Meghan and Harry 2: Now with Archie

[acheronbeach]

In further baffling PR moves, we now have Hillary Clinton chiming in.  Meghan and Harry's PR director is Hillary's friend and held senior positions with the Clintons off and on from '96 to '16, so it's fairly transparent where this connection comes from.  

In Hillary's words, "shame on everybody", the way Meghan has been treated is "inexplicable," her race is "certainly a part of it," that it's because she's has the temerity to break the mould she's received criticism and bile, and "I’m so grateful that she persists, and is unbowed, and is doing work she feels called to do. And also isn’t willing to be bullied.”

What can possibly be accomplished by this?  She's essentially saying that Brits who criticise Meghan should be ashamed, that they're racist, that they're bullies, and there's this implication that the BRF traditions are a negative thing.  Yes, getting a famous American friend of a friend to talk about how horrible Brits are will DEFINITELY improve her poor public image. /s 

[nvmbr02]

I thought this interview clip came off as very honest and real. 

 

[viii]

25% of me rolled my eyes, because she didn't walk into this marriage and this lifestyle blind. She knew what she was signing up for, and it should be a given that it's NOT easy and you're going to struggle. 

But the other 75% of me felt very, very sad for her. You can expect something to be a certain way, but once you're actually in it, it's completely different than you tried to imagine it would be. And I think that's how royal life has been for Meghan. I think perhaps she thought things would improve once they were married and the naysayers would quit, but instead it's only intensified. So now she's hormonal with a pregnancy/newborn, and has very little support. She gave up her family and friends to move to England, and while I'm sure she loves Harry and treasures the family they've created together, I'm not surprised that it's difficult, and she's struggling. You need more in your life than just your spouse. 

Good for her for being candid, but I'm sure people will accuse her for trying to victimize herself. 

[FluffySnowball]

53 minutes ago, viii said:

25% of me rolled my eyes, because she didn't walk into this marriage and this lifestyle blind. She knew what she was signing up for, and it should be a given that it's NOT easy and you're going to struggle. 

But the other 75% of me felt very, very sad for her. You can expect something to be a certain way, but once you're actually in it, it's completely different than you tried to imagine it would be. And I think that's how royal life has been for Meghan. I think perhaps she thought things would improve once they were married and the naysayers would quit, but instead it's only intensified. So now she's hormonal with a pregnancy/newborn, and has very little support. She gave up her family and friends to move to England, and while I'm sure she loves Harry and treasures the family they've created together, I'm not surprised that it's difficult, and she's struggling. You need more in your life than just your spouse. 

Good for her for being candid, but I'm sure people will accuse her for trying to victimize herself. 

Yeah, totally agree with you. I was surprised when I saw the video earlier today, it seemed very vulnerable.

It sure really isn’t all that easy to “suddenly” become a working royal of the world’s most famous royal family. 

There were lots of factors at play of course, but Diana became very ill within a few weeks of getting engaged to Charles. And while Victoria if Sweden is a member of the Swedish, not the British RF, she also battled mental illness.

Of course I’d like the money and gorgeous clothes but we shouldn’t underestimate the insane situation these people - those who were born into the circus and those who joined via marriage - are in. They’re kind of in a goldfish bowl. 

And last but not least, I feel for some, like for Harry and Meghan, but people like Andrew can just fuck off. He’s the worst. 

[just_ordinary]

10 hours ago, viii said:

25% of me rolled my eyes, because she didn't walk into this marriage and this lifestyle blind. She knew what she was signing up for, and it should be a given that it's NOT easy and you're going to struggle. 

But the other 75% of me felt very, very sad for her. You can expect something to be a certain way, but once you're actually in it, it's completely different than you tried to imagine it would be. And I think that's how royal life has been for Meghan. I think perhaps she thought things would improve once they were married and the naysayers would quit, but instead it's only intensified. So now she's hormonal with a pregnancy/newborn, and has very little support. She gave up her family and friends to move to England, and while I'm sure she loves Harry and treasures the family they've created together, I'm not surprised that it's difficult, and she's struggling. You need more in your life than just your spouse. 

Good for her for being candid, but I'm sure people will accuse her for trying to victimize herself. 

I agree. But what I don’t get: She couldn’t properly know what she was going into but Harry knew all to well. It was on him (and his team) to analyse the situation when the news of their relationship broke and to prepare her better. A lot of the bad press was to be expected (the BRF is not new to that) but I guess no one could have imagined the racism that came with it. 

While I am in no way against a fast way to marriage, maybe a longer time to adjust for everyone would have been better? Because it truly is a lot. Going from long distance, to married far away, becoming parents and high expectations and permanent scrutiny and criticism. Kate got bad press for years and years before marriage and after. Her black sheep family members were well known and the media had their articles before the wedding. When she entered Westminster she knew what to expect.

I do think Meghan came across as very honest and hurt but many will say that she just acted. That is the problem with her former profession. Actors pretend. 

And what will even feed the hate on them more is the simple fact that they 

(1) take part in a documentary, talking about very intimate and private feelings while also demanding privacy. After this interview, what can they say against headlines that claim both have mental health issues/depression with every unfortunate photo they get, that the marriage is strained/on the rocks.... that is what gossip magazines do. It’s complicated because mental health shouldn’t be a taboo but they have to be careful how they talk about it.

(2) those parts don’t have anything to do with SA. Maybe they should have made two short documentaries because this could be interpreted as if they are making it about themselves.

I do hope they are ok and maybe seek professional help to deal with all this. But their statements make me wonder if they should take a step back, heal and then evaluate if this job is good for them. They can stop being working royals and still do tons of charity and be around family. This would probably provide them more privacy. And more freedom.

[tabitha2]

They don’t want Privacy. If they wanted Privacy they would not be all over the the internet and print media constantly saying how they want privacy. They desperately crave attention actually.If they truly wanted relative Privacy they would leave Britain and Royal life behind and live as rich socialites. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by tabitha2

[Smash!]

While I feel for her in that video I don't buy it completely. While a part of the bad press is cruel, especially the racism one, they are responsible for a lot of it by not wanting to play by the unspoken rules. She married into the British RF, so I don't get the focus on the US and seemingly wanting to be a celebrity there. Plus the ridiculous privacy thing. She's only private when it doesn't get her a huge article in people it seems and I understand that this attitude pisses people off, especially those who are funding her lifestyle.

 

[FluffySnowball]

2 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

I agree. But what I don’t get: She couldn’t properly know what she was going into but Harry knew all to well. It was on him (and his team) to analyse the situation when the news of their relationship broke and to prepare her better. A lot of the bad press was to be expected (the BRF is not new to that) but I guess no one could have imagined the racism that came with it. 

I could imagine no matter how much they discussed what could/would happen, she didn’t really understand fully until she was in the situation. 

That likely is the reason why for Harry, the situation truly feels like his mother’s story is repeating itself. From the outside, we can spot many differences of course, but with his traumatic past experiences, I understand he has a different perspective. 

As for getting married rather quickly, if they really want more than one child, maybe that was a consideration. Wasn’t Meghan 37 when they got married? I’m just guessing, though. 

[tabitha2]

All the same Harry needs to understand teasing and denying the British press  for what vengeance? Pettiness? while playing to Hollywood and American media is counter productive and that His mothers used the media for her purposes and they used her. She was a master media manipulator 
 

If he wants his wife catered too and adored like his mother (mostly) was he needs to learn to play the game, Start reigning in his wife’s Hollywood love, break away from her toxic family  Completely and learn to pick his battles And start paying attention to Britain and British people for the love of Corgis! 

[viii]

Yes, they’ve said they want 2 children, and Meghan is currently 38 years old. They didn’t have the luxury of taking their time like will and Kate did. 

[acheronbeach]

I think that interview was a well-acted, insincere piece of public relations fluff.  

If someone's doing poorly in the media spotlight, so much that you're feeling like others aren't paying attention to your struggle, the choice is not to court more media attention.  If the click of a shutter is trauma that brings back the tragic memories of your mother's death, you don't seek out the cameras.  You don't elicit brand partnerships with H&M and your newborn baby.  You don't arrange for a documentary about yourselves.  You don't post constantly about yourself on social media.  Actions speak far louder than words.  These two want fawning media attention but are unjustifiably resentful of any criticism, legitimate or no.  

If Harry really is flinching and traumatic at the click of a camera, thinking of his mother's death, he needs to stop his public duties and get some mental health help.  His mother died two decades ago from a tragic combination of not buckling her seatbelt, her perpetually drunk chauffeur, and aggressive paparazzi that she'd once used but had lost control over.  Not the media generally (though I can imagine it would be easier to blame the press than a confluence of various individuals' terrible decisions) Now, in the face of criticism, he trots out Diana's memory.  But it was only a year or two ago that he called certain royal reporters close friends and hung out with them at the pub.  He definitely didn't flinch at the clicks when they were focused on Hero Harry, the army vet, the champion of Sentebale and Invictus.  

When it comes to Meghan, okay, I get it, you're struggling.  You're the beautiful multimillionaire wife of a man who is besotted with you.  You have a fully renovated home given to you.  You have a healthy, cute baby.  You've got the money to fly back home whenever you want to.  Meghan supposedly has tons of celebrity best friends who defend her in the papers and adore her.  Where the fuck are they?  Why aren't they asking if she's okay?  Because it's true friends and family who are the ones who ask those questions and give support, not Instagram followers, not strangers.  I have a fraction of M & H's wealth.  I live several thousand kms from all of my friends and family.  It's tough.  But I save my money to fly home and visit my friends who are having tough times.  I use Skype and text and email.   I just don't understand what's happening with all of these BFFs who have the money and capacity to help her, and she has every ability to help herself.  She has every advantage in the world, so it strikes me as a bit of a narcissistic PR move as she's presenting it.   

Honestly?  I think Meghan and Harry thought that with a little bit of Suits-level PR, they'd win hearts and minds like Princess Diana did.  But Meghan and Harry don't have her charisma or innate shrewdness.  Moreover, the media landscape is so different today - with the internet, people have other sources than a PR firm's fawning People article.  So M & H's expectations have been disappointed, and as a reaction, they ramp up the American insta influencer/minor Hollywood celeb PR moves.  That in turn offends the British press, who focus on negative news coverage of them.  

JMO.  I know I perceive Meghan differently because of my friend's acquaintance and sort-of-friendship with her in Toronto.  

Edited October 20, 2019 by acheronbeach

[Giraffe]

It’s been interesting lurking here. I’m starting to understand why some have said they need to remove themselves from the official RF and just become wealthy private citizens. 

[just_ordinary]

So they will take a break and stay in the US for some time. Good for them. Hopefully, it will actually be private and they have time to enjoy their marriage and their son. And when they feel calm and confident they should make a decision about their future. 

But this can easily backfire. Too much publicity will not be received well back in the UK. Their American PR firm doesn’t seem to fully understand how the relationship between the BRF, the British tabloids and the public works. 

I am actually more worried about Harry’s state of mind at this point. IIrc he was in therapy once and I think it wouldn’t hurt to get professional help again.

[tabitha2]

Question:If God Forbid something happened to Will and Kate who be the actual guardian of the children? I know technically The Queen has custody but who would keep them? Charles and Camilla? The Sussex’s? I understand Andrew would be Regent if Charles died before George was of Age.  

[viii]

I think they need to take an official step back. Right now they are waffling back and forth, and it’s clearly not working. If every click of the camera is as traumatizing as Harry says it is, then for his well being and the well being of his family, they should remove themselves from the royal family and lead the private lives they claim to desire. 

1 minute ago, tabitha2 said:

Question:If God Forbid something happened to Will and Kate who be the actual guardian of the children? I know technically The Queen has custody but who would keep them? Charles and Camilla? The Sussex’s? I understand Andrew would be Regent if Charles died before George was of Age.  

I would assume Charles and Camilla would technically have custody but I feel like the Middleton’s would be the ones to actually raise them on a daily basis. 

And I think you meant Andrew would be Regent if William died before George came of age. If Charles died, William would just be king. 

[tabitha2]

But I don’t think George at least would be allowed  be raised outside the Royal family. The Middletons simply can’t prepare him the way the Queen and Charles Prepared William. In fact In my opinion Harry was raised as Diana’s Boy instead of Windsor Prince and not focused on by the former and that’s coming back to bite them now.  

[viii]

I think they would probably move closer to the royal family and make it work. This isn’t the 1500’s anymore, George could easily learn to be king while still being raised by his grandparents. 

[hoipolloi]

This is all so schizoid and rather sad. It actually reminds me a lot of Diana in the time just before and then after the divorce. She may have been a bit smarter generally about dealing with the media but in that time period, she was constantly going back & forth between hiding from the paparazzi & using them to showcase her activities.

OTOH, the unrelentingly racist treatment of M, especially by the UK media, would be overwhelming for even the best-balanced of persons, which M probably was not. Also, taking his words at face value, H seems to have ongoing PTSD from his mother's death. While I tend to agree with @acheronbeach that Diana died due to three things (failing to wear a seatbelt in a speeding car driven by a drunk driver), as opposed to a vast media conspiracy, the pain of her sudden death for H can't be discounted.

It really seems as though the BRF has cut H & M loose to flounder in their own PR morass. Maybe hiding out in the US is a good idea -- if they actually lay low and use that time to get their collective act together.

[tabitha2]

If the stories are true about not listening to advisors and not informing the the Palace media people of their plans it’s better that they leave and sink or swim on their own .Ain’t nobody got time for that. 

[acheronbeach]

Frankly, I'll be shocked if we don't see pap walks of Meghan and Doria going to yoga together, M grabbing an organic fair trade green smoothie on her way to Archie's playdate, and super special baby-free date night with H at Soho House West Hollywood.  

[viii]

18 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

It really seems as though the BRF has cut H & M loose to flounder in their own PR morass. Maybe hiding out in the US is a good idea -- if they actually lay low and use that time to get their collective act together.

I think Harry and Meghan have done a lot of things either without permission, or ignoring advice, and so I'm not really surprised that the BRF has taken a step back. If they are determined to be their own voices, then they can speak for themselves in the good and the bad times. 

[Jigsaw3]

If the Queen, William, and Charles all die before George comes of age, the Regent would most likely be Harry, not Andrew. Harry is a legal adult and comes before Andrew in the line of succession. With the ongoing exposure of Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and alleged forays into sex with coerced and trafficked minors, the optics of him as head of state would be BAD. Harry is a Counsellor of State, a responsible adult, and while he's feuding with the media, no one is accusing him of assaulting children.

If William and Catherine both die before the children are grown, legal custody does go to the Royal Family -- I believe the Queen herself, and then Charles after her death. In terms of who would actually raise the children, I don't know: Charles and Camilla? But more likely Harry and Megan again, given that they now have a nursery of their own.

Let's all hope that everyone involved lives long and happy lives and that none of these nightmare scenarios come to pass.

[tabitha2]

My Googling says Regency would go: 

Harry

Andrew 

Beatrice

in that order. 
 

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by tabitha2

[just_ordinary]

Ok so I watched the documentary and have to say: wow. It’s bad. 

I am not denying their struggles. I believe they are very real and they both suffer.

But the documentary itself is bad. What about all those pointless shots of Tom Brady? The mix of overdramatising narration completely undermines the showcasing of SA. It’s like two stories in one that clash badly. The narrative about Harry and Meghan is told too soppy in my opinion. And the contrast between their personal struggle against their smiles it too sharp. More like a boulevard documentary and not a serious one. Every question is already answered, Harry and Meghan even repeat his exact words. He gives them so many catch phrases that I do wonder how this whole thing came into being. Because this looks like the whole documentary is just to tell their struggles and SA is just the backdrop to it. Tom Brady should have delivered something better. 

I also think we shouldn’t forget that those interviews aren’t spontaneous moments and completely raw emotions. They were set up and the questions have been discussed before. Therefore I think both made some unfortunate statements.

Harry only touched briefly that he was better and that his problems have only come back recently. And instead of elaborating, he lets Tom Brady give him the next key line about managing problems.

Meghan said she thought it would be hard but fair.... I don’t get that. What gossip is fair? Why didn’t she pick up some of those tabloids or locked online and paid attention to the smear articles about Kate, Camilla, Fergie (who is still mocked and hated) or the York girls? The articles and the comment sections would have provided a very good idea about what was coming her way. 

Their statements should have been underlined by real examples of what have been said. But the articles itself are great at playing along the line, while the comment sections are full fair and unfair criticism and hate. So their whole claim falls weak. Real quotes would have been much more powerful. 

Lastly, I do wonder if it even hit Harry by surprise. He was the golden boy for years. William was called too boring, stiff, indifferent, hating his position, would rather retire with Kate and the children in the countryside, hating the media with a fury, had no Charme opposed to Harry, who was the fun one, smiling, dancing, being at ease, better looking, smarter, dedicated.... There were hundreds of articles and comments about Harry being the better „king“, some crazy fans even talked about petitioning. We have a saying: the fall goes a long way down. The storyline of them together as „breaking the mould, being the modern and fresh faces, being the biggest assets and what not“. It all had to turn at one point. It always does. And I think they burned Meghan out with it. I always think they advertised her in a way she only could fall short at one point.

[tabitha2]

Neither of these people seem to live in Reality anymore. Flakey , entitled, self absorbed  and foolish without the basic adult maturity to reflect on actions or take advise or not deliberately antagonize the Press and then whine about how unfair!  and shocked! they are about how they are treated.