Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family

[MARG]

It's a old but seemingly universal truth that when out dining, pub bing, and clubbing, ladies travel in packs regardless of who they are.

 

[Curbside]

I don’t mean that Meghan should expect to go shopping with Kate, just that it might be off putting to have not been invited.

 

[Tarlita]

It could have even been Miscommunication between the two ladies.

 

[Lee-Z]

You know what? If H&M get offended by a) not getting a shopping invite and b) not having the photo on the dresser when granny is on tv
and they don't see the invites and perks they *did* get from the BRF (invited on an official representation with the queen etc)

then it's all the more better for everyone that they stepped away from royal life

 

[poppy7]

I have to wonder.. shortly after the engagement ELF left, he is the one credited with helping to fix Harry’s reputation after the racist and anti Semitic events and the Vegas trip. It really seems things began to unravel once he left, and the wheel was left in the hands of others- likely Meghan and SS.

Which strengthens the theory that ELF was much more than a secretary but also a minder, tasked with making sure Harry was not going of control again and helping to navigate him in a productive and positive way.

All I know is, if I end up with bad publicity, I want ELF to take the wheel and fix it.

Harry was absolutely 'sold' as the image they wanted. Rumours were always around that he of all of them had to be managed, have stories buried and be sold as a publically palatable version of himself. William too. Them all too really. But he in particular. Without help to create this image of him, Indont know how he will fair. The Hollywood version of controlling the image is different

 

[poppy7]

True. If Meghan expected to go shopping with Catherine after only meeting her a few weeks earlier, it shows how little Meghan knew Catherine. Chelsy was with Harry for seven years, and she was never seen shopping with Catherine. Cressida for two years , and the two women were never once pictured together.

Catherine seems to see shopping as a very solitary, get-in get-out activity. In the pap shots of her shopping since becoming a royal, it's almost always just her and her protection officer. None of her best friends present ever, and without her family usually too (though sometimes she has the kids with her). The only real exception I can think of as when she went shopping with Camilla's sister (a professional interior designer) back when they were decorating Anmer, but that seemed to be a business outing.

Where Meghan seems to view shopping as a way to cosplay Carrie Bradshaw. FF makes it seem like the main reason she bonded with Jessica and Misha was their mutual love of shopping and fashion. If Meghan thinks all women are obsessed with shopping, then she might have been confused by Catherine. But later on once she got a better grasp of Catherine's interests, they had a better opportunity to do an activity together, example go to Wimbledon together twice.

I find it profoundly irritating shopping with other people other than my mother on occasion. People mess around. The true task is never to get clothes really and you are holding people up if you try anything on.

If I go shopping with friends, it is never for clothes. Often, if it happens, for Christmas presents, make up, books. Going shopping with friends, in my experience, is more to chat. And none of them.has the slightest interest in anything you get anyway.

I prefer to go on my own a d take my time to wander.

But Meghan's interest in the shops is extreme. Food, clothes, art (so she says).

 

[Denville]

Would it also be weird if it isn't your SIL but only the relatively new girlfriend of your brother-in-law that you only met one month earlier for the very first time? Going shopping with someone else seems to be an activity for people who are rather close with each other (last year I ended up going shopping with my boss on our return from a conference as we had to spend a full day between flights and while fun, it was a little weird); I don't think they were close at that point - and trying to bond in public might not be the best option either - especially in their position.

So, would things change if you are a high-profile person that at all times needs to think about the press who might spot you when you are going about your own business - and bringing the new girlfriend of your brother-in-law might create more fuss? You'd think they would both want to avoid any additional press attention.

I agree, i can't see what's "weird" about not going shopping with anyone, whether a member of your family or not. (I just don't sees why it would be expected, any more than one might expect one's sister in law or friend to say "Im going to the hairdressers, do you want to come.."
Kate may prefer to shop alone. She didn't know Meg well and didn't want to be with her for hours in shops....She may not have wanted to draw attention to Meghan who was then a girlfriends and was, as I understand, trying to stay under the radar...

 

[Denville]

I find it profoundly irritating shopping with other people other than my mother on occasion. People mess around. The true task is never to get clothes really and you are holding people up if you try anything on.

If I go shopping with friends, it is never for clothes. Often, if it happens, for Christmas presents, make up, books. Going shopping with friends, in my experience, is more to chat. And none of them.has the slightest interest in anything you get anyway.

I prefer to go on my own a d take my time to wander.

But Meghan's interest in the shops is extreme. Food, clothes, art (so she says).

agree. I'm not keen on shopping at all.. so I suppose I cant understand people who make a big thing of it and like to be carrying fancy bags from fancy shops. I used to shop with my husband for clothes sometimes, but the only time i shop with friends would be really window shopping, which is fun now and again.. just wandering around looking at pretty things and not really wanting to buy.

 

[rominet09]

At the time there was nothing official for Harry and Meghan. If they had been papped together (Kate and Meghan) it would have started a lot of unwanted comments.

 

[Denville]

At the time there was nothing official for Harry and Meghan. If they had been papped together (Kate and Meghan) it would have started a lot of unwanted comments.

True, I dont know why Meg would have wanted to go shopping with Kate then, as it would draw attention.. and I think Kate goes shopping alone and on the quiet because she doesn't want much attention. If she were the sort of woman who goes shopping with girlfriends a lot she would probably get snapped more often by the press doing it.

 

[Helen.CH]

what's ELF?

 

[miss whirley]

what's ELF?

Edward Lane Fox. He appears to be a master of PR, since he did great job of masking/redirecting Harry's controversies and personality "issues".

FF makes it sound like Meghan didn't trust him. So reading between the lines he was shown the door, then the Sussexes focused on a more Hollywood PR approach.

I'd like to think if ELF ever crossed paths with M&H, he'd do a Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, "Big Mistake! Big! Huge!" before strutting away from them.

 

[tommy100]

I think ELF was good at his job and played on the things Harry liked, e.g. the military and helped channel all his energy into that area,for example setting up Invictus Games. I think his way of managing Harry was to keep him busy doing things he liked and super managing "the outside noise. Its also indisputably a fact that the British press will 'overlook' some behaviour, stories etc for people who are popular in a way they won't once that person has fallen a bit.
One thing that surprises me is there is little talk of Samantha Cohen in the book - anything written about her is positive but fleeting. But the book never makes a big deal of the fact she was HM's former Assistant Private Secretary so by having her in place they did have someone overly experienced in how the RoyalHousehold works and someone who would have had a natural "in" with the Queen's current Private Secretary and other senior aides. Don't get me wrong, H&M's staff are praised in the book they are made out as if they are the 'naive new young staff' yet at the head for the majority of the time was someone who had been with the Royal Household for 18 years. Again, its another reason I can believe any idea they weren't supported through Royal life, they had one of HM's top aides, so if they listened to her they were getting top advice.

Interestingly they also brought Samantha back after she left to help with 'Megxit' and the quotes around at the time she came back to advise show how well respected she was (and bringing someone back to help at a difficult moment suggests you respect them and thing they can help)

Last night a royal insider revealed: “It was a no brainer for Harry to bring back Samantha. They have a close working relationship and he knows how much the Queen respects her.”

The source added: “Fiona is brilliant but Samantha knows the nuances of the Royal Family in a way few do.


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10774959/harry-meghan-rehired-aide-samantha-cohen-megxit/

 

[Betsypaige]

You know what? If H&M get offended by a) not getting a shopping invite and b) not having the photo on the dresser when granny is on tv
and they don't see the invites and perks they *did* get from the BRF (invited on an official representation with the queen etc)

then it's all the more better for everyone that they stepped away from royal life

Yup. Harry and Meghan get triggered by everything....they take offense to everything, take everything personally. Kate wanted to go shopping by herself. It’s not off putting, it’s not weird, it’s not anything. Let’s say it was another activity that M also liked - same thing applies. Kate apparently is quiet - she probably enjoys time by herself. She doesn’t ever need to justify that to anyone - and as I am the same way, I completely understand. M making a big thing about speaks volumes about her.

The photo thing is ridiculous.

I think you make a good point. I think H and M are paranoid. If someone says “No” to them, they think they’ve been stabbed in the back. If someone doesn’t invite them shopping, it’s because they must not like them. If HM doesn’t include photos of them for Christmas, it’s because they aren’t valued. They are paranoid...and they have at massive egos. The BRF is better off without them as working Royals - now they don’t have to spend every waking moment walking on eggshells around them.

 

[Mbruno]

I think that their political views are pretty evident and that will make it difficult for them to ever be working royals again. Royals are supposed keep their politics to themselves and everyone knows how these two people feel, so that is also polarising.

I agree 100%, especially now that Meghan is getting involved in "Get out the Vote" campaigns and hinting at a more active involvement in the 2020 US presidential campaign. I don't see how she can be a working royal again after not only having expressed political opinions (which is not such a problem BTW if generically stated), but, more significantly, taking now more openly partisan positions.



As I said before, that makes me think it is good that she left. Doing it as a self-exiled royal in California is one thing, but, if she started doing things like that in the UK had she stayed (and I now believe she actually migh have), then she would possibly have triggered a constitutional crisis.

 

[tommy100]

Could it not just have been that Kate didn't know Meghan wanted to go shopping? I run into friends everywhere and don't say "oh god I'm so upset you didn't invite me". I've not see it suggested anywhere that Kate said no to being asked to go with Meghan, simply that the two happened to be on the same street at the same time so somehow Kate is meant to be physic and know Meghan wanted to go shopping at that time also. I would also think it likely given H&M's appeals for privacy from the very early days of their relationship even if Kate had known Meghan wanted to go shopping at same time she probably thought she wouldn't want to be papped with Kate and cause a stir.

That said, if I'm out shopping for something particular I wouldn't take anyone with me.

They do seem a couple who take offence at not all that much, I'm not sure any family would be welcoming enough for either of them.

 

[Betsypaige]

I don’t know about that, they have not stayed in business this long for being bad at PR game.
I think it is a combination of: the fact the couple are not 100% Hollywood but are still seen as members of the royal family, and people perception of them is of that.
The way they left, the rumors about their behavior.
this terrible book.
Meghan speeches and the “woe is us” narrative
The “nothing to see here, move along” attitude of the Cambridge’s.

And the fact that, and forgive my language, you can’t spin a dump into gold.

If I were SS I may take them on for the challenge.
Honestly, harking to a previous comment, they need ELF to come and fix them!!

I didn’t say they were bad at their job in general, though - just that they’ve done a bad job with Harry and Meghan ...big difference. Now maybe H and M aren’t listening, but all I know is that it’s one misstep after another, from the January statement onward. PR is supposed to do you good, but from where I sit, almost everything the Sussexes do has tarnished their image and damaged their popularity.

Who is ELF?

 

[tommy100]

Edward Lane Fox, Harry's former Private Secretary

 

[poppy7]

Edward Lane Fox, Harry's former Private Secretary

He is on the invictus board or was.

 

[Somebody]

I’m not sure what article you’re referring to, but lately The NY Times has sucked. When Harry and Meghan left, they published an editorial lambasting the BRF and kissing H and M’s rear ends.

In no way is it weird for people to go shopping in the same place and not to go together...people are allowed to want to do things on their own, and they don’t need reasons to do so - simply wanting to be by yourself is enough.

I wasn't referring to any article... I was just responding to a post about the 'shopping issue' that seems to have been reported in multiple outlets.

I agree with the many posters that it another example of Meghan needlessly taking offense of something very minor. She may have been slightly disappointed (it would have been nice to do so together - maybe another time) but any other reaction is overblown - and says much more about Meghan than about Catherine.

 

[TLLK]

I didn’t say they were bad at their job in general, though - just that they’ve done a bad job with Harry and Meghan ...big difference. Now maybe H and M aren’t listening, but all I know is that it’s one misstep after another, from the January statement onward. PR is supposed to do you good, but from where I sit, almost everything the Sussexes do has tarnished their image and damaged their popularity.

Who is ELF?

Here is some info on ELF when he was appointed Prince Harry's Private Secretary in 2013.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...3/Prince-Harry-appoints-a-right-hand-man.html

Edward Lane Fox was a captain in the Household Cavalry and met the Prince on military duties before working for RLM Finsbury, a financial communications firm, as a senior associate.

Mr Lane Fox will take up his position in June, shortly after the 28-year-old Prince returns from a US tour which is seen as crucial to repairing his reputation after he was photographed naked in Las Vegas.

The Prince was involved in the interview process for the appointment, which completes a staff reshuffle that underlines his growing public duties and those of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Lane Fox, who is believed to be in his mid-30s, joined the Blues and Royals in 2000 and served in Bosnia and Iraq. He left with the rank of captain in 2006, the year the princes joined the regiment, and became a freelance photographer and journalist before joining Finsbury.

A spokesman for St James’s Palace said Mr Lane Fox and Prince Harry had met on occasion and had both been involved with the Burnaby Blue Foundation, a charity which has worked in Lesotho with the Prince’s charity, Sentebale.

 

[Durham]

I agree 100%, especially now that Meghan is getting involved in "Get out the Vote" campaigns and hinting at a more active involvement in the 2020 US presidential campaign. I don't see how she can be a working royal again after not only having expressed political opinions (which is not such a problem BTW if generically stated), but, more significantly, taking now more openly partisan positions.



As I said before, that makes me think it is good that she left. Doing it as a self-exiled royal in California is one thing, but, if she started doing things like that in the UK had she stayed (and I now believe she actually migh have), then she would possibly have triggered a constitutional crisis.

Well it would have certainly given the republican movement a boost that's for certain.

Her politics are of no concern to me but the use of her title in her new life is. Maybe the pair of them might consider not using them? Make a formal declaration or some such.

 

[Curbside]

At the time there was nothing official for Harry and Meghan. If they had been papped together (Kate and Meghan) it would have started a lot of unwanted comments.

This is a good point. Some of the quotes from the NYT article don’t make it completely clear when things happened. I don’t generally go clothes shopping with others, but I know others look at doing so as a social activity.

If I were Meghan, I could set being puzzled at some of the small slights (ignored requests for a pre-wedding tiara rehearsal) some of which may simply be cultural differences.

 

[Denville]

Well it would have certainly given the republican movement a boost that's for certain.

Her politics are of no concern to me but the use of her title in her new life is. Maybe the pair of them might consider not using them? Make a formal declaration or some such.

But they can't. THey want to build a business and philanthropic/business career which is based on the fact that the're formerly full time royals. How can they do all tht as the MOuntbatten Windsors?

 

[Heavs]

They fought very publicly to be able to keep using those titles and complained that people like Bea, Eugenie, Edward, Prince Michael etc were all able to use HRH Prince/ss whilst having an outside job.

Although working for an art gallery or tech firm is very different from having Sussex Royal on everything as a brand name which I think is what the firm were worried about if Bea started the HRH Princess Beatrice Technology Consultancy she would probably be told to change it. Even Prince Michael might get into more difficulties with Cantium Services and his "business consulting" if he was any closer to the throne.

Nothing they've done suggests that they want to use "Mountbatten Windsor" to identify themselves.

Edward Lane Fox does seem to have done a good job in turning Harry's image around whilst he was there. It didn't take long at all to go from all the controversial and highly problematic stuff to "Harry was just young, he's grown - look at all the amazing things he's doing now!" Helped by a Cheeky Chappie and Harry the Fun Lad persona.

 

[Denville]

They fought very publicly to be able to keep using those titles and complained that people like Bea, Eugenie, Edward, Prince Michael etc were all able to use HRH Prince/ss whilst having an outside job.

Although working for an art gallery or tech firm is very different from having Sussex Royal on everything as a brand name which I think is what the firm were worried about if Bea started the HRH Princess Beatrice Technology Consultancy she would probably be told to change it. Even Prince Michael might get into more difficulties with Cantium Services and his "business consulting" if he was any closer to the throne.

Nothing they've done suggests that they want to use "Mountbatten Windsor" to identify themselves.

Edward Lane Fox does seem to have done a good job in turning Harry's image around whilst he was there. It didn't take long at all to go from all the controversial and highly problematic stuff to "Harry was just young, he's grown - look at all the amazing things he's doing now!" Helped by a Cheeky Chappie and Harry the Fun Lad persona.

Of course they fought to keep the titles and would probably want to keep the HRH...Harry and Meghan Windsor selling things or doing speeches would not get so much interest as HRH the Prince Harry dong these things or at least Meghan the Duchess of Sussex. Bea etc have gotten jobs based on their own skills, it didn't hurt that they had a title and were connected to the queen.. it probably helped ot get them jobs....
but it wasn't' what they were selling.. whereas the Sussexes are selling themselves as "rebel progressive royals." who gives speeches on progressive issues or sells a commercial brand.

 

[yukari]

I don’t mean that Meghan should expect to go shopping with Kate, just that it might be off putting to have not been invited.

It could have even been Miscommunication between the two ladies.

Okay, to give context for this (allegedly) shopping trip:
On Feb 18, 2017, Lainey, a gossip blogger, posted a blind as follow:

Here’s a scenario to consider:

Let’s say you’re dating a guy and you’re super into each other, and you’ve been staying with him, and he’s really serious about you, the most serious he’s been about anyone. He lives in the same complex with someone he’s very close to. And the person he’s close to has a partner too. You and she don’t know each other well. But since you’ve been staying there, you run into each other one day. And you tell her you’re going shopping and where. She says she’s going shopping too and leaves in the car. You head out on foot. Turns out, she went shopping exactly where you went shopping. And she knew that’s where you were going. But she didn’t offer you a ride.

Is that weird?

Maybe it’s not that weird. But considering who they are, it IS super gossipy.

Link: https://www.laineygossip.com/Didnt-offer-a-ride-blind-riddle/46293
Which means this shopping trip happened on/before Feb 17, 2017.

Now, according to Finding Freedom, Catherine and Meghan met the first time on Jan 10, 2017.
https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/...on-friendship-smythson-notebook-a4515011.html

(...)
According to an extract from the upcoming Harry and Meghan biography Finding Freedom, she and Kate first met in January 2017. In the passage, published by the Daily Mail, it was reported: “Meghan bought a present for the duchess, who had celebrated her birthday just a day earlier.”
(...)

IIRC, the Cambridges moved permanently to Kensington Palace in summer 2017. So (possibly) they mostly stayed in Anmer Hall. It's understandable if between January 2017 - February 2017, Catherine didn't see/meet Meghan that much.

Now, who is this Lainey? Allegedly, she's Meghan's friend, but in her recent post, she denied it.
https://www.laineygossip.com/puttin...als-with-meghan-markle-into-perspective/66730
Here's the interesting part of this post:

(...)
As for that blind riddle from 2017, well, in May of this year, so like just three months ago, Emily Andrews wrote a report for the Daily Mail… THAT INCLUDES THE SAME STORY! You can read it here but just in case they decide to modify it, I’ve screencapped the section:
(...)
Let me just break that down for you, just so we’re clear: the Daily Mail says that my blind riddle from 2017, about how Kate Middleton didn’t give Meghan Markle a ride even though they were going shopping to the same place, is evidence that I’m a source for Finding Freedom… even though their own reporter knew about the story!

Does the Daily Mail know what the Daily Mail publishes?

Needless to say, I’m not the only one who knew about that story. Emily Andrews knew. Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand knew. More than one royal reporter knew. This is a story that was known in the bubble of royal gossip, I’m just the one who wrote about it three years ago as a blind. And the lesson here is not that I’m the secret friend of Meghan Markle who is a secret source for Finding Freedom but that stories well known in the bubble of royal gossip get little public play when they don’t fit the preferred narrative of the time.
(...)

Some points that came up in my mind:
-She didn't deny that she knew of the said shopping trip nor deny that it's a false story.
-No matter what her association with Meghan is/was, she posted the gossip in 2017, while Emily Andrew, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in 2020. Why she didn't think that they've been referring to her blind as "source" of that gossip?

 

[Darius1]

Of course they fought to keep the titles and would probably want to keep the HRH...Harry and Meghan Windsor selling things or doing speeches would not get so much interest as HRH the Prince Harry dong these things or at least Meghan the Duchess of Sussex. Bea etc have gotten jobs based on their own skills, it didn't hurt that they had a title and were connected to the queen.. it probably helped ot get them jobs....
but it wasn't' what they were selling.. whereas the Sussexes are selling themselves as "rebel progressive royals." who gives speeches on progressive issues or sells a commercial brand.

Sorry to digress. Just on Bea and Eugenie's jobs. I have often wondered how Bea became a VP of Partnerships & Strategy of the company she works in. Only the most intelligent, or those that have spent years on the career ladder usually end up as VP's - I can only surmise it was her background that got her there, or her role is a pretty empty one, or she is super intelligent and I am mistaken!

 

[Denville]

Just on Bea and Eugenie's jobs. I have often wondered how Bea became a VP of Partnerships & Strategy of the company she works in. Only the most intelligent, or those that have spent years on the career ladder usually end up as VP's - I can only surmise it was her background that got her there, or her role is a pretty empty one, or she is super intelligent and I am mistaken!

I don't know as I haven't worked in big business but I don't think that it is necessarily that hard to rise to that particular rank in a company... It may be due to her being a princess.. but she and Eugenie are not setting up a hat business called HRH Hats...

 

[Darius1]

I don't know as I haven't worked in big business but I don't think that it is necessarily that hard to rise to that particular rank in a company... It may be due to her being a princess.. but she and Eugenie are not setting up a hat business called HRH Hats...

Believe me it is hard! Unless we are talking about a small company. Anyway, absolutely - they are not trading on their titles. The Sussexes are looking to milk every last drop out of Harry's heritage. It is tawdry and unedifying.