PR Disasters Chapter 15

[FenellaFeldman]

The saga continues

I think they are all awful but my daughter at the same age was happiest in a summer dress (rarely cold) and no shoes. We obviously made her wear shoes out out, but wherever she could she'd go barefoot. Soles like leather 😅

I think it's only a matter of time before she's being referred to by the Sussexdom as Princess Lil' Diana and then Lil' Princess Diana.

I wonder if she'll be required to recreate to create the known childhood photos of Diana? I remember some great-aunt and uncle of mine making me pose and recreate a photograph they'd taken of my mother at the same age at Windsor Castle. It was one of the most miserable visits to England I ever had in my life.

Weren't the Disney photos last year also for Lili's birthday?

Yes you’re right. So it’s even worse.

and this year at Disney, she posted a pic of Archie staring at a pillar while Lili meets a princess

Yes - we only get distant "lonely" pictures of Archie
-2026 birthday the distant kids on the beach
-2025 - the boy alone looking out to sea
-2024 ... was there one?

Clearly Lili is the golden child who is always shown cradled by her loving parents and getting the "Disney Princess" experience while Archie appears distant from the family. Isn't Harry ashamed that he has created Archie as the "spare" in his own household?

As time goes on, this is becoming more obvious and it’s going to get worse I think. It isn’t a normal to treat two siblings in such different ways.

It’s not just the photos. He is barely mentioned by his parents in the way that Lili is. Her interview with People when As ever launched was all about how she wants to pass the brand to Lili. Not Archie. A parent should never treat their kids like this.

Youre correct. Archie was once the golden child, whom their foundation and production company was named after. For the first couple of years there were photos and they seemed like very proud parents. Then after Lili was born…..he became the spare. Completely forgotten.

I remember thinking the same way back in 2022 when they released their 'Christmas card'. Alexi Lubomirski, the hunky photographer mentioned above, took the photo.

All the attention is on Lili. Both her parents are gazing adoringly at her, while her brother looks almost forgotten, dangling precariously on Harry's knee. Now, it could be that photos are deceptive, but going by what Archie's parents choose to share on a regular basis, it really does look as though he became an afterthought as soon as his sister was born.

Absolutely agree with this 💯

Has the "Lilibet Birthday photo been photoshopped? There seems an odd orange patch on Harry's shoulder/under Meghan's chin. From a distance it looked like the wall but it's not - it's a very smilar colour but it's a block colour rather than the blurred, colour of the wall behind and the edges are too sharp. Has something been photoshopped in or out?

I also noticed that it's a markedly less flattering photo of Harry than the usual ones Meghan releases. Normally she touches up his hair - but not here, plus the lighting makes him look a bit grey and almost as though he has a black eye.

I get where you're coming from on the security being revisited, @elessar, but given that these things are reviewed regularly I did wonder if perhaps the last one was given more weight than it merited?

It probably didn't help that the news of one being done coincided with Harrry losing his Ravec case, but some who didn't want to think about that were almost presenting it as "Ravec got it wrong so have to do it again", when actually it was just a normal process

That said, I totally agree Harry would have been unable to keep his mouth shut if he'd got what he wanted ... even a possible issue around Meghan still not being prepared to bring the kids to the UK may not have changed that

@MyAutumnCrow thanks for the Nietzsche on a Friday morning!

I still believe they’re doing what’s best for Archie. Im not convinced there’s favouritism going on.

It's a fact that the quantity and quality of photos of Archie they share is very different from that of his sister. So at the very least, they are giving the distinct impression that they favour his sister over him.

Now, that impression may be false but even if it is, how can such an obvious discrepancy be 'what's best for Archie'?

But that's the problem, if this is true they are still revealing something by sharing photos of the children. People may be coming to the wrong interpretation but that is only because the children are being used as content at all.

Archie's needs would be best met by not putting him on social media at all.

Archie is the spare. He's not worth merchandising. H&M will continue to monetise their daughter. However, they should absolutely not have a platform to preach about the evils of SM, etc.

One day he is going to see all of this. His mother laughing at him at Disney. He's going to see the obvious promotion of his sister over him.

I agree, but I don't get it.

I wouldn't want my daughter to be so troubled, in a marriage of convenience, with multiple affairs and struggling with her sense of worth.

No child should be anything other than what they are.

IMHO, L simply presents a more lucrative brand opportunity for her "momager", and she is too young to do anything other than what she is told. Look here. Sit here. Kneel here. Hold pose. Click.

L is clearly being brand positioned as "America's Princess". Not the stuffy UK royals, this is "modern" royalty with "bare feet" and "earth mother" qualities. And of course, the Diana connection. Never forget L's "blue blue blue eyes" or her "strawberry-blond" hair. Always forget L has a living grandmother who has neither blue eyes nor blonde hair.

A&L already have to deal with todger-gate. Anyone who knows anything about middle school knows how cruel kids can be to each other and H&M have provided plenty of fodder. When you add in the obviously different treatment on social media...IMHO, it will all end in tears.

I agree with this. Archie is very second to Lili. She is ‘the’ child.

Not directly relevant but: I am really looking forward to the Royal wedding tomorrow 😊and hope there will be a lovely thread where we all idly gossip on that.

I'm enjoying the English Country, family vibe, I'm getting of the wedding so far.
(M&H should have done this it would have been much more fitting and endearing).

I've started a Peter Philips Wedding idle gossip thread if anyone wants to join me!

As someone said upthread, Archie is the Spare.

There are lots of reasons including Archie perhaps even saying he doesn’t want to feature to any extent in their social media. We can speculate as much as we like but I’m pretty sure we’ll know why one day.

Yes, I do think the birthday photo has been photoshopped now that it is pointed out. How hard can be to take a nice photo?!

It's crazy that H & M can't see how they seem to 'present' their children so differently.

Yes, there are other potential explanations I agree. Though I do think favouritism is the most likely.

But my point is why are we being invited to speculate? You say 'we'll know why one day'. But why should we know? Why are Archie's parents publicly sharing photos and information about their children in a way which encourages discussion about their personalities and family life? Surely that contradicts their 'stance' on the dangers social media poses to children?

There is absolutely no need for us to see photos of the Sussex children. Until a few years ago Meghan didn't even have social media. So why all these faceless photos and disembodied voices?