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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think Kate and William saw Harry and Meghan as a real threat to their image?

491 replies

BluntPinkNewt · 09/08/2025 11:32

From the moment Harry and Meghan got together, the media attention was huge. Meghan was glamorous, charismatic, and had a strong public presence - something the royal family hadn’t seen before from an outsider. For a while, it felt like they were the most exciting and modern part of the monarchy.

Kate and William have always been the “stable” and “traditional” royals but suddenly, Harry and Meghan were drawing attention in a way that might have made them seem more relatable and interesting in comparison. The shift in public perception (and maybe even palace dynamics) must have been unsettling.

Obviously things have played out the way they have but AIBU to think that, at least at the time, William and Kate felt genuinely threatened by how much attention and influence Harry and Meghan were gaining?

OP posts:
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OrangeAxolotyl · 09/08/2025 12:25

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:19

But William and Catherine are the next king and queen. Harry was always gonig to be second fiddle to his big brother. They have nothing to be "threatened" about.

I don't get these responses. Why would the fact you will be King mean you wouldn't be threatened? Charles was definitely threatened by Diana, I think the whole RF as an institution was.

Threatened? By Meghan and Harry?
Have you read Spare, seen their interviews? How can I put this kindly.... they're not great at, well, very much really. It was all too much. Lots of weeping on the floor.

Viviennemary · 09/08/2025 12:26

A lot of folk saw through Meghan. She really didn't know how to behave as a royal and didn't want to learn. It was pure cringe a lot of the time. I expect they were glad to see the back of them.

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:26

@OrangeAxolotyl i'm not interested enough to read his book. Why did you read it?

PrincessFluffyPants · 09/08/2025 12:28

BluntPinkNewt · 09/08/2025 11:44

From her first public appearances - Invictus Games, the engagement interview, and her early royal engagements, she brought a different energy and style that got a lot of media attention. Whether people liked her or not, she clearly made an impact.

Show quote history

Meghan's first public appearance was wearing ripped jeans and an oversized white shirt, that's hardly glamorous in my opinion.

bumbaloo · 09/08/2025 12:29

Vivienne1000 · 09/08/2025 12:16

Future King and Queen or influencers in California?
I bet Catherine and William are so jealous that they don’t spend their days making fake jams and promoting the me me me lifestyle.

Oh they won’t be threatened now. People are taking about years ago when a fresh new person arrived and garnered a lot of attention.
especially being first in line and his wife, it would be very uncomfortable finding yourself not the most exciting thing for a bit.

just as in a job. You could be senior and very very accomplished but somewhat staid when a dynamic newbie arrives and whilst a rung beneath you, are getting masses of acclaim and attention and everyone is saying how fabulous it is to have modern and new people in the company with fantastic energy and new ideas. It’s not odd for the old stalwart to feel their nose pushed out of joint

MyDeftDuck · 09/08/2025 12:30

The fact that Megan often wore black and was bare legged when she attended public events as part of the RF, both of which went against the RF image and the late Queens wishes spoke volumes about her agenda from the outset.
Her constant need to hold Harry’s hand on every occasion was just so wrong too. She thought she could bulldoze her way to popularity………how very wrong she was.

Wheresthebeach · 09/08/2025 12:31

You’re having a laugh…dear God…

OrangeAxolotyl · 09/08/2025 12:31

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:26

@OrangeAxolotyl i'm not interested enough to read his book. Why did you read it?

Why? Why do you read books?
Because I was interested. I thought it was fascinating. So strange.

Robynxoxo · 09/08/2025 12:32

Absolutely. Kate used to dress like a frump before meghan came. Then she completely overhauled her wardrobe when meghan came.

Andrew19997 · 09/08/2025 12:32

😂😂😂

Μeghan? Harry? Is that you?

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:32

Oh they won’t be threatened now. People are taking about years ago when a fresh new person arrived and garnered a lot of attention. especially being first in line and his wife, it would be very uncomfortable finding yourself not the most exciting thing for a bit.

Exactly, wasn't their tour really popular with loads of positive press? W&K Caribbean tour was awful. I think H&M modernised the royals a bit, which fair enough people dislike here but to on a global stage it is well received.

bumbaloo · 09/08/2025 12:32

Vaxtable · 09/08/2025 12:02

Hi Meghan

Let me spell it out for you, Williams and Catherine are the future King and Queen of this country. You will always play second fiddle to them and I firmly believe the only one threatened was you as you couldn’t get your own way

Catherine, as well as Sophie all tried to help you mitigate into and old family, set in their ways, and actually Harry should have supported you better and explained how the image of the RF works in this country, changes will be made but slowly

Because you didn’t get your own way, stamping your feet, you threw your toys out of your pram and left, good we don’t need Royals you and your husband

you can learn a lot from the current, smaller Royal Family

See this is the sort of nonsense that just annoys people. Just because you speak against one doesn’t mean you love the other. And it certainly doesn’t mean it is the other pretending to be Joe Public.

its just so juvenile to not be able to engage in a conversation without resorting to these sort of theatrics.

some of us see all parties as flawed and no one coming up smelling of roses. Anyone so adamant and determined to demonise one side and sanctify the other is just living with some sort of blind tribalism.

BippidyBoppety · 09/08/2025 12:32

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:11

In photos together K makes MM look dumpy and badly dressed so no

This is untrue & completely unnecessary. Why would you write such a thing

Agree. Spiteful and childish. MM - my opinion - dresses stylishly and looks comfortable. KM - again, my opinion - looks like my Mum would dress.

JustFeedMeCake · 09/08/2025 12:32

Drivingthevengabus · 09/08/2025 11:38

YABU not to post this stuff on the Royal Family board.

Agreed.

Not only are you being unreasonable but you also being ridiculous 🤣

Meghan has been proven to have lied about so much, it’s actually embarrassing. What they are doing to their children is unforgivable. No class, just a pair of deluded grifters.

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:33

@OrangeAxolotyl I don't read personally books about people I dislike or am not interested in. No idea that was strange 😆

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:33

or personally read!

OrangeAxolotyl · 09/08/2025 12:34

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:33

@OrangeAxolotyl I don't read personally books about people I dislike or am not interested in. No idea that was strange 😆

Really? To me, that's strange.
I've read books on Stalin, Edward VIII, Churchill and many others. I don't just read about people I like. How limiting. I like to find out about what makes people tick.

StrictlySequinsandStiIettos · 09/08/2025 12:35

LouisaJG · 09/08/2025 11:54

Who knows, but YANBU to think it’s a possibility. Kate had been the unquestioned darling of the media for years, so pretty, look at her in her lovely clothes etc. I think it’s just human nature that she might have found it a bit difficult to suddenly be sharing that spotlight, especially with someone that she apparently didn’t particularly get on with.

Yep, she'd not have wanted to share the spotlight if she couldn't even share some lip gloss Wink Grin

Tessisme · 09/08/2025 12:35

Vaxtable · 09/08/2025 12:02

Hi Meghan

Let me spell it out for you, Williams and Catherine are the future King and Queen of this country. You will always play second fiddle to them and I firmly believe the only one threatened was you as you couldn’t get your own way

Catherine, as well as Sophie all tried to help you mitigate into and old family, set in their ways, and actually Harry should have supported you better and explained how the image of the RF works in this country, changes will be made but slowly

Because you didn’t get your own way, stamping your feet, you threw your toys out of your pram and left, good we don’t need Royals you and your husband

you can learn a lot from the current, smaller Royal Family

Absolutely barking …

(Oh and mitigate? Help me out here)

PollyannaNibbs · 09/08/2025 12:35

Agree. Never heard of her before she met Harry

Nor me

Bookloveruk · 09/08/2025 12:36

I find it really funny how the media works. The villified Kate at beginning, she was lazy hanging around for William not to mention the digs about her mother’s past. Now they love her and she’s amazing. Megan was opposite. Amazing at start just what royal family needed. now she’s the devil personified. Has taken Harry away. It’s just bizarre and I hope they all are happy in their lives based on how they want to live it

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:36

its just so juvenile to not be able to engage in a conversation without resorting to these sort of theatrics.

I do find it fascinating though, why does it have to be so divisive? We are t as liking about strangers for goodness sake not personal friends & family. But maybe that is the relationship some have with the RF? It's their version of Eastenders!

OrangeAxolotyl · 09/08/2025 12:36

toiletpiper · 09/08/2025 12:33

or personally read!

I read loads. I read a great book about Lucien Freud. Don't like him, never knew him, interesting, though.
Outside the box, always illuminating.

bumbaloo · 09/08/2025 12:37

MyDeftDuck · 09/08/2025 12:30

The fact that Megan often wore black and was bare legged when she attended public events as part of the RF, both of which went against the RF image and the late Queens wishes spoke volumes about her agenda from the outset.
Her constant need to hold Harry’s hand on every occasion was just so wrong too. She thought she could bulldoze her way to popularity………how very wrong she was.

This is the sort of inaccuracy that some people insist on perpetuating which is odd as the evidence is online fir the world to see

Diana frequently did not wear tights. And she was married to the heir to the throne. and was an earlier generation when rules were even more adhered to. Fergie frequently didn’t wear them whilst married to Andrew. Zara, Beatrice and Eugenie pretty much never wear tights.

it’s not a rule. It’s a preference for some women in the RF.

ThatCyanCat · 09/08/2025 12:37

There was no competition. William and Kate are meant to be safe and reliable, they're going to be king and queen, people don't actually want them to be loose cannons, they are supposed to be responsible and serious. Harry and Meghan were supposed to be the fun and slightly rebellious ones who stopped the RF from being completely boring. Two distinct roles. And most people think Harry and Meghan had the better deal; all the privilege, none of the responsibility, so much more (relative) freedom.