In what capacity are Harry and Meghan visiting New York

[IsabelBeck]

They are no longer working members of the Royal Family so have they gone to New York as private citizens?

How do they get to meet with Chelsea Clinton at the WHO offices and UN officials and politicians?

According to the Mail (I know, I know) they had federal protection.

Do Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (as they are styled there) have much clout in the US? Why?

That's nice.

[quote IsabelBeck]@PieMistee - go and have a lie down somewhere quiet.[/quote]
and you called me patronising.

you are funny.

A meeting with POTUS is a big deal but I reckon as the guy who will head the Commonwealth it wouldn’t be hard to get meetings with many Asian and African leaders for William. And certainly if it was a State visit.
I mean Deputy UN SG sounds like a big deal (and some will say Amina Mohammad is an impressive woman) but it’s really not like meeting the UN SG.

I don’t think that H and M have actually got the message yet that they just want to be normal.

I think we need to get rid of the Royal Family and reduce the influencer they and their hangers on are able to have just because of an accident of birth. They take up space that could be filled with more talented and knowledgeable people.

Lots of salty Brits on here! Lol!

It's odd how many post on theses threads, extremely annoyed that other people are posting on these threads.... And accusing those other people of having a "wrong" or invalid opinion. That opinion being one with which the objector disagrees.

The way this is being styled in the UK press is as though H and M are being given some kind of official recognition and role in American civic life. The visits are being called 'public' appearances in New York.

This is the bit that I'm questioning. On what basis is this happening?They are not representing the British Royal Family. Their charity has not become super-significant - yet. I can just about understand that their position on universal global vaccination might win them a speaking slot at a conference. But visiting the 9/11 memorial? Why? In what capacity are they there?

It is like somebody important has just decided that they need to be brought out of the shadows into prominence.

Sure, Emma Raducanu got invited to various non-sports occasions on the back of her stunning tennis victory at a young age. But, Meghan and Harry haven't just gone and done some one-off amazing thing which deserves a credit. Is nobody in the US saying: " What are they doing there?"

Unless it is a complicated ruse where they get filmed being important ( their 'era of higher-visibility') for not having anything informed and expert to say about anything ( other than the Brit Royal Family) in return for Netflix agreeing to publicise something that actual important people do want to be publicised.

It's all very strange.

@Pallisers

the obsession people in the UK have with the royal family is pretty incomprehensible to anyone reared elsewhere

But the obsession with a couple of minor royals who have decided to live elsewhere and do minor celeb stuff is really really baffling.

Why does anyone care so much about these people??

And does anyone think it will all survive the present Queen? the curtesying and the "working royal" (jesus) thing and the who is in and who is out and speculations on MN about who is wearing the right nail polish.

it is really really weird. Especially considering Andrew. Actually maybe they are being paid to do stuff like this so the commoners won't think too hard about Andrew?

Good to hear this, because it is weird. I always hope that these threads will eventually stop but no ... there is always someone lurking ready with the excuse it because they have put themselves in the media. And always behind MN because in RL these conversations do not take place - at least not in my circle! A very brief comment if any. This week in RL I have discussed several subjects in the media that are in MN but not H&M. So it could be if you are having a bad day or want to gripe at life H&M is the thread to start as you know you get the equivalent of lots of likes on MN put up a thread and there - a ready made punchbag all the while receiving affirmation while remaining anonymous. A few months ago there was a thread to say - they will be broke soon because they spend more than they earn, or they will be divorced soon- I mean really apart from the unkindness the speculation that this couple will one day be one their knees asking good old UK for forgiveness. Is just unbelievable. ... so because they clearly are not heading that way we can only churn out the same old same old. Why are they doing what they are doing whatever it is. Why did MH read a book - to children when Beyoncé doesn't do that because Beyoncé instead goes to school and dances with children - should she be reading books or should MH be dancing !

@PieMistee Ahh you swallowed that one whole didn’t you.

I think it’s only been styled like this in the UK. It isn’t being covered like this in the US press. So it appears like a bigger deal than it is. Emma Raducanu’s post US open outings could have been styled the same way but wasn’t. Remember she got invited to the Met Gala and Harry/Meghan didn’t.
Lots of private individuals carry out ‘official’ sounding functions. It’s because the UK press/Daily Mail is getting quite hot under the collar over it that people are responding to it. As I said in the US context and even in the CA context there are far far far bigger celebrities.

@PreparationPreparationPrep

Great post. So agree.

I just think it makes some people good to have a swipe at this couple who aren't funded by the taxpayer, who are supporting themselves, who are living their life quite happily thousands of miles away but for some... they just can't let go.
And when something goes well for M&H, it just brings out the worst posts, a real frustration and gnashing of teeth, because they can't bear it for them to be just living their best life. They're just desperate for the marriage to break up to give the biggest I Told You So in history.

Well done Harry & Meghan leaving, best thing you ever did given the obsession of the DM, the likes of RRs and Piers Morgan, and some posters on here!

Good move!

I didn't think she was "dripping with diamonds." I thought she was disappointingly soberly dressed (always like to see what the royals are wearing) until I realised they were visiting the WTC site so she was wearing appropriately respectful colours.

The coat was probably the result of that thing that happens to most postnatal women where the thing you planned to wear suddenly doesn't look as good as you thought it would. Most of us think, ah fuckit who cares, but we haven't got 100 cameras on us, so she threw a coat on top.

And that is not me trying to imply she didn't look nice, she did.

Maybe @BalloonSlayer. But she was pictured arriving at the event last night wearing a coat and big grey scarf double wrapped around her neck. Everyone else is in short sleeved tops!

I urge you to check out the front page of the NYT, Wa app and the LA times (remember H&M live in LA). Wildfires are raging in California, Gabby Petito’s disappearance has been the top news for a few days and Trump is trying a political come back. The Harry Meghan thing is a British thing clearly targeted at the UK press by her PR machine.
I promise you if I asked a hundred Americans at Trader Joe’s in the morning if they knew about this less than 10% would say yes.
As I said before they are doing what they need to do to financially survive/stay relevant. But it would be a little over the top to see them as A list celebrities in the US.
So I don’t think people should get quite so riled up over these engagements in NYC.

I meant Wa Po*. Weird autocorrect. And you can add the US edition of CNN or MSNBC to that. More people will know who Brian Laundrie is this week.

Lots of private individuals carry out ‘official’ sounding functions.

I’m not sure lots of private individuals have meetings with the deputy SG of the UN, without the reason being quite obvious. I don’t have strong feelings on H&M either way, I’m just interested because I assume the deputy SG is a fairly busy woman, but someone decided that they were worth her time.
Ditto going to the 9/11 memorial with the mayor of New York. I’m sure he spends lots of time with private individuals eg financial donors, New York businessmen and women, journalists, but they don’t fall into those categories. I’m sure he also attends events that celebrities attend, but this wasn’t really that either. It also wasn’t related (I don’t think) to their charity work, so I assume it was just because Harry is a prince. Which is fine. I don’t think they shouldn’t have done it. I’m just curious as to why the other people felt it was worth doing.

I am sure they are busy, but these are 10-15 min appointments with someone sort of in the public eye. I mean they are unlikely to meet me and you. But the grandson of the Queen they can spare 10-15 mins for.
As I said, the Taoiseach visited the 9/11 memorial 5 days ago but it wasn’t on the front page of the Daily Mail.

@trama

They're just there to show off, promote their brand, and pretend they have something interesting or significant to say. They have no expertise in anything but somehow feel we should be paying attention to their platitudes. How gracious of them.

This sums it up perfectly

@LukeEvansWife

The point being that she was hardly A list and if she hadn't married a prince, she would still be just another jobbing actor. All the arse lickers claim it was so awful that she had to give up a successful career

Are your posts always this unpleasant. And the name calling is vulgar.

@LuchiMangsho. I am curious, do you have the Met Gala list of who accepted and declined?

It would make sense for them not to attend such a star studded gala as their first outing as a couple in ages. Most people view the Gala is celebrity red carpet, so it makes sense to do something more sober like meeting the First Lady of NY or the Mayor. Then also paying tribute for 9/11 and continuing the Vax live they started during the pandemic.

@LuchiMangsho

I am sure they are busy, but these are 10-15 min appointments with someone sort of in the public eye. I mean they are unlikely to meet me and you. But the grandson of the Queen they can spare 10-15 mins for. As I said, the Taoiseach visited the 9/11 memorial 5 days ago but it wasn’t on the front page of the Daily Mail.

Right, which is what I said - because he’s a prince. I didn’t say I had a problem with it, I just have a general curiosity about their influence, how long it will last, what they’ll do etc. I’m basically a nosey person. And I do think they’re interesting because it’s a very unusual position that they’re in, they’ll always have a residual “official-ness” about them and it’s interesting both how they use it and how people respond to it.

It’s not the same as Micheál Martin visiting because he was there to lay flowers for the Irish victims, something you’d expect a head of government to do as part of their general state duties. He was there on behalf of the Irish people.

@SickAndTiredAgain

You are aware that MM used to be UN ambassador, and was seen plenty of times with the SG. At some point she was seated with the UNWomen SG and she (the SG) published a personalised thank you note to MM. All this back before she met Harry.

She may well have a personal line to these individuals.

A residual state official-ness I should have said. Obviously they have continuing roles in their foundation, and Harry at the mental health charity.