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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think Harry and Meghan are taking the piss?

999 replies

ohymygodbethenny · 25/06/2019 11:03

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"

OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/06/2019 12:24

Charles recently delivered an opening speech for David Attenborough's new series on conservation where he arrived in a limo to preach to ordinary people about saving the planet

I beg you, don't start me on Charles's sickening hypocrisy. If I start I'll never stop, but can I just offer William's wedding, where foreign royals were taken in minibuses (it was said that the King of Jordan was thrilled with his first ever ride on a bus, which made me smile)

If ever there was an opportunity to show Charles's green credentials in front of millions, that was surely it - and after all it was only a very short journey. But no, our pettish prince had to use a limo ...

savethecake · 30/06/2019 12:26

The pregnancy was fake, remember?
That dodgy Birth Certificate proved it.
And a host of other stuff.

Bluestitch · 30/06/2019 12:27

I'm not sure how H&M are more preachy than Charles, William and KM?

With Harry it's how he comes across to me. There was that cringey speech where he called Meghan on at the end to stand and wave like he was some cheesy presidential candidate.

Haworthia · 30/06/2019 12:29

What do you mean, they lied about the labour and birth @Feelingsad19?

They didn’t tell the press she was in labour, which was their right (god knows I wouldn’t have wanted the world to know).

I thought it was later said that the “MM is in labour” alert (that was sent hours AFTER Archie was born) was actually intended as a “stand by for imminent birth announcement” for the media. It wasn’t a deliberate attempt to deceive. It’s more that the Palace is a stuffy institution and their insistence on announcing things in a certain way was just a bit weird.

findingmyfeet12 · 30/06/2019 12:30

savethecake it stands to reason that the royal family, with their expensive PR experts and so much to lose would indulge H's new wife by fooling us with a fake pregnancy.

Rest assured that this particular conspiracy theory definitely doesn't make you sound unhinged.

PineappleFwitters · 30/06/2019 12:30

I think @findingmyfeet12 was being sarcastic @savethecake...

CatherineOfAragonsPrayerBook · 30/06/2019 12:33

Interesting it's just been announced that they are having a private christening for Archie next weekend, to shield him from the public gaze. Their prerogative of course, but this is one of the things I think requires better PR

Totally agree.

Then there will be backlash from the press.

Then some people will say it's racism.

No, they are not thinking about their position and what wider society - and the press - expects of them. They clearly are determined not to 'play the game' and do things their own way. Fine, all power to you. Just stop taking the perks of royalty as well then, including a 2.5 million renovation pot.

They really need better PR. But apparently Buck Palace are doing their PR now.

savethecake · 30/06/2019 12:34

When Harry came out and announced the birth I was struck by his strange choice of words. He was clearly uncomfortable, he seemed shifty. Not one mention of the nurses or doctors in thanks. He talked of the "baby" but never his son. He was lying, it was so obvious.

Bluestitch · 30/06/2019 12:34

Maybe W&K are just better at playing us for fools? They know that the occasional glimpse of their children is enough to ensure that we continue to fund their lifestyle.

Maybe, but at least they are fulfilling their part of the deal. H and M seem to want it both ways.

findingmyfeet12 · 30/06/2019 12:37

At this point I honestly think they would be heavily criticised for having any kind of publicity for the christening. The cost of extra security would be poured over and they'd be accused of narcissism.

They can't win.

savethecake · 30/06/2019 12:39

How long is "Archie" going to be protected from the "public gaze" and more to the point, why? Just tired of all this deception from the royals.

findingmyfeet12 · 30/06/2019 12:40

More power to H&M if their unpopularity eventually topples the whole monarchy!

I wasn't aware that the child of a second son of a future king was part of any deal? Terrible indictment on British people if the glimpse of a stranger's baby is enough to keep us happy. Talk about crumbs from the master's table.

savethecake · 30/06/2019 12:43

They can't win.
That's because the whole concept of a "royal family" is abhorrent. But they do "win" financially. Their huge costs are allowed to continue untouched whilst the rest of the country struggles.

Bluestitch · 30/06/2019 12:44

Well I'd get rid of the lot of them but Harry seems to think being 2nd son of the future king entitles him to a privileged public position, a massive televised wedding, funded home renovation and house move involving massive security bill etc. So yes he ought to do his part to keep the goodwill of the public, or go and become a private citizen. What's stopping them? They are more than wealthy enough.

findingmyfeet12 · 30/06/2019 12:48

I thought his duty was to carry out engagements and take part in charitable pursuits?

Tragic that we Brits would be appeased by the glimpse of a "perfect" family. Something to look up to and aspire after.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/06/2019 12:51

apparently Buck Palace are doing their PR now

I must admit that's a new one on me ... please do you have a link?

findingmyfeet12 · 30/06/2019 12:53

The wedding was of two consenting adults.

Either we accept that we have no right to see a baby who cannot give consent or we scrap the lot of them.

I don't blame H&M for not showing off the baby. Why would he be of any interest to anyone but his parents? The money they get from the public purse is surely for their own work and nothing to do with the baby?

BertrandRussell · 30/06/2019 12:58

How many times had we been shown the Cambridge children in their first 6 weeks?

noodlenosefraggle · 30/06/2019 13:07

The reason the Meghan Markle threads get shut down is not because of some conspiracy theory but because they get spammed by conspiracy theorists and Tumblr types. They've found it now so it will be closed down soon.

Feelbad1 · 30/06/2019 13:14

Why are people taking what the gutter press presumes to be facts? When did MM ever put a step wrong since she has been engaged and married? To me she seems to be following the rules and RC culture to the latter. All this talk about her not understanding the British / RC culture etc. because she is American sounds ludicrous.

It seems to me that when Harry realised he was serious about her and got engaged, he pretty much briefed her.

She does not speak to the press. Even Pierce Morgan admitted that since she was with Harry she never spoke to him again, and was probably warned by him - MM and the rest of the cast of Suits were giving PM info on the show, that is usually instruction from the producers of a show.

I have never seen her twirl around showing her outfit to the press and telling them how much they are worth. The press goes and finds out, themselves. Bearing in mind that she has her own expensive wardrobe from her acting days as was needed - some designer clothes would have been donated to her because of that role, and the new ones Charles would have payed for. She has just a year to have collected clothes - though Kate would have had years. Actually very few of Kate's clothes are high street - hence why they sell out so quickly when we see them. The press in the meantime, does not give us figures on the rest of Kate's wardrobe, which is probably pretty much the same as MM. My friend works a fashion buyer and blogger and told me a lot of Kate's dresses are designed especially and cost just as much if not more than MM, and since she has a longer accumulation, her wardrobe in all costs way more. But who is getting attacked?

People seem to want see her as flaunting and not keeping a low profile, but she attends functions she is supposed to be at, charities that she and H support and always have. It just smacks of people wanting her to keep to her place, and not go beyond her station. We just have to accept that some people seem to shine more or the media just concentrate on them - how else do I explain that other royals attend more functions, but they always show us pics of her.

Staff left because they were reasonably asked to help her to settle in, a few temps to find the correct staff members etc. No one reports on Kate' staff members leaving - I know she recently changed her stylist, but who knows how many others left without any report from the media. The main thing though is that we have never heard from any former (or current) members of staff all this MM is being rude, mean etc. to anyone. Not from staff, regular trusted royal correspondents, no one.

Serena organised and paid for the baby shower and MM hitched a ride on the private jet from Amal. She knew these people and the likes like Oprah etc. before meeting Henry and they all did charity work together.

It's easy to see why she never attended the trump dinner, where she would have to keep leaving to attend to the baby - it would have made headlines how she was up and down all over the place, seeking attention. At the balcony, the baby could have been just placed there indoors for her to hear and really the whole thing was short enough we can conceivably see the baby sleep throughout the carriage ride.

She seems to be doing everything right, where to walk, bow, who to talk to and how. She has never put a foot wrong, not even mistakenly stepping outside a private home / hotel topless for the paparazzi to snap her.
Her personality is light and airy, it would have seemed fake if she just changed to sombre, serious royal lady suddenly. Harry was always our favourite bad boy prince, it would have seemed weird for him to marry some stick in the mud.

If all our royals wore primark and lived in a council block, we would be the laughing stock of the world and no one would care about our royalty anymore than they care about African and other royalty, sad but true. How many tourist go out to those countries to see royalty- even ones with proper in place, respected rich royalty like Lesotho, Morocco, Ghana, Swaziland, Nigeria etc.

This lady is being bullied for absolutely no reason at all.
And yes, I had to compare to Kate too because MM is always seen as a villain and KM as a saint.

zonkin · 30/06/2019 13:17

@CatherineOfAragonsPrayerBook

I don't quite understand your question to me.

I think the royal family is a complete waste of money. I don't think Harry and Meghan are any different to the rest of them. They're just more obvious. Media might get frothy but nothing will change. They'll still get the funding and carry on living the lifestyle. Who's going to do anything about it? Nobody.

When you read about Kate "recycling" a customised expensive outfit and getting applauded for it like it's some great sacrifice, or the queen being known to be "thrifty", you know that there will be no big changes for a long while.

You never know, the blatant spending might actually make people realise that we're the plebs and they are elite and that's just the way they like it.

savethecake · 30/06/2019 13:18

I don't blame H&M for not showing off the baby. Why would he be of any interest to anyone but his parents?
Well why bother at all, who cares about seeing a foot. But to say a royal baby is if no interest to anyone but the parents is crazy. Hello magazine would pay fortunes for some because strangely enough some people are very much interested.

Feelbad1 · 30/06/2019 13:22

MNers, Did all the bosses or people you all did work for demand to see your babies, because they pay you?
Yes, the royals actually work, there are 365 days per year and some of them do over 200 , some over 500 engagements p/y.
Some looks glamorous, but still work nonetheless. Same as footballers, bankers, heads of organisations etc.

mrscampbellblackagain · 30/06/2019 13:22

Kate's stylist is on maternity leave but apparently many outfits were planned before she went off on leave.

I think Harry and Meghan need to decide what they want to do going forward, ie, be royal or be private citizens. They are in a difficult position for sure.

Ghanagirl · 30/06/2019 13:25

@savethecake

Ghanagirl Ainsley Harriot? I like him, bet you don't say that about Gordon Ramsey..... Must be racism. See the point?
No because you’re not making any sense