The royals and Dan Wootton: Byline Times part 1 of 3-year investigation into how Wootton got information about the royal family

[queentim]

Following their series about the Crisis in British Journalism and MediaToo movement, Byline Times reporters have recently released the first report of the 3 year investigation into the link between the royals and (disgraced) TV presenter Dan Wootton.

The first report reveals how Charles and William were angered that Harry refused to remove the name of an aide (William's aide in Kensington) who was paid cash to leak stories about his wife Meghan, and son Archie. This included investigations by the Met.

As a result, Charles removed the $700,000 granted to support them, which would have seen Harry and Meghan living in Canada and representing the Queen, in an effort to bring them back to the UK by exposing their location in Canada and removing their security. This was the collapse of the 'Sandringham Agreement', which resulted in the signing of the Sussexes media deals.

Some highlights, but can be bought for £3.6:

▪ It followed news that a partner of a key aide to Prince William received £4,000 from The Sun allegedly for stories about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when Wootton was executive editor.

▪ The Metropolitan Police looked into the alleged leaking but could not go to a judge for a warrant to search royal staff property without knowing the identity of the whistle-blowers.

▪ Two internal royal investigations followed – one involving Simon Case, who is today the embattled head of the civil service facing questions over the Government’s response to the pandemic.

▪ Byline Times has uncovered new photographic evidence of Wootton, the aide and the aide’s partner at a lavish private birthday party Wootton threw for his close friends in a £1,675-a-night hotel suite.

▪ Prince Harry sent formal ‘letters before action’ detailing the claims about Wootton and the palace to News UK.

▪ When the aide’s name was not removed from the legal letters, the Sussexes were cut adrift financially and left unable to protect themselves despite having a security threat level equal to the monarch.

▪ The royal household had thought the threat of exposure would force Harry and Meghan to return to the UK, where their profile could be controlled preventing them from eclipsing the future King

Exploding ‘Megxit’: How Dan Wootton and a Cash-for-Leaks Scandal Split the Monarchy

Wow, UVA is churning out some real messes lately.

I recall being told on here that we were childish for thinking that the Sussex Squad name checked by Sentebale is the same as the self proclaimed Sussex Squad nutters online. In fact, weren't we being told it was very childish to refer to the Sussex Squad at all as a coherent entity?

Fuck, I'm a POC, I really feel like I've missed a major grift trick in life.

You can dislike Dan Wootton (I do), you can question his motives and financial motives (I do), and you don’t need to buy everything he’s selling (I don’t) but it’s blatantly clear that some of the points are valid, some have been known for a long time for those in that part of Twitter.

I can't help but wonder still, how do the real people who live in Sussex feel about all this?

Heard on a recent Sussex squad podcast:

“Members of the Sussex Squad… I mean people who self identify as the Sussex Squad”

Doesn’t exist. Bouzy is not a leader. Has a website. Has weekly meetings. Bouzy has an active mic. Hosts the podcasts on his forum. Doesn’t exist.

Why on earth is an American 'academic' so invested in members of a foreign royal family?

I don't get it.

Equally, why are the 'Squad', the vast majority of whom are not citizens of Britain or even a Commonwealth nation, so gung ho about ganging up on certain members of the British royal family and offering blind adoration to others?

I don't get it. I really don't.

I'm equally bemused @IcedPurple !

What a despicable person, can't believe anyone would fund a department run by someone like him. So much for Harvard and their diversity and inclusion department.

How have Harry and Meghan fallen for these obnoxious and unethical individuals.

Exactly.

Of all the public figures you could choose to deify, you choose a dull witted, lazy, spoiled brat British prince and his actress wife who you'd probably never heard of before she got with him?

If anyone can tell me what these two have done to deserve such blind adoration, and ganging up on everyone perceived to be 'against' them, I'd love to hear it.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/15/sussex-residents-irked-by-harry-and-meghans-sussex-com-rebrand-while-archie-and-lilibet-get-sussex-surnames/

Can a county disown a noble ( non-violently of course)?

If H+M are found to have been involved in organised online abuse of the Waleses, that would be incredibly shocking and would surely mean full 'cancellation' and the end of their Hollywood A list dreams. There is so much footage of them talking about online abuse and bullying, advocating kindness and compassion 😬

It certainly doesn't look great that they gave Bouzy a platform on their doc (and presumably paid him) and gave money to Perks's department, two of the most prolific and nastiest trolls. I hope someone in KP has screenshots of everything and that someone is investigating.

No idea @BemusedAmerican ! , I think those people in York were hoping to disassociate from Andrew but nothing came of it as far as I'm aware.

@Hughs The evidence does begin to point in that direction. Bouzy+ Sarah Data and now UCLA guy is quite a lot to be just coincidence. The fact the two seem to have direct financial links and two have had personal contact with both H&M is highly suspicious.

What everyone seems to be forgetting is that H & M, Bouzey, Perkins, and the alleged SarahData are all US residents. Most are US citizens ( don't know about SarahData). They are not currently in the UK.

People on X and reddit are describing their businesses being shut down, and some story about a house allegedly being set on fire keeps cropping up. Reading the DW comments, I am sensing a lot of fear of the Sussex Squad.

According to DW, Bouzey had a Twitter contract and SarahData worked for Facebook and Google. How much info could they access about the accounts of people they did not like?

Princess Catherine and Prince William ( and Rose Hanbury and her family) had to endure major smear campaigns.

DW was found innocent. Police time and taxpayer money was spent on the investigation.

None of this is minor or funny. It also involves residents of two countries.

My personal theory is that people bought into the photos and PR around the wedding.

Interesting @BemusedAmerican !

I was aware of the no evidence found/compensation paid, but how crushing this must be for those who sought to cast DW as a hate figure on the basis of allegations apparently being "proof"

Not sure why Byline Times are crowdfunding their legal costs though - I thought most media had insurance against this kind of thing?

That is a fair point @BemusedAmerican the RF were not the only victims of this cult. I really feel for the normal people who fell foul of the online witch hunts.

It is a disgusting way for any grown adult to behave. I hope there is some way that those involved can be prosecuted.

With Bouzy's ever changing story I'm pretty sure he claimed that he had to retract the race allegations because of threats from the FBI, and for all I know some may believe him

@Puzzledandpissedoff MN deletes links to crowdfunders so I won't link to it here, but you will find it if you google Help Byline Times legal costs for our Wootton, GBNews & Ofcom Work

Byline are not backing down by the looks of it. And to be fair to them, the threshold for bringing a criminal prosecution is a high one, so there may be some fire to their smoke. However, it does all smack of trial by media, the process being the punishment, even if nothing comes of the investigation.