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The royal family

Harry and Meghan biography

999 replies

sunshinesupermum · 26/04/2020 12:08

Hasn't Prince Harry learnt anything from his mother's experience of having someone write her biography 'to set the record straight'? Couldn't they have at least waited until after his grandmother's death, however long that might be?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8257071/Meghan-Harry-biography-bombshell-Royals.html

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Packingsoapandwater · 01/05/2020 08:45

I think Rose makes fascinating points. And I would like to add that one, if not the sole, reason for the Royal Family being in such a precarious position is that their wealth and power is ultimately derived from the fact they are the remote descendents of someone who did something nearly 1000 years ago.

Aside from other monarchies (and there are only another seven that can be described as being this old), what other elite family in the world owes their position to events that occurred practically a millennium ago?

It's a bit like Jeff Bezos being Jeff Bezos because he is a descendent of one of the pilgrim fathers.

It's utterly bonkers when you think about it. Most modern global elite wealth and power comes from the fact someone has done something within the last fifty to one hundred years, and respect tends to coalesce around those individuals and families that are perceived to have created a good for global society (Bill Gates in creating Microsoft, for example). Respect and fond feelings do not just appear because one "is" wealthy and powerful; they have to be earnt.

And the Royal Family has realised, albeit belatedly, that being perceived as "doing good for society" is the only tool it has in its box to ensure its survival, which is already in a precarious state by virtue of its reliance on public and political will. And that "doing good" had to be the real deal; it has to be the modern version of the vicar's daughter going round to take provisions to the sick and impoverished. Diana understood this implicitly; there had to be an element of doing good on the ground in situations that others would shirk because it wasn't glamorous or pleasant.

But Harry seems not to have fully understood this. Neither has Meghan. They don't seem to understand they get the coverage they do because the entire royal family has been living on borrowed time since the 17th century, and the only thing that keeps their heads above water today is a willingness to do boring, miserable, sad, and tedious duties like opening leisure centres and attending ceremonies.

EthelMayFergus · 01/05/2020 08:52

Life in LA sounds like my worst nightmare, you must have to be really ambitious to put up with all that. Imagine being at a party where everyone is perfect and beautiful, judging you for your looks, your connections, and whether you're worth getting to know, not as a person but as career advancement. All laughter is fake, or worse - they do that thing of saying 'That's really funny' but without any facial movement. And there's no alcohol, no cynicism and no sarcasm. To add to the hell, it's all year sunshine and he's fair skinned.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/05/2020 08:59

Omg that portrayal of LA is ghastly. It also explains a lot about Meghan’s mindset and why The Tig is so nauseating. I hadn’t realised just how different they are until I read that article. Unless something changes, Harry has two choices: to destroy his soul or divorce.

MrsJoshNavidi · 01/05/2020 09:12

This reply has been deleted

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iVampire · 01/05/2020 09:19

OTOH Harry might love it.

He’s totally untested in that kind of life, but he now has the wife of his choice at his side, and his first child (hope they’ll have at least one more, he’s always been so positive about paternity)

Is his lot really any different to that of anyone else who marries an anglophone foreigner and shortly afterwards emigrates? Some people thrive on change, and he and his family have the wealth to ensure (once pandemic permits) plenty of visits to keep in touch as frequently as they like

TimeLady · 01/05/2020 09:27

Apologies for sounding like the thread police but please note that MNHQ has already made it clear that speculation on anybody's mental health issues is not acceptable and will result in deletions and/or the thread being pulled.

MrsJoshNavidi · 01/05/2020 09:31

Sorry TimeLady. I didn't know that. I'll desist from now on.

TimeLady · 01/05/2020 09:35

The Times has 'a source close to the duke' WinkGrin

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4f9effe0-8b05-11ea-8030-261bf7d8ac38?shareToken=1215ff9797cb19e5b032c8d2d4b68382

Allflightscancelled · 01/05/2020 09:39

That Times article. 'Working at pace' my eye. God I hate that bloody phrase.

RosesandIris · 01/05/2020 09:40

Oh my God. That sounds like absolute, unadulterated hell. It explains why M is as she is, and what a bad fit she is for the RF.
I thought they were all cozy with theTelegraph though? This article will end that, surely?

At the moment they can’t meet anyone, but once Covid is over the schmoozing and fakery will go into overdrive. H won’t know what’s hit him. I guess we should expect his bald patch to magically disappear overnight, anyway.

This is like a terrible film . I sometimes wonder if I’m in an alternate Universe. I’m sure H does.

Butterymuffin · 01/05/2020 09:41

I get that the army was a very welcoming place for him, but he left - by his own choice - years ago now, and long before Meghan was on the scene.

It feels like he can't say he'd be better protected if he was still in the RF, obviously (even though it's true) so he instead picks the other entity that's organised his life for him.

RosesandIris · 01/05/2020 09:42

That Times article smacks of damage limitation.

LaMarschallin · 01/05/2020 10:08

My guess would be that the initial intent of the "friends" saying Harry "can't believe what's happened to him" and talking about him "having to relinquish" his military roles was to make people feel the royal family had treated him badly, and that he couldn't believe what had happened to him because of them.

Trouble is, I don't think any of the press feel like cutting him (or MM) any slack at all, so have interpreted this information as they wish.

That's the trouble with all these dribbles of gossip from "friends" and "sources" - they can turn into Chinese Whispers.

And, of course, H&M can't deny it now or explain that that's not what they their friends meant.

TimeLady · 01/05/2020 10:08

That Times article smacks of damage limitation.

Indeed. I would be surprised if it wasn't all a bit tense chez Markle yesterday Wink Positive vibes only allowed. Keep on message, H.

They must be pissed off not having an IG account running atm. And the Daily Express is questioning why the Sussex Royal website hasn't been updated/closed.

bluebell34567 · 01/05/2020 10:18

Omid Scobie looks like he could be son of David Gest.

LaMarschallin · 01/05/2020 10:28

Positive vibes only allowed. Keep on message, H.

Indeed, TimeLady.
"Big smiles!" 😁l

FannyCann · 01/05/2020 10:34

Omid Scobie looks like he could be son of David Gest.
Grin

BarleylemonPenguin · 01/05/2020 10:48

Omid Scobie looks like he could be son of David Gest.

You just made me spit my tea out. I've got to stop doing that. I'll have no keyboards left Brew

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/05/2020 10:51

the Royal Family has realised, albeit belatedly, that being perceived as "doing good for society" is the only tool it has in its box to ensure its survival, which is already in a precarious state by virtue of its reliance on public and political will

TBH I believe that many have realised this for longer than we think - hence the ceaseless spin
It's just that most of them aren't very good at it any more, and the few who are get buried in the avalanche of bad behaviour from the rest

I hadn't realised Mghan was never granted British citizenship though; I always assumed it had just been rushed through with not much said

Hamsterian · 01/05/2020 10:55

@iVampire it’s clear he hasn’t been thriving with these changes. Any of them. And there have been plenty. Are you not looking? Does he look and act and behave like someone is thriving?
No, his situation is not like any other person moving abroad with their partner. The reason for this is that they moved without any particular objectives; he doesn’t have any objectives; and because of the way they moved, they burnt all their bridges. They haven’t so much moved away as they have flounced. There will be no flying back and forth because there is nothing to fly back for. He’s massively pissed off his family and friends.

Biscuit0110 · 01/05/2020 10:57

fanny Ah if only to down the bottle whilst cackling with friends, what a wonderful thought in times like this! We will be cast out of LA in no time Grin

TimeLady · 01/05/2020 11:17

The York women are clearly on a 'doing good for society' PR campaign atm.

Methinks they see an opportunity to get Beatrice and Eugenie promoted now there are vacancies in the Senior Royals Department.

OvaHere · 01/05/2020 11:50

This is where the tension arises. To reveal themselves as relevant and therefore justifiable, is to open themselves to scrutiny in a way that’s objectively unreasonable. Harry is absolutely right. There are plenty - PLENTY - of far richer (through inherited wealth) people than he, with access to a lifestyle he can but dream of, who lead entirely private lives and get away with anything. The media (which is us) eviscerate royalty until they’ve somehow proven themselves, at which point they become your best friend. Fuck that for a game of laughs, he must be thinking, not standing for that. Not after what happened to my mum.

I think part of the issue is that Harry (and he's probably not the only one) looks at the wealthy private citizens who are able to live luxurious lives with much less scrutiny and assume that this is what is being denied from them by accident of birth.

In reality of course if Harry wasn't born royal it's very very unlikely he would be a Bill Gates or even a George Clooney. He'd be a squaddie or a postman or have one of the thousand other bog standard jobs that people have that don't allow for travel on private jets or the opportunity to be global influencers.

For him to think he is being denied an A++ list lifestyle as a result of being born royal is evidence of disordered thinking. Outside of aristocracy those people achieved that by creating or doing something that generally involved a lot of work, intelligence and/or talent.

I agree that many aspects of being a high profile royal must suck and be difficult at times but in my opinion he's comparing the wrong things. It's not being royal vs billionaire it's being royal vs average man on the street.

User0987613 · 01/05/2020 12:04

That Telegraph article is spot on. LA is a hellhole if you don't have a solid support system of family and friends there as well. The city is also very different to anything else most people have experienced. It's a huge sprawling mess where everything is only accessible by car. You have to park and repark just to visit 2 shops and the traffic is horrendous. There's a shockingly visible level of homelessness, including perfectly normal people with good jobs living out of their cars because they can't afford rent or commutes. Harry no doubt hates it, as do a huge number of people from UK/Europe who have not experienced that culture shock before.

Life is obviously good living in their bubble of luxury but it feels very fake. Successful people go about their daily business sidestepping rough sleepers and human excrement on the streets, and their lives are served by the "gig economy" of workers who can barely scrape together a living. Many also homeless but living in their cars. The inequality is shocking and makes the UK look like utopia in comparison. At least in the UK Harry knew all his staff had homes to go back to.

Meghan is obviously used to that life and the eat or be eaten culture. She has admittedly "won" the game for herself by working hard and is now back to reap the benefits. There's not a shred of doubt that she looked at all those Malibu mansions as a struggling actress and dreamed of living in one of those someday. She steamrolled Harry into all those changes before their son was even 1 year old because she was so impatient to live the life she felt she deserved. The marriage will last 5 years tops.

KayakingOnDown · 01/05/2020 12:07

At the time of her marriage (or before) , Meghan was offered the chance of having her British citizenship fast-tracked. She declined.

It seems she never planned to stay in Britain for long.