Netflix has delayed start of Meghans show

[Viviennemary]

Just seen on Sky News. Breaking News headlines. Delayed because of the wild fires didn't say if this was technical difficulties or it would be a bit crass to launch a frothy type lifestyle show with all the devastation. Anyway it might be shelved for good with any luck.

Interesting!

Is this the marchioness of bath and/or Pamela Anderson's shows?

And? Woman wears baseball cap? So?

I was also struck by the oddness of this. Trying to make himself like an outsider of humble origins. It was very strange.

Makes sense to delay- you can’t launch an aspirational lifestyle show about living in California when most of the world is currently thinking “I’m so happy I don’t live in California”. It’s just not going to work.

She didn't like a few things. Taking second place to Kate and doing what she was told. She thought she would be livng in a large mansion. They definitely thought they could privately make zillions in the US and cherry pick royal duties.

No,no,no ……. that’s her Mother Meghan of Montecito habit

The quote looks like it’s from the US edition (colors) – publishers will usually copy-edit to house style and US terms so readers aren’t jarred by unfamiliar terminology.

Nott Cottage, the place disparaged by Meghan, was designed by Christopher Wren and is 1,300 square feet, double the UK average house size, and a big place for Harry alone as a bachelor and for M&H as a couple surely? WITHIN A PALACE!!!

And good enough for William & Catherine who of course are senior in rank to H&M.

I notice the entourage are curated out of this image 🙄 I guess thats the only reason they were allowed add the photo to the charity's reel.

A baseball cap?? It's crass. Imagine the late Queen Elizabeth turning up at a disaster scene in a baseball cap. Utterly inappropriate. Are they royals or not.

It's a carefully curated casual outfit, designed to give the appearance that she's 'one of the people' and just there to muck in and do her bit.

But of course this new appearance is clearly just attempts to recover from the PR damage of the last visit - the thought process is pretty transparent. "Oh we've been accused of being disaster tourists and just turning up for a photo op, so let's put in another 2-3 appearances at different places, do it more quietly this time (but make sure it leaks so people know about it) and then it will look like we do authentically want to help."

I can see why they've done it, but I think the damage has been done now whatever happens.

The relief fund itself is an interesting choice as it's not a major charity, it's niche and set up by a local teenage girl. But I wonder if that's chosen because H&M can have more impact from a donation/appearance there than one of the bigger ones. Maybe agreement that Meghan could be featured in a reel if she turned up was negotiated when bigger efforts would be turned off by the negative associations with the couple. Who knows.

Still waiting for the announcement about how much money H&M have donated personally though - they seem to be desperately avoiding any reference and I assume it's because any amount they've given pales in significance compared to other celebrity publicised donations.

Don’t be daft. Meghan’s done a variety of crass things this week – the group photo, the walkabout on burned-out properties, random anti-Meta statement that could have been held to keep focus on the disaster – but a baseball cap and casual clothing while dropping off donations is absolutely fine. Imagine if she’d turned up in the $7,500 oversize maroon trouser suit she got crucified for wearing in NYC?

She’s dressed appropriately; it’s a teen girls’ clothing and beauty drive organised by a 14yo who has been wearing jeans and a sweatshirt throughout; lots of the volunteers are there in baseball caps.

Meghan isn’t there to make a speech or an appearance as the Duchess of Sussex; she’s there to drop off some donations. I’m all for reasonable critique of her – she’s sometimes abhorrent, sometimes misguided; equally, sometimes she isn’t! – but it makes it hard to take criticism seriously when she’s demonised for a fucking baseball cap. Come on.

Where are these rumours originating from?

It sounds v unlikely - imitation doesn’t seem remotely likely to be copyright breach

This latest photo did seem a bit planned. I'm not sure she would normally be laden with bags like a cart horse, it just all seems a bit performative.

But she isn't the Queen, she isn't a working royal who represents the certificate. She's an American celebrity and a baseball cap is totally appropriate in that context.

I'm not a fan of celebrities touring disaster areas but turning up with a donation at what seems to be a smaller charity this bringing publicity to a donation point others may not be aware of, that's a good idea. It's a great pity she didn't stick with that.

But I do wonder is Harry so stuck on the need to be acknowledged as royal that he is suggesting quasi royal things, like the disaster tourism, that backfire? Maybe Meghan is actually better at gauging what is appropriate as a celebrity, which is why she is doing this solo?

If nothing else this whole saga is a lesson in the difference between working royals and celebrities.

Yes exactly. It’s so staged it’s sickening. Normally she struts around with an entourage and now she’s carrying her own bags? Pathetic. I suspect Harry sees it for what it is and isn’t going this time. He often looks deeply uncomfortable.

The baseball cap is her go to when she’s doing her crisis relief efforts- the school shooting, Californian fires.

She is very deliberate with her clothing choices. We see that she changes her style in accordance to what image she wants you to see.

It’s why you won’t see her in a baseball cap, jeans and T shirt in her With Love, Meghan tv show. If this was her authentic style- then you would see this casual style on her show, pottering around in the garden etc. Not the highly polished beige looks she thinks you need to be the Queen of Lifestyle television. Or the boss lady looks of a couple years ago when she was a serious producer/global leader.

The baseball cap is designed to make her look completely accessible but low key. This is very much a uniform.

Posters on TikTok saying she has decamped to the Beverley Wiltshire hotel, has taken over the presidential floor, so she can be closer to help out. Wonder how much truth is in that ?

Beverly Wiltshire…..she just loves creating those Julia Roberts connections doesn’t she 😂

I'm not a fan of celebrities touring disaster areas but turning up with a donation at what seems to be a smaller charity this bringing publicity to a donation point others may not be aware of, that's a good idea. It's a great pity she didn't stick with that.

She'd be much better making a generous donation.

Cold hard cash is much more useful in crisis situations than 'stuff' which has to be sorted though, washed, organised and in many cases chucked because people are 'donating' all sorts of rubbish.

But I do wonder is Harry so stuck on the need to be acknowledged as royal that he is suggesting quasi royal things, like the disaster tourism, that backfire? Maybe Meghan is actually better at gauging what is appropriate as a celebrity, which is why she is doing this solo?

I think it's the opposite. He looked very uncomfortable in the Pasadena photo op, whereas she looked in her element.

He's not the brightest, but he does know what real royal work is, and the Pasadena stunt wasn't.

Surely not... I'd have thought that other, richer celebrities who've had to evacuate their homes would be the ones staying there in those rooms.

Hotel space must be at an absolute premium right now - it would be beyond selfish to take up a room when you've got a perfectly safe home. I just can't believe this is true, unless there's some evidence.

Don’t most people change their style according to the occasion? Kate will wear a sparkling gown to the BAFTAs and sportswear to the Paralympics or Junior Wimbledon Initiative; jeans at a volunteering day. It’s what she wants you to see; a uniform.

I don’t think there’s many celebrities who don’t curate their public image, particularly in an era of 24/7 rolling news and the ever-hungry internet content machine.

A few thoughts.

She’s dressed like a volunteer. Other volunteers will be there all day, getting stuck in, working until they’re exhausted. I have no thoughts about what she should have worn to drop off donations, I really don’t care, but dressing like a volunteer doesn’t make her one.

A baseball cap is appropriate, the choice of cap however is no accident, it’s a distinctive one intended to make it easier for photographers to find her amongst other heads.

I’m sure she genuinely wants to be of help, but let’s not be naive, these appearances are very much part of the PR recovery plan.