I will say this about the past three weeks of royal melodrama: I enjoy being proven right retroactively. I knew, more than a year ago, that then-Meghan Markle’s entrance into the royal fold was a cataclysmic event (for royalty), and I knew that everything was not sunshine and roses behind-the-scenes. To all of those people who claimed that of course Future King William and Future Queen Kate were of course behaving beautifully and there was no drama… well, I told you so. According to a detailed new article in the Sun, William and Harry were falling out over Meghan as early as late 2016. Some highlights from this Sun story:
Harry will not stand for any criticism of Meghan: As one courtier told me: “It’s my opinion that Harry feels he couldn’t protect his mother, so he’s going all out to protect his wife. This is his way of atoning. He will brook absolutely no criticism of Meghan — and he is so sensitive he often sees criticism or negativity where there isn’t any.”
When Harry first introduced William & Meghan: The first hint of friction came after William was introduced to Meghan, 37, when she was staying at Kensington Palace. Once she’d returned home to Canada, Wills sat Harry down for a chat — meant as brotherly advice. A well-placed source said: “William told his brother they knew nothing about her background, her intentions, what she was really like. He just wanted to stress that becoming part of the Royal Family is a massive undertaking and the pressure and scrutiny is unrelenting. Was Meghan the right one?” The chat did not go down well. “Harry went mental,” said the friend. “He accused his brother of trying to finish his romance before it had begun. The brothers’ relationship has not really recovered.”
The rest of the family had concerns too: The Sun understands other senior members of the family also “had concerns” and voiced them to Harry. As one courtier cautiously volunteered: “A lot of people in the family objected. Who really knows what the concerns were? Was it Meghan’s background? Her father and dreadful half-sister? Because she was an outspoken American? Divorced? Harry stood up for Meghan very forcibly. He really loves her.”
The Middletons didn’t want to invite Meghan to Pippa’s wedding: Meghan also faced some opposition from the Middleton family, who didn’t want to invite her to Pippa’s wedding last May. They feared Meghan’s first public appearance with Prince Harry would overshadow the bride’s big day. Eventually she was asked but chose only to go to the evening do.
Meghan hoped Kate would help her: She hoped that in Kate, another “outsider” who had navigated the choppy waters with aplomb, she would find a natural best friend. A royal source said: “Meghan hoped Kate would show her the ropes. But, equally understandably, Kate was busy. She didn’t have as much time for her as Meghan would have liked. They were at very different places in their lives. Meghan felt quite let down. She had really tried but felt rebuffed, and so just stopped trying.”
Harry was mad on Meghan’s behalf: Harry did not take this lightly and spoke to William about making Meghan feel welcome. William, of course, took his wife’s side — after all, she was following his lead.
When the Queen made Harry the new Commonwealth Youth Ambassador: Wills’ nose was reportedly put out of joint when the Queen gave the plum job to his brother instead of him. Afterwards William had to be cajoled into doing anything for the Commonwealth, say courtiers.
When Thomas Markle made an ass of himself ahead of the wedding: Calm but collected, Meghan decided her team should say nothing publicly and cut him off. However, William — having lost his mum — couldn’t understand ignoring a parent, whatever they’d done. He thought Meghan was making a mistake. Even Charles, who dotes on Meghan, asked a senior member of his staff to intervene. But the policy stands and The Sun understands she has still not spoken to Thomas.
Meghan isn’t afraid of the royals: Meghan is said to be far less intimidated by the royals than might be supposed. At a recent gathering of senior family members, including Meghan, one well-placed aide remarked: “All their IQs put together would not equal hers.”
So… Harry was and is passionately in love with Meghan and will defend her ferociously, especially when William is being passive-aggressive and all “hey now, this woman might overshadow me and Kate, we can’t have that.” And WTF business is it of William’s if Meghan cuts off contact with a toxic AF relative? William and Harry’s mother cut people out of her life quite regularly too, even relatives. As for Meghan having a high IQ… granted, I think she’s very bright and she’s a real go-getter, and immensely suited to a public-figure job. But bragging about how she’s smarter than the dull Windsors isn’t that much of a brag. Basically, I think this story is closer to Harry and Meghan’s side – he’s passionate and emotional and crazy in love, and I could see how Harry would be very hurt to not have William’s full support at that moment.
Last thing: the issue with Meghan being invited to Pippa’s wedding is still so f–king stupid. Pippa didn’t have to invite Harry OR Meghan. She ended up inviting them both because the Middletons wanted a star-studded and royalty-studded wedding for Pippa. If Pippa really felt that strongly about Meghan not coming, she should have said so – and if she had, Harry would have simply skipped the wedding. For the Middletons to still be making this into an issue is ridiculous.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I think this is closer to the truth.
As for William not understanding the need to cut off toxic people well good luck to him. Because just because someone is related to you doesn’t mean they get to trash you in public.
William and Harry should both follow Meghan’s actions and cut off Charles. He is no better than Thomas Markle, throwing his sons under the bus and thrashing them in the press.
That’s an extremely narrow view of their relationship. By that logic harry should cut off William. Eye for an eye makes the whole…
Plus, markle isnt bankrolling anyone. William needs his father to maintain his and his families lifestyle.
And it is extremely telling of William’s narcissistic view to not understand parental relationships all vary. They are not all repaired. As someone that lost a parent at nearly the same age I can understand his view of wishing he had a 2nd chance and that others should not undervalue their time with living parents. Otherside… this isnt his family and he needs to understand when he speaks it comes from a tactless place meant to shame.
Not sure how many psychiatrists are here, but some recommend Door #3-accepting the parent(s) at whatever level you can. Such as, attending major life events, remaining cordial, but keeping an emotionally safe distance. In dysfunctional situations where a parent is making overtures, this diffuses the situation, giving the parent some relief while protecting the offspring. It feels strange at first and takes practice, but can be very effective.
So true, have you seen yesterday her dad gave another of his tragic interviews, this time hawking photos from Meghans first wedding and cards and notes she’s sent him over the years to the Daily Mail… you can’t tell me he is not getting paid for this.
This article said he “neither asked for, nor received any compensation for the interview”
He’s an idiot if he’s not at least getting a check for selling her out. He could be getting $50,000 a pop for those pathetic interviews. And after seeing those hospital bills, I’m sure he could use the money.
@Kim Doesn’t mean that he didn’t ask for or receive remuneration for the photo images, or that someone acting in the capacity of an agent did not do likewise. These redtops are surprisingly, paradoxically brilliant behind the scenes. They detract attention from their modus operandi with Piers Morgan and the like.
He got paid for the private pictures and letters he willingly opened his mouth to talk which is even worse.
Perhaps not for the interview but he’s getting paid for the photos. And that statement alone shows that he’s more concerned about his own image than Meghan’s. Insulting she and Harry and then wondering why she won’t speak to him and then asking for Harry’s help? After all of his crap and insults to them and the royal family? He’s no better than his vile offspring. More lies, too. Meghan’s numbers were disconnected the day after the wedding because they were being given to Samantha and Sr. was still talking to the press. Now he’s saying her number hasn’t changed? He KNOWS it has and he knows exactly why. He was bitching about it then and now he’s forgotten about that? Like his useless daughter he cannot keeps his own lies straight.
Trust me Mr Markle is getting something for all this whether it is in cash or kind or some kind of long term ‘hospitality’. I am also sure that this is the first of a series of new interviews so brace yourself girls…..do we have any guys on this thread?
Who is Caroline Graham doing these interviews with Markle, she seems to be based in Mexico. Markle is too stupid or mad to see how he is being manipulated by the media. Meghan must get her brains from her mother. I wonder if Markle will start talking about Doria when he starts running out of stories to sell. He is a nasty piece of work.
Kittycat I think there is truth to your comment. Charles is not going to get any parenting awards after all of the backstabbing. But I also wonder if William might BE the toxic one some people are distancing themselves from? He sounds like such a difficult person.
I’m guessing William didn’t know Meghan’s history with her father and family well enough to call that it was a pattern and not just a father making a stupid mistake in an extraordinary situation. I also 100% believe that both Will and Charles believed it was better to try to bring her family into the fold to control/watch them than leave them out there ranting, which is why Charles wanted to send someone from Clarence House to deal with it. (Wonder which camp this story came from?)
It’s about jealousy.. William is jealous of Harry. This is more about Kate and William’s relationship than Harry and Megan. Basically Willam kept Kate waiting until he realized he knew her and all about her to be emotionally safe and controlling in the relationship. Harry took a risk ..a huge one. Harry is happy and William is safe but probably bored with Kate. William is the duller one compared to Harry. Kate is Kate. The mold is set and no amount of leaking will change the fact that pictures are worth a thousand words
Totally agree. It is common belief that William was looking for other women to marry but no one wanted to marry him so back he went to Kate. She knows her place, is a doormat and agrees with everything William says and does.
She will not challenge him. Whereas Meghan will challenge Harry and probably does. After all we can’t have Meghan giving Kate any ideas!
Any person (male or female) who doesn’t go ballistic at their partner going off abroad to spend a week with a former partner is a doormat. How many times has William being to Kenya (I think) to see his ex girlfriend leaving Kate behind?
I think it’s past time to keep dragging Jecca into W & K’s narrative. She’s been married a few years, has had a kid… I seriously doubt she’s his Camilla, waiting around for William’s crumbs of a once a year visit.
No one wanted to marry him? Seriously?
Im pretty sure that outside of the british aristo girls, thousands of regular women women to be fighting for the opportunity.
Even harry couldn’t find anyone amongst their regular social circle.
Jecca wasn’t the only aristo woman tied to William or even a front runner for very long. Many others. Mostly blondes.
MrsBump, I think William was pretty limited in who he could marry. The thousands of non aristos mostly wouldn’t have made the RF’s cut if there’s any chance they would bring drama and scandal. So, of the few suitable choices, none of the beautiful aristos wanted him.
Except he ended up marrying an upper middleclass girl, who are a less rarified breed than than the aristos. So his option wasn’t limited to Kate, he could have married any one out of a thousand middleclass women most of whom don’t lead scandalous lives.
For all her faults, Kate wasn’t “the last woman standing” as she is so often portrayed here. William chose her, just like Harry chose Meghan.
And quite frankly given the disaster that was his parents’ marriage, i think william & kate seem to have built a happy family
But are there thousands of middle class girls who don’t lead scandalous lives by RF standards? Keeping in mind that career, ambition, opinions, gossipy ex-boyfriends, unsavory relatives, etc, all equal potential for scandal.
@bettyrose – are we seriously saying that Kate Middleton was the ONLY non scandalous middle class girl left in Britain? Is that easier to believe, rather than simply accepting that William married her because he loves her?
Whether or not Jecca is his ex, she is someone who continues to be very important to him. He drops everything for her and her charity is the only one he regularly pays attention to.
Kate waited. No other woman was willing to do that. Other women would have required William to put forth effort, act like a good man, and not treat them poorly. He ended up with Kate as a default, because that’s all he was willing to do.
MrsBump, you’re a voice in the wilderness around here. I’ll go one further and say that I agree with Wills that the wonderful blameless Megan should have reached out to her father before the wedding and nipped all this in the bud.
To me William and Kate seem well matched in mentality and temperament, and they are probably the kind of people for whom love means comfort and security. Harry and Meghan are probably different types. W&K had issues during the course of their relationship but they got together very young and had to grow up. I think it’s pretty obvious now that they have a solid partnership and are happy together.
William has always been under much different pressure than Harry. Would he be allowed to marry someone like Meghan? I seriously doubt it. I get that it’s exciting to think he is jealous of Harry because of Meghan but I really don’t see any ground for it. If anything, he may be envious of the lifestyle Harry gets to lead as the spare, which is just as charmed but with much lower expectations than the heir.
@Tessy, it is not news that Meghan reached out to her father before the wedding, and made special arrangements for his attendance and participation in the wedding. As for her father’s and half-siblings’ behavior, what do you suggest she should have done to appease three adults who appear to have emotional and mental handicaps? Many people have commented here about having to cut off emotionally abusive relatives. Are you saying she could have managed their behavior better?
Yeah, you made some excellent points here. It’s jealousy from William and Kate is following his lead.
This is an interesting theory and I think it makes a lot of sense. William would be jealous of the excitement and passion evident in Harry’s life and seemingly sorely lacking in his.
He probably imagines that he is still the Golden Youth, Adonis like and in high demand, while Harry is the sharp featured little brother whose youth made him malleable. Intriguing how much more mature Harry has become since his marriage.
-Incidentally, I call absolute BS on the “whatever Meghan wants” claim. Change “Meghan” for “Lola” and you have yet another snide, deeply unpleasant sneer. It’s the best they can do.
Neither William nor Harry ever dated anyone outside of their orbit, so, in essence, all of their girlfriends were “safe.” Harry knew nothing about Meghan and there is nothing wrong with William cautioning him to slow down since they live in one of the most bizarre and restrictive bubbles in the world. Having someone marry in and decide six months later she is not there for the sh$tshow would have been heartbreaking for Harry and damaging to the BRF.
Megan,
ITA. Harry was in deep quickly with Megan and no doubt several in the RF stepped in to warn him. But while some warnings may have been genuinely well intentioned, pointing out that Meghan was going to be brutally dragged by the press and the stress might be too much for their marriage, coming from Will those comments might also have been laced with jealousy and competition. But I guess history belongs to Will, and he has/will have less power than any previous monarch to dictate how that history is written.
I don’t think Kate challenges him the way Meghan challenges Harry. Meghan is not the type to let Harry be lazy or self-indulgent because she’s not like that. I don’t think Kate is actually boring, but every relationship needs a little friction to stay exciting.
Comfort levels are important in the long run though because not everyone likes to be challenged by their partner 10, 20 years in. We’ll see if Harry is up to the task of being his “best self” as the years go on. I don’t think William would’ve been capable of that, so Kate was the best choice for him.
William has never been comfortable with Harry’s popularity, he would have preferred for Harry to stay that partying mess that he was before. He’s resented the fact that Harry got his life together and has always been more passionate about the philanthropic endeavors that are central to the job, at 17 Harry was setting up Sentebale, yet in his mid thirties William still doesn’t have anything that he’s that passionate about, and largely benefits from taking credit for Harry’s work (even with Heads Together, it didn’t really take off until Harry put himself out there and talked about his own issues). To make it worse, I don’t think him and Kate ever expected Harry to settled down with anyone other than an entitled aristo, the fact that he’s found someone who cares about the actual work as much as he does is obviously threatening to them. More than anything it’s just really sad that William’s pettiness, amplified by the bizarre dynamics of a family like theirs, keeps him from being happy for his brother’s happiness.
William & Harry have always had distinctly different roles. Willam truly wasn’t allowed to be the Nazi unform wearing, pot smoking party boy. In most families there is the older child younger child thing. Now multiply that to the nth degree here. I remember reading stories of how they would tell a story to friends to see if it would be kept secret. So being ultra focused on someone’s “motives” could certainly have been a concern of those who care for Harry in the beginning of his relationship with an older American divorced actress. I would have the same concern for my family members & no one here will be sitting on any kind of royal chaise.
I do believe that most of this is BS to make it seem like there is friction. It also sells. However, as sweet as a Harry seems to be he isn’t the brightest bulb on a tree that is quite dim, some of the characteristics noted of him show it would be quite easy for an intelligent beautiful women with an agenda to manipulate. I think the Sussexes are lovely & in love. If The DOS is as smart as everyone thinks alienating the DOCs would be a huge mistake. Beloved as Harry is, he was “allowed” to marry the woman he loves because he will never sit on a throne.
So much this ^
I agree with Snappyfish here
Where did this idea of Harry being dim come from?
I was agreeing with starryfish29, not snappyfish. I see jealousy from both William and Kate. Harry isn’t the third wheel willing to put up with their PR nonsense anymore.
Some think Harry is unintelligent because he did poorly in school – as his dyslexia was not diagnosed until 17-18.
My eyes are glazing over from all of this. They are all extremely pampered and privileged, it’s becoming hard for me to care if they don’t get along.
Agree. It would be great if they all got along, especially for Meghan’s well-being during her pregnancy, but I personally don’t care. Also, there’s a difference between jealousy and envy and I don’t think William is jealous. I think he’s a bit green with envy considering how much Meghan can and does bring to the table as a working royal.
I wonder why you think William could be jealous of Harry because he married Meghan. I really don’t see it as jealousy to be frank,as Meghan is neither Beyonce, Rihana, Adele or Grace Kelly. If Meghan could marry her ex husband, date an unknown chef and now marry the not very intellectual Harry, she can as well marry anyone. Her ex husband wasn’t exactly Denzel Washington or Stephen Spielberg and her ex chef boyfriend wasn’t exactly Gordon Ramsay or Anthony Bourdain. Harry is the most rich and famous person she has dated and the world knows her because of him. He raised her status. William wanted one of the posh aristocratic ladies but they didn’t want.
As Mrsbump has said, I am from an African commonwealth country and I can tell you all for free that it is only in Britain that the commonwealth is a thing. The commonwealth has no use for us in West Africa.
Its so so so obvious this story is from the Sussex camp and as I said last week, i have been expecting a leak from the Sussex camp because royal reporters say Meghan wanted Harry to push back and defend her and that is how this leak came about. But the bit about her having the best IQs among all the royals was a wrong move. She should have edited that part out of the leak because it would not go down well with the senior royals. I fear that the palace machinery will get back at her for insinuating that they are dumb and she’s the most intelligent of them all. Watch out for more smears in the coming weeks.
+1
Happy to see another African on here 🙂
Canadian here – we have no use for the BRF here either and have had ongoing high-level political wranglings about leaving the commonwealth. Canadians actually pay a higher per capita amount to fund the BRF’s visits than Brits ($2.00 PP/year). All I can say is I want my money back.
Very interesting points!
Another Canadian and all I can say is I agree +a million. The commonwealth needs to go and these money grubbers need to get actual jobs.
Yes, BigGirl. Both William and Kate are jealous of the relationship they see with Harry and Meghan. And Carole is not happy that Harry married Meghan so quickly and her work ethic puts Kate to shame.
Anita’s, I think you hit the nail on the head.
It’s true, William and Kate are widely perceived as boring. It doesn’t follow that they are not content with the family life they’ve chosen for themselves.
I suspect the brothers are just two very different personalities with contrasting approaches to public life & life decisions. Some degree of conflict was inevitable.
Think of the difference between the Obamas & the Trumps. People of color really do have to work harder to succeed in America. You better believe Meghan and Doria are intelligent. I have no idea how bright the family she married into is, but I do know she is amongst a group of people who primarily inherited their wealth & status.
The Royal family has been know to do this to many outsiders. Look at how long William keep Kate on a string. The America thing, age/divorce, the actress thing probably factors in just as much as the race. They are snooty when it comes to class and outsiders.
@Isabelle Which is why they had to come up with the Cinderella/Beauty and the Beast narrative when their tendencies towards social isolation created the most tragic of deformities, both internally and externally.
William kept her on a string because he wanted other women and she was always a distant second choice if that.
Yes, and rightly so IF you consider it from their perspective. Maintaining the insider/outsider divide is self-preservation for this lot. It’s the foundation of their social influence/power.
I’m not suggesting they are all consciously aware of this, but it’s operating, you know?
@Wisca I get your arguement, but a more apt comparison would be the Obamas and the Bushes. The Bushes are people of privilege and pedigree who had the world handed to them. The Obamas are people of immense intellect who worked their asses off.
The Trumps are nothing more than a criminal syndicate who robbed and cheated their way into enormous debt that they leverage to live an extremely gauche lifestyle.
Even Pr Philip had a bumpy ride joining the RF. The Queen Mum did not like him, called him the Hun. He had no $$ but related to most royal families in Europe-Denmark & Greece in particular. He came to Buckingham Palace with tons of ideas to modernize and cut costs and was met with a wall of courtiers telling him no. I know he’s not generally well liked but he was not welcomed with open arms and when he & the queen married it was only couple years post WWII. He served with the British Navy but was viewed with suspicion as his sisters had married German minor royals with ties to Nazi party.
How did the courtiers explain his mother’s courage during the Second World War??
Philip overhauled the private estates and made them self-supporting. Charles gets many of his local agriculture ideas from Philip.
Philip’s family was even more messy than Meghan’s.
So was this latest article leaked by Meghan & Harry? The bit about her having a higher IQ than all the senior royals put together sounds like something she or someone in her team would have leaked. There was also the bit about how she tried to reach out to Kate several times but Kate was unwilling. This article has the Sussexes hands written all over it!
100%.
And it’ll backfire on them here in Blighty too.
Haha NO this is the Sun so you can pretty much guarantee it’s 100% fictional. Nobody should pay too much heed to a WORD of it.
With the way Harry was portrayed in the article? I doubt it. Also, Emily’s claims that William could’ve vetoed Harry’s appointment by the QUEEN and that he’s Harry’s boss (when their grandmother and father are technically the current and next ones in charge) are amusing.
You know this article to total fan fiction because William would never be miffed that someone rather than him was tapped to do work.
Agree, the Sussex PR is not the source and I don’t think the IQ reference was meant to be a compliment or a positive highlight to her character.
I think the IQ quote is fabricated or embellished. The palace aide may have said – Meghan is intelligent, the writer then puts her own twist to it – Meghan is more intelligent than the entire RF combined. LOL. Even if this is the Sussexes, I can’t imagine them doing that, it just adds more fuel to the fire. I think this is a third party. No one is looking good in this article. The entire 2 weeks we have not seen any positive Sussex PR, just articles about Harry attending so and so event and Meghan attending so and so event. Why would they choose to respond now knowing it will just make things worse? I think they are keeping it quiet.
Yup, that IQ quote is a dead giveaway, this is coming from the Sussex camp, probably from Harry himself.
I’ve never doubted Meghan’s intelligence but she was an actress, not a nobel prize winner.
As for the rest, i can see Harry, feeling very upset and emotional that his brother isn’t bowled over by his choice of bride. Whilst understandable, stamping your feet isn’t the way to resolve these types of conflicts.
All of these drama has made me like all 4 protagonists less :
Harry comes across as demanding,petulant and sulky
Meghan doesnt seem to have grasped the cultural differences between the US and the UK. The tiara story, the diva-ish behavior etc, there is no smoke without fire.
William seems like an arrogant know it all
Kate clearly has no spine, and will simply do as she is told by her husband regardless.
The only winner here is Charles
@Mrs Bump Didn’t she get through a four year double major in three? Doesn’t mean she’s Cambridge bright, but she’s certainly more – much more – academically capable than those chronically inbred courtiers who now comprise her human cage.
All this has been SO blown out of proportion, though. An argument over a headpiece (doubtful, because the Queen says “here is X” and one gushes “ta ever so, your Maj” – besides, if its provenance were doubtful, why should Eugenie be able to wear it? Not as if placing it on her head is going to resuscitate the Romanovs, is it). Atomisers in the chapel. Heaven forbid. Why didn’t she get out the pinny and the Airwick while she was at it? Both women used scented candles. Supposedly slapping down staff (“they’re MY staff! “). Aren’t the women supposed to share staff? I mean, my G-d – they’re treating the smallest of nothingnesses as actual news. It makes one wonder what is really going on in the world that they have to resort to such trivia to conceal it.
@jadedbrit – of course she’s smart.
But I’ve got two degrees (Bsc and Msc) and i would never refer to myself as having an IQ greater than everyone in the room put together. It’s cringey.
Plus Kate is also a degree holder, from a very prestigious uni, and unlike William, she probably got in on her own merits.
@Mrs Bump – ah, but I doubt either of us has had to spend much time in spitting distance of the Royal Family; and, when one has, one does have to wonder whether their valets still have to show them to do the bunny-ears shoe-tying manoeuvre, as they don’t seem to be able to find their backsides even when GPS is attached. And St Andrews really isn’t that privileged, outside its societal function as a Regency Era marriage mart.
nevermind.
Feel free to correct me of course, but i would assume that Norwestern is pretty much at the same level as St Andrews ?
I never understood St. Andrews to be academicly rigorous, just a place where rich people sent their kids, like USC in California. It’s not Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes! Charles going on an offensive, making sure he seems like the best of the bunch for when the time comes. He’s thrown his kids under the bus plenty of times before, why he’s given a pass now I really don’t know.
@Mrs Bump In my personal experience Northwestern has typically been more – much more – academically driven. I’ve supervised several Masters students and have noted that the quality of research and breadth of discourse equals that of a median Russell Group university. St Andrews, while being very pretty and full of very pretty people, tends to be populated by interchangeable Emmas and Clarissas, flotillas of upturned-collared Alis and Hugos. They all went to the same boarding school, share the same groups of friends and adhere to the same social calendars, knowing instinctively what is the “right” way to “behave”. Usually to be found propping up the bar at Boujis, Annabelle’s and the Groucho (with that obligatory “bathroom selfie!!” to show the they’ve had a Really Fun Night Out drinking Skinny Bitches (Vodka and slimline), shoals of them eddy through Sloane Square and its equivalents, utterly impervious to what you and I may term Real Life.
I think I’m being rather kind in my depictions, rather than unduly harsh. Happy to stand corrected, however.
I am no particular fan of Kate, but she’s not stupid. Art History at St Andrews requires AAB at A level or 35 IB points to get in. (It’s academically rigorous enough, it’s not Oxbridge but neither is Northwestern Harvard or Yale).
Agree with the parallels between St Andrews and Northwestern and that it’s unfair to write off St Andrews because it’s favoured by the upper classes. Durham and Exeter have always been viewed as Oxbridge reject universities. They’re still good universities. y university, York, was in the main populated by smart state school kids. As I understand from my friend who stayed on to do a History Masters and PhD it is now skewed more towards private school
To me, this story seems to be further proof that these leaks are coming from a third party (perhaps a former aide as many have suggested). Truth is, most of the stories make BOTH sides look bad.
It would be a kick in the pants if it’s coming from Pushy Princess Michael, still smarting from being put in her place over the Blackamoor brooch (being made to apologize to Meghan, whom I’m sure PP sees as beneath herself in *every* way.
PP lives at KP, so she’s in the thick to hear any palace employees’ gossip, and I don’t think there’s any love lost between the lot of them.
Just a thought… 🙄🤔😁
Was she really made to apologize to Meghan? That would be wonderful.
This doesn’t have the feeling of a self-leaked article. Also, it doesn’t take much to have a higher IQ than the current crop of royal grandkids. LOL not much of a brag!
This article seems a bit more realistic. I think Will’s initial talk with Harry wasn’t so much about Meghan personally, and yeah some of the other stick-in-the-mud family members were very hesitant. All the more reason for the Queen to take Meghan on that overnight trip.
As for the IQ, I did laugh. The Windsors have long been known not to be mental giants, although I do think Harry and Meghan are a good match intellectually.
I agree that what Meghan does with her family in private is none of Wills’s business. As for Kate, another source said that she and Meghan are fine. Just becuse they’re not besties (and there’s no need for them to be) doesn’t mean that they’re feuding. As this souce said (US magazine?), because of their positions, they have a bond that can’t be broken.
Given that Meghan’s family members are publicly quite vocal, it could be argued that it’s very much his business.
I think this started as a pro-Sussex piece but Emily went to the Cambridge camp for context or confirmation and that resulted in a “no one looks particularly great, here” kind of story.
I posted in last night’s royal-related thread, the “high IQ” remark from the senior courtier read as pure snark at Meghan to me, not a compliment. Like he/she was saying Meghan only thinks she’s smarter than the rest of them, in her own mind only. And not afraid to show she thinks that way, as a mark of arrogance. It wasn’t meant as a positive description imo.
I could be very wrong on that of course. But everything that’s come out of 99% of the royal staff’s mouths in these tabloid reports has been anti-Meghan. Can’t see it suddenly stopping now.
me too. & IF it came from the Sussex camp, it was a misstep & will backfire.
God, this rings so true to me. The tidbit about Kate not being as friendly to Meghan as she would have liked reminded me of this Lainey blind
https://www.laineygossip.com/Didnt-offer-a-ride-blind-riddle/46293
Thank you, was searching on Lainey recently trying to find this blind.
At that time, it was seen as it would be giving more “official seriousness” to the relationship than H & M wanted (if she’s shopping with Kate, then Meg’s THE ONE!). That wasn’t put out there at that time (H & M were “just dating”).
Kate was pregnant with two small kids, andit’s not her job to make her brother in laws girlfriend feel like home. Why is it always the womans responsibility and fault?
I get the bro-feud elements, that rings the most true.
Tired is the cat fight angle in press. But i guess boy fights don’t sell. They’re different women, with different interests, and they’re not going to be besties. But that doesn’t make them enemies either.
It literally takes nothing to be kind to someone. Obviously, she couldn’t or didn’t want to be BFF’s but damn she didn’t have to be cold either.
That said, William was right to warn Harry. If Harry was my brother, I would’ve done the same thing. And low key, William was right.
But honestly, Royals are a bunch inbred weirdos so this drama is fitting and amusing.
Totally agree with you- placing blame on Kate who has no say in the family whatsoever anyway, just to come up with a cat fight narrative, is disgusting and as old as the world.
And Kate has multiple nannies that enable her to go work out with her personal trainer or go shopping by herself whenever she wants. She has plenty of “me” time provided by the taxpayer-funded staff. It isn’t like she juggling doing all the housework and childcare herself while working full-time.
First of all I know lots of pregnant women with multiple children who are warm and friendly so one doesn’t preclude the other. As for the doesn’t have time excuse: Kate has many MAIDS, PERSONAL ASSISTANTS AND NANNIES! Plus an allegedly hands on Mother. A senior royal pregnant with kids is not like average Jane pregnant with kids by a country mile.
In saying that I am not stating that I believe these stories and agree the catfight angle is nauseating, but if you are going to make excuses for someones behaviour (alleged in this case) they should reflect reality.
Why did Meghan have any expectation that Kate would be her advisor? Did she ask Kate to take on that role, or did she just assume she would? Or did Harry assume she would? We have no reason to believe Kate was anything less than kind and gracious, but she isn’t in charge of Duchess training. There are plenty of of courtiers for that.
Kate wasn’t pregnant in 2016 though. And while she had two kids, it cost her nothing to be nice. She probably avoided her because William had issues with Meghan and Kate doesn’t cross him unless it’s for something that benefits her.
This is exactly what I thought of when I read this.
It’s been interesting reading Lainey lately since we know she has connections with Meghan’s Canadian circle but has been very tight-lipped on this “feud”. I think she may have lost some juice after that blind item. Ive noticed that she has been really overboard praising Kate for the past 6 months and yeah, she defends Meghan, but it’s clear she has no insider info. She just quotes Omid Scobie.
Lainey works with Jessica Mulroney’s husband Ben..so the story would have been shared before the relationship was declared exclusive. Afterwards, Lainey would have stopped posting simply to stay in the loop.
That Blind Item could be the very reason why Kate was allegedly so stand-offish and William was wary of Meghan. It’s obvious that Lainey got that scoop from Meghan herself or from someone in Meghan’s Canadian social circle and the ultra-private W & K would have most likely come to the same conclusion as well. They have a right to be wary with anyone that is brought in to their inner circle who blabs about it to a gossip blog.
Come on – it’s a blind item allegedly about the royals on a Canadian gossip blog. It’s highly doubtful that William and Kate know about it.
Clearly the details of the blind happened because Kate was being standoffish. Had Kate not acted like that then there would be nothing to report.
But it became pretty huge. I was picked up all over the place. Like another poster said, there is a Meghan and Lainey connection and after that blind, Lainey hasn’t dropped any other insider info. Kind of like her source got reprimanded for sharing private info.
Lainey does have a source within the royal circle, as she does with celebrities. Once these leaks started being published, she wrote something like you have consider who is publishing these leaks…if it’s just tabloids…it could be made up. If it’s every paper, then royal courtiers are most likely leaking this because royal reporters wouldn’t risk their connections to report every leak. Again, who benefits from these leaks? Who benefits from Harry & William fighting?
That Lainey blind was poorly played on Meghan’s part and I hope it wasn’t authorized by her. There were any number of reasons why Kate might not have invited her along, including the media/pap firestorm it could have created.
My guess is Jessica Mulroney told Lainey the blind and then she was told not to do it again. It was still early on when their relationship wasn’t public yet.
I don’t really blame Kate for being standoffish with Megan at that point. Until there’s a ring and an OK from Granny, Megan was just another girlfriend. If they had been pap’d shopping together the media would have had Megan already married into the family. And had the relationship crashed and burned, there would be an American actress out there with way too much info about Will, Kate and kids to possibly sell to tabloids. I think Kate was in “wait and see” mode. Smart move.
I would hope the situation changed once there was a ring. Or tiara picked out.
I agree. If it weren’t the royal family and they were just two women in relationships with a pair of brothers it would be a completely different story. I understand why Meghan was hurt or felt snubbed, but she should be able to see the situation with some objectivity. Does Kate behave the same way once Meghan is her sister-in-law? Probably not. But initially showing some reserve to Harry’s new girlfriend makes sense to me.
I always assumed Meghan was okay with Lainey posting the blind item, but maybe that story made its way to Lainey without Meghan’s knowledge. I mean it doesn’t really make sense for Meghan to be leaking stories like that, especially at that point in the relationship. If Kate did get wind of the blind item, she’d have known it could have literally only come from Meghan telling someone, which definitely wouldn’t have made Kate more receptive to inviting her into the family.
Harry stated he knew basically from the start that Meghan was the one. The rest of the family worked with him, changed up schedules, and made an effort to spend time with Meghan. Because Harry asked. If W&K decided to be standoffish in the face of everyone else welcoming her? Shame on their lazy selves.
@notasugarhere Harry also thought Cressida, et al were the ones too. Relationships don’t always work out the way we want them to. Anything could have happened between him telling everyone that she’s the one and their actual wedding day. Reluctance on Kate’s part was protection for them. Why let information out there only to have to worry about it later? Keep it close, keep it safe, especially when you live in a fishbowl. No telling what juicy gossip Kate and Will are hiding. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. LOL
Harry thought Cressida was the one”
Are you psychic, or secretly his best friend?
@Meganbot2000 Yes, obviously I’m his best friend and he told me.
If I was Meghan,I would punish the press by not showing any pics of my baby when it’s born at least for a month.then they will know whom they are dealing with.They say tit for tat is a fair game
I have a feeling they not going to do a Lion King presentation as it is – like what K&W did. I feel like it going to a be a very private matter and will only show the occasional photos. That’s my hunch.
I hope so. The should release a photo on Instagram and keep it moving.
W & K *have* to do “A Lion King” show, as being in the direct line of succession. Harry, being 6th, is not as important anymore, and as such, he wouldn’t have to do the whole dog and pony show. When they reveal the baby will be up to them.
The Queen didn’t do a lion king presentation with her kids. Diana started the Lindo thing and at the time many criticized her. It’s not a long-standing royal tradition but William and Kate copying Diana.
If Meghan’s IQ is as high as they claim, she would never be foolish enough to go tit-for-tat with the British tabs. Look at how vicious they are when she is playing nice.
This. IF she’s playing that game she’s a fool. She can’t win. The most she could hope for is upending the BRF but I don’t believe she wants that and I don’t believe the institution will allow it. The US lens through which she’s viewed is not the only lens in play. Will and Kate are very popular and well regarded in the BRF. Harry is very popular but he’d be a fool to think the public won’t turn on him if he continues with his petulant behaviour.
Agreed. Talk about a losing game…the last thing she wants to do is antagonize the press. Pettiness isn’t a good look on anyone. The best thing she can do is refuse to let the tabloids see her sweat.
I seriously doubt it. We had a family friend that became a diplomat after his military career and he got lost going to Vietnam. Ended up in the PIs. But out of curiosity, I googled and took a portion of the multiple choice part of the exams and only missed one.
Why would William get his nose bent out of shape because he did not get the position if commonwealth youth ambassador? One day he will be the head of the commonwealth and Harry will have to kow tow to him. I don’t believe that story.
@royalblue Hopefully the monarchy will be no more before William takes over, I’m so over him and his wife. Hoping my parents country follows Australia’s lead and cuts ties with the Commonwealth and other Caribbean countries!
No, the head of the Commonwealth is not inherited but appointed. Thus why TQ is putting a lot of effort in having Charles appointed by the Commonwealth as their Head, once she passes. Harry could very well be appointed as head instead of William.
@cee Yes very true, just got a bit annoyed with the post up thread. They had to vote Charles in a Head of the Commonwealth. Harry would be a better choice to take over than William, although I still live in hope for a Republic.
Thanks for the clarification Cee. That would explain William’s petulance. There is a chance he may not be afforded that honor one day.
Errrr….Australia is still headed by the queen.
Australia is still in the commonwealth.
@huh Sorry what I meant to say is they should follow Australia’s lead and look at leaving the Commonwealth.
Naming the most popular member of the BRF youth ambassador right after his father was affirmed as the next leader and while May is knee deep in Brexit negotiations was a shrew political move on HM’s part and the entire family knows it.
Australia is NOT looking to leave the Commonwealth, just removing the monarch as HoS in favour of an Australian taking on that responsibility. They are two quite different things. Many republics are still part of the Commonwealth.
The job Harry currently has is a faux role, just a time filler to please his enjoyment of travel. Charles will take over the Queen’s role as Head of the Commonwealth because she pressured other members to do so. This was talked about in Commonwealth circles for quite some time and made the papers too. When she’s gone, it will be a different story. The role was never intended to be an hereditary one. It should be one of merit in this day and age.
Why would you want your parents’ country to cut ties with Caribbean countries?
Good point , pretty obvious this is an article from the Sussex
? Really the Sussex? I don’t think they need more gossip into their lives.
I don’t think this is from the Sussexes either. It’s a third party. That high IQ quote has no relevance to the story at all – not sure why it’s there in the first place. I can’t see the Sussexes trying to insult anyone by commenting about how smart Meghan is compared to everyone else. This might be as someone commented before on the other article – a snide remark to Meghan disguised as a compliment or “damage control” to counter the heavily negative articles regarding Meghan.
Do the Sussexes even have a camp yet? They haven’t been married long and I doubt have built up a following that loyal if as reports intimate they are losing staff like crazy. No, this is third party, I think Harry hates the media and wouldn’t play ball with them at all. Meghan IS probably smarter than all of them, but in a emotionally intelligent way. She’s lived in the real world, that gives people a measure of wisdom. When the world hasn’t always revolved around you it gives you some perspective at least.
Agreed makes no sense.
Harry has been appointed as CW ambassador not future Head of the CW, which has been given to Charles. I cant imagine anyone fighting over such a pointless institution. As a member, i cannot think of a single tangible thing that dead horse has done for us.
Very much PR from the Sussex camp.
Agree completely. I doubt William would be interested in the role. He’s got bigger fish to fry and since when has he stepped up to more work? It’s a pretty empty role anyway. The CW has some trade implications, the Games (poor man’s Olympics) and some cultural capital but it’s all very minor. I think the Brits thought they could play the CW card to woo former colonies they’d given the heave-ho to when they entered the EU. But times have changed. The UK’s largest market was the EU.
Yeah, PR is from the Sussex camp. The giveaway being the IQ throwdown. Funny though.
You so casually call the Invictus Games the “poor man’s Olympics” Imagine how those wounded soldier participants who have something to look forward to, and the hundreds of volunteers and helpers would feel hearing the Games called that? That was a low blow.
You so casually call the Invictus Games the “poor man’s Olympics” Imagine how those wounded soldier participants who have something to look forward to, and the hundreds of volunteers and helpers would feel hearing the Games called that? That was a low blow.
Lady D
Chrome was referring to the CommonWealth games as the poor man’s Olympics, which is a very very accurate representation.
@Lady D, I think Chrome meant the Commonwealth Games, not the Invictus Games. But even then it’s pretty insulting – people enjoy the Commonwealth Games.
My apologies Chrome, I misunder-read your comment. Thank you Tina and Mrs. Bump for pointing that out to me.
I find it difficult to believe William would be upset about not having to do work 🙄
He probably didn’t want it but got mad that Harry was offered the position. it’s not outside of his character to be petulant like that.
True, Nic. He wouldn’t want the work but resents Harry was chosen ahead of him.
I think the role is a better fit for Harry and gives him a distinct role within the family, but I could understand why William might have expected to be appointed as a kind of training/stepping stone to one day be appointed the leader of the Commonwealth.
These types of conversations – i.e. are you sure about the person you are dating? – never go well. I think most of us have learned that lesson at some point in our lives. However, it makes TOTAL sense that William (among others) wanted to have that conversation with Harry, who no matter what, he loves. Coming into the Royal family s a HUGE commitment with a major scrutiny, as we are seeing. That conversation seems like in a protective older sibling would want to have. But as I said, they rarely go well.
Harry, to me, comes across as the worst – so sensitive that he is seeing criticism internally where there may not be any and is probably making things harder for Meghan as a result.
Meghan should absolutely cut off her father but it is surprising and somewhat endearing of William (to me) that he can’t envision cutting of family. It’s naive but I think speaks well of him.
As for the Middletons – I don’t think they’re still making Pippa’s wedding a thing. It just seemed like context in the story as to why Meghan felt like she needed to try hard to fit in with the family and when it was not received in the way she hoped she felt rebuffed.
ITA, William was probably well-meaning in his little talk with Harry—as someone pointed out above, he himself is quite risk averse and took forever to settle on Kate, and it must have seemed like madness to him that his brother abandoned the dating pool of posh British aristocrats and wealthy socialites to which William is accustomed and went all in quickly for an American actress from a middle class upbringing. As a protective brother who didn’t yet know Meghan well, William was not out of line IMO to question her motives or whether she would be able to make the leap to survive in the BRF. At the same time, Harry, he seems like a nice guy, but he is not the sharpest person, so rather than understand where William was coming from and let it pass, he freaked out about it.
What caring sibling hasnt had the “are you sure about this person” talk when they are unsure of the person??? This could have happened at the beginning….and W actually ended up liking/respecting M. And maybe H didn’t actually freak out but ended up strongly explaining why he felt she was the one.
The people like Harry and usually side with him. We even do on this board but….Harry has a history of angry outbursts. He has a temper and the most temperamental of the two, even though William has a temper as well. He isn’t a perfect saint. William “vetted” Kate for YEARS, so not surprised at all he wanted Harry to go into the relationship with caution. That is exactly what William did with Kate.
Saying William vetted her makes it sound like she was applying for a job with him. I guess that’s how it turned out for Kate too. Do what I say, go where I tell you to go, talk to whomever I deem fit, and I will pay you well. Their life, their choice.
Yes. Exactly. Because it’s no just a marriage it IS a job. A lifelong job. The sense of duty cannot be understated. They live in service to the monarchy.
William didn’t vet Kate, he played her along for 10 years while he went after other women.
@@OsGirl It would be very surprising if anyone were making Pippa’s wedding a “thing”. At the risk of sounding like a martinet, she gained her position solely through whom her sister married and the fact she filmed well from the back. I’m astonished that someone’s sister/sister in law would be able to dictate the actions of the Royal Family on any front, frankly.
Seriously, the nonsense of “not wanting anyone to upstage the bride”… C’mon! George and Charlotte were in the wedding party; they *totally* took over 😊
**Tongue in cheek
William has never been a protective older brother to Harry, leading him in to all kinds of negative behaviors. Benefiting from the press covering it up and using his younger brother for PR.
William’s concern is always William, nobody else.
Leading him to negative behaviours? Don’t make me laugh! Poor Harry, just a babe lost in the woods! Did Meghan lead him to fall in love with her too, seeing he’s so easily manipulated? #nazicostume #neverforget
No, he followed the lead of his wastrel older brother. The one who was caught speeding through private estates, driving drunk, experimenting with drugs at Highgrove, and falling drunk out of clubs for a decade. William has never been a protective older brother and has always used Harry for PR.
As I’m sure you know. William picked out the costume and according to the person working at the shop, goaded Harry to wear it. William went as an “African Native” complete with black tights, also according to the person working at the shop. Stupid Harry for wearing it, wretched racist older brother for treating his little brother like that AND letting Harry take the public fall for it.
Was it william too who made him refer to another soldier as “paki”. For those who don’t know that word is akin to calling a black person the N word
LOL, wow, blaming Harry’s faults on William is a bit much. Are we going to blame William’s faults on Harry? No?
@Mrsbump the whole family are racist, William included. There was a documentary on here in the UK a while ago and Charles, William and Harry refered to a polo friend as paki or some such, I can’t remember if it’s something they called him to his face or behind his back. This family only ‘allowed’ Harry to marry Meghan to be seen as progressive esp as some members of the Commonwealth were making noise about leaving and Elizabeth wanted Charles to be head. Also most of the people that support the ‘royals’ are of a certain age, a lot of younger folk here don’t care for them or want to see them go, by Meghan coming onto the scene they have a new following, that being young black/Asian people, who can’t identify with the white members of the family. They are hoping this keeps the monarchy going.
I have no problem believing that the whole family is racist, i was responding to the fantasy that poor Harry was forced by William to be racist.
Regarding the CW, im confused about why you believe the RF would agree to the H&M wedding because some members were threatening to leave. I can assure you, that as an African CW member that we don’t see Meghan as some sort of POC representative. I like her for her accomplishments but for me, she is first and foremost an American woman who not only has had the privilege of being born in a rich, first world country, but has also benefited from being half-white.
Her life and the lives of the majority of CW members couldn’t be more different.
So, no, her being part of the RF, doesn’t make me want to stay in the CW, if anything, i resent how the RF are using us for their global PR campaign
Harry made his choice, but don’t pretend Billy Boy wasn’t egging him on. Racist William who dressed as an “African Native” at the same party but the press lied and pretended it was a lion costume.
I have a big sister who is a good protector, and in turn I’m a protector of our younger siblings. Harry never had that, he had lousy petulant William who went further astray than Harry and was never held accountable. He even admitted it in an interview once.
Give me a break!!! William is being intrusive regarding Harry and Meghan’s relationship just because he wanted to string Kate along for close to 10 yrs because he wasn’t sure if he could trust her doesn’t mean that Harry had to do the same thing. Also I believe that while Meghan didn’t need or was looking for guidance from Kate about being a royal I could see her trying to make inroads with Harry’s sister in law but when Kate continued to give Meghan the cold shoulder she moved on from trying build a connection with Kate. It wouldn’t surprise me that Meghan is falling all over the royals since she comes from America and has worked for what she wanted in her life while the BRF has had butlers, and maid do everything for them. She would seem to be more impressed over people like the Obama’s or Hilary Clinton.
It sounds as if William was just trying to get Harry to just slow down a bit, not necessarily to ditch Meghan. Get to know her better before going all in. He knows his brother.
This sounds like the truth to me.
I think a bit of all of it is true. Harry is madly in love. Meghan wears the trousers. William was suspicious of Meghan. It is only natural to do some diligence on a new member of a prominent family. Also, I think, yes, Meghan is probably difficult at times. So, probably all of it is true.
As opposed to Will’s mute Stepford Wife.
Difficult how? People keep saying this but what exactly does it mean??
Men are rarely described as difficult.
JEssica+1
+1
+1
I’ve been described that way–as this lovely thing, that nice thing, this other lovely thing along with “but she can be difficult at times.” And you know what? It’s sexism, pure and simple (in my case–I think there are other “ism”s involved in Meghan’s case). I have opinions and expect to be heard, so I’m “difficult.” I’m confident and know what I want, for example in my career, so I’m “sometimes difficult.” But the truth of it is that I’m not difficult at all. I’m just a woman who is kind, intelligent, educated, and who, because I happen to be a woman, am perhaps not subservient enough or do not demure enough to those who think they are naturally “more than” a woman–by this I mean many men and in the workplace (where most of my bosses are men). This is just a bunch of crap that is being said about Meghan to diminish her, to put her in her place, and to remind her of how women are “supposed to act” and supposed to exist in the world. To that I say NOPE.
Maybe I am difficult sometimes. Maybe she is too. But so is EVERY other person, male, female, peasant, royal–everyone.
I’m so sick of strong women being labeled as “difficult” because they have the audacity to be strong or to exist in this in this world “as if” they are equal to everyone else.
Totally agree with you @themummy I get the same said about me but don’t give a damn. I know who I am, what I want, what I like and don’t like and have my opinions, that doesn’t make me a horrid difficult person.
@themummy, I agree with you in all nearly other cases. I’m not saying you’re wrong in this instance but I think Prince Philip and Prince Albert we’re both considered ‘difficult’. They were married to the monarch so in a stronger position to Diana, Fergie and Meghan.
I think Meghan being ‘difficult’ is Meghan having opinions. I think they just aren’t used to a woman who isn’t a born royal who happens to be a WOC being confident and outspoken. I’m sure she had to pull teeth to get the cookbook put together with the Grenfell women.
I think this smacks more elitism and where she ranks in the pecking order rather the run of the mill “difficult woman” trope that most women deal with from time to time.
As someone else stated Alfred & Philip were also regarded as difficult.
If somebody (male or female) is seen as more demanding than those who rank above them, then that person will be seen as difficult. This isnt a job where hard work is rewarded by a promotion, you are expected to know your place and toe the line in exchange for all the benefits received.
Preach!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏
This seems like the truth to me. This is close to the other stories that have come out over the past few weeks – Kate and Meghan aren’t close, Harry and William had “friction” regarding Meghan – so its not entirely new information, but it just makes everything we have been reading for the past few weeks ring a bit truer. Like someone said upthread – sitting down someone in a relationship and explaining why you don’t think its going to work is NEVER a good idea. I mean most of us who survived high school and college can attest to that. And while they may be in different places in their lives, I can see that Meghan would expect Kate to be welcoming – as the experienced “outsider” royal, and be disappointed when Kate wasn’t as welcoming as expected. And I don’t think it has anything to do with Kate and Meghan being women. I think it has to do with very few people understanding Meghan’s position, and Kate was in the best place to understand what she was going through.
The IQ comment makes me laugh because to me I’m not interpreting it as “Meghan is a genius” but more “the Windsors are dumb” lol.
Also – Pippa’s wedding cracks me up. The middletons could have just not invited Harry. But my guess is even then they knew they wanted an invitation to Harry’s wedding.
Yea but it doesn’t sound like the talk was “this relationship isn’t going to work”. It sounded like “hey, there are going to be major obstacles thrown at with this relationship. Are you sure this person is the person you’re willing to go through all of it with?” I had a similar talk with a friend not that long ago. She was getting in to a relationship with someone who has children, a first for her. Myself and a few others had to explain to her that this relationship is going to be a lot different than any she has every had and that her relationship would not just be between two people. It’s logical to ask someone if they are willing to sacrifice so much for another person. Harry started dating a divorced American actress of color. Of course his brother was going to sit him down and ask if Harry was sure of Meghan. The press (if you don’t believe the Cambridge’s are behind this recent smear campaign, and I don’t) was going to be brutal.
That’s alright, Meghan will win them all if she is the real deal and if they were sincere in their worries, not t just being hypocritical a**es.
I am 11 years older than my husband and Even when I was a fairly serious qoman, there was a previous relationship that was used against me besides my age by one of my brothers in law when we were deciding to marry. It was an issue for then before the marriage, they had their doubts, but my husband told me what was it about, I was a but angey, but I continued to be myself and here we are 13 years later, they like me and respect me. I was not angry to them, I understood that they were worried as things between my boyfriend and I were going fast and serious ( older brother took 12 years to marry, second was getting a divorce).
We have our problems, etc, but those “worries” they had were just gossip under the bridge. They were polite as to never act disrespectful to me, even when they had their doubts. Noone is perfect, they have made a lot if mistakes along the way. As Jane Austen said, neighbors talk about eah other.
How sad that someone is using all this to try and discredit Meghan, if someone in the family is leaking all this, then there is really a problem, if the courtiers are, I hope someone shuts him/ her out soon enough.
Yeah, I like Meghan, but I can see why William was a bit apprehensive. I don’t think he strung Kate along for years only because he wanted to sow his wild oats, but because trust is a major thing for these people. Imagine if a new royal girlfriend ended up being a fortune hunter, with the tabloids on speed dial, selling the whole family out after a break up?
There is a reason why royals date for a long time before taking the relationship further. Kate might be boring and lazy, but over time she has proven herself to be discrete, loyal, and has never mingled in celebrity circles. I can see why William was wary of Meghan at first – she was a B-actress who clearly liked the idea of fame, she had a “basic girl” lifestyle blog flaunting her taste for the high life, and she hadn’t grown up with the British reverence for the Queen. She was a complete outsider, and letting her into the inner fold of the RF so quickly would always come with a risk.
If you’ve grown up always looking over your shoulder for the paparazzi, have your phone hacked by newspapers and friends sell you out for cash, that’s how careful you are around new people.
I agree with this, as someone who’s a supporter of Meghan and has been rather appalled at the latest media onslaught against her. William was not irrational to be cautious. He just wasn’t.
@Jessica +1
+2
yup, to expect anything else would be unrealistic. I feel like some people are looking at the royal family as just rich celebrities, but they are not that at all. They have a whole other thing going on. The Queen literally believes that God has appointed her to be the head of the Church of England. The royal family is somthing to be protected. ( in their eyes) I personally think that Britain can do without the whole thing. Tax dollars can go somewhere else. But I am a Canadian. The last 40 or so years have not gone that well in that respect. The royal fmily has been a joke in a lot of ways. There has been a lot of bad press and bad behaviour exposed for the world to see.
Harry, married an American , Divorcee. He got a big wedding and a title and all the perks. The public would not have excepted anything else true….but just remember what happened to Princess Margaret or King Edward. That was not that long ago…if you really think about it
yes. it seems that a certain deference to & love for tradition is required in that role & I don’t know if an American (or any “outsider”) can fully live within the confines of that, you know?
square pegs.
I totally agree with what you said. I have a good friend who was really looking for a serious relationship and had made a number of poor choices in partners. So when he introduced his latest girlfriend to me, I was in no rush to befriend her, especially since he had primary custody of all of his kids and she had never had any of her own. She was very nice but I felt very protective of our friend and didn’t want to see him get hurt… again. Well, they are now very happily married and she is one of my best friends.
We want to protect those we care about especially if there are any red flags. In Meaghan’s case, I can totally see how those red flags were obvious to William but not to Harry. He wasn’t thinking with his brain…
W&K hang out with celebrities in Mustique all the time. The press just hardly ever report it.
I was about to say the same myself – a year long engagement after a year long dating in their case is too short. I can see Harry knowing she was The One and just wanting to settle down already, but it’s there’s so much that goes into becoming a royal.
In any case, they got pregnant immediately after the wedding which tells me they just wanted to start a family and fast tracked the weeding. I cannot imagine a royal having an out of wedlock children, the horror!
Charles and Di had approximately 13 dates before they got married. They lasted 11 years, so with two years worth of dates, H&M are good for decades:)
I agree with your assessment, Emma.
I also think this article tries to make the Cambridges look bad. But, in the end, it makes the Sussexes look bad.
No it doesn’t unless you already dislike the Sussexes.
@Jessica: oh Jessica… Emma’s first phrase was ” Yeah I like Meghan…” and I replied saying I agreed with her assessment.
Making a comment about how I think they came across in this article doesn’t make me dislike the Sussexes.
William didn’t string Kate along for trust issues. He spend a decade cheating on her, trying to get with other women, and dumping her. For someone who thinks he is such a great judge of character, he’s spent many years being used by the Middletons. Then again, he benefits from their PR games and them covering up all of his activities.
Exactly you don’t string someone along for ten years to make sure you can trust them. William didn’t want Kate and when he realized he had no choice he settled.
William strung Kate along hoping something better would turn up. When nothing materialized, he was forced to act (by either dumping her permanently or proposing). You don’t need to know someone for ten years to know if they are a good fit.
I think that all makes a lot of sense.
Why so much royal gossip these days? It’s overload.
I wonder if Meghan was irritated by all the “Magnanimous Kate Takes Poor Meghan Under Her Wing” articles that came out for months before and after the wedding. I’m not surprised though. Kate doesn’t seem like a “girl’s girl” to me at all. I could see her thinking that no one was around to help her acclimate to the firm so why should she put herself out for someone else like that, especially someone William doesn’t care for.
@DIV. the Spanish? The Borbons? Intellectuals? Really hahaha, good joke. And I am far from a constant follower of Spanish gossip, I just like to read royal history. Too much inbreeding going on with the battenbwrgs and with the borbons.
Violet – I wonder too if this is in response that ‘Kate was there’ for Meghan. As you say, we haven’t seen evidence over the years that she hangs out with female friends, grabbing lunch, here and there, only her family members. Remember how William would go to events, like weddings of his friends, and she wouldn’t go? The press did catch her antiquing instead.
What I find most interesting is that all of this gossip, whether true, a mix of truth, or outright lies, hasn’t been shut down by the firm. Unless it’s a truly scandalous story (and even then, there is some high key drama that gets by), the firm usually is able to quash a lot of the bad press.
As petty as it is, I did laugh at the IQ part—this isn’t the first time it’s been brought up in gossip that the BRF is not particularly intellectual compared to the Swedish, Dutch, Spanish, etc. royal families.
A lot of this seems like it could be true, imo. William might have went overboard when telling Harry to be cautious of Meghan, and Harry could have been overly sensitive in return. Kate is wrapped up in her children, and the Middletons, and probably didn’t have the time nor really the desire to reach out to Meghan, and Meghan might have felt rebuffed. It also could be that they are simply cordial and friendly, but not best friends, and after years of Harry being portrayed as super close to Wills and the expectation that all the royals would be best friends—the press might decide that “not bffs” means “they hate one another.”
My main theory has always been that the Yorks are behind all this drama. Andrew was due for some really bad press: Epstein was back in the news, he made more pro-Saudi comments than usual right after the Kashoggi murder, people were side-eying the spectacle of Eugenie’s wedding considering how far down the line she is, and Beatrice’s new man left his wife/partner for her. There has been very little coverage of it though—instead, it’s a constant stream of bile against Meghan. I think the Yorks were pissed that Meghan’s pregnancy was revealed right after the wedding, even if she couldn’t help it as she was showing, and knew they were facing potential bad press and decided to run with it. And the courtiers, being racist and classist, wanted Meghan to be taken down a peg (you can completely hear the underlying racist tone that Meghan is ‘uppity’ ), and know that the Yorks are the Queen’s favorites so they have made no effort to quash the stories and have even contributed to the gossip.
I wonder if they would change their tune should Meghan and Harry decide they’ve had enough and move to Canada or some other Commonwealth country? Give up the trappings of royalty and do diplomatic work for the UK elsewhere, for the rest of their lives.
If I was Harry, I would be feeling very betrayed and disgusted by my father and the Queen. They could have done a lot to stop this, and they’ve done nothing for him, nothing. Why are they saying and doing nothing? Where is Harry’s family when he needs them? Busy selling him out?
I certainly hope the apply for a visa before they “move to another commonwealth country”.
We get literally no benefits from being members of that scam
Totally agree with you Lady D. That family has no care for Meghan, from the wedding I saw that so it’s not surprising that they don’t seem to have her back with all this rubbish going on on a daily basis. It’s disgusting esp with her being pregnant. I hope Harry and Meghan decide to move away to another country too.
I don’t know about Harry’s being “passionately and crazy in love” is the answer to this mess. A bit too romanticized. Seems more like the younger brother finally trying to assert himself and putting his foot down within a family. I can see a grown man going mental when his (few years) older brother decides to teach him about life. Harry is a grown up and he obviously had had enough. The problem with being a part of the royal family in this sense is that you are NEVER your own, independent person. It’s not like he went to a uni, got a job and moved away from his folks. Even the majority of his financial matters is tightly interwoven with his family. So far his role had been that of a fun single younger brother. When he tried to break out of it, it created a big mess within the Fam.
Harry maturing, taking on his royal role, and having enormous success with Sentebale and Invictus? That hit William in the ego and he doesn’t like it. The rest of the royal family likely welcome this version of Harry. The version that will not put up with being used as his lazy older brother’s scapegoat anymore.
Yes! Harry found his life partner. He is trying to move his life forward with the support of his family and has been met resistance. How sad.
ITA, Rhys. Harry loved his wife, but that doesn’t mean he is so caught up in her that he can’t make decisions for himself. Many people commented that Harry came into his own in the last 3 years. I have to believe this maturity is linked to knowing the direction he wanted his life to go in and having a partner to take that journey with.
Yes this talk about his blind love for Meghan diminishes Harry and the fact that he really matured after his military service. This is the man Meghan fell for – a mature person who takes his role seriously. I have a lot of respect for Harry’s personal growth.
I would also like to think William is a better man than what is portrayed here. From my read of body language at the wedding I saw two men who are close to one another. I thought William was enjoying himself and was happy for his brother. I think these recent reports of estrangement are a whole lot of nothing frankly.
ITA. They keep putting down Harry as an immature man who cannot see that he apparently fell for a devious demanding social climber. This is stupid. I can see them being wary of Meghan in the beginning, but I do think they may have warmed up or will warm up to her soon once they continue to get to know her. This piece by Andrews I think is very much fiction with a piece of tiny truth.
What I got from all these articles from the past two weeks is William is a classist judgment jerk who still doesn’t like Meghan still to this day, Harry is an in love with his wife whiny idiot, Kate is a stuck up cold spineless doormat, Meghan is a workaholic diva who doesn’t know her place they are going to force her to know her place by any means necessary. None of them look good in these articles.
I’d love a soap opeta based on these characters! Real life is much more boring and realistic and the ines making a brouhaha out of it has something to gain.
Who benefits?
The press. Charles does not benefit from having his sons seen in this light.
I agree with other posters that this rings more true than other stories from the past weeks-
But no matter what may have happened in 2016, it’s strange that the tabloids are insisting that it is somehow behind this alleged “feud” today. In the engagement interview, Harry specifically spoke about W&K’s “fantastic support” and said that Kate had been “absolutely amazing” and “wonderful”. He then asked William to be his best man – who at the wedding looked every bit the proud and happy big bother. They celebrated Christmas together and have done several appearances together since.
It wouldn’t be surprising if William did indeed voice some concern about how fast the relationship was progressing, but I seriously doubt there is any lingering bad feelings about it today.
Good point. If there had been a lot of tension, Harry could have had another friend as best man.
I know this is going to sound eye-rolling, but this is exactly like what happened with MY brothers, and they still are not speaking to each other which has caused a huge mess in my family. I believe this story more than anything I have read about the british royals, because it feels so real to me. Brother drama is no fun. And with mine it was also that the younger forever single one got married and changed all the dynamics. The older one was jealous of the new wife. The younger one claimed he was marrying a saint and was totally oversensitive. And they BOTH have very troublesome temperaments.
Two years since the final throwdown (though it took several years to build up to) and I still say that they were both wrong that night. Which infuriates both of them.
+100
I see a older-younger brother dynamics having been thrown off and things continue to hit the fan for years to come.
All that good will they got from the wedding and Charles birthday photos about them being looked at a non racist family and being a family united has been shot straight to hell the Windsors are really showing their true colors. Their photo op walk to church together on Christmas won’t mean anything.
I can’t wait to see the walk to church. People are going to over analyse everything.
Well, you know the old saying “Your family knows which buttons to push. After all, they installed them.”
Yup, I believe Will tried talking to Harry before the wedding and Harry took it the wrong way.
Imagine the amount of people constantly trying to use you to get what they want from you. I’d be suspect of damn near everyone. The money to be made from selling any info on the BRF is huge in comparison to an average Joes wages.
Meg’s awful half-sister and Dad are raking it in! I would think $50-$100K for every single item/interview. They are users, period.
And no one is gonna convince me that they did not know that Meg would cut them out of her inner circle…why would she not? No one enjoys being back stabbed by their relatives. Awful people.
Gotta admit tho, the BRF sells papers..it’s a real life soap opera.
And we know this is all true because…?
When you love someone that much, no one can stop you. Honestly, who cares if they get divorced or everything falls apart? Right now they love each other and they are going to give it their best shot. That’s all any of us can do!
Harry and Meghan are living in the present. If they divorce down the road then they divorce.
At the end of the day the queen, by law, would have to give consent for Harry to marry Meghan . If HM found issues with Meghan she would not be Duchess of Sussex now. I’m certain Meghan was vetted through a deep background check. The Windsors probably know more about the Markles than the tabloids.
Speaking of which, I saw Evil Papa Smurf ‘s interview to the Fail and he gave his hospital bill as proof he had a heart attack. What is he gave was a document with what looks like blurred numbers and I’m guessing his Social Security number. If it is, Sr gave the Fail an all access pass to his life – they can find bank and tax records, military (he’s old enough to be eligible for the draft in the Vietnam war), court records, civil and criminal if any. He handed the key to the publication that exposed him for Pap-gate. The karma is going to be huge.
I’m not sure why Thomas Markle would have a hospital bill for such a high amount. Medicare would pay for almost all his hospital expenses, even if he lives in Mexico (he went to California for surgery). What he would have is a statement of services sent to him by the Medicare office, not a bill demanding payment for the entire procedure.
Jules – you bring up some great questions. If the tabloids wanted another juicy scoop, they would follow-up on the Medicare aspect.
@Jules,
Your assumptions are correct. What he provided to the press does not even look like a real statement from a hospital. Anyone posting here has likely received a bill from a medical provider. Compare his statement to a real bill and start counting the differences.
No way for any reporter to prove this as a US hospital won’t even confirm or deny he was a patient.
Reporter in the story used quotation marks around the description of these as “proof”
Which is a journalists way of showing scepticism without any liability
Just a reminder that this is all from the “Sun.” Isn’t that on par with the Daily Fail?
Just what I was about to say…
Camilla spoke to an editor at The Sun weekly in the 80s, during the triangle years of Charles, Diana & Camilla.
Emily Andrews has some sort of connection since she was the first to report on the move to Frogmore. So it’s not wholly made up like the DM although there is likely some enhancing of events and interpretations.
I think there is tension between William and Harry because Harry is no longer a jester in his court but a man with a wife and child on the way. He has other people he must prioritize over William and I think that bothers William. Harry was always his messed up little brother he could parent, lean on, and use to get away with shit. He can’t any longer and I think the dynamics between them have changed.
As for the article, it was by Emily Andrews. She was the one who original broke the story about Frogsmore and the brothers having tension. She went on vacation right after that and the media went on their tirade about Meghan v Kate and then she came back continuing her Will v Harry pieces. She also said that William is Harry’s “boss” and it’s nothing “bad”.
I’m so over this whole thing. Whoever started this whole thing with their media campaign truly screwed up and this has taken a life of its own. It’s out of control and they only way to stop it would be to counter and they can’t do that because the media won’t hesitate to reveal their sources and turn on said camp.
So basically everyone has to just take the hits. Christmas time this year is going to be interesting. I’m sure the Cambridge’s are hoping for a great photo opt but I do wonder if Harry and Meghan will play ball with them since they’re the ones who took the brunt of all of this- Meghan in specific.
I agree that william treats Harry like a child. I’ve noticed that he always makes subtle put-downs when he talks about Harry. It’s a very older-younger dynamic. Harry grew up! Get over it William! My sister is the same way to me. Even in our thirties, she still bosses me around and acts like I can’t make my own decisions.
He makes put downs about Kate as well. He said she looked like a tree at the recent Cyprus event.
Harry also teases Will pretty frequently. I think that’s just their relationship.
I wonder if the Sussexes will do that as well. Last year, they walked together, not sure if that will happen this year – especially if they were behind the smear campaign. They will most likely arrive separately and not together.
I see Charles and both of his sons marrying women that are all “mother figures” in different ways. Kate is a non-questioning Stepford Wife type who provides William with the idealized “normal” family life he craves. Camilla has been Charles’s non-critical, always available partner for decades. Meghan is the smart, street wise older woman who will guide Harry
Why is Kate a step ford wife? Like I don’t get this narrative? Is she doing something she does not want to do? Is it because she has kids? I don’t get it. Someone please explain.
William may have tried to pull the older, wiser brother act with Harry, but let’s be honest, when many people were saying Kate was unsuitable, he married her. Years of Kate being available for play, but not for legitimacy, and William did nothing to stop the attacks. In other words, he’s got nerve.
And the Middletons never cease to amaze me. They are the social climbing champs yet they look down their noses at others. They didn’t have to invite Harry to the wedding. The only reason they did was to have the royals there in numbers. Eugenie was invited as well, and we’ve never seen her and Pippa socialize in the 7-8 years of W&K’s marriage.
Meghan & Harry will be fine. Moving to Frogmore Cottage and separating their offices from William & Kate is the best thing they can do for themselves and their family.
I personally believe the only reason the Middleton family invited Harry and Meghan or Eugenie was so that in return the Middleton family would be invited to their weddings in the future. That is basically how it goes in those upper crust society circles.
ITA with this comment – and as for the Middletons firstly they were angling for an invite to H&M’s wedding and secondly they are using this pile on Meghan to not only push Katie Keen up and repair their image – esp in light of Evil Papa Smurf’s recent interview with the Fail. This will all only make Harry even more protective of her and their child.
For the record I do believe they are in love and I hope the marriage lasts as doesn’t succumb to William’s meddling – he clearly does not like Meghan and sadly I don’t think that will change. Kate is def threatened by her – esp given the fact that she’s actively cosplaying her.
If any marriage is not going to make the distance its the Cambridges – one day William will wake up and realise that he’s been played by Kate and her family and when that happens he’ll kick them to the curb. William is like Charles, he can be ruthless. William has been making the same mistakes his father made – he married someone because he was pressured into it not because he loved her and wanted to. After the 2007 breakup it was reported several times that he promised Mike that he would marry her only to tell Charles that he didn’t want to – he strung her along for 10 years humiliating her and her family at every turn with his behaviour – it was well known we was a crude boor when trying to ‘chat up’ women. I recall reading about how he would clumsily and drunkenly proposition them to come back to his barracks with him.
@ Digital Unicorn you make a lot of sense.
There’s also photo evidence of William taking those other women back to his barracks while he was still dating Kate.
Such a good read on all of this, Digital Unicorn.
This story reminds me that for the past 2 years we’ve been fed bs about how comfortable the BRF were with a commoner, who’s biracial, public speaker and divorcee went down. They spoke only of being open and the benefits of new blood, new image when really, that’s not the case at all.
This feels like what the press were actually fed this fall and they just leaked it in pieces that didn’t make sense after the tiara non drama.
My biggest issue with the fuller story is this, so they had a blow up in 2016. While there’s lots of bs still riddled in article, I can believe maybe Wills didn’t like of accept Meghan, he was guarded but the issue now is Dec 2018, why are we still beefing this hard over this. I see Emily said it’s not a war but clearly a rift. All of the distance and issues and frankly excuses after to not like Meghan or Harry to go “mental” and “overprotective” of any negative comment about Meghan let’s me know Sussexes didn’t have a hand in this. Painting Harry like he’s unstable emotionally does him no favors.
A couple of things that come off as outright lies for clickbait: Harry didn’t get to protect his mum so he’s overprotective of Meghan. Lie. Author trying to insert Diana as emotional cue, also doesn’t make sense – he was 12, no way he could’ve protected her.
Also, William knows what it’s like to lose a parent (insert Diana) so he disagreed with Meghan shunning dad. Again a lie, Wills didn’t care about Meghan enough and wary of her so much so he and his wife rebuff her still to this day, but now he cares about how her dad is treated. That’s DM doing Piers/TM gossip drama work.
I’m more disappointed that years later this leaks if it’s so not a problem and all those stories about Meghan and Kate row, most likely ficfional bs to cover up Boy Shit. And also to make Meghan look bad, she received too much positive press.
Makes sense. Plus this was all two years ago, I think they are all probably over it by now. I think because the articles are continuing – this is what I think is going on – Meghan is continuing to work despite what I believe palace staff/courtiers saying that don’t outshine the heirs. H&M’s response was – no, they have to step up, why should we slow down? So I think they are attempting to bully both of them via the press to get them to submit to their demands. Or if we apply Occam’s razor here – the press is just milking it and making stuff up by reading the theories that are being put up by people on twitter. Which narrative attracts the most readers?
What really blows my mind in all of this are the constant references to Meghan being “older”, as if she were a decade his senior. She is three years older than him! If their genders were reversed, three years age difference would not even merit comment. If we’re going by this absurd metric, why does no one ever mention that Kate is “older” than Billy as well?
IKR. When Meghan first came on the scene, some people here were decrying the age difference. So, I mentioned Kate and Will’s and, of course, a Kate fan blew it off. Also, despite bearing a child at 36, nothing was ever said about Kate’s “aging” womb or eggs. In fact, her fans are still wondering if she’ll have another but Meghan is supposedly too old to even try. So, it’s quite obvious that Meghan’s age isn’t the issue; it’s Meghan herself.
I know it shouldn’t warrant a mention because 3 years hardly makes her an “older woman” but think it’s because she seems so much more mature than he is and comes into the marriage having lived a full life. He seems quite sheltered and immature to me.
Meghan’s classmates are all in the 41-42 age range so I think the press is making digs about her being older intentionally because unless she skipped 5 grades she is lying about being 37.
No, she isn’t lying about her age, but feel free to keep ignoring the evidence of when she graduated high school and university.
Good grief, like lying about her age isn’t something the tabloids would have exposed already. So, she was 21-22 when she graduated from HS? SMH.
Just stop Hikaru. STOP
The tiny bit that interests me is that Charles dotes on Meghan. I would say that if she continues to cultivate that relationship she will be in a good position as long as Charles lives.
Or maybe that’s what Charles wants us to think.
Are there any receipts?
As a 37 year old, I have seen so many friends settle or rush into relationships all for it to implode. Did William have reason to be concerned? Absolutely! I don’t buy, when you know you know. I have a friend desperate for children at 35, got pregnant after 2 months of dating and he is verbally and physically abusive to her! There are very good reasons to be wary. I firmly believe you are in the rose-colored glasses phase for the first year and given Harry and Meghan were long distance for first year, they are still in that stage. They have just lived together a year! I think once baby comes, we will see whether their relationship will survive that or not.
Overall though, I feel sorry for Meghan. She has a tough road ahead. Her cultural differences alone and opposite in Kate in many ways will ruffle feathers.
Gosh, her willingness to do the work Kate refuses to do will ruffle Katie Keen’s feathers? Rattles Carole and brings out Carole’s PR hacks at the Daily Fail more like.
All of this rings pretty true to me. I’m also of the belief that William was speaking to Harry not just as his brother but as the person tapped by the rest of the family to question the relationship and Harry felt ganged up on, which produced a more emotional outburst. Harry has been saying for years that he wants to marry and have kids, and there was some press around his relationship with Cressida that implied he was a real romantic and gets invested quickly. That, combined with Meghan actively courting fame as an actress, and the perceived speed of the relationship, probably set off some alarm bells in the family. I could also see Harry’s overprotectiveness and emotions being rooted in the fear of losing the person who was likely to say yes to him and the crazy job, which he himself has cited as being a big deterrent to women he’s dated in the past.
Everyone here keeps saying the military settled Harry down, and I think that’s true to an extent—I think it gave him important structure that he lost when he left the service, and he’d been somewhat adrift, even with Invictus. Meghan seems to have a vision of what they could and should be (I mean, listen to their engagement interview!), and I think Harry needed that.
Not a big deal. He had pretty good reasons to be vary even if they weren’t the BRF.
Btw, does a woman has to be either Jackie or Marilyn? Either pushover or opinionated/difficult?
It’s like Kate is the former and Meghan the latter. In fact we know close to nothing what goes behind the closed doors. I remember the leaked messages of William to Kate. He was actually sweet.
The thing is Kate smokes goes topless has a sense of humour – gathered from an invasion of privacy (the French rivera) and the engagement interview. Who would have guessed. It’s her persona we’re seeing and they want her to be a non issue.
Meghan seemed Bachellorete-like in her engagement interview and yeah, she is intelligent but did she really like stop Harry from hunting? (turned out to be false and she’s a huge animal lover, without a doubt). Is Kate dumb? It’s so difficult to compare and really, all we do is speculate. It’s fun but probably not true.
LOL at the IQ bit. It’s funny how some people are selective about what to believe when it comes to these tabloids stories. They throw shade and then they mix it with a bit about Meghan’s IQ that would put everyone else to shame,lol or the “formidable work ethic” . It’s still not clear what hard working she’s doing that is scaring people who use to plan dozens of engagements every day,with all the the security issues connected. Embargoed 45-minute visits and photo-ops are not that hard to handle. It’s why these stories are perfect click bait to fuel the stan wars about who is lazy and dumb and who is changing the world! LOL
At least I prefer to think that it’s click bait and that nobody in their camp is seriously planting stories about her IQ. Embarrassing is an understatement.
Probably there’s some truth about William talking with Harry before the engagement and I don’t think it has anything to do with her personally as some people here want to believe. But that would be entirely predictable. You don’t have to have to have “royal sources” to cook up these stories.
Very true. The formidable work ethic is still quite pitiful by any real world standards and to feel so passionately supportive of another privileged lady securing a lifetime of unbelievable luxury at taxpayers expense is baffling. They would all like to change the world, just so long they don’t have to give up on any of their inherently unfair privileges. It’s amazing what we project on these people based solely on tabloid rumours.
Well, in 2016 she was a D- List actress with a Soho membership who had done some charity work. Given what we know about William, it’s not shocking that he urged his brother to be cautious. However, we’ve learned how smart, saavy & dynamic Meg is, why hasn’t he?
^^^ This. He was not wrong to question the relationship at the beginning considering that Harry had barely any knowledge of this woman. He is not wrong about that kind of life not being for the faint of heart. She got inserted into a fish bowl and very few people can handle that. She proved the nay sayers wrong and while I can see why her and Harrys feelings would be hurt, William having questions was understandable.
I think Charles is the key. Meghan was able to get in good with Charles by bridging his relationship with Harry. That had to be threatening to courtiers that the sixth in line to the throne is getting too close to a future king.
How would that be threatening? What could Charles do? Disown William and set Harry as his heir? Was it also threatening that the Queen was closer to her younger son than Charles?
Pretty sad state on all sides really.
No one looks great that this is worth fighting and separating over, because in the big skeme it’s not worth fractured ties.
Harry’s “refusal to see reason” — is the main cause of the chasm… or William’s refusal to get to know the person he’s doubtful and questioning of is not smart either. I get being skeptical but being rude and standoffish doesn’t do much good.
I find funny the notion here that somehow Harry is not that smart (all of a sudden he’s a idiot) so he’s being used, that’s comical. Williams past is not much better, he was caught as well dressed as an African in full costume (just not photographed) and if he was more charming maybe he’d have less reason to be envious since he’s heir. That’s why the whole ordeal in his position isn’t a smart tactic.
While Harry isn’t heir, it would be very dumb to push away his brother because a few decades from now, he’s going to need him. If you think he’s not going to run into major issues along the way to King or while King… the one person who’d be in position to assist him is the one everyone keeps referring to as his boss lol. Gets lonely at the top esp if you’re surrounded yes men.
Guaranteed, the one who’s having the diva spats isn’t the new royal. Meghan’s just the easiest target to take down.
+ 1 @ Eastcoast Go-Getter.
“I find funny the notion here that somehow Harry is not that smart (all of a sudden he’s a idiot)”
-> simply google “Harry strip billiards”
I guess that’s one of the reasons where this notion is coming from…
None of these people are particularly smart.
Honestly this really sounds like normal family drama. I have heard friends bitch about sisters in law, brothers in law, fathers in law etc. The only difference is this is playing out on the world stage for all to see.
Agreed
THats why it doesn’t make sense to leak. Sure, 2016 maybe but now esp if it’s not a big deal.
Also – I didn’t say I didn’t know the ref to strip billiards but they’re not fools. More worldly than most. (Have you seen Trump Jr lol)
All I know is that couples can and do divorce but siblings are forever and should make effort to stay close, especially these two that have been through so much together. You can’t count on much in this world except your parents and your siblings. Jsut my cyclical view.
The BRF is leaking like a sieve and the only one still looking good is Charles, who started this avalanche with his book.
Admittedly, I haven’t kept up with the Royals, but I do wish that I was still in contact with a Bobby for the London Metro.
He knows the Royal Family quite well, inhabits the same hangouts they do, and so forth. It was during his visit to the U.S. last year that we chatted about them a bit and he informed my out-of-the-loop self that Kate was pregnant…again!
He said that Kate and William are very nice and unassuming.
Wondering what he would have to say about all of this drama? 🤔