Harry and Meghan and the intricacies of the Monarchy

[PelicanPie]

Here's a follow on to the last thread, which was really enjoyable.

I don't know if he has any PR people any longer.

I’m giggling at how a thread in active convos called ‘To think we won't see H&M again - Greta hoax’ is getting posters panicked that the clothing store is closing.

That’s precisely why I do HaM

Rose yes - it’s this incongruence that completely destroys credibility. Lots of preachy entertainers suffer from it.

They were using Sunshine Sachs, who M used before when she was in Suits. Very slebby type agency. Dont know if they are still using them... but if I had clients like that I'd be ditching them on grounds of not listening to the advice they were given. Well I assume they've been given advice and chosen not to take it, otherwise their PR would be a lot better!

She just turns up and turns up and turns up. Exactly

For most of us “normal life” doesn’t usually involve being offered free use of a billionaire’s holiday home. Or borrowing Elton’s private jet.

To go back to my earlier point, which is mainly about royalty being a more visual/corporeal presence rather than a speaking role, has Harry always been a 'talker'? I always imagine that royals are taught to emulate Mr Bean. I think that Kate had lessons about the requirements of turning up and making relatively benign pronouncements, so the others (married-ins or actual) must have done too. I know that M isn't a 'turn up, say something inoffensive about cause, go home' type of person, but I just can't remember if Harry was different to the talker that he seems to be now? Surely, surely he knows about this?

I think that when you are in a certain role, there will always be a set of requirements and expectations on behaviour and presentation. As a working member of the royal family, he was really not allowed to have a vocal, political opinion. Maybe that is why he wanted to get away.

Hopefully, they will hire some exceptional staff soon (PR, lawyers and assistants) and listen to their advice. If indeed the phone call is real, this should have been prevented. As should some other PR-related things.

I mean, even us, regular employees, have clauses about not bringing our companies into disrepute by voicing certain opinions in public.
It’s not rocket science.

It's a cheap shot to invoke the spirit of world war 2 but can you imagine the Queen Mother visiting bombed out East Enders and saying 'not many people ask if I'm OK'?

can you imagine the Queen Mother visiting bombed out East Enders and saying 'not many people ask if I'm OK'?

Yes, I can actually. Lets hope MM doesn't also emulate her in running up massive debts and tax dodging.

It's a cheap shot to invoke the spirit of world war 2 but can you imagine the Queen Mother visiting bombed out East Enders and saying 'not many people ask if I'm OK'? No I can't actually. It wasn't a time for emoting, being self centred and prancing around in a cape.

Delurking to observe that the Russian 'pranksters' have a track record for hoax calls to the famous and powerful, I don't think it was a fake Harry.

I wonder if the RF/H&M were approached by the press for comment ahead of publication? If so, it might account for the obvious tensions at the Commonwealth service. Kate and Wills in particular are likely to remember the prank call to the private hospital Kate was in that resulted in the suicide of the nurse involved.

I wonder if the RF/H&M were approached by the press for comment ahead of publication? If so, it might account for the obvious tensions at the Commonwealth service. Kate and Wills in particular are likely to remember the prank call to the private hospital Kate was in that resulted in the suicide of the nurse involved.

If that were the case, you'd think W&K would have made more of an effort to appear publically supportive, when they know how these nasty pranks can end in tragedy. It actually makes their cold shouldering of H&M seem even more unpleasant, if that is possible.

Good point Navigator

Really surprised if H&M didn't background check callers claiming to be "Greta" - is it because they have sacked their UK office staff? - especially after they will be aware of recent attempts to "prank" the RF.

• Sophie and the fake sheikh
• the tragic case where that nurse committed suicide after giving information about Kate being in labour to the "fake Queen"

The calls were apparently made around the beginning of the year, when H&M were in Canada.

Maybe (if it was known) William and Kate really are at the end of their patience.

H&M

wants to do things their way,
break free from royal protocol,
puts out premature statements,
presumably either gets bad PR and Legal advice or don’t listen,
launches a lawsuit (presumably against advice, Mr Markle could have been expected to testify, he seems to be a loose cannon, saying anything)
leaves their positions, which means that W&K gets extra work and dragged into many meetings regarding how to sort it out
creates a public flurry of opinions on how and if the royal family should be funded
possibly gets W&K kicked out of the procession so “not send the wrong message”

And then.... oups, PH talked to some Russian prankster pretending to be a 16 year old autistic girl with a history of eating disorders and gave his personal opinions on a load of stuff.

So, maybe W&K just were trying to hold it together just a bit, stiff upper lip and all that “this too shall pass” before the big charity event in the evening.... ?

Btw, for avoidance of doubt, I feel very protective of Greta. The details above was shared by her mum in an interview (Swedish and English papers). Her dad was on the line in the call with PH. So there is no suggestion at all of PH behaving inappropriately. It could just be a bit of a final straw for W&K.

What the pickle has been happening with these threads you guys are as relentless as that smile on Meg’s face during the commonwealth service.

Re the Harry hoax - I do believe he was tricked but I find it hard to believe that H could give such eloquent answers off the cuff so I’m torn as to what’s happened here.

I hope he hasn’t relied on the calls being true and used them to promote his climate credentials as stating strong personal links with GT when touting for business.

Then found out ahead of publication in last few days they were a hoax. That would make him grumpy.

If it was a real hoax and not a hoax hoax I think it was highly irresponsible of the guys who did it. I wonder if they were aware that Harry has MH issues and if they knew about the awful consequence of the hoax call taken by a nurse when Kate was in hospital?

Totally agree with your point 7Worfs that their new life is facilitated by UK tax payers and having been a member of the RF. Unbelievable the level of self-entitlement. Does he think Billionaires just rent mansions to all and sundry?

It's the equivalent of someone on benefits who has the capacity to work saying 'So glad I don't have to work, me and the mrs have a much better life now' Literally the posh equivalent of stereotype Benefits by the Sea or something.

As for 'we use private jets a lot less than most people'

What planet are you on? What a stupid thing to say.

If he's so 'normal' and down to earth, the as he claims to be, he'd know how far removed from reality that makes him sound.

Froq

Well, I guess we will find out sooner or later if it was a hoax. My slightly long statement above was in repose to the PP who suggested that W&K should have been more supportive if it was true.