'Courtiers' by Valentine Low

[RandomPenguinHouse]

Extracts of this were being discussed on a previous thread ('The Times) which just finished.

I'm interested in buying this book, despite never having ever bought any other book about the Royal Family and never having watched The Crown.

I'm interested however in the archaic rituals of the Royal Court and how it works as an employer, and also how the courtiers advise.

Yes the excerpts were focused on Harry and Meghan but presumably that's just for clicks given the relevant timing, and that the book goes well beyond that.

Poignant that in the synopsis for it on The Foyles website it says:

The Queen, after a remarkable 70 years of service, is entering the final seasons of her reign without her husband Philip to guide her. Meanwhile, Charles seeks to define what his future as King will be, with his court wielding ever greater influence as he plans for his imminent accession.

www.foyles.co.uk/witem/biography/courtiers,valentine-low-9781472290908

Anyone else thinking of buying this?

@MrsMaxDeWinter wtf are you on about? As the OP of this thread I've repeatedly said you're welcome, all is welcome. Just damn posts not the whole thread. Not that I have any sway at all but you're clearly deliberately choosing to ignore my and other posts.

I'm not going to discuss a poster who AFAIK isn't on this thread. But I was on that last thread, and you're demonstrably wrong.

I'm now cringing at "all is welcome"
All are. All are welcome. Even those with typos and crap grammar like mine.

So? Speculation about divorce happens to most royal and celebrity couples.
There's going to be the odd post with a take you don't agree with. It's a discussion board. FWIW, I don't think she'll 'dump' Harry for someone with more money and clout.

Plus, these two are constantly pushing their relationship into the public eye. Like at that event in Manchester a few weeks ago, where they strode in holding hands and Meghan referred to Harry at least once in her 'speech'. I don't recall Mary Robinson or Bob Geldof, both of whom spoke at the same event, arriving hand in hand with their spouses and referencing them in their talk.

The Sussexes promote themselves as a couple so they are basically opening the door to people speculating about their relationship. Didn't Meghan say in the 'Cut' interview that their NF project is a reality show documentary' about 'their love'?

I have enjoyed her pod casts to be fair - and I hope she doesn't feel compelled to edit them in light of the Queens death.

So because they hold hands in public and talk lovingly about each other, it is perfectly logical to speculate that Harry is unhappy, Meghan is controlling and they are going to divorce and she is going to go for someone with more money and clout, after of course, having sent her rings to him through the post?

This thread has been, as all these threads are, truly illuminating.

What I'm saying is that these two have actively chosen to make their relationship a matter for public discussion. Many other high profile couples manage to do their jobs perfectly well without constantly referencing the other. If, as Meghan has hinted, they are working on a reality show 'about their love' that will only increase. So I'm not sure why you think it's so outrageous that people might speculate on said relationship.

Obviously you don't have to agree with all or any of what is said, but as has been said above, this is a discussion board. If you don't like the direction the discussion has taken, other threads are available.

I am really enjoying the podcasts too, but given that she has not mentioned the Queen at all so far, or even the Royal Family in any detail, I don't think they will need editing. I could be wrong but the only mention of her time in the RF so far has been the story of the fire in Archie's nursery, which she used as a rather clumsy example, in my view, to agree with Serena that things often appear different to how they are perceived.

I like the mix of interview and tit-bits from academics and other experts. And I love her voice. Roll on next Tuesday!

@MrsMaxDeWinter

so what do you think about MM lying to the court and having to amend her statement to reflect ‘the truth’ not ‘her truth’

@Ohnonevermind I think it was an embarrassing and needless thing to do, but happily for her, the judge accepted that she did not intend to mislead the court. Even more happily for her, the case didn't turn on that statement as the newspaper was found to have breached her rights, and she won the case.

@MrsMaxDeWinter

Can you understand wny posters then such as myself have issues with her truthfulness on the basis of this and other statements that have been found to be false ?

Can you understand that other posters such as myself would find lying to a court more serious than you have ?

@Ohnonevermind oh believe me, I understand why posters such as yourself have issues with her. .

these two have actively chosen to make their relationship a matter for public discussion. Many other high profile couples manage to do their jobs perfectly well without constantly referencing the other. If, as Meghan has hinted, they are working on a reality show 'about their love' that will only increase

Hmm - well it's not as if they've been slobbering over each other in public, and references to an other half in speeches are nothing new, but I do agree that if they choose to make their actual relationship details public that'll be very different

Of course, as with Harry's book we don't know what'll be in any documentary yet, but there'll be little point complaining about comments on matters they've chosen to serve it up for money - not that it'll stop them or their more manic fans

@Puzzledandpissedoff are you a Brit living in the US? Asking because I think I remember you from some S&B instagram influencer threads years ago, and that was a very British niche!

RandomPenguinHouse yes I'm a Brit, and though (as now) I spend a great deal of time in the US, the UK is my permanent home

Not sure what the "S&B instagram influencer threads" are though, since I don't use Instagram, so guess that must have been someone else

I think they have three subjects to spout about and make money from :

The RF and how toxic they are, how they cramped our style and were Horrid.

Our Love. ( because we’re Royal you know, so it’s a Special Love).

My Mummy’s death and how it affected Me

When these topics are completely milked for all they are worth, I’m guessing it will be :

Our Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie and how beautiful they are.

@MrsMaxDeWinter

Great, so you understand that I find lying unacceptable behaviour.

My Mummy’s death and how it affected Me

Oh wow.

Thinking of the speech Harry gave in the US which made him lots of money. William on the other hand has had the same loss but doesn’t monetise it.

People who do Oprah interviews about their relationship and their families are courting public attention.

They had the option to go off and live a normal life. They chose not to.

@Legrandsophie

they could have done the OW interview where they focused on the postive and looked forward. In hindsight this would have been far better for them and given them a positive brand message. Their advisors Sunshine Sachs are to blame for this too.

They could have said they wanted to be independent but we’re ‘still there’ for family. They could have sucked it up and spent two weeks a year in balmoral with the queen privately.

I totally agree @Ohnonevermind

It didn’t need to be like this. I would have more respect for them if they acknowledged any of their own negative behaviours.

Thanks for answering @Puzzledandpissedoff ! Clearly I got you mixed up with someone else, sorry, or maybe I was mis-remembering and thinking of the Royal fashion Style & Beauty threads

Yes, I actually think that would have done them a massive favour. They would really have got public opinion on their side and helped them relaunch themselves in a positive way.

@Legrandsophie

They were pissed off that they couldn’t have the half in half out, and they lashed out. It was a big mistake in hindsight as they’ve been on the back foot with their brand ever since.

they’ve been very unlucky as covid, taking time off for much wanted kids, and the queen dying as impacted them since they’ve left and they’ve no momentum.

Before anyone gets cross with me, they really wanted kids but their ages meant they couldn’t wait and they wanted to have some maternity leave (which I applaud).

They just couldn’t focus on their brand straight away