Harry & Meghan 11: She's a Scarab Beetle

[samurai_sarah]

2 minutes ago, Jackie3 said:

(snip)

"How dare a mixed race woman be unhappy as a duchess! The nerve of her!".

(snip)

Who said that? I'm asking as a mod.

[Loveday]

One can side-eye the clingy hand-holding without hating her. I don't hate Meghan, in fact until very recently I really liked her. I still don't DIS-like her, I'm just more meh about her thanks to some of the things she's said and done. I can take or leave her, in other words. Harry, too, at this point. I save my active dislike and disgust for his Uncle A.

And seriously--what the hell with the racist shit again? There's only one person here bringing that up, or likely even thinking about it, and I don't have to name names. 😕 

[Alisamer]

18 minutes ago, Loveday said:

One can side-eye the clingy hand-holding without hating her. I don't hate Meghan, in fact until very recently I really liked her. I still don't DIS-like her, I'm just more meh about her thanks to some of the things she's said and done. I can take or leave her, in other words. Harry, too, at this point. I save my active dislike and disgust for his Uncle A.

And seriously--what the hell with the racist shit again? There's only one person here bringing that up, or likely even thinking about it, and I don't have to name names. 😕 

Same. Like, at first I was all "Oh, cool! An American princess for real, how cool is that?! And they look happy, I hope they're happy." 

And that's still about where I am, although a certain poster here is really trying hard to make everyone hate Meghan by constantly putting down everyone except Meghan. 

And yeah, it's not race. I get that there was some racist stuff said about Meghan at some point and probably still is, but it's not happening here and trying to force race into every possible comment about her is coming off to me as kind of racist in itself. Like that's the one thing about Meghan that defines her, nobody can praise or criticize anything about her unless it's about race. No matter what she says or does, no matter what she accomplishes, no matter what happens to her... it's about her race. Always. 

That's kinda dumb.

Spoiler - the royal wedding was already scheduled before most Americans ever knew who she was or that she was mixed-race, and I'd bet the majority of people in the US who don't really follow the royals still don't know she is bi-racial. Or care that she is. 

[just_ordinary]

2 hours ago, Heidijoey said:

Did someone tell the Scobie character or has he moved on to rant about something else?

He will get off again if PA turns up in one if there is a second vigil. And while I think Prince Disgrace should try to be as invisible as possible, as long as PH is not taking part in it there really is no comparison between both their situations. So far, PA didn’t wear uniform and we had no event where both were present and PA was allowed to wear one while PH wasn’t.

[just_ordinary]

1 hour ago, viii said:

When you limit discussions though, that’s unhealthy. I’m incredibly sad the queen is dead but that’s because I come from a place of privilege where she has never negatively impacted my life. However, a lot of the indigenous community aren’t sad that she’s gone because she represents the figurehead of a dangerous institution that has caused a lot of harm to them. It’s not my place to say whether or not this week is appropriate for them to discuss.

The Queen is beloved by many but not by all and that’s okay. 

I agree. I don’t think anyone has to be sad or even express condolences. But you don’t have to throw a party either or at least shouldn’t expect people not to think you are tasteless.

[tabitha2]

Or Tell the world you hope the Queen suffered hours of excruciating pain… there is A middle ground.

[viii]

3 minutes ago, tabitha2 said:

Or Tell the world you hope the Queen suffered hours of excruciating pain… there is A middle ground.

I hope it really was peaceful. I have been with an elderly woman who suffered hours of excruciating pain and I pray that the queen never had to experience that, nor her children watching her. Shit like that haunts you. 

[treehugger]

I think also that it is totally fair to criticize the colonialist aspects of the Monarchy whilst being aware that it will be seen differently in Britain.  It is a British institution that is literally thousands of years old, so the feelings and attitudes of the people in the Commonwealth will probably be very different than those of many people within the UK.  While, as a Canadian myself, the Monarchy is very much a colonialist entity, I realize that it is just a longstanding part of British tradition in Britain.  Much the same way the Dutch royalty is in the Netherlands.  They also were incredibly colonialist, but Dutch people (I am Dutch in ethnicity), don't see them that way because that isn't what they are in the Netherlands.  Similarly I look at the USA and I see an ambitiously greedy country who is, to this day, exploiting other nations for it's own gain, but my American friends don't see it that way all the time either.  Every nation will be fond and proud of parts of its traditions and history, and for the British, the monarchy is part of that.  It doesn't mean it isn't open to criticism, but it will be more sentimental to some because of that.  

[AmazonGrace]

21 minutes ago, viii said:

I hope it really was peaceful. I have been with an elderly woman who suffered hours of excruciating pain and I pray that the queen never had to experience that, nor her children watching her. Shit like that haunts you. 

She must have had doctors at hand who could help with pain, if any.

[Loveday]

10 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

She must have had doctors at hand who could help with pain, if any.

In her last few days, my mother was provided with liquid morphine for me to administer as needed. It was scary to be the one responsible for it; I was never sure I was giving enough, or if I was giving too much. I followed the instructions to the letter, and was in constant contact with the hospice nurses, and I know she was never in pain those last days, but still. Terrifying. If the Queen needed such care, there was a doctor there for her; she definitely did not have someone like me there trying to figure things out! (I know Anne was there, but luckily for her the doctors were as well, so she didn't have to deal with that on top of everything else!)

[EmCatlyn]

8 hours ago, louisa05 said:

This would not be accurate. A state funeral requires all who are allowed to wear a full uniform to do so. Andrew will not be wearing one for the funeral. The vigil also traditionally requires uniforms worn by those allowed. It’s likely that either Andrew is allowed by military protocol and Charles and the other siblings agreed because it is the tradition or that Charles made an exception for the sake of tradition. If the Queen had decreed it, she would have done so for both events. Andrew not wearing one for the funeral is likely due to it having a higher public profile than the vigil. If the Queen had not updated these plans, saying they should wear uniforms would not have made sense as that’s how it’s always been. She wouldn’t require something that’s already required.  

Thanks for clarifying.  As I said, I was only speculating.  However, I wasn’t thinking so much that the Queen had “decreed” the uniforms but that they were mentioned in a description (which they could have been, even if it was customary).  I was suggesting this because of the statement made somewhere that it was “out of respect” for the Queen that Andrew would be allowed to wear uniform for the vigil but not the funeral.

In any case I agree with those who say we should stop looking at the uniform thing as some kind of indication of how well/badly Harry is being treated. It seems to me everything is following protocol and whatever plans were made long before either Andrew or Harry lost their honorary military positions.

[viii]

Yes, I imagine the queen had her funeral detailed down to the last letter and it was never updated post Andrew and Harry situations. 

[adidas]

13 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

I disagree. He could have just said nothing at all? Why does he feel the need to even get involved? Oh right, he has a MASSIVE chip on his shoulder.

I agree that he has a massive chip on his shoulder, but at the same time I can see how this would be a catch-22 for him.

If he ignores it and says nothing, the tabloids go nuts with speculation and stories about how furious he is (according to a source close to the couple, of course 😉 ) but if he addresses it people will tell him that it was his choice to leave so he shouldn’t say anything. I think his statement was a thoughtful way to put the focus back on HM rather than his attire. I don’t think anyone here doubts that - despite the last couple of years - he is grieving and he wants to honour her.

I genuinely don’t care too much either way  re what Harry wears - I’m interested (and I’m keen to chat about it lol) but I’m not invested in it. I care more that Andrew is allowed to wear his uniform for the vigil. I understand the nuances in the situation but it doesn’t mean I have to like it, kwim? I’m much more opinionated when it comes to filthy disgusting pedophiles who should have been locked up and unable to attend because they’re behind bars. That’s where I’ll be perched up on my personal high horse.

[SoSoNosy]

I was just watching an episode of an old TV series, "Without A Trace" and realized that I was watching Meghan Markle in one of the lesser roles.  Just a casual comment..

[WatchingTheTireFireBurn]

I have no particular opinion about any of the royals. I watch them as a sort of guilty soap opera pleasure now and again. 

I have found all these detailed traditions interesting.

 

But the most exciting part to me today was when Meghan took Harry's hand, which I barely saw, walking out. I thought, "oooOoooOoooOo freejinger has some drama !"

 

I've never actually noticed whether any of them did or didn't hold hands before. Who cares really? But I sure do enjoy the snark!

 

(I personally find it sweet and not clingy. She's not like draped over his shoulder. But whatever. Im glad I'm not a public figure!)

[Jackie3]

9 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

She must have had doctors at hand who could help with pain, if any.

She had personal doctors who were with her, I am sure. I doubt she suffered any pain. I am sure they had all the equipment and meds they needed, as this was not unexpected.

I wish all the elderly women in Britain could have had such care at the end of their lives.

17 minutes ago, WatchingTheTireFireBurn said:

I've never actually noticed whether any of them did or didn't hold hands before. Who cares really? But I sure do enjoy the snark!

 

It is pretty funny that a married couple holding hands would cause any comment at all. Meanwhile, the Andrew thread is as slow as usual. 

The media hasn't seen much of Meghan, and were looking for something to snark at. This was all that had to work with. It's not like they want to talk about her #2 spot on Spotify.

[EmCatlyn]

10 minutes ago, WatchingTheTireFireBurn said:

I have no particular opinion about any of the royals. I watch them as a sort of guilty soap opera pleasure now and again. 

I have found all these detailed traditions interesting.

But the most exciting part to me today was when Meghan took Harry's hand, which I barely saw, walking out. I thought, "oooOoooOoooOo freejinger has some drama !"

I've never actually noticed whether any of them did or didn't hold hands before. Who cares really? But I sure do enjoy the snark!

(I personally find it sweet and not clingy. She's not like draped over his shoulder. But whatever. Im glad I'm not a public figure!)

Like you, I never noticed whether or not Meghan and Harry held hands until it came under discussion here.  Since I started paying attention, I have concluded that when she holds on with both hands to one of his it does seem clingy, but most of the time it’s fine. Hollywood more than New York or London, but it’s them.

What I object is to the idea that that Kate and Will don’t have a good relationship because they don’t have more PDAs. Different people express themselves differently.  I don’t know why some people have to compare the two couples.

Personally, I would love to see men “give their arm” instead of holding hands (or walk separately) when the two are together and the woman is wearing heels. It is now considered “formal” but it is a nice “chivalrous” thing to do for the heel wearer. 😉

[WatchingTheTireFireBurn]

Until I.started reading here I had no idea that W & K "weren't affectionate."

 

I have been surprised to not see anybody offering an arm to anybody else.

Esp. Since so many are older and they've been walking and standing a lot.

[Seahorse Wrangler]

Personally, I suspect the whole of the BRF are touch starved. 

[Jackie3]

1 hour ago, EmCatlyn said:

Personally, I would love to see men “give their arm” instead of holding hands (or walk separately) when the two are together and the woman is wearing heels. It is now considered “formal” but it is a nice “chivalrous” thing to do for the heel wearer. 😉

I'd like to see women wearing shoes that allowed them to walk strongly and confidently, without the help of a man.

[klein_roeschen]

17 hours ago, tabitha2 said:

Yes! Like Phillip Albert was a  practical man and found the wasteful ridiculous out of date Royal palace system just impossible. He wanted his children, esp his heir,  to be frugal, useful and capable as to be better than the useless foppish in fighting in debt past Royal children. 

For a man of his time and social standing, he was highly educated in topics important to rule. Both he and his older brother where teached by forward thinking men who made them familiar with modern and liberal ideas of ruling and running a state. His brother, after he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha gave his dukedom the first constitution for a german state. And he also came out of a broken home, he was seperated from his mother at a young age and never saw her again since she died some years later. He wanted to give his children the childhood and home he never had and didn't want to repeat the vices his father and older brother had. With all of that, he was far better prepared for his future role than his wife and that's why people like the belgian king worked to get them together. Because they knew Victoria needed someone like him as her consort to be successfull.

I wrote a post about the history of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in another thread. And sorry for the little thread thrift, but with trolletta here, a little thrift is maybe a nice breath catcher.

 

[QuiverFullofBooks]

3 hours ago, klein_roeschen said:

For a man of his time and social standing, he was highly educated in topics important to rule. Both he and his older brother where teached by forward thinking men who made them familiar with modern and liberal ideas of ruling and running a state. His brother, after he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha gave his dukedom the first constitution for a german state. And he also came out of a broken home, he was seperated from his mother at a young age and never saw her again since she died some years later. He wanted to give his children the childhood and home he never had and didn't want to repeat the vices his father and older brother had. With all of that, he was far better prepared for his future role than his wife and that's why people like the belgian king worked to get them together. Because they knew Victoria needed someone like him as her consort to be successfull.

I wrote a post about the history of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in another thread. And sorry for the little thread thrift, but with trolletta here, a little thrift is maybe a nice breath catcher.

 

Thank you, that was interesting. The Coburgs (and their relatives the Hanoverians) were a very inbred family. Practically everyone seems to have married a cousin. The worst example is that Prince Albert’s stepmother Marie was his cousin (and his wife’s cousin). Marie was her husband Ernst’s niece. At least they didn’t have children, and they married when she was 33 and he was 48, making it much less creepy than it could have been.

[Loveday]

@klein_roeschen thanks for the link to your Saxe-Coburg and Gotha post. And thank you also for ' trolletta,' it's my new favourite nickname for this person. 🤣

[Four is Enough]

16 hours ago, EmCatlyn said:

In any case I agree with those who say we should stop looking at the uniform thing as some kind of indication of how well/badly Harry is being treated. It seems to me everything is following protocol and whatever plans were made long before either Andrew or Harry lost their honorary military positions.

I agree. I'm glad Harry is able to mourn his grandmother with his family. His clothing matters naught. I do remember reading that Harry could still wear the medals he earned while in military service. Only the honorary or patronage uniforms from when he was a patron or a titular head of a unit were taken, is my understanding of his situation. That makes sense to me.

12 hours ago, SoSoNosy said:

I was just watching an episode of an old TV series, "Without A Trace" and realized that I was watching Meghan Markle in one of the lesser roles.  Just a casual comment..

I saw her once in a Hallmark movie. Kind of lackluster, I thought..

[Jackie3]

9 hours ago, klein_roeschen said:

For a man of his time and social standing, he was highly educated in topics important to rule. Both he and his older brother where teached by forward thinking men who made them familiar with modern and liberal ideas of ruling and running a state. His brother, after he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha gave his dukedom the first constitution for a german state. And he also came out of a broken home, he was seperated from his mother at a young age and never saw her again since she died some years later. He wanted to give his children the childhood and home he never had and didn't want to repeat the vices his father and older brother had. With all of that, he was far better prepared for his future role than his wife and that's why people like the belgian king worked to get them together. Because they knew Victoria needed someone like him as her consort to be successfull.

I wrote a post about the history of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in another thread. And sorry for the little thread thrift, but with trolletta here, a little thrift is maybe a nice breath catcher.

 

So much understanding extended to Phillip and so little to Meghan! I guess racism is more forgivable than eating avocado toast.

There were men with far less privilege and money than Phillip who somehow figured out how to be kind, tolerant and caring. He doesn’t get a pass for being a jerk simply because he was royal.