@deb922 just watched The Crown Season 3 episode 4(?) that hit on exactly this (the hardest thing to say is nothing at all) …with the documentary and the Queen’s decision to go back ‘behind the curtain.’ That has changed in our day of course, but still…I would love to hear from the Queen on this!
I may be a little jaded from watching The Crown (IMO it is very sympathetic to the Queen and what she goes through) but I see how this announcement can have the appearance of a stab in the back. Not that I believe or agree with the nasty, negative, Meghan hating comments. I feel that this announcement would have been so much better if it had been jointly made by the Sussexes and the Palace.
I’m most curious about the desire to achieve financial independence and how this will work.
I respect the decision if it has been well considered. However, we’ve all heard the saying about how it’s better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission, yet it doesn’t seem to apply in this case. I think H&M have stirred the pot into more of a press frenzy and hurt family feelings when clearly at least some family members have bent over backwards to be sensitive to them. That will bring them more scrutiny, not less.
I suspect they will be able to obtain corporate board positions, make paid appearances, and do all kinds of bits and bobs to generate income, so I’m not worried about them financially. Good luck to them in making this work.
Think about how former presidents make money after they leave office.
That is exactly how I think the Sussex’s think they will.
Sorry for more of my deep dive. This has been rumored for awhile.
Yesterday H&M went to the Canadian embassy to thank them for their stay over the holidays. Apparently this was very strange. First you don’t thank a country for a private stay. When the Cambridge’s go skiing in Switzerland or to Mustique, they don’t go on a public visit to thank that country. You only make a visit like this after an official state visit. The visit was scheduled very last minute. And H&M were holding hands, which is not royal protocol. I’m thinking that H&M did this on their own without permission from the palace.
The palace is very unhappy and apparently Prince Charles and Prince William are really, really upset.
The recent video of Kate brushing off Will’s touch to her shoulder, while never losing the smile on her face, seemed to me like a glimpse of their real relationship (chilly), and I wonder if Kate is happy to be rid of Meghan and Harry (the competition)?
That’s funny because I saw exactly the opposite spin in a different tabloid: that they were “fleeing to Canada” after being “kicked out” of the Royal family and stripped of their income and property!
I don’t think either of those versions of the story are accurate. The British tabloids have been absolutely vicious to H&M, largely driven by Piers Morgan, who has made it his mission in life to destroy them in retaliation for being ghosted by Meghan after a single brief date that occurred shortly before she met Harry. He has made no secret of his animosity towards her, or his intention to bring her down for wounding his fragile ego. I don’t blame them at all for wanting to get away from that, and I hope they are able to live a happy and reasonably “normal” life going forward.
Sue Townsend’s novel “The Queen and I” starts with the premise that the royal family has been booted out of office and is living in a small flat on the dole. Elizabeth comes off rather well.
Harry presumably inherited great wealth from his mother; Megan also had handsome (by normal standards) income from her TV show. These days, they both can make tremendous amount of money from books and appearances. I think it’s totally realistic for them to become financially independent.
Being a “senior” royal seems to be very restricting, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they wanted out, especially if Charles wants to shrink the royal family, with Harry on the back burner now that William has an heir and a couple spares.
It DOES surprise me that this whole thing appears to have been a surprise to the Palace. This inquiring mind wants to know why it all had to have been so clunky.
There’s a short documentary series on Netflix called The Royal House of Windsor that puts things in a very interesting historical perspective. I think it is particularly valuable in its examination of Charles, which paints a picture that is a far cry from that adopted by the average Di-worshipping American who fell for the version of events she fed to the press and the mythology they created hook. line, and sinker.
It is very much worth seeing, especially if you’ve been interested enough in the whole thing to watch The Crown.
They want to keep the taxpayer funded security though.
I foresee them ending up like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Partying and doing very little else. Unless they’re flying private jets around the globe while lecturing on climate change.
TatinG, I think they are more genuine than that. And certainly a lot brighter and more well-educated than the apparently wholly despicable Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
^^^Totally disagree. I don’t know every fact about this royal couple but I do know that they have supported many causes, raised much $$$ for the underserved - pre and post being together. I fully expect that to continue.
They are allowed to have fun though. You know, like a typical couple or family!
Perhaps they will even use commercial flights rather than private jets. Of course, they will keep their government provided mansion with government servants in England. I wonder if Canada will supply them one, too.
I certainly hope they don’t end up like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor! I’m in the middle of Season 3 of The Crown. It’s clear being a royal is a sucky job. I hope they can be happy and productive whatever they do.
I’m not surprised. Meghan wants to do things her way (which is fine, on your own dime) She appears to have fractured relationships with most of her family, friends and exes - Harry once famously said something along the lines of ‘the RF is the family Meghan never had’ Well, now they are dumped. I predict, it won’t be many more years before Meghan dumps Harry