The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 7: Oct. 2022 - Apr. 2023

[HRHHermione]

And I actually have to disagree with you. I think this is trying to draw attention on a day that shouldn't be about him, because he has nothing else of (visible) soldier solidarity to do anymore.



If he was so interested in learning about Pearl Harbor, he could have gone any other day of the year. There are always vets there.



This feels a little "unofficial royal engagement".

I can see that perspective too and respect it. It’s all very sad and complicated and it makes me wish that different choices had been made in the past and hope different choices are one day made in the future.

 

[Prinsara]

For that matter, I don't suppose it was publicized how Harry got to Hawaii? If it was yet another private jet for that extremely long flight, that would undercut any message just a little bit more.

 

[MARG]

Did he though? This is from August of this year.

In my opinion, William and Harry using their own awful experience with losing a parent in their work has always been one of their strongest, most genuine and admirable qualities. I'm sure it's not easy but it allows them to connect with people who have been in similar situations on a whole other level that I imagine is rewarding for both the people in question and W&H themselves.

I can't comprehend why anyone would want either of them to stop doing it.

They aren't even the only two in the BRF. The Kent's were even younger when their father was killed. Prince Michael was six weeks old while the Duke was six and Alexandra 5.

The way these two have both gone is though is to suggest that they are the only two who have ever lost a parent.

But Harry’s letter was addressed to children who know exactly what it means to lose a parent. He wasn’t speaking in general.

While William and Harry may not be the only royals to lose a parent at a young age, I think you would be hard-pressed to find any others that were defined by their loss to the degree that they are. Every single year they have the misfortune to have their private and extremely raw grief paraded through the media on all platforms, from the pain of walking in their mother's cortege and with all the quack armchair psychologists, body language experts, and psychics hold forth at length about how deeply traumatising it all was, blissfully ignorant that they themselves are re-traumatising them.

Tell me anyone in the public eye like William and Harry who have spent the better part of their lives as "those poor little boys" walking behind their mother's coffin. When do they get to follow the normal stages of grief and to make some sort of peace with their past when next year on their mother's anniversary they will once again suffer an action replay?

I believe they have an awful lot of comfort and common sense to share with children dealing with grief because for them it is forever new and any peace they have is hard-won in the face of those who feel that they are frozen in time. Through their actions, they try in many ways to help children deal with loss and it is not public unless made so by others, IMHO if there is anything they want to be remembered for it is helping show others there is light at the end of the tunnel when for them it was just another camera.

 

[Toledo]

On the last article above from TLLK forwarded by Marengo

"...Harry, 38, was spotted by surprised onlookers in Hawaii as he paid a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor on Friday. He visited in a personal capacity to mark Veteran's Day and Remembrance Day.

It's nice he marked the USA version of Remembrance Day, Veteran's Day, in person. When I clicked on the Twitter link and read the messages most were extremely supportive on him during his visit.
Then I kept scrolling down and one of the tweets is a link that took me to the Archwell website celebrating Remembrance Day and open it to something I found a bit distasteful.

So, apology in advance and hope my opinion, based on face value of what I see in these links, is what I see and perceive. Not criticisms on them but on their tactics. So here we go...

It has five sections and two of them are to interfere in American politics under the guise of news announcements from members of a foreign royal family in charge of a USA non-profit business:

NOV. 13, 2022 - Scotty’s Little Soldiers
NOV. 8, 2022 - Vote
OCT. 28, 2022 - Vote Early!
OCT. 25, 2022 - Relief for Flooding in Nigeria
OCT. 24, 2022 - Celebrating the Power of Women

And that's the part where I draw my opinion, constitutional monarchies royals abstain from getting involved in politics in their own countries. That rule seems not to apply to the Duchess from their online Archwell presence. Out of five events one relates to the UK group that received the letter from Harry mentioned on the other link. Everything else is the Duchess personal calendar and goals, with two directly involving politics in the USA.

The first with a giant picture of the Duchess and the second to Vote Early with the products sold with the Archwell logo and a sticker on the USA 'I voted' elections.

We call that mixed messages. I think more of conflictive messages, not to mention I would like Harry to at least have his picture shown on his Archwell business page since he, and his title, are the reason this company exists.

I feel I need to step aside because it's like watching a trainwreck and the real possibility those titles used in the two articles above might one day be revoked for use.

 

[Heavs]

I do agree that it was a nice thing to do and likely very educational.
I hope that in the future that Prince Harry considers making a public visit to the Veterans Administration Hospitals in either Los Angeles or Long Beach or perhaps to one of the local Central Coast. VA clinics in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo or Santa Maria.

But why would he make a public (official) visit? Not trying to be snarky here. He doesn't represent anyone but himself anymore so it would end up being publicity for him and nothing else. It doesn't even have anything to do with Invictus. I'm sure the VA hospitals are fantastic organisations but it does not seem that Archewell has the means to make a valuable contribution either (see other "pledges to donate" relatively small amounts of money).

It's the same thing as the Pearl Harbour Memorial. No doubt it was extremely interesting for him but releasing photos as though he's on an official tour is hilarious. It's like their visit to the WTC memorial all over again. I wonder if it will end up on the Netflix series?

I think Harry can still bring a worthwhile perspective to a number of veterans issues but most of what they've released over the last few days has been about making sure people don't forget him, although it's not as bad as the cemetery photoshoot.

 

[Curryong]

Harry played a part in Invictus at The Hague this year encouraging and cheering on competitors of all nations as he has for the organisation every time it has been held.

What official photos did Harry release of himself at Pearl Harbour? The only ones I’ve seen are ones taken by observers that have turned up in British tabloids.

 

[Prinsara]

It's nice he marked the USA version of Remembrance Day, Veteran's Day, in person. When I clicked on the Twitter link and read the messages most were extremely supportive on him during his visit.

The US version of Remembrance Day is not Veterans' Day; it's Memorial Day in May. Although that's harder to remember since most people take it as an occasion to have a cookout, go to the beach, or do some other fun holiday thing.

And that's the part where I draw my opinion, constitutional monarchies royals abstain from getting involved in politics in their own countries. That rule seems not to apply to the Duchess from their online Archwell presence.

They are not interfering in "their own country". They're British royals in American politics. It's dubious and ill-advised to get involved with American stuff while using British titles, but I have never seen either of them expressing the slightest interest in British politics.

 

[Marengo]

As shared by TLLK

Here's news on the most recent Archetypes podcast.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ar-Shohreh-Aghdashloo-Archetypes-episode.html

 

[HRHHermione]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 7: October 2022-

I hope the podcasts are over soon. Every week just feels like settling scores and rewriting history. The fact is that Meghan hadn’t done much activism at all before she got married. A few photo opportunities, some minor fundraising, but nothing that “means so much to women and girls”. A lot of what she supposedly cares about she could have supported much more effectively as a working royal.

 

[TLLK]

I hope the podcasts are over soon. Every week just feels like settling scores and rewriting history. The fact is that Meghan hadn’t done much activism at all before she got married. A few photo opportunities, some minor fundraising, but nothing that “means so much to women and girls. A lot of what she supposedly cares about she could have supported much more effectively as a working royal.

Yes I agree that as a working royal she would have had the platform and the system to support so many organizations that support women much like Queen Camilla, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Royal and Duchess of Gloucester do with their own patronages and charities.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I hope the podcasts are over soon. Every week just feels like settling scores and rewriting history. The fact is that Meghan hadn’t done much activism at all before she got married. A few photo opportunities, some minor fundraising, but nothing that “means so much to women and girls”. A lot of what she supposedly cares about she could have supported much more effectively as a working royal.

I think she just wanted to do her way of doing things and when she realized she couldn’t do it her way, she became frustrated and didn’t like it. But I guess she’s happy where she is at now so......

 

[Somebody]

They are not interfering in "their own country". They're British royals in American politics. It's dubious and ill-advised to get involved with American stuff while using British titles, but I have never seen either of them expressing the slightest interest in British politics.

Meghan is an American in the British royal family. She never became British herself - even though her name and fame come from marrying into the BRF.

 

[Heavs]

I hope the podcasts are over soon. Every week just feels like settling scores and rewriting history. The fact is that Meghan hadn’t done much activism at all before she got married. A few photo opportunities, some minor fundraising, but nothing that “means so much to women and girls”. A lot of what she supposedly cares about she could have supported much more effectively as a working royal.

Especially because Sophie has done a huge amount for women and girls as a working royal, as has Camilla and Charles essentially said that he saw the position of Prince and Princess of Wales as royal activists bringing the margins into the forefront of society.

And activist isn't a label that has held women back either. Also an actual activist should expect pushback against their cause, that's why it needs people to act for it in the first place.

I believe Meghan and Harry want to do good in the world but what they've actually achieved so far as post working royals doesn't amount to very much except press releases, Meghan cold calling US Senators and a few faux royal tours. Their own personal victimhood activism rather took over.

 

[Prinsara]

Meghan is an American in the British royal family. She never became British herself - even though her name and fame come from marrying into the BRF.

That doesn't make a difference as to whether she's a "British royal" or functioning in the limbo of an ex-British royal or contravening the convention of the institution from which she derives her fame not to get involved in politics, does it? I think everyone is perfectly aware Meghan never acquired British citizenship.

 

[Katymcwaity]

I hope the podcasts are over soon. Every week just feels like settling scores and rewriting history. The fact is that Meghan hadn’t done much activism at all before she got married. A few photo opportunities, some minor fundraising, but nothing that “means so much to women and girls”. A lot of what she supposedly cares about she could have supported much more effectively as a working royal.

I chanced upon a review of each episode by Hilary Rose in The Times.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...sm-jameela-jamil-shohreh-aghdashloo-njhc65c99
(Paywalled)

Obviously they do have a certain slant but they made me chuckle.

She is losing the will as well. Lots of comments about word salads and not really saying much

 

[HRHHermione]

And activist isn't a label that has held women back either. Also an actual activist should expect pushback against their cause, that's why it needs people to act for it in the first place.

It certainly isn’t a “label that has held women back,” plus there are lots of activists who are proud to carry that label and whose work actually is dangerous for them because it seeks to fundamentally change society. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist and Harvey Milk and both were assassinated. There are other activists, like Mamie Till, whose work was rooted in personal tragedy and those like Dolores Huerta whose work is strongly spiritually motivated. That to me is activism and I think of each of those people as strong people and activism as a label of their work and not one that holds them back. It’s not even a stereotype (let alone an archetype).

This podcast didn’t even touch on real activism, just Jameela’s Instagram body positivity movement and whatever it is Meghan does that could be considered activism, which is never specified. We’re now almost four years on from when she left her royal duties so if she wants to be an activist, then she should go find something meaningful and positive to do.

 

[Durham]

It was the organisation itself that published it, stating that Harry sent it to the children of their members to help on this anniversary. The media then jumped on it.

As for it being published on a special sacred day, the actual Remembrance Day is the 11th day of the 11th month, which is the day that many in the Commonwealth celebrate the Armistice that ended WW1, (we in Aus commemorate it on THE day every year) not on the Sunday following, which was arranged by the Royal family after 1918.

He wrote & sent this on Remembrance Sunday. This could have been dated & sent any time. We don’t actually know if the charity unilaterally decided to publish this on the day they received it or whether it was made known to them that they could with his blessing. Would they have published this without his agreement? Courtesy alone would suggest that they would not. It is after all a very personal letter. Maybe someone should ask them. But it’s not as if he doesn’t have form for vying for attention on this day is it?

The day may not in the strict sense be sacred but in this day & age it’s as near as dammit in secular Britain. It’s an important national day well attended by people of all ages & backgrounds throughout Britain. Armistice Day is not (six times out of seven) marked by the monarch, religious leaders, prime ministers past & present, armed force chiefs & diplomats attending at the Cenotaph. Remembrance Sunday is one of the few things left in our national life that unites us as a people & we mark as a nation. It is very bad form indeed to try & compete with that. If that was the intent & we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

[Heavs]

The day may not in the strict sense be sacred but in this day & age it’s as near as dammit in secular Britain. It’s an important national day well attended by people of all ages & backgrounds throughout Britain. Armistice Day is not (six times out of seven) marked by the monarch, religious leaders, prime ministers past & present, armed force chiefs & diplomats attending at the cenotaph. Remembrance Sunday is one of the few things left in our national life that unites us as a people. It is very bad form indeed to try & compete with that. If that was the intent & we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.

I think you said it really well here. It is the closest the UK comes to complete unity and is as close to sacred as we can get. It's why Harry's various attempts at seeming self promotion have annoyed me in a way that might not be obvious to non Brits who have other points of national/cultural/religious unity. Despite the fact that yes he did serve etc.

 

[Durham]

And I actually have to disagree with you. I think this is trying to draw attention on a day that shouldn't be about him, because he has nothing else of (visible) soldier solidarity to do anymore.

If he was so interested in learning about Pearl Harbor, he could have gone any other day of the year. There are always vets there.

This feels a little "unofficial royal engagement".

I agree.

And I wonder if he knew that British & Commonwealth forces had been at war for over two years before the US entered the conflict. That US opinion had been deeply divided over participation in the war up until the Japanese attack. That even then it was Germany that declared war on the US & not the other way round.

 

[HRHHermione]

I think you said it really well here. It is the closest the UK comes to complete unity and is as close to sacred as we can get. It's why Harry's various attempts at seeming self promotion have annoyed me in a way that might not be obvious to non Brits who have other points of national/cultural/religious unity. Despite the fact that yes he did serve etc.

That makes sense to me as a criticism. Especially given that if his true interest is in this area, he could be doing a lot more.

Off the top of my head, he could be offering free mental health services through BetterUp to veterans in the LA area, especially those suffering from combat PTSD

They could be paying for temporary housing for homeless veterans

He could be visiting nursing homes to sit with older veterans and talk with them.

It could be something he contributed to regularly instead of a weird “I’m still royal” PR stunt.

 

[FigTree]

What activism. I feel sorry for Meghan. I own dear if she believes her own hype. She is obsessed with her public image and what people think of her. Leave her be…leave them both be in their fake royal world. Harry has one event he can go to, the coronation, and that may be it for years maybe…fathers death perhaps. One of the Wales weddings…maybe the Wessex children wedding. No reason for him to show with the family for a long time. Wonder if they will ever see eachother. But as long as they all have peace. Making vapid podcasts or not.

 

[Prinsara]

That makes sense to me as a criticism. Especially given that if his true interest is in this area, he could be doing a lot more.

Off the top of my head, he could be offering free mental health services through BetterUp to veterans in the LA area, especially those suffering from combat PTSD

They could be paying for temporary housing for homeless veterans

He could be visiting nursing homes to sit with older veterans and talk with them.

It could be something he contributed to regularly instead of a weird “I’m still royal” PR stunt.

Exactly. Nobody benefits from Harry going to Hawaii except Harry.

 

[TLLK]

That makes sense to me as a criticism. Especially given that if his true interest is in this area, he could be doing a lot more.

Off the top of my head, he could be offering free mental health services through BetterUp to veterans in the LA area, especially those suffering from combat PTSD

They could be paying for temporary housing for homeless veterans

He could be visiting nursing homes to sit with older veterans and talk with them.

It could be something he contributed to regularly instead of a weird “I’m still royal” PR stunt.

There are plenty of VA facilities throughout the Golden State that would benefit from a boost from Better Up. That includes those in large metropolitan areas or smaller counties. The largest Veterans residence in the U.S. which is serving veterans from WWII to the Afghan War is located in Yountville,CA (Napa Co.) if the couple wants to visit one of the state's most beautiful rural regions and take in a little fine dining at the French Laundry.


https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetHomes/Pages/Yountville.aspx

 

[Countessmeout]

Meghan is an American in the British royal family. She never became British herself - even though her name and fame come from marrying into the BRF.

Meghan had a succesful acting career, hugely popular blog, clothing line and numerous high profile charity roles prior. In no way is her name through marriage

 

[Leopoldine]

I'm wondering why top US Navy personnel were attending to Harry at the Pearl Harbor memorial.

 

[Lori138]

Meghan had a succesful acting career, hugely popular blog, clothing line and numerous high profile charity. In no way is her name through marriage

I may be the only one, but I had never heard of her until she started dating Harry

 

[Toledo]

Meghan had a successful acting career, hugely popular blog, clothing line and numerous high-profile charity. In no way is her name through marriage

I courteously disagree. Many of my co-workers at the time followed and commented on online and TV celebrities and none knew whom she was, nor about the TV show she was a part of. I assume her success was the ability to be employed, like so many background actors we see around in other TV shows.

The US version of Remembrance Day is not Veterans' Day; it's Memorial Day in May. Although that's harder to remember since most people take it as an occasion to have a cookout, go to the beach, or do some other fun holiday thing.

I didn't know that. Thanks And I'm one of those that has fun on these holidays without thinking if it's about an important person or a sale day. ?

They are not interfering in "their own country". They're British royals in American politics. It's dubious and ill-advised to get involved with American stuff while using British titles, but I have never seen either of them expressing the slightest interest in British politics.

Agreed.

Tomorrow I'll check out the new podcast and hope for the best. But I'll still give an honest opinion about it if the podcast content succeeds or fails to meet its goal for the week.

 

[Countessmeout]

[.....]

You dont get asked to be an ambassador for UN, One world, World Vision etc if you are 'just employed' as an actor.

Hugely popular US show five seasons in when met Harry, numerous Hallmark movies, guess judging on reality. Asked by a major clothing company to release her own line. A blog other celebrities appeared in.

[.....]

 

[HRHHermione]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 7: October 2022-

[.....]


You dont get asked to be an ambassador for UN, One world, World Vision etc if you are 'just employed' as an actor.



Hugely popular US show five seasons in when met Harry, numerous Hallmark movies, guess judging on reality. Asked by a major clothing company to release her own line. A blog other celebrities appeared in.



[.....]

Point of order: Meghan was never an ambassador for UN Women. She had the role of “advocate” and was, per Bower and other biographers, specifically denied the role of ambassador precisely because she wasn’t well-known enough, which is an interesting chapter in his book.

She didn’t have her own clothing line, she had four to five pieces released through Reitmans as part of their advertising campaign which featured her.

Her blog got about a million viewers a month based on publicly available figures for advertising purposes, which isn’t nothing but is less than a news site from the late 1990s I visit sometimes which almost no one has heard of.

And Suits was a great show, but it was an ensemble drama on basic cable and it’s Meghan’s only serious acting gig. I’d say it’s about the level of fame that one would expect for an actress on any legal procedural- like someone playing an assistant district attorney on Law and Order.

People who say Meghan had no career or name recognition are downplaying her accomplishments, but people who claim she was widely known and headed for great success before meeting Prince Harry are overplaying them.

I do not think global fame was in the cards for her absent her marriage and I think that’s the point others have made.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

[.....]

You dont get asked to be an ambassador for UN, One world, World Vision etc if you are 'just employed' as an actor.

Hugely popular US show five seasons in when met Harry, numerous Hallmark movies, guess judging on reality. Asked by a major clothing company to release her own line. A blog other celebrities appeared in.

[.....]

No offense but the clothing company wasn’t a big brand (Reitman’s), it was a Canadian brand major celebrities didn’t wear and Meghan wanted work with Ralph Lauren, but wasn’t offered. PR companies and agents can do all those things for celebrities major or minor for them to be part of UN or whatever philanthropic endeavors they want to do, it’s a way of raising a celeb’s profile. Suits wasn’t a major series, they were initially filming in California but due to budget costs relocated to Toronto. Hallmark films are a dime a dozen. She wasn’t a major celebrity and that’s that. It’s not an insult but a fact. she’s not an A-lister like Angelie Jolie, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, etc. You don’t have to be a “hater” or “fan” to realize that.