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?

[PortiaCastis]

No not watching tv tonight as going out

[BertrandRussell]

I’m going to watch. Mainly so I can fan girl Emily Maitliss.....

[Mummy195]

Bertrand, you also beat me to it too, was about to post that.
Hope they run the horses and carriage over the media too.

It's clear that H&M have been plugging leaks, and basically getting their house in order, because the media seemed quite shocked about the lawsuit.
I noticed that the media snubbed the Sussexes for a few days after the announcement - all quiet on the western front about the MPs letter, then suddenly a spattering of fluff pieces on their charity meets and greets etc. - how MM was talking about baby Archie trying to speak or crawl or whatever, Harry pictured on coach.
The internet carried on reporting on the Sussexes - the open letter, the QCT roundtable, Harry's Japan trip, Terrence Higgins Trust, rugby wc, military service coffee morning, luminary baker, Invictus team announcement etc. The press had no choice but to come back to the fold. (Actually, not too sure about the 6 weeks announcement, these two seem to be always working, I believe Harry has something lined up with Apple and Oprah in the states anyway)
I believe those documents show up the press for what they are, and now they seemed to have backed down a bit and finally doing their job, mostly reporting on the charities.

[MarziPam]

'That was about the bath? I didn’t realise!'

Don't be so disingenuous. I said 'It wasn't the items so much as the cost and then the petulance afterwards that people object to.'

You said 'petulance, what did they say?'

As you can see I clearly said their petulance after . At no point did I say 'their sulky explanation about the bath'.

If anyone had made up malicious lies about them I could understand, this is basically complaining about gossip.

The H and M supporters are like a couple of tabloid reporters themselves.

[BertrandRussell]

You picked the bath out of the article, not me. You could have picked the shameless editing of the letter she wrote to her father, or the misrepresentation of her relationship with him. Or the outright lies about the guests and cost kid the famous baby shower.. But you went for the bath.

[MarziPam]

**

Oh grow up. It's like having debate with a stroppy teenager.

The bath was an example of something on the list of irrelevant crap that they are complaining about.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

A cynical public could be forgiven for assuming MM an excellent way of burying bad news. Going one step further, they might already have observed that the Windsors are cunning media manipulators, and therefore deduced that the strategy of throwing another family member under the bus to detract attention from the 'main event' is cold, calculated and deliberate

Let's be under no illusion that the Windsors have an inordinate amount of control over what's published about them in the media (and that overseas media obeys no such strictures)

I couldn't have put it better myself; commenting on any given thing doesn't necessarily stop us from realising why it's being presented for comment

Though if "burying bad news" is deemed important, some may well feel Andrew's doing a pretty good job of trashing that with his upcoming interview ...

[BertrandRussell]

“ Though if "burying bad news" is deemed important, some may well feel Andrew's doing a pretty good job of trashing that with his upcoming interview ...”

Oh, I’m sure Meghan will wear disrespectful false eyelashes or something- you know- the really bad stuff - and we’ll all forget about Andrew and the paedophile.

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Well her love for avocados is "fuelling drought and murder" so...

[SunsetBoulevard3]

@BertrandRussell
You really must BE Meghan. If not, you really ought to be her PR person.

[Encyclo]

All this angst about the cost of refurbing Frogmore Cottage and demands for breakdown of costs. Didn't the Cambridge's apartment cost £4million to refurb a few years ago?

And as for the cost of refurbing Buck Palace...

This is not a new thing.

[Disfordarkchocolate]

And Amner Hall, that cost a fortune. It's not as if Meghan and Harry own Frogmore Cottage.

[MarziPam]

'Well her love for avocados is "fuelling drought and murder" so...'

It's just hysterical style reporting that every celeb gets though isn't it?

I am not saying it's ok, but they've got to learn to take criticism and gossip with a pinch of salt. It's like so what if the baby shower cost a fraction of 300k, they weren't paying so that wasn't the point. It was the very showy ostentatious display, at odds with the 'privacy' they apparently want that jarred.

Defamation and malicious lies are different, this is all just a list of gripes and misinformation.

[Bluerussian]

minou, I intend to watch tonight's interview. The duke is breaking with precedent talking about such a thing and I want to hear what he has to say. I've had my own thoughts about this issue/scandal but am quite prepared to change my view.

Back to The Sussex family, I found this about the renovation of Frogmore:

fullfact.org/economy/frogmore-cottage/

[BertrandRussell]

“ It was the very showy ostentatious display, at odds with the 'privacy' they apparently want that jarred.”

What - showy and ostentatious because people turned up with presents in bags from posh shops? There weren’t any pictures, were there? Just pictures of the flowers on their way to a hospital or something afterwards. Were there other pictures I missed? Oh, and as far as I know, the only time they’ve asked for privacy was around the birth of the baby. Which is surely reasonable?

[minou123]

Bluerussian
minou, I intend to watch tonight's interview. The duke is breaking with precedent talking about such a thing and I want to hear what he has to say. I've had my own thoughts about this issue/scandal but am quite prepared to change my view.

I also want to hear what he has to say. I get what you mean; I'm trying not to draw any conclusions before I have watched, but it's very hard

[BertrandRussell]

Just had a look at the pictures. Yes, very plush venue. And lots of rich people presumably bringing expensive presents. But a flower arranging lesson and a dessert tasting and no photographs doesn’t seem very showy and ostentatious to me!

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I'm trying not to draw any conclusions before I have watched (Andrew), but it's very hard

I'm aiming for the same - at least about the allegations - but it has to be said the BBC trailers are pretty sickening in themselves

I just wish I knew what happened to the foam brick I used to have for chucking at the TV ...

[MarziPam]

'I'm aiming for the same - at least about the allegations - but it has to be said the BBC trailers are pretty sickening in themselves'

Regardless of the allegations it is quite staggering that he remained in contact with a convicted sex offender. The clip I've seen he said he 'could kick himself' which doesn't come close to pointing out what a monumental lapse in judgement it was.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I totally agree in theory, MarziPam, but I'm waiting for the broadcast on that one, hoping he'll be asked about staying in touch with a known paedophile as a separate issue to what Andrew was accused of himself

[StoneofDestiny]

"I stayed with him (Epstein" and that's that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the Royal Family, and I let the side down"

Those are his words. I let the side down! They clearly show how he sees himself as some separate superior being, can't see yet the magnitude of his appalling judgement. Can't see how another lowly paid public service worker would have been suspended on these association and allegations - but not him. He is cosseted and protected by aides and royal coshes aimed at controlling the media.

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, Fergie praises him as "It is so rare to meet people that are able to speak from their hearts with honesty".
Compare that to the reaction to Meghan 'speaking with honesty'.

Also interesting is Fergie's understanding of anatomy - as far from talking from his heart, he was talking out of his .......

Let's get shot of the royal family for good, it in the meantime make them subject to the same scrutiny and critical judgement.

[MissEliza]

@MarziPam I think anything less than 'I'm ashamed of myself for associating with such a person' isn't enough.

[StoneofDestiny]

Encyclo
Let's not forget the £15,000 hedge we've all just paid for this year at Kensington Palace, so Kate and William cannot be seen flying in and out by helicopter. That is even before labour installation costs.
This, on top of the £20,000 secret garden for their kids done in 2017.

Frugal my posterior. Just doesn't get as much publicity as the spend at Frogmore.

Let's get a Republic!

[StoneofDestiny]

Andrew needs to be under oath in court, not on TV - it just doesn't cut it. Unbelievable privilege this odious being has.