The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Step Back as Senior Royals: January 2020

[irish_royalist]

One other thought, from devil's advocate!
Did they just jump, before they were pushed? And therefore upset the Palace by getting their spoke in first??

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Dalriada

The BRF are “hurt” by these maverick actions:

https://twitter.com/jonnydymond/stat...066905091?s=21

It's still a "source" until we get an official statement we have no real indication as to what the rest of the BRF really think.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by HRHHermione

If this is true this all got much weirder and sadder.

https://twitter.com/JonnyDymond/stat...346308096?s=20

I wouldn't be completely surprised. The rather detailed website by the Sussexes, their statement ('we have decided' and 'share full details as we... collaborate with HM, PoW and DoC') and the BP statement ('an early stage' is a very polite way of saying "nothing has been figured out yet" - especially in combination with 'it's complicated'), suggest that this is all of their own doing and very little or no involvement of the key players in the BRF.

I would hope they at least had the decency to inform the family and not have them learn about it at the same time as the general public. And: why the rush? Were they afraid to be talked out of this idea and therefore decided to publish first and then discuss? Otherwise, I would think it would have been best to first figure things out and only then make it public in some kind of joint statements - or at least statements that complement each other instead of give very different messages.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by poppy7

I think Meghan is about to discover what Harry should have always known. The House of Windsor survives at any cost. This will blow up. And who knows who the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be in a weeks time. You have every right to make the decisions you want but are powerless to control other people's reactions to it.

I hope this marriage works for Harry now as he will be isolated I feel in many ways from his family. But to be honest I have always felt tbe marriage was shaky. I am also really pleased that William has an alternative family in the Middletons.

I think they already are well aware of it. Likely what prompted this action.

[Dalriada]

Originally Posted by Muhler

It's still a "source" until we get an official statement we have no real indication as to what the rest of the BRF really think.

This item isn’t click bait as it’s “not for profit” BBC royal correspondent who doesn’t do wild speculation. So Consider it as really indicative.

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by ACO

I think they already are well aware of it. Likely what prompted this action.

Sorry tyou will have to explain this to me?

[Betsypaige]

Originally Posted by Dalriada

The BRF are “hurt” by these maverick actions:

https://twitter.com/jonnydymond/stat...066905091?s=21

I read some of the comments and had to exit; I’m tired of the “BRF didn’t support them” garbage..

[Frelinghighness]

Originally Posted by Betsypaige

That is so disrespectful. The Queen’s father probably died young in large part because of the stresses the Kingship put on him. The Queen herself sacrificed family time with Charles and Anne because duty came first - even though it must have killed her. Now Harry essentially skips out on his duties and responsibilities, leaving everyone else to pick up the slack, and he did so without consulting the Queen and obviously his father. It feels like he’s rejecting everything his family stands for, and that’s heartbreaking

My thoughts exactly

Btw this was on the front page of the New York Times and most of the comments were pro the decision though they admitted no concept of thr point of the brf

[Elenath]

It’s just me, but I would find it really strange and hard to believe if the Queen and Prince Charles hadn’t known about this. I do however get the feeling that harry felt the decision had already been made while BP was still in the proces of deciding. It can happen if you’ve already made up your mind while the other party is still trying to decide how to close the door you’ve already closed.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Pranter

https://sussexroyal.com/funding/


It's mostly laid out on their page.

Read the full page but that doesn't answer my question at all. My question was about what kind of income they expect to earn. I don't read anything on that. They only keep repeating 'financial independence'; but if you did understand how they expect to earn their 'professional income', I'd love to know.

[poppy7]

I can just see Harry with them now.

My wife says you don't support me enough.

I can do much more.

My wife says I have star power and you are stifling me.

Marriage changes family dynamics it just does but this entire thing is just so sad for Harry. So sad. Who else does he have?

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Dalriada

This item isn’t click bait as it’s “not for profit” BBC royal correspondent who doesn’t do wild speculation. So Consider it as really indicative.

That may be, but it's my impression that right now everybody are running around like headless chickens and all sorts of rumors are abound.

What really puzzles me is why this wasn't published by the court.
It does gives me reason to fear that this is a unilateral and pretty spontaneous decision by H&M.
If so they will have placed the BRF in a most awkward situation.

The BRF can't go out and say H&M acted on their own and that they are on their own. That's an official rift in the BRF.
So in some way the BRF are forced to support this in some way.

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by ACO

I think they already are well aware of it. Likely what prompted this action.

Why? Because of things like--Meghan and Harry wanted their own office and were told by the Queen no, that BP would be the home of their offices. Because they couldn't, as senior royals, just do things as they pleased.

But apparently they are just going to show the BRF that they jolly well will do as they please. But I don't think it all go as they expect.

[Fem]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Regarding Frogmore Cottage. I assume Harry and Meghan are aware that non-senior royals have to pay rent to live on royal properties. They don't mention that when discussing Frogmore Cottage on their website.

Maybe that's why they still want to be representing HM? You know, do enough so that they wouldn't have to pay. Or maybe they think Prince Charles will be funding them fully now?

This is all too sad. So rushed, so unprepared, if the sources are true and Harry's closest family wasn't not only consulted, but even informed earlier... My heart is breaking for Prince Charles and William.

Not to mention their funding page is weird. Someone who wrote it was very skilled in talking in circles without giving any solid informations on how things are supposed to work - but I guess they don't know that, so...

[BaiSoSo]

Originally Posted by Dalriada

The BRF are “hurt” by these maverick actions:

https://twitter.com/jonnydymond/stat...066905091?s=21

Well, I'm sure that Harry and Meghan were "hurt" by the lack of support form the family when Meghan was harassed/bullied/abused throughout her entire pregnancy and postpartum stage with lies and half-truths. All while both were working on projects/tours to help the BRF & the UK.

Originally Posted by Fem

Maybe that's why they still want to be representing HM? You know, do enough so that they wouldn't have to pay. Or maybe they think Prince Charles will be funding them fully now?

This is all too sad. So rushed, so unprepared, if the sources are true and Harry's closest family wasn't not only consulted, but even informed earlier... My heart is breaking for Prince Charles and William.

Not to mention their funding page is weird. Someone who wrote it was very skilled in talking in circles without giving any solid informations on how things are supposed to work - but I guess they don't know that, so...

My heart is breaking for Harry, Meghan & Archie...they are ones who endured all negative attitudes I described above with little support from "Harry's closest family", especially after all the times Harry publicly supported Catherine when the media was trying to dump on her. Harry is doing what he feels is best to protect his wife & child....his true closest family.

[Nico]

If it's true (aka HM was not consulted beforehand), i find a bit rich to figure her so prominently on their website and daring to show some extracts of her famous South African speech, so close to HM's heart and her moto for the last 60 years.

https://sussexroyal.com/monarchy/

[Lumutqueen]

The new Sussex Royal website was made by Article, a digital media company based in Toronto. It's the same design firm that worked on The Tig, Meghan's lifestyle website.

Via The Court Jeweller on Twitter.

Also I find that tweet sums up everything perfectly;

“First time I’ve ever seen someone quit their family, saying it’s to spend more time with their jobs.”

https://twitter.com/literaryeric/sta...340415489?s=21

[carlota]

the serious news channels are all reporting that the BRF did not know about this announcement.

"it seems to be a succession of doing things their way which is the wrong way" is what the former royal press officer said to sky news. he went on to say "this is a case of 'what meghan works, meghan gets'", in reference to what harry said when they were preparing the wedding.

Originally Posted by poppy7

I hope this marriage works for Harry now as he will be isolated I feel in many ways from his family. But to be honest I have always felt tbe marriage was shaky. I am also really pleased that William has an alternative family in the Middletons.

i did indeed from the beginning view this marriage as shaky, but i am convinced now (if not just after the south africa tour) that it is unlikely to survive in the long term. hope i am wrong.

yes, the middletons are such a nice, loving, united family and that had a huge impact on william. in 9 years that kate married into he BRF, kate and all her family all combined have given much less controversy than H&M in only a few years.

Originally Posted by Somebody

Regarding Frogmore Cottage. I assume Harry and Meghan are aware that non-senior royals have to pay rent to live on royal properties. They don't mention that when discussing Frogmore Cottage on their website.

clearly not according to their site
if what has been posted on this forum is true (that diana was told she'd need to pay full rent for her KP appartments if she "stepped back" from duties), then i expect they will be corrected on this.

Originally Posted by Pranter

A lot of your questions have answers on their website.



LaRae

i know my dear, i was just citing the questions as it is strange that they are even on the website.

Originally Posted by Sister Morphine

The way Meghan has been treated by people since she started dating him...she's been treated worse than garbage. If this decision was made because Harry was sick of it, well, I don't blame him. While on some level I think any woman he married would cop a fair bit of stick from the media/Internet, the level of hatred thrown at Meghan was really out of line, certainly far worse than Catherine had to deal with.

and none of this was of her doing of course?

this forum tends to be quite lenient to royals (this is not a tabloid like 'the sun') yet if you scroll up this thread, the reaction to this action is overwhelmingly negative for mostly all of the posters.

Originally Posted by tausi

Harry is quite a disappointment. You can't do that to your family that has had your back when you screwed up many times in the past. I don't think Meghan has truly understanding of family loyalty. May be she didn't get that growing up. But Harry should know better.

true. i feel sorry for the queen that in her old age she gets betrayed like this by someone she sought to protect for so long.

[suztav]

Wow! I certainly wish them well, but don't think they fully understand what life away from the royal family will be like. Kinda like being half-pregnant … doesn't happen. You are either in or you are out.

I look forward to seeing how they implement being "financially independent". Yes, Harry inherited a lot of $$ from his mother. So, there is that. Will Meghan return to acting? I would love to better understand how they define "financially independent."

I guess Charles got his slimmed down monarchy much faster than any of us thought would happen. However, I don't think he expected this. In the future I doubt we will see a load of family members on the balcony at Trooping the Color or cars full of relatives driving through the Buckingham Palace gates for a Christmas luncheon.

Hmm ...

[Purrs]

I knew they were unhappy but I'm shocked.

Although it's been clear that they were unhappy and the criticism of Meghan has been vicious (as well as Harry wanting to walk away in the past), this announcement seems very premature.

I'm particularly concerned that the palace didn't seem to be well prepared and has said the details haven't been worked out and it's complicated. I do feel badly for Charles and William and the Queen in particular.

I'm not sure how this will work and if it will be workable (and if they will see any reduction in negative press coverage, this will certainly be criticised for this change.).

I do wish them all the best.