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Original poster

Spare - anyone reading it and want to discuss

82 replies

OneFrenchEgg · 15/01/2023 21:10

Not in an anti M&H/royalty way, or in a. 'Snippets from TikTok' way but I'm reading it and there are bits it would be nice to talk about.

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 15/01/2023 22:42

OneFrenchEgg · 15/01/2023 22:40

I'm also finding it good that he is honest about his feelings for previous gfs and hasn't diminished those now that he is married.

Agree with this.

SheilaFentiman · 15/01/2023 22:41

I’ve just finished it!

I found it v surprising that they let him try and go to the Pole without all suitable briefings.

Original poster
OneFrenchEgg · 15/01/2023 22:40

I'm also finding it good that he is honest about his feelings for previous gfs and hasn't diminished those now that he is married.

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Original poster
OneFrenchEgg · 15/01/2023 22:39

Yes that lack of press regulation and blurring if public v private is shocking. I've culled loads of FB posts and checked all my privacy settings having seen the press farm FB during any incident.
I do feel for him with the gfs; surprised he didn't reflect back to Kate also getting it.
I was quite surprised that the brothers never seemed close, it felt quite a sad childhood and adolescence for him.

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Catsstillrock · 15/01/2023 22:14

Yes agree the early comment on Will loosing the Diana resemblance was cruel.

im quite a long way in now and the main thing I’m getting from it is just how cruel the palace machine and family members can be (with the added layer of who knows / requests / condones / turns a blind eye to what).

and that as the younger sibling he got a lot of the indifference and cruelty.

im shocked the Palace doesn’t have a standard approach to support girlfriends / boyfriends / partners of the high profile Royals

the harassment they all got - Diana, Kate, Chelsea, Cressida, Meghan is awful and unacceptable and so unnecessary.

an approach of both media management support and security could be provided and it wouldn’t be that costly in the grand scheme of things.

the book also confirms for me the need to change our privacy and press regulations so that the kind of harassment the press and paparazzi perpetrates has some boundaries, with real consequences for going beyond them.

i gather if your family gets caught up in a high profile case (eg abduction) then the press hound the distressed and grieving family members. That is so awful, and serves no purpose and we should do more to stop that.

Original poster
OneFrenchEgg · 15/01/2023 21:30

Thanks - love your insight from the media training point of view. I'm very much reading it with empathy for losing a parent at a young age.
I've been a bit shocked at some of the spite - I don't know why but he seems all about mental health and the comment about Will losing his resemblance to Diana felt unnecessary and wounding. The comments about Pat felt unjustified - that kind of thing.
I laughed a lot at them setting up home together and the fridge being stocked with precooked meals from Pa's chef - no hint of how privileged he is!
I am enjoying it though, I think the writing and tone is good.

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Catsstillrock · 15/01/2023 21:19

Yes me. General I’m enjoying it and finding it insightful.

not too many surprises (I work in Govt so the way different departments or ministers brief against each other is v similar to what he says happens at the palace).

things I am surprised on so far:

lack of media training / support. This astonishes me. Eg after his second tour of Afghanistan he does a pre planned interview. Why didn’t the palace or the army press teams brief him on the purpose and what they were aiming for. Likely questions (especially did you kill anyone) prepare him on how to answer. Again, I work in a similar field and this is standard.

he seems naïve in this - of course the benefit of having him there was to get better coverage of the war. Royals are marketing machines but loving it maybe it’s hard to be aware of that.

but REALLY why didn’t the media team prep him?

have a couple of other thoughts will come back after tucking older DC in!