Kerry Kennedy’s recent interview about H&M award - some thoughts……

[Glorified]

I don’t think Kerry Kennedy’s characterisation of H&M’s actions from her recent interview (below) is accurate:

uk.style.yahoo.com/style/meghan-and-harry-royal-family-racism-kerry-kennedy-comments-164718226.html

"They went to the oldest institution in UK history and told them what they were doing wrong, that they couldn't have structural racism within the institution; that they could not maintain a misunderstanding about mental health."

The lawyer and human rights activist added that the Sussexes "knew that if they did this there would be consequences, that they would be ostracised, they would lose their family, their position within this structure, and that people would blame them for it.
"They have done it anyway," Kennedy said, "because they believed that they could not live with themselves if they did not question this authority. I think they have been heroic in taking this step."

What’s going on here? Is Kerry Kennedy just stepping in to defend her decision against recent public criticism of the H&M award (even by her own brother)…..?

Did H&M actually directly address the RF / institution around structural racism and unsupported MH or did they just drop those issues / concerns on a TV show for “bombshell” impact a year later in a fit of pique?

H&M pushed hard, as I understand it, to have a half in half out situation and it was only afterwards when this was proved problematic/unachievable that they left the RF and subsequently a year later first issued complaints publicly during the OW interview of racism and MM’s unsupported MH issues.

I am not questioning that these issues didn’t happen just that if they were so bad surely you wouldn’t try to stay half in with the institution or continue to be very publicly associated and identified with it by using the titles of a regime that oppressed you?

If H&M cared enough about racism in the family and institution they could have gone followed this up to address it and root it out - bring a formal complaint etc ironically that’s what this award is partly about - tackling racial injustice - it doesn’t look to me like they have managed their most tangible opportunity to do so directly.

Tbh I’d kind of forgotten they’d wanted half in and half out. It’s almost like the narrative has become that they were driven out of Britain.

Tbh I’d kind of forgotten they’d wanted half in and half out. It’s almost like the narrative has become that they were driven out of Britain

While they were still here, the inference seemed to be that they wanted their own court - and level pegging with William and Kate.

When they realised this wasn't possible, they decided to set up their own court overseas.

When they realised this wasn't possible, they decided to set up their own court overseas.

And burn down the one that wouldn't give them what they wanted.

Will Harry really go along with this farce?

He has already said they have relied on his mother's money for living costs in the US. Well where did that money come from? It comes from the Royal Family (the divorce setllement) and the Spencers. It was only a relatively small amount that came via the Spencers (and Harry only got a small amount directly); but these pots of money are tainted ones, surely, with the associations of colonialism and slavery.

I wish I could understand Harry and where is trying to go with this, but I'm at a loss. He's lifting lids on things that aren't necessarily going to be what he wants them to be.

So the award had nothing to do wuth her sister's business partner directing their Netflix documentary then?

I think she's got so much stick over the award, she's just grasping.

I wish I could understand Harry and where is trying to go with this, but I'm at a loss. He's lifting lids on things that aren't necessarily going to be what he wants them to be

Indeed. I am not convinced that either of them is really aware of the implications of all of 'this' that they are now on a runaway train that they have no way of stopping. Their 'story' has taken on a life of its own and even if they do try to pull back, others will make sure that it continues.

They didn’t walk away, they were told they couldn’t have their half in half out model, and they stropped off with their ‘service is universal’ and ‘No-one owns royal’ straight to Oprah with ‘their truth’

I thought that Kerry Kennedy was a smart lady, but she’s sold out her family name. I thought her anti-vax brother was the stupid one.

Well, it is their fault for plastering it over social media to show that they were in control. Otherwise, they could have quietly rewritten the whole saga to appear innocent. Their excessive expenditure and vicious PR moves have been their biggest hindrances to finding a new life with their dignity and credibility intact. They cannot possibly blame others for that.

I thought that Kerry Kennedy was a smart lady, but she’s sold out her family name

It seems that H & M may be caught up in some family politic tussling between the Kennedy family members and their association with various awards/prizes, namely Earthshot and this one...

Earth Shot was created by the Cambridges themselves not Attenborough, they are simply renting space from the Kennedy's to host their show.

There is a connection between Earthshot and the Kennedys, though. The JFK Foundation has become partners in the award. Maybe that's what the poster meant when they talked about rivalry between the two parts of the Kennedy family.

Completely agree, OP. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

The press release from 11 Oct has the following quote from KK:

“The couple has always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world,” said Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

To be fair that’s partially true - they are always willing “to speak up and change the narrative” …… !!!!

rfkhumanrights.org/press/robert-f-kennedy-human-rights-announces-the-duke-and-duchess-of-sussex-as-recipients-of-the-2022-ripple-of-hope-award

Honestly with this award, the Netflix Docuseries and the book all being launched within 4-5 weeks of one another their media coverage will be saturated…….could be over-kill or they trip themselves up very publicly with very visible contradictions.

Shocking communications planning.

So Earthshot and the Wales are partnering with JFK library foundation (Caroline Schlossberg and her son Jack have mentioned it) and the other Kennedy cousins have the Sussex’s.

The couple has always stood out. They have been a married couple for four years. That’s nothing. As for their ‘speaking up’, how can ‘word salad’ statements really force change?! They have done nothing concrete or tangible.

It's a tangled old web there with Netflix that Harry has flown into. What with the Crown depiction of his mother and him as well underway.

Harry's hypocrisy in saying he hates his Mother’s life being exploited and yet being in the same bed with Netflix who are doing the exploiting, is breathtaking! Can't he see the ludicrousness of this situation?

Does your average American care about the colonial links of the RF? A nation built on the slaughter of millions of indigenous people and slavery? That’s who M&H are trying to appeal to now, there’s no benefit to Americans for the RF to fall. I think they like the idea of Royalty, it’s like Disney to them.

I imagine Kate will visit and give the US the Princess of Wales they want, smiley and glamorous.

I agree with this. A PP said that H&M wanted to create their own “court” stateside. I think this would have been welcomed and they could have milked their faux royalty in the US for decades.

However I think that they may have shot themselves in the foot with their mudslinging and bitterness.

The US would have preferred a happy ending fairytale for one of their own like Grace Kelly ….. whereas now they have had to endure this unpalatable, carping, bleating nonsense for nearly 3 years - and bitterness like that has a shelf life and eventually turns sour.

Grace got a fairytale ending did see? Selling her children to the media for publicity too…though I don’t think they did this maliciously. Given that and the career ending, the marriage that’s been rumoured about for ages.

There are no fairytales. There are those who prefer to keep their private struggles private ie Kate and William and there are others who like to make themselves seem like a stepford family while saying everyone else is a monster.

Meghan and Harry criticised family members on Oprah Winfrey and not the institution (even though much of what they alleged in that interview was latterly proven to be untrue)……so I don’t understand where Kerry Kennedy has got this narrative from.

Given that there is a link between Kerry and Liz Garbus ( the producer of the Sussex’s forthcoming docuseries ) one has to question whether she has jumped the gun and revealed some of the content from that.

Personally, I just wish that the Sussexes would do what they said they would do, lead a quiet, self financing life away from public scrutiny and promote their causes through one act of compassion at a time rather than continually trashing Harry’s family, our constitutional monarchy and the British people.
Compassion and kindness are not two words which I can associate with them…sadly.

I think Kerry Kennedy's statement (almost like a rant) may be a bit of a nail in the coffin for William and Catherine's visit, maybe that was the purpose.

"Meghan and Harry criticised family members on Oprah Winfrey and not the institution (even though much of what they alleged in that interview was latterly proven to be untrue)……so I don’t understand where Kerry Kennedy has got this narrative from."

This is so very true.

I think Kerry Kennedy's statement (almost like a rant) may be a bit of a nail in the coffin for William and Catherine's visit, maybe that was the purpose

I doubt it. Kate will turn up looking both ravishing and wholesome, full of smiles and engaging enthusiastically with everyone she meets. She and William will be a welcome antidote to the negativity of the Sussexes . The media and those Americans who care (a small minority, I should think) will lap up the Prince & Princess of Wales.

I think inventing this narrative to besmirch K&W’s visit in the US is probably unlikely - the motive is probably much closer to home - to drive up ticket sales to the gala event which costs ££££.

Someone earlier said that’s why H&M were likely selected in the first place to gain media attention for the event - not sure if KK has given similar interviews for the other award winners?

I think that there might well be something in this new narrative could be reflective of the upcoming Netflix narrative……but another twist in that tail is MM seemingly distancing herself from that.

It’s all rather intriguing.

I’d have thought it’s another nail in the coffin for the relationship between H and his father if he now goes to receive the award after this comment. How can he possibly attend the coronation now, where he is supposed to be swearing allegiance to the monarch?