Royalty Thread#12 Tiaras, Palaces & Gilded Cages

[overedge]

Having to stay in Canada doesn't sound like that much of a risk at the moment.

Especially staying in a posh mansion next to the ocean and with several acres of forested land. Other than staff going in and out, not much contact with the rest of the world unless you invite them in or go out yourself.

 

[mag]

If I was a conspiracy theorist I would say this information about their move was leaked conveniently on a day when the KensingtonRoyal has an Instagram post with over 5 million views and over 48 thousand comments.

Now to be absolutely serious I don’t believe that, but it does illustrate how circumstances can be twisted to fit a preconceived notion about the way things are.

I think it must be stressful for Harry to be so far away from his family right now. Hopefully Charles recovers quickly. I am sure he is getting great care.

 

[kittyjake5]

There have been rumors for months that H&M were gong to make a move to California.

I suppose Harry will start his project with Oprah to keep busy while Meghan mulls over
her options. New beginnings.

 

[attyfan]

Even if Harry & Meghan wanted to return now, could they do so? I thought there were restrictions on flights into the UK -- is this not correct? Given that (according to CNN), PM Johnson has it, I think he has other things to worry about than relaxing the restrictions at this time.

 

[PDilemma]

Yes. Los Angeles. The most logical place to go after spending months telling the world you wanted to avoid paparazzi and live a quiet, private life.

 

[canbelto]

I love this. Camila continues to speak about about DV which is a huge problem with people stuck at home with abusive partners.

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[taf2002]

Yes. Los Angeles. The most logical place to go after spending months telling the world you wanted to avoid paparazzi and live a quiet, private life.

Where are they supposed to live? In a cave? Should they let some scumbag paparazzi determine how they live their lives? I think LA is the best place they could be. There are so many celebrities there that the effect will be diluted.

 

[MacMadame]

You know, I never actually read that they wanted to live a quiet life. They want to not be hounded by the paps every time they set a toe out of the house. It is totally possible to do that in LA if you want to. It was not possible to do that in the UK as an HRH.

 

[mag]

You know, I never actually read that they wanted to live a quiet life. They want to not be hounded by the paps every time they set a toe out of the house. It is totally possible to do that in LA if you want to. It was not possible to do that in the UK as an HRH.

I agree it is possible to do that in LA. It is also quite possible to do that in the U.K., even if you are an HRH. Where are all the pap photos of Harry and Meghan? Maybe we didn’t get them in publications in Canada, but I have seen more pap photos since they moved to Canada than I saw the previous two years. Is it different in Europe? All the magazine covers here are photos from events. Maybe a couple of them going out to dinner and one of Meghan walking in Toronto. I have also never seen a street scene where paps are following Meghan down the street like we saw with Diana and to a lesser extent Kate before they were married. With Diana it continued after she was married and when she divorced but that was 22 to 30 years ago.

Every time people talk about the press hounding Meghan someone on the interview panel will point out that this didn’t happen. Press at events, yes. Press waiting for Archie to be born, yes. Press chasing her down the street, no. If someone has clips that prove me wrong I will happily admit that I am.

I also agree that they did not say they want a quiet life. They wanted control of their lives and control of their press coverage. I totally get that they want to be able to control what is written about them. More power to them if they can make that happen.

 

[overedge]

I have also never seen a street scene where paps are following Meghan down the street like we saw with Diana and to a lesser extent Kate before they were married. With Diana it continued after she was married and when she divorced but that was 22 to 30 years ago.

There were those telephoto lens photos of Kate sunbathing topless on a beach in France. But other than that, I agree that the coverage she and Meghan have gotten has been way less invasive than the coverage Diana got.

 

[aftershocks]

If I were a UK citizen I would feel abandoned by them. Not to mention, what happens if Harry's father gets worse?

Please. The Sussexes are no longer senior royals after March 31, and U.K. citizens have no hold over them, nor do the media, nor do royal followers, nor do Sussex critics. M&H haven't 'abandoned' anyone or anything simply by taking care of themselves and their son. They are still involved with their U.K. patronages and they will be expanding the charitable work they do, although we don't know what form that will take yet, particularly with the current crisis likely postponing some of their plans.

The amount of pearl-clutching and tsk-tsking and dissing that's directed at the Sussexes simply for existing is astounding. Harry is his own person and he's a 35-year-old grown man. It's none of our business how he connects with his family and friends in the U.K., but I'm sure he remains in contact with all the people he cares about. Why not hold your horses regarding Prince Charles and wait to hear how he's doing instead of obsessing and speculating over the state of his health. It's already been reported that Harry has spoken to his father. I'm sure they keep in touch often under the circumstances. Please get a grip.

Especially staying in a posh mansion next to the ocean and with several acres of forested land. Other than staff going in and out, not much contact with the rest of the world unless you invite them in or go out yourself.

Ah, everybody seems so over-fascinated and envious of only the Sussexes. All of the royals get to stay in posh abodes around the world, fyi. They all have plenty of wealthy friends who offer them the use of mansions, private planes, yachts, etc. You may as well eat your heart out, but not exclusively over the Sussexes' lifestyle.

ETA:
Oh yeah, since a lot of people seem so fixated over where the Sussexes stayed in Canada, here are some more gorgeous views, with a few additional rooms than were shown in initial articles. And you can't beat seeing bonus views of Celine Dion's posh digs that she built in Laval, Quebec, as well as another grand estate in Sidney, BC which is right near the North Saanich property where the Sussexes spent quality time! My oh my, how the rich live.

http://www.vancouversun.com/busines...+estates+multi+millionaire/8229915/story.html

 

[ballettmaus]

Ah, everybody seems so over-fascinated and envious of only the Sussexes.

Yes, so over-fascinated and envious that the poster you're quoting was simply saying that staying in Canada didn't seem like much of a risk at the moment especially since they had a comfortable and great place (dare I say a quite perfect place?) to stay in.

 

[aftershocks]

And btw, no one said Meghan has been followed down the street by cameras as the Duchess of Sussex. However Meghan was often followed when she walked her dog, went shopping, or went to her yoga studio for workouts in Toronto when she was dating Prince Harry. But security measures were taken on the set of her show and via Toronto police to limit pap intrusiveness. Plus, Prince Harry paid for her security and took measures to prevent both of them being seen in public too often when they were dating.

Still, there are a number of pap shots of M&H during their courtship that do exist (famously there are shots of them leaving Soho House in London and heading to Harry's car in February 2017). And reprehensible The Sun newspaper took up close shots of Meghan's backside as she waited for her driver outside a spa the day before Pippa's wedding in 2017. The headline: "Bum War!" That vile headline is one of the huge reasons why Meghan did not attend Pippa's wedding ceremony and the media never got any shots of Meghan except faintly through a car windshield as she and Harry were heading to Pippa's reception.

Bottom line: The Duchess of Sussex has been relentlessly hounded and vilified by the British media, mainly in print. It's not always about pap hounding. But it's not as if pap hounding has never happened to Meghan particularly during the months after it was revealed she and Harry were dating. Her mother, Doria, was aggressively hounded in front of her home, and there was a break-in attempt at Meghan's Toronto apartment. As a result, M&H reportedly spent a lot of time at the home of the Mulroneys when Harry was in town visiting.

 

[mella]

If I were a UK citizen I would feel abandoned by them. Not to mention, what happens if Harry's father gets worse?

Honestly this may be a rhetoric that the press roll out (or may already have done) but it doesn't really make sense.

The RF are ceremonial and icons. None of them have "abandoned" the British Public regardless where they are.

If M&H were here they would/should also be in lockdown by now. Maybe they could have done a visit to firstliners like W&K before the restrictions were increased or got involved with clapping but in truth the RF across are not doing anything different than the rest of us right now. Staying at home. It really makes no odds where H&M do that California, Windsor... it only becomes a big deal if the media make it so. The RF aren't "helping out"... Apparently they are being beacons of hope and stability or some such.

If they came over they 100% would have been criticised for non essential travel (by the same press characters currently criticising them for NOT coming). Probably compounded by the fact that even commercial flights are virtually empty at the moment so - carbon footprint (even if no private jet). There are already a couple of sly digs about getting to California by private jet. Why come back here to deal with that backlash and probably be accused of milking the press/seeking attention at a time of national emergency?

If Charles gets worse maybe what his family will have to do is what families across the globe are being told to do - stay away. That may sound harsh but there are already questions being raised about the departures in testing policy for high profile people (inc Charles) so I don't think photos/reports of the family rallying round when us average Joes can't do that for our sick relatives would go down that well at the moment.

Would they have been better off in Canada a while longer? Well Canada seems to have a better grip on it than the V than the US so I'd say yes. But it's their call and maybe they're right to make their move before the impact Canada potentially tightens at which point the US might be coming out the other side. Who can tell.

100% though either has to be better than coming back here and dealing with the crap that'll get thrown their way. A number of people have joked to me that they're waiting to see how the british press make M's fault that Charles has the V... they're only half joking.

 

[aftershocks]

Yes, so over-fascinated and envious that the poster you're quoting was simply saying that staying in Canada didn't seem like much of a risk at the moment especially since they had a comfortable and great place (dare I say a quite perfect place?) to stay in.

I'm definitely not above oohing and ahhing over lovely, luxurious properties, e.g., in Architectural Digest. I even love English Country Home magazine. It's all good. I have this absolutely cool book, Designers At Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living, by Ronda Rice Carman, with a foreword by Martha Stewart (2013). Designer India Hicks is featured on pp. 120-125. Hicks is a daughter of Lady Pamela Mountbatten.

What I can't abide are the endlessly snide, negative references to the Sussexes which abound here and elsewhere, as if somehow the two of them should be ashamed of living well and enjoying their high class, luxurious lifestyle, which btw they deserve and Meghan has certainly earned in her own right. Harry has never been one to revel in his royal status, though of course he was born to wealth and is used to living well. But caring about others is very important to him. He evolved once he began to deal with his grief over his mother's death and it dawned on him that his status offered a platform for him to help others in furtherance of his mother's legacy. Harry met his match in Meghan. She is someone who always aspired to have a good life, while at the same time she's always been passionately determined to give back to others. That's one of the reasons why I'm impressed by Meghan.

Here's one reminder of multifaceted Meg from an October 2016 interview, before all hell broke loose about her dating Prince Harry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6llUEn9678&t=48s
I get that some people are annoyed by Meghan's mannerisms or else jealous of something they aren't even aware of. Obviously some of the bias is unconscious on the part of certain people.

The sad thing is that there are a lot of lies, half truths and vindictive spin directed toward the Sussexes by the British media which get into the mainstream and are believed by people who don't even follow the royals. The British media and Royal Rota are mad because M&H have refused to give them access, and also because the Sussexes decided to go to battle against the worst tabloid offenders. So that war is still being waged, and there will continue to be negativity thrown at M&H, including the OTT slights claiming they wanted a 'quiet' life and they just want to be 'celebrities.' All BS. And in any case, being royal has always been in the sphere of being a celebrity, so the whole badgering about this against M&H is just that, badgering for the heck of it.

 

[aftershocks]

Maybe they could have done a visit to firstliners like W&K before the restrictions were increased or got involved with clapping...

The Sussexes are doing their thing halfway around the world, so there's no need to tie-in that they need to be doing what the Cambridges did or are doing in the U.K. re the clapping (which was done by the entire British public). In fact, you have no way of knowing whether or not M&H weren't at home in Canada at the designated hour, no matter the time, doing a bit of their own clapping in solidarity, privately.

In any case, W&K visiting 'first-liners' may or may not have been the greatest idea whether or not self-isolating restrictions were in place yet in Britain, especially given that Prince Charles and Boris Johnson have contracted the virus. Good that the Cambridges wanted to do something to show their support, and good that their visit apparently did no harm to them or to the 'first-liners' they visited.

ITA with the rest of your post.

Meanwhile, Trooping the Colour has been cancelled:

Queen Elizabeth's Annual Birthday Parade, Trooping the Colour, Will Not Go On As Planned

The royal family's schedule continues to be impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

www.yahoo.com

The Meghan-narrated animal adventure movie, Elephant, drops on April 3 on Disney+

Disneynature’s Elephant & Dolphin Reef | Official Trailer | Disney+

Disneynature's "Elephant" and Disneynature's "Dolphin Reef" premiere April 3, streaming only on Disney+. Follow Disneynature on Social: http://www.twitter.co...

www.youtube.com

Despite cancellation of the Invictus Games, Bon Jovi and Prince Harry push ahead with the release of their charity single, Unbroken, recorded earlier this month in London at the famous Abbey Road Studios:

Bon Jovi, Prince Harry and military choir launch charity single 'Unbroken'

U.S. rocker Jon Bon Jovi teamed up with Britain's Prince Harry and a military choir to release the single "Unbroken" on Friday to raise awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

www.reuters.com

 

[mella]

The Sussexes are doing their thing halfway around the world, so there's no need to tie-in that they need to be doing what the Cambridges did or are doing in the U.K. re the clapping (which was done by the entire British public). In fact, you have no way of knowing whether or not M&H weren't at home in Canada at the designated hour, no matter the time, doing a bit of their own clapping in solidarity, privately.

In any case, W&K visiting 'first-liners' may or may not have been the greatest idea whether or not self-isolating restrictions were in place yet in Britain, especially given that Prince Charles and Boris Johnson have contracted the virus. Good that the Cambridges wanted to do something to show their support, and good that their visit apparently did no harm to them or to the 'first-liners' they visited.

ITA with the rest of your post.

I'm quite aware the clapping was done by the whole British Public. I'm British and living in Britain. Thanks for letting me know though.

I think that in your eagerness to find slights against H&M you miss that this was rather the point I was making. That the RF as a whole are (or at least should be if they are following the gov instructions) doing exactly what the rest of are doing.

At no point did I suggest what H&M should be doing where ever they are (I have no opinion on that). I was making the point that them returning to the UK really would not have been in their interest or of any great benefit to anyone given the circumstances. I said maybe they could have done x and y because that has been well received here and elsewhere and is really all they could sensibly have done if they returned to the UK as some have suggested they should - but to what end? I made the point very clearly that the RF really aren't doing anything of consequence right now (as far as we know - of course all or none of them may have private initiatives they are working on behind the scenes that we are not aware of be they Charles, W&K, H&M or the Queen herself).

W&K visiting firstliners made no "difference" to anything at all (except some good photos, perhaps some "feel good" and apparently conveying the said "hope and stability"). They weren't "helping out" - they made a visit. It achieves little if anything and indeed whilst visiting they were rather too close to others a number of times as someone else mentioned previously.

The lack of early social distancing by high profile people (royal, political or otherwise) is why some of them have contracted it and frankly probably contributed to the public not taking this as seriously as they should have in the first place.

I really don't understand why you seem determined to find criticism of H&M in everything I say when I am almost always defending them.

 

[aftershocks]

@mella, there's no need to be defensive. Also, I don't see any of this as a contest or an effort to single anyone out. If I'm moved to comment on something, I do so. You simply said that "maybe the Sussexes could have done a visit to first-liners like W&K ... or got involved with clapping..." Sure you went on to indicate that all the royals are now self-isolating like everyone else. That doesn't negate that you threw in that 'maybe' suggestion in reference to the Sussexes, which I disagree with and I explained why. It's as simple as that. Plus, I went on to say that I agree with the rest of your post.

Obviously, you weren't part of the earlier criticizing and belittling in this thread of the Sussexes' efforts to be supportive on Instagram, which was in direct contrast to the lauding of W&K for appearing in public to support first-liners and caregivers. I happen to think the Sussexes' efforts have been thoughtful and so there was no need for the OTT criticism in this thread. That's nothing against you because you weren't involved in that criticism. Still, I noticed your 'maybe' suggestion and I disagree with it, period.

Apparently, you feel similarly to me that under the current circumstances any of the royals having made public appearances in the last couple of weeks is questionable. Once again, I believe some people (not you) have been influenced by the scorched-earth negative coverage in the British media against the Sussexes, which is where they were vindictively criticized for their Instagram efforts.

In fact, the Sussexes are the first members of the British royal family to have spoken out publicly regarding the current crisis. William's video about the 'national emergency' funding followed a few hours later.

 

[mella]

@mella, there's no need to be defensive. You simply said that "maybe the Sussexes could have done a visit to first-liners like W&K ... or got involved with clapping..." Sure you went on to indicate that all the royals are now self-isolating like everyone else. That doesn't negate that you threw in that 'maybe' suggestion in reference to the Sussexes, which I disagree with and I explained why. It's as simple as that. Plus, I went on to say that I agree with the rest of your post.

I would suggest you keep an eye out for sarcasm in my posts... and likely those of other British posters too. I hadn't thought I was particularly subtle with it on this occasion tbh.

 

[aftershocks]

Oooh, okay. Lots of 'sarcasm' in connection with the Sussexes in these royalty threads. I'm glad you take up for the Sussexes, for the most part, occasionally with the use of sarcasm.

 

[taf2002]

@mag, I don't think the bulk of M&H's problem with the pap was them "hounding them down the street" it was mostly all the smears & outright lies & invasion of privacy that were printed. One of my problems with the coverage was the print space & air space given to Meghan's family's vitriol that basically came out of said family's desire for their 15 mins of fame (or infamy). Neither Thomas Jr or Samantha had been around Meghan for years so their opinions of her present character was valueless. Just like one contact didn't make Piers Morgan an expert on all things Meghan. It seems that most people including some on this board want to second-guess every decision that H&M make for themselves. Should they live in Canada, should they live in LA, should they have gone back to UK, it never ends. They can't win.

 

[canbelto]

Wow I go to sleep and wake up to see @aftershocks is at it again.

 

[MLIS]

I do think the current story going around about Meghan “forbidding” Harry to go visit his father is ridiculous. I saw it first on the Daily Mail (of course), but others have picked it up. Even if they lived next door, he wouldn’t be allowed to go see him. That’s the whole point of quarantine! And no one is supposed to be leaving the house, let alone crossing the Atlantic. If he had flown home to England the same press would be up in arms about him defying public health orders or using a private jet (are there even any transatlantic commercial flights at the moment?). I think they’ve made a lot of mistakes, but this isn’t one of them — if they weren’t in the UK at the time, they rightly didn’t return. And casting it as “Meghan forbids” instead of “Harry follows instructions of all public health authorities and governments around the world” is a particularly nasty bit of misogyny.

 

[aftershocks]

Wow I go to sleep and wake up to see @aftershocks is at it again.

Unfortunately, you are always at it, and never in an enlightening way, either.

I do think the current story going around about Meghan “forbidding” Harry to go visit his father is ridiculous. I saw it first on the Daily Mail (of course), but others have picked it up.

We should all know by now that the DM is on a vendetta against M&H, and particularly against Meghan. The disparaging, clickbait stories by DM haven't ever really stopped. With M&H going to battle against the MailOnline, you can expect this type of tabloid nonsense and vitriol to continue. And yes, it always gets picked up and disseminated into the mainstream. That's what I've been saying here more than once. The nonsense adds to the confusion and to the negative assumptions against M&H, and especially against Meghan, that sadly become part of the ongoing narrative that some people end up believing. I don't click on the DM, but a lot of their made-up stories as well as stories with some validity get into the global mainstream coverage of the British royals.

It's better to get your royalty news from more reliable reporters like Omid Scobie, and a few others.

 

[aftershocks]

Maybe they could have ... got involved with clapping...

I rarely look at Instagram stories, but this recent 'trivia' news report on the Sussexes' move to L.A. indicates that Meghan & Harry did get involved with clapping, in one of their Instagram stories.

How Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Are Spending Their First Days in L.A.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's move to L.A. comes as they are preparing to make their official royal exit on March 31

www.yahoo.com

"On Thursday, [the Sussexes] participated in the #ClapForOurCarers movement in the U.K., adding a post to the Instagram Story that read: 'Thank you for all that you continue to do! Applauding you from across the pond,' along with a number of clapping hands emojis."

The above paragraph is at the end of a cobbled together article filled with quotes from recent Sussex Instagram posts. The article tells us nothing substantial about their move to L.A., which isn't already known, as reported by reliable sources like Omid Scobie.

Here's another 'trivia' report about M&H being "committed to having another baby." As if that's news. Still, at least this article isn't bashing them, even though it contains an innuendo-filled passage from gossipy The Sun, a publication that is facing a class-action suit, which Prince Harry joined:

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Are Reportedly "Committed To Having Another Baby"

A sibling for little Archie!

www.yahoo.com

Of course, many of the daily articles about all of the royals are clickbait and cobbled together/ 'trivia-based' blurbs in the absence of any substantial, confirmed news.

 

[MacMadame]

The Sussexes are no longer senior royals after March 31

WTF does that have to do with the fact that Harry's father has been diagnosed with COVID-19? Answer: nothing.

Harry is a UK citizen and a royal and his entire life has been financed by that fact. I have no issue with him not being a senior royal but that doesn't mean his obligations to the UK are nothing.

 

[canbelto]

The DailyMail is trash. I think everyone knows that?

@aftershocks I like Harry and Meghan. I think they're a charming, good looking, talented couple. What I object to is your constant portrayal of them as victims. I don't view them that way and I don't think they view themselves that way either. You always say you "know" that there's this large evil plot launched by palace insiders and William and Kate to use them as a cover for William and Kate's Evil Sekrets. You don't cite sources, but we have to trust you. You never say exactly what Evil Sekrets W&K are harboring. Sometimes I half expect you to go all QAnon and say that W&K are running a sex trafficking ring out of Anmer Hall. (That was sarcastic if you can't read tone.)

 

[aftershocks]

WTF does that have to do with the fact that Harry's father has been diagnosed with *********-19? Answer: nothing.

Harry is a UK citizen and a royal and his entire life has been financed by that fact. I have no issue with him not being a senior royal but that doesn't mean his obligations to the UK are nothing.

@MacMadame, there's no sense in arguing. I disagreed with your take, end of story. And sigh, I didn't say that Harry officially stepping down as a senior royal after March 31 has anything do with Prince Charles' diagnosis. As I and others have pointed out, Charles' diagnosis does not mean that Harry needs to fly home. Get that there's nothing Harry can do for his father in the U.K. but remain isolated from him physically, which Harry can do better by remaining with his family overseas.

I also pointed out to you that by virtue of Harry & Meghan stepping down from senior royal duties, in fact, Harry has no overriding obligation to U.K. citizens, no matter who disagrees. However, as a responsible British citizen and a British royal, Harry will continue (along with Meghan) fulfilling responsibilities to their U.K. patronages, and to a wide variety of charitable interests they have in the U.K. and around the world. But get this: the rest of the whining British public and Royal Rota gossips will just have to get up off the Sussexes' necks! Meghan and Harry owe the negative nancy naysayer critics, haters, and racists NOTHING! ZILCH! NADA!

FYI: Meghan & Harry are global citizens, whether their critics are happy about that or not.

What I object to is your constant portrayal of them as victims... You always say you "know" that there's this large evil plot launched by palace insiders and William and Kate...

This is YOUR exaggerated phrasing and this is in your head, not mine. Stop trying to reinterpret and twist my posts @canbelto. If you don't understand or you don't agree, you really need to stop with the exaggerations and the put-downs.

Of course Harry and Meghan are not victims. That's because they know who they are and they keep focused on their passions and their purpose. Most of all, they have the courage, the smarts and the determination to fight back against tabloid leeches and hate-mongers.

I don't think that Harry & Meghan would characterize themselves as heroes either. I think they see themselves as two young people in their thirties who are fortunate to have found each other, and who feel privileged to have the status and the platform to give back to others. On top of that, IMO, they both have the grace and the down-to-earth good humor to have fun together and to enjoy their many blessings. None of this makes them perfect. Like every one of us, they are human and imperfect. The bottom line is: What do each of us do with the cards and the fates we have been dealt in our lives?

 

[Lorac]

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have given their support to a campaign to protect people's mental health during the CV outbreak.

William and Kate urge nation to look after their mental health

Kensington Palace post

 

[puglover]

A very timely and important message.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have given their support to a campaign to protect people's mental health during the CV outbreak.
A very timely message. I do worry, especially for those who already suffer from anxiety, how they are coping and what support they have.