The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 10: August 2024 -

[tommy100]

When the Grenfell Tower disaster happened, multiple Royals made visits include QEII and Prince William. Would you call those visits "Disaster tourism", especially since those Royals arrived empty handed but with camera in tow?

Sorry but IMO that completely misses the point between official royals - Queen Elizabeth II was the UK's Head of State visiting her people at what was effectively a national disaster. The reason Heads of State or royals (official working royals) visit is to represent the rest of the country and because the rest of the country can not. They visited a sports centre being used by the emergency services, families and some of those who escaped. They stayed for a relatively short amount of time and focussed on meeting those emergency services who had been working around the clock. The Prime Minister at the time wouldn't visit due to security concerns (enough said about that) and was getting stick for not visiting, the Queen went because she was Head of State (and as BP used to define it - "Head of Nation") so she went to show those who had worked and risked their lives how grateful the nation was, as well as to show the survivors and their families how shocked and saddened the nation was- she went on behalf of everyone in the UK

Harry and Meghan are not - in this context - royals. They may have royal titles and Harry may be the son of a King but they are not royals who represent anyone but themselves. They are not there on behalf of any nation, people or crown.

Again, personally I have no issue with them helping out- it is a noble thing to do. I also have no issue with them being captured doing so on camera - everywhere is surrounded by cameras at the moment it seems. But I have issue with a mayor taking time out to show them around and with them being given access to areas others don't. That might be fine if they were on a visit as official royals but they aren't, there is no need to give them special access and tours by officials who should have much better things to do.

They also visited two days after the fire - not while it was still burning but after the worst was out and when visiting meant not taking up time of people still fighting an active fire.

I would also add, if you want to look at a personal level, taking out royalty - the Queen and William travelled 18 minutes, just over 4 miles from Buckingham Palace to Grenfell - Harry and Meghan travelled 1hr 30+ and 95+ miles to visit Pasadena. Thus one is inextricably more local than the other making those who visited more connected and more local than the other.

 

[Hallo girl]

There were Altadena residents that were allowed in. Mandy Moore lived in Altadena and she was allowed to go back to see her home on Thursday. Not unless they are lying, I have been seeing conflicting reports about who was let back in and who wasn’t.

Why were they given a tour, they are private citizens with no connection to the area. They do not have a home or a business that is affected by the fires so what right did they have to be there in among the burnt out homes,

[…]
Here are some context for those who want a more holistic view:

- Meghan grew up on LA, her mother still lives there. This is her home town and she has many friends in the area, this is no doubt very personal to her.
- The Archewell Foundation has been working with World Central Kitchen (WCK) for many years. Meghan and Harry were there with Chef Andres, the founder of WCK.
- In an interview with the Mayor, he confirmed that the Sussex were there to work, without cameras or fanfare. In fact, they were caught on their second visit. During their first visit, they were wearing masks and no one recognized them.
- The local news visited the area because the wife of the CA Governor was there. In fact, in one video, they were interviewing the first lady of California and you can see Meghan and Harry in the background working while wearing masks without drawing any attention to themselves.
- The Sussex did not announce their visit ahead of time, nor speak with the media.

BTW, Jennifer Garner (ex-wife of Ben Affleck) was there volunteering as well. Are you saying that Jennifer is there to as a "Disaster tourist"? She actually did more publicity than the Sussex by being interviewed, on camera with a news team. The Sussex is doing the same thing as many other celebrities in the area with far less fanfare.

When the Grenfell Tower disaster happened, multiple Royals made visits include QEII and Prince William. Would you call those visits "Disaster tourism", especially since those Royals arrived empty handed but with camera in tow?

I wish people would stop comparing Harry and Meghan to the British Royal Family, as a way to justify the ex working royals actions.

 

[Curryong]

Harry and Meghan didn’t barge their way in to visit residents’ ruuined homes on their own account. They were taken there to view the destruction by local officials along with the wife of the Governor of California. And I didn’t notice any protests by those at the emergency centre when they visited, from residents, volunteers or first responders.

Harry is Yes, an ex working royal. However, he is also the son of the King of GB and a member of possibly the most famous royal family in the world.

However much onlookers may state they are ‘only’ celebrities, the Sussexes also occupy a different position, a position as senior royals, with Harry and his children high up in the line of succession, and Harry will remain in such a position as son, brother and then possibly uncle till the day he dies.

However much people may say that is not important, officials and others in countries that are republics as well as monarchies know very well who he and Meghan are, and take note. This couple occupy an ambiguous position. That’s been blindingly obvious since they left as working royals.

And this thread also emphasises it. The Sussexes aren’t in any sort of celebrity section, but occupy a royalty thread.

 

[victor1319]

We Americans are not looking for royalty -- we fought a war to dump Harry's ancestors 250 years ago! And I don't think anyone views Meghan as "royalty."

The Americans fought a war to get rid of the monarchy.

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

 

[GondorHasNoPants]

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone who is not either a resident of a destroyed area, or someone in an official position with a duty to perform in that area, would want to tour and view such a scene of destruction.

I am trying to be generous, but that just strikes me as wildly inappropriate, bordering on ghoulish. What business is it of any private citizen to go into those areas to look at things right now? What do they expect to achieve by going on that tour? What do they hope they will feel, or learn, or gain while they are there?

I just don't understand this. There is no more need for H+M to be touring the devastation than there is for me to be touring it. It's completely inapproriate.

 

[yukari]

Harry and Meghan didn’t barge their way in to visit residents’ ruuined homes on their own account. They were taken there to view the destruction by local officials along with the wife of the Governor of California. And I didn’t notice any protests by those at the emergency centre when they visited, from residents, volunteers or first responders.

Harry is Yes, an ex working royal. However, he is also the son of the King of GB and a member of possibly the most famous royal family in the world.

However much onlookers may state they are ‘only’ celebrities, the Sussexes also occupy a different position, a position as senior royals, with Harry and his children high up in the line of succession, and Harry will remain in such a position as son, brother and then possibly uncle till the day he dies.

However much people may say that is not important, officials and others in countries that are republics as well as monarchies know very well who he and Meghan are, and take note. This couple occupy an ambiguous position. That’s been blindingly obvious since they left as working royals.

Are you implying that Harry and Meghan are mere puppets to be used by those officials? (Hey, they're the son and daughter-in-law of the king of the most famous royal family, such shiny puppets to show off). That they don't have their own tought and freewill? At least to say "No, thank you, sir. We appreciate the offer but we don't think it will be appropriate. We're here to help the kitchen so that's what we'll do".

In the case of working royals and public officials visiting the disaster scenes, it can be argued that they have certain capabilities to make changes. Sure, working royals are not supposed to be political, but as we've seen with Felipe and Letizia, they went to a meeting with goverment officials after their visit. Can we say the same about Harry and Meghan? Will they have meeting with California governor or even the President to report their finding during their walk through the rubbles? And yes, we can also say that those working royals are mere goverment puppets. But didn't Harry and Meghan have been made a big fuss about "freedom flight", "goldfish bowl", basically being made puppets by the evil BRF? Or was this a case of them choosing to be puppets (in America) vs being forced to be puppets (in the UK)?

 

[kalnel]

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

No, not at all. Most Americans aren't tuned in to them at all, apart from a few stories that pop up reporting whatever the Sussex drama du jour is. People liked Harry, who earned a place in many hearts when his mother died and through his antics growing up. No one knew who Meghan Markle was -- far from being a star, she was a supporting actress on a middling cable TV show.

I think most Americans would consider Harry's UK-based family royals, but these two? Well, maybe Harry, but not Meghan.

 

[SiameseLover]

Are you implying that Harry and Meghan are mere puppets to be used by those officials? (Hey, they're the son and daughter-in-law of the king of the most famous royal family, such shiny puppets to show off). That they don't have their own tought and freewill? At least to say "No, thank you, sir. We appreciate the offer but we don't think it will be appropriate. We're here to help the kitchen so that's what we'll do".

In the case of working royals and public officials visiting the disaster scenes, it can be argued that they have certain capabilities to make changes. Sure, working royals are not supposed to be political, but as we've seen with Felipe and Letizia, they went to a meeting with goverment officials after their visit. Can we say the same about Harry and Meghan? Will they have meeting with California governor or even the President to report their finding during their walk through the rubbles? And yes, we can also say that those working royals are mere goverment puppets. But didn't Harry and Meghan have been made a big fuss about "freedom flight", "goldfish bowl", basically being made puppets by the evil BRF? Or was this a case of them choosing to be puppets (in America) vs being forced to be puppets (in the UK)?

And while being a "puppet" in the US, Meghan and Harry have the chance to make lots and lots of money.

 

[Mirabel]

I think most Americans would consider Harry's UK-based family royals, but these two? Well, maybe Harry, but not Meghan.

I agree. I don't believe anyone considers Meghan to be royalty; she is merely married to royalty, which is not at all the same.

As to the mention of Trump, yes, he admired the Queen, thinks well of Charles and William, but supposedly considers Harry a betrayer of his family, and disapproves of him.

 

[Asteria12]

Meghan's been sucking up to Gavin Newsom for years now since she & Harry moved to California. It is not one bit surprising to me that they used their connections with the governor to tag onto the visit his wife made & the access she was granted to the area. Naturally, the mayor would have been there for the governor's wife visiting.

Personally, I think @Sunnystar hit on the real reason how M&H came to be touring burnt out areas.

 

[Hallo girl]

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

I think you are missing the point, or are you writing that tongue in cheek.

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

I hope you get to keep him.

 

[yukari]

And while being a "puppet" in the US, Meghan and Harry have the chance to make lots and lots of money.

Are you saying that Harry and Meghan touring the rubbles to make money?

 

[SiameseLover]

Are you saying that Harry and Meghan touring the rubbles to make money?

No. I am saying that M and H came to the US to make money.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

I’m a little confused about what you’re saying. As an American, as someone said upthread, we fought a war 250 some years ago against having a king. As such if Harry decided (highly doubtful) to apply for American citizenship, he would have to renounce his titles and formal allegiance to the king. There are no royal nor hereditary titles in the US so I would imagine that your average person in the US would think of Harry as a prince of the UK who rejected his family and his former life to live in California with his actress wife. But I believe most people in the US couldn’t care less about either of them. Yes, I think that some people were a bit in awe of them when they first left the UK. But that ship has sailed.
I absolutely agree that people - particularly children who grow up in Disney culture as it’s pretty hard to avoid it here - have fairy tale ideas about princesses and royalty. But I can not imagine anyone here in the US thinking that the Sussexes are the “next best thing to royalty that California has.” Celebrity and sports culture is far bigger in the US with those folks making scads of money doing what they do and becoming idols or people to emulate for some citizens here.
Maybe it’s because we don’t have a history in the US (except at the very beginning) of these hereditary titles that some are fascinated by royalty.
But I believe that most Americans are very, very clear that we neither need nor want to have royals as a part of our common life.
Ok, Americans, we’ve just watched and learned about the incredible integrity and goodness of President Carter, may he rest in peace. Do you see us wanting to have a system that includes royalty?

 

[Alison H]

California was never ruled by Britain in the first place, so I suppose you could argue that its royal family would be Spain's . But what I'm not getting is why, given that Harry and Meghan are *not* the Duke and Duchess of Montecito, LA officials gave them an exclusive tour of areas which are closed off even to residents. I think that this is what's puzzling people. Why are they given special treatment by public officials? If it's not because of their links to the British Royal Family, what other reason can there be? I'm genuinely puzzled!

 

[Hallo girl]

California was never ruled by Britain in the first place, so I suppose you could argue that its royal family would be Spain's . But what I'm not getting is why, given that Harry and Meghan are *not* the Duke and Duchess of Montecito, LA officials gave them an exclusive tour of areas which are closed off even to residents. I think that this is what's puzzling people. Why are they given special treatment by public officials? If it's not because of their links to the British Royal Family, what other reason can there be? I'm genuinely puzzled!

That is my question as well, the volunteering, donations, I am all fine with. Good on them.
I find the meeting first responders to thank them followed by the tour a bit uncomfortable.
I am assuming they were with the governors wife , was that there way in and the reason they choose that particular venue.

 

[Queen Claude]

The Sussexes / Archewell have been involved with World Central Kitchen (WCK) for years. WCK's goal is to feed people in disaster areas and the partnership with the Sussexes goes back to 2020 when they funded four WCK relief service centers. WCK's founder Jose Andres spoke very highly of them in an interview in 2022 including stating that, "[when] we need them, they always show up."

To me the obvious tie-in to the Sussexes going to Pasadena is their link to WCK. Also California governor Gavin Newsom strongly defended the Sussexes / Archewell a few months ago when there was a brouhaha over delinquent paperwork, so there may be a tie-in with their visit coinciding with Jennifer Siebel Newsom's visit to the Pasadena Convention Center, but again my money is they were there as part of their partnership with WCK.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle team up with Jose Andrés' World Central Kitchen

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are helping to fund four new food relief centers.

www.today.com

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Support For Ukraine Is 'A Blessing,' Says Food Charity Founder

World Central Kitchen has supplied 9.3 million meals to Ukrainians since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

people.com

Chef José Andrés Loves Working with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The humanitarian chef shared that the Sussexes support for his World Central Kitchen is a "blessing" and says "it is a pleasure to call them friends."

www.townandcountrymag.com

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Visit Eaton Fire Victims, Distributing Food and Supplies

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were seen distributing food and resources at World Central Kitchen to those impacted by the wildfires in Southern California on Friday, Jan. 10.

people.com

 

[Somebody]

There was no need for WCK to thank first responders or tour the disaster area with the governor's wife. As others have said, just supporting WCK and not using their connection with the governor's wife for 'being seen', especially in times like these would have been the more thoughtful decision.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

M&H have built up the image of self serving for money based on countless examples - [.....] I've seen the pictures and it comes across as fake, fake, fake ...
As many said before, they have no business being there, in a disaster area. They are neither royals nor elected officials, just disaster tourists ... and being associated with Newsom wont be helping with the image at all, going forward.

 

[shady lady]

M&H have built up the image of self serving for money based on countless examples - [.....] I've seen the pictures and it comes across as fake, fake, fake ...
As many said before, they have no business being there, in a disaster area. They are neither royals nor elected officials, just disaster tourists ... and being associated with Newsom wont be helping with the image at all, going forward.

I concur entirely.

 

[Healthy Sceptic]

M&H have built up the image of self serving for money based on countless examples - [.....] I've seen the pictures and it comes across as fake, fake, fake ...
As many said before, they have no business being there, in a disaster area. They are neither royals nor elected officials, just disaster tourists ... and being associated with Newsom wont be helping with the image at all, going forward.

Just as I suspect their association with Oprah may come back to bite them.

They're desperate for relevance. I believe Meghan has political aspirations and is clinging to Dem Newsom's coat tails. She's not savvy enough to realize that the governor is probably going to be in hot water over this and the mud that gets flung at him will end up on her, too.

I've seen the photo of H&M standing in the debris of someone's home talking to two people sifting through the ashes. The tired resignation on the people's faces broke my heart and I was outraged that they had to take the time to talk to someone playing as if they have an official role when in fact they are just [.....] looking for publicity shots. Sorry if that offends some, but I have become very cynical when it comes to these two, for good reason I think.

 

[Durham]

It’s been interesting how many American posters have been articulating their discomfort (to put it mildly) with H&M’s recent actions.

A lot of Britons have had similar feelings about some of their behaviour for a very long time now.

It would appear that H&M’s chickens are well & truly coming home to roost.

 

[fabaunty]

The difference, of course, is that the Royals are public officials in the United Kingdom and public officials often make those visits in the wake of disasters, even when it unfortunately backfires against them, see e.g. the angry reaction of the crowd when King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited Valencia in the aftermath of the recent floods that devastated the region and killed hundreds of people.

Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, as I said before, are not the King and Queen of California, even though they seemingly would like to think of themselves that way. As they have no official public role in the state, I fail to understand why the public authorities invited them to tour the affected areas given the circumstances.

When their Majesties visited Valencia , they were accompanied by Prime Minister Sanchez and the head of the regional government , it was they who were the target's before they both demonstrated their mettle by fleeing , whilst the King and Queen continued . I am not surprised that they wangled a tag along with the governor's wife given that harry has been throwing newsom's name around in his correspondence with the NYPD . My thoughts and prayer's are with those who are suffering and with those who are putting their lives on the line to save others .

 

[Sunnystar]

It’s been interesting how many American posters have been articulating their discomfort (to put it mildly) with H&M’s recent actions.

A lot of Britons have had similar feelings about some of their behaviour for a very long time now.

It would appear that H&M’s chickens are well & truly coming home to roost.

I think this may be the last straw for many Angelenos and Americans in general with regard to their goodwill toward the Sussexes. It was entirely too soon for them to be making their way to Pasadena from Montecito. Even waiting until the middle of this week would have been more respectful of the catastrophe.

In the first 48 hrs, the Palisades fire alone burned an area larger than the island of Manhattan. Currently, the Eaton fire has burned the same amount of acreage, while the Palisades fire has burned another 9000 acres. Combined, the fires that have broken out across LA County alone in the last 8 days cover approximately the same amount of land as in the city of Amsterdam proper (excluding the suburbs, etc).

Making the trip on Saturday, which was during the early part of another (thankfully milder) Santa Ana wind event when, as I noted in my post yesterday, there was active fire movement toward populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles, was just stupid. Yes, I'm putting it this way. It was stupid. It was self-serving. It was thoughtless.

LA is about as real as it gets, despite peddling in the shallow, vain & superficial. This is a time to pitch in and help without tagging along with the governor's wife on a photo op. Whatever handwaving many in Hollywood may have done regarding Uvalde, this time it's THEIR pain, hurt & suffering. It's a lot different when you're the tool by which the Sussexes promote their own empathy. Especially if it turns out to be very little beyond that one day. Time will tell, but shutting their mouths, putting their heads down & rolling up their sleeves to do some real work will go a lot farther from here on out.

 

[TLLK]

I'd like to point out that our fire concerns are not over with yet. Two more fires have broken out in neighboring counties (Ventura and Riverside) today. The dry weather and increased vegetation is making this prime fire conditions. The Auto Fire was in Ventura Co. and the Scout Fire is in Riverside Co.

Fires break out amid windy conditions in Riverside County

The Scout fire was burning near Mission Boulevard and Crestmore Road in Jurupa Valley, and a second fire was burning in Hemet near Warren Road and Esplanade Avenue.

www.latimes.com

 

[Hallo girl]

I know 17 minutes is being put out as the length of the visit but do we genuinely know how long they were there for. I also saw the photograph of them serving food standing beside the governors wife but once again do we have a realistic time of how long that was for.
They could have been there for an 1 hour or 5 minutes. A snapshot of the two of them standing behind the counter only indicates that at some point in time they were there.
I am trying to be fair and balanced because 17 minutes is a really short time considering the distance they travelled.

 

[Healthy Sceptic]

I think it had to have been longer than 17 minutes. They spent at least 17 minutes in the food service area before being shown walking in the ruins. Logistically, that would take a bit more time. An hour sounds more realistic.

 

[Toledo]

I know 17 minutes is being put out as the length of the visit but do we genuinely know how long they were there for. I also saw the photograph of them serving food standing beside the governors wife but once again do we have a realistic time of how long that was for.
They could have been there for an 1 hour or 5 minutes. A snapshot of the two of them standing behind the counter only indicates that at some point in time they were there.
I am trying to be fair and balanced because 17 minutes is a really short time considering the distance they travelled.

From what I read above the thread it takes about 90 minutes from their rental at Montecito to get to the disaster area for their meet and greet 17 minutes + sessions. Travel time is not a show of sacrifice, for example tomorrow we take two hours to travel by car to Costco here in NY, passing by a large disaster area that was flattened by a tornado last year. Last thing in our minds last year was to get out of the car and hug people in the area. Meghan and Harry had no reason to become, as they were called on TV yesterday, Disaster Tourists.

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...
Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.
...I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

And yet, here we are? The appeal of the RFs is because this is a place like no other one on the internet where you find historical data and resources for those of us fascinated with World History. And many of us have royal connections as in we came from these countries with active royals and still follow their news even when living abroad. I've been in the USA for decades but still check royal news from my native country Spain as if I was still there.

The Sussexes today are not the best thing to royalty in California, who created since early 20th century its own world class royalty called Celebrities. That is one of the most interesting social phenomena of the age of communication. A town that introduced everyone on the planet a lifestyle via movies, and later in the 1950s TV, also created a new and separate class of royalty called Hollywood Royalty. When Rita Hayward married the Agha Kahn and Grace Kelly married the prince of Monaco, they were seen in the USA as equals like Hollywood Royalty marries into historical royalty. Meghan is not part of the Hollywood Royalty (the Beyonces, Madonnas, Stallones, Jolies, Arnolds, Clints, etc.) just an actress from an ensemble TV show no one had heard about.

Harry and Meghan are only royal adjacent now and, by their own actions, have a lack of sincerity aura that follows them everywhere caused by their own actions and decisions.

Their visit to the area was poorly received because it was seen here in the USA as another PR meet and greet and look-at-me moment. That reminds me their Netflix show was supposed to start streaming today and was pushed into March. What I see is they were probably informed in advance and, thanks to the 17-minute meet-and-greet visit the press is adding the mention on the show to their Disaster Tourism moment.

Mission accomplished as Hollywood Royalty wannabes basic rules it doesn't matter what they say as long as they talk about you.

I think it had to have been longer than 17 minutes. They spent at least 17 minutes in the food service area before being shown walking in the ruins. Logistically, that would take a bit more time. An hour sounds more realistic.

An hour of hugs and reciting positive quotes of inspiration to the people around them as they filmed the couple on their cellphones? I think the 17 minutes plus of their time, and after a 90 plus minute travel, was a show of their attention span. As I said above, we travel to go to a store 2 hrs. away, past the tornado area here in NY, and we are in that town about 2-3 hours. That's more investment than their 17-minute look-at-me disaster touring.

But, to be fair, I start seen in Harry a sense of delusion and I wonder if he was the one that had the idea of "the people over there in LA need me!" moment? I won't be surprised

 

[Hallo girl]

And yet, here we are - On The Royal Forums...

If I remember it right then President Trump fawned over the late Queen Elizabeth II. and is a fan of Prince Charles. The Obamas did not look very Republic-affin either, when they visisted the UK. When Disney was still producing classics, they did a lot of stuff with Princesses. Star Wars has Princesses and Lords, an Emperor... and so on...

Royalty still hits a nerve for a lot of people. And as I wrote, the Sussexes are the next best thing to royalty, California has.

And quite the opposite, to what many here in TRF write and mean - I am pretty sure, if Americans mean to know Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, they think, these are "real Royals", with a castle and vast farmland and forrests in the Old Country, like Harry's brother, Prince William. And I am sure, they don't know Harry is a private citizen with a courtesey title. Even I am in doubt! I mean, he is a Prince and the son of a King and still high in the line for the Throne, right?

People can be interested in royalty, the individuals or maybe the history but still be happy to live in a republic.

 

[Hallo girl]

I think it had to have been longer than 17 minutes. They spent at least 17 minutes in the food service area before being shown walking in the ruins. Logistically, that would take a bit more time. An hour sounds more realistic.

I must admit it does look like a photo op, 17 minutes in the food area is not helping out, it is posing for photographs. Helping out is a couple of hours in one place achieving something. It could be serving food, organising donations or cleaning but 17 minutes is nothing once you have had the introductions.