Tom Bower's "Betrayal" Book discussion thread

[BasiliskStare]

My copy of Tom Bower's new book "Betrayal" has transported itself on to my Kindle . Just started it.
A thread for those reading for discussion if anyone is interested.
All opinions welcome , but no spitting , no fighting 😂

@HeddaGarbled "Their host is expecting a large donation from Archewell and says so in front of an audience in a theatre. (She gets $8310). "

Yes that stood out to me. Apparently she (host) was expecting $2m or more. The Colombia trip does come across as particularly tone deaf (IMO) . I think these figures (inc the George Soros charity) are things which wouldn't be easy to find out. It's a lot of (cited) clothes and publicity for little payback to the host country. 😊

Re the hooray harry thing I think it's fair to say it was an 80s term which had probably fallen out of use by the time Harry grew up, so not beyond belief that someone as intellectually incurious as Harry might not have been aware of it. Also although it was obviously a pub for the headline but I think the double meaning was potentially laughing at him.

You could be right.

However it's odd he'd never known or looked up the phrase considering his mother Diana was considered the quintessential early 80s Sloane Ranger - the female version of a Hooray Henry.

“Fuxking hustlers’ on top of being ‘Fuxking grifters’ ….

Surely it’s the responsibility of his expensive / extortionate legal counsel to have spotted this ‘double entendres’…..The bouffant one was certainly of that age cohort to see it.

I don't believe Harry's ever looked anything up in his life.

No - I think he pays people like Sherborne to do his reading for him 😂

No bad things?!
Racist. Stand-offish. Baby brain.

They are the grift that keeps on giving though.

Well not actually to charities - more for shits and giggles . But that is only for some observers - clearly others think they are worth flying around the place , inviting to awards etc. But those invitations seem to be increasingly less prestigious.

“Racist” – Even Prince Harry himself later clarified that he never said the royal family were racist—though it took him quite a while to do so. In Tom Bower’s Betrayal, Catherine wasn’t even part of that conversation. It’s described as a conversation involving Harry, Charles, and Camilla early in the relationship, and framed as lighthearted.

“Stand-offish” – In hindsight, she may have simply been cautious. Given everything that followed, that doesn’t seem unreasonable—if she was even stand-offish to begin with.

“Baby brain” – The only bad look there was for the person who said it, not the one it was said about.

Harry really doesn't realise that his presence alone is no longer worth the money. A working royal is one thing but if he turns up he needs to come with money for the charity.

I’ve finished listening on audiobook. It’s pretty damming about Meghan and also in places of Harry. Meghan is portrayed as ruthless, self centered, tone deaf, unoriginal and unpleasant - but also as trying hard, not unintelligent and determined. Harry comes over as a petulant moron. The author is also quite critical of the King (dithering) Kate (cold) and William (hot headed and angry). However (and this is the tone of the narrator) there is significant emphasis on the variations in Meghans stories , the changing narratives and the outright lies.

I’ve finished listening on audiobook. It’s pretty damming about Meghan and also in places of Harry. Meghan is portrayed as ruthless, self centered, tone deaf, unoriginal and unpleasant - but also as trying hard, not unintelligent and determined. Harry comes over as a petulant moron. The author is also quite critical of the King (dithering) Kate (cold) and William (hot headed and angry). However (and this is the tone of the narrator) there is significant emphasis on the variations in Meghans stories , the changing narratives and the outright lies.

I’ve finished listening on audiobook. It’s pretty damming about Meghan and also in places of Harry. Meghan is portrayed as ruthless, self centered, tone deaf, unoriginal and unpleasant - but also as trying hard, not unintelligent and determined. Harry comes over as a petulant moron. The author is also quite critical of the King (dithering) Kate (cold) and William (hot headed and angry). However (and this is the tone of the narrator) there is significant emphasis on the variations in Meghans stories , the changing narratives and the outright lies.

But subsequently Scobie (deliberately?) outed their names in Endgame - which were then anonymised but the racist claim was not withdrawn by Scobie or subsequently addressed by H or M.

It suited them to leave it hanging.

That sounds like he’s nailed it - the characteristics can of course be subjective but when there is an evidence trail of similar reported / observed incidents a pattern of behaviour can be built up. It must be amusing for the reader (although tedious for Bower) to cross reference all of her versions / lies / spin etc - ‘recollections may vary’ indeed seemingly even in her own grandiose delusional head.

It’s quite rich of H & M to complain about the scrutiny on them given the relentless barrage of abuse they monetised slinging shit at others.

I’ve finished.

A sad read, I thought.

I think Bower thinks the Royal Family in it’s current form is on the way out, and that matters more to Harry & Meghan than it does to William & Kate.

I don't think Catherine is cold so much as she is able to keep her emotions in check when necessary. I can see how that is a useful counter point to William who does seem to be a bit hot headed.

I agree . I Also think that both W & H had a certain attraction in the Princes of the Realm department. 😊 I do think C knew what she was getting into and what she would be required to do & prepared to put up with the upsides (many ) and the downsides. Not so sure about M.

I would agree with that. KC3 is not charismatic. AMW is atrocious and their handling / blind eye / covering for him is even worse IMHO. Accountability and transparency is the way forward and I have a feeling W&C will adapt, embrace and relish a quieter low key type of monarchy from a work / life family lifestyle perspective. H&M will have no role to play in any evolved set up even though they will want and need the pomp and pageantry to make $$$$.

I think H&M are desperate to push for a different easier version of HIHO where they don’t do any work but rock up to 2-3 key royal events each year which provide sufficient royal adjacency photo ops that they can spin out all year to grow their online UPF and tat business. Christmas Sandringham walk, Ascot and Balcony / Trouping of the Colour would be considered enough visual content to prop them up for the year in the US commercial space - Sarah Ferguson spun it all on less.

There is no way William will allow them to rock up at special events . Apart from KC’s funeral I think they will be out in the cold . I don’t expect them to be invited to William’s Coronation.

I agree. Plus Catherine has the advantage of knowing how the Royal family fit into culture and society in a way that Meghan wouldn't because she didn't grow up here. Harry not explaining compounded the issues of course.

I’m on page 129. A very sad read so far.
Harry and Meghan obviously felt so powerful due to their popularity at the time of, and following their wedding, which seems to have buoyed them into thinking that they could behave as they wished without consequences. Meghan was so audacious, blaming Catherine’s ‘hormones’ and ‘baby brain’ on the disagreements on the run up to the wedding, (when they met for tea in W&K’s Kensington apartment). Meghan then has the bare faced cheek to call out misogyny when it suits her. I cannot imagine saying such things to anyone. Her values differ to suit.
Harry clearly has vendettas and is angry and vengeful. For example, blaming the media for the suicide of Caroline Flack when in fact the police were equally culpable.
Interesting that the couple seem to have a script of certain phrases and words to debunk and clap back. The words conspiracy theory, misinformation, deranged etc are too often used in statements from the couple. The most damning being Meghan’s denial of communicating indirectly with Omid Scoobie while using such words. She ultimately had to admit to colluding with Omid following JK’s statement to the court.
Delulu comes to mind. Gonna keep reading…

There’s no way in hell those two will ever be at major Royal events again. William will have to grin and bear it at their father’s funeral but that will be it.

Catherine isn't cold, before Meghan the trio were always photographed laughing and she comes across as warm and friendly.

I agree that H&M believed they were top billing had they stayed in the UK the shine would have faded which would have caused them to behave badly. They now do it from the USA.