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.

Bought from a Russian oligarch, apparently.

With nearly 7.7 billion people inhabiting this Earth, every choice, every footprint, every action makes a difference.”

Bought from a Russian oligarch, apparently

Well, it would explain the curtains a PP mentioned ...

So a company owns it. So maybe all running costs will be listed as company expenses.

I think this situation is being very problematic now, particularly with the purchase of this home.

There has been a very carefully curated presentation of the wealth and assets of the Royal family over the last forty years, with the Queen and Prince Philip eating cereal out of Tupperware and the necessary hot water bottles and portable heaters in Balmoral and Buck House.

This sort of purchase really blows that image out of the water. And one has to question how on earth a figure like Harry, outside of the Royal millieu, can hope to afford that kind of modern US celebrity wealth lifestyle.

When you look at the kind of people who live or have lived in these homes, you are looking at people who make upwards of $50 million a year. They are celebrities that own or create intellectual property. H&M do not fit into that category at all.

We don't need H&M to blow the Queen's "carefully curated" financial image out of the water, Packing ... even the briefest look at Charles's lifestyle and choices will do it

Fergie has got into a lot of debt and has been bailed out over the years. And thats without a mega sized mansion to run with her own money and holidays usually freebies from friends. That house will cost millions a year to run. Cleaners, gardeners, cooks, general maintenance people, insurance. Not to mention the astronomical cost if they think it needs refurbishing. Frogmore refurbishment will be a drop in the ocean.

As the Queen has a personal fortune estimated at £350 million, I think it is safe to assume that just like with disgusting Andrew and profligate Fergie she will not see them bankrupt. They know this and are doing whatever the heck they like. After all, this is what they deserve and need to thrive. All the rest was just surviving.

The hypocrisy is staggering! It really is. Still I think there will be people ready to defend them... just ridiculous. Who can take them seriously? Who will ask these two to go and do big speeches at their corporate do’s? They have absolutely no credibility, leverage or charisma. Meghan does have some charisma but not nearly enough to make it to that level. Yes she has been putting herself forward to do talks here and there... but this will last only a little while because she really has nothing to say.

I have not read the book, but from all accounts there is massive detail, of things such as what was eaten, worn, who said what to whom, etc
We know Meghan kept a diary, so the detail must have come from that.
So whether they collaborated or not, the authors must have had access to the diary.
Also, after the denials of Diana over collaboration with her book, I doubt anyone believes them

Searches of property tax records indicate that a company linked to the Duchess of Sussex bought a nine-bedroom house on a seven-acre estate, the Los Angeles Times reported.

So does that mean it’s Meghan’s house and not a joint one with Harry?

@SunbathingDragon

Searches of property tax records indicate that a company linked to the Duchess of Sussex bought a nine-bedroom house on a seven-acre estate, the Los Angeles Times reported.

So does that mean it’s Meghan’s house and not a joint one with Harry?

That was my first thought! The house in her name only - doesn't sound right.

I find it hard to believe they won't/don't have any live in staff with a house that size to be honest.

Wonder if it will turn up on Million dollar listing or selling sunset

I used to find all the H & M gossip quite amusing and didn’t mind paying my £5 per year or whatever it costs us to fund the RF. It’s the price of a celebrity magazine and they certainly gave us our money’s worth.
But looking at that house I am actually sickened. With everything happening in the world and they are spending millions on a house and upkeep whilst lecturing the rest of us on how to live.
I would actually vote now to abolish the monarchy if it would cut off funds to this pair of hypocrites.

Their mortgage broker must have made a fortune

I am doing analysis of Meghan's speeches now. On average they're about 5 minutes long. I don't know if she writes them herself but whoever did went to the repetitive school of journalism. Here's an excerpt from her 5 minutes speaking to her old High School Immaculate Heart:

I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldn’t, or that it would get picked apart, and I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing. Because George Floyd’s life mattered and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered.

And so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know. Stephon Clark, his life mattered.

Now all of that work gets activated. Now you get to be part of rebuilding, and I know sometimes people say ‘How many times do we need to rebuild?’ Well you know, we’re going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.

You are going to lead with love, you are going to lead with compassion, you are going to use your voice. You are going to use your voice in a stronger way than you’ve ever been able to do, because most of you are 18, or you’re going to turn 18, so you’re going to vote.

Would you pay good money to listen to this drivel? I mean JP Morgan paid this pair £700,000. That's just INSANE. What on earth could they possibly have to say that's worth more than a lifetime's earnings for most people? And in a post Corona world, is anyone going to WANT to sit in a crowded room being preached at when many will no longer be able to afford it.

@Bumlooksbig you ask who would pay to listen to her speeches - well you've sat down and analysed them - for free!!

I think it's a good speech with an important message for young people. Yes there's repetition which is probably a key rhetorical device that's been used quite deliberately.

The fact is that people already have paid them huge amounts of money to hear them speak. What will they have to speak about next? We'll have to wait and see. And whatever they say or do or don't do - you can guarantee that there will be a lot of frothing and handwringing from the likes of the DM and...MN.

Well it's been said before on here but the likes of the Obamas or Hilary Clinton or Tony Blair are excellent public speakers, who have a great deal to say about their experiences. What have H&M got? If Harry talks about in detail the one thing lots of people want to hear about, he risks a financial cut-off.

@cheezy

Not sure what your point was able "analysing them for free"? I was interested to see how long (on average) MM spoke for. I've watched Obama speak for over an hour. On really interesting subjects. H&M professed an interest in doing this for a living but really don't have any life experience to draw from. Aside from being multi racial Meghan doesn't have much experience of anything. The BLM movement has inspired a lot of great rhetoric but there's only so much you can say without repeating what has gone before.

Glad that she was able to inspire these young women. Although the pauses were very forced and lots of gestures such as crossing her hands across her neck which made me wonder if she was reading from a script which said something like "pause for dramatic effect" or something. Her acting skills just can't compare to the likes of Jodie Comer, for example. She can't become someone else at the flick of a switch. Her acting is very forced.

It is generally reckoned that H&M collectively spoke for about 30 mins at the JP Morgan "do". They supposedly spent about another 30 mins meeting and greeting and another 30 mins circulating. And there was a dinner. So £700,000 for less than 3 hours work. That would buy about 70 3 bedroom terraced houses on the estate where I live. Think about it. £700,000 to shake a few hands and spout platitudes. I don't mind when the Queen does it. She's not sending round a six figure bill afterwards.

Agreed , Bum. That's something I never thought I'd type.
What does it actually mean though?

I was just listening to Women’s Hour and they were talking about the baby banks and the products provided to families in need. Now, aside from that this should not be left to charities, it is, and I thought it nice that the Duchess of Cambridge got involved and (presumably by adding her name) 10,000 new items were donated to over 40 baby banks nationwide. www.royal.uk/duchess-cambridge-brings-baby-banks-and-british-brands-together-bid-boost-support-vulnerable

This is the sort of thing that can make a real change to people’s lives and which Royalty can draw attention to. Since H & M left for Canada what have they done? Turn up at a women’s shelter, I think they packed for or something for a shift one day in LA. A handful of events when they returned to the UK for the Commonwealth ceremony.

They don’t seem to have made much effort since buggering off. They’ve told the rest of us how to behave, they’ve mansion-surfed, they’ve had a massive house bought for them (despite having a fortune themselves). Unlike the practical support the DoC has provided to the baby banks, why have H&M been so idle?

I’ve just worked out how many years I’d have to work to earn £700,000. The answer is 49 years. 49 years versus 90 minutes. Their self-awareness re the whinging is incredible.

So does that mean it’s Meghan’s house and not a joint one with Harry?

Might simply be something to do with tax and residency?

M&H were involved with a baby bank when still here, but looks like that's not been carried on now they've moved:

littlevillagehq.org/hq/thank-you-meghan-and-harry/

Can Harry even buy a house in America? Rules for immigrants are notourisly tough, and as far as I'm aware, but do correct me if I'm wrong, Harry doesn't have citizenship or a green card, and maybe that is the reason for it possibly being in Meghans name? I wouldn't think it's anything sinister