The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 8: April - August 2023

[TLLK]

I wonder which of the palaces sent legal letters, BP or KP?

I would presume that it would be BP.

 

[Heavs]

The only people who benefit from any of this being dragged up on HLM's birthday, Louis's birthday and two weeks before the coronation are the Sussexes. Everyone else would just as soon truly move on.

There is not a single denial in Meghan's statemen, just hyperbole.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

The Telegraph has not taken down the article, so it seems they are standing by their story. Although they have taken out one particular sentence: “However, it is understood that she does still consider the comment to be racist.” That sentence no longer appears in the article, so I wonder if this is what the Sussexes complained about.

Given that the complaint was successful and the sentence was removed, I think it would necessarily have been lodged by either the Duchess of Sussex or a person known to be familiar with her thinking, as no else would be a credible source to state that "no, the Duchess of Sussex does not still consider the comment to be racist".

The Sussexes spokesperson has released this statement:

“The Duchess of Sussex is going about her life in the present, not thinking about correspondence from two years ago related to conversations from four years ago.

Any suggestion otherwise is false and frankly ridiculous. We encourage tabloid media and various royal correspondents to stop the exhausting circus that they alone are creating.”

Again, they play with fire so often no wonder they get burnt. They clearly do leak to the press when it suits them so no one believes it when they say they haven't.

There is not a single denial in Meghan's statemen, just hyperbole.

Yes, while it may or may not be significant, the official statement does not say explicitly that the leak did not come from a Sussex source. That may very well be a mere technicality, but there have been various occasions in the past where a statement by the Duchess or Duke which most listeners considered to have obvious implications (e.g., linking royal titles and paid security to skin color in the interview with Oprah Winfrey) has later been given a different interpretation based on the absence of explicit wording.

 

[Queen Claude]

The only people who benefit from any of this being dragged up on HLM's birthday, Louis's birthday and two weeks before the coronation are the Sussexes. Everyone else would just as soon truly move on.

There is not a single denial in Meghan's statemen, just hyperbole.

Good point, although even if an explicit denial had been issued, I would take it with a grain of salt given that Meghan ended up admitting that she cooperated with the Scobie / Durand book after Sussex spokespeople denied their involvement.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Reading that article....

This seems more a BP leak than a Sussex leak, though I do think they very much confirmed it. [...]

It is chalked full of royal sources with a lot of opinions too. Hell leaked via a royal supporting publication. Let's keep it real. Meghan could (and would) have used a more sympathetic US publication especially when there are plenty jabs at the Sussexes in this very article.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are royal, so I'm not sure "royal source" couldn't refer to sources affiliated with them as well as sources affiliated with other royals. I see no "jabs" in the article at any of the mentioned individuals.

I find the entire thing entertaining because this letter apparently was written 2 years ago and confirmed the "recollections may vary" comment that supposedly didn't happen but actually did but it wasn't meant in malice but it was racist in tone or whatever.

I mean honestly all it did was confirm what she said. People called her a liar and she could have easily revealed this letter back then.

I do not see where the Telegraph article on the exchange of letters between the Duchess of Sussex and the then-Prince of Wales confirms any disputed allegations. The only information in the article regarding the then Prince Charles's letter to the Duchess of Sussex is:

"Then Prince of Wales, he is understood to have expressed sadness over the chasm that had emerged between the two sides of the Royal family.

He is said to be disappointed that the Duke and Duchess felt the need to make such high-profile and damaging allegations.

[...]

It is understood that both the King and the Duchess acknowledged that the individual’s remark was not made with malice."​

As far as was reported in the article, the only acknowledgements made by Prince Charles in his letter were that a chasm had emerged and that an individual had made a remark. The article does not confirm that the Prince agreed with the description of the remark, or the allegations about "several conversations", given in the Duchess's then-recent interview. (It is possible that there was more to the letters, but that would be speculation as this is all that is currently available.)

 

[Ghost]

New article in the telegraph. It repeats practically the article from the other day plus Meghan’s response.


https://archive.is/0QdYf

 

[OwlBranch]

Good point, although even if an explicit denial had been issued, I would take it with a grain of salt given that Meghan ended up admitting that she cooperated with the Scobie / Durand book after Sussex spokespeople denied their involvement.

Why would the Sussexes leak anything to British media? The Sussexes made it very clear they hate most of British Media.

This article is meant to make Charles look good. There were many speculations on who made the "skin color" comment. The Sussexes clarified that it was not Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip, so the rest of the family remain under suspicion.

When Meghan declined to come to the coronation, it is nature for some people to wonder if Meghan is angry at Charles, maybe because Charles made the "skin color" comment.

The letters exchanged between Charles and Meghan make it is clear it is not Charles. (This is starting to feel like a game of Clue.)

Also, it is interesting that Telegraph states that even back in 2021, Meghan did not think the person who made the comment was racist (saying "no malice" was intended according to Telegraph), so this dovetails with the comment Harry made on his book interview, that they never thought the person was racist, maybe just insensitive, snobbish or "unconscious bias". Remember, they supported Lady Hussey saying she was a lovely person when Twitter was calling her all kind of names.

 

[Denville]

so why did they raise the issue and let Orpah do her WHA_AT.

 

[suztav]

so why did they raise the issue and let Orpah do her WHA_AT.

Exactly! Why bring it up at all if not just to stir the post. I still can't get over the Oprah interview. BTW, we haven't heard from Oprah in a while. I'm guessing she now understands that she "got played" by a very cunning woman. JMHO.

 

[Granada]

I respectively disagree that the Article makes "Charles look good".
I don't believe for one minute that He, The Family, (outside of The Sussex's) OR The Courtiers-Coronation Organizers wanted that can of worms opened up.....again.

The Sussex's in the Oprah Whinefest couldn't even get their OWN stories straight regarding the alleged comment.

In the SAME INTERVIEW no less . Harry said it was one comment while dating, Meghan ramped up her outrage saying it was " multiple concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born ".

Everything that Meghan does, to me anyway is very calculating. This, is just another attempt to steer the attention back to her victimhood at the hands of The Royal Family and The Institution and their grievances at Them, and now their Children as being "second " The The Wales Family.

If you can read between the lines, I believe that Archie not being "acknowledged" in *some* fashion in The Coronation Festivities is a big part of this. That hurts them. Personally, and for Their Royal Brand.

Obviously, Charles "other" Grandchildren, The Wales Children, are front in center. George will be a Page there, and Charlotte and Louis will be in a public carriage procession. Camilla's Sister and Grandchildren will have prominent Coronation roles at Westminster Abbey.

So I'm not surprised that this "letter" came out two weeks before "The big day". Not one bit.

 

[HRHTalDuchess]

Is the British press so desperate for clicks that now they are creating stories? Yes, the headlines are dying down, are general excitement about the "Big Day" is not what they had hoped. More ppl are concerned about the cost of living in the UK than the coronation, and even appalled at the cost to the taxpayer. So the press needs to trot out its favorite clickbait couple, the Sussexes. No other royal couple seems to generate as much revenue for British press as the Sussexes right now. Is the Royal Rota finally turning against its primary benefactors, BP and KP? Naah, that cruel relationship between the palace and the press is still intact...

I still for one believe the leak came from within BP to "make the King look good." Mr. Low never specified which of the palaces the legal letters came from, I suspect it's KP. There is a "War of the Windsors" that does not involve the Sussexes. BP is trying to keep KP in line...

 

[moby]

Curious this narrative being pushed by Sussex fans that there is a “war” between BP and KP but the arguments are flimsy and it just sounds like grasping at straws, trying very hard to force the idea that the Sussexes are not the problem.

Anyway, as someone’s pointed out, the highlighting “unconscious bias” in the article seems obvious where the leak came from. It came from Victoria Ward, who has written favorably on the couple many times, and now has been edited many times. It seems like someone wanted to let people know WHY she was not going to the coronation. Plus who has a history of dredging up perceived old slights?

Whoever leaked it, from a PR standpoint, it makes zero sense for BP to want to bring up this issue close to coronation. Again, funny thing is, this story barely got any traction outside of royal watchers’ forums so if the intention was to stir the pot before coronation, it failed.

 

[FigTree]

Is the British press so desperate for clicks that now they are creating stories? Yes, the headlines are dying down, are general excitement about the "Big Day" is not what they had hoped. More ppl are concerned about the cost of living in the UK than the coronation, and even appalled at the cost to the taxpayer. So the press needs to trot out its favorite clickbait couple, the Sussexes. No other royal couple seems to generate as much revenue for British press as the Sussexes right now. Is the Royal Rota finally turning against its primary benefactors, BP and KP? Naah, that cruel relationship between the palace and the press is still intact...

I still for one believe the leak came from within BP to "make the King look good." Mr. Low never specified which of the palaces the legal letters came from, I suspect it's KP. There is a "War of the Windsors" that does not involve the Sussexes. BP is trying to keep KP in line...

I respectfully disagree. This is the way it always is. British people don’t really do excitement until it happens. They were so shocked by the number of people who turned up on the first day of the Jubilee that they didn’t have enough infrastructure to cope with it so they shut the underground’s in the centre at 10am. They bumped up infrastructure the other days. It all also depends on weather as so much does in Britain. But having been in London this week, it is gearing up for the big day and everyone is beginning to talk about it and how interesting it will be. So yeah…the Jubilee was once in several lifetimes…if ever again but also not many people have ever seen a coronation.

As for the palaces. KP would have no read on to send a legal letter. And they aren’t in a war. In fact, in reality, the big issues around that stuff was Charles and Andrew. Charles is no 1 now and Andrew no longer matters. William has nobody in competition with him at all.

 

[HenRach Dominion]

Since a lot of the British people don't believe TRH The Sussexes anyway, all their comments do is bring more love and protection and attention to the main BRF. Hell, they're probably laughing behind their palatial estates basking in the rise of British patriotism that this new letter situation has caused.

 

[Denville]

Exactly! Why bring it up at all if not just to stir the post. I still can't get over the Oprah interview. BTW, we haven't heard from Oprah in a while. I'm guessing she now understands that she "got played" by a very cunning woman. JMHO.

Hardly. She got a mega famous interview, in return for Wha'ting and givin them a platform. But she's a lousy actress.

 

[Alison H]

This "leak" is hardly being mentioned in the printed copies of the papers, or on TV and radio. No-one is interested in it. The picture of Prince Louis released for his 5th birthday got far more coverage.

 

[suztav]

Hardly. She got a mega famous interview, in return for Wha'ting and givin them a platform. But she's a lousy actress.

I respectfully disagree. Oprah got played.

Oprah likes big interviews, but not at the expense of being a laughing stock for being sucked-into the Sussex drama machine.

 

[HRHHermione]

Several highly speculative posts have been removed. Please keep the thread on topic and based on the facts as reported in reputable sources.

 

[iceflower]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the NBA basketball playoffs round one game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles on April 24:


** Pic ** gettyimages gallery ** dm article **

 

[Curryong]

The couple look very happy on their date night, and jokingly played up to the crowd urging them to kiss! It’s lovely to see them together and enjoying themselves.

 

[Claire]

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-w...s-for-very-large-sum-high-court-told-12866007

Harry's Lawyers claim prince-william-settled-phone-hacking-claim-against-news-group-newspapers-for-very-large-sum-high-court-told

Now this is interesting.

 

[Magnolia471]

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-w...s-for-very-large-sum-high-court-told-12866007

Harry's Lawyers claim prince-william-settled-phone-hacking-claim-against-news-group-newspapers-for-very-large-sum-high-court-told

Now this is interesting.

Was this necessary? Whatever William decided regarding this incident should remain private. William has a right to privacy just like Harry. Harry should stop attacking his brother and then call out the press whining that his brother doesn't talk to him anymore. It's so getting pathetic.

 

[yukari]

Wasn't it widely reported back then, from William filling lawsuit to how it ended in (undisclosed) settlement? Plus William is hardly the only one whose lawsuit against NotW ended with a settlement so what's the deal?

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27413632

What I wonder is what it has to do with Harry's case? Does he want to (re)appeal on William's lawsuit or what? And I don't get the part about News of the World. I understand that NotW was a sister paper of the Sun, but, CMIIW, they are still different organisation, aren't they? Or does he mean to sue something which no longer exist?

 

[Ghost]

Was this necessary? Whatever William decided regarding this incident should remain private. William has a right to privacy just like Harry. Harry should stop attacking his brother and then call out the press whining that his brother doesn't talk to him anymore. It's so getting pathetic.

Harry can’t help himself from bringing William all the time. What relevance does it have to his claim? He’s attacked Kate, the children, William incessantly. He also brought Carol into his case.

 

[Erin9]

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 8: Apr. 2023 -

Was this necessary? Whatever William decided regarding this incident should remain private. William has a right to privacy just like Harry. Harry should stop attacking his brother and then call out the press whining that his brother doesn't talk to him anymore. It's so getting pathetic.

Exactly my question. Is this necessary? Why does William need to be brought into this?
This is a violation of William’s privacy- and not Harry’s place to disclose. Although that certainly has never stopped Harry in the past.

From the comment above- what does Carol have to do with this? Why involve her?

 

[victor1319]

Harry's Lawyers claim prince-william-settled-phone-hacking-claim-against-news-group-newspapers-for-very-large-sum-high-court-told

Now this is interesting.

This is really interesting, because one of the decisive points of this trial/case is the timing! There is this "statute of limitations" thingy - and the actions of the press, which are in question here, the wiretapping and all... they were done so long ago in the past, that there might be no case at all!

Prince Harry will have to show, that he did not know earlier.

And if Crown Prince William as a witness before the court would tell, that all this was kept secret from Prince Harry, this would be achieved...

So, is Prince Harry trying to get Prince William before the court? Or is simply threatning this enough in the Britsh Monarchy? We will see! But that Prince Harry's lawyers are pulling this card... My, Prince Harry is either in need of money or he thinks that high of himself, that he is doing something to damage the Monarchy again.

 

[yukari]

This is really interesting, because one of the decisive points of this trial/case is the timing! There is this "statute of limitations" thingy - and the actions of the press, which are in question here, the wiretapping and all... they were done so long ago in the past, that there might be no case at all!

Prince Harry will have to show, that he did not know earlier.

And if Crown Prince William as a witness before the court would tell, that all this was kept secret from Prince Harry, this would be achieved...

(...)

The thing is those phone hacking scandal was widely reported all over British (and non-British) media back then, including the fact that Harry's (and Chelsey's) phone were hacked. With how much Harry detailing every tabloid's headlines about him since he's still in Eton in Spare, are we meant to believe that somehow he had skipped one of the biggest story in British press?

PS: I bet the Sun would be more than happy (even ecstatic) to have William stand as witness just to get another story of royal-battle-in-court to sell their paper.

 

[Adda]

How very nice of Harold and his lawyer to reveal a secret agreement without The POW's permission to do so.
I hope not a single person talks to him at the Coronation. He's just vile.

 

[Mbruno]

How very nice of Harold and his lawyer to reveal a secret agreement without The POW's permission to do so.
I hope not a single person talks to him at the Coronation. He's just vile.

I wonder if he can legally disclose a confidential agreement. Does anyone know?

 

[wbenson]

I wonder if he can legally disclose a confidential agreement. Does anyone know?

He doesn't seem to be a party to the agreement, so I don't think there would be any way for him to be bound by it.