PR Disasters chapter 12

[AtIusvue]

Meg n Harry giving us plenty to talk about as usual…..

As regards Frogmore cottage and Queen Victoria’s Munshi I think it is highly unlikely either Meghan or Harry researched previous occupants of Frogmore cottage and I doubt either of them have ever heard of Munshi.

It’s pure speculation of course but I do think it is quite likely that when the Queen slapped down the request for an apartment within Windsor castle she may have said something like “Well I suppose you could have Frogmore Cottage”. Whether she said the word “cottage” or not they were likely unaware of its existence and would have just heard the word Frogmore and jumped at it. They had their wedding reception at Frogmore and it’s exactly the grand sort of place Meghan expected and wanted. And to an American somewhat reminiscent of The Whitehouse which would have been an added attraction. I doubt they ever would have left if they had got Frogmore!

In fact Frogmore has an interesting history and is a gorgeous place which seems to be kept more or less as a private museum and entertaining venue.

I don’t know what William is going to do with all these houses going forward. There is now Royal Lodge to add to the collection, in need of restoration and decoration by all accounts. People moan when Royals get to live in them at a modest cost but except for the principals they mostly don’t have the money to pay the “market” rent (whatever the “market” is for a historic home on a private estate with full security). The security issue means it isn’t appropriate to put them on the open market and rent to some Russian or Chinese billionaire. So they pile up and sit there unoccupied. Personally I would rather see these buildings being used. But used appropriately. Therefore ruling out ripping out the historic fixtures and fittings and turning them into schools or other public service type usage.

Frogmore Cottage is actually several houses knocked together . They were hardly slumming it but clearly not grand enough !

Oh yes and the wardrobes are very similar too.

Frogmore house was offered to Andy &Fergie when they got engaged.
They declined it.
It’s now considered a bit too delicate to be lived in full time by anyone -which is why it’s just used for events.
It’s a pity as it’s fabulous but it was never going to be an option for H&M.
I still think the plan was for Harry & his wife (whomever she was) to move into Clarence House when the Queen died & the King moved to BP.
I also think Charles would have given Harry Highgrove if he had truly wanted it, yes I know it’s owned by the DoC or bought them a country pad.

It was originally just one property.
It stayed one property for over 100 years but was seperate into 5 units to provide staff accommodation .
When H&M were offered it it was simply turned back into a single residence.

Not really a fan of this guy usually, but I think much of this is sensible.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/meghan-markle-shares-photo-of-daughter-lilibet-4-before-unveiling-social-media-memorial/

I think Megxit did Catherine a huge favour. Meghan swanning around in a royal role, in her hugely expensive designer gear and her 'ready for my close-up' starlet behaviour, would have filled the front pages with inevitable comparisons. To have had to handle that on top of bringing up 3 young children and then her devastating cancer diagnosis....I think Catherine would have struggled. As it is, she's coped beautifully while the shit-show has gone on elsewhere, she's probably dipped in and out (like the rest of us) and had a quiet giggle.

a v balanced and sensible critique of their latest gaff

If Meghan reads that Tom Sykes piece, I wonder if she'll take a moment to be grateful that he attributes Archie's much lower profile to her being respectful of his expressed wish for privacy rather than the much more likely explanation that he's of less use and interest to her because he has less potential to be a mini-me.

I agree that Catherine and all the RF and the people they represent are all better off with H & M's drama being at a distance.

I'm not sure Meghan would ever have been happy, whatever the house. I think she's only ever wanted to be 'American wealthy', which tends to mean enormous and brand new, and which Europeans tend to view as maybe rather tacky. I don't think she'd ever have coped well with our draughty old houses, however many millions they may be worth. Even if she'd somehow been given Blenheim Palace, she'd have whined endlessly about the lack of aircon. She aspires to the Kardashian lifestyle, not the King's.

I agree, they really couldn’t have made it easier for W+C to come out of this looking good. They haven’t revealed anything of any substance to damage the RF and meanwhile have failed at everything and comprehensively trashed their own reputations in the process. So many lies that any future accusations can be ignored. What a relief. I’m sure the RF cringe every time the Sussexes open their mouths, it must be a bit embarrassing, especially for Charles. But overall, a much better result for the RF than if they had stayed. If Meghan were capable of taking advice, keeping her mouth shut and pretending to be supportive, she could have been the absolute superstar of the family. But she wouldn’t have been queen. And would always have been behind W+C in the hierarchy. Both of those were intolerable I guess.

That is a brilliant article.

Gosh, that image of her just shows how much she's ruined a beautiful face with tweakments.

It's not even that she looks bad, the work is very good. But she looked lovely before, and now she's stripped the character out of her face.

We were talking about MSM not being critical of them earlier and I just scrolled the entire DM home page and didn't spot the lavender dress photo with L at M's feet. I think they must be losing interest and the only reason that would happen is if they are now generating fewer clicks.

Ha ha ha at “is it possible for a fictional character to get a restraining order”

It’s called being common

I think you might have something there - because her bestie Jessica Mulroney talked about her efforts to clean up her act - and I can’t imagine having a long term, intense socialising friendship unless you were both similarly aligned.

I’ve noticed that too.

The new Disney pics didn’t get that much traction either, compared to last year. Maybe because some believe they are old photos etc. But last year I remember that it was the leading story on the online DM, this year, you had to scroll a fair bit to find it.

This is what happens with all content creators ….people get bored of the same thing.

This is what I think they are trying to do now in hindsight - if Project Thaw is to have any grain of truth - but it comes 100% from H&M - the WRF don’t need or want any association with them. I believe KC3 is open to a private family relationship to be re established with his son and grandchildren but PH wants / needs to jump over this to a public relationship for his commercial ambitions and can’t keep the bitterness in check or the leaking - which is KC3 condition for a private reconciliation - so neither will happen as the trust isnt there

If I were the designer responsible for that lilac coat M is wearing, I'd not be pleased. Another bridge timbered.

See also: vulgar.

That is a savage take-down of their hypocrisy. From the Daily Beast, which was initially quite sympathetic to H & M when they first flounced.

He is especially on target when he says that "Not showing a child’s face does not prevent that child from becoming a social media star."

The lilac outfit and being in the old fashioned closet- reminds me of those boutiques that specialise in mother of the bride outfits!

It’s frustrating to think of all those missed opportunities, the good they could have done. If Harry had taken a chunk of money and used it to do something useful that also provides an income - maybe investing in sustainability, or conservation / tourism. If Meghan had carefully built a beauty brand while attaching herself to a couple of good causes and actually working hard for them. If they didn’t exploit their own and others’ children online. If they hadn’t fallen out with the RF so publicly, they could have for instance done some fundraising for cancer research and aligned themselves with the millions of families who have a loved one suffering. But all those opportunities are gone now, it would take years to rebuild their reputations, everyone expects the worst of them and their activities are viewed with cynicism. And neither of them have what it takes to shut up, stay out of the public arena and work hard.

The hypocrisy is quite breathtaking
I also think having someone flaunt their child across social media is really damaging to the campaign about social harms to children.

It actually makes me really cross that she either doesn’t understand or care about the feelings of those families who have lost their children