As Ever #2 Whatever

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

I noticed the old thread is almost full so thought we could start a new one to carry on the discussion about the rebrand and merching.

Are you an ‘As Ever’ or ‘Whatever’?

link to the old thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/5277002-as-ever

As above - H brought more the party to begin with & his inheritances but I think he earned a big whack from Spare. If you count Netflix as joint - has Harry earned more than M thus far ? I think so but more than happy to be proved wrong. What he is doing on an ongoing basis ? @Lifestooshort71 - Good question.

They need more than a cleaner and gardener, they would need a full time housekeeper plus cleaners, one person could not run a house of that magnitude unless they actually shut parts of it down, they would need a groundsperson plus a team of general gardners to maintain the grounds plus maintenance of tennis courts, swimming pools etc and they would also need an on call handy person for general stuff around the house, I doubt either of them would unblock a toilet or clean the shower trap let alone anything technical like changing a plug! Not all would be full time but it’s still a significant cost, then there are the nannies, drivers and security costs plus utilities, mortgage, property taxes, and to think all this was paid for before when they were still part of the RF, Harry’s mind must have been blown when the reality sunk in.

Running that huge house and maintaining it to a high standard would cost a fortune every year. Landscapers, general repairs, house keeping staff. They would be permanent staff with salaries and health insurance etc. They have a mortgage on it which must be a hefty sum. Property tax is 150k a year. I'm sure it all adds up to quite a lot. But they just had to have the giant house that they cant really afford because in their heads its what theyre entitled to as royalty so it's all of their own making

An example of Harry and meghans spending can be seen in Archewell. A foundation that so far has received the bulk from private donors and then mainly writes cheques to other foundations and yet it memory serves pays its top two employees over $600,000 (to write cheques and a yearly new letter) and total expenses over a million. So I can only imagine what they are paying multiple PR and this is all before they get to personal staff, their legal fees.

I think that's likely. The aristocracy know William is the future so they won't align themselves with Harry. I'm sure Harry misses his old life, everything taken care of and paid for. Meghan though she could be the top royal in the USA doing walkabouts but it hasn't worked. Now it's a cookery show that hasn't even got off the ground yet.

Massive grifters.

I'm guessing the house will also have lost value due to the fires?

In any case from what I can understand massive mansions like that have limited resale value, because the market is so tiny and the super rich are very fussy about what they buy.

It seems like most of their expenses count as 'maintenance'. Running the house, security, private jets which as I said above are just a more luxurious way to get from A to B. By Montecito standards, their life is pretty mundane. They had better lives as royals in just about every way as far as I can see.

Exactly!

Meghan doesn't seem to understand that by marrying into the royal family, she instantly became a member of the ultra elite, and on an entirely different level to Hollywood celebrities. Now before anyone calls me a 'forelock tugger' I should clarify that I of course don't think being royal makes you 'better' than anyone else, but it does massively elevate your status.

The life of a celebrity is precarious but if you're royal you're pretty much set for life. And you don't have to grift, hustle or be anything special. She'd have been 3rd lady in the realm had she stayed. Now she's becoming a figure of fun trying to launch a dull lifestyle brand with a rubbish name she can't even trademark.

I'm guessing the house will also have lost value due to the fires?

I think this is probably a very good point.

It must take the shine off any house in that area- the sheer volume of the destruction. Plus I doubt it is built fireproof.

I can't see how this can be fixed or spun ?

Short of downsizing and pausing to regroup I don't believe it can, @jeffgoldblum, and in the milieu they live among disappearing is usually tantamount to giving up and downsizing an admission of defeat

Unfortunately from the POV of credibility, integrity and perceived ability it's over, and American culture isn't always kind to failures if they're believed to have brought it on themselves

I know no more than anyone else where they go from here, but honestly feel some sort of end point is coming, and probably sooner rather than later

That's the trouble when you rely on status and privilege, rather than hard work and talent.

Pretty much what I was thinking puzzled!

I think it's safe to say Meghan is finished in Hollywood!
Is it fair when men commit actual crimes and get away with it ? No

But it's self inflicted and as Meghan is a part of that world she surely would have known.

Too true!

I think it's safe to say Meghan is finished in Hollywood!
Is it fair when men commit actual crimes and get away with it ? No

But these men make lots of money for people in Hollywood. I'm not saying it's right, but there is a business logic to it.

Meghan doesn't make money for anyone. If she did, much would be forgiven. But she doesn't.

@IcedPurple I'm guessing the house will also have lost value due to the fires?

I did read (before all this As Ever hoo ha ) that the house ( pre fires ) had doubled in value since they bought it . Apparently they bought it from some Russian chap at way below market price because he needed a quick sale. So I think a lot of the increase will have been because of that but also houses in Montecito rose just under 50 % in the same period. So financially they made a very good buy.

I've seen reports saying they've lost £1m post fires (can only be surmised - as a house is what someone will pay for it once it's for sale ) which on $30m isn't too bad methinks.

I'll try and find it but I think I also saw something that prices may have a quick upsurge ( particularly rentals ) because of lack of supply - but the real effect on prices will take a fair amount of time to become obvious.

Basilisk I am not a Californian Property Expert Stare - reporting 😊

Thanks Basilisk, that's really interesting and potentially something that has gone right.

"Selling Sunset: Montecito" coming to Netflix soon, where in Harry and Meghan discover their true calling.😂

Actually, they've had worse ideas. They've had worse ideas this week.

It can only be a matter of time before one of them snaps. How can you live a happy life with so much criticism on a global level. It's insane that this is all self inflicted.

CEO? I’m sure even in USA you have to have some skills to be a CEO! What skills would Harry bring to a Board position? What has he brought to Better Up? Nothing is reported about his work/contribution there or with Travelyst.
He has 1 A level and no business skills at all to survive or run a company. If anything that has been made glaringly obvious on the past 5 years.

His title??

If they didn't have all the status, titles and privilege, she'd be playing the neighbour in a soap opera or doing adverts for home fragrance. He'd be working in a bar or something.
They've massively over reached themselves.

@Uricon2 - I bet they are having worse ideas even as I type 😁

That's not going to impress any hard nosed business people. It might have worked when he still had royal connections, but what can he do for anyone now? Even when he was still something of a hot property 5 years ago, the best he could do was a CHIMPO gig for a dodgy life coaching app. There are limits to what an empty foreign title can achieve.

Am I misremembering but didn't Tyler Perrry offer them a holiday on his private island in the Bahamas, it sounded like they were going after Invictus. I think the plan was for them to "reconnect".

Wonder if there's WiFi.

In PR terms it would be easier if they had a moment that they now regret, but they don't. They have a platform that was turned into a them against us. It's a hard standpoint to back down from and those who support/detract them have joined that sport team mentality. The harder they try to show that they are winning or compassionate the more desperate it all seems. It's actually this desperation that is increasing the scorn and mocking. I'm not even sure how you change the minds of people who have the ick with both of them. I've read that the LA fires maybe included in the Netflix show and I'm hoping that is horse shit.

I'm getting a Brittney vibe from M's recent videos.