The Beckhams at the State Dinner

[stripeyshutters]

Ouch that's got to touch a nerve for the Sussexes ! I did notice that VB was respectfully dressed as was only right for the occasion.

ROFL.

Whilst trying to distract myself from the drivel and return to some form of sensible debate, I am moved to wonder quite how, as a PP suggested, Kemi Badenoch should be promoting women's rights?

How??

I would've thought a state dinner for Qatar would be another reason they're glad to have left.

I don’t think Meghan or Harry have any qualms about human rights in the middle east at all, they really are not human rights warriors, and what about Africa Parks? Tumbleweed from Harry.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9334027/Meghans-blood-money-earrings-Saudi-victim-Khashoggis-lawyer-condemns-Duchess-wearing-gift.html

I know, the ignorance on this thread is astounding, totally clueless posters with their anger at the RF hosting this state banquet and not knowing it’s the government who arrange it not the King.

I'd think Meghan would love to be swanning around in a dress worth thousands and the complementary jewellery, wearing a Royal Tiara and hobnobbing.

The only issue she would have is not getting paid for it. Plus she wouldn't want to curtsey to Camilla or Kate.

I'd actually be embarrassed for them if I could be bothered to give a shit lol.

That wasn’t the original plan though, they wanted half I half out, rocking up to a state dinner dripping in diamonds, mixing with Heads of State on the world stage was the half in bit, the half out was not attending the opening of the new refuse centre in Grimsby.

Source for the notion they just wanted to do state dinners?

There are plenty of royals who have taken a less full on role whilst still being official royals andwithout it causing hysterics. There was no reason why the Sussexes couldn't do the same other than hissy fits.

Lets face it - the Wales historically haven't exaclty been full on royals, frequently being out performed by their nonegenarian grandmother and septagenarian father and aunt.

It could but I don't pay for those 2 out of my taxes!

Yeah that was weird. I thought she did it for "brand Bechkam" like they are still sooo in love and constantly hold hands.

Source for the notion they just wanted to do state dinners?

and your source they didn’t?

There are plenty of royals who have taken a less full on role whilst still being official royals and without it causing hysterics. There was no reason why the Sussexes couldn't do the same other than hissy fits.

Which working royals who represent the crown and our government on official state business also have commercial deals with Netflix?

Lets face it - the Wales historically haven't exaclty been full on royals, frequently being out performed by their nonegenarian grandmother and septagenarian father and aunt.

They are working members of the RF who as far as I know haven’t secured any commercial ventures or have any brand deals so not sure what your point is, how many royal engagements they do is totally irrelevant to the discussion in hand and quite contradictory considering your second paragraph.

Mrs Beckham, a former Spice Girl and fashion designer, sat between Labour peer Lord Levy and surgeon and former health minister Lord Darzi of Denham."

I don’t know about Lord Levy, But Lord Darzi is a very intelligent and rather charming person

Why?

She is a savy business women in all reapectects. I suspect she is more than capable of holding her own in that company

Source for the notion they just wanted to do state dinners?

Well they told us themselves on Sussexrroyal.com when they announced their progressive new roles:

As working members of the Royal Family, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain dedicated to maximising Her Majesty’s legacy both in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth. They will continue to proudly do so by supporting their patronages and carrying out works for The Monarchy within the UK or abroad, as called upon….
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to use Frogmore Cottage – with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen – as their official residence as they continue to support the Monarchy.

Given what they’ve done since, and their penchant for red carpets, awards ceremonies and foreign “tours” I think it’s fairly likely the glamorous events and designer gowns were principally what they had mind while carrying out “works” for the Monarchy here too.

The King is literally hosting it at his house - erm office, he could say - no Keir you want to host a big dinner do it at your place. Plus whilst I'm on this thread - who came up with the menu? lobster and quails eggs for a starter; wtaf?
with pheasant wrapped in Savoy cabbage, roasted celeriac puree and potato gratin, I hope they drowned the whole thing in butter and put a ton of salt on it to make it vaguely palatable - no wonder VB looked uncomfortable and as for the Emir, he's been to Sherbourne school and Sandhurst so he was probably looking forward to Shepherds Pie or similar.

They are working members of the RF who as far as I know haven’t secured any commercial ventures or have any brand deals so not sure what your point is, how many royal engagements they do is totally irrelevant to the discussion in hand and quite contradictory considering your second paragraph.

I agree with C8H10N4O2 on this.

I think the supposed rigour with which the half in, half out rule is applied, is all a bit disingenuous tbh. I know Sophie and Edward made a balls up of it, but there is no reason to think that Harry would have necessarily. He was traditionally much better at doing all of the meets and greets than all of them put together imho. He was just naturally talented at it.

And everyone conveniently misses the point that with the system of royal warrants and nice deals with the likes of Range Rover and Fortnums and countless other purveyors currently standing as they are are, together with a fat annual income from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, £20 million a piece isn't it, KC and Camilla, and Catherine and William, don't need any overt commercial sponsorship to survive because they have massive covert commercial incomes.

I mean seriously, if you are receiving private rents and making money from Highgrove biscuits or whatever, why don't the King and William fall under the category "half in and half out?". Can someone explain the difference to me please?

Meghan did some good work in the short period she was a working member of the RF. She worked with women of the Hubb Kitchen, and the cookbook she supported has raised
£1million so far for Grenville survivors.

Also she was patron of animal welfare charity until fairly recently.

In the 18 months or so that she was a working royal she had a baby and also managed 2 overseas royal tours with Harry. There was also the Work Smart Collection, and she guest edited a Vogue issue which was the biggest selling British Vogue issue of the past decade apparently (source here was Newsweek).

I know she had assistants and people to guide and help her as all RF members do, but it still strikes me that she achieved quite a lot.

I think some people get so carried away finding fault with Meghan they can’t bring themselves to acknowledge she did do some good work while a member of the working royals.

I can’t credit the argument that all she wanted to do was wear tiaras at state dinners.

I would agree with you, @BettyBlueSky . I think she was a very good addition. I actually don't think that she wanted to leave. She thrives in that sort of role, being in the public eye, promoting issues. She could have continued.
She could have had a bit of time out and returned full throttle.
I think the fault is with Harry. He wanted to leave but didn't have the courage. Meghan had bad MH problems. She had suicide ideations when pregnant, and instead of getting her help, he made her dress up and go to an event.
I think he manipulated the situation for his own ends. He loves being a prince. How about being a prince in a mansion in California with no checks and balances on his activities and behaviour? Ker- ching.

I think those are really good, measured points. She did achieve a lot in very pressured circumstances and things that were really worthwhile too.

People may not like H & M but not everything they do is bad and I think the RF could have handled the situation a lot better. I also think the RF missed a trick as H & M could have been much needed assets to the monarchy which, let’s face it, comes across as a bit creaky and out of touch.

And H & M on their part could have perhaps been more patient while the grinding wheels of such an archaic institution came up with a better deal for them, and not given a thousand hideous “Royal experts” the means to buy new kitchens or extensions in Hampstead.

But generally the criticism that Meghan receives is out of all proportion to what she has done. I mean I find it entirely understandable that a motivated Californian actress who is used to hustling would find the institution of the British monarchy bewildering and slightly absurd in the way it carries out its business. Not everything the monarchy does is right either. It’s meant to serve the people and atm it looks perilously close to largely serving itself.

"I think those are really good, measured points. She did achieve a lot in very pressured circumstances and things that were really worthwhile too"

Yes-I do find it very odd that this is very rarely acknowledged. Some real practical stuff. But hey, the wrong jeans at Wimbledon and trying to poison Charlotte with her wedding bouquet (I think my personal favorite batshit story!). Oh and destroying the environment by wanting an avocado for breakfast...

😀😀

I agree she did some good charitable initiatives. But she also bullied her staff, was focussed on building her profile in the US, was unhappy that she couldn’t earn any money from her role, was unhappy with any press criticism of her and couldn’t see responding to press stories she didn’t like was actually strategically unwise, appeared to have an agenda against her sister in law, thumbed her nose at the UK press, lied to a Court and then left for better things.

All in all, looked at in the round, I really don’t think she was likely to be an asset to the Royal Family in the long run, even if she did have some good initiatives in her 18 months in the role.

Were the bullying allegations proven? I would never defend bullying of any sort but I can also imagine that there might have been a potentially cataclysmic clash of styles and culture shock involved too

I know everyone will now bring up the Hollywood Reporter piece but that was literally in a gossip column.

I have no idea what happened between the sils but if you read Mumsnet threads ion the Relationship board, it’s a pretty common antipathy.

And as mentioned on this thread or another, KC and PW annually earn £20 million each from their Duchies, so M perhaps could be forgiven for thinking that it was rather hypocritical for her to receive criticism for wanting to make some money out of her role, when Charles and William make plenty?!

Were the bullying allegations proven? I would never defend bullying of any sort but I can also imagine that there might have been a potentially cataclysmic clash of styles and culture shock involved too

The report hasn’t been published but there have been allegations of bullying more recently in their US operations and these were raised in a reputable industry publication and have never been denied. Also the original allegations involving palace staff were raised by an American who presumably didn’t think the alleged bullying was anything to do with any sort of “culture shock” but was just unacceptable behaviour

Oh don't be ridiculous. If someone claims to have a "source" they need to cite it. Its not for me or anyone else to provide proof of the non existance of the source. I shall assume it doesn't exist in the absence of the citation.

As for Netflix - don't make me laugh. Every member of the royal family right down to the dreggiest cousin cashes in big time on the royal connections. Andrew wasn't the only one selling access to Buck House. Do you really think all those royal cousins who struggled to get A levels are asked to be "brand ambassadors" and "directors of communications" "directors of foo" etc for their outstanding intelligence and diligent hard work? And all the additional hangers on from both Kate/Camilla families and others marrying in?

The Wales had a billion pound estate handed to them entirely free of any taxes when Charles made William Wales (i indecent haste) after the death of the Queen. Prior to that he had already been gifted other estates and commercial businesses free of tax. He owns a sizeable chunk of the country and derives considerable business benefits from being able to operate his estates and commercial interests on a different tax footing from the likes of you and me.

In most billionaire familes when one of the younger children doesn't wish to be full time in the Firm they go off to do their own thing with a generous settlement and goodwill on both sides. That is a sensible approach to take - the Wales could learn from it.
If the Wales don't like H&M deriving their own living then perhaps they should have been a bit more generous with the purse strings and a bit more willing to compromise on a diluted role instead of leaving Harry with the (relative) crumbs from his mother and grandmother.