BBC The Princes and the Press

[coniferforest]

Did anyone watch this last night? About William and Harry and their different approaches to the press. Last night was part 1 of 2.

MoS have already paid almost half a million.
If MM asks for the profits, that is a lot of money out of them. And if we recall, when they thought they were going to win, the fail could not stop banging on that above damages, the loser has to pay the winners legal fees.

There are so many drivers here, partly why the Meghan issue keeps dragging on:

• racist press attempting to manipulate the public
• misogynist press attempting to manipulate the public
• anti-tabloid vitriol from the public, some of whom are the very same who lap up all the gossip
• republicanism versus monarchists
• anti-wokery versus hyper-liberals (not a fully overlapping Venn diagram with the republicans versus monarchists)
• shady operations by the BRF in order to maintain their status quo whether for their own good or the nation's
• MM's attempting to manipulate the public to elevate her profile
• Harry's transparent idioticness and weak character at the expense of the RF and arguably himself
• everyone hates Piers Morgan, even the 30%ish of the time he's right
• the judiciary in thrall to the monarchy
• freedom of expression
• anti-Americanism

It's a drama of Shakespearian breadth with some very modern levers. People become so emotionally entangled in it all. It's fascinating.

Maybe you could also add :

William's transparent idioticness and weak character at the expense of the RF and arguably himself

That they colluded in Finding Freedom Ths Revenge despite claiming not to.

There were two whole threads about this so I don't want to open up a can of worms again, but a few emails doesn't constitute collaborating in the way it's been represented. In fact the correspondence shows that Meghan and Harry weren't keen to have anything to do with it but provided the sort of background info which would have been standard.
You are welcome to your opinion on her credibility but not everyone agrees and it wasn't relevant to the case anyway.

The judiciary in thrall to the Monarchy but hang on a minute... here we are with an Appeal lost by DM/MoS that is as a direct result of one of W's member of staff being given permission to break an NDA and push forward an Appeal... and the DM lost again.

That judiciary didn't do well for them did they? The DM will be demanding the Courts be disbanded next... after all they called Judges 'Enemy of the People'. So, where this leaves the RF I do not know.

I agree givethatbabyaname, it is fascinating It'll all end in tears as my dear old Mother used to say....

Agree Aspiring... a few emails and Knauf saying the publishers wanted a photograph and MM refusing.

From what I understand the appeal is for the right to take it to a trial. Not an appeal against the verdict. Though I suppose it amounts to the same thing.

I find it very confusing.
No one would have known about the letter, as TM did not reveal it for about 6 months, apparently. Then 5 friends revealed that there was a letter and some of its contents to a magazine.
TM thought this misrepresented the letter contents, and or portrayed his character unfairly, and therefore gave the letter to the press.
I understand that Meghan retains the copyright to the letter, and therefore it should not have been published, but this sounds as though TM is not allowed to defend himself.
What should he have dome to defend himself. Obviously, I actually think he should have shut up throughout, but if he believes he needs to defend himself, what was the appropriate thing to have done, regarding the letter.
Personally, I think the entire thing would have been very different, if Meghan had not snubbed her family (apart from Doria), at the wedding. Yes, TM was apparently invited, but he did not received one of the proper official invites as Doria did, so I understand. And he had not met any of the RF, especially not met Harry and still hasn't.

An apology in a paper (that no one reads anyway apparently) will be good. I wonder if it will be subtly tongue in cheek/pa. Along the lines of 'we apologise for printing excerpts from a letter given to us willingly by the recipient to correct misinformation. We had no idea this was against the law until now. We are deeply and most sincerely sorry'.

Who is the ‘we’ she refers to? Who does she represent? It was a private case against the MOS.

Their readers will lap it up if they do write it like that - non readers
Will see it as more of the same but read it for the joy of imagining the DF squiring even to write that.
On top of it the substantial payment which is being paid their readers anyway.
Anyway Im sure they will find a way to prolong and still drag it out even longer.

@milveycrohn it wont have been Meghan or Harry that sent out the official invites.
I don't know who is right here, but plenty of people don't invite family members to their wedding where there is a fractured relationship.

They could always say they forgot they printed it. And apologise to the court for their oversight.

So many of you still want to stick the boot in even when the court ruled in Meghan's favour. This clearly is not about facts for some of you. You dislike her, so whatever she does is wrong no matter what.

@Viviennemary

They could always say they forgot they printed it. And apologise to the court for their oversight.

@Viviennemary

They could always say they forgot they printed it. And apologise to the court for their oversight.

😆

@JaniieJones

An apology in a paper (that no one reads anyway apparently) will be good. I wonder if it will be subtly tongue in cheek/pa. Along the lines of 'we apologise for printing excerpts from a letter given to us willingly by the recipient to correct misinformation. We had no idea this was against the law until now. We are deeply and most sincerely sorry'.

@julieca

So many of you still want to stick the boot in even when the court ruled in Meghan's favour. This clearly is not about facts for some of you. You dislike her, so whatever she does is wrong no matter what.

This.

So many of you still want to stick the boot in even when the court ruled in Meghan's favour. This clearly is not about facts for some of you. You dislike her, so whatever she does is wrong no matter what

^ This.

The excitement and slathering over any perceived mistakes she might make versus this WIN is gobsmacking. Her thing with Finding Freedom and co-operation with it (or not depending on what you think) lasted weeks on here.

This time... just accept it, she has won this one, like it or not.

On TM defending himself... he does enough of that on trashy shows and threatening to speak to the Press every month until Meghan connects with him. I never see any criticism of that. It's not like he can't speak out, he does so continually.

This time... just accept it, she has won this one, like it or not. I don't have any trouble 'accepting' that at all.

'So many of you still want to stick the boot in even when the court ruled in Meghan's favour. This clearly is not about facts for some of you. You dislike her, so whatever she does is wrong no matter what.'

It is isn't about 'sticking the boot in' at all. The court found in her favour regarding a private letter they printed. I just don't see it's quite the massive victory that is all, particularly as we found out such things that they sent Scobie tit bits and how she used 'Daddy' to pull at heart strings should her essay be leaked. All a bit cringe isn't it to have that publicised.

I don't dislike her either, I just find the Sussexes to be a pair of hypocrites who are happy to go along with FF and the OW chat show, throwing unfair scrutiny at others yet just cannot stand it when folk do it to them. They should lead by example really, show a bit of class and dignity.

Well It seems like it is a big thing elsewhere other than MN . it's getting a lot of publicly on news and social media outlets except for the DF who have been unusually quiet with the M&H news today. The news seems to be focused on her victory a little is mentioned about the messages but not much only to reiterate they had no bearing. But maybe the DF is saying something else.

Your point about her calling him daddy - she said in the email herself that's what she calls him anyway and he agreed she calls him daddy - It would have been odd to call him
Anything else. I think the British have made a big thing of this sentence as it is not usual for most adults to use that term for their father. Whereas in Africa is quite normal and I assume not a big deal in the US too.

Good to hear derxa

All that you've put in your first para Janiie.... well... you're the only person saying this, in general it's all positive that she has won this case again.

Personally I have much more disdain for TM saying 'now's the time to look after Daddy' with an eye on cash.

I am starting to think there is a legal standpoint/basis for information to be withheld for six months in UK Law.

I think it's going to be interesting whether they take this to the SC

I think they’ll let it drop now. They’ll be disappointed not to have her questioned in a court, but they’ve got the Jason Knauff emails out there now, so I think they’ll cut their losses.