Royal style: Monochrome Megs is back in town!

[QueenOfTheAndals]

new thread!

I like Berkshire on insta for her fashion tales, it's actually very rare I go and read the blog but she put up something along the lines of "I think this is it is bad, click the blog to find out" and my nosiness got to me.

I agree with PP that I feel like the Canada House thing is part of a long term plan to eventually move to Canada. H&M can then say " how can this be a shock, look at our long history with Canada and all the visits to Canada House we've done" etc.

Looking forward to seeing a new outfit, we've been a bit style deprived of late bar Christmas Day.

Thank you for the new thread Queen!
I think M and H are paving the way for a move to Canada as soon as they can manage it. The problem with their approach is it’s again got a spin of ‘all about us’rather than all about the RF. their job is to promote the RF not their own brand or personal feelings. Of course they need to nurture the relationship with Canada. However ‘thank you for being nice to us, the British public have vilified us and we’re so grateful you are kind’ is the not the right note to strike.
They need to move beyond their own self interest and introspection. Less quotes on Instagram, no more moaning or drawing attention to their feelings of being hard done by. Less emphasis on US and Canadian sympathies and a need for celebrity support. Just get on with the bloody job and accept that there is a price to pay for all the privilege.

I e just finished reading the Lady Glenconner book and the Angela Kelly book. The latter is interesting but the tone is a bit grating. It is so sycophantic is is untrue. The grovelling tone of deference and self congratulation can grate but the details about the Queens clothes is very interesting. They obviously have a wonderful close relationship.
The Lady Glenconner book was interesting for the insight into aristocratic life and the history of Mustique. She has had a very fortunate life but also suffered some hard knocks. The details about PM are interesting too, though she wouldn’t reveal any personal information beyond the very obvious.

I was browsing in Blackwell's yesterday and had a look through Lady G's book. The part about her wedding night and honeymoon is eye-opening, to say the least. Her husband took her to a sex show on their honeymoon and then to another one where they watched a man "making love" to a donkey! She writes as if he was just a bit eccentric but he sounds a complete nightmare. I thought the Guardian review of the book nailed it as "an unwitting examination of English repression".

Yes her husband sounded like a complete nutcase! I was wondering if he was Bi Polar but didn’t seem to have depressive episodes as such. He used to have meltdowns where he curled up in a ball and wailed and screamed like a child in public places. Interestingly it was only Barbara Barnes their nanny who could snap him out of it. Which suggests it was not out of his control. He sounded like a very difficult man, to say the least.
The account of the wedding night and it’s aftermath is jaw droppingly awful. Although they didn’t consummate the marriage till the morning after the wedding.

I suspect he was only considered "eccentric" because he was upper class. Had he been working-class he'd have probably been locked up!

Yes exactly. I couldn’t decide if he was just an entitled brat or had some sort of personality disorder.

"Of course they need to nurture the relationship with Canada. However ‘thank you for being nice to us, the British public have vilified us and we’re so grateful you are kind’ is the not the right note to strike. "

I disagree on this actually because I think the key point here is that this bit of work and PR isn't aimed at us in the UK. It's aimed at Canadians. They want Canadians to feel warm and fuzzy to the royal family in general, and Meghan and Harry in particular. They want Canada to feel a close tie to the UK. They don't want to risk Canada ever considering exiting the Commonwealth or taking it less seriously and they want all Canadians and people in power to continue to see the UK as a close ally.

And actually I think the fact that in the UK we can't see the importance of strong diplomatic and emotional ties to countries like Canada and the way in which the royal family help to nurture these as quite worrying in a world in which the US president is a hair trigger away from causing all out global war and traditional allies are confused and erratic.

Some points:

An official tour of Canada, as carried out by William and Kate, is very different from the extended break the Sussex duo enjoyed. But everyone knows that really.

Overtures in the direction of Canada are not really desperately needed since Canada is pretty Brit-friendly, anyway.

If they do decamp there, I trust they will do so under their own steam and using their own finances, given that they will no longer be properly available for any Royal duties.

With great respect @BlingLoving you've abbreviated my post in such as way that it sounds aimed at and critical of M, which was not my intention. I was at pains to say that a plan which is beneficial to both of them isn't a bad thing.

But I also think that the path they are on is causing some tension within the RF that the institution could do without.

I think if the PR move was aimed at the Canadian public it would have taken place in Canada where it would have enjoyed much better coverage and be more relevant.

Save me trying to catch up! They went on holiday didn't they? Why go to Canada house?

I have to say I wouldn't blame them one bit, if I had the chance to move to Canada I'd go like a shot!

Oh dear, both the BBC and ITV have said they won't televise Beatrice's wedding. Channel 5?

I really can't see H&M moving to Canada in the near future. Maybe after William becomes king and they drop down in importance. At the moment they seem pretty committed to their UK charities.

What type of wedding is Beatrice having in view of Andrew’s position? It’s all scaled down surely? Thank God the bbc are not spending money on it.

M&H have already thought about spending time in South Africa and now Canada. British charities can be accommodated over a few months of the year can’t they? Just a few months working and many months of holidays dressed up as visiting the commonwealth. Seems like a plan to me.

I had read B & E themselves wanted a scaled down wedding. Could be face saving spin of course, but it will still be a pretty swanky affair. The addition of TV cameras isn't likely to make it any more special for them.

PA has been fighting for the royal status of his daughters for years but I suspect he knows he has to pick his battles from now on.

Is the Canada House thing a tad passive aggressive? Making the not so subtle point that Canada have welcomed her unlike the UK who never once asked her how she was? Ahem.
this!!

This^^

@myimaginery - sorry, didnt mean to offend. I disagree that what they are doing is wrong. Or rather, it shouldn't be causing tension or objections. Not sure if you think its first it is or not but I definitely think it not.

curly absolutely agree re the Cambridge's PR, whoever does it was on fire in 2019. Just shoot... score! shoot... score! all year long. I bet they're like eek, feel bad for Megs and Harry, but we're not changing our 'just a more refined John Lewis family' angle for anyone!

Long time lurker on these threads, occasional poster. If you’re looking for royal fashion commentary elsewhere than these delightful threads, I prefer eholmes “so many thoughts” for fashion rather than Jane at Berkshire blog - given Jane is a lawyer she presents opinion as fact far too often & seems to have a real problem with Meghan.

What time is the Canada House engagement?

I predict a black trouser suit from Meghan because what can you say about a black trouser suit?

Thanks for the tip Pampa