The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could have moved to Toledo, Ohio and the Daily Mail would have run exclusives from their Toledo insiders within hours. The fact that Harry and Meghan actually moved to a very wealthy, private and A-list enclave in California is an even bigger problem for the British media though. It’s because Montecito sounds like paradise – Harry and Meghan have a big, beautiful mansion, they live very close to the beach, they have all of the privacy and work space they could ever want and their neighbors don’t bug them or gossip about them. The British media simply can’t admit that the Sussexes had every right to step away from the abusive situation in the UK and that the Sussexes are thriving and happy in a Montecito paradise. Over the past two years, the British media has tried different angles to attack the Sussexes and/or Montecito, including a story about a “foul smell” from a bird sanctuary, because these lunatics are completely f–king obsessed. The latest is that Tatler (via the Mail) reports that Montecito’s old-money crowd. Oh noes, I’m sure they’ll cry about it on their way to Oprah’s house.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ‘not popular with the rich, old-guard Montecito crowd’, a US-based British ‘power player’ has reportedly told Tatler. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex settled in a £11million mansion in the A-lister playground in California following their decision to step back from their royal duties.
However, despite making a home for themselves in the US, the couple, who share son Archie, three, and 17-month-old daughter Lilibet, are apparently still ‘very polarising’ when it comes to Americans’ views towards them.
‘There’s no middle ground: they are either loved or loathed. Some think she is a champion for women and racial equality; others think they are money-grabbing,’ claimed the unnamed West Coaster. They told the publication: ‘They are not popular with the rich, old-guard Montecito crowd.’
Meanwhile, New-York based writer George Wayne, who Tatler notes is ‘known for publishing an annual list of zeitgeisty-y New Yorkers’ claimed: ‘There is no one that I know, or care to know, who is a fan of the calculating, mousy subterfuge of Meghan.’
Ah, “calculating.” We keep adding subjects for Archetypes’ second season. I want Meghan to devote an episode to “exoticism” and biraciality, and now I want her to do an episode on “calculating,” a descriptor solely used for women. As for the Montecito stuff, I actually wouldn’t be surprised if the snootiest snoots of the old-money crowd weren’t impressed by the Sussexes. But here’s the thing: the truly old-money, old-guard people wouldn’t gossip to Tatler. Please. They’re not like some horse-faced British aristocrat. American old-money people play by a completely different set of rules. I also think the fact that Harry spent the summer playing polo at the Santa Barbara Polo Club probably won over some hearts and minds in the Old Money Tightass clique.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Prince Harry plays his last polo game in Santa Barbara before heading to London with his family to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Harry’s side Los Padres won the Lisle Nixon Memorial Final event in “sudden death” extra time 15-14 against Mokarow Farms on Sunday (May 29). Harry’s Argentinian friend and teammate Nacho Figueras scored the winning point. There was no sign at the game of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle. Harry was named as “H. Wales” on the scoreboard. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 29 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Santa Barbara, CA – Meghan Markle hangs out with the Polo WAGS as she enjoys a cold drink and watches Prince Harry play Polo. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 17 JUNE 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- The Duke of Sussex at a polo match during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado in the United States. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Carbondale, Colorado, United States When: 25 Aug 2022 Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images/INSTAR/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- The Duke of Sussex at a polo match during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado in the United States. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Carbondale, Colorado, United States When: 25 Aug 2022 Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images/INSTAR/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- The Duke of Sussex at a polo match during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado in the United States. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Carbondale, Colorado, United States When: 25 Aug 2022 Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images/INSTAR/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- The Duke of Sussex at a polo match during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado in the United States. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Carbondale, Colorado, United States When: 25 Aug 2022 Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images/INSTAR/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- The Duke of Sussex at a polo match during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado in the United States. Featuring: Grant Ganzi, Nacho Figueras, Prince Harry, Steve Cox Where: Carbondale, Colorado, United States When: 25 Aug 2022 Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images/INSTAR/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
An outspoken “uppity’ bi-racial woman not popular with the older conservatives
*gasps whilst clutching pearls*
Yeah seriously, also water is wet. These people are so up their own behinds that they really think that everyone would want to meet them too. Hey maybe just maybe, you aren’t the type of person they would “care to know” either. These people are high off their own supply I swear. Everyday its about how they aren’t beloved in the UK, or this racist old set doesn’t like them. Who cares?!!
Speaking of behinds…….george wayne!?! seriously? LMAO the cretin who literally licked his way up many behinds to be able to land himself that gossip-writer gig that he’s held on to for the entirety his bitter, envious life. Ok then.
“Old guard” says it all. Gatekeepers gonna gatekeep.
Yes! And then those gatekeepers are going to get pissed off if you snicker at them while walking past their silly gate.
I just remembered that Harry was seen having lunch with Wallis Annenberg, so clearly this is not how EVERYONE in the “old guard” feels
Does not compute. Harry is a blue blood of the Right Kind. He has the decency to be English and Protestant, to have a good accent, to not be an intellectual, To play polo, to have money and the best Society connections. His wife will be tolerated.
I don’t think tabloid reporters know any old rich people. They just make this stuff up. A British prince and his wife and cute kids? Sounds like they’d be fine with that sort of person.
The f’ing nerve they have tryna call Meghan ‘mousy.’ 🙄🤥 GTFOH! The desperation, denial, delusion, disarray, and despicable dastardly-ness is dumbfounding! 🤮
Karma is comin’ for ya bishes! Ducking and running and trying and failing to dish dirt on M&H, won’t work.🖕
I love the alliteration in your indignation, lol
So they’re going to keep at this tired nonsense? Anyway, read this write up on the Windsors on this blog I found, I found it very funny and also very honest. Hope it’s okay to post here: https://darkofskin.wordpress.com/2022/12/06/welcome-to-the-charlatan-era-all-hail-king-chuckles-the-inbred/
I personally don’t believe this story.
I can imagine that no sane person would want to live next to a couple with this amount of media scrutiny, rather what this story is telling me is that someone at the Palace ‘War Room’ has been doing some polling to work out which crowd H&M don’t do so well with…
That said I think that if the BRF target America it will end badly as it reeks of neo-colonialism…. it would also tend to lend credence to the well founded theory that BP & KP want to destroy H&M and more specifically Meghan…
not gonna lie, I found that blog post super catty, and enjoyed it entirely. thanks for posting it!
Happy Days, that is GOLD! LOVE it! lol
“Kate must have carpel tunnel: Buzz Buzz B***h!”
Thank you for sharing the link! The writer spares no punches, ha.
Thank you, HappyDays, I needed that laugh!
Really enjoyed that Blog post. Thanks for sharing.
Very enjoyable read. If you look in the comment section, the author linked to her latest article written today which is also extremely good.
Great blog, I live for this type of tongue in cheek sarcasm 🙂
Charles is forever Eeyore in my mind now!
Great post!
The key word is ‘old’. No one cares about what these old folks have to say or think.
Seriously. They just fled the “old money” snobs in England. American old money is just as dirty and racist as it is anywhere else. If they’re not invited to old money parties, they won’t be subjected to the Lady Hussies (and Prince Williams and Camilla Parker-Bowleses) of the world. Amen to that.
The “Old Money” I know in Florida and Lexington, Kentucky would not gossip about you, especially to a tabloid (The Fail or Page Six) or a magazine (Tatler or Town&Country). “Old Money” would pretend you DO NOT exist because as far as the “Old Money World” goes, you Don’t exist.
Gossip mongers like “New Money” and “Real Money” are totally different creatures from “Old Money.
BayTampaBay, what struck me is this is someone British who lives in the US. They want me to believe that the old money people are talking to a foreigner. Obviously the person writing this article believes that being British makes all of the difference. Even if the British person is old money (which I doubt since it’s not mentioned in the article), I doubt the American old money people would be talking to them.
Who is that titled woman in LA who is always saying negative things about H&M? Do you suppose this is her giving this info?
Don’t forget Republican. The Republicans Ronald Reagan raised money from when he was Governor.
@Bay, exactly. Supposedly the Queen visited KY much more frequently than the public is aware of because she has longtime friends among the upper echelon horse-breeding/owning types. IIRC she even stayed on private estates and it wasn’t a major security issue because that whole set is very discreet.
These are not people who would be blabbing to the media, ever. I only ever drove through once, but KY horse country is absolutely beautiful.
The British press are so mad and jealous that Harry left that rainy, drab island for the sun of California with his brilliant beautiful California girl. Anything to talk about them and make them out to be the outsiders.
It’s classist dog whistling. And very likely unsourced. Whatever. The docu drops in a matter of hours! Hopefully at midnight. I am planning to stay up at least for the first episode!
I call BS. I don’t believe this one bit.
It’s too…..specific.
Why all this “interesting tidbits” just before their docuseries drop?
Puh-leeze!!!
It’s also not specific. An “unnamed West Coaster”? Like anywhere from Seattle to San Diego? And the New York type who doesn’t “care to know” anyone who likes Harry and Meghan? Uh huh, iron-clad experts here.
@Eurydice
Exactly! It’s specific and not specific at the same time.
Eurydice, I wonder if the NY type is Trump?
What is old money by American standards? I really can’t tell. Also, old guard or old money or both? You can’t convince me that these people aren’t shitting their pants at having a prince join their neighborhood. Come on.
If I had to guess, got rich during the Gilded Age post Civil War? 🤷🏽♀️ The Rockefellers, Carnegie’s, Getty’s, etc.
But, honestly, these days, most don’t care as long as you got that green to spread around.
There are snobs everywhere, even amongst POCs. My parents have spent their lives talking about people’s “pedigrees” as if they didn’t grow up dirt poor in Jim Crow South.
I think of old money in two layers – those big families that Snuffles mentioned, and then just kind of anyone whose grandparents maybe had money. Like if you go to a snooty private school and your father and grandfather went there, I consider you old money. Maybe one more generation back, so maybe great-grandfather. So three generations of wealth I guess? I guess basically at the point where no one alive remembers your family before they had money.
So a much shorter time span than in England i would imagine.
I think in some areas the line between new money and old money is pretty well established but if you have enough new money, people will forget that its new, LOL.
Thanks, guys. It just occurred to me that Harry is probabyl the “oldest” money there anyway but my guess would also be that that makes it worse because some people will feel upstaged. IF anyone even feels that way.
The Dutton Family on the TV series “Yellowstone” is old Montana money.
The George W. Jenkins family , founder of Publix supermarket, is old Florida money.
The George Hearst family, he hit the Comstock load in 1859, is old California money.
Long time lurker here. I’ve really enjoyed this site and the comments for many years. So I’m finally posting.
“Old money” in America means their ancestors had a huge plantation with many slaves.
Not really. when people think of “old money” in America they generally think of northern industrialists like the Rockefellers and Carnegies, who didn’t have slaves and in some cases were part of abolitionist and civil rights movements. Many southern plantation owners with slaves had their fortunes wiped out (deservedly) after reconstruction and they never really did more after that, just stayed in their big old houses.
Here in the mid Atlantic, at least, I’ve seen ‘old money’ and ‘old families’. Old families at one time had a lot of money and their roots usually go back well before the civil war. They might not be ‘rich’ anymore, but are still well off enough to live in the old money neighborhoods, have old money hand-me-downs (furniture, jewelry), and go to private schools. They’re usually well connected to other old name families AND to old money families (post civil war industrialists or old name families who retained large sums of wealth).
For example, one of my BFFs married into an old family. Her husband’s great great something grandfather is considered one of the founders of our city (Baltimore), another one signed the DoI, and the family tree is littered with ‘old’ Maryland/East Coast names (Carroll, Merriman, Shriver). Their house is filled with stuff they inherited from his family, and the house itself (in a wealthy neighborhood) came courtesy of family connections. They themselves do ok but they’re not millioinaires by any stretch of the imagination. They just, as noted above, have very good connections. Her husband is very stereotypical culturally in that he’ll buy something very high end (a car, clothes) and use the hell out of it before buying something new. It’s a point of pride to have gave a ‘good’ pair of shoes that are falling apart.
Before they were married, BFF ran out to shop for a suit for her ‘going away’ outfit…she didn’t have time to put on makeup and wore sweat pants and went to a high end local dress shop (she did bring her ‘nice’ handbag that his family gave her). She was amazed at how well she was treated while she was shopping given how she looked. Her fiance/husband explained they saw how she was dressed, saw her bag, and assumed she was old money lol.
I’ve worked with a couple of old money people (the industrialist types) over the years as well. Just don’t know them as well sa BFF (who is not old anything, lol).
Both groups are similar in many attitudes, including the ‘we don’t gossip to newspapers’ attitude. They might talk at dinner parties and over back yard cocktails, but they would never say something to the press. Especially if they knew the press would ID them as ‘old guard’. The horrors, it would be as though the press typed out their actual names.
If someone has a problem with them, I think they really just have a problem with Meghan. I mean Harry comes from royalty! That is pretty high up and he could out snob just about anyone if he wanted to.
This. Old money worships royalty and I have no doubt they LOVE that Prince Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor, favorite grandson of Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, lives next door and occasionally goes to the country club to play a bit of polo.
They are so happy about this that they are willing to accept his biracial wife (for now).
@Blue Nails Betty, freaking EXACTLY. How many of these exact people would jump at the chance to go if for some reason they’re ever invited (they won’t be, lol) to H&M’s? They wouldn’t be able to start picking out their outfits fast enough, and bragging to people immediately that they’d be rubbing shoulders with Prince Harry.
I’m from New England, land of the OG “old money”. It’s the very white collar, “summer cottage” (see: cliffside mansion) gilded age set. A lot of them are a long line of politicos (think the Kennedys), and some trace their lineage back to the Revolution.
I don’t believe the Kennedys are old money though…they were looked down on by the Boston Brahmin set in Joe Kennedy Sr’s days I think
As a life long Californian I don’t think there is much of an “old money” culture here. We are a newer state than many so the old money families were never based here. I’m sure there are lots of snobs in montecito, but I doubt there are many who consider Megan and (especially) Harry beneath them.
California old money: Huntington (railroad), Spreckels (sugar), & Doheny (oil). Basically, robber-barons of the Gilded Age, as mentioned earlier.
All I can think of in California would be Huntington (railroad) & Spreckels (sugar) & Doheny (oil)–so basically your basic robber-barons.
I know some people who are old California money, and they are not names the general public would recognize. But, they are undoubtedly old CA money. old money does not necessarily mean a name that the average person would recognize off the bat (in fact, its usually not.)
These stories reek of rank fear. I don’t know who is more afraid of exposure the Windsors or specific rota rats.
The old money elites are probably the same everywhere. Snobbishness is universal. Why would anyone think that Harry and Meghan would be hanging around with that bunch anyway? Seriously? The trashloids, even the snooty one, have got nothing, nothing on the Sussexes! And its killing them.
Exactly! I don’t doubt that there are some old-school snobs who turn up their noses at H&M (and, for that matter, Oprah— coincidence that they don’t seem to like women who *earn* their own money instead of inheriting it…maybe it hits a nerve?). I also think these same people probably read every single word printed about the Sussexes, because they can’t help themselves; the Sussexes are nothing if not interesting.
They particularly don’t like Black women who earn their own money. They expect people of color to be the help, not wielders of power like Oprah.
This sounds to me more like snooty aristocrats are mad at Meghan and Harry for usurping their precarious social status. I mean, if I you were the big British fish (and to be honest, in north America all you would really need is the accent) in the relatively small pond of Montecito and suddenly a literal prince moves in and gets all of the glory…I could see that causing resentment.
Outside of maybe foundation support/charitable fundraising, I’m a little baffled as to why a young, forward-looking, social-justice-oriented couple would be interested in spending time with the monied old guard?
@Jessamine, ITA— I think they chose Montecito because of the quiet vibe and the built-in security since there are already so many ultra-wealthy people living there (and not the kind who call the paps every time they leave the house; it sounds more like they call the police if they do see paps lurking around!), not so they could rub elbows with the same types of people they fled from in the UK.
Do I believe that some celebs/public figures look down on the Sussexes absolutely. Do I believe they would run and gossip about it to a British paper hell no.
This is ridiculous
I don’t understand how no one wants to know her and yet they keep establishing relationships with various well known charities and organizations. I mean no one in New York wants to meet her except for all the people who do want to meet her?
As for the old-money Californians…..I dunno. I agree that no one from that set is running to Tatler, but also, its not like Harry is new money. Yes, the Netflix and Spotify money is new, and he’s new to California obviously, but Harry comes from older money than probably most of them, and he’s the son of a king to boot, even if he isn’t on great terms with his father. I imagine there’s not as much snubbing as Tatler would like.
@Becks I think there are some types of snobs who would never admit to admiring or wanting to meet ANYONE—they just want to feel superior all the time. There are definitely lots of these people in NYC…they’re ‘above’ *everything*
oh they might never ADMIT to it and yet look at who H&M are mingling with, lol. so obviously people of all sorts of money do want to meet with them.
Somehow I don’t believe that Meghan or Harry are losing one moments sleep over this. They have a very solid support group made up of long time friends and others who are more interested in serving others than having lunch with Buffy at the clubhouse.
Who does this play to? Seriously. Who reads this headline and doesn’t instantly say “well they can get f*cked” about those snotty old twats?
Not Americans, that’s for sure. We love people who piss off old snobs. I read an article like this and in my head I’m instantly all “lolol cry more loooooser.”
This is such bs. I lived in LA when W&K visited in 2011. My son was at a private school and we watched “old money” people falling all over themselves to get into events where they could meet W&K. There is nothing more “old money” than royalty. And the only thing American old money can’t get its hands on is a title. So being royal adjacent is the next best thing. I’m sure H&M have been welcomed with open arms. Actually, more like inundated with invitations!
This. Exactly what I was thinking. I also went to school with global “old money” and they’re terrible snobs who worship hierarchy. The would love anyone with a title and money.
How is Harry not old money? Lol. These people.
Also I lived in LA too, never met anyone with old money values it was all brand brand brand tackiness.
Suggest you brush up on history. Look up Winston Churchill’s mother. The English aristocracy was saved by new American money. The Astors, the Vanderbuilts, May Goelet…….etc.
Downton Abbey was based on such transatlantic marriage. Henry James wrote about the adventures and misadventures of Americans abroad in Europe and the UK. Some great novels there.
That;s something that I’ve always found funny in their disdain for Americans. One of their most iconic PMs ever was half-American, lol.
Anyone can find one or two people who agree with their point of view. But assuming that just because a couple of people agree with you, EVERYONE must hold the same opinion
And here’s the thing, because Harry and Meghan are NOT taxpayer supported by the UK or the US, there is no need for them to appeal to the majority. Nor would they want to. The US is 332 million strong with a wide diversity of opinions. Harry and Meghan can only have support from 5-10% of the US population and still make millions of dollars and live a wonderful, fulfilling life.
That’s the difference between them and the rest of the Windsors. The Windsor NEED the majority of the public to like them or at the very least not care enough to kick up a fuss about their taxpayer supported existence.
These Royal Reporters don’t get it and they keep centering everything on how things work in England.
@Snuffles, such excellent points
Mousy subterfuge? What does that even mean? Lol 😂
I know! The Duchess of Sussex is a lot of things, and “mousy” ain’t one of ‘em!
NACHO!!!! Thats all i can really say about this story LOL.
Yes! Who would you rather spend time with, Nacho or “old money” snobs? I’m sure Harry had his fill of the latter when he was still living in Jolly Olde.
Love these comments. Really, such a tough choice, ‘old guard’ monied people or a tasty hot snack that seems like a lot of fun. Decisions, decisions…I’m going for Nacho.
Oh man, the DM is just reaching aren’t they?
I’m certain H&M are fine. Enjoy the CA weather.
Btw, neighbors that mind their own business and don’t gossip about them would be a plus, IMO.
I looked up the George Wayne mentioned and it turns out he’s a 70 gossip writer who used to write for Vanity Fair. I’m sure he’s really got his finger on the pulse of modern day New York! Nobody is going to be liked by everybody so why do they think we care what some snooty old people think?
I wondered this too, how does out of touch and lives in NY GW know how M and H’s neighbors in Montecito feel?
I don’t even think I’ve ever heard of George Wayne (if I did, I certainly never paid attention), and I’m the type of person who subscribed to VF for years and misses Dominick Dunne constantly. This guy? Please
Look I’m not old money adjacent, but I am a CA resident born and raised. My two cents: the locals love being royalty adjacent. Frankly, it’s never about where you come from, but if you have the money to play. H&M absolutely do. LOTS of celebrities come to SB after they have made their money and are no longer hustling. I mean we had a whole ware about the fact that we don’t want Kings here. The West is absolutely about what you make for yourself and the American dream. Meghan, not Harry, is the embodiment of that. We do not have aristocrats here, unless they come from other countries. We have a lot inherited wealth here, but it’s not because they are progeny from a feudal system that no one cares about. The primary GDP drivers in CA remains show business, the financial sector, and technology. All that to say, CA is just fine with New Money.
There are certainly a few Emily Gilmore-ish types left, especially in New England…they go to their DAR luncheons and brag about which of their relatives was on the Mayflower. However these are not the type of people H&M are remotely interested in hobnobbing with, so!
And if true, who cares? These two did not walk away from the Windsors to spend a single second worrying about the opinions of “old money Montecito”. If there are good opinions that these two covet, they are those of others engaged in working for substantive social change and digging into issues relevant to the causes that they support. If old money Montecito wants to write checks to Archewell, great. Otherwise, I don’t think H&M’s calendar will miss them.
Even if this story is true (which is doubtful) why would Harry, who is a direct descendant of the ancient Spencer family and at least 6 (?) British monarchs give a rat’s a$$ about meeting the standards of the “old guard” Montecito crowd? There’s no American money older than his…. I can believe that people don’t want to deal with the paparazzi etc… but that has nothing to do with them thinking they are of higher status than the Sussexes.
As if “old guard” Montecito types are giving anonymous quotes to tabloids, fgs
This comes from the palace and courtiers because they are assuming the Sussexes even want to be in with that crowd. Harry and Meghan are the polar opposite of old-guard and they don’t care about being accepted by them, just like they peaced-out of the oldest, old-guard on Salty Isle.
This is what they still cannot get over – Harry and Meghan said, not just ‘no thanks,’ but HELL NO to the absolute pinnacle that their society strives for, that (they believe) everyone wishes they were, that (they believe) everyone is dying to join. So they really think it’s an insult to say what they’re saying in this article.
Meanwhile, Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lili Diana are peaceful under a tree in their backyard, looking for more space for the 2 new awards they received last night.
Umm… this source is ” a US-based British ‘power player’” so I don’t think he/she is American old money, just living on the West Coast. In other words, this source is likely full of it. Not buying this story at all.
@Rapunzel I agree! I’m not buying this story either. This isn’t any old prince. This is the youngest son of the much loved Diana Princess of Wales. The son who was forced to walk behind his dead mother’s coffin in front of the whole world. We saw how important Diana still is to the “Old Money” when only last night Kerry Kennedy (American Royalty) presented Harry with a beautiful framed photograph of his mother.
Rapunzel, I hadn’t read your comment when I posted above. ITA. Like old money folks are just waiting to gossip with someone outside of the country because they are a power player–and probably from new money. Riiiiiiiiiiight!
Well, that was a rather pathetic angle to try to diminish a likeable couple who try to do good in the world.
That article is such a total lie! My parents live in Montecito and the town loves them. They are welcomed where ever they go — but M&H are quite private and don’t exactly paint the town red on a nightly basis (as if Santa Barbara in general had any night life anyway).
What Montecito does hate is the press snooping around, flying helicopters over M&H’s house and trying to spy on them constantly. That UK papparrazzi crap doesn’t fly here. The paps need to hoof it back home — sour puss and all.
All that “old guard” and aristo types have to offer is an outdated notion of relevance. No one needs them anymore for public relevance. They have not been the arbiters of culture, or taste, for the general public for generations, if they ever were. They are not part of the public imagination. Therefore, they have grown even more insular, and they only matter in their own minds, and in publications that follow them.
Most Americans couldn’t name an “old guard” American family these days. My guess is most Brits can’t do so either, outside the royal family itself.
This kind of article reveals more about the British media than anything else. There looking for something, anything to bash the Sussexes with, and nothing seems to work. The royals and the media need to give up on trying to “win” against the Sussexes. It’s a waste of time and energy, and will only blow back on them. All they have to do is co-exist on the same planet. They don’t live in the same country anymore. Why should the royals give a rats ass about the Sussexes anyway? All they do is make themselves more appealing to white supremacists, and less appealing to the young people they need to perpetuate their grift.
@Lanne tbh the Sussexes probably take articles like this as a compliment. These people aren’t exactly who their brand was ever appealing to.
They do a version of this story every 6 months or so. And by they I mean the British media. Think the Telegraph did a story like this in past.
Are there some who don’t like them? Yes but that’s the case for everyone no matter who you are or where you go. You’re not going to be universally liked. But the whole “absolutely no one ReSpEcTaBlE likes them” is probably not true.
Pumpkin, I wonder how they are defining respectable. Does respectable to this writer mean those who believe white is superior?
Who, exactly, is the “Old Guard” of California and how long have they been there? If you want to be literal, California is full of “New Money.” I wonder how many generations it takes to forget where your forebears came from? One? Two?
@Kim, I had the same questions! The State of California itself isn’t even that “old” when speaking in relation to American history and when and how it was established, so who would the so called “Old Guards” there even consist of? Gold Rush descendants?
People like Leland Stanford and Collis Huntington would probably be considered the “old guard” in CA. Both were born in the 1820’s in the east (Stanford in New York State, Huntington in CT), and did in fact come to CA to set up as merchants during the Gold Rush. They were two of a number of men in CA who became industrialists via railroads, shipping, etc. Stanford and Huntington’s careers were the equivalent of Carnegie, Vanderbilt, etc. in the east, though those two (and Huntington) came from more humble backgrounds than Stanford.
Ironically, during the Gilded Age, the east coast new money industrialists were looked down on by the “real old guard” in NYC, wealthy English and Dutch families that came over well before the revolution. But CA only became US territory in 1848 when the Mexican American war ended (became a state in 1850). Gold was discovered the same year. So men like Stanford and Huntington who came to CA in the very early 1850’s would presumably be the “old guard” there.
Maybe add the Hearst, Chandler (founders of the LA,Times) and Haas (Levi Strauss) as “old” money, but that’s not that old.
This is pathetic. They’re so desperate to find a toehold for the narrative that Meghan and Harry are unpopular when every shred of evidence disproves it. Next they’ll be saying, they’re not popular with the California Bagpiper’s Association or some other nonsense.
“Power player” = a 35-year-old playing GTA in his mom’s basement.
The proud elitism dripping from the George character is disgusting.
What George Wayne meant to say is that the Karens in his circle will never forgive Meghan for being a Black woman who married a Prince of England…
I’m sorry but this story rings completely false. The oldest of the old money in America – the snobbiest of snobs – would be FINE with both Harry and Meghan. Maybe they’re not braiding each other’s kid’s hair but still….If Harry and Meghan wanted in with them, THEY WOULD BE IN, TRUST ME.
Exactly. Hierarchy is about levels and there ain’t no higher level than son of the King of England if you care about those things.
Somebody may have already said this but Harry is about as old as “old money” can get.
honestly, there are a lot of rich, racist, republicans living in that area of california, so I wouldn’t doubt some would be put off by their more progressive politics, but I agree that they would definitely be won over by the polo and general things – but also, they don’t need to all be won over.
It doesn’t get more Old Money than Harry. Literally many, many centuries of Imperialist Old Money. Pretty sure no one in the entire USA is more Old Money than him.
While many racist American old money people might don’t like Meghan at first just because of her race I’m pretty sure they will make an exception to befriend royalty.
Tatler and their “sources” is making stuff up again.
Everybody in Montecito doesn’t have to like Harry and Meghan and it seems like they’ve found friends there, so they’re fine. It’s the DM and Tatler who seem to be more concerned about it. They would better off paying attention to the royals who live in the UK instead of the US.
Full disclosure: I lived in Santa Barbara for four years while attending grad school at UCSB, then working for a local law firm. I had friends in Montecito. It’s not the monolithically posh area that the tabloids are envisioning. Yes, there are plenty of nouveau riche types with giant McMansions. There are also, believe it or not, old UCSB emeritus faculty living there (they bought their houses long ago, before land values took off) in modest houses. The “old money” tends to be Old Hollywood — actors who were big in the 70s and 80s. Old-ish, in other words. There’s plenty of old oil money, too. All you have to do is visit any beach in the area to see the oil drilling platforms. None of those groups are pitching fits because of the Sussexes. They’ve got their own fish to fry.
The Sedgwick family and the book Edie by Jean Stein is a great read and her family moved there in the 1920s and owned a huge ranch thousands of acres that ended up being donated to the State. That’s about as old quart as it gets . I doubt the Sussex’s care.
Jean Stein was a great chronicler of Hollywood/Cali Old Money families. Her oral-history book West Of Eden is a terrific read.
“There is no one that I know, or care to know..” Oh, please, George Wayne. This sounds so desperate and attention grabby. He can’t get anywhere near them and he’s very clearly mad about it. Bitter old hag.
OMG what a ridiculous story. He’s a bona fide prince by birth for god’s sake. “Old” CA money isn’t even middle-aged in comparison with that of British royalty.
The stories are just getting more and more unhinged as time goes by. I need to stop reading this stuff for the sake of my blood pressure. Or just view it as pure comedy. Oy vey.
OMG what a ridiculous story. He’s a bona fide prince for god’s sake. “Old” CA money isn’t even middle-aged by comparison with that of British royalty.
The stories are just getting more and more unhinged as time goes by. I need to stop reading this stuff for the sake of my blood pressure. Or just view it as pure comedy. Oy vey.
Every time I see yet another tale of how the Sussexes aren’t liked, or Harry is looking haunted and full of regrets, or Meghan will divorce him once he’s “served his purpose” it reassures me enormously. When they have to keep inventing one negative story after another, the royals are obviously terrified of the truth coming out.
Utter BS
Most of the people running around to mingle & meet H&M are of this “old money”! From the polo events, fundraisers & awards, to luncheons with super wealthy. This again is a projection of what the others are struggling with 😏we all saw the earth’s*t event was full of randos & has-been celebs!!
“They’re not like some horse-faced British aristocrat.”
Oh noes Kaiser, you didn’t just go there! Bwahahahaha. I come for the pics and stay for the shade!
😂😂😂Old money!!, does it come any older than the British Royal family. Now I’m a brit and I still live in the UK, but I will tell you this, the last couple of years the highlight of my day is reading the bullsht in the British media about harry and meghan. They publish all these “insider” or Royal expert articles, BUT they never name names but what they will do is get a member of the family or an aide to fall on their sword to protect the crown. THE CROWN, its just a fancy hat with an unelected multi millionaire sat under it, waiting to leave it to the next unelected wearer while we tax payers PAY them to do it, to the sum of £375, 000,000,s year! With all the money and palaces they have, if it was so important to them they would do it for free 😂Harry and Megan are happier and healthier in the US and GOOD FOR THEM. but I will give you all a look at how the Royals try and change the narrative. Now as you know Lady Susan Hussey stepped down (, prince Williams godmother) because of racist comments she made, today on the news, we had pictures of Charlie with a group of children of colour and Camilla with a group of children, but she also chose to hold the hand of a beautiful little girl of colour. Smacks of hypocrisy and desperation. I can’t wait for my next good laugh when the British editors go into full sychophancy in their headlines AFTER the first instalment😁
@Mary Pester, I enjoyed this entire reply so much, please keep posting here!
Mary Pester, “THE CROWN, its just a fancy hat with an unelected multi millionaire sat under it, waiting to leave it to the next unelected wearer” is the funniest and probably the truest definition of the crown. I hope you continue posting. It’s good to get perspectives from people in the UK who look with clear vision.
@Mary Pester, I enjoyed your post quite a bit. The crown is fool’s gold-made from stolen jewels most likely. Those that believe it’s something more are something else. Like when they give out the OBEs and whatever. What is the true, authentic significance? David Bowie refused accepting one. I side with Bowie. Honestly, if I really desired being called Dame Agreatreckoning, I could legally change my name to that without being attached to the scandalous Royal Family.
“But here’s the thing: the truly old-money, old-guard people wouldn’t gossip to Tatler. Please. They’re not like some horse-faced British aristocrat. ” 😂 I lol’d, Kaiser. The horse-face references are too good.
Let’s look at this from a different perspective. The “rich, old-guard Montecito crowd” are likely folks the Sussexes don’t want to associate with. They’re stuffy, racist, elitist and insular. Doesn’t sound like the type of people Harry and Meghan would touch with a 10 foot pole. They escaped that kind of life back in Salty Isle. They certainly are associating with monied people, celebrities, movers and shakers, but they’re mostly people who get sh*t done, do charitable and philanthropic work, make the world a better place. The old guard just hunker down in their massive mansions, counting their money and turning up their waspy noses at the less privileged and PoC.
PRINCE Harry is literally the son of a King. He has a higher stature than any American old money family. If they’re sniping it’s probably because the Sussexes won’t give them the time of day.
This right here! Harry is the establishment on both Spencer and Windsor sides. Dude’s bloodline is older than any Founding Father.
L4Frimaire, I wonder if the brf ever take a moment to contemplate the fact that the Spencers have been around LONGER than they have. Harry, IMO, doesn’t need the brf since he’s a Spencer.
I’m side-eyeing the whole ‘old money’ people have beef with Sussex’s… as if they are what? New money? Harry and Meghan are titled aristocrats from a ruling dynasty overseeing a literal commonwealth of counties worldwide for generations… the American oldies and their blood can’t compare.
LOL Harry is a charming and handsome British prince who chose America…..as if American old money doesn’t love him.
The British press is so delusional.
I just had to come back here to mention that THE WINDSORS ARE CONSIDERED NOUVEAU RICHE BY A LOT OF BRITISH ARISTOS.
The Spencers on the other hand are REAL OLD British money
matthew, I just posted above the same thing. I find it funny because I’m sure Earl Spencer would love it if Harry slipped that into a conversation!!!
I don’t believe they’re either loved or loathed. I think most Americans are indifferent, probably unaware of their presence. Among those that are, I’d say they’re probably neutral to positive with a contingent of Stan’s and haters.
Wasn’t Harry spotted having lunch with an Annenberg in LA? Is it that they don’t want to know them or haven’t been able to? Not everyone is gonna like them, not everyone needs to, that’s just life. They feel safe and happy where they are and that’s what matters. George Wayne is a blast from the past. He used to write about the downtown scene in NY in the 90s-he definitely would not be into Meghan because she’s not Lady Miss Kier from Deee-Lite. That’s his standard of who to hang out with. No idea what he does now.
This is hilarious because in America it’s just money. Maybe you have some east coast folks who care about that but in California pffff……
Um…why would H&M _want_ to hang with Olde Money? They have friends already, no? The BM is just trying to make it seem like they are being rejected by the “right kind” everywhere. 🤮🤮
Lol where did they dig up George Wayne omg . He is a washed up Queen from the 80s ,he’s so irrelevant. The uk media is so embarrassing like a psychotic jealous ex .
Aristocracy of any kind is nonsense. If anyone thinks they’re superior because their forebears were rich, they’re an idiot. Pretty likely to be fascist too.
No American would think they’re ‘money-grabbing’. Utter BS.
Maybe they’re snobby about Meghan but no way they’re closing the door to an actual prince. A real one, not some German or Russian from a long defunct throne. Plus he’s got British AND American blue blood. His maternal great great grandmother, Frances Work, was a ‘dollar princess’. (Where diana got her middle name). The Works were part of NY’s Four Hundred. She upped and ditched England (and her hubby) and took the kids to be raised in the US. Harry comes by it honestly! Actor Oliver Platt is also her great great grandson.
California Old Money doesn’t gossip? They’re not like the BRF?? They’re very much like the BRF. They took money and land from former inhabitants (California was once Mexico) and relegated people of color to “dirty immigrant” status, although the robber barons, the priests, and the other whitey-whites were the actual immigrants.
Yonati, I don’t think anyone would argue about the similarities you’ve mentioned. What they were saying are the “old” money people are NOT talking to the media–not Tatler, not any of them.
With confidence, I said to my son, many moons gone, that Princes’ would talk to him. And of course I was referring to the brothers, however, Harry more so. I live not far from their digs, about 35 miles, and I, most welcome, their presence of light into my haunt.
If people understand narcissistic people you will find you have one Meganistic.
These people have traits such as- controlling, manipulation, lies, insecure ( if you have seen her how she hang off Harry’s arm).
They also alianate partners and others from family and friends, they love gaslighting, jealousy and revenge if they can’t have and get what they want.
This person is the high end of nsrcissm.
Beware when around them