Royalty Thread #9. Welcome Archie, the red headed heir, don’t care!

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...as some royal insiders have suggested it gave the Queen an excellent opportunity to verse Meghan in royal protocol as well as give her a chance to get to know her and determine how best to move forwards with royal patronages...

Please link to the so-called 'suggestion by royal insiders.' ;) Meanwhile, were you an attendant on the train during that famous and rare trip? I personally wouldn't presume to know exactly what intimacies the Queen and Meghan shared on that trip. But first of all, knowing a little about how the Queen is reported to have a disarming sense of humor behind-the-scenes with her family, I'm willing to bet she wasn't spending any of that time with Meghan lecturing her on royal protocol. :rofl:

Secondly, fyi, the Duchess of Sussex is not a child who needs to be lectured to at this stage of her existence. She's a confident, competent, classy, self-assured young woman whom the Queen and everyone else with eyes and a brain knows has made the Queen's grandson Harry, exceedingly and joyfully content. During their courtship, Harry surely explained a great deal to Meghan about his family and the pressures of royal life. Meghan is obviously smart, accomplished, a hard worker and a fast learner. She and Harry are clearly in love and admittedly happy together. But it takes a lot of courage and self-knowledge to be able to walk into that kind of life and 'hit the ground running,' which Meghan has managed to accomplish, and then some, regardless of negative slams by pissed-off critics and jealous trolls.

I also take Michelle Obama's anecdotal experiences with Queen Elizabeth II, as revealing insight into the Queen's character. Michelle Obama said that from her personal interactions with the Queen, she's learned that the Queen is more interested in humanity than in strict adherence to royal protocol. During a visit the Obamas made to England, QE-II asked First Lady Michelle to join her in the vehicle's backseat rather than following protocol, which dictated that President Obama sit next to the Queen. The Queen said to Michelle, “Forget about what you were told.” :D

Whatever decision was going to be made months later regarding royal patronages for Meghan, is unlikely to have been a major topic of discussion during the overnight summer train excursion to Cheshire. I seriously doubt that the Queen was conducting business of that nature during the train ride, so soon after the royal wedding. I was certainly not an eyewitness on the train, but judging by the visual evidence of the time they spent in Cheshire, my bet is that the Queen utilized the outing to enjoy casual conversation and quality time with her new granddaughter-in-law. Apparently, it was an excellent opportunity to make Meghan feel comfortable and welcome. The Cheshire trip came only several weeks after the royal wedding.

Whether she thought highly of Meghan is neither here nor there - the Queen saw an opportunity to get Meghan alone and away from Harry to talk and get to know her character - a pretty shrewd move by her Majesty IMO.

It's incredible to me why you would imagine the Queen had any need to “get Meghan alone and away from Harry to talk and get to know her character...” I'm sure Meghan was fully vetted by royal authorities well before the Queen first met her. As well, we know Meghan was OTT scrutinized by tabloid hacks to the point of not only crossing, but obliterating a line.

Ultimately, what makes the full measure of difference is: Harry got to know Meghan's character, and she got to know his! :encore: Moreover, Harry was obviously thrilled to introduce Meghan to his grandmother, the Queen, and to his entire family, as he described during the November 2017 engagement interview: https://youtu.be/F45No-rWKls?t=804

I don't think there's any doubt that QE-II thinks highly of her granddaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, and that she's very pleased how happy Harry and Meghan are together. There's plenty of evidence reported by reliable sources, in addition to what is possible to see with our own eyes: :)

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/02/prince-harry-meghan-markle-morocco-queen-response “The Queen respects hard work and loyalty above everything...”
 
Secondly, fyi, the Duchess of Sussex is not a child who needs to be lectured to at this stage of her existence.

I agree, she is not a child. She is, however, an adult with a huge learning curve ahead of her. Just the tours and engagements she has done so far would have required hours and hours of behind the scenes listening and learning to simply get up to a minimum level. Royalty need to understand the local issue, the history, and the hot spots. Unless times have changed dramatically I am fairly sure students in California do not spend a great deal of time, if any, learning the history of the British Empire or the details of Britain’s relationship with Ireland or Australia for example.

Your insistence that Meghan is ready and prepared, and needs no help or guidance, shows a lack of understanding about the many hours courtiers would have spent and will spend making sure Meghan is prepared for each engagement. There is so much for Meghan to learn! That she is willing to take that on is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and respect for the institution she has married into.
 
As to allowing her to stay over Christmas - well maybe QEII though she had no other choice but to invite her as Meghan wasn't going home to her Mom to spend her last Christmas as a single woman with her family - as Kate did.

:rofl: Why are you bringing Kate into this discussion? :drama: And wow, what a stretch suggesting that the Queen “thought she had no other choice.” It seems to me that HM The Queen of Great Britain and the Commonwealth has plenty of choices and a lot of leeway to do exactly as she pleases, especially in regard to her family and to decisions she makes about who attends Christmas at Sandringham. :glamor:

Meghan chose to stay in the UK and Harry must have felt he needed to ask permission to bring her to Sandringham or not spend Christmas there himself. Good manners probably came to the fore here regardless of whether QEII was happy or not - she has the best poker face so we will never know.

:p Indeed Harry surely asked for permission, and he got it. There's nothing to debate about that. As far as the Queen being happy or not, I doubt she would invite anyone to Xmas at Sandringham whom she was not 'happy' having around. Regarding the Queen having the best poker face, there's no need to debate that either. However, in Cheshire, Meghan and the Queen seemed to be genuinely relaxed and having a good time together. Mostly smiles abounded, not queenly poker faces:

https://cdn.images.dailystar.co.uk/...-Prince-Harry-royal-news-Cheshire-1363220.jpg

https://assets.marthastewartwedding...sitting-laughing-02-0618_sq.jpg?itok=LW4W_tlI

Meghan and Harry announced their engagement immediately after Thanksgiving 2017. Plus, Meghan had completed a major relocation to England and was living with Harry at NottCott. She no longer had a home base in Toronto. I don't see any reason why she would part from her fiance at that point and go all the way to California to visit her mother for Xmas. It was logistically, practically and sentimentally, not in the cards, particularly after the exhaustive task of relocating overseas a month earlier. Even a year earlier in December 2016, the two lovebirds M&H spent a lot of time together, and were famously seen shopping for a Xmas tree in London.
 
Meghan and Harry announced their engagement immediately after Thanksgiving 2017. Plus, Meghan had completed a major relocation to England and was living with Harry at NottCott. She no longer had a home base in Toronto. I don't see any reason why she would part from her fiance at that point and go all the way to California to visit her mother for Xmas. It was logistically, practically and sentimentally, not in the cards, particularly after the exhaustive task of relocating overseas a month earlier. Even a year earlier in December 2016, the two lovebirds M&H spent a lot of time together, and were famously seen shopping for a Xmas tree in London.

I think you just proved @Lorac ’s point. Exactly what was the Queen going to do? Tell Harry to leave Meghan at home? I am not saying she objected to Meghan joining them, I just think it was probably the only solution a well mannered person could find given the situation. I wouldn’t read anything overly positive or negative into it. Anyway, didn't Harry and Meghan spend that first Christmas with William and Kate?
 
Your insistence that Meghan is ready and prepared, and needs no help or guidance...

I never said that though. Those are your words and your exaggeration. I said Meghan, according to all reports and evidence is smart, confident, a fast-learner, and a hard worker. Not many people could accomplish all that she has with such apparent ease, in such a short time. It seems to me from all I've read about Meghan and witnessed, that she learns from her experiences and her mistakes, and she applies what she learns.

Meghan once told the story of going on an unsuccessful audition, after which the casting director advised her: "You are enough." Meaning that she didn't need to overdo it, or try too hard to be more than who she was as an actor. Meghan took that advice to heart and she passed it on to fans of her former blog.

... an adult with a huge learning curve ahead of her. Just the tours and engagements she has done so far would have required hours and hours of behind the scenes listening and learning to simply get up to a minimum level. Royalty need to understand the local issue, the history, and the hot spots. Unless times have changed dramatically I am fairly sure students in California do not spend a great deal of time, if any, learning the history of the British Empire

You seem to be ignoring the fact that Meghan began learning during her courtship with Harry, as much as she could about the royal institution and what would be required of her. And as soon as they became engaged, both Harry and Meghan set about traveling to various locales around the U.K., so Meghan could become more familiar with her new country. It was Meghan who had the idea of going on these local trips to meet people and to learn about different community projects. M&H managed to do this even while they were taking on the enormous task of planning their wedding.

You must have missed the fact that Meghan is said to be learning from Prince Charles about the history of the British monarchy, and about the Royal Art Collection, because she asked to be taught. Surely Meghan is still learning, as we all should be open to learning every day of our lives. But why the insistence upon dismissing Meghan's obvious competence and calm grace? The South Pacific tour was a huge success, as was the Sussexes' three day visit to Morocco at the end of February when Meghan was in the latter stages of her first pregnancy.

The other part of this is, Meghan was already world-traveled, successful, wealthy, and articulate before she met Prince Harry. She studied theater and international relations at one of the most prestigious schools in the U.S., Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. During her senior year in college, Meghan interned at the U.S. embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Meghan also lived for seven years in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, Toronto, Canada. She had already traveled to New Zealand on vacation, as well as to Greece, Norway, Mexico and Spain, and probably to other locales I'm not aware of. I know Meghan did some filming for Hallmark in Vancouver during down time on Suits.

Meghan also spent a lot of time in New York and London over her seven years of acting on the television series, Suits. Her acting experience, which involves the seriously exhaustive task of learning lines, is not a small thing. I'm sure that's one of the reasons why Meghan is such a skilled public speaker. She reportedly writes her own speeches, and she's helped Harry with his speeches too. Meghan is not a perfect person, but she is certainly a very accomplished young woman who knows her own mind, and has made the most of her experiences and opportunities in life. She is also a person who expresses gratitude for her blessings. She clearly enjoys sharing with others and giving back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6llUEn9678
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQsq8J2c4w0

There is so much for Meghan to learn! That she is willing to take that on is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and respect for the institution she has married into.

Look at the engagement interview. I linked it earlier. If you haven't seen it, Meghan spoke eloquently about her respect for the institution, and expressed how honored she felt in being accepted as part of not only the royal firm, but also the royal family. I have no idea what you are trying to suggest by implying that Meghan hasn't already taken on a huge amount, and shown amazing strength and fortitude, especially in the midst of being torn down by Markle family members and gnarly ever-dissatisfied critics and trolls.

Perhaps you are imagining how hard taking all of this on would be for yourself. None of us have much of an inkling about what it's truly like to be a member of the British royal family. Meghan does, and then some. It's silly to suggest otherwise.

Did you even read the earlier Vanity Fair article I linked? It was reported how impressed the Queen was by Meghan's "energy and stamina..." during the Morocco trip, while the Duchess was "heavily pregnant."
 
I wouldn’t read anything overly positive or negative into it.

You don't have to read anything into it. The media already did that for us way back when it happened. :D

... it was probably the only solution a well mannered person could find given the situation.

:P

Anyway, didn't Harry and Meghan spend that first Christmas with William and Kate?

Sandringham is not a large residence, so the entire family do not spend the night there. Yes, Meghan and Harry stayed overnight with the Cambridges at Anmer Hall during the 2017 Christmas festivities. Everyone spent Christmas Eve at Sandringham opening gifts. On Christmas morning, they all walked to church, then spent the rest of the day at Sandringham, with time out watching the Queen's recorded Christmas message. And later, the famous Sandringham Xmas dinner. It's so tough being royal. :lol:
 
Meghan is not alone in that honour.

I was referencing the patronages granted to the Duchess of Sussex, not trying to compare either Meghan or her patronages with anyone else. No comparisons are necessary. To quote Marianne Williamson's beloved wisdom, which Meghan recited last December at a memorial service for Henry van Straubenzee:

“… playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine... We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone...”

None of the above shows either way as to whether the Queen thinks highly of Meghan...

In your opinion, apparently. :p IMO, there's plenty of evidence to the contrary. The Queen, as well as Prince Philip, seem delighted altogether, as clearly demonstrated in this lovely family photo:

https://celebrityinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Queen-Elizabeth-Archie-.jpg

I will leave you with this worthy advice, one of the last posts by Meghan on her former Instagram. It's reflective of a healthy attitude and a measure of grace, which HRH the DoS seems to live by 'always in all ways':

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/02/13/01/3D251DA900000578-0-image-m-3_1486950235983.jpg

"No bad energy... Be the change you wish to see in the world."
 
Well, no shock, Meghan is not on the list of Royals to meet Trump. I am sure she is happy as can be to be up at Frogmore with her little guy!

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/a27605711/meghan-markle-donald-trump/
I was surpeised and wrong that she took a trip sans baby to watch Harry play polo
Well, no shock, Meghan is not on the list of Royals to meet Trump. I am sure she is happy as can be to be up at Frogmore with her little guy!

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/a27605711/meghan-markle-donald-trump/

Oh I bet Meghan would LOVE to be at a state dinner. Lots of publicity, lots of tiaras. Who would want to miss that?
 
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If it involves Trump, I wouldn't want to be there.
Well, the Queen invited him, and a member of the Royal Family would never DIS the Queen. Aside from that, Meghan is still on maternity leave.

And aside form that, she would not normally expect to be invited as her husband is not immediately in line for the throne.
 
Well, the Queen invited him, and a member of the Royal Family would never DIS the Queen. Aside from that, Meghan is still on maternity leave.

And aside form that, she would not normally expect to be invited as her husband is not immediately in line for the throne.

Both Princes Edward and Andrew have attended State Banquets as have Sophie and Sarah so I expect we will see Meghan at one at some point. There is a ton of protocol so if I remember correctly they are not generally thrown in right away. I suspect they will let Meghan get her feet wet at formal receptions before going to a full banquet.

As for this particular banquet, I am sure Meghan is quite happy not to attend. It will be awkward enough for Kate who has a number of years experience and is married to the heir. Meghan doesn’t need that in her life right now!
 
I wA surpeised she took a trip sanns baby to watch Harry play polo

I can’t find a link for this. Harry does play at Windsor though so it is quite possible Meghan could have popped over for an hour while Archie was napping. Nothing wrong with that. A little fresh air and sunshine is a good thing.
 
I can’t find a link for this. Harry does play at Windsor though so it is quite possible Meghan could have popped over for an hour while Archie was napping. Nothing wrong with that. A little fresh air and sunshine is a good thing.
I can't find a link either. I must have been smokin dope or something. My apologies, and I have edited the original post
 
I can’t find a link for this. Harry does play at Windsor though so it is quite possible Meghan could have popped over for an hour while Archie was napping. Nothing wrong with that. A little fresh air and sunshine is a good thing.

Harry's latest polo match on behalf of his Sentebale charity took place in Rome four days ago:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2VY8FphWA/
It's not surprising that Meghan stayed home with little Archie. He just turned three weeks old yesterday. If Meghan had accompanied Harry (which was never going to happen), she would have been criticized for leaving Archie at such a young age. Some people have already been uselessly complaining about Harry leaving home on occasion for pre-scheduled royal duties and events. :rolleyes:

It will be interesting to see whether Meghan will make an appearance at Trooping the Colour in June. Kate did last year while still on maternity leave. Meghan might decide to attend, since it's the official birthday celebration for the Queen. But I doubt that Meghan will be at Royal Ascot this year. We'll see. Probably Archie's christening will take place in July, as did Prince Louis' christening last year.

Here's an interesting interview with British royal reporter (and former political news reporter), Chris Ship. He discusses the changing dynamic in the British royal family, with the eventual passing of the Queen looming years down the road, and the excitement of weddings and babies happening among the younger royals. He also discusses the impact social media has been having on royal reporting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLJiCTbhjkA

And a delightful interview with baker, Claire Ptak, who created the royal wedding cake for Harry & Meghan. Ptak has an interesting background. I was getting 'cake feels' just listening to her. :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pEK1DQKpsE

ETA:
For yoga and fitness enthusiasts:
https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/yoga/meghan-markle-the-beauty-of-balance/
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/meghan-markle-yoga.html/
http://www.meghansmirror.com/royal-style/meghans-guide-to-living-well/
 
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https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...royal-family-recap/?__twitter_impression=true

https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/gardens/a27429273/chrysanthemum-archie-harrison/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9017019/baby-sussex-moment-for-diverse-britain/
Interesting commentary, but I think the commentator is young and overly enthusiastic. On the one hand, yes the Sussexes' union speaks for inclusion and diversity in the British royal family. That's a good thing, but some observers aren't really on board regarding the positives. And the truth is, humans have been intermixing since the beginning of time. We just aren't recognizing that reality, nor its actual significance. Archie simply needs to grow up and be himself without all the overarching symbolism and expectations.

The Liechtenstein mixed heritage couple, Prince Max and Princess Angela (she was born in Panama and grew up in New York City), have certainly kept their son's life completely private. There aren't even any public pictures of Prince Alfons from about the age of 7 to about 15. He recently celebrated his 18th birthday.
 
The Liechtenstein mixed heritage couple, Prince Max and Princess Angela (she was born in Panama and grew up in New York City), have certainly kept their son's life completely private. There aren't even any public pictures of Prince Alfons from about the age of 7 to about 15. He recently celebrated his 18th birthday.

There's a world of difference between the Liechtenstein monarchy and the British monarchy though. Liechtenstein itself is barely on the news in Germany, if at all. I don't recall that it ever was.
 
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