PR Disasters Chapter 14

[Recklessismymiddlename]

Continuing the baton on from @Atlusvue

It’s like a Mitchell and Webb parody about advertising

I'm horrified by that 'scone'. Am originally from the West Country and that bears no relation to any scone I've seen (including bad ones).

We always used milk 'just on the turn', which makes perfect scones, and to only mix until it was just combined. Overmixing = indigestion.

I think it's possible MM used metric to imply it is an authentic UK recipe.

It was only when reading one of the books about the Yorks that I found Fergie went to the US after her divorce and sold tea and jam there for years (very much trading on the royal connections - seemingly without actually mentioning the Royals, from what I read). Along the lines of I'm a Duchess, this is my brand of tea, which is very trad English.

Let’s not forget that Williams friends have been with him since childhood, have never leaked anything and more importantly are all aristos ! They are from the same circle as him , they are probably richer than him ( not now obviously) , they have no advantages of being his friends, so I’m afraid to disagree puzzled but the reason they don’t have anything to do with Harry is entirely down to his own behaviour 🤷‍♀️

I agree.

I think the friends that William (and Catherine) have are genuine, longstanding friendships with shared interests. Any of the sort of fair weather, transactional ‘friendships’ would have been weeded out long ago (as is now happening/has happened to Harry and his wife).

Exactly.

Exactly, Mylovelygreendress

And yes, @FenellaFeldman, William really does come across as a decent guy. I always try to remember that much with the RF relies on curated images, but if in reality he's a complete arse then he deserves an Oscar

As time has gone on, William has gently emerged. He's not puffed up, he's not a "lad", he's not constantly making everything about him. Every speech and interview he's made recently has been intelligent and measured.
Anyone involved in the Homelessness project pays tribute to his modesty and genuine concern. He doesn't arrive with an entourage, and it's all about learning.
The conversation with the woman whose husband took his own life was very poignant.

I couldn't agree more about the longstanding childhood friends and their discretion, jeff, and it's very much to William's credit that he's kept them, but in mentioning those who value this kind of connection I was thinking more of the "fair weather" sort who only see the use someone can be to them

On the whole it's fortunate that he appears to have a good nose for this type - something his brother would have done well to learn from

Cressida's husband is also called Harry!

And he is way more handsome, taller, richer and better educated than 'the other' Harry.

Well played Cressida. Very very well played.

Entirely based on the behaviour and entitlement differences between the two brothers, I would wager.
Perhaps Harry could put aside all that petulance, arrogance, greed and entitlement and he might be in a happier place.

The one upgrade BA can’t offer Meghan!

🤣🤣🤣

Quite apart from the inherent hideousness of a phrase like "fruit-forward," I'm struggling here to imagine a jam which isn't [cringe] "fruit-forward."

Perhaps one of its other ingredients would be taking centre stage? "Sugar-forward?" "Pectin-forward?"

I think the ones that would have stuck with him or would have tried to sit on the fence were pushed off by Meghan.
My father’s 4th wife has done this. He is ‘allowed’ to speak to his sister but anybody who knew him & wife number 2 (like my brother and I ) were banished. Friends he had had for 35 years were dumped -apart from one who just so happened to be incredibly wealthy. 🙄
My step mother is the German version of Markle.
I think Harry was a sociable personable chap albeit immature and intellectually lacking and I think he is -deep down - desperately lonely but convinces himself he’s happy as a pig in shit and living his best life because if he admits the truth it shows that his family -especially William- and his friends were right all along about Meghan.
I don’t think he can stomach the loss of face.

Harry is probably the fair weather sort too. Look at his wife and all the people she’s dropped, that’s exactly her MO. I doubt the distancing amongst the friendship group has all been one way. His wife didn’t like them, so he distanced himself from them. And then, as per usual, claim to be the victims of horrible William and Catherine making everyone “choose”.

Have the “Kate blocks royal reconciliation at Balmoral” stories started yet?

ah I see, yes it’s unfortunate that such people hang around for crumbs ! William weeded them out early I believe, Harry unfortunately didn’t bother or that was the only relationships he cultivated.

Thoroughly agree with this, too, Fenella

I'm aware that Harry's tried to claim his brother was every bit as "wild" and that he was sacrificed to make the heir look good, but it's not just about when they were teens now and William's managed to keep it on track all these years

And since when was anything Harry says to be relied on anyway ...

Harry is probably the fair weather sort too. Look at his wife and all the people she’s dropped, that’s exactly her MO. I doubt the distancing amongst the friendship group has all been one way. His wife didn’t like them, so he distanced himself from them. And then, as per usual, claim to be the victims of horrible William and Catherine making everyone “choose”

Yet another very valid point, @Indianrollerbird, highlighting again exactly what Harry's lost and his utter lack of integrity

I only hope, deep down, that he genuinely believes it was worth it, because the stink of burning boats gets stronger by the day

🤣
It’s cringe and ridiculous.

And, it’s a straight choice between the spiteful avaricious undignified blabbermouth and the brother who isn’t, even before you get to the future king aspect.

Yes ! and for @Curro "fruit centric?"

After some blue sky thinking we've taken a paradigm shift and circled down to put fruit centric products in a globally focussed flour based deliverable at scale. Reach out to your loved ones - it's a no brainer.

ETA there must be a PR job going with H&M - there normally is - anyone write me a reference ? 😂

I think you might need to go and have a lie down @BasiliskStare 🤣🤣

Well, don't know about a reference, if you would want that job you might need a referral to a therapist.😉

I’ve had some pip forward jams in my time, I suppose.

What does fruit forward mean ?
I am nearly 70 and having to learn a whole new language!

Yes - William basically has a lot more going for him by all measures, and that’s at the root of much of Harry’s distress I think. William is richer, more powerful, taller, more intelligent, looks more like Diana, has more friends and lots of supportive family including a better relationship with their father and some nice in-laws, 24/7 security, multiple properties, a successful business, constitutional significance, access to all the A listers he wants, a wife who is popular inside and outside the family and higher popularity ratings of his own. And will be a head of state in the next few years.

Harry simply can’t compete with any of that. If he had half a brain cell and an ounce of emotional intelligence, he could have continued to carve out the role that the suits had developed for him - the more emotional, fun-loving one who could be a bit more showbiz and cheeky than his brother, with his own very personal charitable interests and an actress wife. So hosting HIGNFY one minute and then off to Africa for a month to help on a conservation project, back for Trooping, then off to do a round of publicity for Invictus etc etc etc. They would have been financially secure. His children could have grown up with family around them, free security and with real understanding of their British roots. But no - just talks to estate agents, pointless litigation, making stupid and inevitably derided pronouncements on Ukraine and Gaza, and the endless endless whinging 😭😭😭