Revenge - by Tom Bower

[TideTimeSea]

As the other thread has filled up I wondered if anyone would like to discuss the book here. I’m listening to it on Audible now.

The book’s chapter on the Oz/NZ trip and all the unhappy staff is mind blowing.
I’ve worked for decades and never made anyone cry at work. It happened regularly with H&M’s staff. Someone will be along to tell me it’s made up but people are named including sources.

How edgy of you. 🙄

I aim to please😎

I thought that was discounted? Is it part of the bullying claim that was engineered by Knauf and there was never anyone to say it happened?

Everyone prior to her marriage talked about what a delight she was to work with.

Who are the 'sources'?

I haven't read that the stroke was faked, nor for that matter, his heart surgery.

Comparing Meghan and Kate's visits to memorials of tragedy - the notable difference is 1,500 miles!

I hope that Harry is happy - genuinely.

The book has referenced several people that worked with MM before she even met PH that found her difficult. The pattern seems to be those below her were (sometimes) treated poorly and her peers and above were charmed.

I'd like to know who those people are, I do not want to read the book, after hearing him interviewed and how unpleasant he was, it would be a waste of my time

Ok so one name is the director Jean Malek.
I’m not going to rewind though and can’t recall the other names - the book details several.

Ok I'll look into that and see if it's mentioned anywhere, other than in this book which has had discrepancies

Well it’s his own Facebook post that is referenced so I think it’s pretty watertight

I have read the circumstances. It was all to do with script changes and another director sided with Meghan and said she was right. Obviously a clash of personalities

According to the book the director (Grammatico I think ) that “sided” with her acquiesced to her demands in order to find a way through the stalemate. I’m sure this happens quite a lot where opinions vary, scripts need to be adjusted etc. However once the shoot finished he stated he would never want to work with her again. Again, probably just a “clash of personalities” as you put it.

In any case your statement was “Everyone prior to her marriage talked about what a delight she was to work with.” and already here are two examples to the contrary. No one sails through life delighting everyone, the reality is people have rubbish days. Some people also treat those they perceive as of little use to them poorly.
I think MM supporters would have far more credibility if they didn’t always go with the predictable pushback that she is above reproach.

he was always going to marry a woman who would support him in leaving.

Oh really? So the engagement interview was all a fake was it? Do you think Harry thought the wedding was a fake wedding too? Interesting. So you believe Harry married Meghan expecting that they would both do a runner as soon as the tax
payer had stumped up for the wedding?
The doesn’t reflect very well on him does it?

Harry smiled a lot pre marriage . Post marriage smiles with his lovely children or when he is larking around . With his wife ? Not so much .

I should clarify - post Megxit , not so much .

I agree that being part of the RF is a thoroughly miserable existence. I'm not surprised the mask slips sometimes. They have a lot of very dull duties looking smart, cutting ribbons, doing inconsequential chit chat and reading speeches written for them. At all cost avoiding any controversy - from a slightly political opinion or being a bit tipsy or having a tiff/sulking with your partner. And they can't do ordinary stuff like pop into pizza express or go to the cinema. So constrained and disconnected from normal living and breathing. No wonder they like their country pursuits - hunting, riding, shooting, fishing - with their kind of people, off the beaten track and out of the public eye. And William certainly looked more content as a helicopter pilot, one of the team, with the wifey going to Waitrose to get dinner on the table and a select gang of friends to drink and eat with in the country - again out of sight, with their type of people - landed gentry.

I'm not surprised any of them look pissed off with the public duties from time to time. I've met quite a few of them and I have to say they take it really seriously, they've studied the brief and take the time to chat to as many people as possible. Happily none of them are too super bright - I can't imagine most highly intelligent people could bear it for 5 minutes. Where's the intellectual challenge and sense of achievement ?

I'm not surprised either that Harry wanted out - why wouldn't he? But the cost is so high - to lose all your friends, family and the life that you know - who wouldn't feel completely at sea if disconnected from everyone and everything that makes you feel valued, connected and that you belong.

If they'd been smart they might have tried to navigate a different life that didn't mean ditching everyone and everything that matters to him and connections to the things he knows. No man is an island. And nearly everyone needs other relationships and friendships beyond their wife or husband to not be lonely. I'd be miserable as hell cut off from all my friends and family, hobbies and environment that I know. LA influencer isn't a good grounded place to be. Add in a big dose of anger and resentment, everyone's against me. Who would be happy?

Very few women would be willing to sacrifice being a Royal plus deal with all the crap and bad press that comes from walking away (any wife of Harry would be blamed for him leaving) to prioritise their husband's happiness.

By her own admission, she was suicidal. I think the reverse is true. Harry gave up everything to prioritise her happiness. She couldn’t stand it and it was either her or his family. He didn’t like a lot of aspects of being Royal , but he’s bought into being a working Royal and seemed to be trying to make it work up till the point that Meghan was clearly urging him to walk away.

So true.

But Harry DIDN’T want out , he ( and Meghan) wanted to be able to earn megabucks but retain the perks such as 24/7 security . He only wanted out when he was told no .

Ah yes I often forget that. In fact they’ve done a great job rewriting history and making out on the OW show that they absolutely had to leave for their own mental health. What a mess the whole thing is. And all for money.

Harry said Meghan is his soulmate, said this just a few weeks ago. He clearly loves her very much and she loves him. They have two beautiful children and I choose to believe they are happy. It makes me laugh when some people want to believe that he is not happy with her, and that when he is with his children he is happier than when he with with her in photos. Some want to erase her from Harry & the children’s existence.I remember the meltdowns and the vitriol on MN when Meghan dared to read a story to Archie a while ago . Now one wonders about the the skin stone racist concern, its like she is not worthy of him or her own children that she carried. She is their mother, she his wife, and he says he is happy and I will believe him over naysayers.

It is a shame they couldn’t work out a halfway house. H&M could have done the glitzy premieres or world stage stuff, bits in America or Africa - more globetrotting than W&K can do. Nothing too “woke” to scare people, M gets to be Amal Clooney-lite and the royal family and the UK get a boost globally. And then pop back to the UK and cut a few ribbons like a cool aunt & uncle. OK it’s not how things have been done, but they have to modernise, right?

I think it had to be a clear parting of the ways, really because of financial reasons. It would have blurred too many boundaries. I know that people think that PC was at fault for accepting donations in the way he did, but I don't think there are many peoole who think he was siphoning money off for himself. But with HAM it would have been too hard to keep track of what was going on as they paid themselves from different sources.
I don't think, though, that the RF thought Harry would be so vindictive in his response. Maybe because hes always had what he wanted and his mistakes have been covered up, they never saw that resentment. Or maybe Meghan gave him the security to express that side of himself. I guess we won't know unless one of them writes a tellall book after their divorce. Now that would be a bestseller!

They didn't want to lead a quiet rich life. They wanted to be rich global influencers. This means being opened up to criticism over inconsistencies, untruths and announcements of projects that don't eventuate. The issue is that they don't enjoy the criticism.

No one sails through life delighting everyone, the reality is people have rubbish days. Some people also treat those they perceive as of little use to them poorly.
I think MM supporters would have far more credibility if they didn’t always go with the predictable pushback that she is above reproach.

OP Of course no one sails through life without annoying others. But most people don't have a book written about them that was written to destroy her (that I believe was his words) picking up on any negative thing he can find that has happened in her life.
So off you go with your credibility nonsense, this is a trashy biased book, we could all have one written about us highlighting minor skirmishes in our lives, then have people like you saying how awful we all are.

There are loads of photos of him and Meghan smiling laughing and happy. You just do't want to see them