You might not remember – I forgot nearly as soon as it happened – but last week, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made an outing in Wolverhampton where they played with kids and tried archery and whatnot. It was easy to forget because despite their incandescent keenness, Will and Kate are pretty forgettable. I bring this up for a few reasons – one, the keen outing was actually in support of Mental Health Awareness Week; and two, because the outing came around the same time as Prince Harry’s Armchair Expert interview came out. As you can imagine, palace insiders had their knickers in a twist about it.
Palace insiders were apparently disappointed with Prince Harry for ‘usurping’ his brother’s visit to Wolverhampton by recording a controversial podcast. Kate Middleton and Prince William visited a youth centre in the city on Thursday to mark Mental Health Awareness Week. However, royal insiders reportedly felt it was a ‘shame’ that media attention was distracted by Prince Harry’s claims about suffering from ‘genetic pain’.
A royal source told The Times : “It was such a lovely day for the Cambridges. It is a shame that it got usurped by what Harry had to say. Nobody is shocked any more. It is more: ‘Here we go again.’ But he should be told that these grievances should be aired in the privacy of your own home. Don’t do it publicly in a podcast. Get on with your life.”
Again, it’s not even that Harry and Meghan are trying to pull attention from anyone else. They’re just living their lives, working on their own projects, making deals and talking about their own sh-t. William and Kate are the ones who are salty about being “usurped.” The Cambridges are the ones forcing this into a “petty transatlantic popularity contest,” and they’re just playing themselves, over and over.
But really, it’s extremely harmful to see royal commentators, palace sources and even William and Kate themselves try to gatekeep how, where and when people can speak about mental health. Will and Kate consider themselves mental-health advocates. So does Harry. Harry walks the walk and spoke openly about his mental health struggles and his years of therapy in an interview conducted to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month, the very same thing Will & Kate were trying to highlight with this Wolverhampton trip. And instead of acknowledging that they’re working on the same f–king thing, they shame Harry, judge his process and tell him that he shouldn’t talk about mental health publicly.
Speaking of, guess who took part in a celebrity-voiced mental health commercial? Will and Kate, using their royal voices to audibly mingle with the likes of David Beckham and Jamie Oliver? Imagine the sh-t fit if Harry and Meghan had done it, my God.
The 2021 #MentalHealthMinute 📻
Featuring incredible voices including @KensingtonRoyal, David Beckham, Dame Shirley Bassey, Joanna Lumley and many more, and written by @HussainManawer in support of #Shout85258.
Over 500 UK stations united to play this important message ✨ pic.twitter.com/nhH1jJTApn
— Shout 85258 (@GiveUsAShout) May 14, 2021
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.
This wasn’t a mental health event, this was a chance to use some POC for a photo op.
They’re so lame.
@ Nomegusta, they are lame. They can’t even work yet alone create an event that is impactful to those who need it, where as Harry and Meghan do the work and create bridges to help those who need it. They put out a stupid mental health minute while Harry and Meghan put together programs to benefit those who truly need it.
In layman’s terms, it’s the difference between building a bridge and coming to cut the ribbon of the bridge opening that you didn’t lift one finger to build.
Wish there was a like button!!!!
Me too wish there was a like button.
BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO …. we really do need a like button in here!
I think I saw an article Omid retweeted about their event, I have to be honest, I didn’t click as I don’t want to….the article title was about her clothes and how they coordinated….hopefully the article was at least talking about the event they attend!
Articles written about these two are always so vague and useless!
Yeah, I’m so sorry that Harry talking about his life and mental health struggles overshadowed Will & Kate’s “lovely day” with plants, cute kids, archery, and ping-pong. *sarcasm off* I mean, what is wrong with the British media? Seriously GTFO.
Me too
Randie: SAME! Make a like button Celebitchy!!
For real. There was hardly any focus on mental health anyway. Most people were talking about Kate’s outfit. To talk about mental health, sometimes you have to get down and dirty, which Harry did. It makes more of any impact and gives credibility. Will-di Amin and Keen Guevara’s little event was nothing more than a photo op to using black people as props. Again.
And generally I would think that an event that has a bunch of pictures of the royals attending it would likely be more press friendly and generate more buzz than an event that is only audio without any pictures, video, and without Meghan. So the fact that will and Kate doing am in person event together with pictures and video of the event can be overshadowed by Harry alone having a long and somewhat technical conversation is really telling. I can definitely image another day where Harry and Meghan appearing in person at an event completely overshadows Will on a podcast.
Absolutely agreed. Even before H/M I never heard of how much it was raised and donation etc. Never heard an inspirational quote or nothing genuine about things. All I heard was the clothes brands and recycling ohh yes and how it was fast sold out.
In Wolverhampton, of all places.
Imagine the worst, cheapest and nastiest bread you can get from the store. Now imagine that your dog took a crap on it. Enlarge the toast-turd until it can be seen from space. That’s Wolverhampton.
It needs a lot more help due to systemic poverty and lack of education, little to no opportunities for adult education (even basic literacy) and training, poor housing and even worse nutrition than that hapless pair can provide by, er, turning up and playing pingpong.
Wolverhampton, Aston and so many other areas need major help. If only they could sell some of Kate’s coats or jewels to truly give these kids a way up. A photo op does nothing, especially from people who aren’t doing the work to address the systemic issues.
“Toast turd”, lol!!!
Jeez. Is there anything good in that place. I don’t know where it is but I feel like I need a shower just reading the description. It sounds awful.
These two are disgusting. Their idea of help is to have a photo op and play some games? The whole Royalty thing should be on a garbage heap somewhere.
Nina you forgot to add while dressing up in very very expensive outfits
Your comparison is a thing of beauty. I must use it for other things that come to mind (my many ex bfs, William….)
This.
Even my at could upstage those two!
Another example of how bad they are at their jobs: every event Will and Kate do, they make it about *themselves*, not about the cause they say they’re promoting.
They make it about themselves because that is most likely what visits like these are about from their POV. It is an absolutely mistake to think that the BRF is in the business of anything else than making themselves look good and thus ensure their continued survival. Visits like these are simply PR exercises to the Cambridges. It is about them looking good, it is not about the cause. The fact that they no longer elicit a larger interest and coverage is making their patronage less attractive to the organizations because as patrons they are out to polish their public image rather than providing actual help. The RR are complicit in this PR exercise and that is why all they write about is William being “regal” and Kate’s clothes.
The world has moved on from the royal cosplay of ‘dress up and show up’ model. Let’s see some forward action: funds raised, programs implemented, lives made better. Problem is, the Cambridge’s prefer the old noblesse oblige model; I.e., The peons are blessed and their lives made better just by a glimpse of a royal. Reminds me of Monty Python and the Holy Grail dialog where the king and his knights ride by the peasants. One peasant turns to the other and says, How can you tell which one is the king?” Other peasant answers, “He’s the one without any shit on him.” That’s the problem with the Cambridges, they don’t want to actually get down into real life with the rest of us peasants, they just want to do a ‘drive by.’
Exactly. By forcing the Sussexes out, the Palace has scored an own goal. The Cambridges should realise that whether Harry and Meghan are in the UK or in the US, this couple will always get the headlines over them because Harry and Meghan are more engaging, have bags loads more charisma and the truth is, a far more exciting prospect for the future.
It’s the media letting Harry “usurp” the Keenbridges. If they wanted they could just write about Harry at another time, but they love to create controversy, fake news, fake headlines and know that the RF on its own simply does not sell.
i love that word, ‘usurp’, i mean what are we The Vikings? lol did anyone else see that tv show, there was a lot of usurping going on there
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Methinks they mean “overshadowed”
yep
Oh, I think they used it deliberately, as in “usurp the throne” – like when they use “radicalize.” It conjures up specific pictures in the readers’ minds.
Eurydice, yup, I think so, too. It’s definitely deliberate, just as you say, to usurp the throne.
TF seriously believes that H&M want to establish a “rival Court” (in the Colonies?!? 🤣🤣)That’s the reason for the constant scrutiny, unfair comparisons, and ongoing put-downs. The royals are used to crushing familial rivals, and they can’t comprehend that this isn’t going to “rid” them of H&M—or save the monarchy.
@eurydice – I totally agree that they did it on purpose. It’s just… incorrect. Harry didn’t take over tbeir event. And I know they wanted to be hyperbolic, but it’s just stupid.
I realize it may be pedantic, but this type of word usage bothers me. You usurp a throne by taking the throne. Nobody took over the Cambridge’s event. They were merely overshadowed for being boring.
I know it was on purpose to conjure up visions of Harry stealing the throne, but it’s just incorrect. If they want to exaggerate about things, they should at least use better fitting language.
These two pieces of human garbage who gaslighted Meghan for years can STFU about mental health.
Also, if your spotlight can be stolen from an ocean and a continent away, then YOU have the problem, and it’s not your brother and sister-in-law.
Izzy, I wonder if the newspapers are taking the piss out of PWT and Wiglet at this point? The other day it was a satirical story about the ‘competition’ from H&M (ha!) – but repeated over and over how the Keens were having to ‘sell themselves’ and build a brand. Today we have mental health usurpation via pingpong. I think that the press is knives out for the hapless Middletons.
Never mind. Am sure Carole will make all the nasty words go away with hot chocolate, cheese on toast and her capacious lap for Baldy to rest his enraged head upon.
sorry double post
was there also a foot massage or am I imagining that?
Will & Kate just don’t have what Harry & Meghan have naturally. The more they force it the more it becomes obvious. The writers covering their events must be choking on their coffee trying to come up with something about their appearances/projects other than – they did this thing. Courtiers and rr’s are a$$holes but it must be a challenging job to prop W & K up all the time. It reminds me of the preamble to David Lee Roth’s Just A Gigolo video and the Dave tv segment where everyone runs up and tells him he did great-the one guy says “You’ve got charasma” (that’s how he pronounced it). Then everyone just walks away from him.
They bullied and harassed Meghan and then tried to gaslight her and destroy her reputation by calling Meghan the bully. And people saw through it finally. That clip from the View when all the women were not having it was just a tiny sample of how people reacted.
Will and Kate are not good people and their mediocrity is their responsibility, not Harry and Meghan.
When even Meghan McCain can see that it’s bad, then it’s really obviously bad.
When you have only 1 visit per week and make the happening around it – it is easy to be “usurped” even by weathercast.
THIS☝️☝️☝️
spot on
“But he should be told that these grievances should be aired in the privacy of your own home. Don’t do it publicly in a podcast.” And yet, here are these “sources” airing their grievances publicly instead of getting on with life. Are the BM irony-impaired?
If meghan and harry want to air their grievances apparently they should do it through “sources”
Honestly, after a lifetime of being told to bottle up and repress feelings, I think Harry is SO RELIEVED to finally be able to talk openly about things. The floodgates have opened. Harry won’t be shutting up anytime soon.
Agreed. And the realizations he’s sharing have such potential to help others in toxic families.
That quote when they are talking about highlighting mental health is beyond ironic. Like, what? He was speaking about his mental health and is being told to hush and not talk about it – the opposite of what you should be doing for your mental health!!! 🙄
And that’s really such an awful thing for two mental health/early childhood experts and supporters to say. “Shut up and don’t talk about anything that could embarrass us in anyway or make anyone, anywhere feel uncomfortable.” Seriously? It definitely proves the difference between Harry/Meghan who truly care about destigmatizing mental health issues, conversations, and care for everyone and Will/Kate who think mental health sounds like a “trendy” “modern” thing to pretend to care about by vaguely associating with a few mental health patronages in the most shallow way possible….like playing ping pong or being photographed with a watering can while making fun of gardening at Men’s Sheds (I think that’s what it was called). The personal things that Harry is saying out loud for everyone to hear are resonating deeply and profoundly because they’re honest and real. We ALL have some family trauma, we all have some genetic trauma, we all have issues with who we are and what we’re meant to do with our lives and what happens if who we think are and what we want to do doesn’t match what our families or society think we should do/be. And part of being a mental health advocate is taking risks. Part of getting people to pay attention to you is taking risks. Harry is taking those risks. Saying things out loud that we’ve been told we have to keep secret. Secrets make us sick. Will and Kate want all the credit, interest, and adulation without having to take even the teeniest tiniest risk, and they want to keep ALL the secrets. Even things that don’t need to be secret, like basically any kind of glimpse into who they are or what they like to do. Of course they’re constantly overshadowed.
Amy Too I wish this post could be published as an open letter for all to see. Brilliantly put – thank you.
I just listened to that podcast! First, Harry said that one of the issues growing up was people telling him “he needed help” and to just “get on with things.” That’s EXACTLY the attitude still coming out of the palace, so they’re basically just confirming his version of events.
Second, Harry isn’t a working royal anymore. So his work, whatever it is, doesn’t have to be scheduled around royal work. He doesn’t need to worry about coinciding with their agenda, etc. The fact that he is a royal is just incidental and not something he has any control over; since he’s not a working royal, why should the fact of his (incidental) royalty now dictate his (non-royal) work schedule?
Third, the whiny bitter British media is basically responding to American media coverage of Harry’s work. They’re mad that they can’t control American press coverage the way they can control the press coverage in the UK. Since they have no ability to control the narrative, they just sit back and whine about Harry “overshadowing” everything that happens at home. The fact is Harry isn’t even working in remotely the same circles, in the same capacity, or even in the same country as the other royals. The British media really just wants Harry to disappear and never appear in public again…this is a low-key way of trying to bully him into doing just that and again, this supports Harry’s version of events. It supports everything Harry says about the media in Britain.
It all boils down to this toxic institution (the media) in the UK and its twisted relationship to the monarchy. Harry is a threat to the British media and that is why they keep going after him.
Your wrong about one thing. They don’t want Harry to dissapear. Harry is the only royal who still sells papers. That’s why they keep writing about him. Will & Kate don’t sell. The Queen isn’t doing anything. Charles has always been boring. If they don’t write about Harry they don’t have anything to write about. What their pissed off about is Harry isn’t in England anymore and they can’t get the exclusives. And they can’t control the narritive. I still think after Charles becomes King. They will all vote to get rid of the monarchy. This is what they are afraid of.
Hmm, that’s a good point, if he disappears, who will they have to beat up on? So maybe what they want is for him to appear but *be silent*. If he’s silent, then they can script his words for him and continue to craft their own narrative!
The only way they’d be happy if he disappeared, is by some tragic circumstance they’d surely exploit. Personally, I don’t like that the 8th House in his birth chart is also the home of his Virgo sun. Astrologers have attributed this to the loss of his mother, which could be, but it’s also concerning when one thinks about the lengths people go to preserve institutions of power and whiteness. There are many who see his mother in him and are afraid of what his knowledge and influence could lead to.
The podcast was so good. Harry is so thoughtful, articulate and well-informed, not to mention sincere. As a former journalist, I was very impressed by Dax Shepard’s interviewing technique too – there were a few times when he was so on top of things and followed up on the thread of the discussion in a gentle but persistent way. I’m a new fan. [I was already kind of a fan from Parenthood and because I loved Kristin in The Good Place.]
The British press could try not mentioning either or both of the Sussexes in every single story about any of the working Royals. Of course, nobody would read their crap if they dropped mention of the Sussexes. ‘Hoisted on their own petard’ comes to mind.
Even the RRs dropped the Keens little event as soon as Harry’s interview dropped. If the people paid to prop up W&K don’t even want to talk about them, how is that Harry’s fault? Besides, Harry’s interview was a hell of lot more substantial and more interesting to cover. You can get days of coverage about what he said. All that needed to be said about the Keens doing archery had been said within minutes of the story coming out. Nobody was going to be talking about it afterwards. The BM should be mad at their FFKQC being so goddamn boring and lightweight.
This wasn’t some huge landmark event. It was a visit to a school or center or something similar (I’m not clicking back on the post, lol.) It’s the kind of visit that Will and Kate should be doing regularly. It’s not Harry’s fault that the podcast came on the first day William and Kate decide to work in a week (two weeks?)
The visit was Kate making weird faces for photos and nothing about mental health was discussed. It’s pretty obvious who was doing the work for Heads Together because tweedle dee and tweedle mumble have done nothing with that for a very long time.
That visit with Kate guffawing as she played with archery/planting/ping-pong in her Tory Burch mismatched-navy ensemble with the long clown pants was about mental health? Who knew?
Oh hurrah, we’re back in Looking Glass Land again, I see!
That being said, I think this is PWT and Wiglet’s desperate attempt to keep the feud going/narrative on themselves, now that Charles is closing up their leaking opportunities.
When you say that Charles is closing W&K’s leaking opportunities, is that Jason Knauf leaving or is there something else going on?
William has no emotional connection with the public and I wonder how they did not realize that till now.
They lost control over the press, instead of working hard to regain it they’re trying to silence Harry.
THIS. This is William’s real problem, but he’s too arrogant and stupid to admit it.
YES!
William is so clumsy and awkward – it’s hard to believe that he and Harry were brought up in the same family.
It’s not really, once you understand how his inflated ego was nurtured while Harry had to suffer the exclusionary protection most spares are relegated to having.
William’s a jackass. If he was actually a decent person and was actually interested in real work and interested in the people he’s supposed to be helping, his awkwardness would actually be seen as endearing. Instead, his just a swagless prick who makes people feel unwelcomed.
When I was a kid and I whined about something, my nana would tell me to offer it up for the souls in Purgatory. She also used to say that a little suffering was good for the soul. Not enough to be toxic, and not so little that it’s easily dismissed. She would say that it was character-building. Harry’s suffered more than his share of toxicity, but he’s come out on the other side, healthy and happy, with a strong character. While I wouldn’t wish his childhood and youth on anyone, it does make me wonder if Bill would have been a better person if someone, ANYONE, had just said “No” to him a few times.
They didn’t realize William has no emotional connection because they thought people would automatically defer to him. After all, he’s entitled to be worshipped no matter what he does, no?
If they want the attention all to themselves maybe they should order their press hacks to stop talking about harry and meghan
William and Kate need to hire a better PR team.
Instead of looking at Harry as “ye olde usurper”, their PR team could have stated that, despite being separated, they are delighted that the Duke & Duchess of Sussex are doing their part in bringing attention to a cause that is near and dear to all their hearts. See? Super easy! And it doesn’t even have to be true (that they’re delighted).
I understand the frustration of the Palace Sources. The Keenbridges only work a few days a year so it must be awful to have the one day they do something be overshadowed by Harry and his genuine desire to help people. It must be very difficult to tasked with making Bill and Cathy look like they are about anything and anyone other than themselves. That would certainly be a herculean chore. The Keenbridges just continue to spit out hatred and venom while Harry and Meghan continue to live their best lives and reach out to people.
There are three things that always come out – the sun, the moon, and the truth. The Keenbridges should be cautious of the pot they stir.
Very well said @ Desert Lizard. Now if only someone could beat that into their heads as that seems to be the last resort as they have clearly not looked into their previous behaviours with any criticisms.
Exactly. No one in any of the palaces seems capable or desirous of self-reflection. I think they are just not interested in growth and in being better people. They were chosen by God, after all.
The royals knew this would happen. The Sussexes have on their own now. There’s no co-ordination between them and the royals. The Sussexes will step on all of their media from here to eternity. These are the consequences of making royal life so toxic that the Sussexes decided to leave.
This is their life now. The Cambridges are in a competition with the Sussexes, but it’s a one-sided competition entirely of their own making. That no one on their comms team predicted this, or apparently has any idea what to do about it, shows how miserable incompetent the whole lot of them are.
And if they think their mental health “performances” will outshine the Sussexes authenticity they are even more stupid. Harry and Meghan have taken several big risks. They have made themselves vulnerable, and they have taken the vitriol of an entire media organization and royal institution for it. That takes courage and strength. Courage and strength are qualities people can admire all over the world.
What risks have the Cambridges ever taken? What vulnerabilites have they ever shown? What’s their story? Attention follows narrative–I’ve said that many times. What’s the narrative of the Cambridges? Fake “perfect family” went out of style 60 years ago.
“Harry and Meghan have taken several big risks. They have made themselves vulnerable, and they have taken the vitriol of an entire media organization and royal institution for it. That takes courage and strength. Courage and strength are qualities people can admire all over the world.”
Wow. Yeah, this. It really is just this simple. One side is taking on all of the risks, and if there ever was a better example of what you can get from taking big risks, it’s Meghan and Harry. I relish every single beam on their happy faces that they share with the rest of us.
What Harry and Meghan have done and will do is why their legacy is already guaranteed to be cemented amongst the great of history/historical figures. They’re powerful. The extent of their power, god willing, will be monumental for decades/centuries to come once they’re gone (hopefully after living well into old age) at this rate. That’s the other side of the coin that this British media war is contributing to.
Well said, they knew it would be like that if Harry and Meghan left but they were totally sure they wouldn’t make it. It was unimaginable for them that H&M would be successful.
What happened to Heads Together?
Harry pulled that mostly… in Kates keen folder?
Heads together seems to be dormant. It hasn’t posted on Instagram since October last year. Also proceeds from the coffee table book are going to the mental health charity Mind and not Heads Together. For the mental health minute, Shout was involved rather than HT. I think at some point KP is going to announce that they’re ending HT.
I wonder how the organizations under the Heads Together umbrella feel about getting stuck with Will & Kate when Harry is a much better representative of the mental health cause. Harry’s podcast discussion could have been a touchpoint for several of those organizations, but they probably feel like they can’t openly discuss it since Heads Together belong to the Keens now.
That’s why they should be better at taking a stand against this bullshit. Fear will never get any one of us anywhere if we just allow ourselves to be cowed by it. That’s what the British organizations that stay silent even when they agree with the Sussex expose themselves to. Fine =, stay and operate in silence and hinder your growth. It must really suck for them, honestly. But that’s why the monarchy should not exist and orgs. should not get tied up with them if they aren’t free to self-determine what is best for their efforts/mission…if they must put deference to a birth order before the good of the organization and its capacity to help its target communities.
I recall someone on Twitter identifying themselves as having worked with the group on Heads Together and she said that Harry was the only one who ever did any real work for that project. The other two were superficial and shallow. She called Harry “the real deal”.
It is odd how HT seems to have fallen out of promotional view isn’t it? I think it just underscores that HT was Harry’s idea and he was really the one doing the heavy lifting. Ever since he and Meghan left last year, you haven’t really heard that much about the org from the Cambridges or KP. Which is odd since with all the talk about how the pandemic was affecting everyone’s mental health, you would think the Cambridges would have made more of an effort to promote HT. If they really cared.
The talking point about HT now is that it was only meant to be a two year campaign or something. I think that’s code for “the cambridges don’t want to do it anymore.”
@becks1 I think that is what will happen with Earthshot. Will already gave himself an out and if it fails to live up to his expectations/hype, he’ll spin his way out of it. The trouble with trademarking may be a sign as to how little he thought it through.
I remember the launch of Heads Together was tied with raising funds for the 2017 London Marathon which Harry was a patron of at the time. Just more proof that Harry was the force behind getting Heads Together off the ground even though they tried to give Kate all of the credit.
“grievances should be aired in the privacy of your home” said no real mental health advocate ever. Talking about what happened to you can be cathartic. Adopting a stiff upper lip has never helped anyone’s mental health. The most surest way to break generational trauma and pain is to recognise and acknowledge it. Being quiet (calling it dirty laundry) is stigmatising mental health and it does a disservice to the two supposed-mental health advocates if their team is asking someone to shut up and move on. I understand now why Harry took William’s “You need help”, the wrong way. It was patronising.
yup and again, that’s exactly what Harry says in his podcast–how talking about these things can actually help build a more caring, empathetic society. He has a larger vision for this, one that addresses the toxicity on the internet (that is often fuelled by the media, especially the British media as relates to the monarchy/celebrity). He’s not simply ‘airing his grievances’ (he’s actually very careful about how he speaks about his family). He’s got a cause that he is working towards and it threatens the relationship between the UK press and the monarchy. I think his vision is really great. If he can work alongside institutions that address disinformation, he has the potential to effect some actual change.
He mentions that telling someone to “get help” is a way of weaponizing their mental health and using it against them. The message isn’t actually helpful and it doesn’t actually come from a place of concern. It’s important for kids/adults to hear this in order to validate their own frustrations with this message, and for other people to hear it so they don’t actually send this message themselves. There’s so much good to be found in what Harry is saying. But because it doesn’t serve the narrow interests of the UK press, they try to undermine Harry’s message. It’s so gross.
Again I wish there was a like button!!!!!!
I love how they are so bent out of shape about this one event being overshadowed–basically confirming this was the ONE big thing they did last week, nothing else. How about trying to work more than one day a week, W&K? Perhaps if you had multiple places you were showing up to and keening all over the place, maybe there would be more to discuss about you?
Also, they better get used to this. They seemed to have missed the memo that they have zero say in what H&M do, where they do it, when they do it, or why.
I guess the Cambridges thought chasing the Sussexes out of Britain would focus attention on the ffk and his consort, but surprise! The Sussexes went global. Juice those sour grapes and chug its bitter wine.
I think that is a big take away. They chased them out of their small sphere and the Sussexes went global. They should played nice with Harry and Meghan and that way would be able to “control” the damage. As the saying goes, keep your friends close but your enemies closer. But now they have to deal with the Sussex team on a global level and without the same “restraints”. They cut off their nose to spite their face. Not very good at long term planning.
Willand Kate will be big fish in a small pond
Can someone please explain the need to coordinate events around the calendar of someone else? do people around the rf including the British trashy press think people can only pay attention to one thing and one thing only?
I am from the US! our TV at the moment is dominated by so many things: conflict between Israel & Palestine, voter suppression, Matt Gaetz, what’s happening to the GOP & Liz Cheney, Trump clear insanity, etc…. yet I was still able to listen to Harry’s podcast more than once; to listen to CB podcast on Sunday, to watch Tennis, to exercise, and plenty of other stuffs….. people can pay attention to many things at once!
Something weird is going on in the rf and with the British trashy tabloid press….I have been saying that for a while now! I think when people over will realize the true impact of Brexit (their own decision), some will go bonker!
But also, if you’re the press, wouldn’t you WANT many, or at least a couple of, things to write about each day? Do they really want to all be writing articles about this one Cambridge engagement, attempting to approach the very shallow subject matter from 30 different angles? I can vaguely understand the RF being pissy that the Sussexes are always doing something cool so that the RF never knows if today is a good day to send the Cambridges out and luxuriate in days worth of fluffy PR press about Kate’s coat or how William played badminton in a super Kingly way, or if the event if going to look pathetic next to the Sussexes dropping a completed children’s book or showing up on international television and raising millions of dollars. I think when the royal family says that the Sussexes “overshadowed” or “usurped” or “stepped on” the Cambridges publicity, what they’re really saying is “the Sussexes made whatever the Cambridges were doing look pathetic, silly, self-serving, and ineffectual.” But I don’t get why the press goes out of their way to keep printing these stories? I guess it’s just another one of those instances where the press complains about something that they actually like about the Sussexes because they know it will rile up their readers, but they also know there’s absolutely no chance of the Sussexes heading their “advice” and suddenly doing less or giving a week’s buffer around Cambridge events. It’s so disingenuous, though, I hate it.
Don’t worry about Brexit, the British press says. The Salty Isle is beating the EU’s pants off. According to them, the EU will soon cease to exist because there are a number of countries starting with Sweden who is going to have their own exit out of the EU.
Britain is pursuing major deals with Canada and Mexico. They are going to shake up the financial industry. All those banks are going to come running back to London because they are going to do away with all the EU red tape.
I kid you not that is the piffle those newspapers are feeding their readers. And you think the trumpers over here are delusional? They have nothing on the Salty Isle and their press.
Gosh, if only they’d not chased Harry and his family to an entirely other continent and demanded he give up his working Royal role and patronages, maybe he would still have palace staff that planned events around the Cambridge schedule and coordinated with their staff on PR rollouts so that his very important highlighting of the impact of generational family trauma did not interfere with coverage of Kate’s ping pong game.
And sorry to be petty, but that ping pong photo, you can really see the botox around Kate’s mouth; it’s all out of kilter. So much for those denials, right? She doesn’t even wear waves at the ends of her hair anymore. She wears it straight, like Meghan.
Well to be fair (and correct me if I’m wrong, I may well be) she only denied using “baby botox.” It’s obvious she’s been using grown up botox for a while now.
Zzzzzzzzz……Oh sorry. I fell asleep listening to their purple commercial.
I was tired because I couldn’t stop listening to Harry’s podcast regarding mental health last night – I work in a Child Advocacy Center and I kept cheering every time I heard Harry reference good research and resources – “The Body Keeps Score” is amazing and he was correct – 6 ACEs is a consistent predictor of vulnerability to addiction (not 3) – he clearly hadn’t read the cheat sheet as his only homework beforehand – it’s part of his life…and that’s the tangible difference. You call tell it’s authentic.
I scored a 7 on my (informal) ACE last night. Still reading about it.
@Lady D – I slipped in at a 5 and feel so well-adjusted today! I even managed to take a shower.
Mental Health Awareness week: Mental health is important
Harry: actually* talks about mental health
KP: how dare you!
Contradictory of the Cambridges isnt it?
*)I saw Kate laughing her head off and doing archery I was under the impression that this was just another fun day out for them
These Two don’t care about mental health William and Kate help bullied meghan while she was pregnant they drove a woman to want to self harm. This Pr performance of being photographer with black kids to prove their not racist this Royal Reporters don’t have to report on Harry and Meghan they choose to because the Sussex’s sell they know it .
Okkk, they are not usurped, they are just lazyyy! I don’t see a problem both Cambridges and Harry advocating for mental health week separately but if the Cambridges are using this week for another lame photo op its really on them.
And I have to say I didn’t like the radio ad. It really doesn’t mean anything to me coming from this people. And speaking of this I can’t look at Cambridges seriously as advocates for mental health. Harry made a really good, informative and interesting podcast about his path of healing and addressing the potential affects of trauma in a person’s life and in the same time the BM dragged him again, but the Cambridges are speaking in a radio ad that mental problems binds us together. Really? Is that why your brother and SIL had to move overseas??? 🤢🤢🤢
I don’t understand how doing a bit of gardening and archery is any big event for mental health? Frankly, it was really a personal appearance of basically showing up. What have they actually done? They feel they did “the real work” by joining in a play date for adults in the name of some cause. They feel this is heavy lifting. I think they don’t know the meaning of true work in the benefit of a cause. Clueless. Harry and Meghan donated a year’s worth of diapers and I think some other necessaries for a homeless organization for pregnant women. THAT is charity work that highlights a social problem. Playing with a yellow bunny watering can with white gloves on (as William does) is just not the same, nor is Kate playing ping pong with her maniacal grin. Pitiful. And they can’t even SEE it.
I assume they are told in advance that keen likes to look sporty so set something up for her. Maybe she needs a pie chart to show her archery nas zero to do with mental health.
Exactly; over the past 2 weeks, the Sussexes have
1) for mother’s day –> donated a year worth supply of diapers to an organization looking after homeless pregnant women
2) used Archie’s birthday to raise money for Covid vaccines … the money raised by just individual donation was disclosed yesterday!
That’s actual impact!!! in the meantime, the Cambridges have:
a) release pictures of their kids for their birthday just so people can say pretty –> absolutely no impact
b) talk away boycotting SM for a week while doing a)
c) visiting whatever on mental health –> no attention except to talk about coordinating clothes or whatever
Of course nobody will care! that’s quite obvious
KP has to realise that their approach to mental health is not working if they’re being overshadowed by Harry being an actual advocate for mental health. Plus their mental health minute clip was about encouraging people to talk about their problems but they are complaining that Harry is doing just that. It shows that the Cambridges advocacy for mental health is merely performative.
The Cambridges going on about mental health is a bit like the slaughterhouse going on about making BFFs with cows. It’s kind of problematic. They should come up with another cause to pretend to care about.
Wasn’t there talk about Unable getting involved with a charity when she was a girlfriend to give her something meaningful to do? I recall animals and children were suggested.
So I hereby suggest for the Cambridges:
“The Society for the Production of Gourmet Dog Treats for Upper Class Dogs”
“The Society for the Improvement of Nanny-Child relations among the upper classes”
or the old standby–
“The Society for the Prevention of Discontent Among the Upper Classes” (thank you Oscar Wilde)
I freely offer these ideas for new organizations for the Cambridges.
Btw the THe Me You Can’t See trailer just dropped and it looks amazing. I was already crying along, will need plenty of tissues on Friday. This can actually make a difference.
Gawd – these two are such losers! I cannot stomach Keen’s wild hee-haw laugh and incomprehensible facial contortions. It’s all so freaking theatrical I want to slap some sense into her for whatever it may be worth.
As for PWBT, I can’t muster the psychic energy to comment on anything he does. He never fails to come off as a stiff, cheerless galoot at these events. Keen Kate is forced to supply the “gaiety”. Gah!
I was about to comment on that.. it is tiring to see her doing her normal *HAHAHAHAHA SOoooooo Happy!* laughter. I am exhausted looking at her.
On another note, the new marketing onslaught on twitter is showing photos of William as a teenager and young adult when he was still liked and was till considered to be Hot. Tapping into past feelings to forget what an absolute entitled, raging toerag he is.
@Hell Nah, your description has me crying with laughter, brutally accurate, take no prisoners, I love it
If you have an entire country media kissing your ass and yet you still can’t hold onto the limelight for 5 minutes, then I say your problems are bigger than you think. You wanted the spotlight, fought dirty for it, yet no One gives a shit what you are supposed to be supporting because you really don’t give a shit yourselves. Maybe if mr. incandescent opened with I have such rage I am looking into help or I am currently working with a professional to control it, maybe then people would pay attention to what you had to say, but nope you want to be seen as the stable controlled one so why then would people with real mental health issues ever want to pay attention to you if you are not relatable
It looks like Kate is wearing a bracelet that looks almost exactly like one of Diana’s that Meghan has worn, a gold bangle with cabochon sapphires.
I had to read this twice, are they actually saying the keen ones went somewhere to promote mental well being and it’s such a shame that Harry is discussing his mental health and by the way he needs to shut up about it? And by promoting mental well being that only means the lazy ones showed up to take pictures of themselves. ‘We are promoting mental health with keen pics of us having an outrageously good time, no one wants to hear about your mental health Harry so shut it.’
Yes yes you are correct
Frankly the keens look like a Cialis commercial.
This shows how performative the Cambridge’s are in this. This “ nice outing” got no notice because there was no context to the appearance. How did it relate to Mental Health Week? Yea they looked like they had fun but did we hear from the program director, or what the recreation center offers the kids/ community. Did they even give a speech? I just saw them playing and we talked about Kate’s coat. The UK press find actual discussions of mental health uncomfortable, shameful, and “airing dirty laundry”, but at the same time contribute to others mental stress and mock the initiatives. Call a hotline but don’t dare discuss your struggles or thought process. As for the podcast, once it drops, it’s out there and can listen to it anytime, anywhere, at anytime. It’s not competing with a few hours in Wolverhampton, GMT time. Anyway, it looked like another appearance/photo op and that is a communication failure on their part, not Harry’s problem.
Exactly, “Cambridges had a lovely day” sums it up for me. Their understanding of mental health is limited to thinking that you need a supportive family and spend time outside. I wonder if Keen or TOB ever listened to podcast where professionals speak on the subject, I’m not even asking if they ever read a short book about it.
Btw, Harry and Oprah trailer is going to break me, it’s moving
Just wait until Harry’s next collab with Oprah on mental health which comes out on may 21st.
Honestly, the production level, sincerity and commitment is just leagues above and beyond the Cambridge’s. It makes their YouTube look like a highschool production. They can’t compete. Full stop.
Good luck to Will and Kate who will be playing catch up until they die.
I think Harry’s strongest actions in support of mental health is talking about his struggles openly. He sets an amazing example (especially to men) that self examination, vulnerability, and communication are healthy ways to navigate mental health challenges.
Watching the Cambridges grind their teeth every time Harry speaks openly only shows how little they actually support the real work that goes into people actually taking care of their mental well being.
Yes, exactly! Harry is setting an example -I think the podcast with Dax was so important to hear two men talk so openly about their struggles without sounding bitter or angry about it.
The Cambridges never understood what they meant by “mental health” – we have seen them say the same thing over and over again throughout the years – “get help if you need it” or “reach out for support” but its clear they have no real understanding of the issue.
See, this is why they needed out from this circus. Only two numpties who want accolades for existing would be upset that their event about mental illness happens to coincide with someone else’s.
If they weren’t busy competing, they would dovetail their efforts into a statement about important it is to discuss mental health openly.
Instead, they’re whining about not having international eyes on them at all times.
I don’t understand what the yellow buckets have to do with mental health or why Catherine is hiding her body from head to toe in multiple black layers in spring, whilst role-laying with kids dressed in T shirts and shorts. She does this all the time now. They are a strange couple.
Actually, it’s currently 13.5 C (56 F) in the U.K. and has been that temperature or less for most of the last few weeks. Kate is the only one dressed sensibly for the weather. Anyone in shorts and t-shirts must be COLD (unless they have been doing a lot of exercise). I’ve been indoors all day with the heating on (also in the U.K.) and I’m wearing a similar number of layers plus woolly socks.
Of course, I think this may be more evidence Kate is posing for the cameras not really exercising. If she was, she’d be warm despite the weather.
Every time I think these palace boobs cannot sound any more tone deaf, they surprise me by sinking ever lower.
H&M aren’t working Royals anymore; they don’t have to abide by anyone’s schedules but their own. How petty and embarrassing for BP and KP. Definitely a good laugh this morning, though. Princess Hyena and TOB may be my FTG candidates for the entire week.
*FTG courtesy of The New Abnormal pod.
PWT: “… so as we come to the end of mental health awareness week, it would be great to keep talking.”
“Except you, Harry. You shut your damn mouth and take it like a man.”
Jesus, these KPeeps. When will they ever hit rock bottom?
Funny that they are doing activities as a couple, they might want to fight any rumours of ToB wandering away.
Funny they are calling Harry usurper, they love to fuel the fire, as some people like to cast doubt over Harry’s lineage, or want to paint Meghan as the mastermind, as if Harry did not live there.
The media is in control of what it publishes/broadcasts. Why can’t the palace tell their media friends to focus on the publicly funded royals instead of complaining about being overshadowed by people who don’t live in the U.K.?
And as someone said the podcast isn’t a live interview so the media was free to focus on the Cambridges’ event. Maybe it’s easier to blame someone rather than wonder why the event didn’t capture enough attention..
Their mental health work & messaging about it’s important to talk is discredited when palace sources are telling Harry to shut up. when it you actually listen to what he said he made a general comment about his approach about parenting & generational trauma. Those palace sources need to wonder why they are so triggered by that comment when he didn’t call his family out..
So when W&K talk about mental health it’s as advocates for ‘other peoples’ mental health and when H does it it’s “ here we go again” Wow
and are playing pingpong and archery really advocating?
I listened to the podcast, and Dax and Monica said (in their fact check part of the episode) that they were told by Harry’s team to hold the release of that episode by a few days bc the British media would have a fit. I wonder if this is why, and if yes, looks like there’s no pleasing these people. Get over it, already!
Not days, a few hours, so the US and BM got it the same time, it was to accommodate US broadcasting, ginger knows how to treat the BM, no first dibs.
“instead of acknowledging that they’re working on the same f–king thing, they shame Harry and judge his process and tell him that he shouldn’t talk about mental health publicly”
THIS!! How stupid are these people. Talk about giving yourself away! What a bunch of frauds the BRF are. Wow.
LOL @ “palace insiders” getting mad because the media could give two turds about the Cambridges. I mean whose fault is that? It’s certainly not Harry’s
What on earth is going on in that pic where Kate is sort of clawing towards an interestingly shaped yellow vegetable. (Is it a vegetable?). She’s so odd at these events.
LOL. It’s a chameleon. Why she is clawing towards it I can’t explain.
I thought it was a sweet potato or something. 😂
And here is how I know these Royals have lost the plot:
“
A royal source told The Times : “It was such a lovely day for the Cambridges. It is a shame that it got usurped by what Harry had to say. Nobody is shocked any more. It is more: ‘Here we go again.’ But he should be told that these grievances should be aired in the privacy of your own home. Don’t do it publicly in a podcast. Get on with your life.”
“
That is literally the most absolutely insensitive and unhelpful sentence regarding mental health that one can make. Dear lord, these people are DENSE
I love Kate’s coat.
Keen and Mean are walking examples of mental health problems. He’s clearly got anger issues, he’s narcissistic, has a chip on his shoulder the size of a boulder and treats his wife like a piece of furniture. She’s got self-esteem issues, possible anxiety and eating disorders, and clearly can’t deal with the responsibilities and pressure of the position she chased for 10 years.
Then there’s Harry who is happily opening up about his difficulties in order to shine a light on mental health, to bring it out in the open so that others can relate to him and open up about their own struggles. There’s a grand canyon of difference between how the Cambridges and Sussexes are showing their support for mental health – one side merely speaks, the other does.
Kate looked like a weird magician at this event.
I find the use of the word “ usurped” interesting. Usually they say overshadowed or take the attention. One of the definitions of usurped is “ take the place of (someone in a position of power) illegally; supplant”. So they’re framing this as more than press attention, but as Harry undermining their role or authority. Between this, and saying Meghan has radicalized Harry, where exactly are they going with this rhetoric?
To me the use of usurped implies intent on Harry’s part reinforcing the feud, competition, rival court narrative
A direction where he can be eradicated for changing the status quo. Things will never be the same if he lives and thrives.
William/Kate are playing checkers why Harry/Meghan are playing chess. Two completely different games. One games involves the same old boring moves with the exact same pieces (William/Kate’s future for the rest of their lives predictable and boring). The other involves multiple pieces with various moves. (Harry/Meghan future full of potential and the unknown).
What the hell is going on in that photo where it looks like Kate’s about to get her claws into a bright yellow penis?
It’s a chameleon. Still can’t explain why she’s extending her claws at it.
Oh yes, I see it now. My mind was certainly in the gutter.
William, like his Uncle Andrew, is dimly, awkwardly arrogant. His unfortunate genetic inheritance is finally being exposed and being compared to Harry who has inherited emotional intelligence and inner strength and compassion. That people are now realizing this will harm the future of the monarchy. They need Harry. Charles knows this and others will soon be aboard, I predict. With Harry comes Meghan and she is over the whole royal thing. Hmmmm.
Do the keens actually know what mental heath is? Asking for a friend.
If they actually did their job and attended plenty of events (like “senior royals” are suposed to), some little photo-op trip wouldn’t be so special. When you go to work every day, it’s just another day of work. When you’re a lazy, entitled nothingburger, every time you get up from your couch has to be celebrated.
The Cambridges’ event was totally overshadowed and “usurped” by Prince Harry’s podcast because the substance of his discussion about his mental health struggles resonated to all people around the world. He was fantastically eloquent and real. The way he spoke about his personal experiences was so moving and has touched so many people the world over. Now juxtaposed this with the Cambridges’ outing of archery and ping pong. This is not in any way taking away anything from their effort but it looks superficial, shallow, lacking in depth, and relatability factor.
Another thing is that the Cambridges do not match the mental health advocate profile. Not after they harassed the Sussexes causing them to struggle mentally and then ignoring their cries for help when they were dealing with their mental health struggles. There is a disconnect. And the world knows this and sees the Cambridges for this.
Is she going to eat that poor therapy lizard?! Why the talon hands??
I was watching a part from entertainment tonight, they had Katie Nichols on. She was there as usual to attack Harry on behalf of her three royal households. The part I found telling was she had the same talking point as camel toe tombliy . , on one hand the keenbridges are to be the poster children advocating for mental health, encourage conversations about it, however Harry isn’t supposed to talk about his own struggles because we aren’t allowed think poorly or negative about the perfect Windsor clan,She had the audacity to say that Harry talk drowned out william and Kate lackluster appearance, well maybe they should talk the talk and do the walk and people would be interested in what those two are saying. She said Charles had pictures of Diana on the houses while the boys grew up so therefore Harry couldn’t have had mental struggles. She dismissed that harry said Meghan encourage him to get help, she saids nope, Harry is wrong, it was William. I for the life of me can’t understand why et has her on and why they are so lazy as to not do their own research into the matters and call her out for her lies. She saids Harry and Megs brief the media, then went on to say that she knows the family talked for Archie birthday, well how would she know that if someone in the Windsor wasn’t briefing her.
I saw an article written by Guy Martin (?) for Forbes. He undoubtedly makes the BM tabloids proud. You can’t tell the difference between them. Talk about dismissing destigmatizing mental health. Oh no, this was all about H being to bash the royal family–they throw M in for good measure. How is this being done in Forbes? Don’t they have integrity and shouldn’t they be supporting being able to talk about mental health and lived experiences?
SNRUB
She mistaken the therapy lizard looks like a penis.
That lizard will be traumatized out of it life.