By most accounts, Prince Albert of Monaco is something of a benevolent dictator. Everyone gets free cable and no one pays taxes. The cost of living in Monaco is insane, but there’s little oversight on… well, anything at all. The biggest PR concerns for the Grimaldis come from the French media’s interest in and coverage of Monaco, and Albert has shown that he’s reasonably adept at the carrot-and-stick approach to media management. He’ll threaten lawsuits and issue harshly worded denials, but he also plays ball with the French media, allowing carefully curated images of his domestic life (with wife Charlene and their twins) to be published in the friendlier outlets. It all came from Princess Grace and that “Hollywood” way of image-management.
Well, now a new Hollywood actress has married into another royal house, and Prince Albert has some thoughts. Albert actually spoke briefly with Prince Harry a few weekends ago in Japan, at the Rugby World Cup, and now Albert is chatting with People Magazine about his conversation with Harry:
Prince Albert understands Prince Harry‘s complaints about media coverage and has offered some personal advice, the Monaco royal tells PEOPLE in an exclusive new interview. Acknowledging Harry’s legal action and candid comments in a recent documentary, Albert tells PEOPLE, “I completely understand his reasons.”
Attending the World Cup Rugby final in Japan on November 2, Albert met briefly with Harry in private, where he says he expressed “my support and my sympathy.”
“He has said he feels ‘bullied,’ and I can understand and sympathized with him over that,” says Monaco’s sovereign, 61. At the same time, he adds, “We didn’t talk about it that much, because we talked about environment-related issues — and the rugby too — but I sympathized with him, saying, ‘Just do what you have to do to ensure your privacy.’” Stressing “it wasn’t a long conversation, though,” he explains the counsel he offered expressed his own belief that “sometimes you just have to ignore it and move on. Sometimes you can ignore whoever is out there that’s being too inquisitive or too hard on you.”
The best thing, suggests the prince — who has previously applauded Harry and Meghan’s media relations — “is not to pay attention.”
The royal dad maintains, “you have to protect your personal life, your family and their intimacy as much as possible, whenever possible. Especially when you’re a public figure with appearances to attend. Of course, that’s harder to do than to say. And it’s especially difficult with the British press, which is so inquisitive, so harsh. Not only on the royal family but on other celebrities and other public figures as well.”
“And it’s especially difficult with the British press, which is so inquisitive, so harsh.” Le Shade. Yeah, Albert probably has a much easier time with the French press because, ultimately, they don’t truly give a f–k about him or his family. But the British press has been treating every story with the Sussexes as some kind of deeply personal affront to all things British and royal and traditional. Anyway… it’s clear that Albert is somewhat fond of Harry and it’s nice that he’s going on record defending the Sussexes.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
I adore Meghan, but not as an actress. The Grace Kelly comparison is a bit much?
That’s irrelevant. We are living in different times and Meghan was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth and the connections and privilege of Grace Kelly.
Again for the people at the back. Meghan has never compared herself to sirens of the silver screen so I wish people would stop with this B-list cable actress nonsense.
GF was a hard working woman who made her own millions.
No it isnt. The comparison isnt based on either of their acting skills. It’s based on an American actress marrying into a Royal family. Which they BOTH did.
My point is that Grace Kelly was an American celebrity when she married royal. Meghan was mostly unknown in the U.S. She’s, as is oft said here, an American divorcee and biracial. She’s also a well educated career woman in her late 30s who knows her own mind. These are the factors fueling the press. She wasn’t a celebrity prior to Harry, so it isn’t so much about that.
Uh…yes she actually WAS a celebrity prior to Harry. She made frequent appearances on morning shows, worked with different brands, and did promo for her show…just like any celebrity. Just because you didn’t know or pay attention to her before doesn’t mean she wasn’t a celebrity. Just because she wasn’t at Angelina Jolie levels of fame in the US (and why should the US be the ultimate barometer for celebrity status in the first place?) doesn’t mean she wasn’t a celebrity. What on earth….
She WAS a celebrity before she met Harry. LOL. She wasn’t an A-list celeb but I knew who she was as did the people in the 35 countries where Suits is aired did. And that includes a LOT of people here in the States. She wasnt a random unknown woman. She ran in pretty important circles as evidenced by the number of high profile friends she has. Just because you didn’t know who she was doesn’t mean many many others didnt.
@Beach Dreams thank you.
I don’t think she was a celebrity… She was an actress, but not famous on any measurable scale. Being on morning shows was part of her hustle, which we’ve heard a lot about. She wanted to get herself out there and raise her profile… and boy did she.
Serious question then…if Meghan had been a lawyer not an actress before marrying Harry, would the press treatment of her be kinder? If your answer is no, they’d treat her the same way, then we’re all in agreement here.
@Originaltessa Girl, bye. Not famous on any measurable scale…and yet was on one of the highest rated cable shows in the WORLD. Being on morning shows was the least notable thing about her career. You all really need to stop trying to rewrite this woman’s career and history.
I’m British and I was a fan of Suits and knew who Meghan Markle was years before she met Harry. And when my (also British) friend texted me to say “guess who Prince Harry is dating?” she followed up with “…that mixed race actress from Suits.” She was certainly pretty well known in the UK so I suspect she was at least pretty well known elsewhere too. Definitely a celebrity.
As someone else pointed out, her show was second only to Game of Thrones in viewership. Not bad for an unknown show.
Grace Kelly was a wealthy, spoiled brat who grew up in a mansion. Her father was a power player in the city and an Olympian with his own statue on the river; her brother was also an Olympian and politician with an arterial road named after him.
Meghan made her way through determination, intelligence, and skill.
She was not virtually unknown. Suits was HUGE. There were probably a lot of people who didn’t know her name, but when they saw her face in the first “Harry’s new girlfriend” headline, they knew who she was.
She wasn’t a movie star, but she was very much a television celebrity. I love how people who weren’t familiar with a book or an author/film/actor, etc. always assume that because they and their friends weren’t into it…it must not have been a very big deal.
Also, that isn’t what the comparison to Grace Kelly was made for. He wasn’t comparing their careers onscreen.
Y’all are doing a stellar job of not letting OP gaslight you, or move goalposts, and I want you to know that it’s appreciated.
I knew I was taking a risk with my comment, but I’m a long time poster here and not known for trolling or gaslighting. I recently reread the original Harry & Meghan posts when she first came on the scene. At that time, neither the CB writers nor commenters knew who she was (go back and look).
@BettyRose I have been reading CB for over a decade and have been an active commenter for about 3. This site and it’s commenters are not the ultimate litmus test for who is or isnt famous.
OK, I heard of her before Harry and I’m usually kind of obtuse to the celebrity of people.
Hmm Grace Kelly….. A not so great actress actually, but very pretty. Kinda like Meaghan. For an interesting take on Grace Kelly, Google the Royal Foibles blog “Grace Kelly’s sexual swan song”. The main idea is that Grace knew her time was very very limited as an actress (age, so so talent), so she married a prince she barely knew, then lived unhappily ever after. Meaghan is headed for the same path imho
Bettyrose, I never heard of Meghan either until she started dating Harry. I think a comparison to Grace Kelly is a stretch. Kelley was a movie actress, won an Oscar, came from a prominent Philadelphia family and her father was an Olympian. I’m NOT saying Kelly was a better person that Meghan or anything like that, just had a bigger career and public profile.
Just to add one more voice to this. . . There are varying degrees of celebrity. Even if MM was on the lesser side of the celebrity ombre, it doesn’t mean she wasn’t one. And why the quibble over this anyway? If there is a critical mass of people who knew who she was and/or recognized her name, then she is a celebrity even if you or I didn’t.
Tryst me, she was a well known celebrity in Canada
She was well known in Canada- trust me
@Bettyrose I’ve been here since launch, but okay Boomer.
I love MM, but I had no idea who she was before she started dating Harry and I watch quite a bit of television, quite a bit. Television is so hard these days, we are all familiar with many of the actors in the movies because there are a handful of movies showing out there right now, but, my God, you can watch TV on 27 different streaming apps and 3800 different channels, so it goes to stand that MANY, MANY of us who are avid television watchers NEVER watched Suits or saw MM on television and had not a clue who she was at the time. It’s ok. Today is a much different time than the days of Grace Kelly’s popularity.
My friends are forever talking about ‘celebrities’ who I’ve never heard of. If you’re not a fan of Suits, I guess it’s reasonable that you’d not know who she was but that doesn’t mean that she didn’t have fans.
Meghan and Grace Kelly were both celebrities before their marriages. The difference is in the level of fame. Meghan had a certain degree of fame in certain circles (for people who watched her show. I did watch the first season and I honestly can’t remember her character, but whatever). Grace Kelly was an A-list Hollywood star, and thus she had a much higher level of fame than Meghan. So while Meghan wasn’t unknown, neither was she a star with the caliber of fame that Grace Kelly had.
It is simply a question of the level of fame – and was just in a different league than Meghan in terms of celebrity. I don’t understand why this issue is suddenly a contentious subject.
@Bettyrose, even though Grace Kelly came from a wealthy family and won an Oscar, there were still people in the aristocracy who looked down their noses at her the same way they do Meghan. It is tough to marry into royalty. I remember an article years ago before she died where she talked about meeting Diana and they spoke about how difficult it was for “commoners” to marry into royalty. But I think Kaiser was speaking about Grace using her Hollywood PR experience to ingratiate herself into society in Monaco, not that Meghan was an equivalent movie star to Grace Kelly.
Yes, and omg these comments are ridiculous, the lengths some people will go to defend her. One thing to defend her against racist and unfair attacks. But come on, the woman is not a saint and she was not a famous, fabulous A list actress.
@jenner, you completely missed the entire line of argument.
Harry is being treated harsh, but he’s stubborn too. I’m curios how long the Harry-Meghan marriage will last. I’m pretty sure this won’t be a long union.
@ELIZA. I’m pretty sure it will last because he is a fighter. Unlike others in his family, my guess is that he does not take his commitment or his responsibility as a husband lightly. If Meghan goes, so will he. I don’t doubt that at all.
Yeah, people said the same thing about Brangelina too and they eventually divorced. It seems to me that Harry doesn’t care much about traditions and keeping the royal family united. I can see a divorce in his future. He’s not the type to be tied down if he doesn’t like something. It’ll be a mess.
@Eliza: don’t know if you’ve noticed but Harry and Meghan move in sync. They function as a unit and everything decision they make, they do so as a couple and from a united front.
That doesn’t sound like a couple who’s divorce is inevitable as you keep implying.
@sunshine, I agree. I’m stubborn and I see that stubbornness in Harry. My husband was the first POC I’d ever been with and was shocked to see how people reacted to us being together. But my stubborn side said I’m not gonna give him up because you don’t agree with it (I’m white). It made me more protective of him and I think Harry will be the same
Thanks for your insight Miss Cleo.
@Beach Dreams I’m laughing so hard. That’s really the only response this comment warranted.
@Beach Dreams 👏👏👏
A lot of *Harry’s* bad press feels self-inflicted compared to Meghan, who I’m genuinely starting to believe suffered worse in the papers because of Harry’s over-protectiveness with the press. For example, we found out that advisors tried to warn him about the optics of flying private right before launching a sustainable travel initiative but he ignored the advice. He and Will have that I Know Better princely willfulness in common, tbh, but Will at least seems to take a little more advice from his team these days than he did in years past.
Harry benefitted from glowing press in his Army days and around the launch of Invictus, and even when he was in the papers for partying (and Will wasn’t, even though he was partying just as hard for a while there LOL), it was clear the public still loved him as the “rascal” but highly lovable lad. I’m sure even valid criticism like the private plane optics feels like bullying to him.
I want to be clear that I don’t think Harry is the cause of Meghan’s bad press, because the British press clearly had their knives out for her and a “sexy” narrative of her being Duchess Difficult that they knew would sell papers. But I *do* think he (understandably) over-corrected with his protectiveness in keeping her and Archie from the press and that, combined with his overall bad attitude/rudeness toward the press that a number of the Royal reporters have commented on recently, made the situation worse and made the reporters less inclined to pull back on unflattering stories. Like I keep saying, it’s a bizarre and somewhat insane relationship between the royals and the press.
I think Meghan got blamed for things that came squarely from Harry—for example, the weird drama around Archie’s baptism. My brows went all the way up at the revelation on Pod Save the Queen that Meghan had wanted to do the tradition pre-tour drinks with the press and Harry vetoed it. She handled press like a champ as an actress and seems to understand how these things play out, so I have to imagine he’s making a lot of the bad calls. What amazes me is that he didn’t learn from Will and Kate’s many mistakes, including them refusing to give press access for the stupidest things, like Lupo’s name. Now we have a repeat of the Cambridges’ “They’re trying to circumvent the press and control all of their messaging through social media!” that peaked in the cringeworthy bad press that followed their India/Bhutan tour.
Like I said, I understand why he’s so protective and I wouldn’t want to reward bad behavior, either, but I do feel like Meghan is the one who could legitimately claim to have been bullied, here.
I personally think the British Tabloid Press is driving the smear bus on the Sussexes only to sell newspaper. However, I believe someone at Clearance House, Kensington Palace and or Buck House gave the press the keys to the bus and turned over the wheel of the bus to the tabloid press with a wink, nod and hearty back slap.
This smear by the press is being “allowed” by somebody or something with some power. Even if everything said about “Duchess Difficult” is true, it would not be be printed and re-printed without the approval and/or OK from the higher ups. Think about it, how much did we really know about the shenanigans of Sarah Ferguson until she separated from Andrew, the palace pulled out their knives, carved her up and then feed her to the tabloid press wolf pack?
@Lexa, please stop with the victim blaming. Harry did not cause the racism, bullying, misogynoir or any abuse that has been inflicted on his wife and unborn child. WTH are you talking about, that Harry deserves to be bullied for marrying a biracial woman? GTHOOH with that. How many times have the Cambridges been dragged for flying private?
Lexa, I get what you’re saying and agree. The press was always going to go after Meghan for being black, American, smart, confident, independent, having a career, and being a woman. I think Harry tried really really hard to shield her from the bad press by taking a very hard line immediately with regards to privacy and access to himself and Meghan, and then Archie. I think this has made the press angrier and they feel like they’re at “war” personally with Harry, rather than just doing their usual rather random and impersonal gossipy sniping, where they build someone up and then tear them down, and then move on to someone else, but they do it all impersonally and just because that’s what they do. I get the sense that there are members of the press who are personally offended by the way Harry treats them and talks about them. For all the bile they put out and expect other people to just take, the Royal reporters seems like a thin-skinned bunch. I think that Will and Kate and a lot of the other royals see the back-and-forth that happens with their coverage in the press as just the usual game that goes on between any celebrity/royal/politician and the press. So they play the game and try to win it by doing things that will get them good press. I think Harry doesn’t think of it as a game. And for someone whose mother was killed by the press (there is nuance, I know, but I think he sees it as being fully the press’s fault), he’s already starting from a point of being very resentful towards the press and not wanting to work with them and give them what they want. That makes sense and is valid. But I think that his attitude, and refusal to play the game with the press, and his super protectiveness regarding Meghan, Archie, and his marriage/family life is likely one of the reasons why the press hasn’t moved on to the “building up” stage, or the neutral/ignoring stage with Harry and Meghan. And I agree with you that Meghan may have chosen to be more open and available with the press, and if she were the one solely in charge of their press relations, things might be going better right now.
This does not mean that the press is acting rightly. They are horrific. They are acting like thin-skinned bullies who are acting out and trying to inflict the most damage possible on a young family who does not deserve it, and they are doing so partly because they know that Harry doesn’t like them and they are trying to punish him. Taking a hard line with the press, fiercely protecting one’s privacy, and not playing the game should be valid options and no one should be punished for taking those stances. Harry’s PR strategy is a valid one and there is no excuse for how he is being retaliated against by a fussy press. I don’t think you were victim blaming in your comment.
Blatant victim blaming of a person who was trying to protect a loved one from vicious abuse in the press. 😡
Anyone Harry married would have been depicted as the evil counterpart to Kate. Richard Palmer said in 2015 that Harry needed a girlfriend as the press needed a ‘baddie’ and its just a popular trope where two women are concerned. Any black/mixed race person entering an all white elite space for the first time is subject to hysterical backlash& discrimination- see Obama. However, being a mixed race foreigner with ‘liberal’ views in this political climate means that Britain’s largely right wing press was always going to be extra toxic.
Plus some of these reporters have a visceral hatred for Meghan. Maybe because she isn’t an English rose which is what Ingrid Seward said people expected Harry to marry, so they would never give her a fair shot. It’s interesting Richard Palmer said Meghan wanted to do pre tour reception and Harry cancelled it. He’s noted before that Meghan would acknowledge them and get out on the photographers side to make their shots easier, and thank them for attending engagements. So given that it seems from his admission, Meghan tried to make his job easier, why is he on twitter following and engaging with trolls that peddle racist, sexist filth and moonbump conspiracy theories? Why was Robert Jobson caught retweeting two of those trolls and then claiming his twitter account was hacked? Ingrid Seward has said that Harry is the one that has restricted access to Meghan& his hatred of the press is well known. So why do they other Meghan& pin blame on her for Harry’s attitude to them? they blame her because racism and xenophobia means its more acceptable to vilify her instead of the white prince.
Even royal reporters who seem fairly neutral indulged in the negative narratives well before the pregnancy was ever announced (what seems to be the trigger for the smear campaign) eg repeating all the Markles were saying without question even when they contradicted themselves, suggesting she had dropped her friends for famous ones and as Hillary Clinton noted, amplifying what the social media trolls said in articles. And then when she launched her first project with a community kitchen in a mosque that three other royals had attended without any note, Camilla Tominey suggested the project could help to fund terrorism. Really dangerous given the islamophobia that is rife in Britain and fact she had already been subject to death threats. Finally, whilst the press can’t be blamed for Markle Snr’s despicable behaviour, it is alleged that that certain papers groomed him and one reporter moved next door to him. He has admitted to trying to call Meghan with a reporter there so who knows what other underhand things they did to get covert recordings that the public isn’t aware of.
Given all that and how the press have behaved since she was rumoured to be his girlfriend I don’t blame Harry for not doing off the record chats/drinks with them. They want to be invited in to Frogmore as Ingrid Seward said Diana did to sweeten them up. But what was the trade off for Diana in giving them access? They still harassed her, possibly hacked her and her associates phones (as alleged in the current hacking claims against the Mirror) and in the week she died headlines were telling her to shut up. William and Harry were both known for hating the press. In their Diana documentary, Harry mentioned the paps that took pictures as she was dying and William suggested that she made a mistake allowing them in. A link to a 2016 article from the Independent which is a reminder of William’s previous issues with the press https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-media-column-if-the-royal-family-continues-to-push-out-the-press-it-will-put-its-own-future-at-a6929281.html
Whilst I don’t think he has to be all smiles I do think Harry should be professional with reporters as Meghan has been. But I’m not here for the respectability politics which is a dangerous narrative& doesn’t change anything when the very thing people don’t like about you is something you can’t change.
Stubborn might be a good thing in that family, to be honest. As for the marriage, no one–and I mean no one–knows what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage. Speculating is, therefore, futile.
Having said that, however, I don’t see any reason to suspect that the marriage is anything other than a partnership of the highest order. Everything about their body language expresses comfort and refuge in one another. That isn’t what a brewing divorce looks like.
As to the assertion that Harry shouldn’t feel bullied because it’s his wife who’s being bullied? I don’t understand that. In healthy marriages, an attack on one is felt by the other. You can’t bully a wife without bullying her husband by proxy if the marriage is actually a marriage. If someone bullies my husband (which happened in one of his work assignments), I feel it deeply and personally as though they were doing it to me, too.
That’s how a connected couple will process the pain of the partner. It isn’t high-handed or patriarchal. It’s human nature. If someone bullies a child, a parent feels it. If someone bullies a spouse, the other spouse feels it. If someone bullies a sibling–in a healthy sibling relationship–the other siblings feel it. In marriage, however, it’s a different thing in my own life. Every marriage is different, and I wouldn’t presume to speak for EVERY marriage, but this is what I see when I see Harry personalizing and internalizing the attacks on his wife.
It’s very much a matter of, “If you want to hurt him/her, you have to come through me, first.” I think it’s natural when real affection and connection are present in a relationship to be protective and to personalize this kind of thing.
Quote: “I think Meghan got blamed for things that came squarely from Harry—for example, the weird drama around Archie’s baptism. My brows went all the way up at the revelation on Pod Save the Queen that Meghan had wanted to do the tradition pre-tour drinks with the press and Harry vetoed it. ”
This is interesting and valid. I hadn’t seen this.
Well who knows how long anyone’s marriage will last, lol. Weren’t Charles and Diana thought to be married for “life”? And Andrew and Fergie were thought to be the ideal young lovers, so well suited and close in age unlike Charles and Diana.
troll
Random Question. Is it now standard procedure for report to ask any famous person, with any connections at all, for a comment about Harry and Meghan?
Yes.
They have gone global, and so has their treatment at the hand of his family and the press.
Albert had just been photographed with Harry at an event in Japan. It is natural to ask him about his fellow royal. Albert and Charlene are some of the most magazine-friendly royals; they do photoshoots for Hello Magazine, interview with People. Those outlets are used to getting answers from Albert.
I’ll never forget that Albert had Charlene’s passport taken away and intercepted her at the airport. And she sobbed throughout the wedding.
He’s a snake.
Truth.
was that fact or fiction?
You can find articles and pics here on CB.
Peg, the tears were certainly real. I remember watching the broadcast of her wedding and her cheeks were soaked from tears that ran for basically the entire ceremony while Albert showed zero emotion or concern, it was very odd. Several different gossip outlets had run stories about the passport withholding and third illegimate child drama the day before the wedding, like Tampa mentioned. For what it’s worth, Charlene was asked about in an interview a year later and she blamed wedding stress and feeling so self conscious that she’d started crying whilst being filmed that it caused her to cry more.
I read some gossip after the Albert and Charlene wedding that 48 hours BEFORE the wedding Charlene found out about the very likely probability of a third Albert child born out of wedlock to a third woman. Charlene was pissed and decided to exit stage right. I am sure there is very little truth in this story as a third Albert child never came to light of day and they did get married.
Does anyone remember back in the 1980s & 1990s the tabloid press conspiring to push the narrative that Albert was gay and this is why Claudia Schiffer dumped him ? I do! LOL! LOL!
Albert sued and had that proven false. He and Charlene dated for many years before they married, she wasn’t forced to the altar. She seems content with her lot and has tons of money (from Albert) to spend on her swimming charity.
I thought Albert was a controlling pig and his wife was basically a prisoner…or did that narrative change and I missed it?
Nowadays his wife is confident, was just in Japan supporting SA for the Rugby World Cup.
She runs a couple of Charities in SA, one teaching children how to swim, Meghan asked her to help another program in SA.
Albert and his siblings take after their parents, the morals of alley cats.
Albert is probably not the best person for Harry to be identifying / aligning himself with. I also suspect that Albert is commenting on this out of mere altruism. After-all we are now hearing about a European Royal who is largely ignored except in the French gossip mags who ridicule his sexual predilections.
Most likely they have known one another for years.
I wouldn’t say Harry is “aligning himself” with Albert. It’s not as if he’s launching a major initiative with him. It sounds like they just made some small talk.
Agreed, however my point is that Albert is clearly being used to get to create yet another Meg/Harry story and in doing so the press is aligning him with Albert…
Can any comparison be made with foreigners that married a royal? I think the Danish/Australian princess goes back to her hometown from time to time but she seems to follow the royal rules. What about Queen Maxima?
Meghan and Harry seem to have the desire to appeal to an international audience and reinvent the rulebook in doing so but it just doesn’t match well with the British traditions. They might have been a bit too aggressive with their plans to modernize the royal family and perhaps could’ve waited a little longer.
Meghan was always going to be vulnerable to criticism but keeping the cost of her wardrobe as low as possible and cosplaying a perfect British lady for a year or two would’ve helped her.
The thing that would have helped her was being a white woman hun.
Thank you!
Of course, but a “foreigner” that immediately wanted to do things in her own way was always going to be a recipe for disaster. A key member of the family is more or less expected to follow the boring rules. Nobody would care about the rules had she married the Duke of Kent’s grandson or something.
A white woman spending half a million on clothes and establishing herself as an international humanitarian would be criticized too, especially during the Brexit era.
VV, 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Well said.
@Maxie you really fell for the okedoke if you are buying into the narrative that Meghan overspent on clothes. She didnt. That total includes not only her WEDDING DRESS but also the jewels that Harry GAVE her. She was given an allowance to create a wardrobe within her first year as a Duchess – just like Kate was btw. A lot of the item she wears are things she owned BEFORE she and Harry even got engaged. She has worn 2-3 bespoke items (2 of which were maternity). So please miss me with this tired and inaccurate narrative that Meghan is some kind of extravagant spendthrift.
People keep buying into the British Tabloid narrative that Meghan is making these big changes and going rogue but that’s not the case. Damn near everything Meghan has done has been done by royal women in the past. Royals have edited magazines before Meghan, Queen Elizabeth had a private birthday and didn’t introduce the future King of England to the public until he was around 3 months old and people are mad Meghan waited 2 days. What traditions is Meghan breaking and why is it only blamed on Meghan instead of Meghan and Harry or just Harry since he’s the one born into royalty?
“Meghan and Harry seem to have the desire to appeal to an international audience” Close, but it would be more accurate to say they definitely appeal to an international audience. They are talked about by leaders, and movers and shakers around the world. These two are going to make an impact just by being the people they are, and that’s why they are so appealing.
Lol Kate spent a mere £50k or £60k during her first year as a Royal and she was crucified for that small amount back in 2012. So funny. Nowadays, 1 outfit – including accessories- costs that same amount for some Royal women.
They don’t have any say in how the family operates as they are not in the decision making branch of it. The fantasy of two of them modernizing it is just that – a fantasy.
A fantasy created by the UK press – not them.
No kidding. Where did this misinformation come from? Oh I know, it’s from the Fail. The insignificant sixth in line to the throne has the power to change all the rules? Yeah, right.
Right? CNN isn’t a British tabloid by the way. They had legit sources from Sussex otherwise they wouldn’t have run that particular statement. The other senior Royals never leak to the likes of CNN. The BBC as we saw is there go to. And I loved how Sara Latham backtracked and made it known that it wasn’t her hahaha she didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire. The Queen Pays her salary. Such a stupid remark – modernising the monarchy with what they have done- sure Jan.
In what way were they trying to change the Monarchy?
Harry is sixth in line to the throne, what power does he have, to change anything?
Now Meghan as a grown woman, needs to sit and slant her feet in the Duchess slant and be a stepford wife.
What British traditions? your husband cheating on you.
Perfect British Lady? was she suppose to bleach her skin and become white.
Meghan mistake was working and showing up lazy people.
Talking points I’ve heard before, racism and classism is not cutting it.
Peg you are right in your first two sentences, there is no way Harry will change the monarchy. Any changes will come from Charles and then William.
“but she seems to follow the royal rules”. What rules has Meghan not followed. Name one real rule.
OJ, she closed her own car door once. I mean…that’s it. Kick her out. Clearly not royal material.
Be white. That’s what it all boils down to. Coming in second: have an opinion. Coming in third: wanting to use her position to do good. But even if she was silent and smiled, she would still be guilty of breaking reason #1. Which means that any lack of work or lack of voice would be seen as being lazy and squandering this great opportunity. The British Media have set the story so Meghan is always wrong, no matter what she does. Convenient, isn’t it. They’re just too big of cowards to say “we hate her because she’s mixed race!” So they make up all this shit about “rules she’s breaking.” Rules that NO ONE CAN NAME!! I’ve asked the same question many times: name a specific rule Meghan has broken. Crickets. I can think of 1, specifically. She didn’t wear a hat once with the queen. But is THAT the reason for all this vitriol? Nope! It’s that a nonwhite woman is in a place of privilege where many feel she does not belong. Royalty is for white people, damnit, amirite? Because no one wants to be called a racist (which of course, is worse than experiencing racism, say racists), they make up things about breaking rules, exorbitant spending, wanting to change the monarchy, etc. She can’t speak back, so that narrative stands with those who want to believe it. Luckily, there are many people around the world who refuse to buy the British media’s story.
If Meghan was 100% Caucasian the commentariat of The Daily Fail, The Daily Slow and The Dim would be happy and the tabloid press crap would be less in-your-face.
However, the “set” that Harry grew up with and ran with prior to marriage do not like outsiders of any kind. Actresses/ Celebrities (Meghan) that play the game by their ridiculous rules will be tolerated (Viscountess Weymouth, Emma Thynn) but social climbers (Kathryn) with naked ambition (Carole Middleton) will be disdained forever. No matter what the tabloid press says or does not say, which side do you think the Turnip Toffs took?
If Meghan had followed your advice, she would have been spun as that “cheap looking American actress with no class”. The knives were out for her regardless, so stop trying to blame her for dressing her part which is the wife of the son of the future monarch. And FWIW, there was someone on here who criticized her for looking “budget” on the SA tour because she wore repeats and more affordable clothing like you suggested. *eye-roll*
Maxima and W-A purchased a 1500 acre ranch in Argentina ten years ago. They and the girls holiday there over Christmas most years.
Albert’s gross with his out-of-wedlock children and his taking Charlene prisoner for their wedding, but I gotta’ admit, I love that he has People on speed dial to DISH!
I’m old enough to remember Diana, and how she was the first to do many things Kate & Megan now do as a matter of course. They (meaning the press & the courtiers) dragged Diana over the “cost” of her clothes & her hair, and all the vacations she took. What’s new here is Megan is Duchessing while black and the racist press just can’t help themselves since it’s clear the “establishment” has given them the go ahead to do so. The new biracial member of the BRF must constantly scrape and bow and just be thankful to be there and be treated any which way. Harry has just said, that’s not gonna happen, to the press & to his family. Good for him.
Albert made some good points and can relate to a certain degree. His sisters Caroline and Stephanie got a lot of press and tabloid heat back in their heyday and they all had messy personal lives. Their out of wedlock births and messy marriages would have caused nuclear level meltdowns if they were British, but the French seem a bit more sanguine or maybe less interested these days about the Monaco royals as they’ve gotten older. Also Albert’s wife always looks a bit strained and unhappy so can’t imagine how she’d cope if she got the type of press Meghan got. However, Albert has a bit more control in Monaco than Harry does but it’s good to get the perspective of a more senior person who’s been there and seen a lot of scandals. As a side note, the past few Presidents of France have had extremely interesting messy personal lives so maybe the British thing just looks petty and silly from the outside. Prince marries beautiful accomplished American who is smart and hardworking, une actrice . Quelle horreur !
Wow. You know it’s bad when Albert of all people is criticizing the shadiness of the RR. I mean He is well known for his proper behavior and never putting a foot wrong.
Wasn’t tit Prince Andrew who was complaining to his pedo buddy that Albert gets to do whatever he wants In Monaco. On a more somber note, Albert, like Harry, did lose his mother in a car crash as well. He wasn’t as young as Harry, but still in his 20s, & Princess Grace was in her early 50s. Still, he’s a bit of a dubious role model.
PLease say you are being sarcastic!! Hahaha Albert isn’t a role model, more like a laughing stock. He’s spoken out before, Harry is living Albert’s dream life. Harry got to marry the beautiful biracial girl while Albert had to keep his black lovers hidden and marry a white lady for his white kids. His other ‘illegitimate’ families are still kept hidden. Ugly man.
Oh yes lol I was being sarcastic Albert is dreadful. I think he and Andrew could be besties.