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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel really sorry for Prince Harry breaking down

999 replies

AviationLifystyle · 16/10/2019 09:56

At the awards show. I have been a little skeptical about him recently but my heart really went out to him when I saw the footage.

I have a feeling that having a child has triggered a huge amount of unresolved grief and anxiety. Now he has this dear little boy who is at the mercy of the tabloid press, as is his wife and there is little he can do to protect him.

It's time the press laid off. This is a human being breaking in front of us.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/prince-harry-wellchild-awards-speech-emotional-meghan-pregnant-tears-a9157751.html

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 21/10/2019 08:43

If one of your priorities for the past years has been mental health- and in particular men’s mental health, it would be a bit hypocritical to go all “stiff upper lip” about your own issues, surely?

J1ckback · 21/10/2019 08:44

I don’t notice the queen being hounded as a new mother, UK resident or dealing with a very fractured family and losing her mother at a vulnerable age in tragic circumstances or being expected to live a dual life.

J1ckback · 21/10/2019 08:45

Didn’t

And I’m not sure her stuff upper lip has done her dc much good.Hmm

BeerandBiscuits · 21/10/2019 08:54

There are also huge benefits in her opening up, there are none in hiding it.

Of course there could be benefits for her in opening up, in a safe environment with support.
I'm struggling to see the benefits in opening up so publicly. The response seems to be more anger than sympathy.

CallmeAngelina · 21/10/2019 08:59

The six-week break is the royal equivalent of a doctor's sick note, I think.

Nanalisa60 · 21/10/2019 09:03

existing not living!!

Well welcome to the real world

Most young couples with a new born are worried about paying the mortgage [if they are lucky enough to have a home] and paying the bills that get bigger every year when your wages don’t!! worried about child care as they will most likely both have to work to make ends meet!!

They do two weeks in Africa and now need six weeks off as it all so stressful.

Being a normal young couple in this country is bloody stressful!! How to keep your job how to pay the bills trying to spend time with the ones you love, as you work 40 plus hours a week then have to travel time on top of that.

So now they want to move abroad!! WELL ON YOU GO !! But I expect we will be paying for it!! Bet they won’t give up the state purses!! When they depart the country and I bet they keep that lovely froghall cottage.

And I’m a royalist but the self pity is just so indulgent when most of the country are just managing to keep there heads above the water just does not wash with me!!

Well that’s my rant over

CallmeAngelina · 21/10/2019 09:08

I do have sympathy for their situation, actually. Wealth and privilege aside, it must be tough in their situation.
However, I think they should be more professional about it in public. Talking about MH issues can be done within your own circle, not as a public announcement on mainstream TV. It was never going to get them the response they were after. And all that has happened is that the only thing people are talking about after their entire tour, is the rift with William and their lawsuit against the media.
And I think that Meghan has taken on a maternal role in the relationship. she answers for him, and yes, there's the constant touchy-feelie stuff and always praising him. And when they were walking away from the camera with Archie, she was guiding him with her hand across his back, as if he couldn't manage to walk with the baby without her help.

CallmeAngelina · 21/10/2019 09:11

it must be tough in their situation.
By which I mean, it's similar to "my broken leg doesn't mean your broken finger doesn't hurt."

EleanorReally · 21/10/2019 09:12

I wish social media and the tabloids would stop hounding them.
if they can't/wont
i wish they would stop reading about themselves

hipslikecinderella · 21/10/2019 09:12

Professional is a good word.

Harry repeatedly said "this role, this job is xyx".

It is a job, albeit a difficult, tiring one. But Meghan is completely unprofessional. She needs far more advice and I think they have shunned it all as H is so paranoid.

BeerandBiscuits · 21/10/2019 09:20

Agree with PP they should stop reading about themselves, also stop the social media stuff.
Surely they could afford to employ a professional to monitor everything and issue rebuttals if needed.

BertrandRussell · 21/10/2019 09:20

“ But Meghan is completely unprofessional. ”
In what way? What bit of the royal “job” do you think she does badly?

MauritiusNext · 21/10/2019 09:22

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LaurieMarlow · 21/10/2019 09:22

Surely they could afford to employ a professional to monitor everything and issue rebuttals if needed.

They would already do that.

However, this person cannot operate entirely of their own agency and would need guidance in how to rebut from them. So, it’s very difficult to insulate themselves entirely.

hipslikecinderella · 21/10/2019 09:23

The ways she projects herself takes massive focus off what she is doing at the time.

MauritiusNext · 21/10/2019 09:24

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BertrandRussell · 21/10/2019 09:26

What’s wrong with the Instagram page? Birthday greetings a bit gushing, I admit, but apart from that?

LaurieMarlow · 21/10/2019 09:28

Instagram is a key medium through which many companies/institutions communicate nowadays.

What’s the problem with it?

CallmeAngelina · 21/10/2019 09:30

Re: professionalism, it's about knowing the difference between introducing a light 'human' touch to an interview, but without over-egging it. So, they were there to highlight the good works they're involved with, but be charming and approachable. I don't think it was wise to muddy the waters of that by being passive-aggressive, e.g. Meghan's "thank you for asking because not many people do." WTF? That just makes everyone watching feel uncomfortable. Can you imagine the Queen saying anything like that?
My dad died a few weeks ago. I'm struggling. But when I go to work, I plaster my professional smile on, and if people ask how I'm doing, I smile and say that I'm fine. That's not damaging me internally. I can collapse and confide in my family and friends when I get home if I need to. We don't all need to emote in public and I think it would have been more powerful if they had both avoided the subjects.

Leflic · 21/10/2019 09:35

I think there's a lot to be said for the "stiff upper lip" in public

Well that attitude has been fucking up the upper classes for centuries, but keep on advocating it Hmm

But actually that attitude is also called coping. It’s what gets millions though wars, death and all the other shit in life. I agree if you aren’t coping then society being receptive is helpful. However we need resilience. Harry and William got through their mothers death without drink, drugs or other self destructive behaviour I suspect because a) there was little choice and b) because they had support, money and a sense of their role to keep them going.
I am constantly told by friends that their 20 something’s have anxiety and mental health issues. Largely these disappear when they stop comparing their lives to their more “successful” peers and just get on with doing what they what out of life.
MM is trapped in many ways but she has the power ( both in status and wealth) to change it by being less faux royal and more authentic. Harry seems to be a doing an ok job of husband and dad because he’s Royal first and that’s the focus of press. Kate is mother first. Fergie was her husband. Zara is her horses. Sophie is her work. Meghan just needs to sort out what she wants to be known for.

BertrandRussell · 21/10/2019 09:37

I’m sorry to hear about your father- and please ignore this post if it feels intrusive.

But if you were being interviewed and the interviewer asked you how his death had impacted on your professional life, surely you’d say? Particularly if you knew that everybody watching knew about it and knew that it had been a particularly difficult time for you?

I think it’s a shame, by the way, that nobody has picked up on her saying that she expected scrutiny- but expected it to be fair...

BertrandRussell · 21/10/2019 09:39

It’s also important t to remember that every time they’ve gone out doing royal stuff and doing the smiling and ribbon cutting and handshaking they have been being stiff upper lipped!

LaurieMarlow · 21/10/2019 09:41

Harry and William got through their mothers death without drink, drugs or other self destructive behaviour I suspect because a) there was little choice and b) because they had support, money and a sense of their role to keep them going.

I’m not sure any of that is true.

Harry has spoken about being immensely messed up about his mothers death. He appears to in no way have had the coping mechanisms to deal with it and I hardly think it should be held up as an example of what to do.

TartanTexan · 21/10/2019 09:45

Why did Harry hint at disharmony with William? What has happened there?

Original poster
AviationLifystyle · 21/10/2019 09:45

I think they have made a mistake with this documentary sadly. It just fuels the exact type of media they are trying to avoid. The press are just scrutinising it for hidden or veiled messages. It ramps up the salacious interest.

They really need to make themselves boring. Then they would gradually be left alone. Look at Sophie and Edward. No one could even name their children I bet.

OP posts:
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