Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family

[Denville]

Without including at least some of the Markle drama the story will be incomplete, even from a very favourable H&M perspective. Whatever one thinks of the various members of the BRF's role in this, her family's contributions to the insane atmosphere surrounding the couple before and after their marriage both publicly and privately is something that has to be hugely impactful.

If Harry has really been desperate to walk for years, he should have done so before the wedding, that would have been a good time for a clean break. If they had been planning this for over a year say since the Australia tour then they shouldn't have rushed out a disasterous list of demands that were unviable and B) not accepted so many important patronages and other things whilst planning an escape.

they would say I suppose taht they didn't "plan an escape" but that they were driven to look for a way out because they were so unhappy.. and that has cropped up in the year or so after the wedding. Depends on what you believe.. did they plan an escape from earlry on, soon after or even before the wedding..? or did they both get vrery depressed over the past months, roughly since Meghan was some months pregnant and they had Archie... and they just "had to get out" . we shall see what's said when the book comes out...

 

[Betsypaige]

Call me stupid but how can we possibly believe this is the true story when if as is being inferred there was no involvement from H & M it must therefore be based on conjecture and gossip. That is no different to other so called 'true stories'.
If they are involved I do not think IMO they will trash the BRF, possibly the courtiers and the system but not the family.
If there is no detail around Thomas Markle that also infers a certain amount of control because lets be honest that is a big part of the story , and some of that is on the record, not all of it but some.
What I am trying to say badly is that IMO it will be self evident how much input there has been by the detail either included or excluded. It all tells a tale.

If Omid is a friend of H and M, he wouldn’t have had to formally interview them to gauge their POV on things - the Sussexes would have opened up to him as a friend. All he’d need is their OK to proceed.

This book will portray their version of the truth - and it will be up to people to decide whether it is indeed the truth. Sadly, I believe this will be a hatchet job on Charles and the BRF as it will explain why H was sooo unhappy.

Since I was old enough to indulge my interest in the BRF in books I believe the majority are public information is written through the lenses of "biographers" supposedly connected to their mealticket, subject, sorry subject.

Biographers seem given to amazing flights of fancy commensurate with the standing or their subject(s) and anyone who is not a friend of long standing seem to get all excited and gush effusively over their friend's and everyone is horrified at the end.

I find it hard to believe that Harry would have gone down the same road as his mother seeing that it totally ended any connection with anyone other than Charles. She didn't realise that she had literally burnt her bridges.

Would Harry stab his father and grandparents in the heart and end up only returning to the family as the outcast who walks behind the guncarriage of his father and grandparents just like his great uncle David, once the jewel in the. Crown but then an exile who is expected to leave his wife behind and leave the country as soon as is decently possible?

Something is odd to me about the Sussexes role in all this.

Good points!

Harry must have given the ok for his friend Katherine to refer to her husband as a “father figure” to him, so clearly he’s not thinking about how hurt Charles might be if he got wind of this. I think H is thoughtless in many ways, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he opened up about all his issues with his father, brother, etc.. I doubt he’d say anything about HM and Philip as apparently he still talks to his granny often - plus, the British public would never forgive him. They wouldn’t be happy if he trashes his father and brother, but they wouldn’t be outraged.

 

[Queen Claude]

Since I was old enough to indulge my interest in the BRF in books I believe the majority are public information is written through the lenses of "biographers" supposedly connected to their mealticket, subject, sorry subject.

Biographers seem given to amazing flights of fancy commensurate with the standing or their subject(s) and anyone who is not a friend of long standing seem to get all excited and gush effusively over their friend's and everyone is horrified at the end.

I find it hard to believe that Harry would have gone down the same road as his mother seeing that it totally ended any connection with anyone other than Charles. She didn't realise that she had literally burnt her bridges.

Would Harry stab his father and grandparents in the heart and end up only returning to the family as the outcast who walks behind the guncarriage of his father and grandparents just like his great uncle David, once the jewel in the. Crown but then an exile who is expected to leave his wife behind and leave the country as soon as is decently possible?

Something is odd to me about the Sussexes role in all this.

I think that Harry is very much his mother's son.

Even if some unflattering things come out in the book, and while I can believe that The Queen and Charles prefer that these things not be aired, I don't know if they would consider negative anecdotes about them and the workings of the BRF as stabs to the heart. These two have lived through a lot and seen a lot.

Many people saw the Duke of Windsor as having led a mostly meaningless life, and while he did have grievances and flare ups with his family, I don't think he was overall an unhappy person. Also I don't think that the BRF is going to treat Harry like the Duke of Windsor.

Admittedly I do have concerns that things will not turn out well for Harry, in part because of my aforementioned comment that he is his mother's son. However I believe in and support that a non-heir apparent can "abdicate" and the monarchy survive.

I totally believe that the Sussexes have a role in this book. They may not have commissioned it, been formally interviewed or declared it an official biography, but I do believe that they feel misrepresented and misunderstood and as the Amazon blurb states sees the book as a means of "dispelling the many rumours and misconceptions that plague the couple".

 

[Lee-Z]

Well, the authors will be pleased with all the speculation and teasers about the book, the more talk, the more copies will be sold

 

[Denville]

of course it will sell. We're having a terrible time at present and a light read about the Sussexes will sell..

 

[Somebody]

And I think this book “Finding Freedom”, to make the claim that their exit from the UK was driven more by the Duke, this shows they have in some way co-operated with the authors. I can’t see that being in there without the couple’s ok.

This thought that it was 'Harry' who made the decision to leave the BRF and that he was the driving force behind them leaving the UK, somehow doesn't go well with the portrait Meghan paints of herself as being an advocate for women; and the importance of their voices being heard. I'd expect such a decision to be a mutual one but not one that 'Harry made for his family'.

 

[Kataryn]

This thought that it was 'Harry' who made the decision to leave the BRF and that he was the driving force behind them leaving the UK, somehow doesn't go well with the portrait Meghan paints of herself as being an advocate for women; and the importance of their voices being heard. I'd expect such a decision to be a mutual one but not one that 'Harry made for his family'.

Why does it matter? Harry is a man raised in an old-fashioned way and then a soldier. He saw the marriage of his parents being on the rocks and then divorced because his mother claimed to having not received proper support. An upstanding officer and a Royal prince, he surely decided not to let his marriage end that way. That is a consequent way to tell his story!
Why not go with it? Especially as he must know hopw the blades have been sharpened against his (biracial!) wife who thought of herself as a "Royal Princess" (how could she?) but is now "the maleficent witch who stole the prince, using his first born son against him (thank God he's not looking like an ape, though he is!)
Each person believes in their way to tell their story, don't forget that! So of course for H&M their view is the right one and that's what they hope to bring to the public. Do I blame them? No, why? They do not live their life for me and Charles and the queen have their own way to tell them their trúth.
So I look forward to the book and after having read it, I might chime in with my opinion.

 

[Osipi]

This thought that it was 'Harry' who made the decision to leave the BRF and that he was the driving force behind them leaving the UK, somehow doesn't go well with the portrait Meghan paints of herself as being an advocate for women; and the importance of their voices being heard. I'd expect such a decision to be a mutual one but not one that 'Harry made for his family'.

In this case, I don't think it is a matter of Meghan not having a voice in the decision to leave but because it was Harry's family business, Harry having to weigh the pros and cons about everything just about as so many different areas would be affected should he opt out and make these major changes, this was an area where Meghan should have stepped back and let Harry sort things out for himself of what he really wants and talk it over with her.

Ultimately, it *was* Harry's decision to move on with the support of his wife. It has nothing to do whatsoever with advocacy for women having a voice but more along the lines of Harry being able to express his own individuality and what he wants out of life with the support of his wife behind him.

 

[ACO]

Since when is Omid a personal friend of Meghan? LOL

Also Harry did a whole speech himself stating it was his decision. That is on record. Not sure how this book stating what he already told the world proves anything... other than they saw his speech.

We have two books coming out while other correspondents promoting their Sussex books. Seems to be the thing at the moment.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Also Harry did a whole speech himself stating it was his decision. That is on record. Not sure how this book stating what he already told the world proves anything... other than they saw his speech.

Did he? Which one was that?

 

[Fem]

Did he? Which one was that?

I think ACO talks about the speech Harry made at Sentebale event in January?

"it brings me great sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges."

EDIT: Here's an article that has the whole speech: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celeb...harry-speech-sentebale-event-full-transcript/

 

[Lumutqueen]

I think ACO talks about the speech Harry made at Sentebale event in January?




EDIT: Here's an article that has the whole speech: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celeb...harry-speech-sentebale-event-full-transcript/

Thank you, I knew it’d happened I couldn’t remember which one it was or exactly what was said.

 

[Denville]

Since when is Omid a personal friend of Meghan? LOL

Also Harry did a whole speech himself stating it was his decision. That is on record. Not sure how this book stating what he already told the world proves anything... other than they saw his speech.

We have two books coming out while other correspondents promoting their Sussex books. Seems to be the thing at the moment.

so if it is Hary's decision, did he also decide to go to the USA after Canada?

 

[Lumutqueen]

so if it is Hary's decision, did he also decide to go to the USA after Canada?

We don’t know.

The Sentebale interview said that it was Harry’s decision to “step back”. That’s all the information we have.

Considering we’re to understand that Henry went to the table with a “half in half out” plan, presumably consulted with his wife, when this plan was rejected he then made the decision to call it quits altogether. That’s how I interpret the Sentebale interview.

There is no information to suggest that it was Henry’s sole choice to submit the “leave” proposal in January, nor was it his decision alone to go to Canada afterwards and onto the states.

 

[Denville]

Is Harry saying that its his decision, to shield Meghan? He must be aware that the press were likely to say it was all M's idea...

 

[Lumutqueen]

Is Harry saying that its his decision, to shield Meghan? He must be aware that the press were likely to say it was all M's idea...

Again, we don’t know. You can only interpret the Sentebale speech how you want to.

 

[Pranter]

Is Harry saying that its his decision, to shield Meghan? He must be aware that the press were likely to say it was all M's idea...

If you are married you know how these conversations can go. I highly doubt Harry said, that's it we are leaving the positions of full time working Royals and moving across the world, without having multiple discussions with his wife first.

He has indicated he was the driving force behind the decision. Since we have had more than one previous interview going back years of him talking about being unhappy in his position and wanting to leave then to me it's hardly a surprise that he has finally had enough. So yeah I believe him when he says ultimately it was his decision. However I don't think Meghan protested much about it considering what she was going thru.


LaRae

 

[Marengo]

Time to end this discussion as it is going around in circles.

Please move on and return to the topic of this thread, which is the book that is written about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

 

[Queen Claude]

Posting link for now, can't figure out how to copy / paste text from article using my tablet.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/uknew...rince-harry-discussed-megxit-before-marriage/

ETA:

'SEEDS WERE SOWN'
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘discussed Megxit before they got married’, new book claims

• Brittany Vonow

• 11 Jun 2020, 11:37
• Updated: 11 Jun 2020, 17:26

"The seeds of Megxit were sown before they even got married. The truth is that Harry had been deeply unhappy for a long time.

"And he and Meghan openly discussed going in a different direction well before they got married.”

 

[Muhler]

If correct, (and this book is supposedly positive towards H&M) it will reflect very bad on them from a PR perspective.

My first question would be: If they intended to reduce their royal roles, why didn't they work it out before being introduced to the public as fully active royals?
As far as I could tell, there were no indications during their first year that H&M did not intend to have anything less than a very active high profile role.
- Something that was looked on with expectation and joy by most royalists I believe.

And if the planning and deliberations had been going in since the very beginning, why this sudden and abrupt break with the BRF?

That is an argument that needs serious work before I'll buy it.
But let's see how the authors will sell that one. It ain't gonna be easy!

 

[Curryong]

We know (because he said so) that Harry had thought of leaving the Royal family in his twenties and maybe doing something else. Duty drove him on then though.

IMO it's entirely natural that Harry would have discussed with his girlfriend/future fiancee his feelings about his Royal role and how these have varied over the years. They might have considered various scenarios if Meghan didn't feel comfortable in her role.

However I do not believe in the inference that seems to be being drawn at second hand by these tabloid articles that there was some deep dark plot by the couple to pull the wool over the Queen and Prince Charles's eyes from the very beginning. If that's the narrative these papers are trying to flog it doesn't work for me.

I saw the immense enthusiasm of both of them before the wedding when they visited various parts of the U.K., in the engagement interview, on the public engagements following the wedding and indeed in Australia on the Oceana tour when I saw them in real life. They were as happy as Larry when in Australia.

I'm not going to draw any conclusions on anything until I've read that book for myself.

 

[Pranter]

I can see that pre-marriage they had many discussions about their future life. It would make sense that Harry would be apprehensive (based on the craziness that started when it became known they were dating) of how things would go. I think it's possible he had a plan B in mind if things didn't level off and sort out.

I absolutely do believe they intended to become FT working Royals for the rest of their lives. Everything they said and did indicated such. I just think plans got derailed and there didn't seem to be an end in sight to the negative pressure.


LaRae

 

[Somebody]

Yes, this would be even worse. Knowingly misleading the BRF and the public on their intentions regarding royal life (which would make all of it very disingenuous). It would also contradict a lot of what they've stated so far... So, we'll have to wait and see and why might never know the full truth.

 

[Sun Lion]

Excepts from this book, "Finding Freedom", are coming out this weekend. (Currenty Friday morning here in Sydney.)

An article from Rebecca English with some fresh details -


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...lations-Royal-Family-new-low-sources-say.html


The Duke and Duchess reached out when they first heard about this book.

After "meetings and dinners" - not sure if between the couple themselves with the authors, or others, reps perhaps - they were more relaxed about it.

 

[Curryong]

What details? Neither Rebecca nor her colleagues at the DM have read this book quite obviously as this so fair and balanced article is full of speculation about what could be said in it, what Meghan and Harry supposedly did when they heard of the book being written, and what unnamed sources (of course) in Royal households have reportedly said about the content. Odd, as they almost certainly haven't read it either. A typical Fail article about the Sussexes in fact.

This article is in fact a disgrace for a Royal Reporter to have written. It's complete with loaded words and phrases like 'settle scores' 'resentful couple' 'the gospel according to Harry and Meghan' which 'will plunge relations with the Royal Family to a new low' without any supporting evidence for it so doing whatsoever.

The authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand are 'cheerleaders', the book is 'a hagiography' 'the Sussexes are 'killing the book with kindness'. When have the Sussexes said anything about the book at all? And heaven forbid that anyone should write anything favourable about the couple who are suing Rebecca English's employers!

I'm looking forward to reading this book for myself, having pre-ordered it for the day of release on Amazon Kindle.

 

[ACO]

Yeah they haven't read it but they are assuming things. I do wonder they they are on the defensive so much since it is claimed they did nothing but support. If that is the case they why the theatrics? Personally I don't think this book will say anything new but i did laugh at her calling Omid and Caroyln royal "watchers" when Omid has been very much part of the rota for years.

 

[Betsypaige]

Excepts from this book, "Finding Freedom", are coming out this weekend. (Currenty Friday morning here in Sydney.)

An article from Rebecca English with some fresh details -


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...lations-Royal-Family-new-low-sources-say.html


The Duke and Duchess reached out when they first heard about this book.

After "meetings and dinners" - not sure if between the couple themselves with the authors, or others, reps perhaps - they were more relaxed about it.

Nothing new here, IMO; just states what Palace insiders fear, not what they already know. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if their fears come true as this book was no doubt written with H and M’s cooperation.

I’m not worried at all about how HM, Charles and William will look to the British public, but I am worried about H and M (through the book) hurting them.

 

[Curryong]

Harry and Meghan haven't written this book or any part of it. We don't even know if they have given any interviews at all to Scobie and Durand.

And I suppose it doesn't really matter what hurts Meghan and Harry have suffered through the provable untruths, innuendos and gossip peddled in Lady C's supposed 'Real Story' or the other book 'Royals at War'.

 

[Leopoldine]

Harry and Meghan haven't written this book or any part of it. We don't even know if they have given any interviews at all to Scobie and Durand.

And I suppose it doesn't really matter what hurts Meghan and Harry have suffered through the provable untruths, innuendos and gossip peddled in Lady C's supposed 'Real Story' or the other book 'Royals at War'.

Harry and Meghan are speaking out constantly so if this book is a no-go, we would have heard something from them at this point.

 

[Curryong]

They haven't spoken out at all about any of the other books that have come out in the past couple of months either.