News on Meghan and Harry

[Viviennemary]

Since they are in the news more or less daily why not a thread on this. Latest I've read over the last few days is that Meghan is going to produce a film from a book. And later this month she is teaming up with Michelle Obama for project on gender equality. Both sound interesting projects.

What support do you think should be provided?

@CallmeAngelina

But is anyone the slightest bit interested in who the bloody friends are? Or who Archie's godparents are? I really do wish they would just stay in LA in their borrowed home, and stop all this nonsense. Oh, and put an end to the tapping PC (and the British tax payer for money).

I think she had some kind of reality show in mind, Megan against the evil press.

They're recording speeches about the racist Commonwealth (without understanding what it is) so there's no chance of them stopping the nonsense. Quite the opposite.

@CallmeAngelina

But is anyone the slightest bit interested in who the bloody friends are? Or who Archie's godparents are? I really do wish they would just stay in LA in their borrowed home, and stop all this nonsense. Oh, and put an end to the tapping PC (and the British tax payer for money).

No, not to either of those questions you’ve asked. I think that’s because I don’t believe those five friends were behind the article; I think the person was Meghan herself so I have no more interest in who she potentially used to get the article written than I do in who edited the article. As for Archie’s godparents, I can’t recall ever being overly interested in something like that but I think keeping him out of the public eye has lessened interest in him for me.

@Blossom513

No I'm not that interested who the friends are. Apart from Jessica Mulroney, given the recent events she was involved in.

I'm more interested in the steps being taken to protect their identities and why they are reluctant to publicly stand up for their close friend and to only do it anonymously. Given it's a case to stand up against the media they believe has been bullying her you would think they would be jumping at the chance to support her given it's their interviews that is threatening the success of MM's claim.

If the sun are correct then I don't think many people will actually be interested. They aren't that well known to most people apart from JM, in the UK at least. And JM is only known to those that follow MM.

If it comes out that it is Meghan behind it all then I would say it was Thomas being bullied.

I hadn’t realised The Sun had questioned who the friends were and presumably that was published after the court papers stating who they were was filed. So on that basis, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Sun is right about who they are.

Two points:

• whatever the circumstances, I think it’s dreadful that anyone - MM, anyone - should feel bullied into not litigating because the other side has better lawyers and/or deeper pockets. Yes, I know this happens all the time and it’s not fair, and so on this basis I think it’s good that H&M are going ahead with this lawsuit even if they think they will lose. They’re making a point, one which I happen to believe in. If, however, they end up shooting an own goal.....well, I think I’d find other ways of making my point. Especially if I had a demonstrable history of using the media to my benefit in the past

• I think it’s fine if PC wants to fun his son’s, daughter-in-law’s and grandson’s life in his capacity as a father. Trouble is his income as an individual comes from the people (the Duchy), which conflates his public capacity with his personal capacity. This has always been the issue with all of the Royals to a greater or lesser extent. The wiser ones know to keep it just the right side of the line to avoid too much criticism (I mean, look at how Anne and Edward live!), the less intelligent ones let it go to their heads (Andrew, yet again, to add to the seemingly endless list of his vile sense of entitlement). For as long as we have a monarchy, which will almost certainly be for decades to come, H&M will live at PC’s pleasure, off money that rightfully belongs to the British people. If anything, I suspect financial independence is much more part of MM’s identity than any of the others’. They’ve never known it - EVER.

They’ve never known it - EVER

Exactly. And some show it in a sense of entitlement (like Andrew) and some don't.

This is interesting about the winding up of the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. Harry donated his share of the fund to Sentebale, very fitting given it's an HIV/Aids charity

www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a33233423/prince-harry-william-princess-diana-memorial-fund-split-proceeds/

How does the Duchy of Cornwall belong to “the people”? Any more than the whole of the Crown Estate? If we overthrow the Monarchy we get it but otherwise how would it belong to “the people”.

I presume that people with homes or businesses on Duchy land are leaseholders? I wonder how this is managed, is it market rates or more affordable rates etc. Does it help local communities to have these private estates rather than public land?

My biggest issue with it is how sexist it is though, that it only goes to the Duke of Cornwall. A female heir to the throne would never receive this income. Although I'm not sure if there is something equivalent for them.

@My0My

How does the Duchy of Cornwall belong to “the people”? Any more than the whole of the Crown Estate? If we overthrow the Monarchy we get it but otherwise how would it belong to “the people”.

I can never understand people saying this. Surely following the same logic, any 'estate' belongs to 'the people'? I don't see the Duke of Westminster questioned about how he spends his money, and yet his estate belongs to him through historical precedent in exactly the same way that the Duchy of Cornwall belongs to the Prince of Wales.

If wouldn’t be public land though would it? Any more than the Duke of Westminster or the Howard de Walden estate or even the Duke of Northumberland’s estates would be public if not owned by them. They are private estates and traded as such. No I don’t believe the Duchy of Cornwall let’s leases/rents go cheap. Charles paid around £4.5m in tax on his profits. His farmers regularly complain about the farm rents they pay. He’s not really running it like a charity. It’s run as a commercial business. But it pays no corporation tax.

ajandjjmum: I actually think we are agreeing!

If wouldn’t be public land though would it?

This is just my lack of knowledge about land ownership. I'm thinking along the lines of many people own the freeholds to their homes but anyone with a property on Duchy land would never be able to do this. I hadn't thought about other private estates so I can see what you are saying.

And of course there is also Poundbury, Charles's vision, in Dorchester. It's nearly finished and will be in 2025, there's about 3,500 living there no. To be fair to Charles, it's not just elite properties, there are starter homes,low rents and affordable housing in amongst all the rest. And small industry and workshops People must love living there as houses go for 25% more than the rest of Dorchester.

It must bring in a big income for him.

*3,500 living there now.

@My0My

ajandjjmum: I actually think we are agreeing!

We are on the whole!

I did see a documentary on the Duchy, and his tenants seemed to be pretty fond of him - thinking he treated them fairly. Appreciate there are bound to be different opinions within the whole of Cornwall though! It was also highlighted that the Duchy was managed really effectively now, which had happened before Charles' involvement.

The estate doesn't pay corporation tax (20%?) but he pays normal income tax voluntarily, on profits after expenses. This I suppose is where the 'taxpayers money' comes in to the argument - if he didn't have so many expenses to charge against the income, he would pay more tax.

Oh and I think he's doing another Poundbury up in Scotland.

*hadn't happened

I wonder if HMQ will step in and MM will finally feel some royal family support?

I'll be very surprised if she does; rightly or wrongly, after all that's happened I strongly suspect the RF will hang Meghan out to dry
After all, as too many previous cases show, it's only too easy to pile all the blame on the "outsider"

Why should HMQ step in. MM has thrown everything back in the face of the people who have welcomed her. I would feel incredibly betrayed if I was her or Prince Charles.

The problem with expecting the RF to step in and support is that they have left the RF very publicly.
I'd suspect that the RF response to any H&M issues would be silence, or at least public silence and maybe behind the scenes support. It is possible that they have burnt their bridges with the RF so badly they will be left to it.
As pp have suggested in previous threads, I think whatever the outcome of their whole drama, the RF door will always be open for H to return to the fold, but not M.

The Duchy of Cornwall owns land all over the place. Not just Cornwall. It owns a lot in Kennington in London for example. I haven’t looked into where else but if it’s building in Scotland, then Scotland too one assumes.

Gosh that New York Post about Meghan and Harry piece really is scathing. If the author had expressed half of those opinions on this thread, she'd probably face deletions or even a ban.