Palace appoints external lawyers to probe MM bullying...

[Sprining]

Last week, in the lead up to Meghan and Harry’s eagerly anticipated Oprah interview, Palace sources were quoted as saying that the Palace was “prepared to retaliate with fresh disclosures about the couple’s behaviour if the monarchy is attacked”.

Great, so what next

External lawyers to probe bullying by other royals?
External lawyers to probe racism within RF?
External lawyers to probe whether there was disability discrimination in denying support for mental health?
External lawyers to problem Andrews behaviour and whether it broke public code of conduct (not criminal investigation, but did he bring us into disrepute type of stuff)?

Is this a vendetta or is RF finally going to be be subject to public accountability?

TatianaBis

Great post. The RF are ruthless in stifling criticism

Sigh....as a PP put it, they really like to tug on the tigers tail don't they.

Absolutely! Why would C and W want to speak to them if they are going to run to Gayle King every time. Maybe they wanted the dust to settle a bit before they tackled all the allegations head on. But I sounds like they were being forced to jump right into it all.

Just remember, William told the press he had not talked to his brother. Why do the press need to know that?

They do seem to be trying to start a war - which doesn't seem like the best idea. As PP said, going on TV complaining your dad stopped taking your calls and then promptly leaking details of the next call isn't exactly in the spirit of reconciliation.

Meghan made a huge deal about her dad leaking her letter but they are doing the same.

Actually, that's a point re emails. Do they fall under the same copyright laws as letters?

@NuclearDH

Harry and Meghan are as bad as Meghan’s dad.....running to the press with details of private phone conversations is on a par with leaking the content of private letters. Just because it’s a friend who’s the mouthpiece makes no difference. Don’t they see how it looks?

Agree. They complained they could not speak to her dad without him running to the press. Now no one in the Royal Family will feel comfortable having any kind of conversation with them, without thinking one of Meghans acquaintance will be all over TV the next day telling everyone the content of the private conversation. How is it possible to work through anything when one side is going to do media tell alls about each and every single conversation.

@Blueberries0112

Just remember, William told the press he had not talked to his brother. Why do the press need to know that?

They probably don't but there is a big difference between "I've not spoken to him yet but I will" and actually disclosing (if the leaks are true) the content of a conversation.

He was confirming that he doesn’t speak to his brother and somewhere I read not for a year too

Is that not part of a smear campaign?

The whole thing seems to be one big smear campaign, DeRigeur, with each side leaking against the other and nobody coming out of it looking good

As someone said, it really is Diana all over again

The whole thing seems to be one big smear campaign, DeRigeur, with each side leaking against the other and nobody coming out of it looking good

Absolutely agree 100%.

@Blueberries0112

He was confirming that he doesn’t speak to his brother and somewhere I read not for a year too

As far as I remember someone asked if he'd spoken to him since the interview and all he said was "not yet, but I will"

He didn't confirm that he doesn't speak to him or that they haven't spoken for a year.

One of the newspaper says it is quite telling where their relationship stand based on that response. The news anchor probably was twisting Harry’s words as well. What if Harry meant it was brief .... afterall their grandpa just got back from the hospital

I also don't fully understand H&M complaining of a smear campaign, while conducting what looks suspiciously like a smear campaign.

Prime example : H goes on Oprah, trashes his Father and claims he wouldn't take his calls. After interview has calls with Father and brother and leaks them to the press...cue in a few weeks I wont be surprised to see another leak/statement to the effect off "they are big meanies and won't speak to me"

Agree. How can they possibly wonder that the RF isn't 100% keen to speak to them?

The whole thing seems to be one big smear campaign, DeRigeur, with each side leaking against the other and nobody coming out of it looking good

Agree with this.

@TatianaBis

Harry's gone rogue like his mother.

It’s not so much a vendetta just a propaganda campaign. We’ve seen all this before with the spin war vs Diana.

If you put the monarchy in a bad light they will stop at nothing to discredit you. The relentless smears, the swipes, the ‘accidental‘ leaks implying Diana was unstable, promiscuous, unsuitable mother etc. The sources contacting the press out of ‘concern’.

Unless of course you are the monarchy like Andrew and Charles, in which case they will leave no stone unturned to cover up all your indiscretions slash illegal activities. The issue isn’t even so much the RF themselves - altho I’ve always found Charles to be petulant and competitive - it’s the staff, their obsession with queen & country, the perception of the monarchy on the world stage, and perhaps most important of all - ensuring its survival.

Harry is one of them so they focus on Meghan.

We can count on the smears to continue. If you believe what comes out of the palace, good luck to you. Their previous target isn’t here to set you straight.

So what about Harry and Meghans smear campaign? They're behaving like children now, throwing their toys out the pram as they didn't get what they wanted. Them allowing friends to talk about private conversations is no better than Meghans father talking about hers, and we all know how well she took that. It appears Meghan would like to do whatever she wants however when others do the same thing, that's an issue. The palace can't be happy with this latest disclosure and hopefully they stop dealing with the two and H&M can disappear into the American sunset for the privacy they crave.

@Blueberries0112

Just remember, William told the press he had not talked to his brother. Why do the press need to know that?

Because he was asked directly by a reporter. What was he supposed to say when ambushed by a yes/no question?

Right, he got to let the world know he is not like Meghan who doesn’t speak to her family and is willing to speak to his brother. I bet they kept it short and brief or should I say “not productive” as one anchor called it especially when their grandpa just got back.

I'm not convinced that the return shots will stay focused on Meghan tbh. It wouldn't shock me if a few bad behaviour stories about Harry appear soon - given we already know about a few I bet there are others.

Hardly going to have a productive phone call are they. Charles and William would be very aware they can't trust Harry or Meghan not to record everything. They definitely would have been warned by their advisers

The only way they can talk openly now is if Harry comes over for the Diana thing as planned.

@StatisticallyChallenged

I'm not convinced that the return shots will stay focused on Meghan tbh. It wouldn't shock me if a few bad behaviour stories about Harry appear soon - given we already know about a few I bet there are others.

I'd have much more respect for Oprah if she'd mentioned some of that in the interview. Harry's obviously been on a "journey" of understanding, acknowledging and addressing his own racism but seems to not understand his family are maybe a bit further behind him on that journey.

I'm actually surprised by both Oprah and GK, surprised that they seem okay about facilitating the continued public unravelling of family relations. Oprah has said that H and M are friends of hers but I feel a good friend would miss out on a money-making/anti-racism crusade furthering opportunity to protect them, anticipating the chaos that would ensue if a frank interview airing grievances is undertaken. Just because H and M seem up for it all, doesn't mean it's wise - and a good friend would point out potential repercussions rather than, presumably, egging them on.

Of course it's good to call out racism but there are other ways of going about it.

I think asking for an external lawyer was wise - M/H involve lawyers and the authorities in other matters.I don't think the palace had any other option. When there has been an investigation that will settle the matter one way or another

@OutwiththeOutCrowd

I'm actually surprised by both Oprah and GK, surprised that they seem okay about facilitating the continued public unravelling of family relations. Oprah has said that H and M are friends of hers but I feel a good friend would miss out on a money-making/anti-racism crusade furthering opportunity to protect them, anticipating the chaos that would ensue if a frank interview airing grievances is undertaken. Just because H and M seem up for it all, doesn't mean it's wise - and a good friend would point out potential repercussions rather than, presumably, egging them on.

Of course it's good to call out racism but there are other ways of going about it.

IMHO Oprah is just using the pair of them. Neither she nor GK can really be called good or true friend given the length of time they’ve actually known them. I would imagine they are relishing being right in the middle of this. Compare them to Michelle Obama whose response has demonstrated what a classy woman she is.

Yes, Lauren, I agree with you about Michelle Obama's comments - hoping for reconciliation rather than stoking up discontent.

running to the press with details of private phone conversations
But the RF have been doing that for years. They literally forced a tabloid editor's best friend on Meghan as her chief advisor, then it came out he'd been selling nasty stories to the tabloids about her and stitching her up since day one, then William and Kate handed him a massive promotion and reward which basically proves he was acting under orders, since under normal circumstances why on earth would Will and Kate want to hire someone with a proven history of breaking NDAs and selling secrets about his bosses!

I’m not sure Oprah is friends with them. I read she’d only met Meghan once before getting a wedding invite. Of course that may be all tabloid bollocks.