The Press & The Royals: a discussion

[Whaeanui]

As we were just having a great discussion on this topic I’m going to try again to continue it on a thread of its own. A previous thread highlighted two particularly prolific ‘royal reporters’, but the same is true for all. They often manufacture stories to create divisions between the women in the family, more often than the men. The public seem to feed off this and none of the family get treated very well except the monarch. So do we think it is possible for the royal family to stay relevant and in the publics mind without their unhealthy relationship with the media? Can social media replace this? What do you think they can do to make positive changes that would reflect an understanding of the mental health challenges the media intrusion results in? Also their role in charities that deal with mental health and misogyny, mistreatment of women etc could be impacted by this too. Thoughts?
Please do not derail this thread by discussing your personal dislike of particular members or if they deserve it. I would like a discussion on how the royal family could change the relationship with the press.

@Whaeanui

"But if others weren’t willing to take it to trial, they may just get away with it."

These are your words, yes?

@Roussette

no-one is talking about you, but there are plenty of other posters who make references to tampon-gate.

Those are clearly the posters the OP is referring to.

@PicturesOfDogs

The 'royals' have it both ways
That cannot continue - so much us being revealed now

I want unelected head of state gone and all the hangers on etc
It's a con
But I would be very happy for the Windsors to be equal citizens with the rest of us
Subject to same laws as the rest of us
Protected by the same laws as the rest of us
End this mafia cabal they have going on

It’s funny how he’s ‘Willy moneybags’ when it suits, but then it’s all public money when that suits.

I’m sure people would have salivated at the thought of Charles dragging the media through the courts.

Can you just imagine it?

‘Chuck using our money to defend his tampon talk with his mistress’.

Its really not surprising to me they didn’t want to drag this through the courts inviting more speculation on shit that was private.

I think the issue at hand here is that the existence of these settlements are in the public record. William’s was not. I understand why that may have been the case and feel terrible for him that this was the best outcome to an awful situation. New International’s continued reach and power is now seriously alarming to me and I’m concerned that so many people are hand waving away their activities. (This is a company that has recently settled for >$750 million against it for misinformation)

Some people will see William’s settlement as being suspicious- others will have a more nuanced view (the best of a bad situation) but the public knowing about this and other settlements shows just how powerful the media can be in this case Associated Newspapers.

It happened. I don't see any laughing and sneering

Well I know that, which is why that’s very specifically not what I asked.

Charles is the head of state, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. With that being so, where do you think the line should be drawn regarding his privacy, and that of his family?

Yes they are. Some with the funds, chose not to pursue it, for reasons I understand but the result is the same.

@Dolma are you a new poster or a name changer?

Wow, this thread took a sad turn. Two victims of illegal media activity have taken the papers to task. William won, hopefully Harry will win too if his allegations are proven right.

Instead of posters focusing the discussion on what is needed to prevent others from falling victims (although I know media regulation and legislative framework has been mentioned a couple of times) everyone is pouring energy into more victim bashing - alternating between the two according to ‘camp’.

Anyone who is trying to claim William has done a secret back room deal with the media needs to have a word with themselves. And the rubbing of the hands in glee at what those private conversations might have included…gross. What if, for example, one of them was a distressed call from Kate’s brother, who we know had serious MH issues? Would you be so thirsty for publicity if it had been your family involved? People seem to forget it’s not just about William but about a whole load of other people
in his life.

And to those trying to diminish Harry’s struggles with his own media treatment, that’s also unacceptable. We know Harry has also been a victim of illegal activity, this is undisputed. If his course of action brings him further vindication for what happened, more power to him.

As for this debate, it has sadly started playing exactly into the hands of the recent media narrative, where the ‘public’ are supposed to fall neatly into two adversarial camps, all sense of empathy and reason abandoned.

*I understand why that may have been the case and feel terrible for him that this was the best outcome to an awful situation. New International’s continued reach and power is now seriously alarming to me and I’m concerned that so many people are hand waving away their activities. (This is a company that has recently settled for >$750 million against it for misinformation)

Some people will see William’s settlement as being suspicious- others will have a more nuanced view (the best of a bad situation) but the public knowing about this and other settlements shows just how powerful the media can be in this case Associated Newspapers.*

Yes agree again @skullbabe and thanks again for your measured contributions

@IronCurtain yup! Good summary. I stated in my OP I really wanted to focus on press behaviour and what could be done, if anything, to change it and how on earth could the royal family do that given the limitations. The usual suspects want an argument about the brothers.

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

He's certainly in a better position than most to suck up a large bill. But William could easily have a multi-million pound costs bill from News UK if he lost. Plus his own costs of around the same amount. Plus he would have had to spend literally years of his life in meetings with lawyers, dealing with case management and disclosure. A high value court hearing is far more than just the days in court, the preparation is a full time job over years. Harry is currently running three cases, I honestly don't know how he is getting anything else in his life done.

Imagine doing that, with the knowledge that the main outcome is that you are going to have to pay out millions in costs.

That's really not a reasonable ask of someone. Press regulation needs Leveson 2. Hoping that rich people will sign away years of their life is not a sufficient substitute.

Erm....

Agree - that we absolutely need another inquiry. Seriously - @IronCurtain has this right - this is not about the brothers but about the media running riot.

What’s the likelihood of another inquiry though? It just feels like they’ve gotten away with it

Excellent post @IronCurtain

Is that what Harry is doing right now ?

He seems to be coping

Sorry that was in response to dolma

Well yes, 'the usual suspects ' having a bash at William for settling out of court.

Maybe do a search? You might find some of the things previously posted about it (including by you yourself) fall exactly into the laughing and sneering description?

FFS no one has said that! Read the thread properly. It's about highlighting underhand tactics, and maybe donating the award

Some people are - many people are having a nuanced conversation about this.

About tampon conversation? Absolutely not. You're sounding desperate to smear now