Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

As an Irish person, I just dont get the obsession with the royal family

135 replies

margaretatthecircus · 08/12/2022 20:30

I'm sitting here and watching Harry and Megan on Netflix. It came up as number one viewed today on my list so I tuned in during an idle hour .I m shocked..the obsession with their lives, the paparrazi involvement destroying family holidays.Jesus Christ, how did they not crack up . Hell on earth.Surely, as humans, theyre just like the rest of us..just loaded and victims of their environment.

OP posts:
catsonahottinroof · 08/12/2022 22:37

I'm English and I don't think most people care either. Why it's being plastered all over the papers, I don't know. They say the media is only catering to what people want but I really wonder, in real life I don't know anyone who cares about Harry and Meghan or watches Neflix documentaries about them. Or the fawning that goes on over William and Kate. In fact, the most obsessed people I've seen are those on MN.

RedHelenB · 08/12/2022 23:00

margaretatthecircus · 08/12/2022 20:53

I would rather eat my own foot than live their lives.Surely sometimes love just aint enough....

Theu can have a simpler life though. Yes you can't help which family you're born into , but at least as a rich royal you could have a choice

doorheckk · 08/12/2022 23:14

I think some British people think of the royals as an extension of their own family and take any grievance against them very, very personally. No wonder they wanted to get the hell out

this must be it.

Winterscomingagain · 08/12/2022 23:19

UWhatNow · 08/12/2022 20:50

Most folks don’t really give a shit either. It’s just a source of gossip and the odd bit of pageantry and pomp on a national event.

If you’re referring to Harry and Meghan - they are two not-very-bright narcissists who think that their specialness creates a following but the ‘interest’ in them is actually people just stood gawping at car crash in progress.

This is exactly how most people I know feel about them. It's also fascinating to see how the royal family reacts to the situation.
I was in Belfast when H&M visited and I deliberately stayed away as I wouldn't have wanted to see them.

Nancienoo · 08/12/2022 23:21

Pugsbladder · 08/12/2022 20:50

They're not the Royal Family and it's them who are obsessed with themselves.

🙌🏽

JaneJeffer · 08/12/2022 23:56

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 08/12/2022 21:55

That’s nice. No one is asking you to ‘get’ the RF. I’m not sure non-Brits opinions on the RF are especially relevant

Better let Meaghan know

LBFseBrom · 09/12/2022 00:07

Not everyone is obsessed :-). I did once know a couple of elderly people, a woman accountant at work (she worked part time, very efficient), and a man who was a neighbour, both single, whose hobbies were the royals. They watched everything about them on TV, collected newspaper articles and bought books. Harmless, they were nice people.

Most people are not like that. I am in my seventies, born in between King Charles and the Princess Royal so one could say I grew up at the same time as them. I was not particularly interested in the royals at all until I retired (liked some as far as I knew them), I now am but not to the point of obsession. I enjoy history very much and they, good and bad, past and present, are central to that.

Why worry? Fwiw I know several Irish people living here who adore the royal family :-). It doesn't affect me who does or doesn't.

MintJulia · 09/12/2022 00:13

Pugsbladder · 08/12/2022 20:50

They're not the Royal Family and it's them who are obsessed with themselves.

This

Myrevengewillbesweet · 09/12/2022 04:11

Scottish myself and my mum was Scottish but nana Irish . ( Mum spent long periods of her childhood in Ireland) . Mum was a devout Catholic and loved the Queen . Mad eh ? Ma da was Scottish and couldn't stand them. Can't abide the Royals myself . Neither can my English husband. Feel a bit sorry for that Meghan though as she seems to be made a scapegoat. And don't get me started on the Uncle BadTouch .....

PupInAPram · 09/12/2022 04:29

I'm British, I couldn't care less about any of them. They are the Kardashians on the taxpayers' dime. I won't be watching the documentaries and I don't give a crap what Kate and Wills are up to.

daretodenim · 09/12/2022 04:32

I used to live in France. I was shocked at the obsession with the U.K. royal family there, plus all the other royal houses of Europe!

Funny that you're watching a show about a couple who were heavily involved in the contents of the show about themselves and you think they look good in it. Would be rather shocking if they'd made a documentary about their lives and portrayed themselves badly! 😂

EarringsandLipstick · 09/12/2022 05:07

I'm Irish, and I get it! I'm not all that interested - but interested enough to watch the first episode last night! I don't get the surprise - why wouldn't there be fascination with an extremely privileged wealthy ruling family, leading lives unimaginable to most of us?

Fwiw, I was more affected by the documentary than I expected to be. I thought I would chortle all the way through it. Yes, heavily curated and staged - Meghan acted beautifully throughout it! But valid points & they seem to really love each other.

It's hugely sad; and making the documentary seems like a really poor choice (other than for cash & publicity).

Virginiaplain · 09/12/2022 05:09

I don’t know … it’s a bit weird.
Newspapers (and now SM) used to follow various people /scandals over the years eg those involved in the phone hacking scandal(celebs/royals/ parents of murder victims) and for a bit that’s all the headlines were about.
But now since covid celebs have largely fallen away (except for the occasional wagstha Christie) and now it’s royals, royals ,royals. Possibly The Crown has fed into this.
Its cruel really.
Im sick to death of them - can we please have some international news in the U.K.?
I listen to Al Jezira and the world service.

GoAgainstNicki · 09/12/2022 05:11

AngelicaElizaAndPeggy · 08/12/2022 20:50

It's nuts isn't it. All those people sobbing and hysterical at Diana's funeral - totally unhinged.

I think some British people think of the royals as an extension of their own family and take any grievance against them very, very personally. No wonder they wanted to get the hell out.

Haha this is the best comment I’ve ever seen. It’s so true though!

I remember when the Queen passed and a woman on the news was saying she was really upset as she said the Queen is like a mother figure to her. I’m sure she was crying too. I just thought ‘wow, are you not embarrassed?!’ I’ll never understand how people see the RF as an extension of their own family at all. Totally batshit

TheOriginalEmu · 09/12/2022 05:15

I’d rather stick shit-encrusted pins under my fingernails than watch anything to do with any of those people.

camelfinger · 09/12/2022 05:24

As an English person, I’m not bothered about Harry and Meghan, or any of the Royal Family. I actually found the coverage of the Queen’s death and funeral really easy to avoid with modern means of reading the news and watching TV. We rarely discuss the RF among friends. I have a couple of FB “friends” who pop up from time to time commenting on threads saying horrible things about Meghan, but that’s about it. Like others on this thread, most of the interest about the RF seems to come from people abroad, and this is allegedly the main benefit they bring to this country so I guess we all have to go along with it.

MistletoeandBaileys · 09/12/2022 05:35

I can confidentially say that you would be hard pressed to find an Irish person under the age of 70 who is obsessed with the pope. The Catholic Church is dying here.

I’m Irish, I watched it. Just to see if they would say anything new and they didn’t. Well besides saying the whole of Britain is racist.

I do have a question though, can Parliament like demand they lose their titles?

Virginiaplain · 09/12/2022 05:49

I was amazed at the numbers of people queuing to pass HMQ's coffin until someone suggested it was mostly so they could post their pic on SM. Probably more than a grain of truth there.

Roja7 · 09/12/2022 06:05

Virginiaplain · 09/12/2022 05:49

I was amazed at the numbers of people queuing to pass HMQ's coffin until someone suggested it was mostly so they could post their pic on SM. Probably more than a grain of truth there.

Yes this .... along with "only queued 7 hours to pay my respects..."

Spliffle · 09/12/2022 06:10

margaretatthecircus · 08/12/2022 20:44

They come across as really in love.Its like a real love story .Are my romantic blinkers on ...

Hmm
Spliffle · 09/12/2022 06:12

'I can confidentially say that you would be hard pressed to find an Irish person under the age of 70 who is obsessed with the pope. The Catholic Church is dying here.'
-I'm glad to hear this, religion has done A LOT of damage in Ireland.

SantasFlaws · 09/12/2022 06:22

Byfleet · 08/12/2022 21:58

All Irish people are obsessed with leprechauns. I know this is true because I’ve seen all the postcards and badges in the tourist shops. I just don’t get it. As an Irish person OP please can you explain this?

That reads like you think the OP said all British people are obsessed with the royals.

They didn't. They never mentioned any nationality except their own.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 09/12/2022 06:29

Erm...it came up on my list as well but I scrolled on by. Meanwhile, you chose to watch it and then start a thread about it.

I'm sure you're not obsessed but you're clearly more interested than I am!

DownNative · 09/12/2022 06:36

margaretatthecircus · 08/12/2022 20:30

I'm sitting here and watching Harry and Megan on Netflix. It came up as number one viewed today on my list so I tuned in during an idle hour .I m shocked..the obsession with their lives, the paparrazi involvement destroying family holidays.Jesus Christ, how did they not crack up . Hell on earth.Surely, as humans, theyre just like the rest of us..just loaded and victims of their environment.

You know full well plenty of Irish people are very, very interested in the Royal Family as are other nationalities around the world.

It's no different from celebrity obsessions, you know. And quite a number of Irish people were in the queues to pay their respects to the late Queen's coffin too.....🤦‍♂️

DownNative · 09/12/2022 06:40

SantasFlaws · 09/12/2022 06:22

That reads like you think the OP said all British people are obsessed with the royals.

They didn't. They never mentioned any nationality except their own.

It's implied by the title, you know. At any rate, nationality is irrelevant to obsession and interest in the Royal Family, so it makes no sense to go "I'm Irish....".

Good for the OP....and?! 🤷‍♂️