Congratulations to Meghan and Harry - baby no.2 on the way!

[bluewanda]

Lovely news, congrats to them both!

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9259925/Meghan-Markle-pregnant-Duchess-confirms-Prince-Harry-expecting-baby.html

@Roussette

Click on the link. There's a picture of a pyramid with many in it. I think 'top of the pyramid' is figuratively speaking.

That turn of phrase is about 1% of the article!

Hmmm. It's mentioned eight times in a very short piece of writing. Not sure where you got your 1% figure from? Were you speaking figuratively? Just like the article?

Yeah

@GetOffYourHighHorse

Palace dignified response ending with 'the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to be much loved members of the family'. The Sussex's petulant response 'We will continue to serve. Serving is universal'. 🙄

How is it petulant to say “Service is universal”? I think that is pretty much a democratic vision that everyone can and should do public service.

Rather more progressive than a view that ‘superiors’ due to an accident of birth are providing a ‘service’ to lesser mortal by showing up and waving

@Hugoslavia

I feel as though she is a tad tone deaf. She announced how terrible her miscarriage was on 25th November, knowing that she was already pregnant again with her second child. I appreciate that a miscarriage is extremely hard, but I feel as though she made it about her, rather than women generally. I think that the fact that she fell pregnant again so quickly and knew that she was able to is a bit insensitive to other women who are struggling with infertility so much.

As for Oprah.... Well, I didn't see that coming!

😂

'How is it petulant to say “Service is universal”? I think that is pretty much a democratic vision that everyone can and should do public service.'

Oh of course, however the context here is the point. It was in response to the Palace's statement about not returning to royal duties. So, they'll do exactly what they want anyway, which seems to have been the problem from the start. They could have said 'we thank the Queen for all her support and understanding', but nope. Get a dig in.

If petulant is the word I found the Queen's statement more that way.

Sooo Prince Charles is allowed to flog his groceries, and the whole family is allowed to collect mega money from their feudal property empire, but it's making podcasts and documentaries that precludes Harry and Meghan from "a life of service"? Interesting!

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'How is it petulant to say “Service is universal”? I think that is pretty much a democratic vision that everyone can and should do public service.'

Oh of course, however the context here is the point. It was in response to the Palace's statement about not returning to royal duties. So, they'll do exactly what they want anyway, which seems to have been the problem from the start. They could have said 'we thank the Queen for all her support and understanding', but nope. Get a dig in.

I still don’t get it... I haven’t read anything on it, but on face value it seems perfectly reasonable and a positive way forward. What’s the dig?

It's all a sad situation. However it's spun, it's a family at odds with one another.
I just feel that the timing jars. Harry''s grandfather is ill in hospital and all this is announced now even though, to be honest, it feels utterly irrelevant. Presumably they have done it so they can speak freely to Oprah.
I feel it's a shame for the groups they were involved in. The received opinion seems to be that Meghan was universally loathed in the UK but in reality people were delighted to have an association with the Sussexes, and they could have made a hugely positive impact. Yes, service is universal, but in the last year they really do seem to have been serving nothing but their own ends.

“Yes, service is universal, but in the last year they really do seem to have been serving nothing but their own ends“

As compared to...the royal family who have contributed what exactly last year?

Ahh... now I see why it is a dig! Because the Daily fail said so 😂

I don't know what but one of them was 'exhausted' from it!

Dear Lord, where and what on earth is that "RoyalSuitor" article from?
What a load of tosh.
I must have imagined the tens of thousands of people cheering at their wedding, genuinely pleased to welcome her.
People are determined to glamorise the Royal Family and turn them into celebrities. That is not and should not be what they're about.
It is, as others have said numerous times, about dutifully turning up on a wet Wednesday in Wigan to cut ribbons and acknowledge and support charities and services.
I'm not sure Meghan ever really understood that, and whereas Harry did appear to once upon a time, it seems he turned his head away.

'It's all a sad situation.'

It is sad. Most of us have seen William and Harry grow up and the close bond they had. The British media are appalling the way they big people up, then put them down, they did have lots of scrutiny but it wasn't any worse than the years or bullying Sarah Ferguson or Camilla put up with.

Harry has just played the victim constantly to enable them to be Netflix celebs. Pitiful really.

'Ahh... now I see why it is a dig! Because the Daily fail said so'

Oh 'I didn't see that' so can't possibly comment .

Most people are thinking M&H are self serving. However we need a news blackout now. He’s gone. His associations are being redistributed by the Queen. Love is unconditional but one wonders who actually likes them in their family?

@PresentingPercy

Most people are thinking M&H are self serving. However we need a news blackout now. He’s gone. His associations are being redistributed by the Queen. Love is unconditional but one wonders who actually likes them in their family?

Well, I don’t find them any more self serving than others in the royal family.

And if I was given massive titles and a dip into public purse, I’d be waving and cutting ribbons like mad in all weathers. Beats having a real job 😃

The real public servants are those that do voluntary work without any pay and without any recognition. No one in the RF comes even close to that, instead they live in grotesque wealth off our public resources.

At least these two are financing their way.

I was a little confused by this bit of their statement:

“As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world.”

What duty and service towards the UK and the rest or the world?

At least these two are financing their way

Yes. Let's now look at what the rest of the RF do. When covid lifts, I am expecting great things from W&K.

Good luck with that. May be waiting a long time

@Roussette I am assuming you are joking, they are exhausted.
I always think W&K are very work shy.

I understand that Harry is privately wealthy, through inheritance from his Mum and Great Grandmother, to the tune of about £30 million? And, wasn't Meghan meant to be worth z few million before she met Harry?

So, with a combined wealth of tens of millions already, they could have very quietly retired to live totally private lives, living in an affluence beyond the reach of 99.9% of the rest of the world.

Why the need for the Netflix and Spotify deals? Isn't £35 million enough for them to live as private citizens? Why the need to appear on Oprah? I couldn't care less if they have a voice and want their voices to be heard because, take away their titles, and she's just a C-List actress, and he couldn't even scrape a decent A Level despite having the very best education that money can buy.

I never understand why people feel the need to be derogatory about her career, she did perfectly well for herself.

And as for Netflix/Spotify - because they want to I presume and N/S want them. Nothing wrong with that. I wouldn’t say no either (though no ones banging on my door 😆).

As far as Harry and A levels, none of them equipped themselves well as far as this!
I was looking at Sarah Chatto, Princess Margaret's DD. She went to one of the most expensive schools in the country, and left with one Art A level.
So Harry is not on his own with this. The whole family aren't ummmm academic?

@Roussette

As far as Harry and A levels, none of them equipped themselves well as far as this! I was looking at Sarah Chatto, Princess Margaret's DD. She went to one of the most expensive schools in the country, and left with one Art A level. So Harry is not on his own with this. The whole family aren't ummmm academic?

I thought William got a 2.1 and decent A level results? I think as a family they’re very variable, academically, but that’s true of most families.

If you’re looking specifically at William & Harry, their parents were of different academic abilities and also differed in their other aptitudes, so it’s not surprising the offspring should differ.

As for Sarah Chatto (nee Armstrong-Jones); She and her brother David were both very creative like their parents. I know she went to Bedales because I know someone who was there a little below her, don’t know whether David did too, but Bedales is the most artistic of the expensive well known private schools, and generally quite alternative with a farm and so on, so that makes sense. It’s not odd that a girl thought suited to Bedales went into a creative career instead of being an academic high flyer.

Of course. I don't know Bedales, and interesting to hear what it's like. One A level does seem a bit lacking but hey ho, it's all very different for the general public isn't it?
Doors opening etc.

Absolutely @Roussette . I would ban trust funds and ramp up inheritance tax because I’m a terrible old socialist, but you still can’t legislate to stop the old school tie and mummy’s connections easing the way.

I don’t think it’s fair to denigrate people for their basic ability level, though. Not unless they are causing harm with their innate stupidity and shouldn’t hold the power they do. Sarah Chatto seems very nice for an over privileged person, AFAICS.