Sophie

[Readinginthesun]

Such a shame that Sophie’s visit to the DRC isn’t receiving the coverage it deserves .

"The natives"?

Listen to yourself FFS.

The dresses all look nice to me, so no doubt I'll get a few brickbats for not having a sense of what's right, and I always like ankle straps, so I like those, too.
In her young life the late Queen, and I think PM, wore ankle straps.

Precisely

I can't see what shoes she's got on with the red dress. I guess yellow plimsolls would be "in".

What was horrible was her manner.

I remember, it was quite jarring I noticed actually.

I remember thinking at the time, why couldn't they send someone who is more at ease with the local community. She most clearly was not.

Where was this @notanotheroneagain?

From what I could see, the local community, or as you might call them, 'the natives' seemed to appreciate Sophie's visit and were very comfortable interacting with her.

Have any of the 'natives' complained about Sophie's demeanour? Or are you just taking offence on their behalf, for, reasons?

What was wrong with her manner?

Do you know which year it was? Is there a Youtube of it? Is the DRC what was once the Belgian Congo?

Don't know what the 'natives' pop is about. It's a well known fact that as Africa is developing a lot of foreigners live in most of these countries as 'locals'. This has spread over the years, with SA white people coming in to live and work - mostly via their jobs (MTN, Telcom etc.). Anyone who has travelled and worked in these countries knows this. Everyone also knows to differentiate between 'natives' and 'citizens'.

This is something I will not be educating anyone on here about, as you all act obtuse and get people deleted. This term has applied to South America, Asia etc. where certain groups have come to settle in and have been accepted as part of the community. So, I will say "he is Rwandan" - but you won't know if he is white or black. Won't go into details about it. There is a long history about background and power play etc.
Must add, totally different situation from a person with African/Caribbean parents who grows up here and is called English.

Will not go further that that, as I said, not here to educate the ignorant about race and social issues (yet somehow, it seems necessary on RF threads, go figure).

So let's get that out of the way now.

@myrtleWilson it was a documentary on either BBC/ITV/CH5. Trying to highlight that Sophie is taking over the CW now that H&M have left. It seems @IcedPurple recalls it, so she may point you in the right direction.

I read @IcedPurple comment as referring to current visit (am sure she'll correct me if I'm wrong!) - so I was trying to establish where the visit you referred to took place - I'm reading your posts that it was it in DRC a few years ago?

The term 'natives' has very well known colonial implications.

And while I'm not sure what you mean by 'these countries' I have travelled and worked in many parts of the world, and have never heard the word 'natives' being used to refer to locals. It would be considered at best mildly offensive everywhere I have ever been.

For someone so desperate to be offended by everything the royals do, I'm surprised you would use such a term. Though maybe I shouldn't be.

Yes, I was referring to the recent visit.

I too would be very interested to see this occasion where Sophie was so obviously uncomfortable interacting with 'the natives'. That certainly didn't seem to be the case on the recent visit.

The first visit to the DRC was earlier this month, so not sure how you found photos from 2 years ago!

Yes, in fact it was the first visit by any royal to the country.

Maybe the poster means that Sophie was interacting uncomfortably with Congolese 'natives' elsewhere? I too would be interested to observe her and her cold, distant manner on this occasion.

@ChagSameachDoreen always has to be one doesn't there
Thats history , times were different judge people alive on what they do hear and now and lets not pretend all was perfect or is in any country

@user1477391263 please don't make people realise it wasn't just the british and state facts

It would be so nice if just for once people could put aside their RF sides and just say that Sophie has drawn attention to a very worthwile cause.

The Dr who Queenofarles mentioned is truly inspirational and anything that calls attention to how children/women are victims of sexual violence as a weapon of war is surely a good thing.

Sophie wears a lot of Susannah of London, I bought one of their dresses for a wedding this summer and they are really beautifully made. Not cheap of course.

Am also not sure we can blame the RF for the use of rape in war zones unless I am missing something.

@latetothefisting the tapes were pretty awful. She was absolutely dissing senior members of the RF. She also tried to sell access to the (fake) sheik. She screwed up 'Royally' quite a bit when she first got with Eddy. She went low low low key for years.

If only history stayed in the past eh. The problem is history has a way of impacting the present.

I like that she draws (some) attention to worthy causes. And some of her dresses and shoes are pretty.

I hope it's ok to say that.

She's proof that reputations can be rehabilitated which I think is a positive thing. It's harder now though in the current social media climate because every misdeed is made into a meme and circled for what feels like forever.

Yep

Her reputation is only rehabilitated because no one really cares about her.