Harry and Meghan News thread

[Viviennemary]

I thought we could have a thread for latest news. MN did say they didn't mind one or two threads. And no rules except stick to MN guidelines. It's Meghans birthday today I just read. And the Queen has wished her a very happy birthday on the royal Instagram page according to that popular Oracle the DM.

And Finding Freedom states that the couple spoke with the authors of the book, despite the fact H&M denied it.

Thought this was an appropriate point at which to pause to assume the "Perfect Warrior Pose"

Not RTFT but why are people saying H&M were not involved in the book? Ive bought is, currently 25% through, and it clearly states at the beginning that Royal Family members are not allowed to approve biographies which, read between the lines, is clearly saying they were very involved but officially have to deny it.
So far its pretty much all about Meghan, how she's so very perfect, and Harry is hot headed and misunderstood. Oh and its very american as it mentions H graduating from High Schools, I didnt think you did that in the UK 🤔

A spokesperson previously said "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting."

@AHippoNamedBooBooButt

Not RTFT but why are people saying H&M were not involved in the book? Ive bought is, currently 25% through, and it clearly states at the beginning that Royal Family members are not allowed to approve biographies which, read between the lines, is clearly saying they were very involved but officially have to deny it. So far its pretty much all about Meghan, how she's so very perfect, and Harry is hot headed and misunderstood. Oh and its very american as it mentions H graduating from High Schools, I didnt think you did that in the UK 🤔

We have High Schools in Scotland though!

Had there been any positive professional reviews of the book? A part of me is tempted to give it a read as I do love a royal biography and I feel it would be nice to have a balanced view against the Colin Campbell book. But all of the excerpts I’ve read haven’t been very well written or particularly very interesting 😐

It's one of those public statements they are so fond of making where the truth is probably in the detail ie they weren't interviewed for the book. But it doesn't deny that they did speak to the authors as part of the royal press corps and that some of those conversations could have continued when the other members of the press corps weren't there eg Omid said M hugged him on her last day in the UK. I doubt all the rest of the royal press corps were there to witness tears and get hugs.

bum you don't graduate from a UK high-school though do you? We leave school, and graduate from uni. Its also quite confusing as the timeline is constantly jumping around.
Of course they spoke to the authors, they just can't publicly admit that. But really, how would a AP photographer know all about their secret first date? And private conversations between H and W? It is clearly Meghans view of the RF, through and through.

@AHippoNamedBooBooButt

bum you don't graduate from a UK high-school though do you? We leave school, and graduate from uni. Its also quite confusing as the timeline is constantly jumping around. Of course they spoke to the authors, they just can't publicly admit that. But really, how would a AP photographer know all about their secret first date? And private conversations between H and W? It is clearly Meghans view of the RF, through and through.

I don't think Eton would describe itself as a 'High School'.

I've just rewatched the engagement interview with a cuppa. It still makes my toes curl, but the gushy bits about the wonderful, welcoming royal family seems to ring a bit hollow now.

Has anyone read anything positive about this book ?x

I just love all the stuff about Meghan's religious faith:

'It's prayer and conversations with God that have gotten her through the darkest moments'

'Harry and Meghan have been on a journey of faith together'

'Prayer is a tool for Meghan to help her face life's challenges'

'She used to gather the cast and crew of Suits for a prayer circle before starting work'

Meghan's would often pray with her best friend while at school'

'Her relationship with God and with her church is extremely important to her'

Odd that Meghan's religious fervour has never even been HINTED AT before now. Odd that she's never given a speech about her religious faith as giving testament is extremely important in most religions. Odd that she doesn't appear to pop to Church every Sunday. You'd think she might want to have the occasional photo op. But what I find is the ODDEST thing of all. Odd that she would JUST HAPPEN TO MENTION all this stuff to her "friend". In such excruciating detail. As you do.

A previous poster made mention of how "American" this book is and someone earlier in the thread told me that "the religious angle" is pretty much an essential component of biographies being sold in the USA these days. You need to love God if you want to get rich. But all this praying. In such excruciating detail. And despite being one of the most photographed women on the planet NEVER A HINT of how central God is to her life.What about PH. Nothing about HIS conversations with "Him Upstairs".

Exactly WHO is this biography about? It isn't Harry!

I don't think Eton would describe itself as a 'High School'.

@AHippoNamedBooBooButt

Not RTFT but why are people saying H&M were not involved in the book? Ive bought is, currently 25% through, and it clearly states at the beginning that Royal Family members are not allowed to approve biographies which, read between the lines, is clearly saying they were very involved but officially have to deny it. So far its pretty much all about Meghan, how she's so very perfect, and Harry is hot headed and misunderstood. Oh and its very american as it mentions H graduating from High Schools, I didnt think you did that in the UK 🤔

Further up the thread a PO shared an image showing the author’s note in the book stating: we have spoken with close friends of Harry and Meghan, royal aides and palace staff (past and present), the charities and organisations they have built long-lasting relationships with and, when appropriate, the couple themselves.

I don’t think there is any longer any doubt that they contributed. Even the judge recently stated that he believed they released information to the media.

The religious stuff came out of, seemingly, nowhere.

@Bumlooksbig

I just love all the stuff about Meghan's religious faith:

'It's prayer and conversations with God that have gotten her through the darkest moments'

'Harry and Meghan have been on a journey of faith together'

'Prayer is a tool for Meghan to help her face life's challenges'

'She used to gather the cast and crew of Suits for a prayer circle before starting work'

Meghan's would often pray with her best friend while at school'

'Her relationship with God and with her church is extremely important to her'

Odd that Meghan's religious fervour has never even been HINTED AT before now. Odd that she's never given a speech about her religious faith as giving testament is extremely important in most religions. Odd that she doesn't appear to pop to Church every Sunday. You'd think she might want to have the occasional photo op. But what I find is the ODDEST thing of all. Odd that she would JUST HAPPEN TO MENTION all this stuff to her "friend". In such excruciating detail. As you do.

A previous poster made mention of how "American" this book is and someone earlier in the thread told me that "the religious angle" is pretty much an essential component of biographies being sold in the USA these days. You need to love God if you want to get rich. But all this praying. In such excruciating detail. And despite being one of the most photographed women on the planet NEVER A HINT of how central God is to her life.What about PH. Nothing about HIS conversations with "Him Upstairs".

Exactly WHO is this biography about? It isn't Harry!

She also only converted to CoE to marry Harry and has been somewhat fickle with her faith in the past. Not saying she isn’t now very devout CoE but it seems slightly odd when she may never actually return to England from America.

I wonder if there's a new friend on the scene, to whom religion is important, hence the sudden emphasis?

Well she can be episcopal in the US if church is as important to her as the book would suggest...

Did she not convert to Judaism to marry her ex? Obviously God features in both Christianity and Judaism, but if her faith was so central to her sense of self I wouldn't have thought flip-flopping between two different religions to facilitate marrying someone would have been the ticket.

[waits now for a further leak saying she's just a "very spiritual person" rather than fixating on labels]

Oh and its very american as it mentions H graduating from High Schools, I didnt think you did that in the UK

But I heard Omid Scobie interviewed on TV this morning and he sounded entirely British.

I think that the phrase, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom" is a bit weaselly, to be honest -as if they're dodging responsibility on a technicality.

The religious stuff came out of, seemingly, nowhere.

The really bizarre thing is, if the DM is correct, her religion is brought up when discussing the betrayal she felt when a childhood friend said that Meghan had been fascinated by the RF. No denial of the statement. Just shoving religion in there. If she does have political aspirations, she's got to have the religion angle covered.

Isn't Tyler Perry some kind of evangelical Christian? I thought his films had some kind of Christian message. Maybe she's trying to get in with him.

The idea of her gathering cast and crew for a prayer circle just sounds so unlikely to me. I’ve worked on two tv series and it’s absolutely full-on work for the crew all the time. The idea that crew have time for “prayer circles” nvm that they would agree to it if not told to by the director or add (as a rule Canadians are not terribly religious & the vast majority of the crew would have been Canadian) seems not like any set I’ve been on.

I dont think a cosy/average californian family home with character is Meghans style at all. Nothing wrong with that. If I was rich and moving there I would want something more like I've seen on million dollar listing LA, but I guess Harry has to get his way sometimes. I give it a few months though before they move again into something a bit more becoming of royalty. Probably be down to press/paparazzi harrassing them or something too.