The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 6: Aug. 2021- Oct. 2022

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Curryong

It may not be significant to some sectors of the US population. Others might say, Osipi, that families being significantly financially disadvantaged during the time that a new little member joins them is pretty important to them. Especially as most countries in the First World have had measures like paid parental leave put in place by their governments for many years.

Most places of employment here in the US that do have paid parental leave is determined by the employer, themselves. People working at places at an hourly rate rather than salaried are usually those that survive paycheck to paycheck and perhaps would benefit more with an increase of hourly wages rather than an enforced paid leave for maternity/paternity. To force places that pay minimum wages for this kind of federal sanctioned paid leave, it benefits some rather than something that would benefit all employees.

There are up sides and down sides to all proposed changes to policy. I just thought that Meghan would champion all the disadvantaged, causes that effect the whole quality of life for all rather than compartmentalize on an issue that, in reality, was something Meghan has never experienced (but is grateful for) when she had her children. Harry and Meghan were in a place to be able to stay home and bond as a family. A family where both parents work hourly paid jobs to make ends meet probably have more immediate concerns dealing with their finances than getting paid time off when they have a baby. When the paid leave ends, they still go back to surviving paycheck to paycheck. With the rising prices of just about everything these days here, I would think that affording a tank of gas to get to work would trump a paid maternity/paternity leave.

In short, I seriously wish Meghan would be better off jumping on bandwagons that *everyone* could get behind.

[A-Bik]

Originally Posted by HenRach Dominion

Now, I'm a huge fan of both Senator Gillibrand and HRH The Duchess of Sussex, but I believe that the former giving the latter the private phone calls of her colleagues without their knowledge let along their consent will ultimately prove counterproductive to their push for family leave. The United States political atmosphere is already heavily charged, with both sides unwilling to compromise on anything. A senator who is disinclined to support paid family leave who be more so disinclined if their private number was giving to a left-leaning celebrity whose perceived claim to fame is marrying a royal and supports a policy the senator's base does not.

I see what you're saying but getting left out of all this are the Senators like Deb Fisher - R, & AOC - D, who appreciate what Meghan's doing, have praised her outreach and seem open to this discussion and most importantly are from both sides of the aisle.

Now it's something I would ever do, but maybe the reps aren't as mad about Gillibrand giving out their number.
I'm guessing after near a decade of being in Senate together, they've all known each other long enough to get their respective idiosyncrasies. Maybe?

Anyway, this Washington dinner may not part the clouds, but it could engineer some discussion and middle ground, amidst so much political toxicity.
All parties interviewed seem to be down for it, so who knows.

Meghan isn't really doing anything groundbreaking as an American lobbying for a cause, but she's pretty much at the stage of copping grief either way, so I'm guessing there's an awareness that 'them's the shakes' for any female public figure. See also Hillary Clinton.

I do think it'll be far more appropriate/more tasteful to introduce herself as Meghan, Co-founder of Archwell, if anything.

[Prinsara]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a member of the House of Representatives, not a Senator.

We haven't heard Meghan's bicameral plans yet, presumably because things pass more easily in the House, due to its current composition.

Meghan is targeting the Republican female Senators because their votes would help this bill to pass.

[UglyAmerican]

The same number of votes from male senators would be just as effective at helping the bill pass. I had the impression Gillibrand just asked Meghan to call the women, so Meghan was doing as requested in that regard. But framing it as something that only women could be persuaded to support isn't exactly helpful here. Arguing about whether it's fair for men and childless women to have their taxes increased to pay for something that only benefits mothers - which is where that approach ends up, every single time - is much less productive than working to craft a program that a broader cross-section of society perceives as beneficial to themselves personally.

Like I said, I think Gillibrand is primarily to blame for that approach. But it seems like if there's a constructive way to address something and a divisive way to address the same thing, Meghan chooses the divisive one every single time.

[iceflower]

The Duchess of Sussex participated in the DealBook Online Summit today, November 9:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **


** nytimes: DealBook Online Summit: Watch Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and Mellody Hobson on Equality **

[ACO]

It was a great talk. Nice to learn that Mellody has been somewhat mentoring Meghan. She was amazing to listen too and I am sure Meghan is absorbing her knowledge.

Harry's panel is going to kick off in a bit too. And what a nice surprise to learn Meghan joined Harry in NYC. I wonder if they have any other plans for the week outsude Harry's event tomorrow.

Here is a link to Meghan's conversation. https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1vAxRkPlaLvKl

[Curryong]

Great that both Harry and Meghan will be appearing at separate events in New York this week and I’m sure they will both contribute a lot on these occasions. Good to see that Meghan is wearing a poppy as well, with Remembrance Sunday nearly here. Hopefully they will be seen out and about in the Big Apple while they’re here, having a lunch or dinner or catch up with friends maybe.

[polyesco]

Harry on Misinformation
https://twitter.com/scobie/status/1458209738093645831

Prince Harry claims he warned Twitter boss that the social media platform was being used to 'stage a coup' before the January 6 storming of the Capitol.
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-11-09/...s-capitol-riot

[Osipi]

I think a whole lot of American social media learned a huge lesson after the insurrection of January 6th. It doesn't surprise me one little bit that Harry saw it coming. I can't attest to seeing it for myself as I'd given up on using most social media sites long before this.

We've seen it happen in this thread enough to know that what Harry says is true that a lot of the internet is "“being defined by hate, division and lies”." It makes me appreciate our moderators here and the job they do to keep things flowing on an even keel.

WTG Harry!!

[camelot23ca]

Originally Posted by polyesco

Harry on Misinformation
https://twitter.com/scobie/status/1458209738093645831

Prince Harry claims he warned Twitter boss that the social media platform was being used to 'stage a coup' before the January 6 storming of the Capitol.
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-11-09/...s-capitol-riot

The British press, the Queen, now Jack Dorsey…They’ll soon be able to make a Jeopardy category out of People Who Could Have Made The World A Better Place If Only They’d Listened To The Sussexes.

[Curryong]

There’s an old Aussie expression about the bleeding obvious, ‘Blind Freddy could see this’. And I’m with Osipi about the very unstable and tense atmosphere in the US, that was observed all over the world. Harry wasn’t alone in predicting that something was about to happen in Washington last January. Blind Freddy could have seen that, and probably Jack Dorsey did as well.

[UglyAmerican]

My eyes just rolled out of my head and bounced across the floor ...

While plenty of people saw January 6 coming, most who don't effectively live on social media were at least somewhat surprised. Not necessarily surprised that something happened in general - the political mood was clear enough to anyone with a functioning brain - but they wouldn't have predicted a specific thing on a specific date. For all the fuss they make about staying off of social media because it's toxic, Harry must have been a fair amount of time on it for him to have been so certain of the specifics.

[Leopoldine]

It's important to point out that Mellody Hobson is not only a serious hard-working businesswoman, but also George Lucas's wife.

[MARG]

Watching YouTube clips across the spectrum of Fox, CNN, MSNBC and other news outlets with a proliferation of political, analysts, historians etc. backed up by innumerable YouTube stations, podcasts, Facebook, Twitter, etc. in the run-up to the 2020 elections fueled by the statement by the President that if "we" lose the vote was rigged, the immediate aftermath was totally predictable.

What happened after was as clear as a bell, blind Freddy could have seen this coming, etc. In short, it was neither surprising nor shocking, merely inevitable. When all is said and done, the President called a 'Stop the Steal' rally on 6 January which just happens to be a historic day. Each election season is marked by the same conclusion: On Jan. 6, a joint session of Congress officially counts the electoral college’s votes and then votes to accept the results, formalizing the winner.

In the time of the Pandemic, hundreds of thousands of people had nothing else to fill their time than to watch the box. People love watching a train wreck but few usually get to see it in slow motion in real-time since the pandemic kept so many of us home, Prince Harry was just one of many. The only thing the horrified me was the inexplicable absence of enough police etc. to deter the mob, let alone stop it.

[duchesschicana]

Originally Posted by Osipi

I think a whole lot of American social media learned a huge lesson after the insurrection of January 6th. It doesn't surprise me one little bit that Harry saw it coming. I can't attest to seeing it for myself as I'd given up on using most social media sites long before this.

We've seen it happen in this thread enough to know that what Harry says is true that a lot of the internet is "“being defined by hate, division and lies”." It makes me appreciate our moderators here and the job they do to keep things flowing on an even keel.

WTG Harry!!

I find it strange he contacted a ceo of a social media platform instead of i dont know the FBI or someone with power to actually do something about his warnings? I'm sure he has contacts. Asumming he didnt do that. You would think though if he truly thought there was a threat he would contact someplace else though, FBI, etc.Though he has a point to some degree, I just find his comments a little too precious so to speak.

[Claire]

Originally Posted by UglyAmerican

My eyes just rolled out of my head and bounced across the floor ...

While plenty of people saw January 6 coming, most who don't effectively live on social media were at least somewhat surprised. Not necessarily surprised that something happened in general - the political mood was clear enough to anyone with a functioning brain - but they wouldn't have predicted a specific thing on a specific date. For all the fuss they make about staying off of social media because it's toxic, Harry must have been a fair amount of time on it for him to have been so certain of the specifics.

I am hoping that he means that he knew something was coming or some action was been built up - but not specifically they are going to march on the Capitol. Then again who knows.

Harry is speaking with someone else voice - no doubt his advisors or whoever they are been advised by. Most of his assumptions are incorrect and bias. Notably the Bot Sentinel claims which have been found incorrect by Twitter themselves. I think we now have 5 things that killed Diana according to Harry.
Sorry to inform Harry that it is as simple as gossip grows in the dark. Speculation will always happen with there is a lack of clear information. IN every medium - the Internet isnt the problem. Human nature is.

[soapstar]

Some new developments in the Sussexes lawsuit against Mail on Sunday. Meghan won her case earlier this year, but Associated Newspapers appealed. Today they submitted evidenced from Jason Knauf (a statement, along with texts and emails) that shows Meghan wrote the letter to her father with the understanding that it could be leaked. Knauf also revealed that Meghan and Harry did cooperate with the Finding Freedom book. Something they denied previously.

Source: Roya Nikkhah’s Twitter.

NEW A witness statement submitted to the Court of Appeal from Jason Knauf, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s former communications secretary says Harry and Meghan “authorised specific cooperation in writing in December 2018” to the authors of Finding Freedom, giving examples

Knauf says “the book was discussed directly with the Duchess multiple times in person and over email” and that Meghan gave him “helpful” written “background reminders” briefing notes “for when you sit down with them”. Knauf says Harry also gave written pointers for the authors

Knauf says that in an email: “The Duchess…added the briefing points she wanted me to share with the authors in my meeting with them,” including about her father, her half-siblings, “her perspective” on Harry’s 2016 statement about her treatment by some media & her wedding tiara

In a December 10 2018 email to Knauf, Harry wrote: “I totally agree we have to be able to say we didn’t have anything to do with it. Equally, you giving the right context and background to them would help get some truths out there…especially around Markle/wedding stuff…”

Much of Knauf’s witness statement in the Court of Appeal, supported with text messages and email exchanges, appears to be at odds with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s insistence that they made no direct or indirect contribution to Finding Freedom

Knauf also says Meghan told him in texts that she “obviously” wrote her August 2018 letter to her father “with the understanding that it could be leaked” to the media so she was “meticulous” in her choice of words, calling him “Daddy” to “pull at the heartstrings” if it leaked.

Meghan had apologized to the court for not revealing that she cooperated with the book.

“I apologise to the Court for the fact that I had not remembered these exchanges at the time. I had absolutely no wish or intention to mislead the Defendant or the Court.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-fa...ng-would-pull/

[soapstar]

Here’s an email between Meghan and Knauf. In the email, Meghan lays out some background reminders for when Knauf sits down with the authors of Finding Freedom.

https://twitter.com/ByTomWells/statu...60807759601664

Not sure how she could just forget that she cooperated with the authors.

[Claire]

It doesn't explain how the authors of the book also forgot about the cooperation.

[ACO]

What I also found interesting regarding that email was that she stated all info was already in the public domain and nothing private was revealed. And reading the bullet points -- it is true. Almost everything listed was already public knowledge. And she wrote she would have also sent them the letter herself highlighting that fact.

Knauf was the head of communication and at points he would ask her many questions so he could wade through the press questions he got. In the other statements they confirmed he had constant meetings with various press and she didn't think anything off the email.

Though that is on her for not remembering.

I also thought it was interesting that Knauf didn't want Meghan to put it in writing that she did not want anyone close to her to personally cooperate with the authors. She wanted a papertrail of it all. And That has been a big point in the the MOS defense.

I really hope they release the full statements of both of them because there has been contradictions on both sides. More neutral coverage, it appears that the courts do question a lot of the new and how relevant it truly is.

On to day 3.