What were Harry and Meghan hoping to achieve?

[HumousWhereTheHeartIs]

This is an honest question not a chance to bash anyone. I'm curious about why Harry and Meghan would do this and what the consequences could be. They must have realised the massive fall-out this would cause. This could be the end of Harry's relationship with his family. But for what? Sympathy? Increased profiles? Honesty?

@Plexie Did Harry really come out with the guff about not having outdoor space and not being able to ride bikes as a child?? Anyone would have thought he had grown up in a refugee camp.

He grew up in Palaces with enormous grounds, their own private indoor swimming pools, private stables and horses, attending schools that catered to every sport and pastime imaginable. And he wants us to feel sorry for him and his deprived childhood. The mind boggles.

I'd guess that the army was much more diverse than Eton

I would imagine it was more ethnically diverse but it was far from a bastion of tolerance and racial equality

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/02/former-paratroopers-sue-army-over-years-of-racism-from-soldiers

@Mummy195

The question about Kate was direct, and necessary since it was repeated and made a big deal out of. So MM answered it, and set the record straight, as she should.

The waity Katie thing is still out there and people still talk about it.

The palace denied stories of Kate's botox, hair extensions, and other rubbish but could not deny character assassination.

I highly, highly doubt MM is jealous of , or even thinks about KM unless asked. An accomplished woman like her surely cannot be jealous of KM.

If the palace denied the Botox stories it was because their images were used in an advert for a company.

I think they were polite about the Queen and Prince Philip because there is high chance one or both of them will die in the near future and if there were as nasty about them as they were the rest of the family there was a high risk that those comments would be replayed in the media around the time of the death making them look bad.

[quote FastMovingSummerShower]@Plexie Did Harry really come out with the guff about not having outdoor space and not being able to ride bikes as a child?? Anyone would have thought he had grown up in a refugee camp.

He grew up in Palaces with enormous grounds, their own private indoor swimming pools, private stables and horses, attending schools that catered to every sport and pastime imaginable. And he wants us to feel sorry for him and his deprived childhood. The mind boggles.[/quote]
It does. Refugee camp!
He said ' I want to be able to go out with my son' as if he hadn't done anything at all with his parents. Obviously the palace gardens and what not and the photos of Harry on bikes was all fabricated then? :)

Sorry, I should have been more precise. He said he'd never been in a child seat on the back of his bike, and yes, there are photos of him in a child seat on the back of his dad's bike.
Obviously his recollection varies from reality in that instance.

I don't read the tabloids, nor any newspaper these days, and don't keep up with social media that much, so my view of Meghan is not coloured by the media stories, most of which I hadn't heard before.

I didn't particularly like her before watching the interview, I think because from what I did know, I sensed she feels she is more important than others (royals and non royals) and she seems very self-absorbed - characteristics that don't appeal to me in general.

I'm not that much interested in the royal family - though recently reluctantly watched all The Crown series out of lockdown boredom (and enjoyed them more than I expected to). But I do have a soft spot for Harry because he has also spoken out re his mental health, loss of his mother etc in a more natural way than royals usually do, plus (presumably) suffered a lot of speculation about the identity of his birth father in the past.

I found the interview immensely frustrating- so many vague insinuations coupled with possibly fake assurances about love and respect for the queen etc. A lot of the claims M made seemed misleading (re title for A, lack of support for her MH etc) and in some cases petty and vindictive.. She could have explained the Kate story without saying "but it was actually K that made ME cry", for instance. At times she looked so gleeful, like a teenager, when a more moderate, considered, consistent and less twisted account could have had more impact. If racism is involved that is clearly wrong and needs to be called out, but there was nothing concrete really in what was said and her version was tellingly contradicted by H (as were other aspects- her being refused MH help for one).

I thought H looked uncomfortable and was pulled into it late on like a spare part. She held his hand so tightly it looked more like a means of control than a loving gesture to me.

It did come across to me that she is on a one-woman mission for whatever reason and H is looking increasingly sidelined.

But I was struck by how very beautiful and self-assured she is. I think my DH has fallen slightly in love with her too, as he disagrees with my interpretation of the interview!

@MrsSlocombesPussy - never been in a child seat on the back of a bike as a child. HOLD THE FRONT PAGE. Charles should be hanging his head in shame. I don't care how many polo ponies he was given or private and exclusive use of Theme parks - NO CHILD should grow up without access to bike child seats.

Several pictures of Harry doing very “normal” but privileged things with his parents. On the back of his dad’s bike on at least two separate occasions. Let’s hope Archie doesn’t grow up to feel he’s missed out because he didn’t get to ride a motorbike when he was tiny or go in the back of a trailer....
www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/20210311108679/prince-harry-riding-bicycle-prince-charles-childhood-photos/1/

Harry really had it in for his father and his childhood. No wonder the Queen came out with the recollections statement.

It’s sad because what they have achieved is a massive argument and world wide media exposure and chatter when what they wanted was privacy. Together with causing thousands or millions of people across the world to think that the RF are a bunch of racists.

@Wannabangbang

I agree completely, everything is classed as racist on here. You cannot have an opinion or you are simply racist according to 98% of poeple on here. Most mumsnetters are transphobic but are allowed to spew their hatred for trans, especially transwoman all over mumsnet but is never deleted or stopped even though it's pure hate directed at the trans community.

What complete garbage.

Your post the other day, which I reported, had straight up racist language in it that I haven't seen for years, if you don't recognise that then perhaps you need to think more about your attitudes.

MN is quite clearly NOT transphobic, HQ are incredibly tight on what people are allowed to say in FWR and other boards, deleting left and right even the most mild criticism of trans activism. You're just angry because you can't force people to chant TWAW - tough.

@Onelifeonly

I don't read the tabloids, nor any newspaper these days, and don't keep up with social media that much, so my view of Meghan is not coloured by the media stories, most of which I hadn't heard before.

I didn't particularly like her before watching the interview, I think because from what I did know, I sensed she feels she is more important than others (royals and non royals) and she seems very self-absorbed - characteristics that don't appeal to me in general.

I'm not that much interested in the royal family - though recently reluctantly watched all The Crown series out of lockdown boredom (and enjoyed them more than I expected to). But I do have a soft spot for Harry because he has also spoken out re his mental health, loss of his mother etc in a more natural way than royals usually do, plus (presumably) suffered a lot of speculation about the identity of his birth father in the past.

I found the interview immensely frustrating- so many vague insinuations coupled with possibly fake assurances about love and respect for the queen etc. A lot of the claims M made seemed misleading (re title for A, lack of support for her MH etc) and in some cases petty and vindictive.. She could have explained the Kate story without saying "but it was actually K that made ME cry", for instance. At times she looked so gleeful, like a teenager, when a more moderate, considered, consistent and less twisted account could have had more impact. If racism is involved that is clearly wrong and needs to be called out, but there was nothing concrete really in what was said and her version was tellingly contradicted by H (as were other aspects- her being refused MH help for one).

I thought H looked uncomfortable and was pulled into it late on like a spare part. She held his hand so tightly it looked more like a means of control than a loving gesture to me.

It did come across to me that she is on a one-woman mission for whatever reason and H is looking increasingly sidelined.

But I was struck by how very beautiful and self-assured she is. I think my DH has fallen slightly in love with her too, as he disagrees with my interpretation of the interview!

Well put and yes, she did hang on to his hand rather tightly I thought.

My DH has been involved with the Princes Trust mentoring scheme.As far as he's concerned and those who are also part of the PT Charles has a huge interest and respect for other faith's and cultures.That's all I need to know rather than he once fancied Sheila Ferguson.

The 'lies' are not really the gotcha moments that people really think they are.

If H&M stores were totally in sync, then they would still be accused of rehearsing them.

Ok, so H does not count a photoshoot with PC in the same way that he goes around with seeing sheer joy on Archie's face as they do their own private bike rides.

And what if MM is like most romantic ppl who see being married by a proper bishop as a marriage, rather than the formal contract with signatures.

I have a lot of respect for the work of the Princes Trust. The trust genuinely and significantly helped someone I know. A troubled teen, with a criminal record. They provided real and valuable work experience, where the skills developed led to a full time job and future career. All quietly, without fanfare, without judgment, without taking any public credit.

@Snugglepiggy

My DH has been involved with the Princes Trust mentoring scheme.As far as he's concerned and those who are also part of the PT Charles has a huge interest and respect for other faith's and cultures.That's all I need to know rather than he once fancied Sheila Ferguson.

Exactly. I know racist men - and women - who would ooh and ah over a beautiful WOC but still come out with stuff like 'black men are innately more violent', 'black women are aggressive' 'black kids are less interested in academic subjects because they prefer to be active (this from a teacher ffs).

I've never heard allegations of racist comments about Charles or William but those of Harry are on the record.

I think the problem is, the more the press pick apart the little things, the more it distracts from the the bigger issues.
And if the little lies are exposed, it makes people wonder what else is true.
That was part of the agreement with the press wasn't it - the organised photos at some point in the holiday, so that the children would be left alone for the rest of the time?
I'm sure there were plenty of other bike rides away from the cameras during the rest of the holidays

@Onelifeonly

I don't read the tabloids, nor any newspaper these days, and don't keep up with social media that much, so my view of Meghan is not coloured by the media stories, most of which I hadn't heard before.

I didn't particularly like her before watching the interview, I think because from what I did know, I sensed she feels she is more important than others (royals and non royals) and she seems very self-absorbed - characteristics that don't appeal to me in general.

I'm not that much interested in the royal family - though recently reluctantly watched all The Crown series out of lockdown boredom (and enjoyed them more than I expected to). But I do have a soft spot for Harry because he has also spoken out re his mental health, loss of his mother etc in a more natural way than royals usually do, plus (presumably) suffered a lot of speculation about the identity of his birth father in the past.

I found the interview immensely frustrating- so many vague insinuations coupled with possibly fake assurances about love and respect for the queen etc. A lot of the claims M made seemed misleading (re title for A, lack of support for her MH etc) and in some cases petty and vindictive.. She could have explained the Kate story without saying "but it was actually K that made ME cry", for instance. At times she looked so gleeful, like a teenager, when a more moderate, considered, consistent and less twisted account could have had more impact. If racism is involved that is clearly wrong and needs to be called out, but there was nothing concrete really in what was said and her version was tellingly contradicted by H (as were other aspects- her being refused MH help for one).

I thought H looked uncomfortable and was pulled into it late on like a spare part. She held his hand so tightly it looked more like a means of control than a loving gesture to me.

It did come across to me that she is on a one-woman mission for whatever reason and H is looking increasingly sidelined.

But I was struck by how very beautiful and self-assured she is. I think my DH has fallen slightly in love with her too, as he disagrees with my interpretation of the interview!

I'm not sure how you got that she 'feels she is more important than others' and 'seems self-absorbed' when all she wanted is not to be treated differently from others. That's all she wants and that comes through clear in the interview. There is nothing misleading about the title for Archie, because he was entitled to one when Charles ascends the throne but the Monarchy wanted to take THAT away even. That's what it was about.

Also, Harry seemed to be clutching Meghan's hand extremely tightly, not the other way around.

It sounds me like you are trying to make Harry look like a victim of Meghan, which is not only sexist and internalised misogyny, but clearly false as Harry has been driving this 'flee England' narrative for many years. He smashed a photographer's camera in their face many years back, and he has said in 2019 that camera clicks remind him of his mother's death. It's obvious he has been using what happened to Meghan as an excuse to flee Britain.

Not the other way around. But women always blame the women.

Your husband sounds very sensible and not hamstrung by the jealous woman vs woman bias us women are affected by.

@the80sweregreat my husband (who is half black), noticed that she interrupted him a few times while he was mid sentence and patted his hand whilst doing it - I hadn’t noticed that.

@Cokie3 please stop this drivel that we can’t call a fellow female out or give out opinion on her without being misogynists.

@Cokie3 are you on the payroll? (sorry I wondered)

within Justice Warby's recent ruling in favour of Meghan, was her claim that all emails and texts are deleted after 30 days due to palace protocol, so she couldn't comply with a request to supply evidence. This was at the heart of the case, because it would have shown if others had drafted the letter to her father.

this week Janina Gavankar (a friend of M) says there are "many emails and texts" which prove the RF knew M was struggling.

So which is it? are all emails deleted as claimed to a high court judge, or are they not?

[quote Coronateachingagain]@Cokie3 are you on the payroll? (sorry I wondered)[/quote]
Why? In your mind is MM so bad that only people on her payroll can defend her?

Isn’t that a tad unhinged?

Interestingly, although H&M think they are giving Archie a great life - hiking and on the back of his Dad's bike, that may not be Archie's overriding memory when he's old enough to have memories of his childhood. He may remember tension, arguments with the royal family etc, feeling worried that it is public that his skin colour was discussed. Harry is being very obtuse.

Also - what about Prince Charles's mental health - his father is very ill and has been in hospital for nearly a month. What about the Queen's, or K&W's - don't they count if we are paying so much attention to empathy?

I believe them, but I believe the royal family too - the two sides are not mutually exclusive.

Wonder if the MOS picked up on that @redspecial?