Behold, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Christmas card. It’s more likely that this is the official card for Archewell, meaning this is the card being sent out to the Sussexes’ professional acquaintances and not family friends. It’s a photo taken at this year’s Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, at the closing ceremony. Meghan wore that gorgeous Cult Gaia cutout dress and Harry wore all-black. The photos were great, and it’s not surprising that they would choose something from Invictus for their card. There are a lot of weird comments about “where are their children?” and again, this is their professional Archewell card. Plus, they are under zero obligation to trot out their children.
The card was released just hours after the verdict was announced in Harry’s lawsuit against the Mirror. Harry won a significant legal victory, one which has a lot of media figures sh-tting their pants. One of those media figures is Piers Morgan, who stormed out of his house, threw a shrieky press conference and accused Harry of trying to “bring down the monarchy.” A weird accusation, given that Harry sued the Mirror, not Buckingham Palace. It’s almost as if Piers is saying that the British media is part of the royal family (which it is). In any case, Harry’s friend Bryony Gordon wrote a sympathetic piece in the Telegraph about Harry and all of the sh-t he’s put up with over the course of his life. Here’s part of her piece:
Imagine what it would be like for this son, nephew or grandchild to realise that what little privacy he had was somehow being penetrated by the country’s media, leaving him suspicious and cynical of everyone around him, even his closest friends. Imagine him learning that strangers had been listening to his most personal correspondence. Imagine him experiencing all of this and then, when he has the guts to rise up and speak out about it, imagine seeing him vilified and mocked and treated like a pariah.
You can’t, can you? It’s like something out of a science fiction novel, or an episode of Black Mirror. Even contemplating it is enough to make your skin crawl, your hands clammy. It is just so unthinkable. I remember mentioning this to Prince Harry, one of the first times I met him, back in 2017. “I can’t imagine what you went through,” I said. “You can’t even begin to imagine,” he replied, perfectly calmly.
But now we have an idea. Most of us would be left at the very least with lasting trust issues; a fair few of us might have sustained some serious psychological damage. And yet critics of the Sussexes – usually from the very section of the media Prince Harry has just won damages from – often accuse the couple of wallowing in victimhood. It is like turning around to someone who has had their home repeatedly targeted by burglars and criticising them for being hysterical.
The truth behind Prince Harry’s actions is far less exciting than some people would want us to believe. It comes not from wanting to bring down the monarchy, but from wanting to help protect future generations from what he went through. The notion voiced by Piers Morgan this afternoon that Harry is sitting in Montecito plotting is as ridiculous as it is fanciful – the reality is he’s hanging out with his wife and two young kids, looking forward to spending Christmas with them.
One would hope that this ruling might actually deliver some peace this festive season, or at the very least elicit some sort of apology. That it has instead caused more petty mud-slinging tells you all you need to know about why the Duke of Sussex felt he had to go down this route in the first place.
She’s right but, at this point, I hope Harry simply doesn’t care if he “brings down the monarchy.” If the monarchy is going to willingly tie itself to the likes of Piers Morgan and the cartel of mercenary vendetta-journalists, then maybe the monarchy should be brought down. No, Harry isn’t plotting, but hopefully he feels nothing but ambivalence at this point. If the monarchy ends because of its immoral and unethical dealings with the press, so be it. To paraphrase Ivan Drago, if it dies, it dies.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Archewell.
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Lovely, natural card.
The second card these issued is even more natural.
The people who can’t project and put themselves in the picture and imagine how they would feel to be violated repeatedly by the media must be lacking any empathy at all. It is easy enough with people you don’t really know to objectify them and treat celebs as entertainment, but you have to wonder especially how his own family can be so cold and ignore all the hate thrown at them.
They don’t ignore. They relish
Harry was hoping that his family would be on the right side of history, and change things for the future, because future king, harry have kids to protect, but no, they preferred to wish him dead, stagnate in their colonialism, continue their media corruption in the name of popularity, image protection, jealousy and pettiness. Royal mafia is what it is. Harry probably doesn’t care at thus point. Let the lions eat the cubs, it’s just a question of time.
I must have missed something – when did his family do all that? I’ve only seen them going about the business of being boring as usual.
@Hana — then you’ve missed a lot. Harry’s family actively briefed and leaked against him. They told the tabloids where he and his family were in Canada. They told the tabloids where they were when they ran to Tyler Perry’s home. They have not ONCE stood up against the very tabloids who incited threats, insults and outright racism against Meghan and Archie. Death threats. And the family did nothing. Harry broke the Omertà, the code of silence that the Mafia imposes on its family and members. And for that they had to pay.
To add, they also dropped his security after having leaked his location in Canada. And we now know it’s bc he is suing the sun which will reveal the alliance bw Dan whooton and William’s staff, particularly Christian Jones. William was leaking stories to Dan about Harry. The family wrote a letter asking Harry to drop the charges or there would be consequences. So their business as usual is actually pretty evil and having the semblance that it’s boring is just a cover. These are not good people.
To add- it is alleged that KC3 signed off on a 12month period of press onslaught against Harry & Meghan
https://x.com/DrDobberstein/status/1736343593218916416?s=20
Same was reported by Byline Times
Bless her heart Hana must be visually impaired and hearing impaired.
I hope she has good specialists on hand to help her out.
@Jais It looks like Dan Wootton could be William’s Jimmy Savile.
Where in the word has Dan whooton slithered off to? Scotland? NZ?
Is it a digital video card? Why is there a “play” arrow in the middle of it? At any rate, I love the picture but don’t care for the mixed fonts. If you put this side by side with the Wales card, you can really see the difference between people who smile with their whole being and people who only smile with their mouth.
The “play” arrow plays the Archewell Impact report video.
Yes it’s a digital card that links to their Archewell Impact Report video.
I love the card and so much respect that it doesn’t show the kids (which makes it even more obvious how much privacy they gained by leaving)
This is all true and a great article. The only thing I disagree on is that Harry absolutely cares about the monarchy. He is one hundred percent a monarchist, he wants his family to continue being royal. ALL of this is him grappling with that wish because it is entirely at odds with his married life.
I think this too. Didn’t he say, at some point, that he didn’t think the monarchy should be abolished?
He’s ok with it all, just not the parts that affected him, etc.
I think Harry is a monarchist because 1) deprogramming after leaving a cult takes a long time; and 2) for Harry, until a year ago, the monarchy was his beloved grandmother. And we know he supported her.
I think in 5 or 10 years if someone asks him about the monarchy he would feel differently.
He’s for the monarchy. Not the courtiers. Not the tabloids. He’s for people in a certain family being in charge. But not all the other people around them being in charge. That’s the difference.
I think Harry has a vision of what the monarchy could be and the impact it could have if it was in better hands.
Yeah, this is so succinctly put. That’s exactly what’s going on. And the Crown probably could do some things better, if only the family could overcome their personal bigotry and embrace Meghan. But he’s uninterested in the fundamental flaws of the system. He wants it to work -for- him and his family.
Anyway, I don’t really blame him for it, even if I fundamentally disagree.
@Lulu — you are spot on. And that vision would have included Meghan and the two of them having the freedom to carry on their good works without being constrained by the anachronistic rules, traditions and intractability of the monarchical system. That plus the unspoken quid pro quo relationship with the tabloids that nearly got the Sussexes killed.
The problem with Harry’s stance is that the fundamental nature of monarchy is that there’s no such thing as “better hands”: you get the job if you’re the oldest kid (and until recently, the oldest male kid). If it was a merit-based position, it WOULDN’T EXIST. William will be king, no matter how awful, because that’s how monarchs are chosen. Even the late queen—whom many would argue was “good” at her job—only got the role because there was no boy around to supplant her. If there was, he would have been king, no matter how well- or poorly-suited he was to the role.
I don’t exactly blame Harry for not seeing the flaws of the system he was born into, but there’s no denying it’s a massive blind spot.
What is it the @A disagrees with? The comment does not make sense.
Harrys UK family are the ones bringing down the monarchy. Charles is a bad king bad father and grandfather. William is already addressing his own coronation and plans for his reign. Charles allowed William to drive out harry and did not complain about how the media treats harry and Meghan. There are also scandals like Andrews situation which is swept under a rug.
It’s no surprise Willie is after pa. He sharpened his knives on his mother and Harry.
I don’t know about 100%. He has more or less said he believes there is a place for it to play a role in representing the UK and doing good, but that it needs modernizing. There must be agreement among the masses or there wouldn’t still be monarchies in more than just the UK.
He wants to ‘modernize’ it to preserve it and to fold his married life into it. What is that if not completely being a monarchist?
As for why there are monarchies still, it’s not because they’re doing great things for their citizens.
@A — your cynicism is showing. He wants to modernize it because he realizes it’s something that could fit into his wheelhouse of public service and philanthropy, he knows he’s been given a platform by which he can promote great causes. But the rot is so deeply embedded in that family that no amount of effort on Harry and Meghan’s part can change it.
I don’t understand how people expect Harry to be a republican. He grew up in the system. His whole life and belief system are shaped by monarchy. He is telling stories how Will and him would bow to the drawing of the Queen (I don’t remember which) when they were children while passing by it. It would be like leaving your religion. Also, I am sure it would be treason in his eyes to want to destroy monarchy. The monarchy isn’t just about golden carriages, horses, it is UK’s governmental system. Of course, he is not rebelling against that. He is seeing the corruption in the current system and trying to fix it. He sees the best of the current system, how it benefits his birth country because that’s what he was taught. We all see the worst and best parts of our own countries, no one would want to destroy it for its worst parts.
I doubt Harry is Republican in practice, but honestly, being a whole ass educated adult that believes that members of one family should be part of a governmental system, funded by the tax payers (working class) and “rule” due to absolute no merit factors other than being born of a blood line is a very Republican thing to think.
I didn’t know he was a monarchist, it’s pretty gross.
Also- the card is beautiful. Megan has such a gorgeous smile!
@ Elo to clarify, only about 50% of the UK adults pay income tax. The UK is like the US, the wealthy pay most of the taxes rather than the working class.
@lynchburg, in the US the wealthy do not pay most of the taxes,. In fact, since the orange sh!t stain’s tax reforms, the wealthy barely pay any taxes.
This. Harry is an admitted monarchist. He has no interest in bringing it down, but I believe he is very interested in improving it.
Harry is very intelligent. He’s proven that again and again. So he is quite capable of seeing that the monarchy which represents inequality based on birth and birth order is a violation of his apparent values which seem to represent equality and the worth of individuals and their accomplishments. People reject what they were taught and grew up believing all the time, both in politics and religion. Yes, it can be difficult, but it happens. I do hope Harry gets there someday even if he’s not there yet. And monarchy, that is, inherent inequality, cannot be reformed.
I agree with you personally. But honestly? Even if Harry never gets there, I wouldn’t blame him. That’s a big ask of someone who grew up in his shoes, IMO.
I mean, I certainly hope he does as well, but I’m not holding my breath for it. He’s doing what he can now to improve the world given the cards he was dealt and that’s admirable even if he never comes to our side completely.
@A I disagree with your assessment that he is 100% a monarchist and I especially disagree with your comment about him wanting his family to be royal even though it’s at “odds with his marriage”. Implying that something is at “odds” with someone’s marriage implies that a marriage is in jeopardy because of an outside force. I disagree because there has never been any evidence of their marriage being impacted or strained by any of this, if anything it seems stronger. Regardless of what titles he and his family hold, he and they are royals. He and his children will always be royal from birth and Meghan by marriage. There is something misguided and unsettling in thinking that these two parents should go against the laws that determine their and their children’s lineage to be the ones making decisions that in actuality are meant to discriminate and separate them from those in the same family. None of the four of them have done nothing to deserve being treated differently and unfairly, which is what Harry and Meghan have emphasized as their reason for not making changes to who their children were born to be. Them having titles isn’t because of a desire to be royal, but because that is who they are and to go against that is unfair and unjust, not just for them but also their children.
Harry has said he believes in a monarchy, but he emphasized that the monarchy needed to make changes for the better and to become more modern and progressive. He is absolutely right. There is no reason that a country that is in financial crisis is funding a monarchy of billionaires who don’t do any credible work on behalf of the UK or the commonwealth countries.
Thank you, @NERD.
This is the best summary of all that H in particular, but also M, hv said &/or done in regards to the british monarchy, vis-a-vis their unique affiliation (M) and life, (H).
From their very 1st official comment explaining their desired way forward on stepping back from their “senior royal” role, they said their hope was to craft a “new and progressive role WITHIN the institution.”
BTW this statement is still up & accessible on the defunct @ sussexroyal IG.
But they’ve also always maintained that the institution needs modernizing…..recall wht they both said when they addressed the C’wealth Youth on that zoom conference bk in 2020 about facing up to the horrific realities of slavery & its aftermath thats still affecting Britain’s former colonies to this day & how vicious the pushbk on them was from the usual royalists suspects who think they’re the true members of the RF, not H&M.
It’s fascinating at all times to read the screeds about what H&M hv said, thought, should/shouldn’t do from projectors who seem to take some perverse kind of satisfaction in misrepresenting this couple.
An institution based on birthright can’t be modernized nor can it be made progressive.
What would be progressive would be to support abolishing the monarchy and remove the titles from yourself and your children completely.
Regarding monarchy, I think a lot of people are projecting their personal beliefs and expectations onto Prince Harry. This is a very personal issue for him that affects him directly on a family level. He is demanding accountability from the press because he certainly won’t get it from his family. As for monarchy, the UK government could make a lot more changes to it, how it’s funded, how they operate, even their press dealings, if they chose to address it. They do not. This is a country that has had 3 prime minsters from one general election. The monarchy is definitely at some type of crossroads but they are just stuck and expecting Harry to fix/abolish it isn’t realistic. I hope he can keep them as background noise while going about his life.
Well getting rid of the monarchy is an option for the Brits to choose. Till they do so, the BRF can certainly modernized. It can phase out relying on so much public money. Between their many properties, duchies, private investments, and tax dodgy shenanigans, they are supremely wealthy and can fund themselves. They can pay rent to use Buckingham Palace for example or let it be used by the people.
Streamline their admin staff. Cut the invisible contract as it’s more of a handicap to them anyway. That invisible contract treats them like a tabloid commodity and keeps them locked in a straight jacket.
Finally, smarten up. The senior royals are thick. Get educated and learn useful skills that will benefit themselves and the country, instead of being grist for the tabloids. Sadly, the current ridiculous bunch only knows how to feed the gossip mills, their egos and their bank account. The current set up is toxic and sets future generations for failure. Better to teach future royal gens to find their own independence and not be reliant on the likes of Piers Morgan or Dan Wooten for social relevancy and the public money for a living. “Be better than a sponge” should be the Windsor’s new family motto. Right now, they are the real welfare queens.
@L4Frimaire they project all the time like Harry and Meghan are avatars to live out some sort of Sims- like enacting of their own personal wishes to address systemic injustice. I don’t get why people act like because they are famous they stopped being real people who have foibiles, contradictions, and can sometimes hold thoughts or act in ways that bump up against personal stated thoughts when it involves their family and friends. Like literally every other oxygen inhaling CO2 exhaling homo sapien on this planet.
@Kit: ‘Be better than a sponge’. Love it! 🧽🧽🧽
What difference does it make what Harry feels about the monarchy? It wasn’t up to him that he was born into it and it’s not up to him what happens to it. What happens to the monarchy is up to Charles, William, the British people and all the other countries that call Charles the sovereign.
Exactly! What’s Harry to do when >50% of brits either support the hierarchical monarchy as it is, or can’t be bothered enough to make changes. There’s hardly any debate over whether to reduce the powers of Cornwall and Lancaster Duchies, let alone abolish anything!
As I was speeding fast-foward through Netflix “the crown” S6 this weekend, I came across Peter Morgan’s justification for the system as is. Imelda Staunton proudly proclaims they’re happy with everything just as it is in S6:E6 Ruritania, after first considering making changes. Seems like “the crown” is the repository of such grand traditions as anti-Catholicism, having a “Hereditary Grand Falconer,” the “Queen’s [King’s] Herb Strewer,” a “Royal Keeper of the Swans,” a “Washer of the Sovereign’s Hands.” etc. One could argue those functions be taken from “the crown” and moved to the British Museum after first making room by giving some of the stolen stuff back – but that’s something for UK public to do itself, rather than scapegoating the Spare.
(Unfortunately the S6:E6 episode has a mistake at 18:23 – while quoting the “Chicago Sun Times” they show a paper that clearly has the logo of “The Times of London” 🙄.)
It’s really at odds with his entire life, imo.
@A agreed that Harry‘s whole life has been in service of the monarchy and that doesn’t just wash out of the blood because one moved to California.
Harry’s natural path, at this point in his life, is to be the first elected head of state for the United Kingdom. Scotland, Wales, NI, would be unified by one election. I’m curious to see if he can create his destiny, now that the one he was born with appears to have played out.
ITA. If Harry didn’t believe in monarchy, then that would suggest that he doesn’t think that what he does with his charities matters at all. Everything that he’s done in the royal family (even what his mother did) would seem irrelevant and unhelpful. His entire sense of self-worth would have to be rebuilt.
If the monarchy goes down, that’s not on Harry. That’s on them.
Exactly. It would just be the Find Out portion of FAFO 🤷🏽♀️
And it’s really only a matter of time anyway, even without this court case. How much longer would people put up with a monarchy anyway? We’re seeing the CW countries leave, not my king protests, no one showing up for the Wailses in Wales, and maybe/hopefully Scottish independence will pass next time.
Although I really would prefer to see their downfall be one of their own making! Let Pegs’ crimes be exposed. Let Chuckles be stripped of the thing he’s waited his entire life for. Let the end begin now! Please.
I don’t like the card but this looks like a business card from the Archewell Foundation rather than a card from Harry and Meghan personally. I wonder if they have a personal card for friends and family with all their pictures on it.
They probably do. They are right not to include pictures of their.children on the public card.
I’m sure they do since they specifically point out it’s from the Archewell foundation. It’s like the cards or emails your company sends out with a drone shot at the company picnic or something, it’s not going to be of the CEO and their families in their PJ’s in front of a fireplace. And I really find this obsession with seeing two strangers kids people have so bizarre. When they were working royals it made sense to include the kids because they are essentially taxpayer-funded so here’s an update on our family which you help support ( whether you want to or not). That’s not the case for private citizens and I think people still have these expectations of them to behave as working royals, when most private citizens don’t share pics of the family with their entire LinkedIn contact list.
It is a business card considering it says “From the office of”, mentions Archewell, and has links to the site. I thought it was obvious that it was from Archewell but everybody is reporting it as personal and criticizing them for not including the kids.
I don’t like it, either, Carmen. I don’t like all the green. I know it’s festive but it’s really busy and reminds me of an invitation to something. I got called out for saying what I thought about it as a picture below. The thing is, it’s a celebration of their work, which is what they do – work, compared with what others don’t do. Also a lovely “thank you” message. There’s no need to 100 per cent love everything they put out. I loved their video much more. I didn’t know about a personal card coming up. That’ll be great to see.
@Sparrow I don’t think a personal card is coming, I think Carmen was referencing that it’s likely that there is a card that exists that went out to personal friends and family and those they deem close and trustworthy enough to have a photo of their children. I could be wrong but I don’t think we’ll be seeing “personal” cards from them, they want the focus to be on their foundation and work and the support we can provide to them by supporting their good works there, and by I suppose thanking us for doing that exactly in the past year.
I’m so glad they are going the route of sending out a corporate holiday card where they are depicted as the principals of Archewell. I was waiting for the Brit*sh*t to jump all over them if they sent out a “family” card and accusing them of acting “royal” by sending out a public card.
Festive! The Monegasque royals put theirs out too and it’s lovely.
I thought that one was a really pretty use of color.
” It is like turning around to someone who has had their home repeatedly targeted by burglars and criticising them for being hysterical.”
It is more like the burglars are publicizing to the world that the person whose home they are still continuing to break into is being hysterical.
While the police stand off to the side taking selfies with the thieves and cracking racist jokes about the homeowners.
Yours is the better analogy.
People are comparing this card to W&K’s, but I think it’s more like C&C’s coronation card – it shows who they are as public figures and represents the work that they do.
So, interesting that, all of a sudden, the press feels it’s safe to say something sympathetic toward H&M. Let’s see how many more jump on the bandwagon.
This reporter was always fair to them, only one tabloid carry the story on front page.
Sure, that’s one. But I’m talking about the sudden sympathy from BBC, the Guardian, Telegraph, etc. and their “oh, no” pearl-clutching that the H&M tabloid trashing was all from the fact that Harry is suing the the tabloids – that “gasp” they had no idea how any of this works. “Oh dear, you mean Harry isn’t just a petulant whiner? I never dreamed…” It’s such a farce – everybody knew everything and now they’re scrambling to find the moral “right side.”
@Eurydice I’ve seen those articles as well and it’s ridiculous. Now they all have sympathy for Harry as if they didn’t already know what was going on? Please. I’ve also seen some royalists trying to claim that William’s actions are as noteworthy and just as huge as what Harry has done. 🙄 That fool only took a payment made in secret to mostly protect himself. Looks like somebody is trying to attach themselves to the historic win of Harry’s. Harry is getting so much praise by holding the tabloids to account and doing the unthinkable. He’s getting worldwide coverage and spurned so many thinkspieces on what the press is supposed to be doing and how the press has failed. I’ve also seen a lot people say that this case is why Harry will always be the People’s Prince. So of course deranged royalists want to act like William did the same.
The guardian is capable of reporting on the Sussexes using the obvious facts. Factually, it was a win for Harry. But where the guardian loses me is in the columns. Some are okay. But some are still written with the usual snide comments about Harry. And those comments are always criticisms that have been repeated over and over by the tabloids. It just makes me think that very few in the BM can completely escape the tabloid propaganda. They may think they do, but it seeps in until someone, who you would think knows better, essentially spouts a tabloid narrative in a guardian column.
The people throwing tantrums about not seeing the children are sick. They only want to see the Sussex children so they can call them child actors or rant and rave about how they don’t compare to the lily-white goodness of the Wales children. They would all inevitably let their inner racist freak flag fly like they do every other minute of every other day. The Sussex haters are so vile.
Not to mention this is a BUSINESS holiday card. It would make no sense for the kids to be on it.
ALL. OF. THIS.☝🏾
Would it be nice to see the kids? Sure but they don’t need to expose their kids to this mess anymore so why would they.
They may be seen a bit when the Invictus games take place in a few years, but even then it likely won’t be for many things.
Why on earth would Harry & Meghan publish a card featuring their children? You can bet they are aware of the slanderous nick name they call Archie.
Archewell only or not, this is an excellent (public) Christmas card! Both Harry and Meghan look happy and it’s smart of them to link this to Invictus. I have no issue that they haven’t released recent pictures of their kids.
Is Bryony Gordon an actual friend? I honestly don’t know, which is why I’m asking this question. I had read her article via Yahoo (Sparrow recommended it here, but I’m not subscribing to the Telegraph), and she’s met Harry. I just don’t want her to be hit with the Omid Scobie treatment—it seems like several sympathetic journalists wind up being labeled as friends of the Sussexes so as not to be taken seriously.
Yes I think she is an actual friend. She’s the one who did an interview for Spare from Montecito IIRC. But I don’t think she’s a RR so I think that’s the difference. She’s not writing “will he or won’t he” articles about Sandringham Christmas.
@ml, just to be a little more specific about what @becks1 said: she wasn’t just in Montecito, she actually stayed at their house for several days. I can’t imagine they’d let just a sympathetic journalist do that. And Harry was on the record with speaking to her so not an Omid case. Hope that helps.
I remember something like she worked with Harry on Heads Together campaign, which is now totally abandoned by royals without Harry. So, there is a built trust even before Harry met Meghan.
Becks1, Steph, Sevenblue,
Thank you all for responding❣️
Hi ML. Bryony Gordon has battled huge mental health issues of her own. She writes about crippling OCD growing up and resultant struggles with alcohol and drugs at points in her adult life. Her OCD continues, I believe, but she has coping strategies. She writes for various publications and has published books. She is very funny and self deprecating about serious issues – I remember one interview/article where she laughed that one morning she’d become so nervous she’d left the iron on, that she put it in her bag and took it to work to make sure she wasn’t going to burn the house down. Her humour brings attention to the seriousness of her condition. She has met/interviewed both brothers because of their mental health work and their own history. From what I’ve read she has a closeness more with Harry. I subscribe to all sorts of papers, left and right leaning, and read this online in The Telegraph the other day. I was so pleased.
Here’s the link to Bryony Gordon’s article on Prince Harry.
https://bryonygordon.substack.com/p/a-cup-of-tea-with-prince-harry
@ML, I believe she is friends with H&M and it’s known in the BM that she is. She was on a Loose Women show(2019?) promoting one of her books and she discussed the kinship she felt with Harry and how she was like I’ll ask Harry to do the podcast expecting him to say no. But, he said yes. This is the Mad World podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZzp84rtCbs
Bryony has shared stories about having lunch with Meghan, attending a Luminary Bakery event with Meghan and visiting Frogmore Cottage in Oct. 2019? As said above, she spent time at Montecito. Lucky B*tch. Bryony is not a b*tch. Just lucky. Bryony has written articles stating H&M are neither fake or contrived. Bryony has run in the Heads Together marathon. Which seems to not be a thing anymore?
@sparrow, I’m not aware of an individual interview Bryony has done with William.
I like this as a business/professional holiday card. Don’t know why some are confused it not being otherwise. Like Louise177 said above, it’s from their office. Would I love to see their adorable children? Yes. I have no expectations for what H&M choose to share.
Angela Levin used info from the podcast for her maybe 5 second interview with Harry.
Yes, this is the similar theme to the card they released last year. So, I expected something like this. Their children have already been targets of disgusting people online whenever a pic of them was released. They probably sent more personal photo to friends & family, it is okay they release a more professional one publicly since their fans and supporters expect it. I love that they thanked for the support too. About Piers, the judge read him to filth. He can bark all he wants, according to the legal documents, he is a liar and guilty according to the law.
I love this card – it’s a great picture, they both look so happy. And yeah this is definitely the Archewell card, not the personal Sussex card.
It’s amazing that the Telegraph allows Bryony Gordon to write these pieces but I guess they look at as a way to have some sort of access to Harry. I hope that Harry’s at the point of if his cases bring down the monarchy then so be it. The Royal Family did nothing to protect his mother, wife or himself so why should he stop his cases to protect them. Oh, I love the Christmas card and people should accept that Harry and Meghan are not going to release cards with or photos of their children anymore.
It’s a lovely card. As Harry said at the end of his statement about this case “the mission continues “. Of course he was talking about the press but it seems the press and the cult are one and the same. Burn down the monarchy.
I love the card bc I love that picture of them. They look so happy and tis the season to be jolly, right? This is a professional card, not a family card so it would be inappropriate to have the kids on it. Plus, as curious as I am, leave those babies be!
Piss is a whiny b. I’ll talk more on that on his post. B
Bryony Gordon is a gem. And she actually knows how to write.
Beautiful professional Christmas card. Obviously they have a person card that is signed Harry and Meghan, not by their titles so yeah, no kids in this one. Well done H&M.
I also get the reason why they waited to send it until AFTER the verdict.
Happy holidays to everyone!
I don’t like the card very much. Sorry. The heavy green panels hem H&M in, and it feel as if there’s no breath around them. Meghan’s dress being green, as well, just leaves me with green! It’s also not an overly flattering picture of her, imo. HOWEVER it doesn’t matter because these two are their work and their loving characters and this is a thank you. With other people, Kate etc, the card matters so much more, because how they appear is all they’ve got.
Duly noted, Gordon Parks.
Why?
@sparrow — Gordon Parks was an African American photographer (and composer, author, poet, and film director) who took iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s for Life magazine. @Haylie is just being a sarcastic beyotch.
@Haylie — who p*ssed in your cornflakes this morning?
Thanks, Jaded. I was kind of familiar with the name but was taken aback by the comment, as if no one can say anything slightly negative. I’ve commented on here for a long time now and it goes without saying how I feel about Meghan and Harry. Then again, I’ve had an almighty ****er of a day and might have found Haylie’s comment unfunnier that it was meant to be.
I said what I said, Jaded. Feel free to boost up slick comments from those who criticize every step Meghan takes. Couldn’t be me.
FYI, 1996 wants it’s premiere middle school insult back.
Wow, you must be a delight in real life.
@Haylie — and what you said was rude and unnecessary. As was your response to my comment. FYI I’m not referring to those who criticize Meghan, I’m referring to those who make insulting comments for no good reason. Go back to your pissy cornflakes.
Thanks for explaining the comment, @Jaded. I just learned of a great photographer & have gone down quite the rabbit hole on google. Now I’m going off to see if I can find some books with his work.
Just as a side note—parks, along with Wyatt Cooper, seems to have been among Gloria Vanderbilt’s great loves. They first met in the 1950s. After cooper’s death he seems to have been the only man she was linked with. They were still together when he died.
@BQM, I was not aware that Gordon Parks was a great love of Gloria Vanderbilt. That’s good to know, as I admired both of them. Though I didn’t know Parks was one of GV’s great loves, I do know that film director, Sidney Lumet, was a lover and a lasting friend of GV, until his death, in 2011. Gordon Parks passed away in 2006.
@BQM — great information, thanks for posting!
I think it’s a very flattering photo of both of them so not sure how much work this card needs to do for you. Anyhow it’s out in the world now.
C’mon, Harry, be plotting. Just a little bit. We all want you to.
It’s a professional card. It’s similar to C&C who usually pic a candid from an event or an official photo related to an event to send out. It’s W&K who do posed photos of their family
What a gorgeous and genuinely happy couple!
I agree with @SussexWatcher who wrote upthread that people want to see the children to make vile comments about their appearance and compare them unfavorably to their Wales cousins. The derangers want them thrown to the wolves.
My guess is it will be years before H&M release photos of their children to the public.
They released the video with Meghan reading to Archie a few years ago the derangers were making nasty comments about him. They don’t want to subject their children to this
I’m reminded of Tyler Perry’s recently released biography on Prime Video: “Maxine’s Baby” in which the only images of his son that we see are from behind…..there’s not one frontal view.
And consider Beyonce’s children, especially the younger ones after Blue Ivy: they’re hardly ever seen.
The under-5 yr-old images of A&L that we’ve seen so far are the only ones we’ll see of H&M’s kids until those babies reach adulthood! LoL
Sussexe haters and admirers alike all better learn to cope.
It still upsets me how Blue Ivy got trolled online when she was a baby. Even famous people commented on her appearance. After that, Beyonce got very very private when it comes to showing her family to the public. In the same way, even though I would love to see beautiful Sussex family, I know the trolls and derangers will be vicious. So, I support whatever they decide to share or not to share about their family.
This is a beautiful Christmas card. It’s joyful and the colors both theirs and those around them are wonderfully festive. This is a culmination of a great year and hopefully an even better next year.
Evergreen color scheme.
“The notion voiced by Piers Morgan this afternoon that Harry is sitting in Montecito plotting is as ridiculous as it is fanciful – the reality is he’s hanging out with his wife and two young kids, looking forward to spending Christmas with them.”
That part right there. 👆🏾 Harry is a family man do family man things. He wanted the culprits that harassed him brought to justice, plain and simple.
Piss Moron defender of Camzilla is plotting and pinning for a Knighthood as his reward for harassing MH. When he’s in prison for lying under oath at the Leveson Enquiry he’ll be completely disavowed and won’t be getting a visit from Camzilla.
He even criticized the late Diana a few weeks ago
He is probably seeking a title.
Hasn’t PM been criticizing Diana for a while now?
They could have at least release a new picture of themselves without their children. 2023 is the fifth year since they got married and they didn’t celebrate their wedding anniversary because of the car chase incident that completely overwhelmed them at that time. I thought the Christmas Card would have been an opportunity for them to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary and remind the world of their unity. But they ignored that. Will they ignore celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary as well?
There is no obligation for them to do this. Considering all they are protecting their children
I’m sure they celebrated their anniversary privately. Why do they have to share that with the whole planet? Especially knowing that every element of that moment would be dissected, criticized, mocked and feasted upon by the British press and salty monarchists?
Their anniversary isn’t at Christmastime. What a weird complaint this is. Super entitled.
The deranged are teaching since the Wails card photoshop flop.
I’m gonna guess they celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary and they will likely do the same for their 10th. They just chose not to publicly celebrate it with us.
What do you mean they didn’t celebrate their anniversary? Do you mean they didn’t release a public photo? I guess I don’t understand why they would need to? If they do great, if they don’t I’m sure they are doing something private that we have no need to be privy too. Their wedding was public their marriage is private. I have to be honest this desire to be included in photos of their kids, and anniversary photos is REALLY creepy to me. We aren’t their friends, I feel some people are starting to forget that.
Amazing to me the obligations we place on a couple who many of us only know through what they choose to share and what the gutter UK media blast from afar. I continue to wish this couple and their children well and for them to enjoy the privacy they fought for.
They are private citizens, they are not taxpayer supported, they don’t have to release sh*t if they don’t want to anymore.
Talk about weird takes. What makes you think they didn’t celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary? And do you really think they need to “remind the world of their unity”? LOL. The entire world wished them a very happy anniversary at the time. The world and his wife know who “Harry and Meghan” are. It is THEIR life to live as THEY choose. Their genuine supporters wanted them to be SAFE and HAPPY. And they are. They are not there for OUR entertainment.
Right! Very weird take. Uhmmm, I remember my 5th anniversary. Very well. A tumultuous year with the in-laws. No car chases. It didn’t stop us from celebrating in our very private and personal way. We weren’t sharing pictures either.lol
SOLAR is a troll.
The Wales had an eleventh wedding anniversary in April that they and the rest of the royals ignored. With all the rumors of separation, pillow-throwing temper tantrums and arguments, pegging, and Rose gardening, plus photographic evidence of William constantly blanking his wife, it would have been a good time for the Wales to remind the world of their unity. Will they ignore their twelfth anniversary as well?
They will probably be separated by then. It mirrors the timing of Chuckle’s marriage. Charles and Princess Diana were married for 11 years before separating and divorced 4 years later.
@SOLAR — And why would they celebrate something as personal and private as a wedding anniversary with the media? The Sussexes are not the Kardashians, who publicly celebrate getting plastic surgery. Of course they celebrated their anniversary — in private with family and friends. Honestly, some of the commenters on this thread are not compos mentis this morning…
Weird to be making assumptions about the anniversary of people you don’t know.
I doubt anything would stop them from celebrating their anniversary
They don’t have to share their anniversary while issuing a news story
??? Do we get such photos from other, I don’t know, philanthropists? CEOs? The other rich people in Montecito? This makes no sense.
Just because you didn’t see them celebrating doesn’t mean that they didn’t.
Not one US dollar or British pound of taxpayer money goes to support them. @Solar, you must have them confused with the miserable Wails.
Harry and Meghan owe us nothing.
Not to be pedantic, but Harry and Meghan do get massive US tax cuts through their charitable foundation. That is why they established it. While not supporting Harry and Meghan, the US tax payers are not benefiting from tax on their taxable income. Also, the UK tax payers are paying court costs for Harry’s court cases. It is approaching one million pounds.
^^ Uh, no @Lynchburg. H&M established their Archewell Foundation because they are genuinely passionate about philanthropy and devoted to making a positive impact for others in need. Via Archewell, they have been able to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations (including World Central Kitchen, and the NAACP’s Image Awards) to make an even greater beneficial impact on people’s lives.
U.K. taxpayers are taxed in general to support operation of the U.K. court system! Harry won his case against The Mirror Group, thus it is TMG, as the defendant in the case, who will be paying court costs.
So what, @Lynchburg? Charitable organizations and legitimate non-profits around the US benefit from substantial tax breaks so that the monies can be better directed to those in need. I have no issues with that at all.
However I would have a huge issue if I was paying taxes to support a billionaire royal family, especially one who has gone out of their way to hide their wealth and obstruct true knowledge of their (sometimes shady) finances. I can’t speak for other Americans, but I’d rather have the hardworking philanthropists Duke and Duchess of Sussex getting a tax break for Archwell, than pay into the fund that supports the lazy grifters and bigots of the so-called royal family.
I love this card, it’s classic and show cases some of the things that are important to Harry and Megan.
Why the hell would they show their precious children to some of the Scum on the Internet. Archie and lilibet are happy, healthy and loved. That’s all that matters, after all we can imagine klan girls reaction.
No Mr Morgan, Harry isn’t plotting, he’s to busy making sure his family have a happy Christmas, and then he will be busy with invictus and sentebale, because Harry actually WORKS at the charities he founded. He doesn’t just smile, wave and gurn. We leave that to the sloan ranger and her rage monster husband. Now, Mr Morgan please keep running of at the mouth, you are making the rest of Harry’s cases easier, and your giving your employers the jitters. Plus your shaking the contract dear, which in turn means your shaming the foundation of the monarchy, because people are now questioning everything you ever said about harry, and everything his family have done to him. The “Down with the Crown” movement used to be a whisper, but now it’s a SHOUT from the UK to the US to Canada and Bermuda and that’s just the ones I can remember. The monarchy is nearly over and that means YOU Mr bigmouth, could be out of a job
I love house hunters…what does this have to do with this, you ask? Well, a lot of people do not want the monarchy to be taken down as that is one of the things that enhance their home, property and business value over there. The castles, the titles, and the history, which also ties into the present…so a lot of people have a lot invested in not just the monarchy, but the whole classist system…
I am completely puzzled by your post. Why do you need a monarchy to find ways to enhance your personal property?? Or are you being sarcastic????????/
Its a nice card with the emphasis on Archewell. They looked good and so energized at Invictus. Admit I miss the family card that partners with an organization but they probably don’t want their kids out there for scrutiny, especially with constant press nastiness, and the fake competition set up with the Wales card. So glad that never materialized.
It’s a business and thank you card to their supporters and charity partners. That is expected of them. The docuseries included a generous number of photos of Archie and Lili. I thought at the time, that we will not see any pictures of the children for a long time. They clearly want to protect their children and allow them to grow up out of the spotlight because they are no longer working royals. Like the Christmas card introducing Lili which gave a sense of joy and happiness, this picture also captures a moment of joy and celebration. It seems like a great idea to link it to the Archewell video. I also like that the photo shows Meghan and Harry amongst people, celebrating as part of a crowd.
How old is Archie now? 4, maybe? Lilbet about 2?
I agree this is a business holiday greeting card and the kids should not be on it.
IRL, my car insurance agent sent out his holiday cards with his photo, wife, kids, dog.
So weird to me. I had never met him IRL, did all our biz on the phone/by mail.
Why would I care to see his family photo?
I did notice the pic was taken in front of their house, which is about 5x nicer than mine. Time to shop for cheaper car insurance, LOL.
LOL! Eeeesh, that’s just a bad look for any business person.
It really is a bad look! We received a business Christmas card from a vendor/person. It was an expensive trip photo during Covid. Not the first year of Covid I’ll admit. Yet, it was something. We’ve since disassociated ourselves from that person/business.
I love this card. Even though deep down I would have to see our King Archie and queen Lili Diana, I like how they are keeping the little ones away from the media vultures. And also that would have distracted from their legal victory,as we’re already seeing radio silence from the same.
Take notes Mr and Mrs wails. Just a little dash of colour and the card looks festive and cheerful. Also the personal chemistry between the subjects matter,even if they’re not focused on the camera.
Meh. This isn’t a holiday card, it’s an advertisement.
So what if it is? What exactly do you need from them?
Well, yes it is. It can otherwise be called “the year in review.” It’s like the foundation report. Most charities print a boring annual report and send out a nice card at Christmas. Nothing wrong with jazzing it up!
The way some derangers on X/Twitter are so angry that they didn’t send out a family card is really a sight to behold. They’re invoking fake protocols, line of succession, the how dare they etc.etc. Then in the next breath say the kids don’t exist but are still mad about the card.
The kids don’t exist is a mantra for derangers. Then they go on about it being protocol that they need to show the children. And how great that the wails share photos of the children.
She looks better than Marge Simpson in that dress lol. But I love how she never looks costumey or a nod to in anyone., She really has a confidence in her style and herself
I hope the card would be a family pic. Ideally taken at their home.
But, heck if I had their glamorous life, I would’ve gone with this picture too. It really does some up the incredible year they had.
I like this holiday approach; keep it business like and thank the supporters.
Their last year’s Chirstmas card was already with only the two of them, no kids involved.
They live as private citizens now, no need to follow unnecessary royal traditions any longer and expose the kids. Go like most celebs do – raise your kids out of the spotlights as much as possible.
We never saw a glimpse (from the back) of Tyler Perry son, until his Netflix’s life story documentary.