Prince Harry not attending Philips memorial

[FlyingGeeseAgain]

It has been confirmed that Prince Harry will not be attending P Philips memorial service. What are people’s thoughts about this? Is the whole security issue a smoke screen for the fact he can’t face his family?

I love that some people regard ‘coal miner’s’ daughter is seen by some as an insult. My grandfather was a coal miner and I’m proud of it.

The topless pics were French press I believe, awful all the same

Kate hasn’t put a foot wrong yet she has still had awful things written about her family and herself.
All the nasty speculation about Wilkiams supposed affair too. Really unpleasant. Yet she just soldiers on without a word of complaint. Imagine if she’d gone on Oprah to ‘set the record straight’? Or had a trashy book written to ‘tell her story’ and then denied having had any involvement!

Cathy
Hilarious comment from you given the PA 'shenanigans'

Biggest gift EVER to republicans

I don't think Harry's downfall in popularity has anything to do with Meghan though. I think his recent behaviour is a reaction to being effectively demoted by 3 little kiddies! He has always been a bit spoilt and entitled, he got away with it for ages because people thought it was charming/cheeky. If you think about the things he's actually done like dressing up as a Nazi, calling his colleagues racist slurs, taking drugs, nightclub fights... and that's just what we know about... it's pretty shocking behaviour.

@Roussette

Cathy Hilarious comment from you given the PA 'shenanigans'

Biggest gift EVER to republicans

Can't and haven't denied that.

I just don't differentiate between grist to the mill

Aot of difference but hey ho....

@tigger2022

I don't think Harry's downfall in popularity has anything to do with Meghan though. I think his recent behaviour is a reaction to being effectively demoted by 3 little kiddies! He has always been a bit spoilt and entitled, he got away with it for ages because people thought it was charming/cheeky. If you think about the things he's actually done like dressing up as a Nazi, calling his colleagues racist slurs, taking drugs, nightclub fights... and that's just what we know about... it's pretty shocking behaviour.

Yes I think a lot has been covered up and airbrushed. I used to think he was great. The scales have fallen from many people’s eyes and he’s revealed to be a completely spoiled numpty.

Agree that Prince Harry's poor behaviour is his responsibility and not his wife's.

@tigger2022

I don't think Harry's downfall in popularity has anything to do with Meghan though. I think his recent behaviour is a reaction to being effectively demoted by 3 little kiddies! He has always been a bit spoilt and entitled, he got away with it for ages because people thought it was charming/cheeky. If you think about the things he's actually done like dressing up as a Nazi, calling his colleagues racist slurs, taking drugs, nightclub fights... and that's just what we know about... it's pretty shocking behaviour.

Harry has never been interested in high up in this increasingly irrelevant institution. He knew from birth how it works so would not have been surprised that William’s kids would become next in-line. Harry has always wanted a way out.

Many of the royals just want to rule their own lives rather than be a property of the media and royalists. Like animals in a zoo.

Harry was most at peace away from the UK in Africa. There is nothing in his life or history that ever indicated he wanted to be in William’s or William’s kid’s place. I suspect Kate’s heart must hurt for her kids to know that they will be entertainment for the British public. No real life of their own.

The Nazi costume really upset me at the time, my family were victims, and especially because people basically liked him they made up excuses for him (it was just banter, can't you take a joke, blah blah). This was also before loads of costumes started to be seen as problematic, so we felt like we were really out on a limb! Same with calling his colleagues racist names. I started to notice things like how angry he got towards being held accountable, as if he thought the problem was papers reporting that he'd done something and not him doing it in the first place. Then I started to notice the very aggressive way he speaks to some people, just being outwardly rude, making comments, scowling at people, in a way other RF members never could, he had a license to get away with it for years because he was so popular.

On that Africa trip he did it to a Sky News presenter (she literally asked him 2 questions about why he was there, what he hoped to achieve... literally a golden opportunity for him to have gotten coverage about his work if he wasn't preoccupied with his own drama) only this time people didn't find it as cute anymore so there's hope...

@why2why I don't think that's true at all, he's massively bothered about losing all the titles. He was always competitive with his brother. He was really bothered about Archie's title, about losing the HRH, about the military patronages, PPOs and private escorts, going from 3rd to 6th, basically all the symbols he had of status suddenly gone. He wanted VIP status (he said they intended to keep the majority of the trappings of the job, but the Queen did not permit it) he just didn't want accountability or responsibility. There was nothing stopping them going and living a quiet life in Africa if that's what they really wanted. They chose to move to California where they can safely make money selling stories on their own families without risk of being sued for libel (while suing anyone under UK jurisdiction who might do the same to them)

There is nothing in his life or history that ever indicated he wanted to be in William’s or William’s kid’s place

Diana told Paxman that Harry said if William didn't want the job, he'd take it:

www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1408803/prince-harry-prince-william-king-meghan-markle-royal-family-oprah-spt

Many of the royals just want to rule their own lives rather than be a property of the media and royalists. Like animals in a zoo

This option is and always has been open to any and all. The surprising thing is that so few take it.

Harry was most at peace away from the UK

Yep. Killing water buffalo is a known relaxant.

I don’t think he’s ever liked being Royal , but he has no idea how to live without all the trappings and conveniences which he took for granted. He has no notion of real life and has shown himself to be hopelessly out of touch. He’s playacting what he imagines to be an ordinary person now and failing dismally. I remember once he started using ‘innit’ in sentences, obviously because he thought it sounded cool. He just sounded ridiculous.

Why2Why

Totally agree. He's always been a square peg in a round hole and he met someone who helped him get out. Good on him. I find it laughable that posters think he always wanted the top job. AFAIC nothing could be further from the truth In My Opinion. (don't shoot me. just an opinion)

Well done him getting out. Best thing ever for him and her

Diana told Paxman that Harry said if William didn't want the job, he'd take it:

Didn't Princess Margaret also say that?

@Why2why

Harry's as much a royalist as anyone. If he was actually against the institution, like you try to project on him actually disliking and being ashamed of it, he'd have got rid of the Duke and Duchess stuff, and the last thing he'd want to do is for it to continue with his son. He fought to keep all of it. Why would you want a title from an organisation or system that you believe to be immoral, unethical, or detestable? I'd suggest that he's just a spoilt individual who doesn't like not getting his own way, and who embodies privilige but has incredibly managed to get on the "I'm a victim" grift.

In fact, they were both desperate for the son to get the privilege of a title from this "increasingly irrelevant" institution (as you describe it, but simultaneously seem to be fixated on).

The whole saga reinforces that
notions of class, birthright, and social position are very much alive and well - the guy who's born with a silver spoon in his mouth and gets opportunities well beyond his intelligence and any discernable talent because of it; a woman who gained prominence through marriage, from C-list actress to worldwide fame through marrying into royalty. It's not the radical story you seem to think it is.

@Roussette The problem is I don’t think he can ever get out. They’re always going to be part of his family and, from this thread, he will always be vilified if he ever misses a public occasion.

It’s good that he’s left the toxicity of the tabloid press behind. I can’t remember who it was that said it but it always was at the back of my head. I think it was on my old teachers who said that the tabloids like to place people on a pedestal and raise them really high, only to topple them over again. And I’m not sure if it was the same person or some sort of public figure, but they said that the tabloids always need to elevate to someone to near sainthood and almost always have a boogeyman. I just remember those things quite vividly and have always refrained from reading tabloids.

I always thought that Meghan had positive press when she first arrived on the scenes and much was made of her “hitting the ground running” and now I see a poster quoting a lot of the tabloids that clearly had racist undertones. I guess it depends on what you read? I thought the press coverage was quite positive and it seemed that Kate was portrayed as “work shy” whilst Meghan was seen as a mature career woman as she’s not only slightly older than Kate, but she was also an older bride compared to Kate. And that Meghan was accepted into the family earlier than Kate and that Kate didn’t have much of past or a working history compared to Meghan etc. I felt that the comparisons were ludicrous, but it seemed to me that Meghan was portrayed in a more positive light.

I’m curious if it’s just the tabloids that have been so negative or was it just the British press as a whole? I’m pretty sure when I watched the news, things seemed positive at first so to see hear of the interview during their Africa tour was the first inkling I had that things weren’t as it seemed.

[quote Yeahthat]@Why2why

Harry's as much a royalist as anyone. If he was actually against the institution, like you try to project on him actually disliking and being ashamed of it, he'd have got rid of the Duke and Duchess stuff, and the last thing he'd want to do is for it to continue with his son. He fought to keep all of it. Why would you want a title from an organisation or system that you believe to be immoral, unethical, or detestable? I'd suggest that he's just a spoilt individual who doesn't like not getting his own way, and who embodies privilige but has incredibly managed to get on the "I'm a victim" grift.

In fact, they were both desperate for the son to get the privilege of a title from this "increasingly irrelevant" institution (as you describe it, but simultaneously seem to be fixated on).

The whole saga reinforces that
notions of class, birthright, and social position are very much alive and well - the guy who's born with a silver spoon in his mouth and gets opportunities well beyond his intelligence and any discernable talent because of it; a woman who gained prominence through marriage, from C-list actress to worldwide fame through marrying into royalty. It's not the radical story you seem to think it is.[/quote]
Exactly

@DesertStorms

Just wanted to add to that that an actual example of someone radically rejecting it all is Princess Mako of Japan. Or Mako Komuro as she's known now. I'm sure she even got married in essentially a civil ceremony.

I think the problem is with monarchy the public have to suspend a certain amount of disbelief. We all know in our heart of hearts it's obviously unfair, that these people are chosen arbitrarily, but we swallow it down because weirdly as a system constitutional monarchy does seem to work, and they're good for tourists, and they do a lot for charity (mainly by standing next to it while people point cameras at them). By deciding to share his opinions and problems with the world though, Harry's proven himself to be without question as entitled and stupid as everyone always suspected he was. He's proven the "men in grey suits" were earning their money keeping him from making a fool of himself for so long. It shatters the view of the institution, and means you can't suspend disbelief anymore. Same with Andrew, although for him in a much more serious way - criminal and abusive. And with Charles and his dodgy charity money. The royal men are all proving exactly what they were always suspected of being but never known to be.

I think we should switch to a reverse system where monarchy is just the women!

I like the idea of a matriarchal Monarchy tiger!
We’d have Anne, Zara ( Queen Zara the first no less ), Mia and her sister (can’t remember name) in the line of succession before we got on to Charles , William etc.

@tigger2022 great post. The Queen’s greatest characteristic is she says very little. She knows it’s not about her, it’s about the institution.

@tigger2022

I think the problem is with monarchy the public have to suspend a certain amount of disbelief. We all know in our heart of hearts it's obviously unfair, that these people are chosen arbitrarily, but we swallow it down because weirdly as a system constitutional monarchy does seem to work, and they're good for tourists, and they do a lot for charity (mainly by standing next to it while people point cameras at them). By deciding to share his opinions and problems with the world though, Harry's proven himself to be without question as entitled and stupid as everyone always suspected he was. He's proven the "men in grey suits" were earning their money keeping him from making a fool of himself for so long. It shatters the view of the institution, and means you can't suspend disbelief anymore. Same with Andrew, although for him in a much more serious way - criminal and abusive. And with Charles and his dodgy charity money. The royal men are all proving exactly what they were always suspected of being but never known to be.

I think we should switch to a reverse system where monarchy is just the women!

Agreed!