Harry and Meghan - everyone still being respectful please

[Oldbutstillgotit]

Lots still to talk about .

Oh that explains it then. 😉

Robert Lacey doesn't really explain why H and M didn't end up living in Africa. Maybe they just didn't want to. Perhaps financial independence was more important as then nobody could control what they said and they wouldn't gain that doing charity work in Botswana.

I suspect that the lure of the bright lights of Hollywood was too strong .

Lacey said this in the book
He and Kate failed to visit the new arrival for a full eight days. By contrast, the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla all turned up within hours to coo over the baby.
However, Charles and Camilla were on their Germany tour at the time and so couldn't and didn't seen Archie until they returned: www.google.com/amp/s/www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/amp27391509/prince-charles-camilla-royal-baby-comments-germany/
(Includes Clarence House tweet to confirm that they had not met Archie)

It was probably the financial question. The African plan did rely on Royal Family funding. HM has happy memories of being a newly wed and having privacy in Malta, she thought Harry and Meghan could have a similar experience. The concern that it was a whirlwind romance and that the couple could live under the radar and settle into married life was almost certainly a factor.

"A full eight days" doesn't seem that long to me? The baby would only have been a week old? I personally don't think that's a snub, but maybe Lacey knows better.

Maybe, just maybe... Meghan’s love of Africa wasn’t as strong as she made out when she was weeing behind a tree.

Maybe geography's not one of H's strong points.

Meghan kept her US lawyer, accountant and agent, so it does look like she intended to return.

@Justmuddlingalong

Maybe geography's not one of H's strong points.

Well he did get a D at A-level

Ouch!!!!!!!
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8073239/Spitting-Image-returns-Celebrities-including-Prince-Harry-set-mauling.html

Wow!!

Very subtle "Princess" printed on M's sparkly top there.

There was no way Meghan would want a quiet private life off in Africa. She is a person who thrives on attention and the spot light. Nothing wrong with that if she was up front with Harry and floated the USA as a base and occasional trips to Africa. Whatever you think of Meghan she isn't a wall flower and actually I think a diplomatic role on the world stage would suit her and she would do a good job. It's her flip flopping between causes and talking in clichés that is irritating people I think. I honestly don't know what to make of them.

I suspect that the lure of the bright lights of Hollywood was too strong

It must have been. I mean, this is a man who has stated for years that he craves quiet anonymity, and that the flash of camera bulbs is like PTSD to him. Hollywood was the obvious choice, and definitely a joint decision.

@HeadLikeAFuckinOrange

I suspect that the lure of the bright lights of Hollywood was too strong

It must have been. I mean, this is a man who has stated for years that he craves quiet anonymity, and that the flash of camera bulbs is like PTSD to him. Hollywood was the obvious choice, and definitely a joint decision.

I want to know how the Botswana thing would have worked. I mean, what was he planning to "do" there? Does he have any skill sets that are not already found in Botswana? Do the people of Botswana even want him in their country? I mean, we are no longer living in the Age of Empire, when useless younger sons of the aristocracy used to be sent out to "the colonies" to take on a cushy local post or start some business or something.

@greenteafiend valid points. HMQ and PP were in Malta because he had a proper job. If H and M went to Africa, it would have been like a gap year for grown ups. Then again, H could have focused on Sentebale. I wonder what's happening with that?

Don't see why its such an insult that William and Kate didn't visit for over a week and didn't bring their children.
Countless threads on MN mention the poster's wish to not be inundated with visitors the instant they arrive home and quite frankly if I'd just given birth the last thing I'd want would be small children bouncing round the room, wanting to touch/hold the baby. Its not like your own other children where you could tell them to play in their room etc.

greenteafiend good points, it does seem a bit colonial. Although some sort of sustainability/animal conservation may have been ok.
peachsquish I agree about the baby, sometimes it seems as if things are latched onto and construed as negatives.
It's strange that Harry made those remarks about the press, flash of cameras and privacy, and yet has a lifestyle of PR agents and promotion. I don't know how he squares that circle.

@Maireas

According to the Lacey book (and in this respect it's the same as Finding Freedom) HM was aware of Harry's feelings and love of Botswana. She felt a traditional royal role wouldn't suit the couple, so the aim was to create a Commonwealth role where they could live part of the time in Africa. This had the agreement of Charles and William, and, originally, the couple themselves. It was felt that they could also have more of a private life there with less press intrusion.

Which would have been perfect for Harry. Yet they ended up in Hollywood. What an absolute tragedy for Harry.

Turning that down would also, perhaps, explain some of the reported fury.

@Maireas

Meghan kept her US lawyer, accountant and agent, so it does look like she intended to return.

Well quite. I think this is a really important point to remember. If she had been determined to be a working Royal she wouldn't need an agent. Maybe the accountant is justified for tax etc to 'round thing up in the States' but not the others.

@EastonSarah

Lacey said this in the book He and Kate failed to visit the new arrival for a full eight days. By contrast, the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla all turned up within hours to coo over the baby. However, Charles and Camilla were on their Germany tour at the time and so couldn't and didn't seen Archie until they returned: www.google.com/amp/s/www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/amp27391509/prince-charles-camilla-royal-baby-comments-germany/ (Includes Clarence House tweet to confirm that they had not met Archie)

Considering some of the other books and media articles have indicated a rift before this date and also going on the huge number of parenting threads, I think some people can never win when it comes to visiting it not visiting a newborn.

I just like the image of prince Philip "cooing" over a baby...