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

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Jannedde

I think she was fully committed in the beginning but didn't have any real understanding of what it would be like. Though both are english speaking, there are enormous cultural differences between the USA and the UK. Harry being in the royal family and not knowing any other way of life probably did not recognise that enough to advise her. English upper classes are very reserved and don't openly display their feelings.

Harry is very open abuot his feelings.. if she didn't know about Englishs life, (and I think she didn't) well that's down to her and Harry between them. She could have found some way of moving her for a time and getting to know the country..and he should have advised her more about it.. Yes there would have been problems, if their relationship didn't work out, but Im sure she could have goene back to the US if it hadn't and remade her life.. and it would be better than this mess...She said that she did not know about the tabloids.. well really? Harry knows how harsh and unkind they are, and he did not wanr her?

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

Oh so it would be okay if Meghan and Harry were doing it in the UK and not moving to Canada?? I forgot they have to be within national borders and only support the UK.

Edward and Sophie did create a business. And if you think for one second they weren’t cashing in on his title you are fooling yourself. Edward wasn’t getting his work based on his talent. He very much got it as son of the queen. And should we list the name of celebrities Edward rubbed elbows with for business??? Oh wait they were British so it’s forgiven.

Tax payers aren’t buying them a house in Canada or paying for their life. So who cares if they have two homes. Not the only royals with two homes. Oh wait they are daring to have one outside the UK how dare they.

Sorry this need to shout that this is so different then Edward is as pathetic as the need to make Harry out as a brainless puppet his wife controls



And FYI the Wessexes had security 24/7 publicaly funded in those days. So what were you saying

It is due to the problems that Edward and Sophie encountered that is causing the warning bells for H & M to be financially independent, they cannot be seen to trade in their titles for commerce. It is a fine line, that is why the queen and Charles paid towards their expenses to avoid any need to enter commercial deals to earn money.
I know others are paid I am just not listing them, I am just trying to put over a point.

Of course they can continue with the charity work, I am not sure how it will all work out though.

[Betsypaige]

Originally Posted by Denville

Will they? HE has shown himself and his wife has also shown to be very unreliable. perhaps they have mental helath issues that means they can't help it but eiter way, it doesn't seem a good plan to try and depend on either of them

Oh, I’m not saying they should ever rely on them, but as a father, of course Charles will always hope that Harry returns. I admit, I doubt that will happen considering that he was perfectly happy to cause all this pain to his family. I hope that Charles read him the riot act regarding how he and his wife have handled this whole thing, including the gross idea of blackmail

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Hallo girl

It is due to the problems that Edward and Sophie encountered that is causing the warning bells for H & M to be financially independent, they cannot be seen to trade in their titles for commerce. It is a fine line, that is why the queen and Charles paid towards their expenses to avoid any need to enter commercial deals to earn money.
I know others are paid I am just not listing them, I am just trying to put over a point.

Of course they can continue with the charity work, I am not sure how it will all work out though.

Precisely. It wasn't a good idea fro Ed and Sophie to go into business. THey weren't skilled at it and there are always going to be accusations of using a royal status for commercial reasons even if it is unfair. and in the end Ed and Sophie had to give up and go to full time royal work.. Harry and Meghan will problaby find that it is a lot harder to earn the sort of money they want than they originally thought and they may have to cross lines to try and earn money.. then Charles will problaby end up giving them a bigger allowance to try and protect them from criticism.

[Skippy]

How sad this has become. At this point, considering yesterday's outcome, all I have to say about Harry and Meghan: let them prove that they can manage and make it.
I felt very disappointed but also understand Her Majesty's viewpoint to have this over and done with ASAP.

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by Denville

Harry is very open abuot his feelings.. if she didn't know about Englishs life, (and I think she didn't) well that's down to her and Harry between them. She could have found some way of moving her for a time and getting to know the country..and he should have advised her more about it.. Yes there would have been problems, if their relationship didn't work out, but Im sure she could have goene back to the US if it hadn't and remade her life.. and it would be better than this mess...She said that she did not know about the tabloids.. well really? Harry knows how harsh and unkind they are, and he did not wanr her?

I will not deny that the media played a part in all this, but I also think that Meghan was not fully aware of the restrictions that would be placed on her.

Another thing that has came out is with regards.' The Lion KIng' premier is that there was an important event with the Royal Marines that same day that Harry did not go to. That has not went down well either, it seems to sum up that celebrity is their first choice rather than duty. Before anybody says anything Meghan could have went on her own and a he could have went to the Marines event.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Betsypaige

Oh, I’m not saying they should ever rely on them, but as a father, of course Charles will always hope that Harry returns. I admit, I doubt that will happen considering that he was perfectly happy to cause all this pain to his family. I hope that Charles read him the riot act regarding how he and his wife have handled this whole thing, including the gross idea of blackmail

I think he should be firmer. I think he's always been too soft with the sons esp Harry.. but I suppose he wont be. I fear that he may feel that Harry's not likely to come back unless he fails abjectly or ends up split from Meghan and that's not something he could realy hope for either, as a father. He wont want Harry to end up miserable and a failure at eanring an income.. and he wont want him parted from his wife..

[LadyGlendower]

I think Meghan knew about the nature of British tabloids going in. Even a cursory internet search on members of the Royal Family and their coverage by tabloids comes up with tons of information and she was in the entertainment industry so hardly unfamiliar with the press on an international basis.

Why would Harry have to warn her? The Diana years and aftermath are not exactly an obscure story that few people are aware of.

Yes, she was thrown in to sink or swim----just like the rest of us in our careers, marriages, lives. And the big question facing her now is what privileged sector of the world to raise her child in with an an adoring husband.

Like so many people here have said this is a sad disappointing story because of what could have been.

But life is long and full of surprises and there may be a turnaround somewhere down the road for the Sussexes. I know one thing----there will be people on this forum watching it happen!

[Denville]

According to herself she ddn't know much about Diana, or the RF (possibly that's not true).. and that she thought the tabloids would be "fair". I suspect that she didn't realise that as a newcomer to the RF, esp as an American, an actress etc, she was going to get a lot of querying and crtiticsm. Possibly also an underlying racism from some quarters. I think she basically thought that the RF lived in castles and were admired by the public..and did not realise how many are indifferent, how many people are quite hostile to the Monarchy etc.. and that the press reflects that mixed feeling
But eventually that sort of nagging and criticism DOES tend to fade away but it probably is hard to completely ignore.. Still, If Meg cant ignore it, or Harry is very hurt by it for her, it may be impossible for them to go on as Royals...

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by LadyGlendower

I think Meghan knew about the nature of British tabloids going in. Even a cursory internet search on members of the Royal Family and their coverage by tabloids comes up with tons of information and she was in the entertainment industry so hardly unfamiliar with the press on an international basis.

Why would Harry have to warn her? The Diana years and aftermath are not exactly an obscure story that few people are aware of.

Yes, she was thrown in to sink or swim----just like the rest of us in our careers, marriages, lives. And the big question facing her now is what privileged sector of the world to raise her child in with an an adoring husband.

Like so many people here have said this is a sad disappointing story because of what could have been.

But life is long and full of surprises and there may be a turnaround somewhere down the road for the Sussexes. I know one thing----there will be people on this forum watching it happen!

The UK is unique in terms of the tabloid culture and the level of scrutiny the British Royal Family is subjected to. I accept that posed additional difficulties for Meghan or any other royal bride.

Having said that, moving to another country and adjusting to another culture are not per se insurmountable obstacles. Several royal wives did it , for example Maxima Zorreguieta, Mary Donaldson, Alexandra Manley, etc. And , in the those cases, one could argue it was even harder because they had to learn a new language and go through a much steeper cultural adjustment than moving from Canada to the UK ( many North Americans live in the UK and London in particular is a place where they feel greatly at ease). And, like Meghan, none of the aforementioned royal brides came from a royal background or had a deep understanding of royal life. What they did have was a firm commitment to their new role, at least in Maxima’s or Mary’s case ( different situations though, I know, because they married Crown princes , so there was no way out ).

BTW, on a different note, the Daily Mail is reporting that Meghan was barred from phoning in from Canada during the Sandrigham meeting yesterday.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...een-story.html

[texankitcat]

Originally Posted by _Heather_

You're certainly not wrong. But I think that with the trademarks issue, just as with most of the issues this mess has brought up, we're just going to have to wait and see how it all plays out. If the trademarks have been placed simply to keep others from using them then there's no problem at all. If they've been placed because there will be a range of products with 100% of the profits going to a non-profit organization to fund a myriad of good works then again, no problem. However, if those trademarks have been placed in order to create a line of merchandise whose sale will line the personal pockets of Harry and Meghan who are making significant personal profits or "professional income" off the backs of their Sussex titles then that's a significant problem on a number of fronts. I admit that I can certainly see where the concern is coming from given the emphasis in their statement regarding "financial independence" and "professional income." I, like most of those commenting here, will be interested to see which path this trademark business all takes.

But how does one become financially independent and earn a professional income in their position? Meghan cannot return to acting as a Royal Duchess and Harry did not pursue a higher education or training beyond his military service. That leaves selling themselves and their “brand” either by funding their lifestyle through their “charitable” endeavors, charging for appearances and celebrity “Hollywood” events/projects, endorsements for famous commercial brands or through merchandising of their Sussex Royal brand. I guaranty they have a plan in place and are chomping at the bit to go full throttle, which is why they were anxious to get out of the BRF obligations and do the absolute minimum required.

As to whether that will be a reality is the question since the BRF should be very concerned and need to put restrictions and legal safeguards in place since neither Harry or Meghan seem to care beyond their own needs and wants at this point. By doing so, it may push the Sussex’s to jump ship entirely since I don’t see Meghan ever returning to become a full time Royal or step foot back in England for any extended length of time. I think she is truly done and only wants the financial gains from the association going forward.

[helenbeee]

Originally Posted by Curryong

A long dating period, followed by a long engagement?
By which time Meghan would be nearing forty and the possibilities of her having any children (very much wanted by Harry) would be rapidly receding into the distance. All these arguments for and against a long pre engagement period were thrashed out at great length in the appropriate thread at the time.

It's been said that no-one knows what Royal life is really like unless and until you are actually living it, and to a large degree I agree with that. Harry was also a full time Royal on his wedding day, so there could not be any gradual part time induction into the role such as Kate had.

Plus, I do not believe that it was primarily her role in fulfilling engagements that put Meghan off living in Britain. She usually looked as if she was hugely enjoying it. I saw the couple on their Australian tour and that seemed genuinely to be the case. IMO the vile and incessant criticism she received from the British tabloids from the beginning has played a large part in this.

Absolutely the truth and when it started filtering down and tainting their baby and their newly formed family. That was the final straw I guess they realised they had options that Harry wasnt William and he had a choice of a more private life. I love how people talk like they dont have money this couple is well off Meghan could return to acting and do really well out of it and Harry would be a valuable member on charitable organisations boards he does have the experience.

[King of the Jungle]

Why could Meghan not accept some acting parts?

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by King of the Jungle

Why could Meghan not accept some acting parts?

She is already doing voice-over work for Disney,, which is an acting job technically speaking.

Other news: Boris Johnson gave a long breakfast interview to the BBC today, which was obviously about other issues, but he was asked about Harry and Meghan and declined to comment. His exact words were as follows:

My view on this is very straightforward: I am a massive fan, like most of our viewers, of the Queen and the royal family as a fantastic asset for our country. I’m absolutely confident that they are going to sort this out.

But they are going to sort it out much more easily without a running commentary from politicians.

[Lumutqueen]

Royal Sources, I use the term loosely, have confirmed that The Duchess of Sussex did not take part in the meeting yesterday. It was decided between the Sussexes that it was unnecessary for Meghan to join.
https://twitter.com/chrisshipitv/sta...823811584?s=20

[wyevale]

I predict Harry will be yet more miserable than he is now - He will miss Rugby, Cricket, proper Footie, what remains of his [own] circle of friends, his family, the countryside, and environment in which he grew up, the cameraderie of his Army mates and a myriad of other things..

No Woman [be she 'ever so wonderful'] can replace or erase those feelings, and he will be 'alone in them'.

Poor Bugger..but 'you make your bed' etc, etc.

[texankitcat]

Originally Posted by helenbeee

Absolutely the truth and when it started filtering down and tainting their baby and their newly formed family. That was the final straw I guess they realised they had options that Harry wasnt William and he had a choice of a more private life. I love how people talk like they dont have money this couple is well off Meghan could return to acting and do really well out of it and Harry would be a valuable member on charitable organisations boards he does have the experience.

Meghan cannot return to acting now that she is a Royal Duchess. If they relinquished titles, HRH status and became basically private citizens that would be another matter, but with her current status...no.

[Betsypaige]

Originally Posted by Denville

I think he should be firmer. I think he's always been too soft with the sons esp Harry.. but I suppose he wont be. I fear that he may feel that Harry's not likely to come back unless he fails abjectly or ends up split from Meghan and that's not something he could realy hope for either, as a father. He wont want Harry to end up miserable and a failure at eanring an income.. and he wont want him parted from his wife..

We don’t know what went on behind closed doors, though - and from what I’ve read, Charles always wanted to give his sons room to develop as their own people. I do agree that Charles fears that Harry is gone for good, and that’s heartbreaking. Of course he’ll see him again, but it won’t be the same...and it’s not like he can just pop over to Canada to visit him, so they won’t see each other that often because Harry won’t be popping over to the UK that often, either.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by wyevale

I predict Harry will be yet more miserable than he is now - He will miss Rugby, Cricket, proper Footie, what remains of his [own] circle of friends, his family, the countryside, and environment in which he grew up, the cameraderie of his Army mates and a myriad of other things..

No Woman [be she 'ever so wonderful'] can replace or erase those feelings, and he will be 'alone in them'.

Poor Bugger..but 'you make your bed' etc, etc.

They are not moving into exile..they are still going to live part of the time in the U.K. They have phones and internet in Canada where Harry can keep in contact with any of his friends/family...plus they have these great pieces of machinery called airplanes which enable ppl to travel and visit each other within a matter of hours!

I daresay they have sports in Canada too! Look forward to seeing them at a hockey game!


LaRae

[Helen.CH]

Isn't it a question, too, if all these patronages can go on in the future.
As a non british I got the feeling that in the Uk there is hardly any flee flying without some royal connection. When elder Members stop working, to be realistic Charles with only two children of his own how will that circus go on and is this really necessary and when, yes, how is it to be dealt?
The RF needs this to proof their own need but after all like Princess Ann has shown often, it is a business and I wonder why people do not seem to get this and go absolutely crazy about a royal visit- they do giod work even without a patronage, maybe it it time to develop more selfconfidence for the future ��