Happy Birthday, Spare!

[EncantoSpice]

It’s the one year anniversary of the release of Spare, how are you all celebrating?!

In all seriousness, a year on what impact do you think the book has had on the Royal Family and the Sussexes?

In my opinion it clearly did very well commercially but in popular culture it became a bit of a joke. In terms of the RF I’m not sure it made much difference - to people who already didn’t like them it confirmed what they already believed, to people who did like them it was more evidence that Harry was no loss. I also think even a year later it has made reconciliation between William and Harry impossible.

😂

This makes me go full chinny too.

So much to say on other topics. Nary a paragraph on that.

Strange omission...

You called?

When he puts his gloves on before going outside to dance with Julie Andrews... swoon...

The next book?

A cheeky little catalogue of a few of his favourite things perhaps?

Featuring necklaces, dog bowls, chess sets and perhaps a bench.

#keepingitalittlebitPlummer

if only by association

“They haven’t even been active!”

“They have, here is some evidence.”

“You are obsessed!”

8e14b99fc773383155f247e6cc2631169119e53a.gif

Yep.

You just pushed that button.

It could almost make one come over all unnecessary.

Excuse me while I take a cold shower 😂

Dare I ask if it is the hand action or the greedy eyes? 😂

I don't want to incriminate myself 😳

I've come over all unnecessary!!!! 😳😳😳

Have the Tindalls now displaced Andrew in the Whataboutery stakes?

I actually think the Tindalls are a great example of what it could have been like for Harry and Meghan if they had followed their path.

They carry out commercial endeavours and make money, they still benefit from the RF connection without appearing as though they are trying to be another arm of the RF. Mike Tindalls rugby podcast was a massive hit and great PR for the RF, they look like they are having fun while making a living without needing titles or security, and they don't need to be seen to try to elevate themselves by putting down others. Harry and Meghan would still have earned far more than the Tindalls, still have needed some discreet security, but I think they would have retained credibility and a bit of dignity.

That being said, I would love a Zara Tindall autobiography, telling her story 'Not the Heir or the Spare' 😁. I think she could command a multimillion payout for that, so long as it was warts and all.

@Alalain I agree - good post

I agree, really good post @Alalain . I think Zara has benefitted from her wise mum refusing the titles in the first place.

Mike Tindalls rugby podcast was a massive hit and great PR for the RF

Not that massive a hit. They had to settle with the House of Rugby podcast in the High Court as they copied it. As of a few months ago they had debts of over £340,000

I think it highlights the ego-trip of H&M's flounce.

They could probably have got a lot of what they wanted of the 'half-in, half-out' if they had focussed on what practically, they wanted to do differently.

They could have stepped back, citing focussing on a young family. They could have dropped the HRH willingly, as everyone knows their connections, and still turned up for the family occasions.

They could have taken on whatever patronages - within reason - they chose as 'private individuals', while everyone knowing it was because of Harry's connections. If anyhting their prestige would have gone up, as their involvement would be more exclusive.

They could have lived in LA and had a place in the UK.

Charles would probably have carried on bunging a couple of million a year.

But yes, on formal occasions they wouldn't be centre stage.

All of this. I would include the very public arguing with QE11 about public service “service is universal” which was ridiculous especially considering how many years QE11 had been Queen. The MM “The Cut” interview where she mentioned about finding her diaries and not signing a non disclosure agreement about a week before QE11 died. Also, the Oprah Winfrey interview accusation of racism which was only dropped after both PF and QE11 had died. ☹️

I agree that's what they should have done. I also think that it should be stipulated that that is what will happen to the ' spares' no matter what they want, if only to save them from themselves. Anne didnt refuse titles for her children. They, as children of a daughter weren't entitled to them. For the sake of equality, it should apply to all of them.
Harry and Meghan have been incredibly stupid in many ways, vain and spoilt. They should have refused titles, and they shouldn't have used The Queens' awful nickname for their daughter.
However, that is not enough to justify the daily onslaught on them, and particularly Meghan, being blamed for poor innocent Harry when he is the one who has publicised his problem with his family. No wonder they are paranoid and no wonder they will never bring their children to the UK again, when they see the behaviour of the press ( enabled Harry's family) and the obsession people have with them, countless stories with reams of comments, encouraging the press to write even more about them.

Since we are all in on repeating the past, I’d like to say that “service is universal” was my watershed moment with them. I used to blame Meghan because the copy on that sounded like a woman’s voice to me. I now lay equal blame.

You just don’t mess with your Granny. You can say I’m being unfair but that wasn’t the last time that I judged someone’s character based upon how they treated a Granny and doubtful will it be the last.

Yes true @wildernesssw and @Fluffypuppy1 , it's the continuous.... drip drip drip of comments and actions any one could be brushed off but taken as a whole and actually looked at its , actually pretty shocking anyone could believe or excuse it!

Sorry that should have been @Getthethrowonthesofa ! But I agree with @wildernesssw post too!

Gosh, how do you know all that ?

Anyway, despite whatever didn't work out for them from a commercial standpoint, that particular podcast episode absolutely was a MASSIVE hit, millions of views and thousands of mostly positive comments about it. I am not a Royalist, but even I watched it, thoroughly enjoyed it and was impressed with the ease and informality of it, and like most people who watched it, I thought Princess Anne was the star of the show.

Great PR, no one came out of it looking bad.

@Angrycat2768 I agree with you on the whole, but I think I read somewhere QE2 offered to give Mark Phillips a title when he married Anne, just as she did for Armstrong-Jones when he married Margaret. Anne/Mark turned it down.