It's amazing what people will do when offered a huge amount of money.

[TodayIsFridayHooray]

Okaaaaay then. So in episode 3, Harry says

"It's amazing what people will do when offered a huge amount of money to sell photos and a story". This was in reference to Thomas Markle agreeing to have photos taken of himself by the papers, looking excited about and preparing for the wedding, for which he was paid.

AIBU to wonder what Thomas Markle did wrong? I thought he looked nice in the photos? The money was probably helpful for him given we are not all multimillionaires. Not sure what he did wrong? What was so bad?

Also, how is what Thomas Markle did worse than what H&M are doing by selling their life story, videos and pictures to every media outlet going for considerably more money than Thomas Markle got? Plus, H&M are managing to put down their entire family, and the UK, in the process.

Harry, when you said "It's amazing what people will do when offered a huge amount of money to sell photos and a story", did you forget that you said this while accepting $100,000 for selling your photo, and your story to netflix? And also selling family photos and stories about your family and country without their consent, for a netflix deal?

I don't remember it well and don't keep up with it all so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Dad sounds like a bit of a shit-stirring knob tbh 🤷‍♀️

"In 2018, Markle was the subject of considerable media speculation as to whether he would attend his daughter Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry, at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. He did not attend as he was recovering from heart surgery after being discharged from the hospital two days before the wedding.[21][26] He later claimed that he was never sent a formal invitation.[27]

In May 2018, a few days before the wedding, Markle became a subject of controversy after it was revealed that he had staged photographs for a paparazzi photographer in return for money.[28] His elder daughter, Samantha, later claimed that it was her idea, and that her father's motivation was not financial but "to show the world that [he's] getting in shape and doing great healthy things."[29] Markle admitted that he initially had lied to Harry about the staged photos and later regretted his decision.[30][31][32] Later it was claimed that the photographer who took the pictures previously worked for Meghan and had been hired by her after she moved back to the United States.[33] In November 2021, Markle sued the photo agency Coleman-Rayner in Los Angeles Superior Court and sought $1 million in damages, alleging that the staged paparazzi photos were published without his approval and he was not given his 30% share of sales from images in accordance with their initial contract.[34]

In June 2018, he appeared on Good Morning Britain in which he discussed his personal relationship with Meghan and his son-in-law.[35][36][37] In another interview with The Mail on Sunday in July 2018, Markle said that his daughter "[would] be nothing without me. I made her the Duchess she is today."[38] His continual paid interviews with the press reportedly damaged his relationship with his daughter, with whom he indicated he had not been in contact since the royal wedding.[39][40]

In February 2019, he published excerpts of a letter sent to him by his daughter shortly after her wedding in direct response to a People article involving five of Meghan's friends referencing the letter and negatively commenting on his character,[41] in which she stated that he had broken her heart "into a million pieces" with his actions. Markle described the letter as a "a dagger to the heart" rather than an "olive branch".[42][43]

In January 2020, it was revealed that The Mail on Sunday could possibly use evidence provided by Markle against his own daughter in an ongoing legal battle between the paper and the Duchess. The Daily Mail also named him as a potential witness who could testify against Meghan in court.[44] In the same month, he said in an interview that Meghan is "tossing away every young girl's dream of becoming a princess, for money", and that she and Harry are "destroying and cheapening" the royal institution, and that they are "lost souls".[45] He also stated that he does not expect to see Meghan ever again but still hopes for reconciliation one day.[46]

In July 2021, Markle stated that he would be petitioning California courts for rights to see his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor."

But he would not do that in a million years.

Jeremy Corbyn may not accept a knighthood, but that keen proponent of class war John Prescott was happy to be ennobled. What a hypocrite.

Who gives a shit about a none too bright former politician and his seat in the Lords? Or a partyless former Labour MP and what he would or wouldn’t do? And what have either of them got to do with the Sussexes?

Blossomtoes

I was answering GilmoreHill and Dingdonkey’s comments.
DingDonkey said ‘I just don't see how they can be ok with their titles (actively use them, in fact) but so vehemently against the institution that bestowed those titles on them.’ and went on to say Jeremy Corbyn wouldn’t betray his principles by accepting a title.
Sometimes threads meander around a bit.

@Bluekerfuffle I agree. She has her father's nose. It's a perfectly acceptable nose but if I was having cosmetic surgery that's not the one I'd pick. Meghan straightening her hair doesn't count as trying to erase her blackness any more than me getting a tan means I am trying to erase my whiteness. I just think it looks nice.

It is amazing the things people will come out with rather than just saying they don't like her.

It's not me that's having a hissy fit

It does seem that H&M can mock, or make fun of others or even do incredibly inappropriate and offensive things (Nazi fancy dress anyone? ) and the excuses come thick and fast about how they were misunderstood, or just telling 'their truth', people are being mean etc.

But if someone else does the same to them, it's proof positive that they are being attacked and everyone is against them.

There seems to be one rule for them and one for everyone else.

Brefugee considering your strong opposition to ‘highness’ & ‘majesty’ etc how can you possibly think inherited titles are ‘fine’?

Good point. I don't think it is fine for people to have titles. So in that respect you are entirely correct, i don't want anyone to have them.

I just don't see how they can be ok with their titles (actively use them, in fact) but so vehemently against the institution that bestowed those titles on them.

This carries on from my previous. I'm not entirely sure they are heading up the Republican movement, are they? Do they ever actually say "we want to abolish the monarchy"? or do they indicate that they feel they've been pushed out, but don't necessarily think they should have been?

Given that we don't have a republic and we're not losing the monarchy any time soon, i prefer a very very slimmed down version. If that means some of them have to hustle using their limited talent and titles, so be it. I just enjoy the shitshow, tbh

I went to school with titled people, due to my dad's occupation i have encountered "greater" and "lesser" members of the RF fairly often (compared to average i suppose) and as a member of the Forces also encountered one or two (Anne in particular, met her several times, i liked her)

They put their bras on one boob at a time, and the idea that i would refer to them as Lady X, highness or majesty just makes me - meh. Nope.

They do provide endless hilarious entertainment though, priceless in fact.

I just enjoy the shitshow, tbh

Brefugee so you enjoy watching all this unhappy family saga that’s being played out in public? Do you enjoy it because you think privileged people deserve to be punished or do you enjoy all unhappy family sagas whether the family is rich or poor?
Re abolition of titles - a government could ban them I suppose but I’m not sure how it would be enforced.

How long are you going to flog the same dead horse re the Nazi uniform.?
This man said publicly that he was ashamed of what he did. He went to see a rabbi and also spoke to a holocaust survivor in order to educate himself.

To paraphrase the late great Maya Angelou.
When he knew better he did better

Brefugee so you enjoy watching all this unhappy family saga that’s being played out in public? Do you enjoy it because you think privileged people deserve to be punished or do you enjoy all unhappy family sagas whether the family is rich or poor?

Get off the high horse there. I think the RF is well known as a shit show, and i don't care if Meghan grew up in the states - it is not exactly a closely guarded secret what happened to Diana. Chewed up by their machine and spat out.

I enjoy people who have no idea ow the other half live, showing us all how vapid and out of touch they are, It will hasten their departure, i hope, or it at least gives us entertainment for our money.

And if it highlights that people can be rich (and stupid) and also have MH problems - maybe people will start taking themselves more seriously. H & M put themselves out in public because they think that is how they can earn an easy life. That is all. They could all put a stop to this right now if they stopped leaking stories or having their close personal friends, and/or lackys leaking their tit-bits of information.

So - meh. I am enjoying the fall of the house of Windsor. I'M sure they don't give two hoots about my MH issues or general struggles. Quid pro quo

100% which is why I wouldn't watch or read them. It's tragic really that they are able to make MILLIONS out of that tosh. But nothing new, it's how the world runs for all these celebrities, footballers, etc. All endorsed by the masses of followers.

I could say how long are Harry & Meghan going to flog a dead horse re: all their grievances...how long are they going to flog a dead horse about a member of the RF mentioning Archie's skin colour...

But hey, Harry 'educated himself' and is now pontificating to others...so that's fine.

Of course there are no challenges or rigour, who's likely to challenge them or call them liars?

Well Oprah certainly didn't challenge, and the Netflix thing doesn't include anyone to ask questions, so it's a bit of a free run so far - which for members of the RF is about par for the course

I guess the only point with Thomas is that he didn't get consent for any of it, but then neither have H&M when speaking of other's private details, so I'm still waiting for someone to explain what the real difference is

Won't hold my breath though ...

Get off the high horse there

I don’t think I was on a high horse. I could understand revelling in the misfortunes of a politician/s if their policies directly impacted on one but to actually enjoy the fact a son has turned against his family, - which is most families’ worst nightmare - who are part of an institution you may dislike but presumably done you no personal harm or impacted on your life, then I do think it’s a bit odd.

i am enjoying the spectacle, and I'm not the only one. They turned on him, he turned on them, they're racist (we know there are at least 2 members who were around who have history of racism, including Ms Kent and her "blackamoor" broach and Philip). Etc etc

And did Harry give her enough info? only they know that. They actually employ people to give this information, you barely get to meet any of them without clear instructions about when to bow (or not) or not turning your back on them, and that ma'am rhymes with ham, and that they're your highness/maj first then ma'am/sir after. So it beggars belief that there wasn't an actual employee telling them all this. And so on and son on-

And frankly? this isn't the paparazi. This is them choosing to do it to themselves. If you think the main members of The Firm couldn't flex a little and put a stop to this, you are probably much mistaken.

So no, i don't feel that bad about it. I don't know them, and I'm sure they'll be fine. They can afford therapy.

U.K. tabloids are grim, I am sure Royal family protocol would do my head in, but so do Harry and Meghan. Can’t be doing with how they have gone about things at all.

This exactly how I feel. There is grievance and bad behaviour on all sides but like you it doesn't directly affect me so I am enjoying the spectacle.

No he didn't! 😂

After the Nazi thing he referred to his colleagues words that I can't repeat on here because I will get deleted.

Maya Angelou - please.

If people think back to their weddings, the stress, the continual meetings, decisions & arrangements. The soon to be Duchess doing all this in a foreign country, without her friends to lean on. Then her father starts selling photo-ops, play acting suit fittings (when she had bought him a Savile Row suit), googling Prince Harry etc etc. What a grifter, so classless it's beyond belief. How embarrassing for MM. When challenged his get out was the minor of minor heart flutters, that he claimed he needed emergency surgery for, the hospital had a different opinion. So, for the biggest wedding in UK recent history, the bride's dad had done one and left her in the lurch. I'm surprised she didn't take out a hit on him.

As I got married to dh in his home country, I can relate to a lot of the stress. Dh is also from a very posh family so that was an added pressure. My mum was a very modest person but I went to great lengths to make her feel comfortable and she looked amazing at our wedding. I also have relatives who are a bit like Hyacinth Bouquet’s relatives. I happily invited them although I knew my in laws would look down on them. They didn’t come because of the expense but I would have been proud to have them there. If M was a good person, she would have made an effort with her dad as he was clearly going to feel awkward being on a global stage. She did nothing. There is absolutely no excuse for her not inviting her niece. She is a cold person.

She’s not wrong curtsy’s are a fucking ridiculous tradition...

And yet she is positively gleeful when people curtsey to her. There are so many photos of her looking as proud as punch.