Am I missing something here? Meghan Markle

[Whitehorseinthehill]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7679223/Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle-not-spending-Christmas-Sandringham.html

Sorry for the Meghan Markle thread and DM link, but I have found this really amusing today.

Story out today saying Harry and Meghan apparently aren't spending Xmas with the Queen this year. Lots of comments below blaming Meghan, saying she's isolating Harry from his family, saying the Queen must be really upset. Everyone at work was chatting about it today saying similar.

Am I missing something? I mean we don't even know if it's true. But even if it is, aren't they entitled to spend Xmas as they please? She has her own mother she may want to see.

Ok I get that it's the Queen and it's the usual tradition but is it really a big deal?

People mention reading the comments in the DM. Just why? Why would you bother?

I think Beatrice and Eugenie are gorgeous! Poor girls, not their fault their dad is so awful

Their mother was awful too!
However - they have chosen to live off the taxpayers backs and do nothing for it. That doesn’t give license to people to make comments about their physical looks - but it does allow people to comment about how they conduct themselves.

I thought they both worked and didn't get anything from the Crown? Although it seems to be very part time work judging by the amount of time they seem to have off.

My understanding is that the York girls don’t get funded directly, but get plenty via Andrew who gets Crown Estate money. And they get public funded security.

They live in Kensington palace (I think), not sure how that’s covered.

The kind of money they earn working doesn’t scratch the surface of the lifestyles they lead, which I guess you would expect.

However it seems logical to assume that Harry is pulling back from his family a bit and that's a shame.

I don't think the fact he's spending Christmas with Meghan's family suggests he's pulling back from his own. They were at Sandringham for the last two Christmases weren't they? Most "normal" families alternate between two sets of parents at Christmas to keep things fair.

They have million pound trust funds each set up by the Queen (how was her wealth accumulated?), had free or subsidised royal housing and Eugenies’ wedding cost taxpayers £2 million! (Austerity?). Up until very recently they were given 24 hour security paid for by us while they romped from nightclub to nightclub.

The York girls AFAIK work just not our idea of work.

Andrews wealth - taxpayer provided - clearly not earned by him - so his kids get that too.

Stone like 100’s of other girls similar to them.

I agree with GrimDamnFanjo on p 14.
I think this is what Meghan didn’t understand, and now resents.
Who would want this life, really ? No surprise that the group of young women who would normally be the marriage pool for a pair of princes , with a sense of the duty involved, eg daughters of Dukes and Earls, or foreign princesses, have not married either man.
I am reading Anne Glenconner’s book and she talks of the coronation, the Queen pledging her life to the nation, and having stayed true to that promise. With the huge wealth and removal from any financial or practical worry, comes an equal weight of duty. Few people are a good fit for this sort of lifelong commitment, I would imagine.

Few people are a good fit for this sort of lifelong commitment, I would imagine

I totally agree, and your point about the "pool" of the usual recruits apparently not wanting the job was a valid one

Just one more reason to get rid of the whole thing I guess ...

“I agree with GrimDamnFanjo on p 14. I think this is what Meghan didn’t understand, and now resents.”

There doesn’t seem to be any sign that she resents doing her royal “work”. She does resent the way she feels the press have treated her. Two different things, surely?

I agree that the Christmas sounds awful.

I guess the kids are out of sight with nannies until a certain age?

Not much help if you're bfeeding though!

She launched two very successful projects in her first year or so as a royal. That doesn't strike me as something someone who resented the role would do. And she always comes across as engaged and enthusiastic at all her engagements.

Archie only has one Gran so it's only natural she'd want to see her Grandson at Christmas time and anyway the Queen has given her approval and is probably a lot more understanding than the trouble mongers on here and in the daily shite.

Stone, you're right, both Beatrice and Eugenie work, Eugenie at an art gallery, Beatrice is Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti.
I don't know where people get the idea they don't earn their own livings, they're well educated too (by royal standards :-)).

I don't think Meghan resents anything about her royal duties, she always looks pleasant and quite serene. Of course she doesn't like the way the press turned against her, that must have been a shock when it all started whereas prior to that, she was gushed over; especially her wedding which was marvellous.

So much rumour.

I guess the kids are out of sight with nannies until a certain age?

The certainly aren't allowed to eat out of the nursery until they have the requisite maturity and table manners to do so

@percheron67 Meghan is NOT trying to modernise anything or change anything!!! Clearly you are very prejudiced and anti-American, that is your prejudice and bigotry you need to wear. William and Kate have spent Christmas with Carol Middleton at least TWICE. And William is is higher up in line, and has more responsibility, so why can't Harry, who won't ever inherit the throne, do as he wants? Not all British tradition is good, either. Anyway, tradition just for the sake of it is narrow-minded and ignorant.

@Pannalash I would love to spend Christmas with the Queen

I would hate it. It is heavily regimented down to the second, there frequent changes of outfits, the children are kept segregated, no one can continue eating after the Queen has finished, etc. It sounds like a miserable strict hell. Not good if you have a newborn baby and are breastfeeding.

While I’m sure Christmas at Sandringham would be fun in some ways, as a venue for your baby’s first Christmas I can’t think of anything worse.

Assuming you’d like to see your child on the day that is.

Stone like 100’s of other girls similar to them

But my tax isn’t supporting the others! I’m not paying for the 100’s of other weddings. Nor are the 100’s of others asking for more money from the taxpayer to do ‘duties’ that don’t exist.

It certainly doesn't sound in any way relaxing or enjoyable. Particularly if you have a young baby and are trying to work things around breastfeeding. I am reminded of Diana saying no one asked her when would be a good time to have the Christening when William was christened. He was hungry and unsettled and she was very stressed. I doubt the Queen breastfed. She seems to have had very little to do with her children growing up, particularly the first two. I don't think the older generation has a clue about how a new mother feels in the RF.
I should think Meghan probably wants to relax and enjoy herself, but I do wonder if Harry will find it all very strange to be away from what he has known all his life. It's an opportunity for all the cousins to meet and for extended family to come together. However Harry looks like thunder all the time when he's with the rest of the family now. He really seems angry to me.

no one can continue eating after the Queen has finished

Not the point I know, but while we've all heard this happens at public dinners, I wonder if it's the same at private ones?

You'd think they'd ease up a bit for family affairs, but who knows ...

IIRC Queen Victoria was a such fast eater most people weren’t even half way through their meal.

SarahNade - cannot understand the second sentence of your post! I need to wear what, exactly? A bearskin? new frock? Please enlighten me! I have never in my life said that all traditions should be upheld. Bear baiting used to be the norm as did public hangings - jolly pleased they have stopped! I think you should think very carefully before you use words such as ignorant. It does imply that you are much better informed than the rest of us. Not sure that is in the Mumsnet code.