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.

Theatres are closed, what can Meghan say?
Has Kate released anything about The Art Room closing and having to transfer online? Did she highlight what they do online and how parents can use it during lockdown? Did she say anything/help when Brink Bar closed (part of her Action on Addictio). Did Sophie Wessex do anything when Shooting Stars closed one of their two sites?

My thoughts on Meghan and the National Theatre are its highly likely she's sent them a letter of support as she has done for all her other patronages, but they just haven't danced to her tune published it on their social media platforms

Edit: Action on Addiction Patronage

Going back to my comment about the RF becoming self funding - and a poster commented on how basically we currently had a good deal re revenue from crown estates and the money the RF get.

I see your point totally if that is the whole story.

However, I am not convinced it is after reading Norman Baker's book which is reviewed here in the daily mail www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7566439/Where-did-Princess-Margaret-20m-Queen-mothers-70m-legacy.html.

The book is an interesting read if not brilliantly written in my opinion. But does raise some interesting points.

Regarding the NT, I would have thought MM may have commented on the dire situation the arts are in not only because she is a patron but because she is an actress.

I remember when m visited a retirement home for actors, they really had her measure.
Meghan : I'm pregnant!
Retired actor: Yes I know, we do read the papers here.

There is no way to prove my belief or your belief and it is just a matter of personal perception
But it can be proved by looking at cuttings. You're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.
There's an excuse for Meghan not realising the negative press that Fergie, Camilla and Kate received but for anyone who lived through that time in the UK then I don't see how it was possible to miss it. I'm not a monarchist but I am a feminist and remember it all including the articles about Kate's inappropriate relatives and social-climbing mother and sister. Some female journalists wrote articles calling it out.
I can understand why Meghan felt they the RF press/comms team didn't defend her but that doesn't mean they treated her differently from anyone else who married in.
I'm sad it has ended up like this. If H&M's motivators are being in the public eye and supporting worthy causes whilst having a lifestyle in keeping with royalty/celebrity then I struggle to see how they can fund or maintain it.

Meghan has made several visits to NT and was working on a project at the start of the year according to Rufus Norris. He also said: "She has been interested in the learning work, the work in communities, the work around the country."
H&M attended a gala performance of theatre show to benefit Sentebale.
If she's not interested in stage acting as a PP claimed, why does she have a double major degree in International Studies and Theatre?

If MM spoke out about the NT, she would be maligned for doing so. Possibly not by everyone but by a lot of people. There would be posts on here saying 'how dare she. She lives in LA' and the like.
Any comment by her would not be welcomed.

I remember when I'd watched her old school Sacred Heart BLM speech to graduates, it was warmly received. As she said... silence was not an option.
I thought .. it's great to see and hear something positive on MM in the press and SM
Then I came on the H&M threads here lol.

Has Kate released anything about The Art Room closing and having to transfer online?

I doubt it, but then that would chime with Paul Flynn's quoted view (and my own) ... that much of the RF's patronage isn't so much about the charities' needs as the credit it reflects on them

I guess some of them still seem to enjoy the "glamour" of a RF visit, though; it's just a shame about what it can cost the rest of us, especially if it's used as an excuse to get a paid-for flight to some personal jolly

If MM spoke out about the NT, she would be maligned for doing so. Possibly not by everyone but by a lot of people

I thought the argument she, and you, were making is that 'silence is not an option' and women should use their voices and support doing the right thing? How is it fine for her to speak up about one cause, but for another (where she has an official role) it's ok to keep quiet because some people might not like it? Come on @Roussette, that's a having your cake and eating it approach.

@thisenglishlife The other Royals you name should be speaking up about those causes too. I don't agree at all with 'the theatres are closed, what can Meghan say?' Plenty, is the answer - the sort of thing you've suggested re Kate and Sophie, in fact.

I looked at the NT website and not a mention of Meghan anywhere as far as I could see. Seems they are desperately short of funds. What is she doing to help. Zilch as far as I can see. What about a nice big donation from H &M. Pigs might fly.

(Norman Baker's) book is an interesting read if not brilliantly written in my opinion

Yes, I've read it; I agree the prose is a bit dubious but the research seems pretty good (and I doubt he'll be getting a garden party invite any time soon )

Overall I'd say that the more anyone digs down into this ghastly family the worse it gets. Fortunately for them all that money buys a lot of influence and some pretty good PR; fortunately too there are still enough who'll coo over some pretty pictures, swallow the spin wholesale and ignore the rest ... sad, really

Has Kate released anything about The Art Room closing and having to transfer online? Did she highlight what they do online and how parents can use it during lockdown? Did she say anything/help when Brink Bar closed (part of her Action on Addiction)

No, but she has been roundly criticised by Meghan's fans for this, and it was presented as telling evidence about how mediocre and ineffective she is. Interesting though, there's such defensiveness when it's one of Meghan's patronages that is having a hard time in a global pandemic.

Journalist on The Sun newspaper asking her to write about Meghan: mobile.twitter.com/royal_suitor/status/1280171230482460672

I thought the argument she, and you, were making is that 'silence is not an option' and women should use their voices and support doing the right thing?

'Silence is not an option' is in the particular case of Black Lives Matter. It was almost a slogan that was used in that context and was also a headline for the movement.
blog.nationalgeographic.org/2020/06/05/black-lives-matter-silence-is-not-an-option/
Really not fair for you to say to me... come on Roussette as I'm not using it in the case of the National Theatre, 'silence is not an option' is not relevant to the NT.

I'm afraid I disagree Rousette. It is fair. You said that if she said anything about the NT people would not like it. Does that excuse her from a moral obligation to speak up for a cause she is supposed to support? I don't think it does.

I remember when I'd watched her old school Sacred Heart BLM speech to graduates, it was warmly received. As she said... silence was not an option.
I thought .. it's great to see and hear something positive on MM in the press and SM
Then I came on the H&M threads here lol

Rousette, you are rewriting history here. This was discussed at the time, and I recall the vast majority of posters thought that Meghan talking about BLM was a good thing. There were one, or possibly two dissenting views. But please don't let the facts get in the way of being over-dramatic.

This is what I said...
"I remember when I'd watched her old school Sacred Heart BLM speech to graduates, it was warmly received. As she said... silence was not an option"
In the case of BLM silence is not an option. That has been quoted many times as a headline for the BLM movement.

NT is another subject altogether and 'silence is not an option' is not a slogan for it. As you value my opinion so much I will say again that if she was to speak up for the NT she would be maligned on here. Moral obligation? She is being held to account, held to higher standards than others, for not speaking up for the National Theatre. Other members of the RF as has been pointed out have not all spoken up for the movements they support too.
Perhaps she should, yes. But as she is US based now, I am not so sure. Because it would be thrown at her that she lives in the US so shouldn't no doubt.
OK?

Serenster I am not rewriting history.
I was disappointed to read criticism of her on the threads about it. Not everyone, I never said everyone, but I thought for once she would be not criticised at all. She was. And it went on and on about how the school didn't thank her, she gatecrashed the whole event, she wasn't wanted or even invited blah blah blah.
Call me dramatic if you like. That's a pretty pathetic way of trying to shut someone down.

I don't know why people are asking Roussette their opinion. It's not their job to defend everything H&M do or to try to create coherent media approaches for them or even a coherent defence from one post to the next.
As there are some people who will dislike H&M no matter what, there are others who will defend them no matter what. The interesting discussion and the one of merit imo is the place in between where posters aren't invested to one view or the other.
From a charity pov, royal patronages and celeb/politician endorsements/supporters are always welcome. They encourage giving and they raise awareness. It's very rare for celebs, politicians or royalty to actively engage beyond the photo calls/press releases - but some do. Princess Anne being a notable exception.

Rousette, you said you thought it was great that Meghan got positive coverage for something. Then you came on here and :lol: . When one or two posters didn't like it, but the vast majority did. Do you consider no-one should have had anything critical to say? That's setting your bar for an acceptable response at a pretty unrealistic level, surely. I doubt you'd find 100% of people agreeing on any topic.

And I have know interest in shutting anyone down. Just trying to keep things factual.

Nope Serenster
As these threads are negative towards MM, I was thinking that just for once her speech might not receive any negativity as everything I had read in the MSM was positive. It would be just that speech, don't expect anything else to be all positive. Really nothing else. I've been on these threads too long to expect different.
Of course I'm not saying nobody should have anything critical to say. These threads are wholly critical and there are few of us posters on the more positive side.

I was factual. There was deleted posts and there was criticism.

if she was to speak up for the NT she would be maligned on here.

I promise you that when Meghan speaks up in support of some aspect of the theatre, film, TV or performing arts and their current difficulties I will be very happy to praise her for doing so and to argue the case that that's exactly what she should be doing. And I'll repeat my point that anticipating being criticised for something is not an excuse for not doing the right thing. Now we've all repeated ourselves let's hope it's clearer.

On the higher standards front, I am also in agreement with the point made by @thisenglishlife that Kate and Sophie could and should have done more to publicise and support the difficulties being endured by arts organisations they have links with. This is surely the value of patronage across the board. You make the effort to champion and support your organisation.

I do agree that Meghan should speak out in support of theatre, but not that she has a moral obligation to do so.

However, if she did, she probably be criticised and asked what she is doing and how she is financially contributing (in terms of online comments, rather than specifically just this bit of MN).