Does anyone want a thread for people who are happy for Harry and Meghan? Thread 4

[Mummy195]

Hope you don't mind Dave.

Do not understand why those that can't stand the couple, who want to paint them in the worst light possible don't let off steam on the 'hidden' thread. That is like minded people.

Hi @Roussette!

I'm the OP of the current 'hidden' thread. Clearly not that hidden A poster said she found us after your comment which is why I'm here.

The thread is half talk about Harry & Meghan, half general chat, which is a reason it's not in the Royal section. In fact most of the thread up until the last few days when HaM was us supporting each other through Covid ill-health and lockdown. It is like-minded people in that we're being friendly. The talk is quite personal at times which is why being in a section that automatically deletes the thread after 30 days and doesn't come in search engine searches is appealing. Because of where it is, I'm not going to link to the thread as I think that may be uncool and against unwritten Mumsnet etiquette, but I'm very happy to give the link to anyone who wants it if they PM me.

Nearly all posters on it are Harry & Meghan critical, but it's certainly not a thread that's painting HaM in "the worst possible light" as you claim.

MNHQ know we're there, as do you and others obviously, and so far in one full thread and 3/4 of a second one, MNHQ have only deleted ONE post and haven't commented at all. This is in stark contrast to their involvement on your last 'happy' thread where they said it was clear name-changing/sock puppeting was going on, and also in stark contrast to the other threads in the Royal Section going on right now.

But as I said, as so much of the thread isn't about HaM, it doesn't present that many reporting opportunities. I suspect that might disappoint you

All this talk (by us all) of the 'happy' and 'hidden' threads is amusing me. Maybe we should meet up late one night for a post-off: like a dance-off but far less entertaining.

Hippo Wasn't Princess Madeleine's (ultimate) husband the person who refused a title and was adamant about retaining his US citizenship? And they now live a private life in the US where Princess M does charity work with abused children as well as royal duties back in Sweden. And her children, although they still have titles and are in the line of succession, are no longer royal.

I am old enough the remember the Swedish king marrying Silvia Sommerlath - mainly because of ABBA, bizarrely dressed in 18th century outfits, singing & dedicating "Dancing Queen" to her -and remember that because of her German background, she was extremely unpopular for a while, but stuck it out and proved a success as Queen.

i find the comparisons with how Sarah was treated by the media interesting,, she really did have a bad time. I do think its worse now. back then it was the press mainly. now we have the internet and anyone can post anywhere. so in a way its worse as you can't get away from it.

sort of reminds me when I was young and having a hard time at school I could go home and be safe. years later when my son had a hard time at school it followed him home,,,,but back then it was less invasive as only really had my space.
now the internet and social media is every where you can't hide from it.
(not sure if that is a good comparison.)

Hippo Wasn't Princess Madeleine's (ultimate) husband the person who refused a title and was adamant about retaining his US citizenship? And they now live a private life in the US where Princess M does charity work with abused children as well as royal duties back in Sweden.

Christopher something, I think? They were in London for several years most recently but I think they separated a few months back. I believe they’re both still in London, though.

Arrietty (daughter of Pod) I must be out of date. I thought they were together and living in Florida.

A bit of googling might be required. For someone who is a republican living in a Commonwealth country, I have an unhealthy and sad preoccupation with European royals.

Madeleine and her husband are still together. I think they might live in the US now?

Arrietty (daughter of Pod)

I must be out of date. I thought they were together and living in Florida.

I might just be confusing (or conflating) my scandi princesses. The one I’m thinking of lived in NYC for a while.

You're right about social media, Samcro, it does add another dimension. That is the one area where I think H and MM have had a very hard time, but even then it's members of the public - and most often from the US - who are most vociferous. Ironic that they have chosen to make their home where some of their fiercest critics live.

What she hasn't had is the physical hounding that SF, Diana, Kate etc experienced. That must have been very intimidating. Al least you can switch social media off.

The issue for me is that they both seek to use the very media they are at odds with for self promotion. It's a doomed strategy.

Samcro, I think you are right that there are fewer places to hide now with the internet and social media. I think some tabloids still are awful, but I guess I just assume that they will write rubbish. These threads have introduced me to social media actually (I am neither on Instagram nor twitter) and some of the comments there (about Meghan, but also about many others) are dreadful. I just always assumed that parts of the media would be awful and that most people disregarded it.

Tezza, yes, those are Madeleine’s current circumstances and they seem very happy. I cannot remember if Silvia was unpopular or not (but before my time), but Swedish people had a lot of time for the royal family in those days.

The current Swedish King’s father died in a plane crash (not sure if I posted that here, sorry in that case) when he was a baby. As he then became the heir and Sweden had a constitutional monarchy, this would have been a huge issue if the then King, his grandfather had died. As a result Prince Bertie (his uncle) promised that he would be regent for his nephew until he became 18 if the King would die. The problem was that he was deeply in love with a foreign common, divorcee and marrying her would exclude him from being a regent. He called a meeting with all press editors and explained that if they wrote about his girlfriend, he would give her up. That it would break his heart, but that he would do it for his country. They never wrote about it and he married her after the current king turned 18. Unfortunately it was too late for them to have children. The current crown princess and her siblings became like children to them and they were very respected by the Swedish people.

True about social media being more widespread but remember that Sarah Ferguson has criticism on it nowadays too, whenever she puts her head above the parapet.

Was it Bertil whose wife was British? Or am I thinking of another European prince who had a long-standing love affair with a commoner?

I don't know what press coverage the Swedish king's antics have gotten over there - nothing his children do could be as bad as that!

Yes, that was Bertie Cerseirys. Don’t worry, the Swedish King got pretty appalling press. Blasted all over tabloids and weeklies. For quite a while. I just felt very sorry for the innocents in that, but as for him, he probably got what he deserved.

The reason I brought up his children and their spouses is that they didn’t really deserve any of the press they got. And I think most Swedish people realise that and disregard the gutter press. I haven’t check the nutters on social media though.

I guess my assumption was that people disregarded the (what I saw as mild in comparison) “wrong colour nail polish, lack of tights” or whatever rubbish the British press printed in the same way. I always thought that Meghan was the most stylish in the RF, I loved her Ascot outfit (brilliant hat) and both her dressed up look and every day look are amazing. And who doesn’t touch their bump when pregnant? I think I regarded that just as idiocy, and mild compared to some other things I have read. Social media is different though, there are truly disturbed people on there.

As a separate issue, I don’t agree with everything Meghan and Harry have done, but this is not the thread for that. I did love the outfits she wore whilst delivering food as well misses the point of the exercise . I have no idea how she always manage to look so well put together.

She does have flair, Hippo. I like her best in casual outfits, I feel her least successful looks were early on when she was trying to fit the royal mould. It'll be interesting to see how her style evolves now she's back on home turf.

The issue about no tights, nude nails etc is a tricky one. I don't care about these things personally, but by all accounts HMQ does, so from a professional and respectful point of view it was bad form to go her own way.

That's assuming HMQ actually did care, of course. She seems quite relaxed about a lot of things these days.

Morehippo, You liked those cargo pants she wore to deliver food???!

The best outfit or look I've ever seen her in is the evening frock she wore for her wedding. The halter neck one. That was fabulous, with the messy half you-do hair thingy. Perfect.
And there was another navy off the shoulders outfit she wore for something or other as well.

Didn't care for that green cape thing she wore recently though.

The tights thing was ridiculous as plenty of other royal women have gone without in the past. And I don't think we've ever had confirmation of the Queen's rules - if you look back at her in her youth she wore all the latest fashions so perhaps she's more progressive than we think!

Callme, I thought she looked stylish . You should see what I look like on my days off...

fleas, that is a good point about dress code. I had those in my work, adhered to them, but never liked them. How about I restate “she looked amazing, but should maybe have followed the dress code”?

I wore these incredible shoes in the office one day. One of my outspoken colleagues told me that they were great, but not appropriate. I kind of knew that when I went into the office, thought I would get away with it, had it pointed out to me and stopped wearing them.... for work!! Loved them outside work though

It's a dress code, in the same way as some businesses operate them and others don't.
If you worked for a company that stated certain protocols were expected, would you, as a new recruit, disregard them and be happy to be seen as someone who was flicking two fingers up at the CEO?

But how do we know these "protocols" even existed? It's not like she showed up to official events in ripped jeans and a crop top! She was always appropriately dressed as far as I could see. She wore a one-shouldered dress to a fashion awards night, which apparently broke royal rules, but then Kate wore a one-shouldered dress to the BAFTAs a few weeks later so who's to say there was even such a rule?

Because she has been surrounded by staff who would have told her.
So, when she apparently received a message to say that on an upcoming engagement the Queen would be wearing a hat, Meghan's aides would have told her that that meant she should wear one too. She ignored it and went bare-headed.

@Dandyish
Have you seen my dancing?!

As far as your thread, I had a quick look and thought ahhhh OK a continuation but will admit I didn't explore it thoroughly

As far as fashion, I have no idea on whether she wore a hat, didn't wear a hat, or any of that stuff, because to me it seems unimportant. I did not like the green outfit either but I loathe caped dresses, I think they look most peculiar on everyone. Melania Trump often drapes a jacket over her shoulders and it looks plain daft. But that's me.

I think both Kate & Meghan look good in casual outfits, being so slim etc. On the dressing up outfits, I prefer Meghan's stytle but that is probably something to do with K having to conform more somewhat. Sometimes I can't believe K is in her 30s as her outfits are really quite old fashioned, but she will be so constrained with what she can wear I suspect.

So, when she apparently received a message to say that on an upcoming engagement the Queen would be wearing a hat, Meghan's aides would have told her that that meant she should wear one too. She ignored it and went bare-headed

Where's a source for this (apart from Daily Fail or Piers Morgan!)

I read that story about the hat - a message was sent to her saying "the Queen will be wearing a green hat". Apparently she thought that meant she shouldn't wear green (or something like that) and no one enlightened her as to the real meaning.

I tend to give her a pass on the hat story. I think she was told the Queen would be wearing a hat and was expected to decode the message and understand she needed to as well.

And call me cynical but if she had already upset palace staff I reckon one or two of them wouldn't be above setting her up.

What she needed was a no nonsense assistant - maybe Aussie as they are very popular staffers with the RF - who would tell her straight what the rules were.

I still think she'd have broken a few but at least it would be clearer who to blame.