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.

It has been proven over and over on the other thread that the book is a collection of internet trolling and rag lies.
Bowers other claims are just easily proven as untrue - he even seems to contradict himself at some points

And yet still no legal sabre rattling from the most litigious couple in the universe...

I thought the concert and parade were for working Royals, and they are not.

Beatrice , Eugenie . Peter, Zara and partners were all at the parade and concert and they are not working Royals . As far as I can recall , it was only the carriage procession and balcony that were limited to working royals.

Given the shuffling around in Westminster Abbey , I don’t think H and M expected to be seated in the middle of the second row! Maybe they were a bit miffed and decided not to attend anything else ?

As far as I can recall , it was only the carriage procession and balcony that were limited to working royals

That's how I remember it too, Reading, so if it's wrong we've both made the same mistake

I also recall it being reported that H&M weren't even at the post-service meal, and for that there wouldn't have been an issue around how they'd behave in public view, or any need for them to concern themselves about it being the Queen's day

Whether H&M will ever speak about their various absences remains to be seen, but if they do I can well imagine the palace leaking their own version, and the whole rigmarole will start again

Well done them for being more absent at the Jubilee than what you expected. Good move by them

A big disappointment for those that want to criticise them for showing their faces of course

Posters criticise them for being absent but then criticise them for showing up.
Bizarre!

But why come over for one event ? If reports are correct they spent very little time with HM and PC . The other cousins went out for a long boozy lunch according to Mike Tindall .
I am not saying they shouldn’t have come but I thought it was odd that they left before the celebrations ended.

Hard to know, of course, but there were reports that the post-service lunch was meant to be a working lunch with the various royals spread throughout various areas to mingle and chat with people (although that doesn't fit with MT's remark about a boozy sesh). IF H&M were meant to have attended, but didn't, then they might have been a few Royals short for mingling.
I did also read, but can't account for the source, that the shuffling about with seats in the cathedral was because H&M were late to join the minibus of minor royals and were therefore given a car to ride in, meaning they arrived after the others had taken their seats. One option might have been for everyone to shuffle up a couple of seats leaving the end two for the Sussexes, but that didn't happen. (Optics??? Perhaps they might have been too close to W&K etc???) I do think this kerfuffle came across as odd, because such things as arrival/procession order/seating plans are planned with military precision and shuffling seats would NOT be normal practice.

I don’t know about the lunch but I did read that H and M were late for the mini bus causing the slight confusion. Was H not overheard asking the Aide about the seating and was told that HM had allocated those seats.?

Bowers named 80 people that he spoke to. I don't think you can say the book was sourced from internet trolls.

There are informal pictures of the lunch circulating around, there’s a particularly good one if Zara and the York sisters pouting into the camera. It looks like one of those family things that start off formal and descend into a boozy afternoon .,

For once you're a bit off the mark there, Roussette; my posts didn't actually criticise H&M for not attending further events, or even claim they should have been at more ... I simply said their absence seemed a little odd and wondered why they weren't there, having come so far and all that

Bowers named 80 people that he spoke to

Doesn't guarantee they all told the truth, Startup, any more than with those giving different versions, which led to the claim Bower had been proved a liar

At least he gave named sources though, which is a hell of an improvement on many

I get that Puzzled. It's just that I thought - after the Jweekend - what a good thing it was they were low profile. So there would be nothing to criticise, they kept themselves to themselves, they didn't steal the limelight or take the headlines.

But I hadn't realised how frustrating that would be for some people because they want to see them so they can pick them apart! (that sentence is not directed at you, it is in general) It could just be simple reasons and the right reasons, and I didn't realise the fact they were low key would engender speculation as such, I thought it would be appreciated they did this.

That's all

Looking at the seating at the church, something happened. These things are so meticulously planned to avoid having to shuffle past people.

I think they were supposed to go with the Tindalls etc on the bus but their plans changed.

I think they were going to attend a few events but cut back and went home earlier.

A big disappointment for those that want to criticise them for showing their faces of course

Exactly right!

These folks wOnDeRiNg why H&M weren't present at side events would have called them attention seekers and accused them hogging the limelight while at the Jubilee. They attended the thanksgiving service for the Queen and laid low like they were told to. Still not good enough apparently.

It was barely five minutes into the day and the DM already started with their WHERE IS MEGHAN headlines before she appeared briefly.

I think the whole dynamic is just so weird and skewed because I’m sure a lot of the family are disgusted with their revelations. I suspect that’s why they avoided all the other events, and particularly the lunch.

They probably judged that the lunch would not be televised so wasn’t worth their time anyway. It’s all about maximum publicity with them I suspect.

It could just be simple reasons and the right reasons, and I didn't realise the fact they were low key would engender speculation as such, I thought it would be appreciated they did this

It may well have been done for the right reasons this time, but, apparently, it takes two to three positive actions to override one negative, and they have accrued a lot of negatives. They will need to keep going with those positives. All eyes on the Sussexes!

I find the jubilee fascinating.

there were actually two lunches. One on the Thursday, private one, that they didn’t go to. One on the Friday, public event, they didn’t go to.

I don’t know about the service but they were always meant to sit where they were whether they arrived in right order or not. It was all to avoid the photo op that may upstage everything. Similarly if they had attended the concert and pagent they would have been seated off to one side with Beatrice and Eugenie. The sitting of them all looked very convenient and again they obviously planned for them to go. Why they didn’t is anyones guess. Maybe because they knew they were being pushed off to the side to avoid optics. Maybe they never intended to go. I don’t also believe the Peter and Zara sent their children to Lili’s party. The children will barely remember Harry who they may not have seen properly since Eugenie’s wedding nearly 4 years ago and then never really knew Meghan. They were at The Derby and the children wouldn’t have wanted to go without them. Also Zara and Harry had a tepid conversation on church steps. Mike and Peter didn’t speak to them. Family matters and wounds tend to heal slowly with prolonged absence. There is no doubt to me from the way those children interacted with each other and the various adults at the pagent that the family are very close and spend a lot of time together and Harry and Meghan don’t belong to the royals future. I am glad that the absolute toxicity about them is gone in the media and ever getting quieter. I hope they are re happy and I hope the family are happy too and move on with their new cast list.

@AuroraCake that’a very thoughtful , balanced comment 👏

Yes, indeed, with several good insights. I enjoyed reading it.