you.
Personally I think it is a lot of hooey.
I am not my parents, not my grandparents and never got to met my great grandparents. I shudder to think of blaming my mistakes on my great grandparents that I never met - I cannot blame my divorce, my arguments with my children or anything problem in life I have on my parents, or indeed anyone but myself. They do not control my decisions or my free will.
That is called been an adult.
I posted some info about this in #2231 about generational trauma. Harry has some things confused, I think.

I read that last night. Overall a good piece, but I have a huge issue with the part I bolded. I don’t know if she meant to, but she’s implying that there’s a cycle to break (and as that expression is associated with abuse, I loathe using it in other situations)...
I agree with you. His issues are not on the same level as physical or sexual abuse, extreme poverty, etc. and those of us working in mental health are concerned about how the word “trauma” is being misused in the media.
 
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I read that last night. Overall a good piece, but I have a huge issue with the part I bolded. I don’t know if she meant to, but she’s implying that there’s a cycle to break (and as that expression is associated with abuse, I loathe using it in other situations)...



Agreed. I don’t like that either. I don’t think that was likely the intended implication, but I do agree it was there.
 
I'm a couple pages late on this comment, but the swearing bothered me less than the use of male-dominant sexual metaphors to discuss mental health. I was aghast that Harry participated in a conversation with hosts that did this on the heels of his appointment to a role meant to foster inclusive spaces with P&G. The kind of language and metaphors being used are exactly the thing those roles are supposedly meant to target and eliminate. Someone in his role- and even not in his role, but someone who has spoken about gender and inclusivity as much as he has of late- should have called it out on several occasions. These kind of harmful themes and this kind of harmful language is exactly the issue he claims he is committed to preventing.

Re: the "bonkers" free speech, in many countries around the world people who criticize government policies so brazenly are imprisoned or a non-citizen would be made to leave. The reason that does not happen in the United States is because of... our "bonkers" First Amendment. The irony will not have been lost on many Americans.

This is the second time Harry has talked about putting Archie on the back of his bike. This time, it was to say he never would have been able to do that in the UK. Time will tell, but I think William and Catherine will be much more free to do this than Harry will be in California because of the agreement respected by the UK media re: the Cambridge and Sussex children.

Much is made of Harry's comments and their relationship to Charles and William and, with this latest, the Queen and DOE. But the name that pops into my mind as he speaks lately is Catherine. What he says carries some quite loaded implications about his thoughts about her decisions that are, in my view, not at all flattering. I won't get into them because as I try to express them I realize it lends itself to starting a comparison between the experiences of Catherine and Meghan that is not fruitful for discussion, but I wonder if others had the same experience when they listened.
 
I'm a couple pages late on this comment, but the swearing bothered me less than the use of male-dominant sexual metaphors to discuss mental health. I was aghast that Harry participated in a conversation with hosts that did this on the heels of his appointment to a role meant to foster inclusive spaces with P&G. The kind of language and metaphors being used are exactly the thing those roles are supposedly meant to target and eliminate. Someone in his role- and even not in his role, but someone who has spoken about gender and inclusivity as much as he has of late- should have called it out on several occasions. These kind of harmful themes and this kind of harmful language is exactly the issue he claims he is committed to preventing.

Re: the "bonkers" free speech, in many countries around the world people who criticize government policies so brazenly are imprisoned or a non-citizen would be made to leave. The reason that does not happen in the United States is because of... our "bonkers" First Amendment. The irony will not have been lost on many Americans.

This is the second time Harry has talked about putting Archie on the back of his bike. This time, it was to say he never would have been able to do that in the UK. Time will tell, but I think William and Catherine will be much more free to do this than Harry will be in California because of the agreement respected by the UK media re: the Cambridge and Sussex children.

Much is made of Harry's comments and their relationship to Charles and William and, with this latest, the Queen and DOE. But the name that pops into my mind as he speaks lately is Catherine. What he says carries some quite loaded implications about his thoughts about her decisions that are, in my view, not at all flattering. I won't get into them because as I try to express them I realize it lends itself to starting a comparison between the experiences of Catherine and Meghan that is not fruitful for discussion, but I wonder if others had the same experience when they listened.

What did he say about Catherine?
 
As an American, I am appalled by Harry's comments on our First Amendment, particularly now that he is living in the US, as well as his attacks on his family. He needs to realize that his being able to make a negative remark about it is due to the First Amendment.
 
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It's completely OT, but i'm watching the new episode of 'Call the midwife' and one quote struck me to fit in this thread:

"Compassion? What I see now is Passion, and that is not the same at all.."
 
Hi Biset, I want to clarify, he did not say anything about Catherine. Others will disagree with me that his comments imply anything about her at all. It is my own perspective that several of his comments of late, including some in this podcast, implicate negative feelings about her decisions. Not her as a person, but her decision to marry into the family. Several times during the podcast I found myself thinking, "What does that say about Catherine?"

I wondered if perhaps others had that experience.
 
Genetic and environmental situations are not something a child asks to inherit. The trick though is that it *is* up to the child as he grows into an adult to take what's been handed to him and decide what he's going to do with it in his life.

Right now, Harry seems to be focused on everything negative that has crossed his path and led him to be where he is today and with his words and actions, it seems the being happy is the last thing Harry is right now. That's his choice. He very well could have examined everything in his life up until now and chose to see the positives, the benefits and the good characteristics that he's inherited from *both* parents. He could realize how fortunate it is to have a wife that loves him and they're establishing their own happy family.

It's up to each of us as individuals to decide if the glass is half empty or if it's half full.
Yes, indeed; but the part I don't understand is how moving away is doing anything to break 'genetic pain and suffering'. It might be somewhat helpful in creating a different environment (although as I said before: they don't seem to be creating a positive environment at the moment but rather the opposite) but how does it change the (painful) genes he passes on to his children?

Re: the "bonkers" free speech, in many countries around the world people who criticize government policies so brazenly are imprisoned or a non-citizen would be made to leave. The reason that does not happen in the United States is because of... our "bonkers" First Amendment. The irony will not have been lost on many Americans.
What did Harry exactly say about 'bonkers'/free speech (and the First Amendment?). I've seen a few references to it and wonder about the context. What was the question and how did he answer? Thanks in advance!
 
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what did he say about the First Amendment?

He said the following in the Armchair Podcast:
I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers. I don’t want to start going down the First Amendment route because that’s a huge subject and one which I don’t understand because I’ve only been here a short time. But, you can find a loophole in anything. You can capitalise or exploit what’s not said rather than uphold what is said.
 
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He said:
"I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers. I don’t want to start going down the First Amendment route because that’s a huge subject and one which I don’t understand because I’ve only been here a short time. But, you can find a loophole in anything. You can capitalise or exploit what’s not said rather than uphold what is said."

There are issues in all countries about the lines between free speech and hate speech, but I hardly think that calling the First Amendment "bonkers" is very appropriate. He's already caused offence by making comments about voting in America, and now this. It hasn't gone down very well here either - obviously it's not our Amendment, but free speech is free speech everywhere, and the fact that Harry thinks it's "bonkers" hasn't exactly impressed people. If you admit yourself that you don't understand something, and especially when it's something so fundamental, it's wise not to be making comments about it, especially when they involve words like "bonkers" .
 
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Hmm, I can't understand a word of what he's saying about the First Amendment there. Doesn't make any sense....
Perhaps, perhaps, he really shouldnt say anything, as so much of what he says (Genetic pain??) doesn't make any sense.
 
Question - how do you think he will fair without Spotify or Netflix?
I do not think that the comment towards Joe Rogan went down well - and considering he is the highest rated podcaster on the planet and flagship show of Spotify. It might be interesting if Rogan doesn't want H & M on the bill anymore.
I do not think their Netflix contracts or indeed any of the work that have found is very safe or secure. They have build their 'empire' on the sand and feel superiors enough to go to war.

I don’t see the deals lasting…

The biggest issue right now if the no one in the mainstream US media is calling them out for their hypocrisy of preaching compassion whilst not showing any to his family, something that is already happening in mainstream Australian media. Once that happens, and I believe it will be sooner rather than later, cancel culture will come for the Sussexes. Once that happens— Netflix, Spotify, Oprah etc. will cut ties so fast it’ll make their heads spin.

IMO, with them getting so political, I think the BRF is waiting for them to do something so damaging to the UK’s interest that Parliament will strip him of his titles and place in the line of succession without the BRF’s input or consent. Once the titles are gone, even with a short term wave of sympathy, they’re done.
 
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I don’t see the deals lasting…

The biggest issue right now if the no one in the mainstream US media is calling them out for their hypocrisy of preaching compassion whilst not showing any to his family. Once that happens, and I believe it will be sooner rather than later, cancel culture will come for the Sussexes. Once that happens— Netflix, Spotify, Oprah etc. will cut ties so fast it’ll make their heads spin.

IMO, with them getting so political, I think the BRF is waiting for them to do something so damaging to the UK’s interest that Parliament will strip him of his titles and place in the line of succession without the BRF’s input or consent. Once the titles are gone, even with a short term wave of sympathy, they’re done.
I dont think that will happen that they'll lose the titles or HRH. But I do wonder honestly how likely they are to make the money that they need. so far, seems like Netflix is Ok iwth them.. but really, a documentary on Invictus, while worthy, isn't IMO going to bring in a load of money for Netflix. And I dont think that they'll keep them on the payroll all that long, if they dont bring in the money. And then they may regret having annoyed so many in the RF... (having said that Charles will probably still rescue them financially but he may be wary of them for a long time to come).
 
The Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 4: April 2021 -

He said the following in the Armchair Podcast:

I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers. I don’t want to start going down the First Amendment route because that’s a huge subject and one which I don’t understand because I’ve only been here a short time. But, you can find a loophole in anything. You can capitalise or exploit what’s not said rather than uphold what is said.

So....he’s saying something is “bonkers” that he also admits to not fully understanding?! That makes perfect sense.

Americans take the Bill of Rights VERY seriously. We may disagree on our interpretation of it, but we take it seriously. This is literally the foundation of our country.

As an American- I have a huge problem with him criticizing our First Amendment when he hasn’t taken the time to understand it. In his own words- he admits it. Then don’t talk about it or judge it. You’re not qualified.
 
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I hardly comment on Harry, but I did listen to the Armchair Expert podcast and it just felt so tiring. Maybe if he hadnt done the Oprah interview, but it got a bit annoying. It didnt leave me with the feeling of looking forward to his upcoming project on Mental Health. I was close to turning it off a couple of times.

Two things that stood out for me.
His opinion on the first amendment of the US. He says he doesnt understand it but yet labels it bonkers. But yet he has so much to say about it. Really? I dont know maybe if he gave his opinion on his own country's government, I will respect his opinion on ours a bit.

Two. There was a part where Dax talked about doing hard drugs due to the physical assaults his stepfather gave his brother. And how he was molested as a child. Here Harry references the movie Stepbrothers, a clear comedy. It left me stunned. Here Dax is talking about physical and sexual abuse that he and his brother suffered when they were young and yet Harry interjects the comedy movie Stepbrothers.
 
I've said all along that I didn't believe Harry would have chosen to live in the US if he'd put any thought into it at all, because it really limits what can be done about paparazzi harassment and media falsehoods. I don't think that's a bad thing on the whole, but it's very different from the UK and most of the rest of Europe, and even from Canada... and not in a way someone with Harry's sensitivities would appreciate. Looks like he finally got there on his own.
 
Fairly recently the Queen's cousin Simon Bowes-Lyon who holds the title of Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman but his title has not been removed, therefore if Harry's title is officially removed from him by Parliament surely Mr Bowes-Lyon's title should be removed as well.
 
I disagree strongly. The best thing for anyone in the BRF to do right now is to not feed into Harry's narrative. To do so is like adding gasoline to an already burning inferno.

Give a man enough rope and eventually he'll hang himself or let go of the rope.

This is exactly what I have been thinking.
 
Fairly recently the Queen's cousin Simon Bowes-Lyon who holds the title of Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman but his title has not been removed, therefore if Harry's title is officially removed from him by Parliament surely Mr Bowes-Lyon's title should be removed as well.

Mr. Bowes-Lyon’s conviction for sexual assault in no, way shape or form harms the UK’s interests.
 
Hi Biset, I want to clarify, he did not say anything about Catherine. Others will disagree with me that his comments imply anything about her at all. It is my own perspective that several of his comments of late, including some in this podcast, implicate negative feelings about her decisions. Not her as a person, but her decision to marry into the family. Several times during the podcast I found myself thinking, "What does that say about Catherine?"

I wondered if perhaps others had that experience.

Do you mean the parts about thinking he could never marry because how could he bring a woman into "all this" because the same thing would happen to her as it did to his mother?

I did think "well your brother did it successfully". But we heard at the engagement interview that one of the reasons they waited so long was to make sure this was what Kate wanted and she could deal with it and after they spent a couple of years "practicing" on Anglesey. And they put measures in place to give them privacy and time to grow as a family. And it should also be noted that William did advise not rushing into anything because of this very fact but apparently Harry took huge offense to this and told the world how awful it was and was offended again when it was suggested that Meghan might ease into royal duties because she was so eager to "hit the ground running" in their own words.

I get that his mother is a very, very loaded topic to him but I would also want to say to him that she made mistakes that had nothing directly to do with the BRF, including playing games with the media post divorce. But I doubt he'd be interested in looking at any warning signs in their current behaviour.

I don't think the Sussex title should be taken away. It would only turn them into further victims and encourage the "BRF is vindictive" narrative when all they have to do is, yes give them enough rope to hang themselves.

I think they themselves should realise the contradiction in continuing to use them (in 10 ft high bright lights no less) when they hate everything about the family and "Institution" and are all for equality. I half think they might announce they're not going to use them as a trump card at some point but then it really is all they have to make them interesting at the moment.
 
So....he’s saying something is “bonkers” that he also admits to not fully understanding?! That makes perfect sense.

Americans take the Bill of Rights VERY seriously. We may disagree on our interpretation of it, but we take it seriously. This is literally the foundation of our country.

As an American- I have a huge problem with him criticizing our First Amendment when he hasn’t taken the time to understand it. In his own words- he admits it. Then don’t talk about it or judge it. You’re not qualified.

The American first amendment of free speech probably mystifies Harry because he was born, bred and buttered in the royal world of "thou shalt not... (fill in the blank)" One does not express a political opinion. One does not show emotions. One must wear a smiley game face when on public engagements. The whole kit and kaboodle of "thou shalt nots". They've been drummed into Harry since he was a child.

Freedom of speech in the US is not actually being able to say whatever you please. Yelling "fire" in a public theater will get you in serious trouble. It's really more the freedom to express oneself and one's opinion without recrimination from the government or any organization.
 
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So....he’s saying something is “bonkers” that he also admits to not fully understanding?! That makes perfect sense.

Americans take the Bill of Rights VERY seriously. We may disagree on our interpretation of it, but we take it seriously. This is literally the foundation of our country.

As an American- I have a huge problem with him criticizing our First Amendment when he hasn’t taken the time to understand it. In his own words- he admits it. Then don’t talk about it or judge it. You’re not qualified.
Yep, this makes me angry too!
 
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Actually the more I read the transcript - I believe that Harry is probably picking up a lot of political thinking and ideas from people that he is talking to and doesn't really understand.

He thinks that the 1st Amendment is a problem as people with opposing ideas to what he hold are allowed to voice them as well. Hence Joe Rogan cannot say something against the vaccine as he and the political party and thinking that he is currently involve in says differently.
I really think that people, not just Meghan are talking to him and he is just nodding and absorbing this crap. And I am not justifying his behavior here - and he should know better. He is regurgitating what others are telling him about his life. I think he is been used and doesn't care that it is happening.

I thought that he was taking a swipe at the whole family with the comment - that only he is man enough to remove his family from the horrible situation and that everyone else is happy to imprison their wife and children to the situation.
 
He said:
"I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers. I don’t want to start going down the First Amendment route because that’s a huge subject and one which I don’t understand because I’ve only been here a short time. But, you can find a loophole in anything. You can capitalise or exploit what’s not said rather than uphold what is said."

There are issues in all countries about the lines between free speech and hate speech, but I hardly think that calling the First Amendment "bonkers" is very appropriate. He's already caused offence by making comments about voting in America, and now this. It hasn't gone down very well here either - obviously it's not our Amendment, but free speech is free speech everywhere, and the fact that Harry thinks it's "bonkers" hasn't exactly impressed people. If you admit yourself that you don't understand something, and especially when it's something so fundamental, it's wise not to be making comments about it, especially when they involve words like "bonkers" .

I'm trying to grasp exactly what Harry is getting at when he's discussing the First Amendment. It's about so much more than merely free speech. Here's the amendment in its entirety (for our non-US forum members who aren't familiar with it):

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

So, is Harry trying to imply that there is a lack of control or an ability to exploit based upon the protections in the First Amendment? Is he trying to imply that the First Amendment is being violated by people who don't actually uphold what is said?

I want to give him the benefit of doubt here, in part because so much of our national and political discourse in the past 15 months has been impacted by the pandemic and the interpretation/application of the First Amendment has played a role in a lot of that, so I can understand how he would have difficulty understanding it and just how deeply embedded in our national psyche it (as well as the Second and Fifth Amendments, for that matter) is. In some ways, I can see how an immigrant would think it's all a bit "bonkers" that people are willing to put their lives at risk because the First Amendment gives them the right to do so, but that is what we've experienced here in the US in the last 15-16 months. And, what's more remarkable is that while many of us are playing it safe, we're also perfectly fine with other people choosing to exercise their First Amendment rights as they see fit - whether that means religion/freedom of worship or peaceably assembling/protesting or freedom of speech/press.
 
Genetic and environmental situations are not something a child asks to inherit. The trick though is that it *is* up to the child as he grows into an adult to take what's been handed to him and decide what he's going to do with it in his life.

Right now, Harry seems to be focused on everything negative that has crossed his path and led him to be where he is today and with his words and actions, it seems the being happy is the last thing Harry is right now. That's his choice. He very well could have examined everything in his life up until now and chose to see the positives, the benefits and the good characteristics that he's inherited from *both* parents. He could realize how fortunate it is to have a wife that loves him and they're establishing their own happy family.

It's up to each of us as individuals to decide if the glass is half empty or if it's half full.

I agree...well said. He’s taking the same path his father did in a way, except Charles didn’t have his true love by his side, and in fact, was engaged in a bitter feud with Diana. This is what Giles Brandreth meant when he said Charles was in a dark place at the time he made those comments about his parents. Harry has the life he supposedly wants and the wife he adores ...I say “supposedly wants” because he seems intent on burning the bridges behind him. Why would he do that ? Why not just cross the bridge ? I think it’s because he didn’t exactly get what he wanted - he wanted half in/half out; he didn’t want to completely leave, certainly didn’t want to lose his military titles/rankings, what have you. If he’d always wanted out, why didn’t he say “ok” and marry ..I’m sorry, I forget her name, was it Cressida? The girl who broke up with him because she didn’t want that life ?
 
I thought that he was taking a swipe at the whole family with the comment - that only he is man enough to remove his family from the horrible situation and that everyone else is happy to imprison their wife and children to the situation.
Did he literally say that? He seems quite full of himself... Is he having both a savior and victim complex at the same time?!
 
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