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PR disasters thread 32

1000 replies

BigWillyLittleTodger · 28/08/2026 19:14

Yet another new thread for more Sussex shenanigans!

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jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:13

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Go on my beauty! 👏

Lets Go Applause GIF by Emmys
InspectorDefect · 31/08/2026 16:14

CoffeeCantata · 31/08/2026 15:03

Yes, that lady was a bit of a mischief maker.

I'm not defending anyone touching someone's hair - that was not on: agreed.

But she went in traditional African dress, having changed her run-of-the-mill English name to a traditional AFrican one. Of course an elderly courtier might be forgiven for assuming she'd come from afar.

I'm not denying that Lady Hussey, bless her, probably needed to be pensioned off - it's a rare 84 year old UP person who is up to speed with (I'm sorry - I don'[t know how else to describe it...)'woke' ideas. But I think everyone involved, including H & M, thought she meant well. I think the problem was she had persisted in asking Fulani where she came from, and when she said something like 'Camberwell', she couldn't believe it.

I read an article about this incident (with transcript of part of the conversation) and the journalist got it right, I think. Lady H's fault wasn't based on racism but more accurately on 'classism', in that her insistent, repeated demands to know the answer to her question were rather 'de haut on bas', and probably forged over many years of having to make conversation with random members of the public. I'm sure she's one of those old UC people whose heart may be in the right place but her approach is no longer acceptable in the 2020s.

I think the issue was that when asked her nationality, she replied that she was "British". Lady Hussey came from a generation where people all over the world were technically British citizens and that was why she was asking for further clarification.

Don't agree with the hair touching though, if that occurred.

BasiliskStare · 31/08/2026 16:19

bluegreygreen · 31/08/2026 15:59

Mozambique and Rwanda are two other states who were not previously associated with Britain but are in the Commonwealth.

There are also several countries which are either formal applicants or have expressed an interest in joining.

Thank you @bluegreygreen . I did watch the docuseries and even I thought the , quite frankly , lazy description of the Commonwealth should have been cut out / modified by the fact checkers. It is a much more complex and nuanced thing than - Empire = slavery = RF are bad. But there are those happy to go along with it. Luckily the Commonwealth will stand or fall on its merits , not on what various commentators with their own agendas (either way ) ascribe to it.

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:20

So why did Harry and Meghan accept that important VP role with the Commonwealth Trust?
Their hypocrisy is off the scale.

Andylion · 31/08/2026 16:21

Hostamenace689 · 31/08/2026 10:44

The fact that she was so confident in that context rang alarm bells - any normal person (man or woman) would have felt a bit over-awed, or at least had the grace to seem so, but not our Meghan. As we soon learned, she had come to show them all how to do royalling properly

Ah here we go. Why on earth should Meghan pretend to seem over-awed if she wasn’t? The fact that a thirty-six year old successful actress who had made speeches on behalf of the UN was too confident and not sufficiently “demure” for the British royal family seems completely ridiculous to me in 2026.

I think the fact that she wasn’t “over-awed” reflects that she had no idea what she was getting into, marrying into an institution that was over 1000 years old. It was a sign of things, and behaviour, to come.

Mylovelygreendress · 31/08/2026 16:21

Baital · 31/08/2026 16:03

I don't remember Ngozi Fulani claiming Susan Hussey touched her hair?

Me neither . I thought it was because SH asked her where she was from .

JSMill · 31/08/2026 16:23

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:20

So why did Harry and Meghan accept that important VP role with the Commonwealth Trust?
Their hypocrisy is off the scale.

Didn’t M have flowers from Commonwealth countries embroidered on her veil?

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:24

JSMill · 31/08/2026 16:23

Didn’t M have flowers from Commonwealth countries embroidered on her veil?

Yes. She did indeed.
Off the scale.

Mylovelygreendress · 31/08/2026 16:28

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:24

Yes. She did indeed.
Off the scale.

Ah but was that not part of the spectacle for the masses ??

Aprilfountain · 31/08/2026 16:28

Mylovelygreendress · 31/08/2026 16:21

Me neither . I thought it was because SH asked her where she was from .

IIRC, apparently Lady Susan moved Fulani's braids slightly to the side because they were covering her name badge and she couldn't see the name properly, not exactly the worst thing you could do imho 🤷

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:29

Mylovelygreendress · 31/08/2026 16:28

Ah but was that not part of the spectacle for the masses ??

Yes, which cost us £millions.

Ratherhaveacupofteaandabiscuit · 31/08/2026 16:29

twatwrangler · 31/08/2026 16:03

I might have to reluctantly give her a pass with the ma’aming.

She is from over the pond and it was always my understanding that women get called ma’am when they are no longer young enough to be called a miss?

That ship has long sailed. Quite clearly along bobbing along with the young mother shite.

If it was for adulation, then shame on her. Did she ever ask for ‘call me Meg’ or was it just her fox that asked for that?

Call me H didn’t last long.

I read it that the man who supposedly spoke these words had been a longterm security officer for H in which case he would most likely be British and of course we don't "ma'am" people here except the royal ladies.

BasiliskStare · 31/08/2026 16:29

Andylion · 31/08/2026 16:21

I think the fact that she wasn’t “over-awed” reflects that she had no idea what she was getting into, marrying into an institution that was over 1000 years old. It was a sign of things, and behaviour, to come.

To give M the benefit of the doubt , you could say that she thought her rather go getting attitude would be an advantage and bring another dimension to the RF. And that's an opinion. If she had stuck at it.

When she chose to leave, I think throwing an OW shaped grenade into the RF and telling "their truths" in the docuseries and Spare ( I hold H equally accountable ) I do think she can legitimately come under criticism for using the RF to bolster her world wide fame. That is the thing to me - RF - 1000yr institution - don't care - dissing them gets me into the stratosphere. I'm not saying the RF are perfect. I don't like M using them as a platform for her personal elevation.

jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:29

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:12

Ok, that's a shame - bit hostile.

I remember being on several RF or breakaway RF inspired threads with you, and having a laugh. I thought I waved to you the other day.

I was simply answering the Q that you asked. If you knew the answer, and didn't like being given it, I wonder why you asked it...

Unlike you I wasn't on these threads regularly for the past 6 years, which seems to be what you were implying. I had covid badly then cancer and was in and out of hospital for a few years and just wasn't on MN. And part of the reason is also I get very bored of the same points being made over and over when there is no new action and I don't like blatant unjustified vitriol (about anyone), especially if it's misogynistic.

I have always been primarily critical of Harry of the two, who I think would have been a loose cannon regardless of Meghan or not, and who I think actually controls a lot of what they do. But I don't have much time for the RF as a whole.
Smile

I’m not sure what you mean by this post?
I as most posters on here probably are already aware of …have had cancer….was ill and disappeared for awhile due to covid and very recently have not been on the board for the last two weeks because I had to go to hospital with diverticulitis!
is that important?

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:32

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:12

Ok, that's a shame - bit hostile.

I remember being on several RF or breakaway RF inspired threads with you, and having a laugh. I thought I waved to you the other day.

I was simply answering the Q that you asked. If you knew the answer, and didn't like being given it, I wonder why you asked it...

Unlike you I wasn't on these threads regularly for the past 6 years, which seems to be what you were implying. I had covid badly then cancer and was in and out of hospital for a few years and just wasn't on MN. And part of the reason is also I get very bored of the same points being made over and over when there is no new action and I don't like blatant unjustified vitriol (about anyone), especially if it's misogynistic.

I have always been primarily critical of Harry of the two, who I think would have been a loose cannon regardless of Meghan or not, and who I think actually controls a lot of what they do. But I don't have much time for the RF as a whole.
Smile

Can you point out the misogyny on here please?
I'll report it to MNHQ. It would break talk guidelines

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:33

jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:29

I’m not sure what you mean by this post?
I as most posters on here probably are already aware of …have had cancer….was ill and disappeared for awhile due to covid and very recently have not been on the board for the last two weeks because I had to go to hospital with diverticulitis!
is that important?

❤️

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:35

I could follow your lead and refuse to explain with a childish 'nope'.

But what I meant was, I thought you were having a dig at me for not being on the board for years, as why else mention that you had. I was explaining why I hadn't, that's all.

I don't get the aggressive nature of your posts to me but I am sorry to hear you have/had cancer and other health issues.

jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:37

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:35

I could follow your lead and refuse to explain with a childish 'nope'.

But what I meant was, I thought you were having a dig at me for not being on the board for years, as why else mention that you had. I was explaining why I hadn't, that's all.

I don't get the aggressive nature of your posts to me but I am sorry to hear you have/had cancer and other health issues.

Never assume what other posters are going through, there is always someone who is in a worse position.

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:37

jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:37

Never assume what other posters are going through, there is always someone who is in a worse position.

Exactly 💯

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:38

Which is why it's best to avoid personal accusations.

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:39

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:32

Can you point out the misogyny on here please?
I'll report it to MNHQ. It would break talk guidelines

No need. When I see overt examples I report it. Insidious misogyny doesn't necessarily break talk guidelines.

I was talking generally about a period of years. Not this thread. And not just about one particular person.

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:41

jeffgoldblum · 31/08/2026 16:37

Never assume what other posters are going through, there is always someone who is in a worse position.

Where on earth did I do this?!

I was simply explaining why I took a break. Not saying I had a worse time than anyone else at all.

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:44

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:39

No need. When I see overt examples I report it. Insidious misogyny doesn't necessarily break talk guidelines.

I was talking generally about a period of years. Not this thread. And not just about one particular person.

So... generally. Not this thread . Not overt.
Ok. That wasn't clear from your post.

My2cents1975 · 31/08/2026 16:46

BasiliskStare · 31/08/2026 16:29

To give M the benefit of the doubt , you could say that she thought her rather go getting attitude would be an advantage and bring another dimension to the RF. And that's an opinion. If she had stuck at it.

When she chose to leave, I think throwing an OW shaped grenade into the RF and telling "their truths" in the docuseries and Spare ( I hold H equally accountable ) I do think she can legitimately come under criticism for using the RF to bolster her world wide fame. That is the thing to me - RF - 1000yr institution - don't care - dissing them gets me into the stratosphere. I'm not saying the RF are perfect. I don't like M using them as a platform for her personal elevation.

This was not a recent graduate at her first workplace with no idea how to act.

I doubt M marched onto the set of Deal or No Deal telling all and sundry that she was there to "modernise the game show".

DandyAF · 31/08/2026 16:46

FenellaFeldman · 31/08/2026 16:44

So... generally. Not this thread . Not overt.
Ok. That wasn't clear from your post.

Not clear to you. Perhaps I could have made it clearer but it was within the context of not being on these threads regularly/much/at all over the past 5-6 years. I gave the first reason being that I was ill, and the second and third that I get bored by repetition and don't like unnecessarily vitriol. The threads were mad in 2020 & 2021. And yes, some of the misogyny was overt.

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