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The royal family

PR disasters thread 30

1000 replies

BigWillyLittleTodger · 22/08/2026 19:11

Flying through these threads at a rate of knots! A shiny new thread for yet more Sussex shenanigans!

PR disasters thread 30
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AtIusvue · 25/08/2026 20:28

BasiliskStare · 25/08/2026 20:20

I agree with @Atlusvue and others. I think M having to work from Montecito is a face saver. "The business is doing really well". I can believe H wants to come home. I can believe M thinks going to a tony English private school will the give the children a bit of gloss. I can believe they both want to rekindle a bit of royal stardust. Whether I can believe M wants to move back to the UK permanently , much harder to believe. I think it's going to suit H down to the ground - bit of charitying , taking the children to school , going to the pub with what friends he has left. However , here term time , California and Portugal in the holidays , what's not to like for him. It's not like he's got an actual job to worry about. I note we haven't been briefed H will have to go back regularly for BetterUp , but then I think the demands on his time for $1m a year from them didn't seem to be terribly onerous.

edit - missed out a word.

Edited

Great point about BetterUp, he can earn his million dollar salary and WFH but Meg can’t?

Dontevenlookatme · 25/08/2026 20:29

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 19:18

It’s unconscious uncoupling. 😉

I don’t agree.

I think they believe they can do this because they’ve done it before, much of their courtship was long distance. They made it work then, they think they can do it now.

They’re focusing on themselves as usual and completely forgetting the emotional needs of their children.

TheAutumnCrow · 25/08/2026 20:38

diddl · 25/08/2026 19:26

Had to laugh at this from the Alison Boshoff piece

A friend says-

‘He and Meghan are the best and most committed parents. They are the people who tell their kids: “no tablets [screens] at the dining table”.

And all that crap about Archie's school and being a 'day boarder' who sleeps at home ... Of course he's not bloody boarding, he's only just turned 7 years old ffs. He's going to an after-school club for prep so that Harry doesn't have to help him with his homework, let's be honest here. The school's probably going to give him his tea, too.

Then at 8 years old - boarding it is.

Rhaidimiddim · 25/08/2026 20:38

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 18:38

A lawyer on one of the YouTube talk shows ventured his belief that it is being funded by a newspaper.
(ANL anyone??). Anyway if true I think we can safely order in a bulk purchase of popcorn 🍿 🍿🍿

However as @Izzzzxxx says, the decision isn’t really Dr Sophie’s - the charity will have to make a decision for the good of the charity and I think that decision will be to stay out of court if they can.

Do hope they don’t agree to an NDA but I suppose it still wouldn’t be in the best interests of the charity to run to the press with the receipts. We are going to be denied the fun and a bellyful of popcorn I fear.

I thought it was Dr Sophie, personally, suing them forvdefamation. But I'm prepared to be put right if I'm wrong...

Rhaidimiddim · 25/08/2026 20:40

My2cents1975 · 25/08/2026 19:31

The people who have displayed the foresight of an average goldfish have a 15 year plan. Apparently.

This week.

Last week it was possibly a temporary move, with Canada and Australia next on the let's-try list.

bluegreygreen · 25/08/2026 20:41

Rhaidimiddim · 25/08/2026 20:38

I thought it was Dr Sophie, personally, suing them forvdefamation. But I'm prepared to be put right if I'm wrong...

No, the court case is by Sentebale, not Sophie Chandauka personally.

Mylovelygreendress · 25/08/2026 20:42

RecoIIectionsMayVary · 25/08/2026 20:21

He sees himself as a full-time father and he will be here for them spending every Saturday watching Archie play rugby

So ongoing fucking up of children - having ideas of what children will be and their genders roles.

What is Archie hates rugby, or sport for that matter, what if Lili wants to play rugby?

Exactly . I have a DGD who loves rugby and a DGS who loves dancing !

bluegreygreen · 25/08/2026 20:42

CoffeeCantata · 25/08/2026 20:07

I thought Diana was a flawed woman-and not the perfect mother she was cracked up to be, but one thing I didn’t doubt was her total sincerity in her care for sick and troubled people, especially children. I’m not saying it was all an act, but clearly it wasn’t the spontaneous outpouring of love that I’d taken it for!

It could be both things @CoffeeCantata - I hope so.

TheAutumnCrow · 25/08/2026 20:44

My2cents1975 · 25/08/2026 19:31

The people who have displayed the foresight of an average goldfish have a 15 year plan. Apparently.

In the article it's a '12 to 15 years plan' around a British education because Harry's still trying to work out how old Lily is and when she'll leave school, and it's a difficult sum for him to do.

Confused Math GIF by Aroma Retail
AtIusvue · 25/08/2026 20:46

Didn’t Serena say not long ago say how she learns so much about parenting from Meghan, because Meghan has read all the books?

Wonder what Serena will think of this parenting decision?

AtIusvue · 25/08/2026 20:47

…..and I wonder what book Meg read to think living on the other side of the world from your children is a great parenting choice

Irememberwhenitwasallfieldsroundhere · 25/08/2026 20:57

If Meghan isn’t going to be here much how absolutely devastating for the children. Why is nobody saying this? (The press I mean, we are here, obvs)

MrsFinkelstein · 25/08/2026 21:01

Lunde · 25/08/2026 11:55

Article in PageSix (often a HAM mouthpiece but definitely not this article) about HAM's problems in hiring and retaining domestic staff in Montecito because of Meghan's "snobbish and rude" behaviour towards housekeeping staff. Apparently word got out on the housekeeper network and few wanted to work for her.

Many of the neighbours are also relieved they are leaving and taking their drama with them.

https://pagesix.com/2026/08/24/royal-family/meghan-markles-snobbish-behavior-made-hiring-montecito-housekeepers-nearly-impossible/

It will be interesting to see how that aspect goes when they are back in the UK. I saw something a few weeks ago, when it was thought that HAM would stay in Buckingham Palace in September for Well Child etc, that many of the BP staff had put in for leave in September as they have bad memories of working for HAM.

That corroborates a previous article, was it by Sarah Vine or Alison Pearson? Who said Meghan was rude when interviewing a young woman for a job when still a working Royal.

MissFenellaPrism · 25/08/2026 21:01

AtIusvue · 25/08/2026 20:46

Didn’t Serena say not long ago say how she learns so much about parenting from Meghan, because Meghan has read all the books?

Wonder what Serena will think of this parenting decision?

Edited

I sometimes wonder about Serena, I really do.

TheAutumnCrow · 25/08/2026 21:01

flapjackfairy · 25/08/2026 20:15

well one huge question remains...how are they going to fund multiple homes if Harry is a stay at home dad and Meghan is flogging jam ? That is not going to jeep 2 / 3 huge houses running and pay school fees for 2 kids surely.

Gradual divorce settlement funded by the royal family esp Charles? Part of the deal might be that the children are no longer merched on Instagram, that Meghan and Harry behave with some decorum, and the children are in school.

I do think that there are sets of financial accounts that need looking at though connected to the royal hangers-on Portugal/charity set.

myverylastnerve · 25/08/2026 21:02

When I saw the photo of the Royals leaving church on Sunday it struck me that they were all smiling and looking relaxed.
For me it didn’t looked forced but very natural and I thought what do they know that we don’t ?
I am speculating obviously but it was my immediate thought.
I wonder if Harry had told Charles that M would not be joining him full time ??

TheAutumnCrow · 25/08/2026 21:05

IcedPurple · 25/08/2026 20:25

I think he got a million for that job in the same way he got 100 times that from NF. In other words, not at all.

The 'job' was the introduce BetterUp's services to Ingriftus.

If that's not a conflict of interest, I don't know what is.

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 21:10

bluegreygreen · 25/08/2026 16:31

The Metropolitan Police investigated over 300 silent nuisance calls.

Oliver Hoare was particularly concerned about the calls initially due to his business dealings in the Middle East. He asked the police to stop investigating when he was told the source of the calls (private phone lines in KP, etc).

Of course, by blaming the calls on 'young teenagers' who would have access to those lines, who was Diana blaming?

Original story in Independent (NotW story no longer available) https://archive.is/NTvXJ

Calls confirmed by friend https://archive.is/S3idt

Thanks for the links. Totally off topic but that picture of Fergie!! Whatever was she wearing??

Did she break into song - “I’m just a girl who cain’t say No” ? 😂😂😂

PR disasters thread 30
MrsLeonFarrell · 25/08/2026 21:35

The Rest is Entertainment was a little on the Sussexes today. Richard Osman was pitching a programme called Harry's Special Forces, where Harry got veterans to do up people's houses and show off their skills. A bit like DIY SOS. Frankly it isn't the worst idea and better than anything Harry came up with. It was an interesting listen.

Cerralin · 25/08/2026 21:46

flapjackfairy · 25/08/2026 20:15

well one huge question remains...how are they going to fund multiple homes if Harry is a stay at home dad and Meghan is flogging jam ? That is not going to jeep 2 / 3 huge houses running and pay school fees for 2 kids surely.

It wouldn't surprise me if KC were funding living costs for Harry and the kids. Possibly with conditions (living in the UK? stop whingeing so much and slagging people off?). This could make sense for both sides, given Harry's pisspoor choices and dodgy finances.

Doubtless the same offer would be open to Meghan, but perhaps she doesn't want to live in the UK, or with Harry.

It sounds quite logical to me. On the other hand, apparently KC was only told 10 days ago that they planned to come back, which doesn't really support this theory. Unless the offer was made some time ago, and Harry just ummm'd and ahhhh'd and generally pissed about until the last moment before saying yes with no notice (cf. the way he demanded to stay at Buckingham Palace during his last UK visit).

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 21:53

Anyone with a very wealthy elderly widowed father in Montecito had better keep tabs on them, that's all I'm saying.
Elderly widowers are very vulnerable to gold diggers, I've seen it with friend's fathers and my own FiL remarried within a year of being widowed, thank fully it was a good marriage and she took good care of him.
Enough money will more than compensate for a title, especially when it comes with a horrid controlling family.
Check out Undine Spragg again! 😂

PigglyWigglyOhYeah · 25/08/2026 21:53

Those poor little kids. I hope they settle happily. Whenever I think my opinion of Meghan couldn't go any lower something like this crops up and I think even less of her.

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 21:57

TheAutumnCrow · 25/08/2026 20:22

I think Harry was being pointedly sarcastic about the clothes, while trying to get sympathy for himself in Spare when Pa queried the £900k per annum frock bill for Meghan. (I don't think that Harry revealed the amount involved to his readers, just that Pa talked about her clothes bill and for Harry this was very bad.)

Btw @ShamedBySiriif you want to track your married friend down, you'll need a subscription to the Times and then you can access their archives online, including Birth, Marriages & Deaths, Announcements, etc. I've done it track down a historic divorce notice. It's fascinating stuff.)

Thanks @TheAutumnCrow
I do have a subscription to the Telegraph so I will start there, and take out one of the opening offer ones for the Times later, that's a good idea.

StartupRepair · 25/08/2026 21:57

Struggling a bit with the idea of Harry's great insight sinto the comparative value of UK and US education systems. Not even Eton was able to instill much intellectual curiosity in him. It's also insulting to all the fine teachers and schools in California.
Harry grew up with friends because Charles had lifelong friends whose children naturally played with William and Harry. He has not provided this continuity for his children with the rotating list of celebrities and temporary friendships which is Meghan's style. Many of Harry's UK friends were frozen out by Meghan, not invited to the wedding and now aligned with William. He cannot recreate his childhood because he blew it all up.

Cerralin · 25/08/2026 21:59

ShamedBySiri · 25/08/2026 21:53

Anyone with a very wealthy elderly widowed father in Montecito had better keep tabs on them, that's all I'm saying.
Elderly widowers are very vulnerable to gold diggers, I've seen it with friend's fathers and my own FiL remarried within a year of being widowed, thank fully it was a good marriage and she took good care of him.
Enough money will more than compensate for a title, especially when it comes with a horrid controlling family.
Check out Undine Spragg again! 😂

Yes, last time she married the grandson of the family and didn't realise that he didn't actually hold the purse strings.

She won't make that mistake again. Next time it'll be the grandpa.

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