Anyone starting to feel sorry for them?

[Aspargar]

https://archive.ph/vV0f9

No matter how preeningly narcissistic the couple may seem, surely even they must now have realised what the source of their woes is? The fact is: people were only interested in hearing what Harry and Meghan had to say when they were dishing the dirt on the royal family.Hence, in January last year, the record-breakingly vast sales of Harrys memoir Spare. with all its eye-popping claims about his brother, father and stepmother. But every time he, and Meghan, start talking about any other topic – be it sport, jam or social justice – the world turns off. No one cares. Now that the Sussexes have finished flogging all the family secrets, they’ve got nothing that anyone wants.

There is part of me that does feelsorry for them too. I mean 2024 has been a disaster, off the back of 2023 which was another disaster. It’s not going to get any better. Reap what you sow, so we knew it was coming their way but it’s all a bit sad and pathetic now. The faux tours, cards from ‘the office of’, as time goes on, the more pathetic that will look because they have lost all connection to the Royals

This must be their year of reckoning. He won’t win his cases, they will lose Netflix, the brand will face further set backs, they realise that their kids will never have a royal Christmas at Sandringham or summer at Balmoral, ever. In fact they are unlikely to ever meet the King again.

Its all came off the rails. We all knew it would happen. Many could even see the disaster impending from the engagement announcement. But it’s still hard to watch and that’s what makes me feel a bit sorry for them.

Prepared to be flamed! 😬

Yikes…very cringe video - so dated and unoriginal. God alone knows what their plans are - the pic with Harry on the jet ski was equally influencer’ vibe.

It's more honest than the Nigeria 'state visit'.

Cheesy - and hilarious that they show the remains of previous shots of 2025, plus so many fading footsteps, rather than pristine sand. But somehow that's symbolic? No-one can eliminate the past completely, no matter how hard we try!

So their initial statement about 'carving out a progressive new role' still exists to disprove later attempts to position themselves as opposing the Commonwealth as Empire 2.0. Not to mention the titles as being inextricably linked to the RF, with whatever faults that involves, historically or current.

Yes I thought that. It's giving Instagram Hun 2018.

It will never not astound me that this is a couple who in 2020 were spoken of as the next Michelle and Barack - global philanthropists and thought leaders commanding the respect of policy makers, charity gurus and heads of state. In fact Meghan was even being seriously spoken of as a potential future VP.

To go from that to this in 5 years takes a really dedicated commitment to self-sabotage. I honestly haven't seen a fall from grace this precipitous since John Wilkes Booth surveyed his glittering acting career and thought 'For my next trick, I think I'll assassinate the President."

I have never ever heard of her seriously as a VP or them as the next Michelle and Barack, that must have been a rubbish media pisstake. Although I think I did see on here posters trying to say this is what H&M imagined themselves as. This sort of thing is often in people's heads
They are just living their lives elsewhere and people can't give them up and hate to think they are happy but are desperate for them to fail.

I think she's just going back to what she used to be good at pre-Harry and, yes, it doesn't sit well with their well-publicised views on the dangers of SM, but everything else has turned to dust so what's left? She might want to ask for some advice on content (🤣) but I'm actually hoping this goes well for her.

Although I think I did see on here posters trying to say this is what H&M imagined themselves as. This sort of thing is often in people's heads.

In the heads of Business Insider, Omid Scobie, Vanity Fair?

From Business Insider

In the eight months since their resignation, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have created a non-profit foundation, signed with the same speaking agency that represents the Obamas, and more recently, signed on to create documentaries for Netflix under their new production company.

These are strikingly similar to the projects the former President and First Lady took on when they left the White House in 2017.

From Vanity Fair and Omid Scobie

Meghan has been particularly active ahead of this presidential election, cold-calling voters with Gloria Steinem and addressing the When All Women Vote Couch Party, an online event hosted by the nonprofit cofounded by Michelle Obama.

Her biographer Omid Scobie has previously claimed Meghan has set her sights on the White House “She has her eyes set on the U.S. presidency. Meghan is the embodiment of the American dream. One day we may see Meghan become president.”

While her little blog and maybe a small online jams/children's clothes/dog bowl/stationery type business may have been feasible when they first steped away from the RF, I don't think that's going to work now. The media will be ready to pounce on whatever she tries. The trashing of the RF and her victimhood haven't endeared her to the public. Asking people to buy expensive jams and take her cooking shows seriously while she wears designer clothes in her designer kitchen isn't a sensible decision in a COL crisis. The public give doesnt 'get', admire or respect her.

America is a different country to the UK though. We have a nasty tendency to sneer at success whereas they see it as the American dream and something to aspire to in times of trouble. I agree that they have missed the boat though due to their victimhood and trashing the RF - if they wanted to be an aspirational brand then they needed to has a vibe that said ‘success’.

If they want consumers that follow them then they had better have an efficient complaints line!

Why wouldn't they?!

I had a browse while everything was cooking!

Probably because Harry has form for shooting his mouth off in public. William is way more discreet!

Nobody is "desperate for them to fail" - just mildly amused at how spectacularly everything they turn their hands to fails dramatically!

You hope.

Personally, I like people to succeed. Not fail.

I am fairly critical of Meghan AND Harry for their past behaviour and comments however I really want them to succeed commercially at something so that they can stop doing all the attack stuff on the UK and their families.

Quote where I have ever said I would like them to fail???

You said quote...everything they turn their hands to fails dramatically!

Horse's mouth

Of course you will come back and say you don't want them to fail.
Waiting for that 🤣
If you don't...kudos to you. I want them to succeed and make a life for themselves and be happy. Ditto?

But what they do does fail

Depends on what your definition of fail is and ehat others are.

The evidence shows that everything they attempt to do fails dramatically rofl!!

Can you provide evidence to the contrary??

BTW I don't give a shit either way!

The Americans do admire success, as long as the person enjoying that success is perceived as having grafted to earn it. Whether rightly or wrongly, they don't perceive that about Meghan, which is why she's unpopular over there, and derided in the US gossip tabloids.

British culture, due to our long feudal history, has a tendency to accept nepotism - grudgingly, sure, but we do. Not so the Americans, hence Harry's unpopularity.

The trailer for the show looks bad, and I don't think it'll be a success, because:

• It's very dated - influencers showing off their lavish lifestyles was popular in 2013 - 2016, but in 2025 the Overton Window's shifted a lot in the US. Managing the CoL crisis and protectionism are in. Beautiful women wafting around in designer clothes in their designer kitchens, putting sugared flowers on donut, is out.
• It doesn't have much star power. If Oprah or Beyonce put in an appearance might be one thing. But disgraced comic Mindy Kaling, who lost her popularity after she laughed about and dismissed sexual assault claims, alongside the CEO of Paramount, who recently axed the jobs of thousands of his workers, doesn't provide the necessary star power.
• It dilutes her brand, which heretofore has been built on being a strong and independent feminist and philathropist. Against that background, going the tradwife route is an odd and jarring pivot.
• The concept is ill advised. The US is struggling with cost of living and fears about rampant crime, illegal immigration and terrorism. Against that background, the media they are currently favoring is rugged and raw. The highest grossing cookery/domestic shows are currently about regional BBQ styles and making stretched budgets go further in tough times. An ex-Duchess wafting about her designer kitchen, cooking in white clothes (weird in itself!), flower arranging with her designer clad celeb friends is....not really going to hit the mark.

The ratio on the trailer is pretty awful for her, and a sign of her hugely diminished status and lack of goodwill from American audiences.

You cannot parse English.

Noting that someone fails at everything is not the same as wishing that they fail at everything.

And I am noting that you appear to wish to pick a fight.

The Netflix trailer is being torn apart. Its the most tone deaf show Netflix could launch. I'm genuinely surprised, the copying of Emma's Kitchen, Catherine etc is obvious. I'm not sure how she recovers from this. I'm no fan, and want her to stop attacking the TRF to score points, and to stop using her title, but the last thing I want is them limping back here as every commercial venture fails. If Netflix doesn't renew then they are in trouble. They really do have enough money to live the most lovely, quiet glamorous life, but they seem to want the spotlight and that costs.

There is only one definition of failure and they have illustrated it perfectly

I know, it's all self-inflicted. They don't need to do any of this stuff. They could 'step back' and live the 'peaceful life' they supposedly wanted (H's words), and rest on the tens of millions they possess via H's trust funds, inheritances and bungs from Charles.

They didn't have to become senior working royals immediately, either. But they announced it during their engagement interview.

The great plan has all come to nought. By Burns' Night they really will know all about the best laid schemes o' mice and men.