The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 8: April - August 2023

[Alison H]

I may be confused. There are so many cases. But isn’t the (or one) phone hacking issue currently not whether or not he was hacked, but whether the statute of limitations has passed on anyone being able to hear the case at all?

The hacking itself is horrible, agreed.

You nicely articulated one reason why a lot of people settle. It’s stressful for everyone involved.

The Sun has admitted phone hacking and paid damages to various people, but is arguing that the statute of limitations prevents more cases from being heard.

The case due to be heard in court soon is against the Mirror. Harry's one of four test cases.

He's also got an ongoing case against the Mail.

It's enough to confuse anyone!

 

[Erin9]

The Sun has admitted phone hacking and paid damages to various people, but is arguing that the statute of limitations prevents more cases from being heard.



The case due to be heard in court soon is against the Mirror. Harry's one of four test cases.



He's also got an ongoing case against the Mail.



It's enough to confuse anyone!

Thank you! Harry definitely keeps his lawyers busy.

 

[tommy100]

Busy with all those billable hours

 

[MARG]

I feel sorry for Harry and always have. He has always felt second best and purposefully so. I remember his quote about the phone tapping years ago where he and William were both looking at family, close friends and staff with deep suspicion and I do believe they impacted on the relationships they had with all three streams of their lives.

Williams perceived lack of trust was easier to forgive because, after all, he will be King, but it really didn't matter about Harry. He lost a lot of friends in those days and now, with the rupture in the family, he is ultimately alone. IMHO he is both figuratively and literally isolated from those he finally trusted and then came his soon-to-be wife who treated him like a king and was lavish with her PDA.

It must have felt wonderful to be the centre of someone's world and then came two loved children and, I believe, a growing sense that the life he dreamed of is not this, nor is his wife. That is definitely only my opinion as is the growing feeling that Harry is past his use-by date and that Meghan is aspiring to higher rewards than him. The way she relates to him publicly is vastly different than before they married.

It is also important to remember that he is only one of several famous victims in the phone tapping case and that gives it some sort of validity rather than the usual dismissive claims of him just being childish and sniping about him being litigious.

 

[Leopoldine]

Very interesting post and perspective Queen Claude. But I do VERY worry that Harry "is up to to the challenge". Especially in a tense, and highly emotionally charged Courtroom situation next month. Its almost to intensely personal for him. His judgement might lapse greatly over maintaining balance and control.

You write that you wouldn't want "Harry and his issues to hold Meghan back".

I think, that his closet advisor ( enabler ???) and "partner" Meghan is the brains behind all the lucrative deals with Netflix and The Spare Book. Harry had a very well accomplished and regarded "ghost writer" craft the Book. But I think EVERY page was reviewed and approved by Meghan.

Meghan in my opinion, is a skilled and accomplished "player". She is very successful at marketing herself, and can take and deal with the slings and arrows that life throws at her in stride. Meghan moves on.

Harry, on the other hand, I don't think is ANY WHERE near as resilient as Meghan. And in spite of claiming to be healing, he seems to me to be still reeling from everything. That's gone wrong and damaged him. That, as a nearly middle aged Man, he won't OR can't move on from.

Diana's death, his self esteem issues, and mostly the failure to successfully navigate the denied Half In-Half Out proposal. He just doesn't seem to have a "purpose" now that he is OUT. I think that is the driving force behind his anger too.

OUT of his working role in The Monarchy, Military Patronage's lost, out with Family and Friends, and out of his previously popular and comfortable life in The UK. Such a come down.

I hope as a Husband and Father he can find happiness and direction, but he seems soooo aimless.
Except for attacking His Family and The Media.

Meghan will be fine, but I'm not sure about Harry. As I posted earlier, I think this Trial next month will be pivotal in Harry's "journey".

I agree.

I don't think he realized, until he landed in Vancouver, how much support he had before as far as Royal staffing. Dry-cleaning, automobile issues, frozen meals from his Dad's chefs (written about in "Spare"). Even eradicating red wine on a chair cushion. He probable never had to arrange such services.

Royals are used to being scheduled, as I am sure Harry was, to a degree. It was probably a much looser arrangement for him compared to his father.

To go from that admirable post-army life, which involved supporting wounded veterans, representing HMQ abroad to much fanfare, etc., and being consulted or briefed by respectful gov't people about this vital business, to being Big Joe Woke devoid of his usual Royal safety net, that's hard to endure when being portrayed as your wife's puppet.

 

[camelot23ca]

I agree.

I don't think he realized, until he landed in Vancouver, how much support he had before as far as Royal staffing. Dry-cleaning, automobile issues, frozen meals from his Dad's chefs (written about in "Spare"). Even eradicating red wine on a chair cushion. He probable never had to arrange such services.

Royals are used to being scheduled, as I am sure Harry was, to a degree. It was probably a much looser arrangement for him compared to his father.

To go from that admirable post-army life, which involved supporting wounded veterans, representing HMQ abroad to much fanfare, etc., and being consulted or briefed by respectful gov't people about this vital business, to being Big Joe Woke devoid of his usual Royal safety net, that's hard to endure when being portrayed as your wife's puppet.

I think he could have still had plenty of support from his family had he and Meghan planned and carried out their exit from working royal life in a more mature manner. Charles is a wealthy, influential man and I’m sure he could have helped make Harry’s landing much more smooth had he and the Sussexes been on good terms.

I also continue to believe that Harry and Meghan could have gotten themselves a much better deal if they’d been prepared to compromise and spend a reasonable amount of time making a plan with the Royal Family. They wouldn’t have gotten everything they wanted - their version of half in, half out was never going to work - but they could have lived abroad while doing occasional official royal duties and remaining plugged in to the significant support that the BRF can access. This would have also given them the option of coming back into the royal fold had life on their own wasn’t what they’d expected.

They seem to take a scorched earth policy to everything in their lives. It’s a chaotic and - I would think - exhausting way to live.

 

[muriel]

I think he could have still had plenty of support from his family had he and Meghan planned and carried out their exit from working royal life in a more mature manner. Charles is a wealthy, influential man and I’m sure he could have helped make Harry’s landing much more smooth had he and the Sussexes been on good terms.

I also continue to believe that Harry and Meghan could have gotten themselves a much better deal if they’d been prepared to compromise and spend a reasonable amount of time making a plan with the Royal Family. They wouldn’t have gotten everything they wanted - their version of half in, half out was never going to work - but they could have lived abroad while doing occasional official royal duties and remaining plugged in to the significant support that the BRF can access. This would have also given them the option of coming back into the royal fold had life on their own wasn’t what they’d expected.

They seem to take a scorched earth policy to everything in their lives. It’s a chaotic and - I would think - exhausting way to live.

Very well said. If they had parted on good terms, they would have had a lot more help forthcoming, and a lot more doors open. Unfortunately, they have burnt a lot of bridges in the last few years and are probably paying the price for all of that.

 

[Denville]

Frankly if Harry was as unpleasant in private life as his book suggests, While Chlares would keep a door open for him, I am not sure he'd kill himself to help H in his new life other than financailly

 

[Denville]

I think he could have still had plenty of support from his family had he and Meghan planned and carried out their exit from working royal life in a more mature manner. Charles is a wealthy, influential man and I’m sure he could have helped make Harry’s landing much more smooth had he and the Sussexes been on good terms.

I also continue to believe that Harry and Meghan could have gotten themselves a much better deal if they’d been prepared to compromise and spend a reasonable amount of time making a plan with the Royal Family. They wouldn’t have gotten everything they wanted - their version of half in, half out was never going to work - but they could have lived abroad while doing occasional official royal duties and remaining plugged in to the significant support that the BRF can access. This would have also given them the option of coming back into the royal fold had life on their own wasn’t what they’d expected.

They seem to take a scorched earth policy to everything in their lives. It’s a chaotic and - I would think - exhausting way to live.

but what else could they do? They wanted to make money, that was IMO their main motive for leaving, and hte only way they can make money is by revealing privat things about the RF. THey might have reined themsleves in a bit but clearly Harry wanted to be as nasty as possible about his father and brother, once he got the chance. but how else could they make a living in the US>

 

[Ista]

Let's move on from rehashing the events around the Sussex decision to leave royal life, unless it is directly relevant to more current news.

 

[RandyDrx]

I feel sorry for Harry and always have. He has always felt second best and purposefully so. I remember his quote about the phone tapping years ago where he and William were both looking at family, close friends and staff with deep suspicion and I do believe they impacted on the relationships they had with all three streams of their lives.

Williams perceived lack of trust was easier to forgive because, after all, he will be King, but it really didn't matter about Harry. He lost a lot of friends in those days and now, with the rupture in the family, he is ultimately alone. IMHO he is both figuratively and literally isolated from those he finally trusted and then came his soon-to-be wife who treated him like a king and was lavish with her PDA.

It must have felt wonderful to be the centre of someone's world and then came two loved children and, I believe, a growing sense that the life he dreamed of is not this, nor is his wife. That is definitely only my opinion as is the growing feeling that Harry is past his use-by date and that Meghan is aspiring to higher rewards than him. The way she relates to him publicly is vastly different than before they married.

It is also important to remember that he is only one of several famous victims in the phone tapping case and that gives it some sort of validity rather than the usual dismissive claims of him just being childish and sniping about him being litigious.

The bolded parts sounds a lot like love bombing to me.

 

[kalnel]

I'm curious to think about where Harry is going to be in three months, six months, or a year.

We know he has quite a few court cases that could go either way, so they will keep him in the news. He supposedly has an updated version of his book -- and maybe another book? -- still to come this year. I've heard reports that Meghan is also going to release a memoir.

What else is on the calendar? More Invictus Games? (How often are they?) Other royal events he might attend? More Netflix or Spotify projects?

I hope for Harry's sake he has some substantive, positive, non-psychobabble, non-family-bashing work lined up. Having him floating around without a direction -- or taking direction from those seeking to cash in on him -- is dangerous.

When/if Harry reaches a "post-Meghan Era," Charles might be wise to create some kind of goodwill role for Harry that would keep him busy and aligned with the royal team.

 

[FigTree]

I'm curious to think about where Harry is going to be in three months, six months, or a year.

We know he has quite a few court cases that could go either way, so they will keep him in the news. He supposedly has an updated version of his book -- and maybe another book? -- still to come this year. I've heard reports that Meghan is also going to release a memoir.

What else is on the calendar? More Invictus Games? (How often are they?) Other royal events he might attend? More Netflix or Spotify projects?

I hope for Harry's sake he has some substantive, positive, non-psychobabble, non-family-bashing work lined up. Having him floating around without a direction -- or taking direction from those seeking to cash in on him -- is dangerous.

When/if Harry reaches a "post-Meghan Era," Charles might be wise to create some kind of goodwill role for Harry that would keep him busy and aligned with the royal team.

No royal events. Invictus every two years or so. If Harry ever wants back it needs to be because he wants it. They would like a Commonwealth role. He said as much in the Spare promotional interviews. However, the royal of the royals in the commonwealth os to promote the community of nations…not the royal I think he would want which is more speeches, savour type stuff.

And really Charles should perhaps be the last royal head of the Commonwealth. It may be time to move on and perhaps have a rotating headship of it.

Interesting Harry would do that, like it’s an entitlement.

 

[Denville]

They can want what they like, IMO, they will never do royal duties of any kind again.

 

[Alison H]

Hugh Grant's bringing a similar case to Harry's against the Sun. He's being allowed to sue them for allegedly tapping his phone and bugging his house, but not for hacking his voicemails as that's been ruled to be statute-barred.

 

[shady lady]

The article "AWF Marks Earth Day 2023" gave an overview of Earthday and how and what AWF did to commemorate it (you conveniently left that part out ��)

Hi Alisa, the emojis you used in your post are coming up as question marks and not in their original form, so I’m not sure if you were attempting to be humorous or critical (or something else entirely!) , but I can assure you I didn’t leave anything out of my post on purpose, or "conveniently". My post took me upwards of two hours to compose (I have ADHD and do my own fact checking) and I was worried about it being too long. I was also about to go on a short holiday. ?

Returning to the topic and the page in question, (Earth Day) and where it describes how AWF marked the day, a link at that point would have been useful to see more of what they did. I'd also be interested to know if H&M took part themselves and got "hands on" at the LA River, which would have been the right sort of publicity for them IMO.

A brief overview was given, in this case Prince Harry's participation(also omitted in your post) in the fight to save Okavango was highlighted and links.

See my response above. I've now read the article in the Washington Post that was indeed also linked, and it was very interesting. I followed the link where the author calls for " the world to stand in solidarity with us" which ultimately asks for money. I found this rather ironic (and not a little bit off putting IMO) considering the fortune PH must be spending in legal fees on his various court cases, and his and MM's luxurious lifestyle. I can't help but wonder if some of that money wouldn't have been better spent on worthwhile causes like saving the Okavango River.

To summarise, Harry & Meghan's website serves its purpose exactly. Whatever people may think of them, it cannot be denied that they and the AWF do "solid work".

Well, as I said in my post about them doing solid work (which was missing when you quoted my post, but no matter) I maintain that H&M could have chosen a much more productive and rewarding path than the one they have taken. My impression is that they want all the glory without the hard graft. In MM's case, I feel it's definitely more about being a celebrity than anything else. So I'm afraid I do question whether they are doing "solid work" and stand by my comments in my previous post. Let's agree to disagree on that one ?

All MOO.

 

[Denville]

I'm curious to think about where Harry is going to be in three months, six months, or a year.

We know he has quite a few court cases that could go either way, so they will keep him in the news. He supposedly has an updated version of his book -- and maybe another book? -- still to come this year. I've heard reports that Meghan is also going to release a memoir.

What else is on the calendar? More Invictus Games? (How often are they?) Other royal events he might attend? More Netflix or Spotify projects?

I hope for Harry's sake he has some substantive, positive, non-psychobabble, non-family-bashing work lined up. Having him floating around without a direction -- or taking direction from those seeking to cash in on him -- is dangerous.

When/if Harry reaches a "post-Meghan Era," Charles might be wise to create some kind of goodwill role for Harry that would keep him busy and aligned with the royal team.

Harry is out there to make money, he is cashing in on himself. He may do some charity work but that's just to keep up an image of himself and M as prominent humanitarians.

 

[Kataryn]

I think there are two mindsets in the marriage (where isn't?): Harry searched for a partner and companion who was stong and could him back up, even against the Royal family. Meghan searched for a husband who gave her that certain "cache" she hadn't. It was pure luck that they met and clicked. There are a lot of things that work for them both. Okay, the RF does not like them and has reasons for it, but they are happy as long as Meghan leads and Harry follows her. So I am happy for them.

 

[Springbee]

Prince Harry loses application in Mirror phone-hacking trial
Archive link from the Telegraph

https://archive.ph/2023.05.26-19244...harry-loses-application-mirror-phone-hacking/

 

[Lori138]

Prince Harry loses application in Mirror phone-hacking trial
Archive link from the Telegraph

https://archive.ph/2023.05.26-19244...harry-loses-application-mirror-phone-hacking/

Two down and how many to go?

 

[Denville]

I think there are two mindsets in the marriage (where isn't?): Harry searched for a partner and companion who was stong and could him back up, even against the Royal family. Meghan searched for a husband who gave her that certain "cache" she hadn't. It was pure luck that they met and clicked. There are a lot of things that work for them both. Okay, the RF does not like them and has reasons for it, but they are happy as long as Meghan leads and Harry follows her. So I am happy for them.

Harry does not seem happy to me.

 

[FigTree]

Harry does not seem happy to me.

He is still really angry. Like really angry. Maybe he will never get passed it.m some people don’t have the gift for making do in life.

 

[shady lady]

Harry does not seem happy to me.

Me neither. He talked about the RF being trapped but he's swapped one gilded cage for another.

He thought he was being very clever "escaping" the way he did (the "freedom flight" video springs to mind) but IMO he's been incredibly gullible and naive and had no idea of what he was really letting himself in for.

I feel a tiny bit sorry for him, but I'd feel more sorry for him if he hadn't behaved so atrociously since. Writing this, I feel a bit like I'm talking about a naughty child who won't listen; TBH that is exactly the way I see Harry.

 

[yukari]

Two down and how many to go?

CMIIW, but in my understanding the (pre?)trial is still ongoing. This so called "lost" is that the judge denied his application for additional (last minute?) evidences/witnesses, not losing the whole case. OTOH, Grant has "lost" his phone hacking case because it's passed the statute; as in his phone hacking case can't proceed to trial but his tapping case can. If Harry's case only consist of phone hacking, unlike Grant, there's a possibility he'd lost his whole case for same reason (so do his cases against The Sun and ANL).

This is bordering rumour/speculation, but few days ago Camilla Tominey wrote this (archive link). Curiously, more than a week after the article was published, no legal complaint has been filled and the article basically still untouched with no correction/refraction in any part (Note: Tominey is "anti-Sussexes" reporter so it could also mean nothing)

 

[Ista]

A number of posts have been removed since they ignored a previous moderator note to move on from rehashing previous events. In addition, some posts tipped over into sheer speculation, which is against forum rules. While the Sussexes may have opened the door to a certain amount of speculation by their interviews and Prince Harry's book, a lot of this has been exhaustively discussed in the past on this thread. In the absence of some new, verifiable information, please rein in the urge to psychoanalyze, diagnose, and in some cases, create fantasy scenarios.

 

[FigTree]

CMIIW, but in my understanding the (pre?)trial is still ongoing. This so called "lost" is that the judge denied his application for additional (last minute?) evidences/witnesses, not losing the whole case. OTOH, Grant has "lost" his phone hacking case because it's passed the statute; as in his phone hacking case can't proceed to trial but his tapping case can. If Harry's case only consist of phone hacking, unlike Grant, there's a possibility he'd lost his whole case for same reason (so do his cases against The Sun and ANL).

This is bordering rumour/speculation, but few days ago Camilla Tominey wrote this (archive link). Curiously, more than a week after the article was published, no legal complaint has been filled and the article basically still untouched with no correction/refraction in any part (Note: Tominey is "anti-Sussexes" reporter so it could also mean nothing)

That's simplistic. She's a journalist. They write what sells. It's a good article.

 

[Somebody]

This is bordering rumour/speculation, but few days ago Camilla Tominey wrote this (archive link). Curiously, more than a week after the article was published, no legal complaint has been filled and the article basically still untouched with no correction/refraction in any part (Note: Tominey is "anti-Sussexes" reporter so it could also mean nothing)

This part stood out to me:

Such is their independence from each other that the owner of a leading hotel chain in Montecito recently told The Daily Telegraph they have a room set aside for Harry where he occasionally stays on his own.

Why would you need to stay on your own at a room in your own town occasionally? That, next to the hotel room in Montecito, he at times stays at a bungalow in an exclusive club in LA makes some sense if he is there for multiple days in a row for meetings or so (but a bit weird if he is just escaping his home).

 

[FigTree]

This part stood out to me:



Why would you need to stay on your own at a room in your own town occasionally? That he at times stays at a bungalow in an exclusive club in LA makes some sense if he is there for multiple days in a row for meetings or so (but a bit weird if he is just escaping his home).

Who wouldnt have a separate place to stay if they could afford it.

 

[Alison H]

It seems a bit odd that the hotel owner would tell a journalist that Harry sometimes stays there. If it's true, I doubt he'll be using that hotel again.

 

[Somebody]

Who wouldnt have a separate place to stay if they could afford it.

Almost anyone else?! I truly cannot think of any good reason why you would want to stay occasionally in a hotel room in your own town on your own; unless you truly want to get away from your family - being able to afford it, seems quite irrelevant if there is no need whatsoever to do so.

It's not that they have a private holiday home... That would be different. It is Harry deciding to stay in a hotel room near his home on his own for some reason.