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

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by ACO

“We had no choice.”

Why is that?

There are many answers to that question, only they will ever know the true one.

Personally for me, “they had no choice”, because they never gave themselves time to see another way.

[Betsypaige]

I’m kind of emotional, to be honest - that was very moving. I was afraid that Harry was rejecting his family, that in large part this move was out of anger, but I feel better now about things - at least in that regard. His pa loves and supports him, and so despite the rift does his brother. I do hope that we’ll see he and Archie back in the UK more than rarely..

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by Somebody

It's interesting to read Harry's perspective. Interestingly, he does not explain 'it has come to this' and why 'there really was no other option'.

He talks about 'many years of challenges', so the clue seems to be to figure out what those challenges were. Based on his previous interview and his own reference to the media in this speech, the most likely option seems 'the media', however, their insistence on 'earning a professional income' and 'continuing to serve the queen, the commonwealth and his military positions' would not really deal with that issue; they would still have faced (the same) media scrutiny and will most likely continue to do so now, especially if they take the path that they seem to be taking of a high-profile charity celebrities. So, I am not sure how they thought it would work and I am afraid they won't find what they seem to crave (media attention according to their own strict rules).

The other thing that struck me was that they apparently really thought their idea of being both in and out of the royal family would fly. I am surprised they were truly that naïve - and clearly didn't listen carefully during those 'months of talks' that things were much more complicated than they thought.

Nonetheless, I do hope the steps that have been taken will bring them the peace that they long for (especially since the turmoil they created comes at a great cost to the queen and country they express to serve - so it better not be in vain) but I also hope they understand that how they lead their lives will play a big part in it.

You know what I think. They did listen and it was frustrating them so they thought we will be realise this to the public and they will support out idea and the family will be forced to go along with it because they will see how much support it gets. Except it didn't, they played a hand way to early, and they realised that the public just shrugged and went. Okay...go. which cannot be good for the ego. Because I think they had a major one. More charisma than William. Meghan can give impassioned speeches and Kate can barely talk in public. But it's the same as Edward VIII. Wallis and Edward were far more charming and he was wildly popular but in the end, when the chips are down. People punt for stability and reliability to see them through.

[rob2008]

Originally Posted by Denville

He didn't just want not to take public money, he wanted to live abroad and make his own money...

Meghan and Harry want to be capitalists instead of public servants - fine!

We get it.

Their circle will be the global super rich. So how will Harry, giving up the role of public servant and now set on the adventure of becoming a capitalist, going to make (aspire to make) over £24m a year?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...global-turmoil

Will the TV deals in USA be enough to reach this amount? Any one know?

[Eskimo]

The speech at the dinner was really good. If they had negotiated their exit in private and then made this (or a similar) exit speech and left for North America they would have kept a lot of the goodwill that they have lost over the last two weeks.

[ACO]

Dan Wootton has a new “exclusives”

https://twitter.com/danwootton/statu...826323456?s=21

https://twitter.com/danwootton/statu...305013250?s=21

So the once Fab Four have called a truce? But not with Charles. Also HMQ is leaning on Andrew. He on a roll. So many sources chatty.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by rob2008

Meghan and Harry want to be capitalists instead of public servants - fine!

We get it.

Their circle will be the global super rich. So how will Harry, giving up the role of public servant and now set on the adventure of becoming a capitalist, going to make (aspire to make) over £24m a year?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...global-turmoil

Will the TV deals in USA be enough to reach this amount? Any one know?

No idea, but it shows me where Meg's heart is yearning.. and I can't help disliking Harry for going along with it...I don't think they will make that sort of money, and will be depending on Charles to bail them out....

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Denville

and hes now off to Canada......

Yes because one knows to love their country they just never leave.

There are 500,000 Canadians in the UK. I used to be one. Do you think they, or I back then stopped loving our country or being Canadian??? No. Certainly not. Same goes for expats who move all over the world for work, love, and any other reason they end up going.

Yes he has chosen to spend a portion of the year away. That doesn't erase his love for his country or dedication to his patronages there.

Originally Posted by Denville

He didn't just want not to take public money, he wanted to live abroad and make his own money...

Kind of goes hard in hand don't you think??? How exactly do you imagine he would love if he didn't take public money or have a job???

Would people be happy if he was a man of leisure living off Cornwall as long as he was in the UK?

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Pranter

Very nice speech. Seems very sincere.



LaRae

I am surprised a Prince of the United Kingdom would make sentences like “ a charity me and Prince Seeiso created [....]. “ And, in the sequel he mentioned “ those effected by HIV and AIDS” .

I don’t want to be picky, but his formal education could definitely have been better.

[Betsypaige]

Ugh, now I’m rather depressed. This confirms Camilla Tominey’s article....I’m happy Harry and William, but deeply sad about Harry and Charles

[ACO]

People ripped them for the $2.4M. So they say they will pay it back and make their own money instead... and people still upset.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by ACO

People ripped them for the $2.4M. So they say they will pay it back and make their own money instead... and people still upset.

It will be paid back by Charles....

[texankitcat]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

We have some words from “the horses mouth”, so to speak.

https://twitter.com/byqueenvic/statu...082566144?s=21

Henry at a Sentebale event this evening.

Henry making it almost crystal clear in the speech that he has made the decision to step back.

He seems to be putting the blame on his family rather than taking any responsibility for their own actions in this drama. I would have more respect if he had just kept his mouth shut instead of playing the victim yet again.

[Queen Claude]

Originally Posted by acdc1

There have been several “four generations” photos taken in the past few years- at George’s christening, for the stamp when George was around 2, and now with the one taken at Christmas. I think that it’s just media ridiculousness that Harry was upset about it. His family wasn’t even in the UK at the time the photo was released, and none of the other grandchildren or great-grandchildren were included so it wasn’t like Archie was being singled out by being excluded.

There have been the three that you mentioned, that is not several in my book. The generations photos that William and George have been part of in the past were christening photos and photos commemorating key birthdays/anniversaries, and yet this one was billed as welcoming the new decade. Now that I think about it, and knowing that the Sussex drama was playing out behind the scenes, I can actually see why this seemingly innocuous photo could have been interpreted as a circle the wagons / "here are the ones that matter" move by Harry.

I don't want to appear that I stridently believe that Harry had a negative reaction to the photo, as I mentioned previously, like many others I immediately dismissed the story and wondered how something so absurd even made it to print. However Harry having a reaction was mentioned in at least a couple of serious articles/analysis pieces which prompted me to start rethinking it and if it later comes out that this was true, I won't be shocked.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Denville

It will be paid back by Charles....

Maybe, maybe not. Point still remains. People didn’t want to spend that money on them. They say “Ffine. Here it’s is back!” and people upset about that too? Strange. Whiplash.

Originally Posted by texankitcat

He seems to be putting the blame on his family rather than taking any responsibility for their own actions in this drama. I would have more respect if he had just kept his mouth shut instead of playing the victim yet again.

Seems like he was just honest. They told him to pick. He did. People can feel however they want to feel about that but he flat out said in the end it was his choice. The family didn’t force him. He decided. No victims in this, IMO.

[phss]

I'm sorry but I really hate how Harry uses his dead mother to gain sympathy whenever he's in 'trouble'. He isn't the only person to have lost a parent when young. Yes, it was tragic, but it cheapens her legacy to 'wheel' her out so to speak in this way.

I completely understand his desire to retreat from the glare of the media and I would be fully 'on his side' if his actions lined up with his words....but they don't. IF it is the media attention that is the driving factor of this decision, why on earth is his new job to basically become a celebrity? He's choosing to stay in the public eye... If he announced his decision to step back to go and work at the head office of a charity I would find his claims much more sincere and believable

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by ACO

People ripped them for the $2.4M. So they say they will pay it back and make their own money instead... and people still upset.

The people determined to find fault will find it no matter what. The Sussexes won't be able to do anything to please them...even if it causes them to contradict themselves.



LaRae

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by ACO

Harry said he made the final decision. He confirmed they wanted to serve but without taking public money. He was denied. Likely was told you either full time royal or not one at all. He made his choice.

They just don’t get what the problem was with that! The part time thing-heck, a lot of us here could see the problem.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by phss

I'm sorry but I really hate how Harry uses his dead mother to gain sympathy whenever he's in 'trouble'. He isn't the only person to have lost a parent when young. Yes, it was tragic, but it cheapens her legacy to 'wheel' her out so to speak in this way.

I completely understand his desire to retreat from the glare of the media and I would be fully 'on his side' if his actions lined up with his words....but they don't. IF it is the media attention that is the driving factor of this decision, why on earth is his new job to basically become a celebrity? He's choosing to stay in the public eye... If he announced his decision to step back to go and work at the head office of a charity I would find his claims much more sincere and believable

Where has he said he intends to become a celebrity? He just said publically he intends to continue a life of service.


Why don't you just give him a chance to do something before you come down on him and make these sorts of baseless claims.



LaRae

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by ACO

Dan Wootton has a new “exclusives”

https://twitter.com/danwootton/statu...826323456?s=21

https://twitter.com/danwootton/statu...305013250?s=21

So the once Fab Four have called a truce? But not with Charles. Also HMQ is leaning on Andrew. He on a roll. So many sources chatty.

That is odd . It is exactly the opposite of what we were hearing, i.e. that Harry was distancing himself from William and getting closer to Charles .