The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 1: September-December 2020

[Roderick]

Yep - an image consultant has been brought in. Either it was for the launch of Archwell in general but my guess is they were told that the public opinion is moving against them and they need to act.

They had to be told??? Before they left the royal family, we were under the impression that they read everything about themselves, which would seem to have been part of the problem. Now, they don't realise that public opinion is not only moving against them but HAS moved against them - for quite a time too.

 

[AC21091968]

Yep - an image consultant has been brought in. Either it was for the launch of Archwell in general but my guess is they were told that the public opinion is moving against them and they need to act.

They had to be told??? Before they left the royal family, we were under the impression that they read everything about themselves, which would seem to have been part of the problem. Now, they don't realise that public opinion is not only moving against them but HAS moved against them - for quite a time too.

Or Harry and Meghan have been keeping up with the UK's atmosphere by actively looking at what's happening in parliament? (This a very optimist view)

I may be speculating here, but I do think timing is the key. I know there might be time zone differences, but on the same day of the Time100 interview with Edward Felsenthal (TIME Editor-in-Chief and CEO), there was a debate in the House of Commons on Black History Month, starting from 1:17pm to 7:00pm. Some of the exchanges did get quite heated. The part that got the most attention in the media was Kemi Badenoch's (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities) speech towards the end of the debate. From watching the video below, she was criticising Critical Race Theory, decolonising curriculum and the use of "white privilege". I would say she opposed at least 80% of Harry and Meghan's opinion.

Link to the Kemi's speech that got the media attention or even some US political commentators:

Here is the Hansard (Detailed transcript of the Parliamentary debate) link to the full debate if anyone is interested: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commo...8778-4973-B318-C17797DFBB22/BlackHistoryMonth

Like Claire have mentioned earlier, I do think an image consultant may have watched the above parliamentary exchange (perhaps some snippets) and quickly tell Harry and Meghan that opinions have changed and they may risk "working against the government". I think this is why they shift their conversation into online communities and social media usage rather than race equality. (This is assuming that the Time100 talk on 20th October was live, not pre-recorded)

Another of example on "timing" is the interview with the Evening Standard, which I think did not go down well with some British public. The reason is that at the same time, there was a report by Matt Goodwin (political researcher) and BBC on white working class boys with one of the lowest admission to university. Perhaps Harry and Meghan and image consultant at that particular point have realised that the British public may have turned against them.

Again, these are my opinions and speculation.

 

[Denville]

The public are mainly indifferent to them.. but I think when they crop up, it does spark off criticism in the press and that 's not going to help their image with the British public. however, I think mostly now that they have gone ot the US, its out of sight and out of mind.. that people think "OK, they wanted to go, they've gone.. who cares what becomes of them now..."

 

[Curryong]

The British public is mainly indifferent to the BRF as a whole and to many of its members who are still performing duties so there's not much difference.

 

[evolvingdoors]

Or Harry and Meghan have been keeping up with the UK's atmosphere by actively looking at what's happening in parliament? (This a very optimist view)

I may be speculating here, but I do think timing is the key. I know there might be time zone differences, but on the same day of the Time100 interview with Edward Felsenthal (TIME Editor-in-Chief and CEO), there was a debate in the House of Commons on Black History Month, starting from 1:17pm to 7:00pm. Some of the exchanges did get quite heated. The part that got the most attention in the media was Kemi Badenoch's (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities) speech towards the end of the debate. From watching the video below, she was criticising Critical Race Theory, decolonising curriculum and the use of "white privilege". I would say she opposed at least 80% of Harry and Meghan's opinion.

Link to the Kemi's speech that got the media attention or even some US political commentators:

Here is the Hansard (Detailed transcript of the Parliamentary debate) link to the full debate if anyone is interested: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commo...8778-4973-B318-C17797DFBB22/BlackHistoryMonth

Like Claire have mentioned earlier, I do think an image consultant may have watched the above parliamentary exchange (perhaps some snippets) and quickly tell Harry and Meghan that opinions have changed and they may risk "working against the government". I think this is why they shift their conversation into online communities and social media usage rather than race equality. (This is assuming that the Time100 talk on 20th October was live, not pre-recorded)

Another of example on "timing" is the interview with the Evening Standard, which I think did not go down well with some British public. The reason is that at the same time, there was a report by Matt Goodwin (political researcher) and BBC on white working class boys with one of the lowest admission to university. Perhaps Harry and Meghan and image consultant at that particular point have realised that the British public may have turned against them.

Again, these are my opinions and speculation.

I don't think what what happening in parliment that day any impact on H&M for two reasons:
1) I think the Time video was shot a few days before it aired.
2) I don't think Meghan cares about anything happening in the UK, let alone to the black community, unless it is about her.

 

[ACO]

The British public is mainly indifferent to the BRF as a whole and to many of its members who are still performing duties so there's not much difference.

Pretty much. Harry and Meghan are gone and aren't taking money out of the public's pockets. No sure why they would care. And most don't about any of the royals if we are being honest. They are more tolerated than liked overall. That includes the Sussexes.

 

[carlota]

a very interesting debate indeed at the house.

Like Claire have mentioned earlier, I do think an image consultant may have watched the above parliamentary exchange (perhaps some snippets) and quickly tell Harry and Meghan that opinions have changed and they may risk "working against the government". I think this is why they shift their conversation into online communities and social media usage rather than race equality. (This is assuming that the Time100 talk on 20th October was live, not pre-recorded)

i think this is what's frustrating about these two: they shift focus and jump on any subject that is hot/has media attention and change at a whim. whether it is COVID, race, online abuse/hate/bullying, women's empowerment, mental health, the commonwealth... they will cover any and every topic, and jump between them in whatever 'flavour of the day' is appropriate that week so that they remain relevant. this is hardly the 'authenticity' that meghan constantly speaks about.

 

[muriel]

The British public is mainly indifferent to the BRF as a whole and to many of its members who are still performing duties so there's not much difference.

Pretty much. Harry and Meghan are gone and aren't taking money out of the public's pockets. No sure why they would care. And most don't about any of the royals if we are being honest. They are more tolerated than liked overall. That includes the Sussexes.

Good to see one can form an opinion of the views of the great British public from afar!

 

[acdc1]

Pretty much. Harry and Meghan are gone and aren't taking money out of the public's pockets. No sure why they would care. And most don't about any of the royals if we are being honest. They are more tolerated than liked overall. That includes the Sussexes.

The Sussexes may not be taking money out of the public’s pockets anymore but they are still using their British titles in their endeavors, so I would say that yes the British public has a right to care about what they say and do. H&M have also been lecturing the British people on what they “need” to be doing in terms of race relations and have critiqued for not being as diverse as it could be (which is incorrect, it’s extremely diverse), all while sitting in their California mansion because they can’t even be bothered to live in the country they are calling out.

 

[Maggie Muggins]

The Sussexes may not be taking money out of the public’s pockets anymore but they are still using their British titles in their endeavors, so I would say that yes the British public has a right to care about what they say and do. H&M have also been lecturing the British people on what they “need” to be doing in terms of race relations and have critiqued for not being as diverse as it could be (which is incorrect, it’s extremely diverse), all while sitting in their California mansion because they can’t even be bothered to live in the country they are calling out.

H&M probably believe, that they have their fingers on the pulse of the universe, so can make diagnoses and offer remedies to the uninformed public.

 

[REAL COUNTESS]

This is really getting boring, no it is. If nothing else works call the Spin Doctor. Or let the bear and cougar, put on a show.

 

[Denville]

The Sussexes may not be taking money out of the public’s pockets anymore but they are still using their British titles in their endeavors, so I would say that yes the British public has a right to care about what they say and do. H&M have also been lecturing the British people on what they “need” to be doing in terms of race relations and have critiqued for not being as diverse as it could be (which is incorrect, it’s extremely diverse), all while sitting in their California mansion because they can’t even be bothered to live in the country they are calling out.

I dont think people are interested except for a few who like them and a few who dislike them. The press are having a a great time because they do have a grudge against the Sussexes, and the couple have made enough public appearances and statements to give the press plenty of fodder for criticism... so of course the Press are happy with the situation. But overall I dont think the public of GB are taking much interest. But if they end up coming back to the UK they may be far from welcome

 

[Curryong]

CEO of the Diana Award says both Princes 'roll up their sleeves and get involved'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...ll-sleeves-involved-says-CEO-Diana-Award.html

Also, it was the Queen who gave Harry his Dukedom on his wedding day. The British public had nothing to do with it.

 

[Curryong]

This is really getting boring, no it is. If nothing else works call the Spin Doctor. Or let the bear and cougar, put on a show.

Are you suggesting that Harry and Meghan insisted on having a bear and cougar roam around nearby properties for publicity purposes.

And we don't know that the Sussexes have called in spin doctors at all. Simply because a woman of colour who happens to be a minister in Boris Johnson's Tory government has made a speech disagreeing with various theories on race doesn't mean that every person of colour in the UK agrees with her view. In fact we know from the past that many don't.

 

[caethi]

And we don't know that the Sussexes have called in spin doctors at all. Simply because a woman of colour who happens to be a minister in Boris Johnson's Tory government has made a speech disagreeing with various theories on race doesn't mean that every person of colour in the UK agrees with her view. In fact we know from the past that many don't.

I agree that it is extremely unlikely that Harry and Meghan's PR efforts and the speech by the parliamentarian are in any way related. I also agree that persons of colour occupy a wide variety of political positions and personal viewpoints.

 

[TLLK]

Good to know you're not dicing with death every time you go in your backyard TLLK.

(I'd be giving the hen-keeping hobby a miss though, if they're a predator magnet.)

Thank you Sun Lion. Basically I am located in Los Angeles Co. but in the concrete sprawl that defines most of the landscape. However you do find the usual urban wildlife mammals here: coyotes, raccoons, opossums, and rodents like squirrels, rats and mice. Our city does permit backyard chickens though with the number of urban coyote sightings and pet killings, they're our number one predator issue at the moment.


The Sussexes being located closer to the foothills will have the opportunity to see mule deer, birds of prey ie: hawks and possibly condors in addition to other mammals that I mentioned above.

More than likely their landscaping crew is very careful to look for rattlesnakes which might be looking for a sunny place to nap while they are working.

 

[Curryong]

Do hikers in the hills and canyons of California carry any sort of firearm with them when on their walks? What do you do if you meet a bear or a mountain lion face to face when there's nowhere to retreat to and no other people nearby? Walk slowly backwards hoping the animal won't follow, or what?

Kangaroos here in Aus aren't interested in humans as food, so we're lucky I guess!

 

[Jacknch]

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[camelot23ca]

And most don't about any of the royals if we are being honest. They are more tolerated than liked overall.

The reputable polls and surveys I’ve seen don’t bear this out. Support for the monarchy itself is very solid. Respondents consistently have very favourable impressions of The Queen, William and Kate. Charles is not as well thought of as those three but, in the latest YouGov poll I’ve seen the majority of respondents had favourable/neutral impressions of him, which is probably the most he can expect, at least until he becomes King. Camilla’s numbers are lower.

The numbers indicate that the majority of people support the monarchy and have good - in some cases very good - impressions of the most senior working royals, Camilla excepted.

 

[TLLK]

Do hikers in the hills and canyons of California carry any sort of firearm with them when on their walks? What do you do if you meet a bear or a mountain lion face to face when there's nowhere to retreat to and no other people nearby? Walk slowly backwards hoping the animal won't follow, or what?

Kangaroos here in Aus aren't interested in humans as food, so we're lucky I guess!

Curryong- Yes you are fortunate when it comes to kangaroos. Now as far as I know most of them do not carry firearms with them. The standard recommendations are to do the following while hiking in areas that are known to have black bears, coyotes and mountain lions.
1. Always let others know where and when you are hiking.
2. Make noise as typically the animals would leave the area. Hikers are recommended to go in groups and carry a whistle. Mobile phones often do not work in remote areas.

3. If you encounter one, pick up small children and try to make yourself seem larger by standing up and waving your arms. Do not run as it will trigger the animal to chase after you.
4. Be prepared to fight back if necessary. Try to curl into a ball if you can to protect your vital organs. Playing "dead" can also be helpful.

 

[Denville]

it doesn't mean that most of hte population are that emtotional about them. Its more a case of people thinking "yeah they do a decent enough job, but Im not interested in them per se" or "They're Ok and I'd prefer the monarchy as a slightly better form of govt to a republic with some failed politican as president..."

 

[Sun Lion]

Do hikers in the hills and canyons of California carry any sort of firearm with them when on their walks? What do you do if you meet a bear or a mountain lion face to face when there's nowhere to retreat to and no other people nearby? Walk slowly backwards hoping the animal won't follow, or what?

Kangaroos here in Aus aren't interested in humans as food, so we're lucky I guess!

Here's a link to some great info about surviving an encounter with a mountain lion Curryong-

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Lion

With a couple of dogs and a small child, the points about not leaving pets and small children outside un-attended are pertinent to the Sussexes.

Even not leaving pet food outdoors as that may attract raccoon and possums that in turn may attract the cougars

The local news outlet, "Noozhawk", has covered a lot of previous mountain lion scares - someone's pet goats ended up victims as their housing wasn't strong enough over-night.

Interesting that residents are advised to deer-proof their properties so the lions won't follow the deer into gardens.

Even to avoid having plants in your garden that deer like to eat, and not having too much brush in your garden so as to remove hiding places for the mountain lions.

The second section covers how to deal with encountering a lion when out and about.

I've seen reports of the Sussexes being spotted on a couple of occassions cycling about Montecito, but I don't think either Harry or Meghan are runners/joggers.

And the reports said they were bike-riding with some security staff, so I guess they would have guns.

In the section on fighting back in order to survive an attack it's interesting to see someone just used a pen.

The note that some-one else used garden tools, suggests that in that incident the predator actually entered a property.

Good to see that many have survived attacks, though a bit off-putting that there are so many attacks reported.


Thanks for the advice TLLK - though I think I would be too busy having an accident in my underwear to think about protecting my vital organs!

 

[TLLK]

You're welcome Sun Lion!

hanks for the advice TLLK - though I think I would be too busy having an accident in my underwear to think about protecting my vital organs!

You're not the only one who would be in the same boat.


My parents moved to the California Gold Rush country in 2001 and had to learn all about deer proofing your landscaping. Initially they couldn't understand why all of their neighbors had the exact same plants, which were the few that the deer wouldn't eat.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I think that's a common occurrence in many rural parts of the US - even suburban areas are getting coyotes coming to visit - I follow someone on Instagram who fosters kittens in Las Vegas, and she says that she has to keep all her fosters indoors because of the danger of coyotes.

Even here in the UK "wild beasts" coming in to visit gardens is not a rare sight in the rural communities. My godmother lives in a rural part of Surrey and often gets deer in her garden, and I also have relatives in rural Derbyshire who have cows and sheep in their garden sometimes too.

 

[QueenMathilde]

Are you suggesting that Harry and Meghan insisted on having a bear and cougar roam around nearby properties for publicity purposes.

And we don't know that the Sussexes have called in spin doctors at all. Simply because a woman of colour who happens to be a minister in Boris Johnson's Tory government has made a speech disagreeing with various theories on race doesn't mean that every person of colour in the UK agrees with her view. In fact we know from the past that many don't.

I used to walk early in the morning and I carried pepper spray, not for people but in case I was attacked by an animal. We don't have bears here though. They make bear repellent.


Whoops, answered the wrong person. Who was asking about what you do if you're attacked by a bear? Can't be bothered to go back through the thread sorry.

 

[Osipi]

I live in a forest and we have plenty of wildlife on the property all the time. There's even been bear spotted up here from time to time but its mostly fox, rabbit, deer, raccoon, possum and the occasional wild turkey.

We do have an outdoor feeding station here for leftover food good for wildlife and things that the avian visitors would like too. It's their home here too. ?

 

[Leopoldine]

The reputable polls and surveys I’ve seen don’t bear this out. Support for the monarchy itself is very solid. Respondents consistently have very favourable impressions of The Queen, William and Kate. Charles is not as well thought of as those three but, in the latest YouGov poll I’ve seen the majority of respondents had favourable/neutral impressions of him, which is probably the most he can expect, at least until he becomes King. Camilla’s numbers are lower.

The numbers indicate that the majority of people support the monarchy and have good - in some cases very good - impressions of the most senior working royals, Camilla excepted.

I think Camilla, since marrying Charles, has been a role model for the younger females marrying into the family. Always properly dressed, polite, funny, engaging, non-political, and supports her husband and The Crown.

Perhaps the people answering these polls are older and have long memories of the Wales Wars.

Meghan could do worse than taking some tips from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, a veteran of tabloid sieges if ever there was one.

 

[stunking]

Firearms

Do hikers in the hills and canyons of California carry any sort of firearm with them when on their walks? What do you do if you meet a bear or a mountain lion face to face when there's nowhere to retreat to and no other people nearby? Walk slowly backwards hoping the animal won't follow, or what?

Kangaroos here in Aus aren't interested in humans as food, so we're lucky I guess!

I live in Northern California and it is perfectly legal to pack a pistol or carry a long gun.
There are coyotes by the dozens out there, we are in a drought and they come in closer and closer for water. A bear had a path for raiding garbage cans and had to be captured and relocated. Although it is illegal mountain lions have been killed for killing sheep and cattle. My dog was drowned by a racoon, heartbreaking he was a hunter himself. The coons call them to the creek, grab them and hold them under the water; even the dreaded pit bull. I don't own a gun.

 

[AC21091968]

I think Camilla, since marrying Charles, has been a role model for the younger females marrying into the family. Always properly dressed, polite, funny, engaging, non-political, and supports her husband and The Crown.

Perhaps the people answering these polls are older and have long memories of the Wales Wars.

Meghan could do worse than taking some tips from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, a veteran of tabloid sieges if ever there was one.

I agree and I would admit that I did not like Camilla at first when she married Charles. However, I have grew to like her, because she passionately performed her duties, mostly stay out of controversial topics and supported her husband and the Monarchy. She seems to have keep her head down and let her works/duties do the talking.

 

[Ista]

Let's move on from the discussion about wildlife except as it directly relates to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their home.