Royalty Thread #11: Putting the "Fun" in Dysfunctional

[hanca]

They didn't lose the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which means they can adjust their branding. It's not like people around the world who are going to buy their branded merchandise are going to forget who his grandmother, parents, and sibling are.

Well, the price of their mugs has been dropping.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Well, the price of their mugs has been dropping.

That's the short-term impact. Let's see what happens after they launch their foundation.

 

[eusebius]

Duke, Duchess of Sussex moving to Sussex, New Brunswick

His Royal Highness has already bought himself a camouflage jacket, a Ford F-150 and work boots so he can blend in with other New Brunswickers,” said Larenne. “They are also unemployed, so there’s that too.”

 

[skatesindreams]

CNN's take:

Harry and Meghan are giving up royal titles and state funding. Here's what that means

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will give up their royal titles and eschew some state funding in a deal brokered to end a crisis that broke out after the couple announced they would step back from the royal family.

www.cnn.com

Of interest: the arrangement will be re-evaluated in a year.

 

[MsZem]

Entire post and the previous ones too.

You know, aftershocks, it is possible to appreciate Harry and Meghan and write positive things about them without constantly dragging William and Kate for supposedly being spoiled, uninspired, boring to all and incapable of thinking unless the Sussexes do it for them. Do try it some time.

 

[mag]

Queen and Andrew attend church. Absolutely gorgeous coat and hat!

Queen attends church service in first appearance since Prince Harry, Meghan retire as working royals

Queen Elizabeth II attended a church service on Sunday morning at St. Mary the Virgin Church near Sandringham in her first public appearance since it was ann...

youtu.be

 

[JJH]

I respect Queen Elizabeth. I understand she loves Prince Andrew as her son, possibly her favorite. However, I'm not entirely happy with the repeated photo ops of the Queen supporting Prince Andrew at this time. It just bothers me.

 

[Judy]

The Queen always looks amazing .. you would never guess her age.

 

[mag]

I respect Queen Elizabeth. I understand she loves Prince Andrew as her son, possibly her favorite. However, I'm not entirely happy with the repeated photo ops of the Queen supporting Prince Andrew at this time. It just bothers me.

Another way to look at it is Andrew is being required to accompany his mother to church every Sunday. I don’t think going to church is in any way going to reform him, but I could see how a very religious person might. I will say just looking at Andrew gives me the creeps.

I am not, in any way, endorsing any support of Andrew. Just speculating that the Queen may be sending a different message. Which, of course, is the problem with these types of messages (if there in fact are messages) is that they are open to interpretation.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Another way to look at it is Andrew is being required to accompany his mother to church every Sunday. I don’t think going to church is in any way going to reform him, but I could see how a very religious person might. I will say just looking at Andrew gives me the creeps.

I am not, in any way, endorsing any support of Andrew. Just speculating that the Queen may be sending a different message. Which, of course, is the problem with these types of messages (if there in fact are messages) is that they are open to interpretation.

Ha! Ha! Love that interpretation!

 

[canbelto]

Or it could be interpreted that the Queen is keeping Andrew on a very short leash nowadays. Weekly Sunday church service with mom isn't something a 60-year-old guy normally does.

 

[puglover]

Or it could be - she is a mother - he is her son - she loves him and is worried for him. I would assume she could intervene in a number of other ways but it seems, she has not, so perhaps that is a sign that she does understand the gravity of the accusations against him. I am always surprised by comments like "favorite child" because I have 6 children and I certainly do not have a favorite and love them all equally. I do not respond to them each the same though. I guess I feel, if your own mother is not in your corner - then who will be. Most mothers would give their lives for their children. Maybe by being seen with Andrew in public, she is showing us she is a mother first and foremost.

 

[canbelto]

The "favorite child" stuff has come from trusted royal reporters and biographers. I tend to believe it, as the Andrew we saw in the BBC interview was a massively spoiled, entitled 60-year-old brat.

 

[overedge]

@Husky Re the leaks, staff had to plan the meeting, set up the room, prepare and serve food, and clean up afterwards. There was also probably a non-family member or two taking notes when the meeting was actually happening. So while there might have been only royals participating in the meeting, a lot more people were involved in other ways.

 

[starrynight]

Or it could be interpreted that the Queen is keeping Andrew on a very short leash nowadays. Weekly Sunday church service with mom isn't something a 60-year-old guy normally does.

I suspect that is it. She's probably trying to inject some control and reality into him while she's still alive. A bit like a weekly 'this is your conscience speaking'.

Everything Andrew did was facilitated by the ability to gallivant around the world with a feeling of zero consequences.

@Husky Re the leaks, staff had to plan the meeting, set up the room, prepare and serve food, and clean up afterwards. There was also probably a non-family member or two taking notes when the meeting was actually happening. So while there might have been only royals participating in the meeting, a lot more people were involved in other ways.

Yes, there'd be a large number of staff involved in all that who make everything happen. All the logistics of the plan are probably extremely complex so it's likely committees of staff from both sides had to negotiate everything.

 

[taf2002]

Queen and Andrew attend church. Absolutely gorgeous coat and hat!

Queen attends church service in first appearance since Prince Harry, Meghan retire as working royals

Queen Elizabeth II attended a church service on Sunday morning at St. Mary the Virgin Church near Sandringham in her first public appearance since it was ann...

youtu.be

That's one of the prettiest outfits she has ever worn!

 

[Simone411]

Or it could be that the Queen is just being the Queen, whom she's always been from the beginning. @mag, thanks for sharing the video. That's definitely a pretty outfit. Totally love it!

 

[mag]

That's one of the prettiest outfits she has ever worn!

That is what I think! The hat is a slightly different shape and the patterned coat is also a bit fresher looking.

 

[Kruss]

Speaking of the Queen's wardrobe, has anyone else read The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe by Angela Kelly? Really fascinating read written by the Queen's dresser, and with the Queen's blessing. I recommend it.

ETA: It also has some lovely pictures of the Queen and her wardrobe.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Love her outfit....and adore the hat.

 

[overedge]

In this week's People cover story, Robert Lacey assures us that there is absolutely no way H&M would have their HRH titles taken away.

Ooops

 

[jenny12]

Queen Elizabeth’s willingness to be photographed with Prince Andrew just shows how twisted and sick the priorities of the Royal family are. England needed to be done with them a long time ago. Being fine with having a pedophile as a son tells you everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth.

 

[overedge]

Queen Elizabeth’s willingness to be photographed with Prince Andrew just shows how twisted and sick the priorities of the Royal family are. England needed to be done with them a long time ago. Being fine with having a pedophile as a son tells you everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth.

Well, she can't really do anything about him being her son.

 

[Husky]

Politicians dicuss matters all the time behind closed doors, there is also a lot of staff involved and nobody leaks it to the press. I also wonder why they can't find the leak if they truely want it. Shouldn't the secret service investigate long ago? The fate of the monarchy, even a constitutional, should be important enough.

BTW Did anyone see the recent interview with Thomas Markle? He talks as if he is drunk or a drug addict.

 

[canbelto]

@Husky and politicians are famous for the art of the leak. I suspect the royal family is the same way. They have a trusted group of reporters they talk to. It's a way of controlling the message without seeming like you're controlling the message.

 

[Husky]

Queen Elizabeth’s willingness to be photographed with Prince Andrew just shows how twisted and sick the priorities of the Royal family are. England needed to be done with them a long time ago. Being fine with having a pedophile as a son tells you everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth.

I think Andrew is the particular kind of snob who believes that these laws don't apply to him. Coming from the old days. And women of this upper class just sighed and arranged with this situation, telling themselves that this is how men are. It's their nature.

 

[mag]

Politicians dicuss matters all the time behind closed doors, there is also a lot of staff involved and nobody leaks it to the press.

Where do you live? Politicians and their staff leak like sieves! The leaks to with Harry and Meghan could also have come from Canada. (I am not saying they did, only that they could have in the same way they could have come from Kensington Palace or Clarence House.) So many people are involved and it doesn’t take much information. A small tidbit of new information coupled with what is already known, and add a bit of embellishment, presto you have a story to sell to the Sun.

 

[canbelto]

Prince Andrew types are all over the writings of Tolstoy and Pushkin. Wastrel noblemen who spend their lives drinking, gambling, and running up debts. In the past underage girls these men bedded were quietly sent off and their babies abandoned or discreetly adopted by some elderly "aunt." Andrew was born in the wrong century.

 

[overedge]

@Husky I think the British secret services have a lot more important things to do than find out who leaked stuff about the royals having a family conference. Yes, it has some constitutional implications, but it wasn't like the Queen herself was being told to step down.

The Royal court/household has been gossipy for centuries. Unless only one staff member was in the room when a certain piece of information was mentioned, and that piece of information later showed up in the tabloids, it would be extremely difficult to trace the source of the leaks.

 

[mag]

I think Andrew really thinks he has done nothing wrong. He, like many wealthy entitled men, cannot conceive of the idea that every woman they meet may not want to have sex with them. He also probably really didn’t notice the staff at Epstein’s because he has been raised to not notice staff. Staff are invisible. The reason he showed no empathy or remorse is because he none. “Why wouldn’t that person (who he probably really can’t remember because there have been so many) not want to have sex me? I am a Prince!”