The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Transition & Future

[Moonmaiden23]

I agree that it's unfair to rely on tabloids to form the basis of ones' opinion on anything..including the Sussexes.

But what happens when the couples' own words and actions reinforces what has been reported in the tabloids?.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I agree that it's unfair to use tabloids to form the basis of ones' opinion on anything..including the Sussexes.

But what happens when the couples' own words and actions reinforces what has been reported in the tabloids?.

I guess it depends on how you read things. What one person sees might not be how another would interpret it unless the words/actions were pretty much made clear for every mindset. It's a hard situation.

 

[Osipi]

It appears that not all the decisions announced by Buckingham Palace in January were final; several have been rowed back.

Buckingham Palace gave out in January that:
a. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were to pay a commercial rate of rent for their residence in the United Kingdom and had "shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grand expenditure" used in its refurbishment.
b. The Duke of Sussex was to step back from his official military appointments.
c. The couple, while remaining HRH, were to be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex from spring 2020.

These decisions were subsequently changed:
a. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to pay a peppercorn (token) rent, not a commercial rate, for their UK residence, and there is no reference to repaying the expenditure for refurbishment in the "Spring 2020 Transition" announcement.
b. The Duke of Sussex is to retain his official military appointments.
c. The couple are to formally remain known as HRH.

Perhaps these concessions and changes to the original statement made by Buckingham Palace is how the 12 month review came into being? Perhaps by acquiescing and compromising on these issues for the period under review is to see just how Harry and Meghan's future vision for their "entity" and how their lives are conducted within this time period is to discern if its shown that even though they are "private" and "on their own" that it fits into the mold of how members of the British Royal Family conduct and present themselves?

Are they upholding the values as stated in the Queen's own statement of "With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty."?

To be absolutely honest here, I think that the statement made yesterday kind of blows it all out of the water. HM, The Queen, who is the epitome of grace and dignity, probably wishes now that the 12 month under review stipulation was never put into effect and concessions never made. Who knows? She may, after consideration of the words spoken recently, rescind it all and even tell them not to bother returning to the UK. But then again, The Queen isn't snarky like that and will keep her thoughts private and out of the public domain.

Sometimes if you give someone enough rope, they'll eventually hang themselves with it. Now to watch and see how March goes. That will be quite telling, I think. ?

 

[Pranter]

I agree that it's unfair to use tabloids to form the basis of ones' opinion on anything..including the Sussexes.

But what happens when the couples' own words and actions reinforces what has been reported in the tabloids?.

Sometimes it matches and sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the slant that was published. Headlines like the Queen has BANNED The Sussexes from X etc...when we all (should) know that is not what happened etc.


LaRae

 

[Denville]

True Denville...but when a man starts on his own, he usually has to downsize. He has enough money to buy a nice home and provide for his family. Dip into your bank account. Surely he doesn’t expect the same luxuries his father has, oh wait, me thinks he does. In my eyes he had yet to learn self respect.

do you really think that Harry is going to buy a a house that isn't super duper? and that he's goig to live on the interest of his 30M until he starts to make money? I think he's going to expect the money from Charles... and

 

[MissPeach77]

Quick question from an American who doesn't get this whole thing

I have a question. Prince Harry and Meghan asked to not be senior members of the royal family and want to live a more private life. So since this happened it has become an uproar, they aren't allowed to use their royal titles, etc., but my question is you have royals like Princess Anne and Prince Edward who aren't really in the limelight. Prince Edward even owns a company that produces documentaries and other shows. Why is he allowed to live a private life and have a real job without being stripped of everything, but when Harry does the same he is ostracized for it? Anne's kids don't even have titles because she wanted them to have a normal life, but her kids are still accepted as part of the family without any controversy. It's not like Harry walked in and said I am disowning this family from my life and you will never see me again. He just wanted to step back from having to appear at things like cutting ribbons and breaking champagne bottles on new boats. I just don't get the double standard.

 

[TLLK]

Miss Peach- The Earl and Countess of Wessex are full time royals and have been since 2002. In the aftermath of Sophie's "Fake Sheikh" interview, they dropped their plans to combine careers with part time royal duties and became full time royals. Also Prince Edward's Ardent Productions Co. was liquidated in 2009 and later dissolved in 2011.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8831076/Edwards-TV-company-dissolved.html

A line was drawn under Prince Edward's embarrassing involvment in the firm with an announcement published in the London Gazette last month.

Records at Companies House showed its final assets were worth precisely zero, the Daily Mail reported.

Ardent was liquidated in 2009 when it was left with assets of just £40.27. Investors who pumped £2.2 million into the company have been left with nothing.

When he launched the venture in 1993, the Earl boasted that Ardent would become one of the country's leading production firms.

He was accused of abusing his position by making a string of programmes about the Royal Family, including a documentary about the restoration of Windsor Castle and a history of his great uncle, Edward VIII, called Edward on Edward.

IMHO it is in part due to what occurred with the Wessexes that HM QEII, the PoW and the Duke of Cambridge had serious concerns about the Sussexes' original plan that was announced in January to live outside the UK, seek financial independence and be official representatives for the monarchy and the British government.

I believe that much of the uproar is due to the manner in which the Sussexes made their January announcement about their plans without final approval/agreement with the Queen and PoW, and the governments of the UK and Canada.

 

[MissPeach77]

Miss Peach- The Earl and Countess of Wessex are full time royals and have been since 2002. In the aftermath of Sophie's "Fake Sheikh" interview, they dropped their plans to combine careers with part time royal duties and became full time royals. Also Prince Edward's Ardent Productions Co. was liquidated in 2009 and later dissolved in 2011.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8831076/Edwards-TV-company-dissolved.html



IMHO it is in part due to what occurred with the Wessexes that HM QEII, the PoW and the Duke of Cambridge had serious concerns about the Sussexes' original plan that was announced in January to live outside the UK, seek financial independence and be official representatives for the monarchy and the British government.

I believe that much of the uproar is due to the manner in which the Sussexes made their January announcement about their plans without final approval/agreement with the Queen and PoW, and the governments of the UK and Canada.

Thanks for the explanation. I guess from an outsider's perspective even if Prince Edward is a senior member of the royal family, you don't really see him all that much. You see Charles, and even the disgraced Andrew, and their families all the time, but if Edward or his kids passed me on the street I would have no idea who they were (especially his kids). He seems to live a much more private life then others in the family. While I don't agree with how Harry and Meghan announced their plans, I really don't see what the big deal is in the grand scheme of things. He isn't next in line for the throne, he is abdicating like QE's uncle did, he just wants a normal life. I don't see the harm in that. He lost his mother to publicity and I think it is fair for any parents to want to protect their children from the royal lifestyle after what he went through.

 

[Alisa]

Harry & Meghan are right that it is true that there are titles members of the royal family that are/were allowed to work independently and still retain use of "HRH".

To date the most high profile are Beatrice and Eugenie. Like Harry, they are both grandchildren of the sovereign and have the style of "HRH".
I suspect the issue was that Harry & Meghan weren't stepping back to work for a single company or organization but were stepping back to really put themselves out there and commercialize themselves. Hence they were treated differently.

 

[TLLK]

Thanks for the explanation. I guess from an outsider's perspective even if Prince Edward is a senior member of the royal family, you don't really see him all that much. You see Charles, and even the disgraced Andrew, and their families all the time, but if Edward or his kids passed me on the street I would have no idea who they were (especially his kids). He seems to live a much more private life then others in the family. While I don't agree with how Harry and Meghan announced their plans, I really don't see what the big deal is in the grand scheme of things. He isn't next in line for the throne, he is abdicating like QE's uncle did, he just wants a normal life. I don't see the harm in that. He lost his mother to publicity and I think it is fair for any parents to want to protect their children from the royal lifestyle after what he went through.

You're welcome MissPeach. Yes the Wessexes don't receive much coverage for their royal duties, however like QEII's other children he typically tallies hundreds of engagements each year.



As for the Sussexes, I believe that like myself there are those who are sympathetic to the couple's reasons to why they wanted to step back from senior royal duties. However I am not impressed by the manner in which they have handled things so far.

 

[MissPeach77]

Harry & Meghan are right that it is true that there are titles members of the royal family that are/were allowed to work independently and still retain use of "HRH".

To date the most high profile are Beatrice and Eugenie. Like Harry, they are both grandchildren of the sovereign and have the style of "HRH".
I suspect the issue was that Harry & Meghan weren't stepping back to work for a single company or organization but were stepping back to really put themselves out there and commercialize themselves. Hence they were treated differently.

Yes, I suppose you are right. Listen, I'm no fan of MM. I believe she has stars in her eyes and is very opportunistic, but I think this whole thing could have been handled better on both sides. Harry and Meghan could have been more respectful in their departure, and the Queen, Charles and William could have just dealt with it as a family and not an institution. No one chooses what family they are born into, and if someone born into the royal family doesn't want to be a senior member, and wants to live a private life, then they should be able to do so without all the pomp and circumstance that comes with that decision, and all the bad blood. I mean even when QE's uncle abdicated and shunned it was ridiculous. He would have probably never done so if he had just been allowed to marry who he wanted. Look what happened when Charles was forced to marry Diana. It ruined his life, it ruined Diana's life, and it made a mess years later. It could have all been avoided if they were allowed to live their lives as they chose from the start. The same goes for Harry. Just let him live his life without all the talk about losing titles, etc. Because as we saw with Charles, in the end, it all works out the way it should have in the beginning. No need to make a mess of things at the start.

 

[QueenMathilde]

I have a question. Prince Harry and Meghan asked to not be senior members of the royal family and want to live a more private life. So since this happened it has become an uproar, they aren't allowed to use their royal titles, etc., but my question is you have royals like Princess Anne and Prince Edward who aren't really in the limelight. Prince Edward even owns a company that produces documentaries and other shows. Why is he allowed to live a private life and have a real job without being stripped of everything, but when Harry does the same he is ostracized for it? Anne's kids don't even have titles because she wanted them to have a normal life, but her kids are still accepted as part of the family without any controversy. It's not like Harry walked in and said I am disowning this family from my life and you will never see me again. He just wanted to step back from having to appear at things like cutting ribbons and breaking champagne bottles on new boats. I just don't get the double standard.

They aren't selling their titles. Edward, Sophie and Fergie tried to sell their royal connections back in the day and were firmly slapped down. More recently Peter tried to sell his royal connections in a milk ad and he was slapped down as well.


And Anne's kids don't have titles because their father wasn't royal.


Andrew's daughters have jobs. They aren't out there selling the fact that they have royal titles though I'm sure it helped them get their jobs.


It's not a double standard to anyone but Meghan and Harry. Get a job if you want one but don't "sell" your ties to the royal family for a profit.


No one said they couldn't leave the royal family. They just said they couldn't profit off their titles. None of them have been allowed to do that.

 

[wyevale]

No need to make a mess of things at the start.

Indeed - so 'AT the start' [when the Couple married] why not make clear your ideas on your future ? Lay out clearly what you intend to do, and what you intend not to do ?

Don't accept the offer of an extremely grand Wedding/House/role and ducal Titles..

Had THEY been honest, and clear then, all this could have been avoided, and the Royal family, [and the British Public] not been left with the unpleasant feeling we'd all been 'led up the Garden path'..

 

[Denville]

I have a question. Prince Harry and Meghan asked to not be senior members of the royal family and want to live a more private life. So since this happened it has become an uproar, they aren't allowed to use their royal titles, etc., but my question is you have royals like Princess Anne and Prince Edward who aren't really in the limelight. Prince Edward even owns a company that produces documentaries and other shows. Why is he allowed to live a private life and have a real job without being stripped of everything, but when Harry does the same he is ostracized for it? Anne's kids don't even have titles because she wanted them to have a normal life, but her kids are still accepted as part of the family without any controversy. It's not like Harry walked in and said I am disowning this family from my life and you will never see me again. He just wanted to step back from having to appear at things like cutting ribbons and breaking champagne bottles on new boats. I just don't get the double standard.

Edward does not do so any more. He and Sophie had to give up their businesses some years ago and became ful time Royal workers.
Anne's children do not have titles and were never intended to be part of the working family.. THey have always earned their own living..
Nobody is stopping Harry from dropping out of royal wrok, if that is what he wants to do...

 

[MsJulie]

Indeed - so 'AT the start' [when the Couple married] why not make clear your ideas on your future ? Lay out clearly what you intend to do,

Had THEY been honest, and clear then, all this could have been avoided, and the Royal family, [and the British Public] not been left with the unpleasant feeling we'd all been 'led up the Garden path'..

I would say Harry did lay it all out...but the Firm said no.

We do not know for sure but just MAYBE they did tell the Queen what they wanted for their future, to step back and earn their own money. The Queen may have said no or let’s wait and see, let’s try it this way or that way. I firmly believe Harry wanted to leave the public life a long time ago, especially when his past gf’s did not want to be part of the public and Royal life. Harry saw this more and more with each gf. Then there was William and Kate...the trio ran around together and They could have pressured Harry into staying on board. When Megan came along, Harry had support first from his gf who he kept silent about for some time, later his wife. They did IMO try the Royal life to appease the Queen...the Firm’s pressure, but it appears it still was too much for Harry. He carried around a lot of grief and burdens since his mum died. Megan supported Harry in what ever he wanted to do....what was best for Harry. It may have taken longer but Harry would have left the spotlight and Firm. That is one reason why he stayed in the military he was away from the Firm and pressures, being as normal as possible. Yet, Harry left the military because he was called to come back...work the Firm. Most people blame Megan, everything is her fault, she changed Harry, she decided all of this, when I believe Harry wanted all this change years ago all Megan did was support Harry, her husband. Actually the blame goes to the Queen and Charles....they are very very old, old fashion. Change is not to be, they want things to stay the same, they want total control. Diana fought the Firm too and looked what happened. The Queen and Charles have not really modernized the Firm at all. In the future I would not be surprised to see that when William is King he will have no say so in the government at all. Just be a figure head of the Royal family. Other royal Families are slimming down, the siblings of the future monarchs are private citizens and have their own careers. This should be for the Firm too. This entire process went down because in the back ground, which we are not privy too, the Queen and Charles did not want change and William just went along with them. I am tired of the bashing of Megan as the problem for all of this, however this will continue. Harry looks a lot happier, he picked his own wife, his own way now and for the future for his family. I bet William is just a bit jealous for that freedom. Many, many of those here will not agree with me and that’s fine. We all have our own opinions. I just get real tired of the bashing of Megan, the fact that they were not upfront with EG he Firm, which IMO I believe they did tell them but the Firm wanted no change. Now it has come to the media and the world to make all the comments yet we do not know what happened behind closed doors, we can only assume or we actually say what we want to have happened. Like I said this is my opinion like others have theirs.

 

[Alison H]

Nobody is ostracising Harry. He chose to leave, and then started issuing demands.


It was not ridiculous that Edward VIII had to abdicate. At that time, divorce was widely regarded as being socially unacceptable. There would have been a huge scandal even if Joe Bloggs from a small street in a small town had wanted to marry a divorcee. Many people at that time were pressurised into ending a relationship because their partner was of a different religion, or a different ethnicity, or a different social class, or deemed "unsuitable" for any other reason. Times were different then.


Charles was not "forced" to marry Diana. He was under pressure to find a suitable wife, but nobody held a gun to his head and dragged him down the aisle. And Camilla didn't want to marry him at that time anyway - she chose Andrew Parker Bowles.


As other people have said, there's an issue with Harry and Meghan wanting to trade off their titles. Maybe "Beatrice York" wouldn't have a top job if she were plain Beatrice Smith, and I doubt that Zara Tindall would be asked to be a brand ambassador just off her reputation as an Olympic showjumper, but they're not actually trading off the royal name.


If Harry wanted to get a 9-5 job and earn a basic salary and live off that, I can't see that anyone would object in the slightest. But he doesn't.

 

[Denville]

Nobody is ostracising Harry. He chose to leave, and then started issuing demands.


It was not ridiculous that Edward VIII had to abdicate. At that time, divorce was widely regarded as being socially unacceptable. There would have been a huge scandal even if Joe Bloggs from a small street in a small town had wanted to marry a divorcee. Many people at that time were pressurised into ending a relationship because their partner was of a different religion, or a different ethnicity, or a different social class, or deemed "unsuitable" for any other reason. Times were different then.


Charles was not "forced" to marry Diana. He was under pressure to find a suitable wife, but nobody held a gun to his head and dragged him down the aisle. And Camilla didn't want to marry him at that time anyway - she chose Andrew Parker Bowles.


As other people have said, there's an issue with Harry and Meghan wanting to trade off their titles. Maybe "Beatrice York" wouldn't have a top job if she were plain Beatrice Smith, and I doubt that Zara Tindall would be asked to be a brand ambassador just off her reputation as an Olympic showjumper, but they're not actually trading off the royal name.


If Harry wanted to get a 9-5 job and earn a basic salary and live off that, I can't see that anyone would object in the slightest. But he doesn't.

Of course he doesn't. He and Meg clearly hoped to be able to use the Sussex Royal brand to sell goods and for the moment he will be able to use the fact that he is Prince Harry, to sell his speeches. Agree no one is ostracising Harry the RF have clearly tried to leave the door open for him, with the idea of a 12 month review..

 

[Hallo girl]

Yes, I suppose you are right. Listen, I'm no fan of MM. I believe she has stars in her eyes and is very opportunistic, but I think this whole thing could have been handled better on both sides. Harry and Meghan could have been more respectful in their departure, and the Queen, Charles and William could have just dealt with it as a family and not an institution. No one chooses what family they are born into, and if someone born into the royal family doesn't want to be a senior member, and wants to live a private life, then they should be able to do so without all the pomp and circumstance that comes with that decision, and all the bad blood. I mean even when QE's uncle abdicated and shunned it was ridiculous. He would have probably never done so if he had just been allowed to marry who he wanted. Look what happened when Charles was forced to marry Diana. It ruined his life, it ruined Diana's life, and it made a mess years later. It could have all been avoided if they were allowed to live their lives as they chose from the start. The same goes for Harry. Just let him live his life without all the talk about losing titles, etc. Because as we saw with Charles, in the end, it all works out the way it should have in the beginning. No need to make a mess of things at the start.

There was more to Edward v111's decision, if you read the history books or watch historical documentaries , it will provide more detail. It cannot be summarised in one sentence like you have here.

 

[Betsypaige]

There was more to Edward v111's decision, if you read the history books or watch historical documentaries , it will provide more detail. It cannot be summarised in one sentence like you have here.

Right, and this idea that the Queen and Charles should or could have handled this in-house as a family only and not an institution is naive....and impossible. Also, no one is preventing Harry from living his life...and the only bad blood seems to be coming from he and Meghan

 

[Hallo girl]

I would say Harry did lay it all out...but the Firm said no.

We do not know for sure but just MAYBE they did tell the Queen what they wanted for their future, to step back and earn their own money. The Queen may have said no or let’s wait and see, let’s try it this way or that way. I firmly believe Harry wanted to leave the public life a long time ago, especially when his past gf’s did not want to be part of the public and Royal life. Harry saw this more and more with each gf. Then there was William and Kate...the trio ran around together and They could have pressured Harry into staying on board. When Megan came along, Harry had support first from his gf who he kept silent about for some time, later his wife. They did IMO try the Royal life to appease the Queen...the Firm’s pressure, but it appears it still was too much for Harry. He carried around a lot of grief and burdens since his mum died. Megan supported Harry in what ever he wanted to do....what was best for Harry. It may have taken longer but Harry would have left the spotlight and Firm. That is one reason why he stayed in the military he was away from the Firm and pressures, being as normal as possible. Yet, Harry left the military because he was called to come back...work the Firm. Most people blame Megan, everything is her fault, she changed Harry, she decided all of this, when I believe Harry wanted all this change years ago all Megan did was support Harry, her husband. Actually the blame goes to the Queen and Charles....they are very very old, old fashion. Change is not to be, they want things to stay the same, they want total control. Diana fought the Firm too and looked what happened. The Queen and Charles have not really modernized the Firm at all. In the future I would not be surprised to see that when William is King he will have no say so in the government at all. Just be a figure head of the Royal family. Other royal Families are slimming down, the siblings of the future monarchs are private citizens and have their own careers. This should be for the Firm too. This entire process went down because in the back ground, which we are not privy too, the Queen and Charles did not want change and William just went along with them. I am tired of the bashing of Megan as the problem for all of this, however this will continue. Harry looks a lot happier, he picked his own wife, his own way now and for the future for his family. I bet William is just a bit jealous for that freedom. Many, many of those here will not agree with me and that’s fine. We all have our own opinions. I just get real tired of the bashing of Megan, the fact that they were not upfront with EG he Firm, which IMO I believe they did tell them but the Firm wanted no change. Now it has come to the media and the world to make all the comments yet we do not know what happened behind closed doors, we can only assume or we actually say what we want to have happened. Like I said this is my opinion like others have theirs.

The Queen does not have any say in the government at the moment , so there will be no change there when Charles and then William become king.

If the BRF had not moved on with the times there would not have been a marriage between Meghan and Harry or at least not the public event supported by the public and family they chose to invite.

I would have been more surprised if the family had not tried to keep them within the firm, and tried to persuade them to stay.
I am not sure why that would be a fault.
They can maybe see that he is not moving away from the publicity and the pressures but instead moving towards different pressures.

The point appears to be that they want to earn money for their charities. I am not sure how they could not have done that as working members of the family.

The pair of them together could have blazed a trail with fund raising but do not want to do it as part of the BRF.

Could somebody tell me how they are going to be financially independent?
Do they intend earning money for themselves as well as charity funding, who decides what money is for what.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

There was more to Edward v111's decision, if you read the history books or watch historical documentaries , it will provide more detail. It cannot be summarised in one sentence like you have here.

Indeed. With everything that has come to light about "David" and his ladylove since the Abdication, I am stunned that anyone still sympathizes with his desire to marry Wallis and assume the throne.

Yikes.

 

[Jacknch]

Please be reminded that whilst this thread is closed, so is the topic. Please do not attempt to continue the discussion in other threads as such posts will be be deleted.