The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 9: August 2023 - July 2024

[Denville]

but how can anyone take Harry's smiles seriously wehn he told us he hated doig the royal duties.

 

[Curryong]

Harry never said anything about hating being Patron of WellChild. If he had disliked this charity, or Invictus for that matter, he wouldn’t have continued on with them or turned up year after year after he ceased being a working royal.

 

[Ghost]

It is interesting that Harry often looks most happy and engaged when doing activities that are similar to his time as a working royal, but I also thought he was happy and engaged at times in his life where he's made it clear that he very much wasn't. I agree that it's nice to see him smiling and doing something positive.

Indeed. It is such a pity that ever since he said he wasn’t happy about some occasions where he originally seemed rexaled and engaged that it is impossible to trust his appearance. At least for me.

 

[TLLK]

Harry has always had an ability to engage with people be they children or old folks and those in between, in a way that is totally natural. It makes me sad to see that he could make such a positive contribution if things were very different.

Yes, he does have a gift when it comes to connecting with people.

 

[Granada]

I guess I am now in the "suspicious motives" category now too, regarding Harry and Meghan appearances and interactions. This is from Harry's and Meghan's own words, no less.

For Meghan, after the highly popular Commonwealth Tours, had dismissive comments like ( I can't believe I'm not getting paid for this ) and Harry sadly saying that He felt over worked, he said "burned out", and basically was going thru the motions. He spoke to Oprah on this. Specifically referring to his Nepal trip in 2016. That he was also used as a "Yes Man for Foreign Trips".

Did Harry EVER really understand anything about "service" ? Or work, it seems. Representing The Crown-The Family in dire, challenging situations ?
Spreading goodwill and cheer to People suffering. I thought Harry, like his Mother, simply excelled at that.

This was a single guy, 32 years old, a 'Working Royal', who was seemingly shining a light on the devastating Earthquakes and suffering endured by Residents in Nepal. He came off as very "present in the moment", sincere, and caring, working with the victims there.

But, it appears that was a facade. Harry went right into victim mode with Oprah. He felt "forced" to visit there. More complaints.

So color me skeptical about how enthusiastic or engaged Harry appears. The Sussex's need positive PR. And Harry is blessed with charisma, that is for sure. I just don't know how much is real empathy or acting to be honest.

 

[Hallo girl]

I guess I am now in the "suspicious motives" category now too, regarding Harry and Meghan appearances and interactions. This is from Harry's and Meghan's own words, no less.

For Meghan, after the highly popular Commonwealth Tours, had dismissive comments like ( I can't believe I'm not getting paid for this ) and Harry sadly saying that He felt over worked, he said "burned out", and basically was going thru the motions. He spoke to Oprah on this. Specifically referring to his Nepal trip in 2016. That he was also used as a "Yes Man for Foreign Trips".

Did Harry EVER really understand anything about "service" ? Or work, it seems. Representing The Crown-The Family in dire, challenging situations ?
Spreading goodwill and cheer to People suffering. I thought Harry, like his Mother, simply excelled at that.

This was a single guy, 32 years old, a 'Working Royal', who was seemingly shining a light on the devastating Earthquakes and suffering endured by Residents in Nepal. He came off as very present, sincere and caring, working with the victims there.

But, it appears that was a facade. Harry went right into victim mode with Oprah. He felt "forced" to visit there. More complaints.

So color me skeptical about how enthusiastic or engaged Harry appears. The Sussex's need positive PR. And Harry is blessed with charisma, that is for sure. I just don't know how much is real empathy or acting to be honest.

I was really shocked by the Nepal comments because I had thought he actually stayed on longer in the country in a private capacity to help, actual physical help, not just drawing attention to the problem. Maybe I have got it wrong , there were no photographs that I saw of the extended private visit .

 

[Iluvbertie]

The CC has him joining Team Rubicon at the end of the tour and there are media reports that he was with them for a week or so after the end of the tour.

Maybe he enjoyed the 'hands on' helping out of sight of the media but not the glad handing on public view.

If so maybe he could have been used in that capacity somehow.

Anne used to get her hands dirty for Save the Children e.g. I remember reading that on one visit to Africa she not only insisted in staying in the tents she insisted on putting them up so she was 'on site' to help rather than having to go back to the clean hotel ... the media left her to it.

 

[Heavs]

I was really shocked by the Nepal comments because I had thought he actually stayed on longer in the country in a private capacity to help, actual physical help, not just drawing attention to the problem. Maybe I have got it wrong , there were no photographs that I saw of the extended private visit .

Those Nepal comments were the ones that really shocked me. Particularly given his Invictus role and clear desire to wear his uniform.

He wasn't sent there as a "dogsbody" or "yes man" or whatever. He went there because it was the Gurkha's 200th anniversary in the British Army, to hand out medals to those who had earned them, to bring attention and practical help to those who had lost everything in the earthquake. And because he had a special relationship with the Gurkhas because they were his bodyguards in Afghanistan. Not in that particular order but he wasn't "forced" to go to some random place. This was a trip no one else could have made in the same way. He went because he was deeply connected/indebted to the people he was visiting and he stayed longer than his official visit because he was deeply moved by their plight and wanted to help, he made a personal announcement. Except he has now claimed that was all a lie and he hated everything about it despite seemingly to enjoy rebuilding in videos.

He seems to deeply care about the plight of sick children, their parents and care givers and siblings but in 5 years time he could be complaining about that.

It is clearly a very worthwhile charity and I am in no way disparaging that and Harry has always had a certain way with kids, but he chose to do full time royal duties when he didn't have to and now claims he was forced when he wasn't even in the top 10 list of working royals for 2016, so good for him for keeping up this patronage but excuse me for being slightly cynical.

I suppose it is a question of was he lying them or his he lying now, or perhaps he he doesn't care which one it is.

 

[Granada]

Yes Hallo Girl and Heavs, it is both shocking and VERY disappointing at the same time. So I take Harry's genuine interest and involvement with these causes ....more cautiously.
More "recollections may vary" ..... I'm guessing.
The then, most charismatic member of the Family, second only to the then Queen in popularity. I assumed a single, adventurous, young guy would love these assignments ! In -out .....great press too !!!!

I just thought he was committed to making a difference in his interactions with People in distress. OR in 'fun' situations like the Hussein Bolt laughs in Jamaica, ( 2012) so enjoyable and lighthearted ! Loved it. That got lots of positive play in The States too.

Was that fake ? "Going thru the motions" . Wow. You fooled me Harry.

Harry made these a BIG point in another Oprah Interview "The Me You Can't See"....So interesting in retrospect. That He felt put upon. Harry's words." We need someone to go there, Nepal. Harry you go".

He seemed committed and interested in these projects. LIKE Nepal. So disappointing. Because Harry specifically referenced that trip as a drudge, a chore. Forced into it.

So, I'm just not convinced by happy faces and snappy dialogue anymore.

 

[HRHHermione]

There was a new Town and Country article today discussing where the Sussexes are one year after the Queen’s death. It incorporates some criticisms of users here, but I think it was mostly pretty fair:

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...y-queen-elizabeth-death-anniversary-analysis/

 

[HenRach Dominion]

There was a new Town and Country article today discussing where the Sussexes are one year after the Queen’s death. It incorporates some criticisms of users here, but I think it was mostly pretty fair:

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...y-queen-elizabeth-death-anniversary-analysis/

I agree that this article is very fair in their criticisms with regards to TRH The Sussexes, especially this quote:

When they walked away from royal life, they removed the substance that representing the institution of the monarchy gave them. Replacing it with a new raison d’être was always going to be a challenge. Much of the criticism of their approach can be traced back to the fact that they have yet to cultivate a new strong and independent brand to represent.

However, I think the next paragraph hits the nail on the head:

Perhaps one of the stumbling blocks has been Harry and Meghan’s own ambition: their desire to do so much and make such an impact all while earning an income to maintain a certain lifestyle....Could it be that emulating the royal approach of taking on multiple different projects, visits, and causes does not work so well without the infrastructure of, well, a constitutional position?

IMHO, TRH The Sussexes want to show that they can still maintain that spirit of service and philanthropy that they had when they were working royals, but that's hard when you also have to make a living instead of being paid by the government or inheriting vastly lucrative land portfolios. I would suggest they stop trying to do so except for with their premiere programs (Invictus, Sentebale, etc.) and do funner, more personally lucrative things like a talk show or a travelogue.

 

[HRHHermione]

I agree that this article is very fair in their criticisms with regards to TRH The Sussexes, especially this quote:







However, I think the next paragraph hits the nail on the head:







IMHO, TRH The Sussexes want to show that they can still maintain that spirit of service and philanthropy that they had when they were working royals, but that's hard when you also have to make a living instead of being paid by the government or inheriting vastly lucrative land portfolios. I would suggest they stop trying to do so except for with their premiere programs (Invictus, Sentebale, etc.) and do funner, more personally lucrative things like a talk show or a travelogue.

I actually quite agree with this. A royal role without being royal is not tenable, and I’d rather them do purely commercial projects (hopefully, fun and successful) except for a handful of legacy projects. Even for WellChild and Invictus, maybe Harry should consider giving up the “patron” role and move into something like a board advisory position or a PR support. Patronage doesn’t really work for his position as someone living privately whose main focus is commercial interests.

 

[Denville]

I think there is nothing wrong with his doing charity work but his books and interviews over the past 3 years have given the impression that he did not really enjoy that sort of work, that he felt like he was being used in having to do that sort of work and that his being a jolly friendly chap who liked to mingle with people and do good for them, was all for show.

 

[Hallo girl]

I may be misjudging the situation but I have a sense of them going their own way , in relation to work. It looks like Meghan is going down the commercial route, while Harry the charitable way. That could be a good compromise. I thought it was interesting how they were listed for the soccer match, that Meghan didn't attend, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I wondered if that was a sign of the times. If Meghan goes by her own name it removes accusations of trading on royal titles, it is also lets her work to her strengths.

I cannot see Harry being able to sell a pint of milk never mind anything else but his name and connections for the charity field could open doors and introductions. His problem is all that he said in the past about doing these duties, this might come back to bite him. He already has paid roles behind the scenes in a couple of companies that once again would allow him to be employed without obviously trading on royal connections. I know some people will suggest he only managed to obtain the roles because of who he is but lets be honest anybody employing him is not going to automatically get an introduction to the King or the royal family as that ship has sailed.
So if he allows the shackles , as he sees them, to drop he could be his own man. Move on from royal stories. disassociate himself from leaks and accusations. In other words get on with their lives.

AS long as he feels the need to complain about his family he will never move on, so lets hope this is the start of things to come.

 

[Denville]

I know charities can't always affor to be choosy, but I would nolt really want to work with someone who so nakedly made it clear that he didn't like being asked to help people, and who seems to have just put on a show of being friendly..

 

[Denville]

I agree that this article is very fair in their criticisms with regards to TRH The Sussexes, especially this quote:



However, I think the next paragraph hits the nail on the head:



IMHO, TRH The Sussexes want to show that they can still maintain that spirit of service and philanthropy that they had when they were working royals, but that's hard when you also have to make a living instead of being paid by the government or inheriting vastly lucrative land portfolios. I would suggest they stop trying to do so except for with their premiere programs (Invictus, Sentebale, etc.) and do funner, more personally lucrative things like a talk show or a travelogue.

what do you really expect them to do? they are not professional talk show hosts, and I can't see what is the point of them having such programmes. all they have to offer is what they can tell us about the RF, which is stuff that many of us might prefer not to hear

 

[Mbruno]

what do you really expect them to do? they are not professional talk show hosts, and I can't see what is the point of them having such programmes. all they have to offer is what they can tell us about the RF, which is stuff that many of us might prefer not to hear

It seems that Meghan wants to have a career as a TV/movie producer and perhaps get back into acting. It has been reported for example that she has bought the rights to certain novels which she plans to develop as films. Those are conventional movie projects that are totally unrelated to her royal connections. If Meghan is successful in those endeavors, it will be on her own professional merits alone. She faces many challenges though as producing is a very competitive field and market conditions have gotten tougher since the Covid pandemic. We have seen even some major American media conglomerates losing millions of dollars recently in movies that flopped.

Harry, on the other hand, was originally well-positioned to have a career as a PR ambassador or do brand endorsements, but his public image has deteriorated quite a lot recently making him less attractive to many potential partners.

 

[Mirabel]

I know charities can't always affor to be choosy, but I would nolt really want to work with someone who so nakedly made it clear that he didn't like being asked to help people, and who seems to have just put on a show of being friendly..

Especially if that person then charges the charity a large amount for "expenses." That's the rumor I keep hearing.

 

[Denville]

where do you hear this rumour?

 

[HenRach Dominion]

what do you really expect them to do? they are not professional talk show hosts, and I can't see what is the point of them having such programmes. all they have to offer is what they can tell us about the RF, which is stuff that many of us might prefer not to hear

It puts TRH The Sussexes in a Catch-22 then, doesn't it? If they talk about their experiences within the BRF, then they're criticized for either lying or airing out dirty laundry, depending on whether you believe them or not. If they receive endorsement deals or positions independent of the position in the BRF, then they're either accused of trading in on their titles or breaking royal protocol in spite no longer being working members of the BRF. If they HRH The Duke of Sussex and HRH The Duchess of Sussex focus on the careers they had before, philanthropy and entertainment respectively, then they're accused of being famewhores and lazy for not getting jobs outside of the fields they have the most knowledge of. If TRH The Sussexes are not doing anything at all but living their lives and paparazzi happen to take their pictures, then they're accused of everything from staging the pictures for fame to cozying up to celebrities for fame to being lazy to trying to overshadow the BRF. Finally, many British polls show that TRH The Sussexes would not be welcomed back into the BRF even if they wanted to return.

So yes, what do you expect them to do is a very value question.

 

[Lee-Z]

So yes, what do you expect them to do is a very value question.

Imo it just takes one thing, to make everything different for their future and gets them out of that 'catch-22':

"Even though 'recollections may vary' we acknowledge that we have our own responsibility on many things that happened in our own lives. We realise that going public talking about what we intended as being about ourselves, but actually hurting many of the people in the proces who knew us in the past, helped us, worked with us, and not in the least our families, was not our intention. We apologise to each one of them."

 

[Somebody]

Such an apology would indeed go a long way!

 

[Anna1519]

No reputable news source has made any substantial allegations of Harry or Meghan charging Invictus for expenses or attempting in any way to make funds off of these games. The only place this has been alleged is on the social media accounts of conspiracy theorists. Perhaps we could stick to criticizing Harry and Meghan for things they have actually done, rather than inventing grievances based on personal animus towards the Sussex family.

Edit: I attempted to make this as a stand alone post but it's formatted as a reply which was not my intention. Not quite sure how to fix this - sorry.

 

[HenRach Dominion]

Imo it just takes one thing, to make everything different for their future and gets them out of that 'catch-22':

"Even though 'recollections may vary' we acknowledge that we have our own responsibility on many things that happened in our own lives. We realise that going public talking about what we intended as being about ourselves, but actually hurting many of the people in the proces who knew us in the past, helped us, worked with us, and not in the least our families, was not our intention. We apologise to each one of them."

The problem with working off of hypotheticals is that there's too many circumstances where the results will end up just the same. For example, let's say they give that exact apology. Many people would forgive them. Many people would say its too late. Many people would say it's insincere. And naturally, mended bridges don't sell as many papers as broken ones, so the tabloid media wouldn't care.

Say they never complained about the BRF at all, as they hadn't for over a year after they decided to step down as working members specifically because of the press, and tried to live a simpler, yet public life. Many people would argue that they should have stayed and sucked it up, that it's a mockery to the BRF to have an independent public life (in spite of others in the BRF doing just that), that they're just want fame without the hard work in spite not doing anything at all between March 2020 and January 2021.

Say that they stayed with the BRF. Maybe the tabloids would have gotten bored with them and left them in peace. Or maybe their interest would have persisted, and their constant barrage would have led to a medical emergency for either of TRH The Sussexes.

It's hard to say that TRH The Sussexes would just have to do one thing to raise their esteem in the public. In general, they're too many variables that have to be considered before an action can have a "positive" effect. In particular, although there is a lot of valid criticism of TRH The Sussexes, they have often been criticized for both doing and not doing the same action, being photograph doing nothing and something, distracting when they attend family events and not attending them enough, for trying to be royal when they focused on philanthropy and not behaving royal enough when they hang out with celebrities, as well as others.

TRH The Sussexes have been criticized for contradictory actions even before they left the BRF, so I doubt that even leaving without a word would have led to less criticism, let alone an apology at this point.

 

[TLLK]

Imo it just takes one thing, to make everything different for their future and gets them out of that 'catch-22':

"Even though 'recollections may vary' we acknowledge that we have our own responsibility on many things that happened in our own lives. We realise that going public talking about what we intended as being about ourselves, but actually hurting many of the people in the proces who knew us in the past, helped us, worked with us, and not in the least our families, was not our intention. We apologise to each one of them."

This would be an excellent statement for the couple to issue.

 

[Granada]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that The Sussex's will NEVER apologize. To me, that's just not how they operate. They dig in their heels and if not on offense, they are always then the Victims.

That statement, as envisioned by Lee-Z would be tremendous. I just don't see anything remotely similar ever happening.

I think this stalemate between The Firm and The Sussex's is going to only harden. Not thaw at all.

 

[iceflower]

The Duke of Sussex at the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 opening ceremony and side events today, September 9:


** gettyimages gallery 1 ** gettyimages gallery 2 ** gettyimages gallery 3 ** rex gallery **

 

[ACO]

Will the Sussexes receive apologies? Unless both sides owning up— no one will. It is what it is.

Besides I think they are all beyond this now. They been gone three years. They all have their own lives.

 

[ACO]

No reputable news source has made any substantial allegations of Harry or Meghan charging Invictus for expenses or attempting in any way to make funds off of these games. The only place this has been alleged is on the social media accounts of conspiracy theorists. Perhaps we could stick to criticizing Harry and Meghan for things they have actually done, rather than inventing grievances based on personal animus towards the Sussex family.

Edit: I attempted to make this as a stand alone post but it's formatted as a reply which was not my intention. Not quite sure how to fix this - sorry.

People just make stuff up and suddenly it’s facts…

 

[FigTree]

Will the Sussexes receive apologies? Unless both sides owning up— no one will. It is what it is.

Besides I think they are all beyond this now. They been gone three years. They all have their own lives.

Apologies for what? No serious,y what did the family do? I can see they didn’t deal with things the way the Sussexes wanted but that doesn’t warrant an apology. Or else we’d all be apologising all the time. I’d like you to do this? Well I’ve thought about it and I’d rather not.