As Ever #3 As If

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

Another thread to discuss the rebranding of ARO and the merchandising of With Love, Meghan

Part 2: www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/5278062-as-ever-2-whatever

That's interesting context. Can I ask, do British royal titles convey an advantage if she is trying to communicate with the black American middle class? Considering a lot of her messaging about the UK emphasises racism and the evils of Empire why would she want royal titles for her children? Is she trying a redemption narrative?

It seems to be that even if you are correct, and I would argue that Meghan is actually trying for world wide fame not one limited to the US, I can't see why she would keep her titles front and centre. Once again I'm confused by the messages Meghan is trying to put into the world.

I have seen a few posters over the last few months suggest this- because of the Vanity Fair article that wasn’t killed, that nothing has ever been announced by WME etc

looks like you were all right!

page six:

‘An industry insider said Markle, 43, was let go because she was “too demanding” and “difficult to work with.”

but

‘It is unclear exactly when she was dropped, though WME insists they are still working with her.
“WME continues to represent Meghan and Archewell,” said a rep.
Indeed, sources said the agency is still working on some of her projects for Archewell, the foundation she runs with her husband, Prince Harry.’

So it sounds like she’s been dropped but they’re saving face by claiming they are doing bits for Archewell.

but when they announced their partnership- it was meghan only. It wasn’t Archewell and Harry, so that does even make sense?

Totally agree

She fell out with Ari at WME:

‘In addition to this, we hear that Markle had an outburst in January 2024, right after the holidays, when the Duchess demanded a meeting “and expected decks and plans,” though it’s unclear if this was for herself or Archewell.
This led to a dispute and “Ari was done with her,” says the insider. The incident was confirmed by another source.’

Page six

https://pagesix.com/2025/02/24/royal-family/hollywood-buzzing-that-wme-dropped-meghan-markle/

‘Meghan Markle has been dropped by WME, multiple sources tell Page Six, after months of speculation about her relationship with the top Hollywood agency.
But the agency denies it has given the star the royal flush and says it’s still working with her.

We’re told that the Duchess of Sussex has not held any meetings with the agency’s uber powerbroker Ari Emanuel since January last year — though she is believed to have met with her day-to-day agents.
An insider claims Markle was “too demanding.”
It is unclear exactly when she was dropped, though WME insists they are still working with her.
“WME continues to represent Meghan and Archewell,” said a rep.
Indeed, sources said the agency is still working on some of her projects for Archewell, the foundation she runs with her husband, Prince Harry.

In addition to this, we hear that Markle had an outburst in January 2024, right after the holidays, when the Duchess demanded a meeting “and expected decks and plans,” though it’s unclear if this was for herself or Archewell.
This led to a dispute and “Ari was done with her,” says the insider. The incident was confirmed by another source.

The news comes as the mom-of-two prepares to launch her new Netflix lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” next Tuesday.

Markle had only been with the top agency since April 2023 and was being looked after personally by WME big hitters Brad Slater, who reps Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Jill Smoller, who represents the former “Suits” star’s longtime friend, tennis champ Serena Williams.
But, another Hollywood source told us, “I don’t know what those projects are, but WME is definitely not working on Meghan’s personal business.”
Markle has been busy relaunching herself on Instagram in time for her Netflix show.’

This is from Dec 2023:
https://nypost.com/2023/12/07/entertainment/meghan-markle-might-be-dropped-by-talent-agency-over-omid-scobies-new-book-expert/

and now we hear Ari and Meghan argued Jan 2024

” When you become a parent, you genuinely want your kids to find the things that bring them complete joy. They’re our kids, obviously, and they’re part of a legacy and a tradition and a family that will have other expectations. But I want them to be able to carve out their own path… We’re creating multidimensional, interesting, kind, creative people. That’s who our kids are.”

Underlying subtext (IMO), our kids are interesting, creative people because we are unlike the Waleses with all the expectations

Both of us were very curious about what our (mixed race) children would look like when they were born, we talked about it, but neither of us worried about it or dwelled on it in the way Harry describes he did. And neither of us hoped our kids would take after our own parents - that's just weird!

Quite, Jammy!

I'm expecting mixed-race grandchildren and I'm sure it's a perfectly natural and benign topic for discussion to wonder what they'll look like and which characteristics will be passed on - as in any partnership, mixed-race or not. It's a fascinating shake of the gene kalaidoscope! My son and daughter look nothing like each other - one takes after my husband's family and the other, mine.

But oh my goodness - in the light of the racism claims against Catherine and KC, Harry's comments seem very dodgy - also Meghan's clear adoration of her daughter's 'blue, blue eyes'. Just one more example of their hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness.

I have a feeling those poor kids will be valued mostly in terms of how they reflect
on their parents, not for themselves. What they look like, how quirky and amazing they are, how much like Diana they are, etc etc. I feel really sorry for them.

We’re creating multidimensional, interesting, kind, creative people. That’s who our kids are.”

What a ridiculous statement - not to say pompous and pretentious too.

I've never noticed any creativity or originality on the part of Meghan or Harry, so hopefully they've found an external source to supply this characteristic.

She visited to raise money for a breast cancer charity and raise awareness, they presented her with the jumper as a gift .

Had an outburst? What is she, three years old? Definitely more hints at a volatile, demanding and bullying personality.

‘Meghan Markle has been dropped by WME, multiple sources tell Page Six, after months of speculation about her relationship with the top Hollywood agency.
But the agency denies it has given the star the royal flush and says it’s still working with her.

It wouldn’t be the most surprising news to be honest, since she announced she had signed with them in April 2023. They are coming up to two years now since that date and Meghan has notably not had many obvious work (tv appearances / award shoe appearances / speaking gigs / endorsements etc) since that time. There was the NSNX speaking gig, the Cesta handbags promotion, the hairdresser’s product line - not much else?

Anyway, WME won’t have been making any money themselves it of that, and they would have been looking at the financials coming up to their second anniversary. So they could well have decides there’s not enough in it for them.

The harshest comments ... ** grifters
Disaster tourists, are from Americans

The harshest criticism has come from American media.

The only the U.K. don't like Meghan comments don't work anymore, it's not true anymore.

If WME have parted ways with Meghan, it is more than possible they do not want to be representing someone who is seen by the industry and public as a failure and the recent fiasco with her branding is another massive debacle.

Ari has come out guns blazing on behalf of Lively and Reynolds, saying he is a ride or die person, but so far silence from him in the face of the global criticism of Meghan. It will be interesting if his ride or die extends to supporting Meghan and discounting the industry talk of them having dumped Meghan.

That's so true. It's time to explode the myth that there's only a problem in the UK.

Yeh I’m guessing it was a two year contract and it’s up soon in April and this is why we are getting stories now.

It could be she’s technically on the books til April but there’s been no renewal and it will naturally end because WME aren’t willing to work with her because of her behaviour….so that’s how she can be dropped but WME are still repping for her (for 5 more weeks)

I was debating yesterday about posting that ! 🤣

Thanks for this explanation. Interesting. The USA Uni system seems to be generally less stressful than the UK, more personalised & you get more input from the equivalent of personal tutors etc.

🔁 Gosh that smacks of Earl Spencer’s “blood family” diatribe at Diana’s funeral doesn’t it? That worked out well.

In short - it's a mistake to see and judge MM through British eyes and with a British frame of reference. I don't think she's trying to communicate with the British. I totally agree and, as my British eyes are the only ones I have, I swerve all her outpourings but just can't resist dipping in to these threads for the fascinating soap-opera vibes.

It's quite controlling to say this is how our kids' personalities will turn out to be. They may well turn out to be the opposite

Going back to the "Princess Meghan Markle" IP and the (batshit) assumptions about that...Having middle-class values, living a middle-class lifestyle, being educated, well-off, and committed to philanthropy and civic responsibility, especially wrt the black community, are part of the culture of the formerly reviled "black American princess" trope. It used to be pilloried (along with 'Jewish American Princess' and 'Italian American Princess') as an entitled, rather spoiled type, but it has been reclaimed as a badge of pride.

So is it also a common cultural thing for spoiled, entitled, middle class women of minority backgrounds to register an IP address in their name using the monicker "Princess"?

Coincidentally, she registered "Princess Meghan Markle" in 2014 around the same time she wrote in the Tig about wanting to be She-Ra, and making not so subtle digs at Princess Catherine. How very feminist of her.

It's not aspirational middle class behaviour, it's not aspirational for ethnic minority girls and women. Her shtick now is Trad Wife. Marrying for status and money, looking adoringly at husband, clutching on to him, being a clothes horse, dabbling in a bit of light, photogenic domestic duties.
That's not what I wanted for my woc daughter! I'm glad to say she got a degree and is financially independent.

So this is also the link to the page six article-

‘The final straw came after the holidays when Markle demanded a number of things and went “ape s–t” when they weren’t done, a source says.’

The final straw came after the holidays when Markle demanded a number of things and went “ape s–t” when they weren’t done, a source says.