A positive and non-bashing thread about Meghan and Harry

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

I have rejoined Mumsnet after leaving a few times. The first time I left was because I was concerned about the coverage and uncomfortable undertone of the commentary on Meghan Markle after the engagement was announced, before she had said a word, and before she had married into the Royal Family.

I came back around the time she and Harry left the UK, to be stunned by the pages and pages upon pages of virulent threads. At that time Mumsnet actually banned all threads about Meghan, it had become so toxic.

They have now made their lives in Montecito, but still the virulence continues. Yes, she speaks in a mix of therapy plus corporate gobbledegook, yes, she is occasionally vapid and irritating.

But who is she actually harming that she deserves all this virulence?

Yesterday, when the new UK Prime Minister was elected, the coverage in the Super Tory Daily Mail was all about a seven minute speech to a bunch of young people. Article after article after article. Body language experts. Counting the number of times she said "I" in a speech in which she sought to inspire young people by attempting to relate to them. Before that, 18 articles were devoted to the first podcast by the Daily Mail alone. 18!

Same with her podcasts. The series is about HER and HER take on labels, and she discusses HER take with HER guests.

It's all very anodyne, even vanilla. It does not deserve any of the vitriol sent her way.

SO:

As the next twelve weeks are going to be wall to wall Meghan, and the Meghan haters and detractors have several threads here that fill up rapidly with bile, scorn and mockery, I have started this thread, reminiscent of previous " positive" threads, to talk about what some of us like, enjoy, find amusing and even (gasp) admire, in the next few Meghan rich weeks.

If you don't have anything positive to say, that's okay, you can keep to the existing threads.

Looking forward to a bile-free discussion of everything Meghan!

If Harry has a single shred of decency left, he will honour his Grandmothers final wish and legacy and ensure the book never sees the light of day

Why is this book so terrifying to the Royal Family?

Charles contributed to a book that had some unkind things to say about his mother's parenting. The monarchy survived.

What on earth could be in this book that is so incendiary??

Wicked my foot.

If only he’d thought of how much he loved and was close to his mother, had thought of her feelings and her beliefs, all those years ago when he was buddying up with a sex offender. He had many chances to be a good son and show his love and respect when she was alive; he failed.

If he has any insight - which I doubt - he’ll be wracked with shame at her funeral.

I imagine it will be incendiary about his loathing of Camilla. If there have been any issues in William and Kate's marriage he will probably throw them in too.

I doubt it - it is his mother's funeral and he will take his place alongside her other DC, just as he did at his father's. For although it is a state funeral, it is also a family occasion.

I never want to see him at state occasions ever again, but I don't begrudge even him his place at this one.

MrsMaxDeWinter

I have no idea whether the RF are 'terrified' of the book or whether is is "incendiary" but it is washing your dirty linen in public. I can't see any family being happy about that.

Why would H n M make a statement about going like that

In fairness it wasn't them but Scobie, though on past form there seems little doubt where it came from

I'd have hoped that just once it could be about the main event rather than them, but this is exactly why I believe they'd do better to both stay away from the funeral.
Before the shouting starts I absolutely appreciate Harry's entitled to go - this was after all his grandma - but as said with Philip's funeral, what someone's entitled to do and what's wise and sensitive can be different things

And yes, before anyone asks I feel the same should apply to Andrew, though from the fact William had him in the front seat of the car I doubt it will

@Puzzledandpissedoff
but as said with Philip's funeral

Sorry I must have missed something here, what's the connection with Philip's funeral?

I would also add it would be an act of self preservation for Harry to axe his tell all book it is likely to create the biggest back lash world wide.

I cannot believe anyone would say Harry should stay away from the funeral
That's awful
He went to his grandfather's, was that wrong too?
How hard hearted to even think this

Agree

Diana did one. Charles has done one, and an interview. Ditto Sarah criticising the institution and how awful it all was, oh...and an OW interview on that too

I doubt he has any agency here.

That ship has sailed.

It’s likely been written, signed off, print run ready to go and the promotional tours scheduled….all ready for launch ahead of the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas book selling hot spot…..the publishers announced it was to be launched back end of 2022.

thefoggiest only the fact that I said the same about Philip's funeral, as in Harry might have done better to stay away and avoid the inevitable media focus on himself

Naturally Harry's not responsible for much of the filthy media's garbage, though as with his mother you can't really court them when it suits then whine if their interest doesn't suit

As a PP said, others are managing to cope with their grief without the need to run to "spokesmen", but then others don't necessarily need the money that comes from it

Both sides need to move together or certainly give that appearance for the next 10 days. A big part of that is communication with the Press and public

Omid Scobie isn’t upto that job, and sushine Sachs are US focused. One option is to fall again under the palace for the next 10 days. Could they do it though.

I think they would reprint for a new chapter about the Queen, but feeling would be so high at the moment, things might be added that would later be regretted

The book wouldn’t be worth millions if it was about Harry’s life skipping through the buttercups in the Cotswolds.
Which is precisely why the Queen has expressed her wish for peace and unity in the family. It is her dying wish - Harry will have to make a decision as to what matters more - the couple of million from the publishes or the last dying wishes of his ‘beloved Granny’, the Queen.

I do hope he makes the right and honourable decision, but I fear he does not possess the emotional intelligence, moral strength and sound judgement to realise this book is likely to damage him the most.

And neither of them were allowed back in to the inner circle of the RF.
SF has been allowed limited access after many years and we will never know if diana would have been allowed back in until after KC and Camilla have gone.

And in a similar vein to H&M you couldn't say anything against the sainted diana for many years after her death without being slated.

He went to his grandfather's, was that wrong too?

I know we can't agree on this one, Roussette, but no I wouldn't have said that going was wrong exactly - just perhaps not the best choice in the circumstances

I'll even agree it's rather a hard hearted view to take, but given Harry's own behaviour, plus the inevitabel filth from the media, I honestly believe it would be the better option

I think Harry is a very likeable person, but I think he has a weak character

The last few years have been such a disaster for Harry - it’s almost if someone hated him so much they literally set him up to implode his life.

Who on earth is advising this man?

it genuinely feels the aim was to sabotage him, and take down the RF in the process,

The change in him has been shocking.
He looks like a shell of his former self
Its very sad to watch.

I really don’t think you can read anything into Andrew sitting in the front seat if the car . Edward and Sophie are a couple , Sophie was clearly distraught so I would get to sit with her husband .
I imagine they just wanted to get to Balmoral . Had the weather been better up here they would have travelled by helicopter rather than the rather dicey road . Not the tone to argue about seating arrangements.

I doubt PH has any control over the process right now. It is too far advanced.

His only hope is if the publishers believe it is too incendiary for their own corporate reputation and that it would back fire on them.

PH or the RF would not be able to buy their way out of this as the profits are likely way too significant. If they paid PH $20m to write it - they are likely looking at multiple times this in revenues.

@Festoonlights
The change in him has been shocking.
He looks like a shell of his former self
Its very sad to watch

Do you think thats objectively true though or are we projecting?

• apologies for typos - watching Proclamation as well !

If I were Meghan, after the wedding I would have waited 2/3 years in quiet. Then as soon as I announced my pregnancy, I would move back to the US with some big spiel about how I feel vulnerable right now and feel I want to be close to my mother at this time. Everybody would have gone "awwwwwwww!". Then it becomes very easy to quietly drift away, or even make an official announcement saying that now a father, Harry realises he wants to prioritise his little family, and so with deep regret will be relinquishing his royal duties. Knowing about his childhood, the whole country would have completely cheered him on.

Job done.

Seriously I dont even work in PR and this seems so obvious. Which does make me question, like @Festoonlights, what the hell is going on with his team.