AIBU to think Harry and Meghan are taking the piss?

[ohymygodbethenny]

How are people not more outraged? And no, tourists do not visit the UK specifically because of the royal family.

"This year, 320,000 people were recorded as homeless in Britain"

Erm, has it escaped your notice that Versailles gets far more visitor numbers than any UK palaces?

The charity question is a more interesting one - Meghan's Grenfell cookbook raised half a million and though her writing on bananas for sex workers was derided, it resulted in the charity getting more donations than ever before. Harry's Invictus Games have done a lot for injured servicemen and women, and William and Kate seem committed to mental health causes, which are still stigmatised in a lot of communities. And of course Diana did a huge amount to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

So I think they do do good as well, but could they do the same amount of good as private citizens?

My only gripe has been when Meghan was not present to see Trump but 48 hours later was fine to appear elsewhere

I know she was on maternity leave but I did find it quite shocking that she was nowhere in sight when the President of her own country visited. I know she has her own widely publicised opinion of the Trump administration, and the quality or lack thereof of the man himself, as do many people, however in lieu of her new elevated position and status as Duchess, I expected her to (temporarily at least) put her personal politics to one side and show her newly adopted country that she is prepared to honour the full scope and meaning of the role and title she has been given, even if it brought some detriment to her herself, and not just embrace the frivolous bits like wearing pretty expensive clothes and standing on a balcony waving. Which she seemed more than happy to do a couple of days later.

I remember during their engagement interview PH saying that they'd had some 'tough discussions' concerning the sacrifices what would be involved upon marrying into the RF. Clearly they both intended just to pick and choose those expectations. So this excessive lavishness is to be expected I suppose and is keeping with their attitude thus far.

So because they flounce about doing charity work they are entitled to spend and live anywhere they like ? I think that is an entitled attitude to have and it really has put me right off them

I consider myself to be a royalist but even I’m a bit taken aback by it. You can’t decide that you don’t want to do all royal outings etc but then still take the money.

excessive lavishness

She really isn’t more lavish than the rest of the RF. I’m no fan of them, but singling Meghan out for lavishness and not the others is plain ridiculous.

Alsohuman

Who is “frothing”. It’s so fucking irritating on here that people like you feel the need to demean others rather than simply disagreeing. Quite childish actually. Find another outlet to validate your superior intellect, if that’s what you need.

And, sorry, over £3m to renovate a house of that size....even listed...is excessive. In most parts of the country a home of that size wouldn’t even be worth that much.

The Trooping of the Colour seems to be the one thing everyone attends, regardless of maternity leave or not. Kate attended last year but other than that, Harry's wedding and Wimbledon, wasn't seen at any official events while she was on mat leave.

Got out of bed the wrong side this morning @CoffeeToffeeFudge? So sorry to have rattled your cage so hard.

Yeah I think trooping the colour is seen as a family "Do" so everybody goes.

The decision to move there rather than KP also means additional extortionate security costs. But it's okay, because they 'fell in love with Windsor' .

LaurieMarlow

When has Kate ever worn a dress worth £56k? Or one worth £90k? When has she attended a “private” event and ostentatiously arrived there via private jet owned by a movie star then prepped the media in advance so snaps could be taken of her strolling around New York in sunglasses like Jackie O?

Meghan’s spent more on clothes in one year than Kate has spent in 5.

So, yeah...I think she’s more lavish than the others.

Doesn’t make her a bad person but it doesn’t look great.

So if the Sovereign Grant doesn't come from the tax payers, then what does? Genuine question. I've heard that the grant doesn't cover security costs, which are massive, and if this figure was included then the cost would be far more than £1.24 per person.

It's the PR. A very new member of the RF appearing so profligate. Of course they all have lavish lifestyles but they also have a duty to be sensitive to their role and the fact that many citizens are struggling. The extortionate wardrobe and jewellery costs, even altering her engagement ring to add more bling- it's tasteless and they really need better advice although I'm not sure Harry would listen to it.

Meghan’s spent more on clothes in one year than Kate has spent in 5.

I think that’s total bollocks. Kate has plenty of expensive designer wear in her wardrobe (all her coats are couture, if you notice).

Kate’s also has had tonnes of expensive holidays on yachts, ski resorts and the like paid for by various people (including her family).

What I do agree with is that Kate has been better in the PR front with clothes. She buys 3 dresses from Reiss and pushes that out to the media. Meghan should take a leaf out of her book on that front.

I also notice that no one every questions how much the men spend on their bespoke suits. A fuck tonne will be the answer.

Where the hell are you getting those figures from?

You can’t really compare the two duchesses’ spending when one’s a multi millionaire in her own right, she can spend her money as she wishes. Didn’t Meghan’s equally wealthy friends pay for her baby shower in New York?

Anyway, back to Frogmore Cottage, given that once the money was handed over as part of the State Grant, it wasn’t available for anything except Royal expenditure, how could it have been spent better?

Has anyone recently had a home assessment for a blue badge.
I’ve had a blue badge for three years and it’s just come up for renewal. I have osteoarthritis in both hips and have had arthroscopic surgery on both hips where the cartilage was removed. This all came on suddenly and has been life changing. I’ve gone from being very active to being medically retired from work because I can’t walk long distances or be on my feet for long periods of time. I’ve now been told that someone will visit me next week to do a home assessment to see whether I fit the criteria. I don’t make any claim on the state for my condition so don’t automatically qualify. Any advice on what to expect would be gratefully received.

singling Meghan out for lavishness and not the others is plain ridiculous

Yes but as was pointed out by msrabbit earlier, W&K have received their fair share of criticism for lavishness in the past. We're talking specifically about H&M here.

I do think nearly 3 mil for a 5 bedroom 'cottage' is excessively lavish although I guess I dont know how much larger their apartments in KP would have been, or how much updating them would have cost so maybe it's a nil point after all.

are you always this mean to women who have given birth to baby's that are a few months old

Sorry. Late to this particular party but, while I was RTFT, came across the above.

I didn't realise that there was something about having given birth that put people above criticism.
Livid that I missed out on this after having both of my children.

When, exactly, is it okay to go back to treating the holy Madonna woman who's given birth as a normal person?

And, no, I haven't got a particular criticism of MM to give. Obviously, the thread title interested me or I wouldn't have clicked on it but I'm tending towards thinking that all the royal family are taking the piss to some extent.
I now think that having a young baby (or babies) means that you must be seen as beyond reproach is also T'ing the P.

You can’t really compare the two duchesses’ spending when one’s a multi millionaire in her own right, she can spend her money as she wishes

No she wasn’t. She earned pennies compared to what she is spending. Suits was a small cable show that got 1 million viewers, less than Eastenders. She was renting a 3 bed house. Those “net worth” estimates are always bullshit.

What I find extremely annoying is the fact their house was 5 houses made into one. Do they really need something that big when homeless people are in the streets?
I don't care if tourism brings in money, this us just plain wrong.
I thought Harry and Meghan would bring the royals up to date a bit but they've just went along with the entitled attitude the other royals have.

It wasn't 5 houses made into one @ssd, it was one house that'd been made into 5 apartments made back into a single house.

Sorry this post is in wrong place. I’m new🥴

That is what irritated me ssd it just seems so ... i can't think of the word i want but unnecessary

Why is anyone outraged, why is anyone shocked??? Wealthy families keeping wealth and spending it as they wish is their prerogative. If they'd given the money towards all the good ideas mentioned on this thread they'd be considered saints rather being human. People in power stay in power and keep their wealthy friends in power. They make it seem like we live in a democratic state but that's a facade to keep us docile (as if you have a real choice when you vote!). I'm not shocked or outraged because I don't have the power or wealth to change the world, so the intense feelings are just a tiresome waste. Instead I've made my own little hermit world where by, except for threads like these, I'm oblivious to the goings on in the world, and I'm so much happier for it.