The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 6: Aug. 2021- Oct. 2022

[FigTree]

I think the reason it has not received exposure is that he is with Senators and House of representative officials. They are providing the security and probably have said that prewarning's and drip feeding of the press was not allowed in this case. I would think if anyone had leaked it - the tour would have been pulled and Harry needs this footage and this networking. So I expect them to play along here.

He is with who? It is the organisations themselves that are realising it on their own social media…to get attention they need I warrant but the media appear to have zero interest. Perhaps media in the actual countries are interested.

 

[soapstar]

The first episode of Meghan’s podcast is out.

*Spotify Twitter Post*

*DM article *

Please keep the discussion on topic and civil. If you can’t follow the rules, we will close the thread.

 

[FigTree]

The first episode of Meghan’s podcast is out.

*Spotify Twitter Post*

*DM article *

Please keep the discussion on topic and civil. If you can’t follow the rules, we will close the thread.

Seems to be an interview type podcast with Serena Williams. I thought it would be one of those brilliant ones which deep dives into the history of issues like the excellent Hysteria. The one on audible.

But okay best of luck with it.

 

[OwlBranch]

The first episode of Meghan’s podcast is out.

*Spotify Twitter Post*

*DM article *

Please keep the discussion on topic and civil. If you can’t follow the rules, we will close the thread.

A few thoughts on the podcast

- Meghan has a very nice voice for podcast. You can understand why she did voiceover work before.
- Many people on twitter and elsewhere were giving Meghan the side eye for not delivering the Podcast earlier in the summer after she posted a teaser in the spring. Now we know, she was waiting for Serena to announce her retirement so she can include it in the podcast!
- She included a re-telling of the story from when she was 11yo and writing letters about a sexist TV commercial at the beginning of the podcast. I found that a little bit self-aggrandizing. It is a well known story and a bit worn out. Also it made it sounds like she did it all by herself, and did not give credit to the adults in her life like her mom or teacher.
- I liked the rest of the podcast. The interview with Serena was good. She is amazing and I can relate to her struggle to be a good mom while meeting her other professional responsibilities.
- I want to hear from the professor Dr. Kray, but I'm a geek that way.
- I can't wait to hear next week's episode with Mariah Carey!

 

[Curryong]

I thought it was an interesting podcast. Great that she managed to capture Serena Williams as her first guest, and I too am looking forward to hearing Mariah Carey. Hope the washing liquid story is the last we hear of it though!

 

[FigTree]

I didn’t think it was very good. To have Serena Williams discuss her experiences is infinitely interesting. So really it should have been an interview to work and perhaps have a focus of ambition as a negative stereotype…Archetype doesn’t really work as a title. It didn’t do that for me. I mean what is it? A cosy chat? Or a dive into these stereotypes. Is Meghan the interviewer or is it a vehicle for her experiences along with celebrity friend. I thought it was amateurish but that is obviously the vibe they are going for. Cosy at home with the Sussexes. It was odd. I don’t really care about the washing up liquid and quite honestly not about the fire thing either. Child wasn’t in room and no one was harmed.

 

[muriel]

That would indeed make much more sense.

Which couple would need another ceremony to confirm their commitment to each other (as they already did twice; at their wedding and a few days prior)? You need to be either rather unsure or needy to do so - especially so shortly after marriage. It's not like they are celebrating their silver anniversary or so...

Perhaps they will have the ceremony three days before the one they have for the world!

 

[Alison H]

Which couple would need another ceremony to confirm their commitment to each other (as they already did twice; at their wedding and a few days prior)? You need to be either rather unsure or needy to do so - especially so shortly after marriage. It's not like they are celebrating their silver anniversary or so...

A couple who are desperate for attention? Something to put on Netflix?

 

[Curryong]

How do we know anything to do with this supposed commitment ceremony is true? Because it happens to be about Harry and Meghan? Have either of them spoken about it themselves or is it mere tabloid speculation.

 

[Katymcwaity]

I didn’t think it was very good. To have Serena Williams discuss her experiences is infinitely interesting. So really it should have been an interview to work and perhaps have a focus of ambition as a negative stereotype…Archetype doesn’t really work as a title. It didn’t do that for me. I mean what is it? A cosy chat? Or a dive into these stereotypes. Is Meghan the interviewer or is it a vehicle for her experiences along with celebrity friend. I thought it was amateurish but that is obviously the vibe they are going for. Cosy at home with the Sussexes. It was odd. I don’t really care about the washing up liquid and quite honestly not about the fire thing either. Child wasn’t in room and no one was harmed.

In a world full of podcasts why would you listen to this? No doubt it will be popular but only because everyone wants Meghan to say something awful about the Royals. Once thats been milked dry and recycled, what does it have? Unless she turns into an excellent interviewer. Here’s another review, yes i know it’s the Daily fail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...tify-podcast-sounded-warning-bells-start.html

 

[Curryong]

Does anyone expect a glowing or even fair review on anything the Sussexes do from the Fail, sister newspaper in the same stable as the Sunday Fail, a newspaper that Meghan sued in court on two counts (and incidentally won)? Because I certainly don’t.

This columnist as usual just tore strips off iMeghan. ‘Should have said this’,’Why didn’t they say that?’, ‘Meghan is ….fill in the blanks’. Completely predictable!

 

[Ghost]

Does anyone expect a glowing or even fair review on anything the Sussexes do from the Fail, sister newspaper in the same stable as the Sunday Fail, a newspaper that Meghan sued in court on two counts (and incidentally won)? Because I certainly don’t.

This columnist as usual just tore strips off iMeghan. ‘Should have said this’,’Why didn’t they say that?’, ‘Meghan is ….fill in the blanks’. Completely predictable!

An opinion is not supposed to be fair, that’s why it’s called opinion and not fact.

I find the podcast really boring. And I’m still bugged that she substitues stereotype with archetype in order to tie it in with everything Arch.
Also, when you want to prove a discrimination, in this case how ambitious women are discriminated against ambitious men, you have to compare how the two opposite categories are treated. Does the podcaster compare? Ask David Cameron how badly an ambitious man can be treated.
The negative conotation attached to ambition is not about women, it is about a disconection between what one wants to achieve and what one has the capacity to achieve. Also it is about the goal. If I strive to be an excellent one in my profession, that’s a good ambition, if I strive to prove I’m better than anyone else that’s questionable. More so if I start to put down the others in order to better myself.

 

[Magnolia471]

I looked up to Spotify charts for the best episodes and the best best podcast and Archetype does not even show up in the top 50. They are updated daily so might change but considering how much they have been paid and the involvement of a well-known athlete, this does not seem like a great success to me..

 

[Mbruno]

An opinion is not supposed to be fair, that’s why it’s called opinion and not fact.

I find the podcast really boring. And I’m still bugged that she substitues stereotype with archetype in order to tie it in with everything Arch.
Also, when you want to prove a discrimination, in this case how ambitious women are discriminated against ambitious men, you have to compare how the two opposite categories are treated. Does the podcaster compare? Ask David Cameron how badly an ambitious man can be treated.
The negative conotation attached to ambition is not about women, it is about a disconection between what one wants to achieve and what one has the capacity to achieve. Also it is about the goal. If I strive to be an excellent one in my profession, that’s a good ambition, if I strive to prove I’m better than anyone else that’s questionable. More so if I start to put down the others in order to better myself.

"Archetype" and "stereotype" have different meanings in the English language (or indeed in other languages too since those are common learned words in multiple European languages).


Archetype


Stereotype


I didn't listen to the podcast and don't plan to since I am not interested in consuming Meghan's content, but, if she is using the word "archetype" to mean "stereotype", that usage is wrong.

 

[FigTree]

The issues Meghan says she is covering are massively important and now themselves being challenged through the women's football team and were roundly being challenged by the BBC this year at Wimbledon.

A deep, probing podcast about these issues and where they come from would be very important. But this is shallow. Also we have come far. I was reminded about Monica Lewinsky on the TV the other day amd thought that would not happen today. Things that happened 5 years ago would not happen today. We also need to discuss what has changed and where we are going next. Did this podcast really need all this staff to make it?

I do have a question though, how is marrying into the royal family ambitious? It's the exact opposite, you become a public servant there is no personal ambition. You can be ambitious for causes you support. I still think saying she could continue to work was the most progressive thing the royals ever did.

I get she was ambitious to get on with her royal work, the bits she wanted, and that wasn't what she thought.

 

[Hallo girl]

I would like to see meghan showing the world and especially her critics, I include myself there, that she is this strong , independent woman who does not need to tell us anything about the 2 years she did royal duties or involve her husband to be a success. If she is good enough she will succeed without it. All she is doing is feeding the critics who say that is all she has to offer.
Think about what Earl Spencer said about his sister , she needed no royal title.

 

[Mbruno]

I do have a question though, how is marrying into the royal family ambitious? It's the exact opposite, you become a public servant there is no personal ambition. You can be ambitious for causes you support. I still think saying she could continue to work was the most progressive thing the royals ever did.

Marrying into a royal family was pratically impossible for commoners 100 years ago or so and, even today, the likelihood that any random person will do it is very low. So it is not surprising to me that many people would see marrying into a royal family as an ambitious goal, or even something that is above one's station.



Having said that, on the negative side, Meghan's statement can be interpreted by some as an admission that she saw marrying into a royal family as a career move and that it was something that she sought actively, rather than happening entirely by chance.

 

[FigTree]

I would like to see meghan showing the world and especially her critics, I include myself there, that she is this strong , independent woman who does not need to tell us anything about the 2 years she did royal duties or involve her husband to be a success. If she is good enough she will succeed without it. All she is doing is feeding the critics who say that is all she has to offer.
Think about what Earl Spencer said about his sister , she needed no royal title.

We'd all love that. She has endless platforms as well. No one wants to be here in 10 or 20 years and when Harry and Meghan up to go...'oh what a disaster.' I'd love them to build a life they want and to leave the royals alone. Cos it is clear that unless the royal bear is provoked they have no more to say on them.

 

[FigTree]

Marrying into a royal family was pratically impossible for commoners 100 years ago or so and, even today, the likelihood that any random person will do it is very low. So it is not surprising to me that many people would see marrying into a royal family as an ambitious goal, or even something that is above one's station.



Having said that, on the negative side, Meghan's statement can be interpreted by some as an admission that she saw marrying into a royal family as a career move and that it was something that she sought actively, rather than happening entirely by chance.

Well that is true but once you get there it is all servitude really.

And really we can't dismiss experiences. There were many women who would have seen marrying William and Harry thee move of their life to be honest. And to be honest Kate certainly made that work...we can only speculate to what level she saw it as a career move. I myself see nothing wrong with seeing it as a career move. Feminism is choice, not one way of doing things. If Meghan saw it like that, it wasn't what she thought.

 

[Granada]

Well that was interesting.
The one snippet I found very curious was about the "fire" in Archie's room due to a faulty heater. I find it interesting that this never came up before, especially at the time it happened. I would think that alone would have been a VERY big story, or made it into the Oprah interview. I wonder if Harry's take on this will be in the upcoming Book.

And then Meghan explains further "And what did we HAVE to do ? Go out and DO another engagement. That doesn't make any sense, can't we just tell them what happened " ? She says. No, they were told.

The child wasn't even in the room. Was unhurt. Thankfully.

I guess this is just another case in Meghan's mind of the thoughtless and cruel unfeeling Palace underlings not being supportive of her. Her needs. Her wishes.
Another grievance to add to the list.

Reminds me of the time Charles was portrayed as cruel and unfeeling when William as a young boy was hit with a golf ball to the head and upon being taken to the Hospital, had to have a procedure or surgery of some kind to his head. Charles visited him there, but left to attend an event, after being assured everything was fine. Diana stayed the night in William's room.
The Media went nuts and Diana was lauded as a wonderful Mother and Charles.....well.... lambasted as horribly uncaring and putting duty first. Before his son.

Interesting that Harry's feeling or thoughts on this fire situation were not brought up by Meghan. Did he support her desire to cancel the
next engagement ? Or was he of the opinion, everything is Ok, Archie is fine, wasn't even in the room.....so lets go.. People are expecting us.

I found the omission of his thoughts in this intriguing.

 

[Ghost]

I doubt the fire. If an electric heater is faulty it provokes a shortcircuit, usually, not a fire.
Even so, these are the temp in Johannesburg that day. Who knows.


https://weatherspark.com/h/d/95256/...eptember-23-2019-in-Johannesburg-South-Africa

 

[Alison H]

Even if the Archie story is true, why bring it up now? Why keep going on and on about things which are over and done with?

Interviewing probably the greatest female tennis player in history, who's just announced her plans to retire (sorry, "evolve away from tennis"), and raised the issue of trying to balance a sporting career with motherhood, is a really big story, and it's a big thing for Meghan to get that interview. Why not focus on that?

Does there just have to be a royal link in there because she thinks that that'll earn more attention? Or does everything just have to be about her? It was as if she just had to make the big story about Serena a story about herself instead.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 6: August 2021-

I didn’t think it was very good. To have Serena Williams discuss her experiences is infinitely interesting. So really it should have been an interview to work and perhaps have a focus of ambition as a negative stereotype…Archetype doesn’t really work as a title. It didn’t do that for me. I mean what is it? A cosy chat? Or a dive into these stereotypes. Is Meghan the interviewer or is it a vehicle for her experiences along with celebrity friend. I thought it was amateurish but that is obviously the vibe they are going for. Cosy at home with the Sussexes. It was odd. I don’t really care about the washing up liquid and quite honestly not about the fire thing either. Child wasn’t in room and no one was harmed.

I didn’t listen to the podcast, don’t plan to, but the fire story seems over dramatic. He wasn’t even in the room. No one was hurt, thankfully. (I’m not sure, but I read a comment that said he wasn’t even on the same floor at the time.)

I guess it was a jab at the royal family since she “had” to work. Thing is- lots of people would have continued on with their job, whatever that job may be, under similar circumstances.

 

[Queen Claude]

Even so, these are the temp in Johannesburg that day. Who knows.

https://weatherspark.com/h/d/95256/...eptember-23-2019-in-Johannesburg-South-Africa

Looking at the graphic, the daytime high temperature was in the 80s and I doubt if the heater would be on. The night / early morning temperatures are in the 40s, so the heater would have likely been turned on in the middle of the night by the nanny or a parent.

Perhaps someone plugged it in or turned it on to test it.

I find the lack of smoke detectors the most egregious thing in the story. Note to self - check smoke detectors.

 

[Erin9]

Even if the Archie story is true, why bring it up now? Why keep going on and on about things which are over and done with?

Interviewing probably the greatest female tennis player in history, who's just announced her plans to retire (sorry, "evolve away from tennis"), and raised the issue of trying to balance a sporting career with motherhood, is a really big story, and it's a big thing for Meghan to get that interview. Why not focus on that?

Does there just have to be a royal link in there because she thinks that that'll earn more attention? Or does everything just have to be about her? It was as if she just had to make the big story about Serena a story about herself instead.

I tend to agree. Getting an interview with Serena was a big deal. Is there a bigger female name in sports? Serena’s been huge for over 20 years. Focus on that. I’m not a sports fan at all, but I’d have to live under a rock to not know who she is.

But- I will say- plenty of stories about the interview are referencing the fire story. So- if that was the goal (getting herself attention) ….mission accomplished. What people thought about including the story is another issue.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I would like to see meghan showing the world and especially her critics, I include myself there, that she is this strong , independent woman who does not need to tell us anything about the 2 years she did royal duties or involve her husband to be a success. If she is good enough she will succeed without it. All she is doing is feeding the critics who say that is all she has to offer.
Think about what Earl Spencer said about his sister , she needed no royal title.

In reference to Earl Spencer’s comment, it sounds or at least sounded like a dig to the royal family and IMO her marriage just like Meghan brought her worldwide attention. The difference is that Diana had some sections of the British press favorable to her and she didn’t have to try too hard, but Meghan and Harry flipping through project after project.

 

[Granada]

I'm reading more articles on the internet about this "Fire" situation and the story as related by Meghan, does not seem to be resonating with readers. It appears to be destined for the Bridal Rehearsal drama involving "who made who cry" of Kate and Meghan.
The "recollections may vary" comment seems to be popular with Posts questioning was it a "fire", or a "smoking" heater that was then unplugged and tossed ?

Big difference. Also Meghan claims ..." We came back, everyone was in tears, everyone was shaken ". Well, that statement is getting her the Drama Queen award of the day. With People saying either She is greatly exaggerating their reaction.... " shaking and crying".... or her staff there are a bunch of snowflakes who fall apart in minor situations. The Fire Dept wasn't even called apparently.

I don't get why She does this at all. It is a recurring theme of "embellishing," events that make her a victim. Or constantly marginalized. Very odd for a career woman who positions herself as a champion of woman rights, empowerment and independence.

It certainly does her no real favors and makes a lot of People like myself question Meghan's ability to recollect the truth clearly.
Makes me nervous too about Harry's forthcoming book.

 

[Curryong]

Meghan did NOT say there was a fire in Archie?s room. What she said was that in the car after the tree stump engagement they were TOLD there was a fire in Archie?s room, which naturally startled them. They got back, and Archie?s nurse (named Lauren, a Zimbabwean) was ?in tears? due to the incident.

What Meghan told Serena

He was going to get ready to go down for his nap. We immediately went to an official engagement in this township called Nyanga, and there was this moment where I'm standing on a tree stump and I'm giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say there's been a fire at the residence. What? There's been a fire in the baby's room. What?'

SERENA: 'Stop!'

MEGHAN: 'Oh my God, I can't believe we haven't talked about this.'

SERENA: 'No.'

MEGHAN: 'And so we're in the car. We had just landed, what, an hour or two hours before racing back? We get back our amazing nanny, Lauren, who we'd had all the way until, um. In Canada here. Lauren in floods of tears. She was supposed to put Archie down for his nap and she just said, You know what? Let me just go get a snack downstairs. And she was from Zimbabwe and we loved that she would always tie him on her, her back with a mud cloth, and her instinct was like, Let me just bring him with me before I put him down. In that amount of time that she went downstairs.'

SERENA: 'Oh, my gosh.'

MEGHAN: 'The heater in the nursery caught on fire. There was no smoke detector. Someone happened to just smell smoke down the hallway went in, fire extinguished. He was supposed to be sleeping in there. And we came back. And of course, as a mother, you go, Oh, my God, what? Everyone's in tears, everyone's shaken.

Note, Meghan never said at any time that she HAD SEEN FIRE.. She said ‘The fire was extinguished’.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-not-recall-fire-baby-Archies-hotel-room.html

 

[Alison H]

And it was such a big deal that she never even mentioned it to a supposedly close friend at the time. And who takes time off work due to a fire that was so minor that it wasn’t even necessary to call the fire service. Why couldn’t she just have talked about Serena’s career and plans for the future?

 

[soapstar]

From the above DM article:

Others are understood to recall the incident which took place on September 23, 2019 - and while they do not remember there actually being a fire, the heater was certainly smoking and was unplugged and dealt with.

When I initially heard the story, I was wondering why the fire dept. hadn’t been called. So that quote helps explain things. It was smoky heater that didn’t require anything further than unplugging.

I’m glad everyone was okay and that it was caught before it turned into a fire.