Thread 18?

[Froq]

I go away for the weekend and thread 17 disappears

March isn’t too far away now. Will we see their return for the commonwealth service?

Have they found a new home yet?

Will they make an appearance at Beatrice’s wedding?

I'm now looking at things you've said Dandy and think you're right, this was a very long-term plan. Wasn't it about a year ago that it was reported that H and Oprah had met? But looking back there just doesn't seem to have been any explanation why they would do a collaboration given that he (H), W and K started the Heads Up or Heads Together initiative together in the UK and were working on it together and then when he married M she was brought in. Not long after that, haven't checked the timeline, they seemed to split into W&K and H&M.

H at the time though was very much a working member of the royal family and no hint was given that that would change. They shouldn't have been going off planning stuff with others in the US when working as royals in this country, surely? Doing it in a separate capacity than W&K. What if there were clashes? Perhaps stuff like this is basis of the alleged argument between the brothers.

For instance, I'm sure W&K have had specialist advice regarding Heads Up on multiple levels from people that have their interests in making this a success. What has H had for his project with Oprah? What's it going to be based on? What advice will be given regarding mental health (or is it all about H's mental health with a reflection to a lesser level being shone on others)? Is that advice compatible or not between the two countries? It has the capacity to be at odds with the UK initiative. Apart from anything with H&M using the royal brand it does have the capacity to compromise them if it veers from the RF's views/stance on things. Oprah really wasn't a good move. I don't know enough about the project but she's being used to help launch them in the US - they couldn't do a project like this on their own but needed a well-known figure whereas in the UK H would already be that well-known figure. I think Oprah is loved in the US on the whole. I don't think, but could be wrong, she is over here.

It just seems that it's been presented that the UK (press and public) made life untenable for them in the UK when they might have been planning on getting out on their terms anyway. I think Dandy is right - I think they pulled the rip cord earlier than they planned to. I think now in line with Dandy that they wanted to get a firm base of love and support in the UK, slowly build it up in the US as well, then launch themselves over there.

Sorry for the length of this. The penny drops and then keeps on dropping and dropping (and my jaw drops even further).

Soneone from McDonalds or Burger King PR has to promote the Mc Royal double cheese burger!! Genius.

I think she thought being a royal meant living the life of ultimate luxury in the realms of an arab shiek or beyonce, I think once she realised there are a lot of rules and traditions to being a royal and you cant live the life of luxury and spend what you want and go to hollywood parties etc she is now trying to use the royal connection (without being a royal) to live the life she was expecting

IMO I think she realised there were rules but thought she would be able to break/bend them later. I think she always saw being Royal as path to greater world celebrity, a fusion of Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

The idea of Royalty being a privilege entailed to serving, getting up to open a new I.T Centre in Staffordshire under the cover of rain and dark foggy mornings with just a few couple of long term commited royal photographers to publish such tedious sacrifice to the world was never, ever, her cup of tea or something in her long term plans.

Speculating, but she would have examples in the form of both Sophie W and Princess Anne. Both busy committed Royals and yet mostly unsung and definitely not promoted in any high profile way. I couldn't tell you what Sophs last engagement was, although I'd certainly find it I looked.

There's no big announcements, woke fan adulation and double page tabloid spreads for them, despite all that effort. Their obscurity despite sacrifice would not be an alluring model for a particularly photogenic person with previously big ambitions.

Is the McRoyal a prawn based burger served in either an English muffin or sourdough bun with a slice of avocado and chipotle sauce? I think it sounds nice.

That logo, with the entwined M & H (M first) and the tiara above looks like something a wedding planner would produce...

10% of the burger price goes to a charity of your choice and all ingredients sustainably sourced. McDonalds or Burger King are missing a trick here

Even limited edition. I'd buy one.

I don't think MM could have any idea what the life of royals really involved. She certainly would have no conception of the many dull engagements involved. An American just simply couldn't.

It’s not hard. She could have looked at the Court Circular and spoken to Harry and other members of the family. I think she was too busy though waiting to shout ‘Yes’ before the question was out of Harry’s mouth.

In their engagement interview didn’t Harry say he’d explained what being royal meant? Or have I misremembered?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8021217/Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle-lose-Buckingham-Palace-office-April.html

Looks like they will both be at the Commonwealth service.

I suppose if you are British you kind of have an inbuilt understanding of what the Royals do - yes, the glitzy stuff, the Church stuff, the military stuff, and of course the unending openings of community centres/slurry processing factories.

Whereas as an American, regardless of whether she had never heard of H before (clue: she definitely had) you would probably just see the glitz, the jewels, the dresses and not the hard slog.

As a bit of a pathetic equivalent - I'm in PR, DD2 is going into the same industry. Everyone 'thinks' it is a glamorous job, and it's so so not. There are glamorous bits for sure, but most of it is just a job like any other, and there's a fuck of a lot of boring stuff, shifting boxes of product, being nice to people you don't necessarily want to be nice to. DD2 already knows that because she's been helping me at events, exhibitions etc since she was 10, but most of her fellow students are all about the glam and glitz.

MM was 16 when Diana died.
Talking to friends and family of around that age, they seem to have been left with a bit of a blurry picture of a glamorous goddess who bestrode the world, famous as a great humanitarian but with a fabulous wardrobe and the eligible menfolk of society salivating in her wake...

They didn't live through the years of Diana as an "ordinary" royal and the subsequent silliness (on both sides) of playing the press and not really having a proper base.

The fact that Kevin Costner hinted that Diana was ready to star in a remake of "The Bodyguard" may have helped.

I think that maybe the PR people for the RF have realised that they need to up their game - in that I am seeing loads of pictures and videos of whatever Charles/Camilla/William/Kate/Sophie/Anne/Edward are up to - I really don't think their work was well publicised before. They certainly put in the time.

Glad No. 18 is back!

One other thought. Although Harry was supposed to have told Meghan all about 'being Royal' before they married, I wonder if he played down the bad bits, because he was scared she'd cut and run. After all, no-one before had agreed to marry him, because they couldn't cope with the life.

They hardly knew each other when he proposed. She had no real idea of what being royal entailed, she didn’t have time to find out.

Equally, he had only her version of her story. He’d only ever met her mother.

In my opinion, their hurry to get married was driven by the ticking of her biological clock, which was no basis on which to base a huge life changing decision unless you’re very sure of it.

Anyone checked out the DM article? Looks like there's a number of engagements for them both in late Feb, early March, plus, hinting at more in the future.

I feel very sorry for their comms and PA team, all of them. Some of them are incredibly experienced and well thought of, and it must be clear to anyone that whatever advice they were giving has largely been ignored. And their hard work ( eg planning of the Africa tour) to be completely undermined. How humiliating.

And the new recruits - how gutting it must be to be hired in August ( David Watkins was poached from Burberry) then less than six months later be told they'd be getting the heave ho at financial year end.

I hope the price of those NDAs is sufficiently high.

The BBC released something 10 minutes ago.

from <a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51565325?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c77jz3md4qwt/uk-royal-family&link_location=live-reporting-story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51565325?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c77jz3md4qwt/uk-royal-family&link_location=live-reporting-story

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will formally step down as senior royals from 31 March, a spokesperson for the couple has said.

They will no longer carry out duties on behalf of the Queen but arrangements will be reviewed after 12 months.

Earlier this year Harry and Meghan announced they would be stepping back from royal duties and working to become financially independent.

They will return to the UK for engagements at the end of this month.

The couple intend to split their time between the UK and North America and the spokesperson said they would be in the UK "regularly".

They will attend six events in the UK in February and March, including the Commonwealth Day Service on 9 March.

Harry is also expected to attend the London Marathon in April in his capacity as patron, while the couple will also attend the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in May.

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The couple will formally retain their HRH titles but will not use them. The use of the word "Royal" is under discussion, the spokesperson said, and an announcement on this will be made alongside the launch of the couple's new non-profit organisation.

Harry and Meghan's foundation applied to trademark the Sussex Royal brand - used on their website and social media - in June last year.

As the couple will no longer be undertaking engagements in support of the Queen, they will not be retaining an office at Buckingham Palace. Instead, from 1 April they will be represented via their UK foundation, the spokesperson said.

Harry will retain the ranks of Major, Lieutenant Commander, and Squadron Leader but his honorary military positions will be suspended. The roles will not be filled by anyone else during the 12-month review period.

Further details about the couple's new charitable organisation will be released later this year but the spokesperson said the causes they supported, including the Commonwealth, community, youth empowerment and mental health, would remain the same.

Harry's priorities also include the welfare of servicemen and women, conservation and HIV, while Meghan has focused on women's empowerment, gender equality and education.

So, only six weeks left.

I have to admit Yolo I thought PR was a r glamorous occupation!!

Someone I knew who in it constantly walked around with a huge stack in her bag of the latest gossip, lifestyle and architecture magazines, I assume she got them as grace and favour as well as trendy fashion promotion stuff too. It certainly seemed quite glamorous when you'd turn up at the school gate in the morning barely remembering to change your slippers and there's this worldly sleuth creature casually handing out expensive mags to you because you were so (it must have appeared) desperately in need of a little glitz in your world and obviously couldn't afford it.

She also gave me loads of pretty expensive (back then) USB sticks when they were fairly new and a smart energy meter she'd picked up at some function, years before they were ever used as a normal thing they were trialling them then. Never used it.

She clearly felt sorry for me

It’s mainly Harry who has engagements.
I presume Meghan will just come back for the commonwealth service, as she’ll probably leave Archie at home.

Well the interaction between them and the RF will be fascinating to watch at the commonwealth service.

I feel very sorry for their comms and PA team, all of them. Some of them are incredibly experienced and well thought of, and it must be clear to anyone that whatever advice they were giving has largely been ignored. And their hard work ( eg planning of the Africa tour) to be completely undermined. How humiliating.

I think there is a certain kudos to have worked for the RF on your CV.
I’m sure they will all get snapped up, as potential employers can see it’s no fault of their own, they’ve been sacked, and they have been loyal, discreet and hardworking.

Fizzy I don't read the BBC article copied as suggesting that it's mainly Harry who will be carrying out engagements .It reads to me as if the London Marathon one will be him on his own but that the rest will be joint ones .

"They will return to the UK for engagements at the end of this month.

The couple intend to split their time between the UK and North America and the spokesperson said they would be in the UK "regularly".

They will attend six events in the UK in February and March, including the Commonwealth Day Service on 9 March.

Harry is also expected to attend the London Marathon in April in his capacity as patron, while the couple will also attend the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in May."

Well, they are joined at the hip after all.

Time will tell. The public face will be all welcoming I’m sure. But I’d prefer to be a fly on the wall at the private meetings