Just finished 'Spare'...

[HerReputationMadeItDifficultToProceed]

… and I encourage anyone who’s even vaguely interested in this story to give it a read. Especially if what’s been leaked has made you at all angry, because I think in context everything makes a lot of sense.

I wasn’t a Harry and Meghan hater before reading this, but I wasn’t a fan girl either. Like many Brits, I find a lot of Americans- especially West Coast Americans- quite irritating and Meghan firmly falls into that camp for me. I’m sure she’s nice enough, but she’s very American and very perky and much like Wednesday Addams, I don’t do perky. However, I suspect that her intentions and generally good and that like most of us she’s got good and bad qualities. She’s clearly ambitious and I think that she probably initially dated Harry based on that ambition and on getting a platform, although I think that she genuinely loves him now.

The ghost writer has done a great job at capturing Harry’s personality I think; he comes across as introspective and thoughtful but funny and bright.

I think that Harry has a good soul; I think that he’s kind and has had a hard time of it growing up. I also think he’s a bit clueless and naive and has been in a bubble, but I think he acknowledges that and wants to understand and change. Undoubtedly losing his mother at the age he was had more of an outward impact on him than it had on William. He’s also been a victim of his dad’s wishywashy parenting. It sounds like- and looks like to me from my vantage point as a normal citizen who knows bugger all except what I’ve seen in the media- that Charles has been there for his kids to an extent, but not in a hands on or especially useful way. It also seems clear that Charles has always put Camilla first. From almost the moment Diana died it seems that he wanted, above everything else, to rehabilitate Camilla’s image so that they could marry. I think that he put that above being a father and the way Harry writes about their relationship makes that clear too.

I also think that it’s suited the palace to portray Harry as dimwitted and feckless to show William in a better light and that Harry has every right to be angry about that and not want to play that game anymore (and to call it out now). Especially as it’s obvious that the palace haven’t kept up their side of the bargain and protected Harry from the media in return.

I also think that the media have treated H and M poorly and it’s clearly the case that the palace has used them and news stories about them to divert from other newsworthy problems… certainly Prince Andrew, perhaps William’s affair/s. Is Harry overly jumpy about the media and the paparazzi in particular? Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t be with his background. But they’ve also obviously been hounded and harassed.

I do think that Harry is on a journey that he isn’t at the end of yet, but I think that he realises that too. I think that he was always going to leave the royal family and that Meghan didn’t cause what’s happened, she was just the catalyst for it. I think that he’s been scapegoated and an afterthought within his nuclear family and I don’t blame him for being angry. I think that he means well and is essentially good. And I don’t think that anyone who’s read the whole book would be able to disagree.

More than anything I think it’s clear that the British Royal Family is no longer fit for purpose; the way they live, bring up their children, pay their members for work and demand unrealistic levels of protocol and formality is no longer working in the 21st century. These people need purpose and lives beyond the crown and those on the edges of the heir shouldn’t have to live their lives in service of the their. Realistically H and M could have worked as royals and had private interests, the RF chose not to bend to help them live fulfilling lives because of its own, outdated reasons.

Iamawoman - of course a book is media! Especially when accompanied by media etc. It contains demonstrably untrue things so it’s not really surprising that people don’t believe it all.

It sounds like we agree @Highonpower that we simply don't know.
As for asking people you've never met - How are you emotionally? That's bloody weird If they were visiting a project to see what impact it has had on its users, then this would be a perfectly reasonable question to ask.

Well yeah as I already said I haven’t a clue what you are on about

Don’t be nonsensical, of course books are media! Media is any form of mass communication. And yes I take autobiographies with a pinch if salt as they are only one perspective and always have a narrative that the person wishes to communicate. Harry himself has made it plain he has various motives in writing this book and therefore the narrative to the book is one that follows these motivations. We also know that he is incorrect on many points that can be objectively fact-checked.

And what sort of answer would you expect someone to give that question with cameras on them? An honest one? Because if you actually wanted to know it wouldn't be in full glare of the tv cameras - totally insensitive and inappropriate.

But I 100% believe he and Meghan were fed to the media vultures by the people he felt very close to and it broke his heart. Even if all his other grievances are petty or deluded, this one is serious enough to cause a rift that only a lot of soul searching from everyone involved might repair. And it's clear that's not happening

Yes I think that's the crux of the abuse/betrayal they endured, and which they quite rightly shone a light on - and called out.

Most people I know have read a free copy. It’s been sent as a pdf on WhatsApp.
I’ve read all the books you have mentioned dear and guess what, many, many more, including FB ones I bet you’ve never heard about. You seem to have a very narrow view of life.
You know the he actual author, the ghostwriter, is a highly respected award winning journalist and writer? Don’t read it if you don’t want to.

Diana refused police protection. She was perfectly entitled to it everywhere around the world. Paranoia that the people protecting her wanted to kill her. The tragic irony is had the Met been allowed to look after her, she would not have been killed.

And yet when you look objectively at the reporting, that isn’t the case.

Because people have a different opinion of a book than you you think there is a co-ordinated campaign. Okkkkk. Don’t say that out loud in real life OP because people will think you are mad as a hatter

IAmWomanHearMeRoar1 · Today 12:19
Meghan cut off her "Dear Daddy" for doing - eventually- what she had set him up to do.
She trashed her half-siblings. Her mother's family have even supported her, but as far as we know, she ignores them.
Given that she is obviously someone who can only tolerate a very people in her life it's not surprising she fled the RF. I wonder how she'll cope with her older kid's, if they try to bring friends home.?

The drivers’ last recorded words were a taunt to the paps that they’d never catch them. It’s not victim blaming to point out that the driver had three times the permitted amount of alcohol in his blood, he was driving at twice the speed limit and the single person who survived the crash was the only one wearing a seat belt.

The press behaviour in that tunnel after the crash was diabolical but it wasn’t the cause of the accident.

A member of my family used a mental health support group run by a charity for several years. It is a fantastic resource but always needing funding. The group has featured in charity fund raisers on tv e.g comic relief and has been on local and national tv news reports. My family member was interviewed at the project more than once including by ITN on national news and when meeting the local MP. The service users who were spoken to volunteered to do so. They were prepared to answer questions and explain the benefits. I'm sure that would be the case when a Royal visit is arranged.

Harry and Meghan reported that this is what happened - that they were betrayed by their nearest and dearest who leaked stories to the press and that it's been an on going pattern over years. The press got hold of private moments that only close family knew about. Their grievance is supported by evidence which they have explained in detail.

Are you serious? @BadgerB Her father has threatened to stalk her and talk about her every month until she speaks to him. He even has a Restraining Order against him by a journo. Meghan has done nothing even remotely like he has. Her half siblings TRASHED HER. Not the other way around. Get your facts right. She had no choice but to go NC with her father and siblings and even the most staunchest of Meghan haters don't begrudge her that and understand. Your line about her kids bringing friends home makes no sense and sounds utterly unhinged.

The police protection you refer to was royal protection and for that she needed HRH status. She didn’t want police protection from the RF because it meant they could keep tabs on her every move as they always had. A private security team gave her more privacy.

To all those who think that H&M were fed to the vultures, why have the RF never retaliated all those times when H&M diverted the attention away from them? Camilla in particular was at a charity event for violence against women planned for over a year and her event was completely eclipsed by them. They made the headlines, not her. Over a year ago now but it was apparently blatant. Tbh I don’t follow it enough but Royal commentators talked a lot about it on the news and it made newspaper headlines.

This was covered in her inquest. She chose to refuse protection.

As someone who worked in the media in the 90s when Diana was alive and saw how the RF feed the media and brief against their own family, I could see palace were briefing against H&M well before they said so.

Indeed, Dan Wootton, showbiz editor of the Sun at the time, admitted in interview on GB News the stories were coming from the palace. It’s no great secret.

Do you not think Harry has trashed his family @IAmWomanHearMeRoar1? Isn’t it the same thing?

Is it bad to feed stories on relatives to the media and sell stories about their past or not? Because you either have those principles or you don't.
If you think Meghan's dad was wrong and the RF were wrong (including Harry who benefited hugely from the stories kept out of the press about him), then you must also think Harry and Meghan are wrong now. If you don't then this isn't about principles at all. It's just about which millionaire you're fanboying or fangirling over.
It's a bit Rolling Stones or Beatles; Oasis or Blur; Busted or McFly but with added tiaras.

I’ve explained why twice already.

If your toxic exH and his family offered you protection after divorce and you know full well they would thus track your every move - would you take it?

I think most women would say no.

The key point being “Harry and Meghan reported this” and it fits their narrative as victims of the hated press he blames for his mother’s death. They are not objective witnesses and theIr ‘evidence’ has often been proved false.

I agree too.
Harry has damaged his own future by his disgusting lies and wallowing in self pity. His children have no chance of a normal relationship with his family. The BRF seem close and as happy as any other family. Harry's cousins have made a good fist of life. Why is Harry harbouring petty grievances? Size of a childhood bedroom etc.

I also read the book written last year by The Duke Of Kent - who grew up in the same BRF and lost his father at age six. His book was wonderful without back stabbing his family.

Harry wants to make money by selling secrets. He had some hard times; lived in a non perfect family (like us all) and suffers still from anguish about his mother but I truly believe that his book sounds like he is also suffering paranoia or mental illness due to his admitted drug use.
I wish him well but no one can ever trust him now.

The BRF will continue to carry out public engagements without the need to trash Harry. Their response is correct.
Harry should stop with his recent threats.

IAmWomanHearMeRoar1 · Today 13:03
Yes, I'm absolutely serious. All family disputes, on both sides, are instigated by Meghan. She is only interested in celebrity chums. Nobody who is no-contact with (1) father; (2) half siblings (3) mother's family (4) in-laws, 2 generations of them; is blameless