Royal Wealth and Finances 1: Ending 2022

[ACO]

Not quite.

This is a conversation that has been had many a time, and I don't particularly want to repeat it but will try and keep it as brief as possible. The problem is that unlike Sophie, Catherine and Camilla, Meghan's working wardrobe has largely been foreign designer brands, with the odd piece by a British fashion house thrown in ever so often. That obviously does not go down well. There are no differing standards, just facts. And whilst we are at it, Canadian and other Commonwealth brands are just as foreign as Givenchy, Dior and Prada as the British economy is concerned.

Quite, actually. I respect your take but I don't really buy it. So my statement above stands.

 

[Hallo girl]

why can there not be civil conversation on this forum,why has it turned into a for and against Meghan.

I had never looked at this section until today and if you go back to older posts, Kate was being criticised for spending on clothes.. so nothing has changed.

I do not have a problem with people disagreeing, nicely, or at least constructively but too often on these forums people who say anything that is deemed to be against Meghan are accused of having agendas or there being underlying reasons.It is not acceptable.

 

[Ladyelena]

 

[Hallo girl]

Kate and Sophie have run up a clothing tab themselvyes and they are not 100% British brands. Unless they are part of this conversation Jennie Bond can go somewhere and sit down when it comes to Meghan.

DM has a new hit piece on Meghan, claiming Philip told Harry not to marry Meghan because she's an actress

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ne-steps-actresses-one-doesnt-marry-them.html

Allegedly Phillip had a string of hookups with women of the entertainment industry on the queen's watch. Some say Harry and William should have marry from the aristocracy. At the end of the day the queen has the final say by law who the first to the sixth in line to the throne marries.

You are completely out of order with these remarks, you are making comments re an 98 year old man who is not in a position to respond. Actually he probably wouldnt bother to respond to trash talk anyway.

One minute you are all saying the Daily Mail is rubbish and prints false stories but by being so quick to attack Philip rather than the paper, you are giving credance to the story.

You cannot have it both ways, the Daily mail is either rubbish or not.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

When the Duchess wants to wear Benito Fernández, let her wear it. When Meghan wants to wear Bottega Veneta, let her wear it. It is too superficial for words that an adult woman's popularity depends on whether she wears a British designer or not.

It is just the DM framing. The public applaudibg and waving in Durham, Roehampton or Port Talbot does that to the Duchess of Sussex and could not care less from which designer exactly was that mauve ensemble or that lila dress and is it actually exactly British indeed? I estimate the maturity of public higher than that of the DM firebrands.

 

[Osipi]

Maybe I'm the lonely petunia in an onion patch but, to be honest, I could care less who designed a piece of clothing or how much it cost and labels for clothing basically are cleaning instructions. I like what a royal is wearing or I don't. An outfit by Givenchy may or may not rank above an outfit from Waitrose (Walmart).

Its just my personal opinion but I do believe that all the focus on the designers and costs actually detract from why a royal is wearing it in the first place. ?

 

[Hallo girl]

When the Duchess wants to wear Benito Fernández, let her wear it. When Meghan wants to wear Bottega Veneta, let her wear it. It is too superficial for words that an adult woman's popularity depends on whether she wears a British designer or not.

It is just the DM framing. The public applaudibg and waving in Durham, Roehampton or Port Talbot does that to the Duchess of Sussex and could not care less from which designer exactly was that mauve ensemble or that lila dress and is it actually exactly British indeed? I estimate the maturity of public higher than that of the DM firebrands.

I really do not care what she wears or where she buys it from , it is her first year as a royal and she would need to build on her wardrobe for the types of events she will be asked to attend. Where she needs to be careful is flaunting wealth with very expensive clothes. I think that was the point Jenni Bond was making, and that would go for any of them, not just Meghan.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Maybe I'm the lonely petunia in an onion patch but, to be honest, I could care less who designed a piece of clothing or how much it cost and labels for clothing basically are cleaning instructions. I like what a royal is wearing or I don't. An outfit by Givenchy may or may not rank above an outfit from Waitrose (Walmart).

Its just my personal opinion but I do believe that all the focus on the designers and costs actually detract from why a royal is wearing it in the first place. ?

Amen to that. I thougt all royal ladies looked nice on this Garter afternoon. Who exactly were the designers or what these outfits did possibly cost or where these were made? Pfffft. Those are second-rank futilities.

 

[alvinking]

I really do not care what she wears or where she buys it from , it is her first year as a royal and she would need to build on her wardrobe for the types of events she will be asked to attend. Where she needs to be careful is flaunting wealth with very expensive clothes. I think that was the point Jenni Bond was making, and that would go for any of them, not just Meghan.

And there lies the problem. It is been proven that many of her fashion she had before marrying Harry. Be it outfits, shoes or accessories. Repeat a lie long enough and it sticks. Not everybody is an astute royal watcher who is able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Damage has been already done to a certain extent worldwide. From where I am at, the negative narrative that is been pushed has stuck regrettably in the main stream media.And this is what bothers me.

 

[Hallo girl]

And there lies the problem. It is been proven that many of her fashion she had before marrying Harry. Be it outfits, shoes or accessories. Repeat a lie long enough and it sticks. Not everybody is an astute royal watcher who is able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Damage has been already done to a certain extent worldwide. From where I am at, the negative narrative that is been pushed has stuck regrettably in the main stream media.And this is what bothers me.

I am sure you are correct and she brought a great deal of personal belongings with her, but it does not take away from the flaunting of wealth that Jenni Bond refers to, regardless of when it was purchased and who paid for it.

You are right about astute royal watchers, I am amazed by how much info people on these forums have , I know about my Scottish, British and Royal history but to be honest I do not look in any great detail as to who bought, wears or paid for anything, other than oh that is nice or I am not so keen on that,
How do people know what she owned before she was married, and what is new, they amaze me. Maybe a particular dress or even coat, but shoes and handbags.

 

[Rena M.]

I hope Meghan continues to support CWK's work but also that she purchases new items from predominantly British brands. She can do both.

What about the fact, that British brands assemble their products abroad from foreign made cloth, buttons, thread etc, employ foreigners in UK headquarters and are often own by foreigners?

 

[muriel]

What about the fact, that British brands assemble their products abroad from foreign made cloth, buttons, thread etc, employ foreigners in UK headquarters and are often own by foreigners?

Less relevant, as the higher value-added jobs in areas such as designing, merchandising, sourcing, supply chain management tend to be in the UK, whilst some of the "components" and manufacturing could be outsourced to lower cost locations. That is globalisation for you.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

What about the fact, that British brands assemble their products abroad from foreign made cloth, buttons, thread etc, employ foreigners in UK headquarters and are often own by foreigners?

That is with everything. Dyson is made in Asia. Mini is owned by Germans. Etc. It is almost impossible to buy something which is made in one country, from materials to half fabricates

And possibly the computers the fahion designers use are made in China. The sewing machines are possibly Italian made. The vehicles to transport the goods are possibly French. Etc. Etc.

Just buy what you like best. It is your money, your body, your taste, Meghan.

 

[jacqui24]

I really do not care what she wears or where she buys it from , it is her first year as a royal and she would need to build on her wardrobe for the types of events she will be asked to attend. Where she needs to be careful is flaunting wealth with very expensive clothes. I think that was the point Jenni Bond was making, and that would go for any of them, not just Meghan.

But is it her or is it the British media singling her out? And many times, they do it in a way that overly inflate the numbers on purpose without any evidence of such. For example, the Dior gown. No price was ever released, nor will it since it's haute couture. It's not unusual for royal ladies to wear such things, but I don't see anyone else being singled out and the maximum price for a haute couture gown being printed in the headlines as the cost the gown she's wearing specifically. There is a difference in a well-made caftan compared to some other more intricate and detailed gowns they make. And the price will range from that.

I see this type of thing with other things related to Meghan too. An article was posted on the outrageous spending on handbags. A subsequent review by those that follow Meghan showed a large amount of those were owned pre-Harry. But of course, her critics don't care about that, and bashed her based on it. And then there is the rewears. A review shows that she does do a decent amount, even in pregnancy. Yet, it's widely said that she doesn't rewear by her critics.

People just seem not to care about facts when it comes to Meghan.

Less relevant, as the higher value-added jobs in areas such as designing, merchandising, sourcing, supply chain management tend to be in the UK, whilst some of the "components" and manufacturing could be outsourced to lower cost locations. That is globalisation for you.

Italy, which is where the high end fashion (think McQueen, Burberry, Givenchy, and basically most of the high end fashion brands) are made these days, isn't exactly a lower cost location. Nor are the skilled workers they use low cost. It's made there because of skilled craftsmanship. And you and I have had discussion many times, a lot of the UK brands are giving the high end jobs to foreigners rather than Brits. For the high end brands, how many of them have British CEOs or artistic directors? So, if they aren't made in Britain, and they aren't run by Brits or designed by Brits or by people who went to school in Britain, how British are they? There is more than one way to promote British fashion. Promoting those that went to school there and showcase British talent that way is also moving British fashion up to the totem poll.

 

[muriel]

Italy, which is where the high end fashion (think McQueen, Burberry, Givenchy, and basically most of the high end fashion brands) are made these days, isn't exactly a lower cost location. Nor are the skilled workers they use low cost. It's made there because of skilled craftsmanship. And you and I have had discussion many times, a lot of the UK brands are giving the high end jobs to foreigners rather than Brits. For the high end brands, how many of them have British CEOs or artistic directors? So, if they aren't made in Britain, and they aren't run by Brits or designed by Brits or by people who went to school in Britain, how British are they? There is more than one way to promote British fashion. Promoting those that went to school there and showcase British talent that way is also moving British fashion up to the totem poll.

As you say, we have had this conversation on more than one occasion, so I will desist from responding.

 

[Lilyflo]

What about the fact, that British brands assemble their products abroad from foreign made cloth, buttons, thread etc, employ foreigners in UK headquarters and are often own by foreigners?

I think it's quite difficult these days for people who want to ensure that their clothes are made ethically & are eco-friendly. A 'green' button from overseas might be better than a plastic one produced at home. A UK company providing fair wages to an overseas women's co-operative using organic cotton might be worth supporting. I like the fact that Meghan takes the trouble to consider where her products comes from & how green/ethical they are. It's all about balance & considering how much revenue comes back in jobs & taxes etc. Generally, a UK company will generate more revenue here than one based in New York or Rome. I like BRF working members to show their support for UK brands, particularly those companies who provide jobs here & pay their fair taxes. Meghan has done that & I'd like to see her do it even more in future. I don't restrict this to Meghan either. I've said previously here that it applies to all the working BRF.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think Meghan is probably the wealthier one in the marriage anyway. I wish her the freedom to purchase what she likes. No matter it is Italian, American, Indian or British. Amen

 

[jacqui24]

I think it's quite difficult these days for people who want to ensure that their clothes are made ethically & are eco-friendly. A 'green' button from overseas might be better than a plastic one produced at home. A UK company providing fair wages to an overseas women's co-operative using organic cotton might be worth supporting. I like the fact that Meghan takes the trouble to consider where her products comes from & how green/ethical they are. It's all about balance & considering how much revenue comes back in jobs & taxes etc. Generally, a UK company will generate more revenue here than one based in New York or Rome. I like BRF working members to show their support for UK brands, particularly those companies who provide jobs here & pay their fair taxes. Meghan has done that & I'd like to see her do it even more in future. I don't restrict this to Meghan either. I've said previously here that it applies to all the working BRF.

And I think your comment is very fair. It's the ones that just scratch the surface of this issue and then criticize her without looking at facts that some of us have issues with. Unfortunately, most of the brands that do what you describe are no longer the major brands we hear about. It's the contemporary brands that haven't quite achieved the economies of scale. Meghan does, over time, tend to favor those brands where she lives. But that obviously comes with time. She does this a lot with Canadian brands, but she just spent 7 years there and was immersed in that scene in Toronto.

And she does seem have a number of British (or British educated) designers working in another country that she supports. And I have to wonder if there is a bit of support for her fellow immigrants.

 

[alvinking]

I am sure you are correct and she brought a great deal of personal belongings with her, but it does not take away from the flaunting of wealth that Jenni Bond refers to, regardless of when it was purchased and who paid for it.

You are right about astute royal watchers, I am amazed by how much info people on these forums have , I know about my Scottish, British and Royal history but to be honest I do not look in any great detail as to who bought, wears or paid for anything, other than oh that is nice or I am not so keen on that,
How do people know what she owned before she was married, and what is new, they amaze me. Maybe a particular dress or even coat, but shoes and handbags.

Most of the data about the supposed cost of her fashion basically came from 2 blogs. Meghan's Mirror, and Ufonomore. Their methodology was quite questionable, nonetheless first the tabloids and then the MSM ran with it.

Ufonomore had already been confronted officially by the Hashemite Court for the similar hit job they did on Queen Rania of Jordan. Whereas the jordanians reacted and stopped that nonsense the BRF with its never complain never explain basically threw the DoS under the bus.

 

[jacqui24]

And just to point out, UFOnomore and other blogs often don't identify costs for things that do not have a publicly available pricing. So a lot of ladies get away with bespoken gowns that are not counted at all. However, in Meghan's case, the tabloids like to run astronomical numbers without basis in these cases, like the Dior gown.

 

[muriel]

And I think your comment is very fair. It's the ones that just scratch the surface of this issue and then criticize her without looking at facts that some of us have issues with. Unfortunately, most of the brands that do what you describe are no longer the major brands we hear about. It's the contemporary brands that haven't quite achieved the economies of scale. Meghan does, over time, tend to favor those brands where she lives. But that obviously comes with time. She does this a lot with Canadian brands, but she just spent 7 years there and was immersed in that scene in Toronto.

And she does seem have a number of British (or British educated) designers working in another country that she supports. And I have to wonder if there is a bit of support for her fellow immigrants.

I think it's quite difficult these days for people who want to ensure that their clothes are made ethically & are eco-friendly. A 'green' button from overseas might be better than a plastic one produced at home. A UK company providing fair wages to an overseas women's co-operative using organic cotton might be worth supporting. I like the fact that Meghan takes the trouble to consider where her products comes from & how green/ethical they are. It's all about balance & considering how much revenue comes back in jobs & taxes etc. Generally, a UK company will generate more revenue here than one based in New York or Rome. I like BRF working members to show their support for UK brands, particularly those companies who provide jobs here & pay their fair taxes. Meghan has done that & I'd like to see her do it even more in future. I don't restrict this to Meghan either. I've said previously here that it applies to all the working BRF.

I have to agree with you both that it is great to see Meghan support small, artisanal producers, like Huit jeans or Strathberry handbags. The attention ladies of the BRF can bring to these producers can substantially alter their businesses and be a positive force. It would be good to see Meghan and Catherine do a lot more of this.

 

[Rena M.]

Less relevant, as the higher value-added jobs in areas such as designing, merchandising, sourcing, supply chain management tend to be in the UK, whilst some of the "components" and manufacturing could be outsourced to lower cost locations.

British fashion industry heavily relies upon international talent from top to bottom.

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyl...-impact-the-uk-fashion-industry-a3931611.html

'It’s tariffs, and an exodus of [European] shop staff, designers, warehouse staff, delivery drivers… As we “take control of our borders”, the pool of available staff is likely to shrink, meaning an inflationary impact on wages. It’s likely to be massively disruptive.
(...)

more than 10,000 European staff work in the British fashion industry
(...) We have 25 different nationalities in our London office. If [Brexit] jeopardises that, it’ll be a major loss.’ Writer and consultant Nick Vinson points out, ‘Many great “British” designers are European and proud of it’
(...)

However, some 80 per cent of her stitchers are Eastern European.
(...)

Three quarters of materials used in the UK are imported

 

[Rena M.]

It is too superficial for words that an adult woman's popularity depends on whether she wears a British designer or not.

It is just the DM framing.

While in the meantime DM readers and staff wear only imported goods and project their own behavior on DoS.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2118427/Is-ANYTHING-youre-wearing-Britain.html

Official figures show that around 90 per cent of everything we wear comes from abroad

 

[Jacknch]

Let's get back on topic. Recent discussion has gone way beyond the scope of the thread, which into discuss royal wealth and finances and not the finer details of the Duchess of Sussex's fashion choices nor the fashion industry in the UK and beyond.

 

[Lilyflo]

Perhaps our discussion could have been moved into the fashion thread rather than being moved into this one?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Perhaps our discussion could have been moved into the fashion thread rather than being moved into this one?

The article was about the cost of Meghan’s clothes, and how much is being spent which does sit in this thread. However if the article had been about the designer and brand of the clothes, then it would have sat in the Fashion Thread. Hence now the discussion going off topic.

 

[Rena M.]

I wonder how much HM is spending on clothes and accessories

 

[Hallo girl]

I think Meghan is probably the wealthier one in the marriage anyway. I wish her the freedom to purchase what she likes. No matter it is Italian, American, Indian or British. Amen

Really, do you think so.

 

[Mbruno]

Really, do you think so.

I don't know Meghan's net worth, but it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility that she is personally wealthier than Harry.


Harry's personal fortune amounts mostly to what he inherited from Diana (which hopefully he has invested soundly) and perhaps what he may have collected from trust funds that were set up in his name by his paternal grandparents. The money he gets from the Prince of Wales for his current expenses doesn't count to his net worth and I don't think his pension as a retired Army officer amounts to much beyond a normal middle-class income.


Having said that, Meghan was only a B-list actress, so her net worth shouldn't be huge either. She must have made a lot of money with Suits though.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I wonder how much HM is spending on clothes and accessories

No one knows because HM does not shop at Zara, HM or Primark, so we have no idea about the prize tag, as the items she wears simply do not have a prize tag. Any guess is as good as it is.

It is also a possibility that important royals actually pay lower prices because they generate interest in the labels. Not that it is always helping: LK Bennett went bankrupt anyway, despite being the favourite brand of Catherine of Cambridge.