Harry and Meghan court dramas (not Suits)

[ARoseInHarlem]

Starting this thread while I digest the last few posts on the previous thread. I think the H&M saga could be as unsettling for the RF as the Charles & Diana bad publicity in the 1990s, if not worse.

Yes and look how many many threads there are criticising Boris too

They wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the number on MM.

@Rousette Have William and Kate spoke out about white privilege, BLM or inequality in this way? I don't think so. Nothing to stop wealthy people speaking up - but massive difference between self made wealth and inherited wealth.

Harry, in particular, is the epitome of white privilege - born a prince (because lets face it his ancestors won wars and held the peasants down). If he had come out and said - 'Look I for one am the recipient of inexcusable privilege and I plan to modify my own life to take account of that in the following ways' then kudos to him.

We know that he doesn't plan to do that though, just makes vague comments about how we all need to do better. That is the rub. It screams hypocrisy when filmed in the grounds of freebie huge mansion in LA. And its the latest in a long line of passions isn't it - all of which happen to be on trend at that moment.

I guess in the words of Obama it would just be nice to see actions and not words demonstrating people are the most woke

MM talked about it being uncomfortable to acknowledge racism and bias, Harry has the perfect opportunity to demonstrate this through his actions. Look at his past and his wealth and acknowledge what he has said and done and why and how he now regrets that.

Completely agree, had Harry done a video addressing those two previous incidents and apologising and stating what he has since done to address this - people would have a lot more respect for him.

It is the 'tone' - it is always quite condescending and as though they are 'mentors' of some kind and have the ability to somehow solve the world's problems.

@Roussette

Yes and look how many many threads there are criticising Boris too

They wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the number on MM.

You really think so? I can't be bothered to count but some recent thread titles on Boris (never mind all the comments within!)

Boris looks ill
Boris Johnson's one day working week
Boris how many children do you have
Boo for Boris
You've got really low standards if you think Boris is doing well/ok

He is the PM so his behaviour along with speeches and decisions he makes are bound to be criticised and people will dislike him for it. It's the nature of being in the public eye and doing things that cause controversy. I just wonder why some people think it's acceptable for him but not H&M. If those threads were replaced with Meghan instead of Boris they would be zapped in an instant. I'm not suggesting they shouldn't be but why is large levels of criticism on some in the public eye acceptable but others aren't? What's the criteria?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with what HaM said on that video. l doubt all those young people on that video think what H said is political, in fact from what I gather their black lives are definitely part of who they are and affects everything they do. I don’t see anything wrong with Harry speaking about white privilege or inequality. He has been working for years in the commonwealth countries like Lesotho Malawi etc.

I know that these two are not liked by many in this corner of MN, but some of the comments are really unpleasant. There are wealthy privileged people out there getting involved right now in social justice issues . Nothing wrong with it, BLM to many is not political or a bandwagon, as an example a young black man was nearly lynched on the 4th of July in Indiana. So it’s good that these issues are getting talked about, the more people talking the merrier

I do wish Harry would acknowledge his past publicly, I don’t think he can run or hide from it.

“He has been working for years in the commonwealth countries like Lesotho Malawi etc.”

He hasn’t really been doing this though, has he? He has done work yes and visited but I don’t equate that with working for years IN the commonwealth countries.

I would have the utmost respect for them if they worked quietly and hard for good causes, whilst dropping their titles and all their privilege. Bought a modest house somewhere out of the public eye and got proper jobs doing something meaningful. Stopped taking any money from Charles or the taxpayer. Dropped all the celebrity pals, private jets and woke posturing and actually lived the talk. It will never happen though. Like Princess Margaret, they like the perks too much.
They could set an amazing example by doing these things. Instead we get a lot of pompous posturing and empty rhetoric.

@Cauliflowerpowerpop

“He has been working for years in the commonwealth countries like Lesotho Malawi etc.”

He hasn’t really been doing this though, has he? He has done work yes and visited but I don’t equate that with working for years IN the commonwealth countries.

I was just about to post the same.

I don't think any of the RF work as hard as the majority of the population.

Well he has run and hidden himself away from work in the uk and the Royal Family. Basically he’s a light weight. He was a lad and behaved like a privileged one. He doesn’t have a great depth of knowledge about anything bar the army. But they couldn’t find a role for him. He also wore a Nazi uniform remember. He doesn’t really get responsibility. I’m still puzzled about what he will do in the USA. He could have done so much more here and demonstrated his desire to help people less well off then him.

Camilla was actually interesting just now on Radio 5. Far more down to earth than Prince Charles I think!

I’m a convert to Camilla now. She works hard for her charities and doesn’t make herself the focus of interest. She comes across really well. She also seems a really good complement to Charles.

I like Camilla too - she would be the most fun out of the whole RF I think to have a gin or three with.

The differences between Boris Johnson (or any PM) and H&M is that they don’t have millions of £ from unearned sources. Or the government. The PM doesn’t normally have untold riches and they work - extra ordinarily hard. They are usually very well educated, at the top of their profession and running the country. As politicians, of course they are criticised. So they should be. It’s part of democracy to allow this to happen.

H&M want money from Charles. They, when part of the RF took other gifts and money from the state. This is meant to be in return for fulfilling a duty. They didn’t want that but you are no use to any charity unless you are a “celebrity”. So they have to keep up their profile. Then they are subject to comment and questioning. That’s reasonable.

I think they would have been better off staying here, ignoring the red tops and working in a meaningful way. Every opportunity was there for this to happen but within the protocols of the Palace. She feels her poor press gets in the way and he felt besieged. But they didn’t make great choices. If you keep yourself in the public eye, speak about public issues and demand security and money from others I think criticism is to be expected.

I am also a convert to Camilla . The dreadful things that were said about her and the criticism of her have been terrible and not once has she retaliated in public .
I have said it before but will say it again - Fergie, her daughters ( especially Beatrice) , Camilla , Margaret and Diana had much worse thrown at them. That doesn’t make it right but I truly don’t think MM has endured the nastiness that they did and still do in some cases .

Also, I am no photographer however I am wondering if H and M are actually together in that video ?
She looks lovely although a bit different (?)whilst H looks a bit shambolic.

mrscampbellblackagain

I like Camilla too - she would be the most fun out of the whole RF I think to have a gin or three with

I will join you

About Harry "regretting his racist past", he wouldn't even need to make a full apology. Just something about us all learning from our past mistakes would cover it, but as a RF member I suspect even that would choke him

William's yammerings about lack of black representation at the BAFTAs was as bad - again, maybe someone could tell him to come back to us when that's been addressed with RF staffing

As for "BLM to many is not political or a bandwagon", I guess that could depend on whether it's the principle or the "organisation" that's at issue (I admit the conflation of the two worries me). I'd hope even the RF agree that black lives matter - without the capitals - but allying themselves with BLM itself could be very risky

I would also like to see Harry do a video where he said 'I've said racist things in the past, and I was stupid and wrong and have learned a lot'. It would be really welcome if he acknowledged his own mistakes, and would open up a conversation about how other people could do the same.

@ButteryPuffin I agree . If he doesn’t address it I suspect one of these days especially if he is interviewed somebody is bound to ask him about it. So I guess it’s much better for him if he talked about it first. People in the UK are already asking why he is not talking about it, think it was Lorraine or someone who brought it up the other day.

Everyone has to demonstrate how they are making changes though. Harry likes Africa. Does the RF have black employees? Or do they just expect to see them needing help in Africa? What has Meghan done to enhance the position of black people in the USA? Did she get involved with mentoring black people here (some of whom don’t think she’s like them at all!). What has she actually done? Other than talk of course and complain.

She’s going to court and saying KP staff didn’t protect her. What about all the block people who have no staff and no one looking out for them at all.

I also agree with someone in the thread who questioned why Meghan hasn’t said something about the struggles the National theatre are facing now. I would have thought this is something that she would have been heavily involved in during this pandemic.

l doubt all those young people on that video think what H said is political

"The personal is the political". Every time any one of us adopts a perspective, we are being political (seeking to move power around using tools such as language). Public pronouncements (on anything) are not as benign as at first appear.