is complete bullocks (correct use of British term?).
The Guardian on Harry (and to a lesser extent Meghan) and the media:
I know Harry has had some counseling/therapy, but it seems like there is still a lot for him to work through and wherever he ends up, I hope he gets some help.‘He’s very tortured’: Prince Harry's growing anger at the press
Correspondents tell of the prince’s clear disdain for them. But does he need them?www.theguardian.com
As for Meghan, my guess is that she probably figured that she knew/knows how to handle media attention - except what works as an actress is not necessarily the right approach for a royal. The (mis)handling of this announcement, as well as some other missteps, probably owes to that, as does her reported unhappiness.
Kate Middleton knew exactly what she was getting herself into, after growing up in the UK and spending years as a royal girlfriend with very little protection from the press. Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas probably understood quite well what it would mean to marry into the BRF, too, which is why they attended Harry's wedding only as guests
It's very interesting to me, this announcement. There's a huge section of social media that is revelling in it in a very very pro-Meghan, go girl, down with the monarchy way. From what I can tell, it's probably the same section of twitter that loves it when Beyonce does something cool, or other TV stars or musicians etc.
So, from an entertainment 'mike drop' perspective, this was a win for Meghan and Harry.
But on the other hand, there's situations like this, where organisations were relying on Harry's input. Although if he does go ahead and honour these commitments, I expect they will get more attention than they would have otherwise!!
Rugby League World Cup 2021 loses star power after Prince Harry, Meghan Markle pull out
Not so wild about Harry: Rugby league’s governing body left red-faced by Prince betrayalwww.foxsports.com.au
SPEAKING of Chelsy Davy, one of the first, best comments I saw was wanting to be a fly on the wall when she found out Harry was stepping back. But I'm sure that's pure conjecture - she attended their wedding, after all.
I don't think either Chelsy Davy or Cressida Bonas regrets the decision they made. Bonas got engaged a few months ago and gets to live the life she wants. Davy doesn't have to live in a royal fishbowl, which she clearly did not want.As to her attending the wedding - well what better way for the new bride to ensure her new hubby's old ex's know who has won the prize so to speak
I don't think either Chelsy Davy or Cressida Bonas regrets the decision they made. Bonas got engaged a few months ago and gets to live the life she wants. Davy doesn't have to live in a royal fishbowl, which she clearly did not want.
William is lucky to have found someone at a young age who was able to figure out how to fit into his world.
In non-British royal news, a cool achievement for Princess Salma of Jordan:
Making history: Jordan's Princess Salma gets her wings after graduating pilot training
The royal was presented with the accolade by her father, King Abdullah IIwww.thenational.ae
A YouGov poll of 1,327 Britons found that 45 per cent supported the couple's decision to step away from royal life, but 63 per cent believed their Duchy of Cornwall funding should end.
Could have been the thread title.I don't have a view on whether thought of Cornwall should pay their expenses... but I do have a view on it being exempt from paying tax...
I don't have a view on whether thought of Cornwall should pay their expenses... but I do have a view on it being exempt from paying tax...
I don't have a view on whether thought of Cornwall should pay their expenses... but I do have a view on it being exempt from paying tax...
Could have been the thread title.
Could be the title of some Poldark fanfic.
Both the Queen and Prince Charles do pay tax. The sovereign grant returns a portion of the Queen’s taxes back to her to fund her public duties. She disperses this money to her family as she sees fit. Harry and Meghan had been receiving 5% of their income from the sovereign grant.
But the Duchy does pay income tax on a voluntary basis even though it is exempt.
My point was that given that he gets to choose whether or not to pay taxes I don't see that it's relevant how he chooses to spend the rest.
I'll be honest and say I always felt Chelsy Davy was the love of Harry's life. If she hadn't broken up with him I think he would have eventually proposed and if she'd accepted I suspect Harry wouldn't be the angry young man he is today. However Chelsy couldn't deal with the press intrusion - she saw how Kate was treated in her early days and decided it wasn't for her. Harry already blamed the media - incorrectly IMO - for his Mothers untimely death and when Chelsy broke up with him the 2nd time that just cemented his opinion of the media.
As to her attending the wedding - well what better way for the new bride to ensure her new hubby's old ex's know who has won the prize so to speak
Women who married European royals have definitely received their share of criticism - it just gets less attention than the BRF. With Mette Marit it was her wild past so to speak (partying and drug use), with Maxima it was her father's past (he was not allowed to attend her wedding) and Sofia got trashed for being a former glamour model and reality TV contestant. None of them deserved it and eventually they won people over. But I can't imagine it was easy to experience that.Yes, I think people have short memories when think that Meghan is the first royal girlfriend/wife to have rough treatment. This has been going on a long long time. The trick is more about punching through in the end. But an outspoken American actress was probably always going to have a hard time. It's not like a Princess Mary of Denmark situation where she was foreign, but from an unthreatening, slightly exotic Australia and a low key person. Although, I do understand that she certainly had rough patches with the media in the beginning of her marriage.
Women who married European royals have definitely received their share of criticism - it just gets less attention than the BRF. With Mette Marit it was her wild past so to speak (partying and drug use), with Maxima it was her father's past (he was not allowed to attend her wedding) and Sofia got trashed for being a former glamour model and reality TV contestant. None of them deserved it and eventually they won people over. But I can't imagine it was easy to experience that.
The Royal Family is a tough gig in the sense that it's a public servant role - quite akin to that of being a member of parliament or a prime minister, but you don't choose the role, you are born into it.
And being a royal is much like being a member of a political party too. There's a party line which needs to be towed and an image of stability that needs to be projected.
The constant lashing that politicians receive (particularly in the social media age) is breathtaking, but they choose that life and are usually of the personality types that can deal with it. Any hopeful politician who can't deal with the rat race is weeded out pretty early on.
But you do wonder where that leaves us, if only the most arrogant and thick skinned and single minded leaders can survive in the pressure cooker of modern politics in the 24 hour news cycle age. I wonder if that's why the world leadership is like it is. Anyway, off topic.
How about if that middle-aged adult was part of the family business and had expenses related to that? Because it's more like that. The Senior Royals have duties and expenses that are a direct result of being royal. But they aren't allowed to earn an income. So the money has to come from somewhere. It makes sense for it to come from "the firm."As a parent, I also wonder at the wisdom of continuing to support an adult child who is more than capable of supporting himself. Granted, I don’t have the kind of income Charles has, but it does seem odd that two essentially middle aged adults would expect to be supported by a parent.
What I don't understand is why someone, as removed from the throne (and only likely to become more removed over time, not less), would be considered a Senior Royal anyway. I would think that once William married and had an heir that Harry would be phased out as a Senior as a matter of course. Doesn't this seem to be what Charles wants with his streamlining the royalty?