The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Invictus Games 2023

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

Most of the Invictus threads seem to be filling up, or focused on fairly parochial issues, so I thought, now that Meghan is in Dusseldorf, I would lead us off with a general new thread about Harry and Meghan at Invictus 2023.

Some initial thoughts from me.

The UK tabloid narrative about how much Harry and Meghan are loathed globally is blown apart by the warm and rousing welcome they both received, both separately and together. So the UK tabloids have to dig deep to write eye-rollingly silly stories about Harry being "humiliated" because he did not score a goal during a fun, light-hearted TV appearance to promote the Games.

Invictus clearly means everything to Harry, and it is lovely to see Meghan supporting him, and to remember that it was at Invictus in Toronto that they first went public. The event must have such lovely memories for them both.

Favourite picture: Meghan with Glory Essien, the Nigerian athlete.

The Nigerians have really lit up the tournament. A Kenyan senator who met Harry last week posted on X that she would work on Kenya to be the next African team.

After everything in the last year, it's so lovely to see that Invictus is getting bigger, that Harry is as committed as he has always been to the Games he started, and that Meghan is there to support the veterans, and her husband.

The whole thing should be about the participants, not H and M. The focus is all wrong.

Because everyone knows what the tabloids ( especially the one you screenshotted) have been doing for the past 5 years. Just because they publish one positive article doesn't negate the daily avalanche of criticism Meghan gets from them for any tiny thing. They do it firstly because they know that whatever they print, they will get tons of clicks from the usual suspects and secondly because any criticism they get they will say ' no look how balanced we were. We did this one article where we were positive'.

They are, sadly the only reason this gers publicity. The Warrior Games was a similar thing without Harry and was very niche. No one would take any notice if he wasn't involved. Just like no one takes any notice of wounded servicemen and women the rest of the time.

@Janiie

You have said on more than this occasion that you find my posts too lengthy. Apologies, I type almost as fast as I think! But as my name appears just below any of my posts, you can always avoid reading my posts the minute you see it's me. I won't be offended, I promise!

On to you main point, as @Angrycat2768 has said more eloquently (and more pithily!) than me, most of the tabloid coverage is positive on this occasion, less, I suspect, because of the vets, but because the videos and pictures speak for themselves.

But there is still negativity and carping, see @TallerSally's list (thanks Taller) and as @skullbabe said, the Commentariat and Talking Heads on broadcast media are sticking to the same briefing points.

I genuinely thought Tom Bower would have a coronary: he was genuinely apoplectic. The happier they seem, the angrier he gets!

'Because everyone knows what the tabloids ( especially the one you screenshotted) have been doing for the past 5 years.'

He has done chat shows, reality shows, a book all revealing very personal details about conversations with others, he has slagged off his whole family repeatedly all because he was told no a few times by The Queen. So yes, he has come in for well deserved criticism.

He does something worthwhile, shines his light on others and he gets acknowledgement for it.

It isn't rocket science.

Thank you for this :) I think they gave a nickname for Harry and Archie too? not sure...

@Iwantcakeeveryday

Harry is Mahale in Sesotho, which means Warrior or Fighter. It's a longstanding name from the time he started visiting Lesotho.

Haven't heard any name for Archie.

In my country, we refer to Meghan by one of the clan titles shared by women reputed to be our country's most determined daughters-in-law. The joke here is that Meghan found Harry living off his grandmother, wearing scruffy clothes, without a title deed to his name and said Right, you need a job, you need better clothes, and we need a mortgage.

I wish I could tell you the title, but it would out me!!

Exactly it’s not just 1 article he’s getting loads of positive ones just on The Mail. Do good things, get good coverage.

As far as I can see its one positivecarticle then lots of snarky ones about Meghan trying to look close to him and being seen next to him. As I've said, Harry has behaved poorly but Meghan gets the lions share of the blame. Because Royals can do no wrong, until they do, then it's someone else's fault.

The fawning is a bit nauseating. Good for Harry he is doing something positive in his life but don’t let’s get too distracted from the matter in hand. Great that he is donating the money from Heart of Invictus to such an excellent cause.

'The joke here is that Meghan found Harry living off his grandmother, wearing scruffy clothes, without a title deed to his name and said Right, you need a job, you need better clothes, and we need a mortgage.'

I don't get it?

You missed out the bit where they both thought they could have their own Royal franchise in the US were told no so then had to sell stories and details of private conversations to the media much like her DF did. Lolz.

Do good things, get good coverage.

According to whose definition of "good"? Please let's not be simplistic here, and pretend that there isn't a wide spectrum of opinion regarding Harry's 'crimes'.

Just because many extremely vocal people in the UK are incredibly het up and whingy about what they call Harry "selling out the Royal Family" doesn't mean everyone shares this view - by ANY stretch of the imagination.

So sorry to burst your bubble, but there are far more folks than you think who disagree with you!

You left out a key part in your quote, which is that it is a joke here, by which I mean my country, as in, it is a joke told in my country about how Meghan is like a determined daughter-in-law with a well known clan title.

So her local name in my country is that of a famous clan title.

But it's fine that you don't get it. No biggie!

Where on earth did they say they wanted 'a royal franchise in the US'

Now you're the one wanging on about this to use your favourite phrase

'Where on earth did they say they wanted 'a royal franchise in the US'

Sussex Royal! Harold had a website and everything which he had to embarrassingly take down.

He wanted the bells, whistles and applause just overseas where he could do as pleased. Was told no and here we are. Well, as we keep on saying IG is great but that is down to the participants.

Coverage in the [Donald Trump hands] biased fake news media

The Mail:

Raise your hands in the heir! Beaming Harry and Meghan bring the party to Invictus Games as Duke and Duchess hug sports stars and pose for selfies with fans in Dusseldorf arena

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12512917/Meghan-Markle-attends-Invictus-Games-event-Prince-Harry.html

It's the Meghan Show! Duchess of Sussex takes centre-stage at Prince Harry's Invictus Games as she cuddles up to some furry friends, sings Sweet Caroline and shares a joke with her royal husband

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12514643/The-Meghan-Duchess-Sussex-steals-limelight-Prince-Harrys-Invictus-Games-cuddles-furry-friends-sings-Sweet-Caroline-shares-joke-royal-husband.html

Meghan Markle dons £2,000 Luna Skye studs with £620 Hermès trainers as she attends her first afternoon of events at the Invictus Games

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12514149/Meghan-Markle-dons-2-000-Luna-Skye-studs-620-Herm-s-trainers-attends-afternoon-events-Invictus-Games.html

Harry and Meghan hold hands and exchange loving glances as they pack on the PDA and get into the Invictus spirit

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12514465/Harry-Meghan-hold-hands-exchange-loving-glances-pack-PDA-Invictus-spirit.html

German media gush over 'very popular' Harry and Meghan as they are bowled over by the couple's Invictus Games charm offensive

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12514271/German-media-gush-popular-Harry-Meghan-Invictus-Games.html

The Sun:

ROYAL WAVE Meghan Markle & Prince Harry don’t hold back with the PDA as they throw themselves into the fun at Invictus Games

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/23930106/meghan-markle-prince-harry-happy-invictus-games/

ROYALS DISPLAY Royal Family news latest — Prince Harry ‘held back’ during ‘nervous’ Invictus Games while Meghan Markle was ‘confident’

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/23844552/royal-family-news-today/

The Telegraph:

Prince Harry cheers on Invictus athletes ahead of Meghan's arrival

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/09/11/prince-harry-opens-invictus-games-germany-dusseldorf-meghan/

LBC:

Harry and Meghan join the party as they receive rapturous welcome from Invictus Games crowds

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-join-the-party-dusseldorf-invictus-games/

Overwhelmingly positive coverage. The worst is neutral. Even a few puns! The conspiracy theories are looking shaky…

I have followed this a lot, as you well know. I never saw anything remotely like a royal US franchise

we keep on saying IG is great but that is down to the participants

And him.

Well, when they left they launched a website full of plans for Sussex Royal Overseas. I can't believe you missed it.

It was a No from The Queen. One of many that fed the fury.

Overwhelmingly positive coverage. The worst is neutral. Even a few puns! The conspiracy theories are looking shaky

Sigh.

The press coverage in print is largely positive this week.

It is usually poisonous, histrionic and even silly, like the infamous 100 articles in less than a week from the Express

It's largely positive because the pictures and videos speak for themselves.

Because Harry and Meghan are actually liked outside the UK.

And not even the tabloids can ignore this glaring fact this time.

Broadcast media still has people telling Meghan to shut up, asking why she is talking about her kids, her so-called presidential ambitions because she and Harry are staying in the presidential suite of their hotel, and many snide digs about them holding hands, from the same talking heads who were predicting divorce a week ago.

They can't afford to be to entirely negative as usual because they know it would be a really bad look, and as I said, the pictures and videos speak for themselves.

The UK tabloids have influence in the UK, while Murdoch's stable stretches to the US and Australia.

In those countries free of the daily barrage of Harry and Meghan hit pieces from the UK tabloids and Murdoch media, they are liked and welcomed.

Others have explained this so much better than me, so I will let it rest for now, and wish all a good night.

Actually, I only included sources targeted at a UK audience.

When they are overwhelmingly negative, they get negative coverage. When they do something positive, they get positive coverage. It’s hard to put a fun spin on negativity. It’s not rocket science.

'Sigh.'

'The press coverage in print is largely positive this week.'

'It is usually awful, histrionic and silly.'

Sigh. Because this week Harold is doing something positive.

He is usually saying something awful, histrionic and silly. Hence the media response.

"It's largely positive because the pictures and videos speak for themselves.

Because Harry and Meghan are actually liked outside the UK.

And not even the tabloids can ignore this glaring fact this time."

^^ this

And the media look very mean spirited to criticise Invictus despite some of the usual suspects like Levin going all out with v unpleasant criticism

When they do something positive, they get positive coverage. It’s hard to put a fun spin on negativity. It’s not rocket science.

Again, @PrincessOfTigger you attempt to claim what is no more than your personal view of what is "negative" or "positive" about Harry as some kind of universal truth - see my earlier post.

You're plain wrong, I'm afraid. Many would find exactly what you consider "negative" about Harry and Meghan, e.g. sticking up to the tabloid press, or indeed the Royal Household's PR machine etc, as "positive".

We're able to handle nuance on these threads, no need to be Manichean.

Not sure what is negative about going to a Beyonce concert, just as one example @PrincessOfTigger but there was wall to wall coverage of that, most of it cutting and horrible, and also untrue (eg Harry was unhappy when there are videos of him dancing)

Not sure there's anything negative about optioning a light rom-com, but there too there was a lot of negative commentary about how pathetic they were.

Not sure what is negative about Harry's innocuous comments in the Invictus series, but here too, the headlines focused predominantly on a couple of sentences in a series of almost 5 hours

But I am sure I will read the answers in the morning, for now, am out!