Let us all discuss the news and great doings issuing from Montecito

[Uricon2]

WTF Ghana? Just why?

I've learnt so much from the RF/H&M threads about law, how not to do PR and elevating doughnuts with edible flowers, but bloviating is my new favourite word. Thank you.

There isn't an overall blackout as various media reports show, but the difference this time seems to be there are far more "closed events" they're not allowed to attend, where the publicity's being fed through Meghan's Instagram account instead

Edited to add it's almost like a two tier thing - yes you can report on some things but I'll handle chosen bits of the PR myself

People keep on posting Sussex threads because there’s no couple quite like them as discussed on another thread.
There are equally fame hungry reality celebs like Katie Price but nobody has the deep pockets like the Sussexes to keep on going with the disastrous stunts. As PP said it’s great entertainment to speculate what’s going to happen next and what’s going on away from the cameras.
They chose a life of celebrity after Megxit as is their right so need the media and social media to be talking about them. They decided that being media clickbait is worth the chance of financially lucrative gigs in future.

Willing to be corrected, but surely it is not usual for the Patron and their spouse to have so much control/influence over media coverage at an international charity event?

The article I read yesterday seemed to indicate that this was new for Invictus, too.

I would say that not only is it unusual, @Uricon2 it's very inappropriate.
Meghan's speech introducing Harry was inexplicable. Would the spouse of any other patron of an event have such a cringe worthy introduction, all but ignoring what the event was about? Extraordinary.

Bit shit for the competitors, who don't get to have their achievements publicly celebrated - which is what it's supposed to be about.

Do the restrictions cover what they can put on their own social media, or local news outlets back in their home towns?

Sorry, I can't find the article, but there have been reports of reduced media presence at the games and a degree of controlling the narrative.

I usually swerve the RF threads, but fully here for this one. I agree that StirrerOfDiscord (I think you need the caps in there @Uricon2 ) has a lovely ring to it.

And thank you @GiveMeSpanakopita. I feel a campaign to bring bloviating back into common parlance might be on the horizon 😂

My post yesterday says just that.

I haven't seen any of the articles about the press being kept out of Invictus, but if so and if Invictus has now morphed into a vehicle to promote Harry and Meghan, as opposed to the competitors, do we think that has something to do with the three high-profile departures before these winter games?

The Patron is well down the food chain in terms of charity governance. It’s a honorary position of status but no power, often assigned to founders of charities who are struggling to let go of the reins. In Harry’s case he never held them, but acts as though he does.

The trustees hold all the power and also the responsibility. Which may explain the departure of some key figures, because if the charity gets into difficulty for any reason, they are accountable.

So let me get this straight....you clicked on a thread about Harry and Meghan, and now you're all pissed off because it's a thread about Harry and Meghan?? Am I missing something here?

Do the restrictions cover what (the competitors) can put on their own social media, or local news outlets back in their home towns?

Given the control they've tried to exert when attending other things that's a very interesting question, @MissRoseDurward

I confess I don't know the answer, but imagine @GiveMeSpanakopita might - or at least may know where to look?

How many proven liars have married into the British royal family? I think you might find that's why it's very different.

Do the restrictions cover what (the competitors) can put on their own social media, or local news outlets back in their home towns?

Only if they don't put anything negative or critical, all competitors and organisers attending Invictus are required to sign a non disparagement agreement before being accepted to compete. I guess the families attending have to sign one too.

I just put Invictus Games 2025 into Instagram search function and almost every result has Harry and or Meghan in it. I can't see anything from individual athletes. It's weird but maybe I'm missing something.

Thank god the vast majority of us are NOT in the US then ! Talk about ignorant defaultism!

... all competitors and organisers attending Invictus are required to sign a non disparagement agreement before being accepted to compete

Thank you, @Thedom; I was aware such conditions had been imposed elsewhere but not that they applied at Invictus

I guess a lot hangs on what's considered disparagement ... obviously they wouldn't want competitors claiming things that weren't true, even though it's so much of their own MO, but if that stretches to honest opinions that H&M simply don't like I'd personally avoid involvement like the plague

I just put Invictus Games 2025 into Instagram search function and almost every result has Harry and or Meghan in it. I can't see anything from individual athletes

Edited to add I'm not on Instagram, @MrsLeonFarrell, but can easily believe that
If it's their account then naturally they'll control what goes on it, but you'd hope some space would be left for stories from the athletes themselves - though clearly you'd hope in vain

@MrsLeonFarrell I just tried that on my Instagram account and the same thing happened. It's disgusting how they continue to put themselves at the centre of these games.

Joachim and Marie are very similar to Harry and Meghan. He and Fred are on the outs and they don't live in Denmark. Marie is wearing Invictus merch.

Similar but not similar.

They don't live in Denmark, but Joachim is military attache at the Danish embassy in Washington, so he does have an official role representing the country. They also return to Denmark fairly often and participate in family events. So while it's true that He and Fred have a tense relationship, I don't think you can really compare their situation to Harry's.

How many outfit changes has Marie had so far?

Yes, Harry isn't even on the Invictus Board of Directors.

I suspect he has very little if anything to do with the practical running of the organisation, but I wonder if he has disproportionate influence because of his 'status' and the fact that he's so closely associated with the games?

I'd still like to know who paid for him and his wife to fly back and forth to Vancouver on private jets. It seems very wasteful for a relatively small charity.

The news here in the US is that she tried to get the agent to use her title, except that her passport says Meghan Markle, which is her legal name (US passports don't allow titles and she apparently chose not to take Mountbatten-Windsor) so he asked her if her passport was incorrect. Realizing that he could deny her entry if her passport was incorrect, she immediately backed down. Amazing that she thought she could get US immigration to call her by a title that isn't even recognized in the US.

her passport says Meghan Markle, which is her legal name

Isn't her legal name Rachel Meghan Markle?

@LifeExperience

Yep that’s pretty much the story that I’ve heard this side of the pond.

@IcedPurple

I'd still like to know who paid for him and his wife to fly back and forth to Vancouver on private jets. It seems very wasteful for a relatively small charity.

It’s not just paying to carry them back and forth, From what’s in the public domain by way of flight data/flight logs unless the aircraft operator has been very lucky with clients the aircraft must have be racked up several empty sectors in support of M&H in the last few days as the aircraft positioned prior to or after a sector where one or both of the couple were carried.

Those empty sectors, if there were any, usually have to be paid for…if IG are paying we have to hope there’s some “mates rates” at work behind the scenes or H&M and/or Invictus have some form of frequent flyer deal to soften the blow.

And thank you . I feel a campaign to bring bloviating back into common parlance might be on the horizon 😂

Can you get cream for bloviating? 🤔