To wonder if the allegations Harry has made against his brother might be true?

[pearlearringgirl]

We put the royal family on a pedestal, however they are a family with potential issues and dysfunction like a lot of families have.

I just find myself wondering if these allegations might have some truth behind them and what that might mean for the future of the royal family.

I also wonder what Dianna would think of this feud between her two boys. I expect she would be very sad…

I hate when my children fight and am estranged from a sibling. It sucks but its a common part of life, family is hard. Harder if you belong to the public and your family dramas are the county's favourite soap opera.

I think it just shows us that no family is perfect.

And no person is perfect.

look at the Kardashians - the more publicity, the more criticism. But it’s a two edged sword - the more publicity, the more money.

I’m really not being disparaging about anyone! I’m not interested in those who do or don’t. I am referring to people who read tabloids or not - factually and literally - not making a value judgement. You brought up the subject initially in your post yesterday at -7.25 and I was responding to that.

You only have to look on Mumsnet to know that people rely on the tabloid view of things. When Spare came out so many incidents and anecdotes were misinterpreted or exaggerated or spun.

It was like all the major tabloids had signed a pact to take him down! It was so obvious they were all gunning for him. you couldn’t possibly miss it! Not one gave him the benefit of the doubt over anything!

To take one example among many : Harry was not boasting about how many Taliban he had killed when he mentioned the figure. He was making the point that current warfare technology informs you of the figure in a very distancing and clinical manner when taking someone’s life is far from that. He was actually making a point about the veteran mh and as someone with close family members in the services; I appreciated that.

But all the tabloids span it as a boast. And then loads of broadcast commentators and ex soldiers went on the airwaves to chide him for boasting. Some even appeared on the Today programme on Radio 4. No one referred to the original paragraph in the book.

And then the tabloids quoted Colonel so and so berating Harry to give the story weight. It’s a classic example of how the tabloids create and drive the narrative instead of reporting actual facts.

you keep referring to people “relying” on tabloids.

But many people haven’t read Spare or listened to the podcasts. They are relying on the tabloid view of those things to inform them

where do you get this information from?

how can you tell if someone got their info from The Times, The BBC, The Mirror or from Social Media?

answer - you do not know this.

You only have to look on Mumsnet to know that people rely on the tabloid view of things

again, that is supposition on your part.

you claimed a rate of 70% tracing stories back to social media - so clearly you investigate every single story. That must take an awful lot of your time.

Family really isn't hard. Family is the glue that holds society together. They give support and love. It's more unusual to fall out with a family member than not. If you regard Harry and Meghan as role models then yes, being estranged from almost every member of your family is the norm. <eye roll>

Nit pick pedantically and endlessly all you want TrashyPanda it’s too hot here for me to care but I don’t really understand how anyone cannot agree with the broad point - and surely the critical point here - that all of the tabloids had it in for Harry prior to the publication of his autobiography and reported virtually every story in Spare in an exaggeratedly negative and derogatory fashion.

When I hear two Colonels on Radio 4 berating Harry for boasting about his Taliban kills … then I go back to check the actual text and realise the Colonels are commenting on the tabloid spin …. that’s when it becomes obvious!

@Cranberrystreet Perhaps the tabloids were reflecting the mood of the British people (obviously not all) following the Netflix documentaries and Oprah Winfrey interview. Both a pack of lies interspersed with some cringy 'love story' moments. My opinion, which was supportive until then changed abruptly. The Oprah interview was organised while they were supposed to be taking time out to work out their choices. So their choice was made from very early on.

Don't be ridiculous. I read the book and he details the kill count and how he viewed the Taliban. Any spin such as boasting, yes came from the tabloids, but the actual facts are his own words.

I’m not being ridiculous m. He was making a point about veteran mental health.

And how anyone can post endlessly on here defending the tabloids who have such a malign and negative influence on our society just so you can put the boot in on Harry shocks me frankly … but everyone carry on …

Nobody on here has defended the tabloid crap. Please evidence one instance?

Because they don't pay attention. Because many people are immensely careless about details.

This is so unnecessarily rude and extremely personal as you're replying to me saying I am estranged from a family member. Not all families give support and love, not all members of every family and it is actually very common. How mean of you to eyeroll and make such remarks about people who happen not to have the same loving family as you and others. Family IS hard for a lot of people, my sibling for your information, is an abuser. And that is fucking hard.

🥰. I get you.
Family IS hard. A lot of us have got stories to tell, and how we were brought up and now live as adults amongst siblings and wider family shapes our lives enormously.

If I was to write about my peculiar upbringing, I'd be here for the next week.
My sympathies to you.

the hardest thing about having an abuser in the family aside form the fear, is that other family members want you to shut up about it... and other people look down and eyeroll at you for being unfortunate enough to be born into such a family.

Families are complicated. Anyone who has managed to escape any such complications within their family is very lucky.

Iwantcakeeveryday · Today 08:44
there is a difference between reading and taking it in to the extent you repeat the sentiments, and reading it and seeing it for what it is.

But what is it?
Surely you can't assume that just because a story is in a tabloid it MUST be wrong, or inflated?
Yes, it is likely to be written in a simplistic way etc. but that doesn't mean it isn't true?
Where would you suggest we get our information so that we can be sure it is straight-down-the-line truth?

Fortunately with this vociferous couple there is ample primary source direct from the horses mouths to form an opinion.

you don’t have facts - it’s just assumptions.

thanks for clarifying that.

Indeed families are complicated. But it is also a choice as to how we react to these complications and upbringings. It does not necessarily doom anyone to repeat to repeat their parents mistakes or to a life of unhappiness.

We don't repeat, of course we work hard not to, but there's no escaping it, is there?

It affects you. So I get what @Iwantcakeeveryday is saying

Don't twist what I said. I didn't make personal reference to your family, and I didn't say all families are decent. I am deeply sorry you have had such an awful experience in your personal life, but most families are not like this and my eye roll was because of the assertion most families are toxic. I also find it insulting and hurtful when families as a group are serially condemned as toxic, when the vast majority are what make life tolerable.

And the eye roll wasn't directed at @Iwantcakeeveryday, it was specifically directed at Meghan and Harry who have fallen out with almost all members of their family (if you would care to read my comment again)

I also find it insulting and hurtful when families as a group are serially condemned as toxic, when the vast majority are what make life tolerable

I, personally, would never condemn the family unit, it's wonderful! But to assume everyone has it easy - like you - is not right.
They don't.
Harry didn't.
Meghan didn't
@Iwantcakeeveryday didn't