Harry and Meghan resigning?

[TheMustressMhor]

See link. News just announced.

www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2020/01/08/prince-harry-meghan-step-back-senior-members-royal-family-couple/

It does sound like they might be escaping from the public scrutiny and online abuse.

Just saw that Scotland Yard say that there will have to be a review of security arrangements if H&M live outside the UK for extended periods. They provide round-the-clock security for foreign trips (such as the recent Canadian one) but for six months at a time? Apparently the cost in £ and officers' entitlement to a private life would be too great.

CurlyWurlyTwirly

Frogmore is effectively a grace & favour apartment.
If they are going to be in the US / Canada, they should be paying rent on the apartment.
Also the very self important distinction ofInternationally Protected person» The Sussexes should pay the £600k salary of their 6 protection officers.

Given that they’ve rejected the sovereign grant which pays for their employees, are their uk staff going to lose their jobs? Nice way for them to find out; via Instagram.

They need to ditch their titles and HRHs.

Good post.

If they were told that they have to pay for their own security, pay their own staff and file their tax returns, the maths will wake the woke people up. Take, take, take and me, me, me are personified here. They did it deliberately, probably knowing that it is Catherine's birthday! Why do we need a royal family in 2020? They are no better than us. Some think that if they pick up a phone and dial someone else, free biscuit and drinks will be available because of their credential which comes with a fluke of birth ... That's why they dish out honours to singers so that they sing for them at their own expense such as hotel stay, commuting ..

@IrmaFayLear interesting point about parents - you should ask your lawyer friend!

I don’t think Meghan understood that being a member of the UK Royal Family is nothing like being a celebrity in America. Yes there is prestige and luxury and deference but there are also expectations, restrictions, obligations and responsibilities and massive media interest in everything you do. It seems Harry didn’t prepare her very well for this.

I am genuinely curious; would the Americans be interested in them without the HRH.
Probably yes. The divorced Sarah, Duchess of a York, made millions in the US in the 90s
The value is obviously in the name Duke & Duchess of Sussex. But without the TRH prefix and attendant grovelling; there is a bit less cachet.

I think Prince Charles should look at how the Scandinavians have managed (commercially) working Royals. Princess Martha Louise of Norway is not allowed to use her title to make money ( most specifically her boyfriend, the «Shaman» whole other thread)
The King of Sweden has downgraded his grandchildren’s titles.
I think they are no longer HRHs

No.1. No more Duchy of Cornwall or taxpayer funding for the Sussexes.
Let them dip into their £34million fortune.

Yes, I was also surprised by the speculation that they will make an absolute fortune. Who is going to buy these hoodies and socks? Do people really want to read their books? I guess some people must want to. I can’t imagine.

I can understand why they would want to do this. Good luck to them, but I don't agree with the way it's been announced.

Imagine for a second that you're working in a family company and just walk out one day without telling other members of the business, leaving them to sort out the mess. Not cool.

@IrmaFayLear sorry, not parents - patents!

Exactly. I think e.g Jennifer Anniston would have a different view of the American tabloid press.

They might actually struggle more with the press once they leave the royal fold. At the moment the royals and their children are very rarely “papped” due to the royal family having an agreement with the press to do a certain number of photo ops etc. They will lose that protection once they step out into the real world - but maybe that doesn’t bother them. Who knows?

It’s beginning to wreak a little of blackmail.

Honestly I remember the vitriol the Fergie received. This isn’t any worse IMO. If you think it is you must be a lot younger than me.

'Honestly I remember the vitriol the Fergie received. This isn’t any worse IMO. If you think it is you must be a lot younger than me.'

Agreed.

I really liked Harry and Meghan to begin with - I was excited to see how they would shake up the monarchy, thought they could carve out a productive and interesting role for themselves as ambassadors for the Commonwealth and really liked their “hit the ground running” approach.

I thought their documentary on South Africa was also fantastic and that they both came across as really warm, natural and caring people.

However, I must admit I lost a huge amount of respect for them towards the end of that programme when they began talking to the reporter about the pressures of royal life and how they have it so hard. It was incredibly distasteful given the context. How could they not see that?

Now this latest move has put me off them still further. As many other pp have said, trying to cash in on their royal titles while living a celebrity lifestyle and cherry picking the best bits of royal life shows that they are completely and utterly out of touch.

I’m not sure who does their PR but it seems like they’ve been terribly advised on so many counts - although you can’t solely blame the PR team of course.

I also agree with the Fergie comment and that was just in the mainstream media. I hate to think what would have been said if social media existed then.

i am genuinely curious; would the Americans be interested in them without the HRH.
Probably yes. The divorced Sarah, Duchess of a York, made millions in the US in the 90s

She didn't make that much, she's relatively poor now, worth less than a million. She had a short shelf life after leaving the RF.

I don't think the HRH will be that significant, Diana's appeal in the US wasn't dented without it. I think it's more to do with if they can win public sympathy over there. It's possible it might go quite well for them because Americans don't really understand what the royal family is, what they do and the constraints on royals. They're just like any other celebs over there. They won't have a long shelf life over there, the US is notoriously rough on women over 40. I think many of their wealthy mates who bankroll their lifestyle will melt away when they're no longer in a position to give power and influence in a any meaningful sense.

I think they may well be misjudging the public mood too. The start of this decade has so far had the theme of a massive backlash against wealthy woke hypocrites and a rejection of woke denouncement culture. I have an awful feeling they've misjudged the zeitgeist and are going to find out the world is no longer a welcoming place for rich and privileged people who want to piously lecture ordinary people whilst frantically virtue signalling.

Could go either way.

I thought she was wonderful too at first; intelligent, worldly, sassy and confident. I thought she'd be an absolute asset.

For me the massive red flag came at the wedding. How could she only have her mum there out of two families?! Not even long standing family friends, of hers or her mums? Instead we had, sitting at the front of the church, George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey. How could anyone not think that was a bit odd.

Add to that the stories of her hanging out with and messaging Lizzie Cundy, Max George, Matt Cardle. Wow.

Presumably William and Kate will have to take on a lot more engagements now? I agree with Charles’ intention to slim down the monarchy, but it’ll be getting too slim at this rate. There’s really not a lot they can do about that though, given the Prince Andrew fiasco.

The display of 'going to the Canadian embassy to thank them for for their lovely private time in Canada' and the next day announcing they're leaving is all so bloody childish. Love to have been a fly on the wall when this was all planned out.

I wonder how the privicy thing will go when they have a permanent residence over there and they're fresh fodder for the Canadian/American press? It's obviously going to be more 'look at us - buy our stuff!! But don't look at us we like to be soooooooooooo private'

I suppose they really really think that everyone is fascinated by everything they have to say, and everything the baby does.

It’s like when celebs get pregnant and write books about being pregnant, books about childbirth, become baby and child experts over night, acquire the skills to design child clothes and equipment...big yawn, nothing original to say!

They don’t have any actual skills beyond being a soldier, and actor and being rich. Being a ‘spokesperson for’ just isn’t enough.

Odd they announced this the eve of Kates birthday. 🙄

There may be a backlash in the UK but they're not planning on being based here. They'll be popular in America for a while but without the balconies, tiaras and carriages, they'll start to look dull, especially in a big pond.

Hmmm. Silly and childish behaviour probably.

I feel so sorry for the Queen and poor Prince Philip. It was bad form not to be with the other Royals at Christmas. Now this. How mean in both senses of the word.

Kate looked tense and almost furious in a shot of her driving into Buckingham Palace for her birthday “celebrations”. Shame.

I think no one is going to care about them for long once they are no longer royal. And I expect they will lose their titles. I suspect they hope fame will last forever but they are minor royals now, and once William's kids get older will fall off into the distance.

It is a crap thing to do before her birthday. Very selfish.

@josette77

Agreed. Being properly Royal is the cachet.