So, do you believe the royal couples revelations made tonight?

[selectabo]

I did. felt more authentic than I've expected. You?

Yes Charles did want to reduce the number of working royals. At the moment there is 8, Queen, Charles, Camilla, Anne, Edward, Sophie, William and Kate. I think he would have envisaged Harry and Wife to work as Royals too but they've opted out.

Given 4 of the seniors are 70 plus, even Ed is pushing 60, and William's kids are so young, it wouldn't surprise me if one or both the York sisters end up stepping up to support William, if not now but in a few years as some of the older generation step back.

A billionaire interviewing two millionaires in their $16m mansion on how hard their life is !. Really ?. I finally got to take the tube out of my patient and tears rolled down my face as he gave me the thumbs up. So don’t feel me a bullshit story of a poor little rich boy.

If I ever marry a prince I will keep my passport stuffed down my knickers! Not sure I believe that.

Also, no way in this day and age would you not Google the person you are dating.

Yes
The only thing I was a bit on was Harry saying about how racism affects so many people so he had to speak out, as if the fact it was happening to one person wasn't enough.

There are a lot of questions to answer by the institution now. I thought it was quite eye opening on how silent racist and inflexible patriarchal the institution is.

I wish them luck.

@Mally2020

No, she has repeated accusations of bullying against her going years back, the allegations against her from palace staff were not released this week but while they still lived in the uk, the media resurfaced the rumours and what is more ironic meghan supposedly stands for female empowerment yet has silenced so many women from ever speaking out about their experiences with her. She claimed to not even know of the royal family yet went on holidays as a teen to london taking photos and royal landmarks and many of her childhood friends said she had a fascination with them. Her american journalist friend stated meghan came to the uk with the intention of bagging an eligible bachelor and had directly asked her friend to set her up with harry. Multiple of her former confidantes said her goal would be to be back in the US before they even married and claimed she had never intended to stay. She stumbled across her own accusations against members of the royal family knowing full well either way they can't defend themselves and during her pregnancy no comments were made about skin colour but instead hair colour. Her own family have called her out for her actions, former friends, ex husband and former workers. Playing the victim no longer works when you upset everyone around you.

Re the bullying. There might be truth to this. And that truth could also have been due to her mental health suffering as a result of constantly being attacked in the press. I am guessing here, but can say confidently that if I was constantly reading/seeing horrible things written about me, I might well have taken this out on other people.

Re the rest of it... even if she made a play for Harry, tried to get set up with him, fancied herself a princess, wanted to move back to the US... umm so what? Does this deserve vitriol?

I genuinely don't know what she did that was so awful.

She dispelled the "Megan the Monster" myth spread by the palace, and good for her. Let's face it, we all know what the result would be if she started an AIBU About My In-laws thread here.

I had several dates with someone who then told me about a media story. I purposely didn't google then, as I didn't think it was much, wanted to get to know them, not form pre judgments, and forgot about it until we hit some problems months later and ended up breaking up. After then I did google. It was a lot. Once you have decided not to google it feels like betrayal.

When I met my now husband we had a no Googling each other agreement. Some people do that!

I believe them. Even if some of it is their perception, I believe they’re telling the truth.

Blinking can often be nerves or emotionnot lies. Liars look to their right a lot. She didn’t. She looked to the left to access memories.

It’s a shame there’s not a part two because I bet there’s a lot more to be said.

The script-writers are probably already working on the second season!

@Jamboree01

She was pregnant when she was having suicidal thoughts.

I’ve read before the passport thing is protocol as a security measure (ie so their passports/ keys don’t end up in the wrong hands). Her and Harry went away loads (non working). Her baby shower was in America.

I’m certainly no royalist but I don’t feel that they put things into context and I don’t think She realised how far down the pecking order Harry is in terms of lineage. He’s 9th(?) in line so in terms of having security provided by the tax payer- that won’t happen.

The royals cut down the kept list years ago because of pressure from the public who, quite rightly, didn’t want to fund the entire family. Charles, from what I read, always wanted it smaller. As a non working member of the RF, and 9th in line, Harry is required to pay for his own family’s security. They are wealthy enough to do so.

Archie is not a Prince because of royal protocol. He would likely become a prince once Charles ascends the throne (if he does).

Princess Anne chose for her husband and children not I have titles as she wanted them to live as freely and independently as possible. Beatrice and Eugenie are princesses as they are grandchildren of the monarch but do not receive security. They both work full time.

Again, no mention of context or protocol.

Sixth in line. It would have been fourth but rules have changed.

@JingsMahBucket

Just because they are a dukes and duchess does not make them royal

This country is full of dukes and duchesses, none are royal

@Duckyface

When I met my now husband we had a no Googling each other agreement. Some people do that!

I believe them. Even if some of it is their perception, I believe they’re telling the truth.

Blinking can often be nerves or emotionnot lies. Liars look to their right a lot. She didn’t. She looked to the left to access memories.

When I met my husband, there was no such thing as googling each other, and thank f* for that lol, can't imagine how different it is nowadays! (Old gimmer emoticon)

I believe everything they said but I think it's been blown out of proportion. The events they've mentioned is true, but one would question why they chose a friend to interview. I think it's very biased and very one sided knowing the other side can't just bring Piers Morgan to interview them. The maximum they could do is release a statement.

Of course none of us were there to witness any of these but a impartial interviewer would have at least given the other side a chance if the questions where also directed from the Palace's point of view, but then again, why would they allow open doors? I don't know but my gut says that the events were true but blown out of proportion to fit their narrative.

I've had my fair share of experiences with people and relationships in general and one thing it has taught me is to listen to both sides before jumping on the bandwagon.

Toomuch "If she’d had real depression and suicidal thoughts and couldn’t be left alone - there is NO WAY that she could have popped on her make up and a sparkly dress and gone to a public engagement at the theatre with the press. No way. With real depression it would not be physically possible to do that."

I honestly can't believe people still think this way. I've been under mental health services for years. I went to work, suited and booted, gave speeches, was the life and soul.

On the way there and back, I'd hear the Tube coming and think "shall I do it now?"

No one I worked with ever knew. I never missed a day, I took every pill you can think of.

One time in my 30s, I spent a week at my parents because they lock up the downstairs part at night. In my flat, in my bed, I am only a few steps away from a kitchen knife. So there was a week I spent there because
I needed that space from a sharp knife. I still went to work.

To answer OP question, yes, I believe them. This may be controversial but... I am similar to Meghan racially and I genuinely wonder if the men in suits didn't realise her heritage until they couldn't stop the train? I've seen a lot of confused faces when people meet other members of my family, who have skin like Doria, while I'm possibly one foundation shade lighter than Meghan.

The RF is such a bonkers institution, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if those in charge didn't realise initially that the baby might have a different skin tone to Meghan's. It seems clear they were "denied" the photo opportunity for that reason.

I can't remember if there was hoopla and reporters outside hospital when Meghan was in labour, I'm guessing not?

I liked seeing the chickens!

@lunaheather didn't want to read and run, great post

I'm annoyed that one of the chats about the interview has been removed as it had some very useful info on the HRH situation, including that it was NOT changed deliberately to exclude Archie.
I've checked through this thread now and seen that it's been explained again, so good.

So she was wrong/lying about that.
She was wrong/lying about getting married 3 days prior to the big wedding, because to legally marry, you need two witnesses. So maybe they did have the meet up with the Archbishop, but it would have been a run-through of their vows, not an actual marriage.

I totally agree that the Press treated her appallingly - but I remember when Diana and Fergie were similarly treated in polar opposite fashion. Diana was classy, could do no wrong (at the time), whereas Fergie the redhead was always vilified for being loud, brash, common, wearing the wrong thing etc.

This is what the press DO. They like to set the 2 women in almost equal situations (not positions, I realise of course that "wife of the oldest son" is more important than "wife of the second son") at loggerheads. It's not new. The new "angle" was the racism, and the fact that MM is American. It was disgusting and I don't at all blame H&M for being upset about it - but it wasn't unprecedented.

So do I believe their interview? No, not all of it. Some of it, for sure. But I don't believe that she didn't google the heck out of Harry, I don't believe that she didn't have more of a clue about the royal tour and what to expect, I don't believe that she wasn't BRIEFED on what to expect. And if she wasn't told about family ins and outs, then yes - that's on Harry. He should have told her.

Anyway - it's done now and I don't think it will all go their way as a result.

Quaagars thank you. I had a colleague who was refused meds for months because the doctor couldn't believe the young smooth career guy needed them. It's a stupid idea that should be long gone.

Thumb "It was disgusting and I don't at all blame H&M for being upset about it - but it wasn't unprecedented"

They're not saying it was unprecedented, quite the reverse. Harry is saying that he's seen this in action before and is rightly fearful of how it can turn out.

The other reason I find Meghan more plausible - she has been low news for years hasn't she? I think a lot of Hollywood people are. So am I. Because the only way this shit stops is if people don't engage. Otherwise, we wind up right here, where you can hack the phone of a missing child (Milly Dowler) and get away with it.

I also campaigned for privacy laws before the Leveson whitewash but there is no appetite for it.

Small wonder I am a hermit. I think M&H will be happy, as long as they are safe, but sadly there's no guarantee of that.

I think they have twisted a narrative that they now both believe.

Neither option is great - either they are lying to themselves, OR they are both as dumb as planks. I do believe Harry is not the sharpest tool, but Meghan.....

Meghan had freedom to jet off to the US for tacky baby showers etc but no freedom to get some mental health assistance? Gosh, maybe pretend you are going to a baby shower and divert to a psych ffs. She had no idea who Harry was, but is incredibly media savvy, how very odd. Neither Harry, nor aides thought to tell her standard protocols when meeting granny, and she didn’t think to ask if there was anything in particular to be aware of when meeting the Queen? Even the most normal person suss’s out if there are any family peculiarities they should be mindful of before visiting a new partners family for the first time, typically in the car trip over but they couldn’t even manage that? Hmmm.

Not everything adds up, not even close. I do think a huge part is down to Harry though. Guessing they both knew exactly what was what but he, for some unfathomable reason, told her he was granny’s favourite and no rules applied to them and she could have and do whatever she wanted and she was stupid enough to believe it. Then it all came crashing down. Only explanation I can think of.

Hopping "Gosh, maybe pretend you are going to a baby shower and divert to a psych ffs."

And hope that the staff don't tell anyone? Sure. 🙄

"Very similar to what Diana was saying 25 years ago" What a strange coincidence.

I 100% believe them.

Guessing they both knew exactly what was what but he, for some unfathomable reason, told her he was granny’s favourite and no rules applied to them and she could have and do whatever she wanted and she was stupid enough to believe it. Then it all came crashing down. Only explanation I can think of.

What are you basing this on and is it really the only explanation you can think of @HoppingPavlova?😂😂😂

@LunaHeather

Hopping "Gosh, maybe pretend you are going to a baby shower and divert to a psych ffs."

And hope that the staff don't tell anyone? Sure. 🙄

Oh and the only time I've dealt with royal staff has been for big events with more senior staff, but the security arrangements, the sniffer dogs etc are a mission.

Unless the people in charge arrange for a discreet visit from a therapist, I can't see how you'd have one. She can't just say "I'm going to a baby shower at the Langham, send the car round". There's more to it.

@JingsMahBucket They’re a duke and a duchess.

This does not make them Royal.The Dukes of Marlborough, Bedford, Devonshire, Rutland, Wellington, etc are Dukes but none of them are Royal.

Is that because the rules were changed in 2012 to include females?