You misspelled “decades.”
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I don’t follow this too closely but was watching the view this week and they talked about the bullying.
One thing that stood out to me was that the assistants were complaining that Meghan sent emails (or texts, not sure) at all hours. That was perceived to be “pushy”. The View host said, I send emails at all hours of the days, and don’t think a thing about it.
Saying all that, I wonder if there is a huge cultural difference between an American and palace culture. Do I think Meghan could have been nicer, of course. Do I think that the palace is probably stuck in the past, absolutely
But I guess I think that Sussexes should have stuck it longer before they left. I think Meghan didn’t like being told what to do and how she should act. I think she didn’t like not accepting free clothes which she did as an actress and not accepting free private plane rides. And I think to her, the palace was not standing up for her. Think of it, as long as the press was throwing Meghan under the bus, the royal family was deflected from dealing with Prince Andrew. And what he did was a lot worse.
A couple of things:
Sending emails to your co-workers and subordinates “at all hours” may not be bullying, but it is ineffective management, unless you are heading a transplant team.
While Whoopi and Joy may have clean hands, past co-hosts of The View were very guilty of bullying behavior.
That’s a great point! I wonder if now as I hope people are becoming more aware of bullying, that we can define what is bullying.
I’m thinking of Gov. Cuomo’s behavior (not the sexual harassment stuff but the bullying) and how people with power have gotten away with horrible behavior. Maybe we can start to talk about what constitutes bullying behavior.
There’s a huge difference between American and British work culture full stop. That tends to be overlooked because the two countries share (or are “divided by”) a common tongue. Just Google the articles about “what Brits say and what Brits mean”. That points out how British culture is incredibly understated (“that’s not bad”) and passive-aggressive (“with the greatest respect” which I imagine could be used a lot at the palace).
In particular, when people in the UK say they are out of the office and not checking emails, they actually mean it, even at the most senior levels of a company (or the palace). Except in companies with a very Americanized culture (which often means they are considered a less desirable employer) people will hold it against you if you send them work related emails (or even worse texts and voicemails) outside hours and expect them to see it, let alone respond, before 9am on the next working day. And going away on holiday for 3 weeks in the summer and not looking at any emails until you get back is very much expected.
I remember when I was working at a British company and trying to close a really big deal (worth 30% of the company’s worldwide revenue) on the last day of their financial year (and also a holiday weekend). They all left the office at 5pm UK time and I was told under no circumstances to contact them until after the holiday. I irreparably damaged my relationship with the MD by insisting that he review and sign off on the final contract at 8pm UK time that evening (lunchtime in CA).
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I see Harry and Meghan going the way of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor but trying to keep a good spin on doing nothing by doing the occasional ‘public service’. Meghan is also criticized for accepting the gift of diamond earrings from the Saudi prince who was behind the murder of Kashoggi (spelling, sorry).
As far as optics go, they will never be able to look better than that sweet little old lady, the Queen. They look like ultra pampered, privileged whiners. Meghan should have known what she was getting into when she married Harry. I just re-read an interview with Diana. She wanted her boys to work together as a team in the future. She would be sorely disappointed.
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This all seems to be escalating and I hope it does not get to the point that permanent fractures result. There are sibling and cousin relationships at stake that could have trouble coming back from all this if it gets too ugly. I hope the Oprah interview is not too negative and possibly one sided. She is a friend of theirs and wonder if she will ask any hard questions . This interview will certainly be interesting!
That also describes the Abdication Crisis.
Never forget that Edward VIII had Nazi leanings and Wallis Simpson was suspected of being a Nazi spy. According to Wikipedia:
In July 1940, Edward was appointed Governor of the Bahamas.[106] Edward reportedly told an acquaintance, “After the war is over and Hitler will crush the Americans … we’ll take over … They [the British] don’t want me as their king, but I’ll be back as their leader.”[107] He was reported as saying that “it would be a tragic thing for the world if Hitler was overthrown”.[107]
Think of the possible historical implications if he hadn’t abdicated.
Compared to that, this is such a storm in a teapot. Stop press - actor/celebrity couple curate their public image in order to save income potential, while extremely ancient racist happens to be in hospital? Nah, don’t think so.
That’s easy. There would have been none.
British monarch’s wields no real power. Additionally, there is no evidence that Edward’s thoughts were any different from others on the upper class, including the future George VI. More importantly, they were in line with those of the government of Neville Chamberlain.
And the Duchess of Windsor may have been a ■■■■■, but there is no evidence she was a Nazi spy.
One needs to be careful with revisionist history.
I’ve never quite understood the fascination Americans have with the British monarchy. It seems to exist to partly entertain Americans.
Well, if you think appeasement politics before Sep 1939 and hoping for the Nazis to win after Sep 1939, when the Nazis were in active war with your country and bombing the **** out of London are the same thing…no point in discussing history at all.
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My point being that Edward abdicated in 1936. Speculation on what he would have done had he remained on the throne in 1939 and beyond and with Churchill as PM is not a discussion of history; it’s an episode for the anthology series What If…?
What’s the verdict on this interview?
I haven’t figured out all my thoughts yet. It was definitely interesting. Still not sure how doing this interview is going to help family relations .
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I think Meghan and Harry looked like whiners. I think it was Charles who pretty much stuck it to Harry, not wanting Archie to be a Prince, wanting them to toe the line. Charles is the one who wants to limit the number of Royals and wants Andrew to turn in his crown (Mummy saved Andrew). I do not believe that Meghan never knew Diana gave an interview or that she was miserable when married to Charles. She was about 15 when Diana died and gee, it was in all the papers, even here in the US.
They are rich enough to pay for their own security force for a baby, who would be pretty safe in any one of their homes or leave him with Granny in the castles. Can’t imagine he’s safer in Santa Barbara riding bikes with dad than he would be on castle grounds.
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I get viewing the Royals like one would view a celebrity but if she knew how to Google the national anthem, she should have been able to Google a little background about her future family. Did she say she was friends with Eugenie before meeting Harry?
Regarding the tabloids, I found the contract and holiday parties interesting.
Is there anyone in that family that is happy?
I also have some mixed feelings about the interview. I also don’t believe she really never knew much about the Royal Family. Perhaps she meant the institution, but I got the feeling she meant the family themselves. I suppose after the interview I also really was not aware at how controlled their life was. She made a good point that perhaps we all might understand with the pandemic shutdown how isolated they made her.
I think it is horrendous that that his father has cut him off and not providing money for their security. That is his son. But I don’t like Charles anyway, I’ve often wondered what the relationship was like after he married Camilla. He very much loves his mother still, you can tell.
I thought it was quite a bomb her revealing that Kate made her cry, not the other way around. I would love to be a fly on the wall when Kate hears that for the first time.
What I don’t understand is why the institution part didn’t protect her. Did she ever say? Was it because she thought they upper staff were racist? And who do you think was questioning Archie’s skin tone? I think it was Philip or Charles.
I guess I don’t think they came off as whiners. But like anyone, wants to set the facts straight.
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Well, there is one family member who not only has a decades long history of making racist comments in public, so why would anyone think they would refrain from making them in private?
Also, as far as I can tell from the Guardian’s live summary (disclaimer: didn’t watch the real thing) there appears to be one immediate family member who was very carefully not named as having redeeming qualities or someone they want to reconcile with.
The Queen “has only ever been lovely”. Harry wants to heal the rift with Charles. He loves his brother “to bits” but needs space. Kate apologised and brought flowers. Who is not mentioned?
Yeah right, the one family member to whom it would be “very damaging” to be criticised but for whom it would not be in any way constructive or forward looking, because they are 99 and in hospital.
Edited to add that apparently Harry has denied that it was either the Queen or Prince Philip.
This is not going to end well.
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I have only read the accounts in the media and will not be watching the interview when it is broadcast here tonight. I remember the interviewer asking Prince Harry during their engagement interview whether he had told Meghan what to expect. The response was along the lines of yes but he did not know whether she realised all the implications. I have felt that she probably did not and the media accounts seem to echo this.
Archie did not receive the title of Prince because of a ruling made by George V, though he is entitled to other aristocratic titles which we are told Harry and Megan refused. Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex took that option for his children although they were entitled to be Prince and Princess. Princess Anne famously refused all titles for her children. He can be given the Prince title when Prince Charles becomes King.
Navel gazing and washing dirty linen in public are rarely attractive activities and seem odd for a couple who wanted privacy. I suspect that the only gainer in this is Oprah Winfrey.
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