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Meghan Markle and the "do it yourself" impulse

It was no surprise to followers of the Duchess of Sussex's fashion when Vanity Fair revealed recently that the Duchess does not have a stylist - "she does most of it herself," the article read.

Meg's persistently poor choices in clothes and their lack of tailoring and fit would reflect badly on any professional stylist.

Back in the days right after her wedding, she did seem to have someone with a trained eye assisting her  - she had a relatively attractive wardrobe for her trip to Ireland, for example.

Perhaps that person quit out of frustration. Meg likes to do things her way.

Meg also reportedly does her own hair (her wigs?) as well as her own makeup (lots and lots of bronzer) whenever weepy make-up artist Daniel Martin is not around for tea and avocado toast.

But these do not seem to be the only professional roles Meg has been taking on, or perhaps taking away from the people hired to do them.

The bad PR article placement

There are also signs that Meg has been doing her own public relations work. Today The Sun ran a piece, echoed in the New York Post's Page Six plus the Australian media that Meg was considering buying a rescue dog for Archie.

Archie, or whomever is playing the part of Archie this week, doesn't need a rescue dog. He's less than four months old.

He needs something to eat, a safe place to sleep, and warm loving arms to hold him. (Apparently not Meghan's, based on the baptism photos, but perhaps we haven't seen the true extent of their mother-child relationship.)

A PR pro would know that the rescue dog story was poorly timed and didn't make sense. (Maybe an alternate story about some celebrity giving Archie a dog-patterned blanket or onesie?)

What is a baby going to do with a dog that's probably bigger than it is?

But Meg is trying to push her dog credentials - the late lamented Guy is described as alive and well in the Sun article - so she may have also been the source of the rescue dog adoption news.

The Instagram Account

The detail that @SussexRoyal Instagram texts consistently use American spelling has been seen as evidence Meg is writing them herself, instead of relying on a British social media expert.

There are more tells, including a tone to the text that sounds like what Camilla Long of the Times UK calls "a sanctimonious monthly social awareness approach" that feels "entirely detached from reality."

"It's a syrupy, fantasist's medley of sub-Beyoncéan baloney...a selection of vague, non-commital subjects."

Sounds like Meghan to a T.

And the photo choice for the account also seems to reflect Meghan's point of view: there is a great deal of her looking at Harry or Harry looking at her, as opposed to either one of them sincerely interacting with their employers, the people of the UK and the Commonwealth.

The Black Sharpie

Some of the less competent Photoshop work done on this week's baptismal picture may have been Meghan's handiwork as well.

Whether or not you believe the whole image is a fake, Meg's hair looks like it has been colored in with a black Sharpie - there are no light reflections at all.

No Photoshop professional would do that. But Meg might.

The social media comments

While The Strong Write PR Twitter account (currently set to private) is often assumed to be Meg's, she also appears to be commenting on others' stories using a variety of pseudonyms. 

In the Daily Mail comments, "April Brown" from Colorado and "Unemployed from Bongor"  and "Bingofan" as well as "Debunker 36"  and "Citydweller" can be counted to turn up on any given story and sing Meghan's praises. 

It's always hard to tell if these commenters are real Meg fans with an enormous amount of time on their hands, paid sock puppets (easy to purchase online), or Meghan herself.


The CDAN connection

Social Media Shark Meghan can boast one major hit when it comes to getting her message across using online placement; the gossip about William and Rose Hanbury has had surprising longevity, and somebody is feeding it to Enty.

(Enty has frequently confessed on his podcast that he has no Royal sources, and only knows original Royal gossip when it relates to Los Angeles, such as Meghan's house search there. Somebody is feeding him Rose stuff. It would be interesting to know who, and why.)

On yesterday's item suggesting Rose will be divorcing her husband soon and is still seeing William, there were two commenters I'd never seen before - "Meredith" and "Samantha."

That's an oddly uniform name choice for a site where people call themselves things like "CheeseGrater15" and "Count Jerkula".

(Meredith's profile is private. Samantha's is brand new.)

Getting her hands dirty

Anyway, Meredith and Samantha are big Meg supporters. "Meghan looks good in white or ivory. She wears it a lot lately. Is she making that her signature look?" asked Samantha. 

Neither Meredith nor Samantha thought much of Kate's outfit or shoes. "It is a bit too short," said Meredith. "The hat was a little strange, and the shoes didn't seem to match the dress," said Samantha.

The ladies also interacted and argued with each other about Kate's role in the affair. Both seemed to be certain that the report was correct and William was still seeing Rose.

Are any of these commenters really Meghan Markle, or someone paid by Meghan Markle? Impossible to know. 

But it wouldn't be out of character for a royal who was ready to "get her hands dirty" and to do things herself.



Comments

abbyh said…
No dog trainer worth their salt would encourage a new mother (even one who has "help" of some to great amount) to also take on a new puppy. Infants don't interact with animals just yet. It is more like a couple years down the road.
Now! said…
I would say age 4 or 5. Besides, the family (supposedly) already has two dogs. Archie can learn to interact with them. He certainly doesn't need his own.
MLRoda said…
Just another PR article to keep her in the news. As for the affair, she's still hoping to find traction and keeps putting it out there to see if/when it sticks. I really hope they find out who's behind it and take them to court - even if it is MM.
Now! said…
I think a clever PR person could come up with some better article topics.

For example, it would be a great idea for her to leverage her Royal Theater patronage by directing a play for young people - perhaps something that would mix kids from different racial backgrounds and economic classes in a classic British play. (She might not be up to Shakespeare, but she could do David Hare or Joe Orton or Tom Stoppard) We could follow the play as she casts it, begins rehearsals, and ultimately presents it to the kids' families and friends.

Or they could go for a humorous approach - Meg the chef tried to cook Harry a traditional British dish and did a horrible job of it, or misunderstood some aspect of British nature or culture (as she did when wearing Wellingtons in downtown London early in their courtship.) That would go a long way towards making her more accessible to the UK public.

You know, a PR pro can come up with this kind of thing. That's their job. Meg should let them do their jobs.
MLRoda said…
But Nutty, she's not interested in anything in British culture, any culture, the Commonwealth or for that matter any of patronages. She's interested in fame, merching and how much money she's going to get from just being her fabulous SM online wizard, global traveler, self promoting, earth mother, yoga practising, clean eating, fashion icon self. I might have missed something but that will do for starters.
Girl with a Hat said…
As a narcissist, she wants to portray herself as all knowing, always in the right and wants to dress/live to provoke envy in others. She doesn't have the culture or education to understand things more profoundly than that, so all subtleties are lost on her. She is also impervious to any type of criticism so it's really a lost cause. She alienates people but cannot adapt, so she will continue to do so. Then, she will blame it all on racism. As will her "friends".
Now! said…
Of course, you're right. But she's trying to impress the wrong people. She's trying to impress the Hollywood and Manhattan types who wouldn't pay attention to her for the first 36 years of her life.

A good communications professional could come up with some earned media that would address her actual audience, the people of the UK and the Commonwealth.

But that would require listening to someone else instead of doing everything her own way, which is not how Meg rolls.
Now! said…
Sounds right. But you can't intentionally provoke envy in other people any more than you can provoke love or desire in them. People react to you based on their own needs, not yours.
Louise said…
It would be bad enough if $mirkle was only impervious to criticism. Rather, the criticism seems to motivate her to dig her heels in even more, in order to provoke.

I agree with others that she has no interest in the UK or Commonwealth whatsoever; neither its people, nor its history and traditions. Her decision to not attend the D-Day anniversary ceremonies whilst making time to attend a baseball game is proof of that.

But this just leads me back to my usual question, i.e., why are the Queen and Charles allowing this? We know that the Queen insisted that Sophie , Countess of Wessex, fall into line. I just don't get it.
Jen said…
Oh please...Rose and her hubby are divorcing because of his illegal activities. This may also be why W and K have distanced themselves from them to begin with.
Now! said…
That's news to me, Jen! What are his illegal activities?
NikNak said…
I'm living for your blogs at the moment Nutty.

I spotted the 'rescue' dog article too this morning and had to roll my eyes. Whether shes getting help with Archie or not, the last thing you need is another pet when all the baby knows is food, pooing and sleeping. MegCon is building her own narrative...cookie cut lifestyle in a cottage with a new born. Why is she trying so hard? enjoy the moment and calm down. I can't understand how showing up to Wimbledon in stained jeans and a see-through top and rocking up at a baseball game would be seen as necessary to anyone? To me it doesn't come across as a new mother to her first baby but a orchestrated media move.


I would also like to add my friend from Uni's parents live near Frogmore House (Adelaide Square) and like most burrors are protective of the land and occupants. I asked her a few days ago to ask them if they'd heard any mention of MegCon and Harrsilly in the area...apparently nadar. No-ones heard anything, no staff, no vehicles, no activity.
Girl with a Hat said…
interesting. so these renovations appear in the accounts produced by the Duchy of Cornwall or some other institution. Has there been some fraud perpetrated regarding the amounts supposedly spent on the Frogmore Cottage renovations? And if so, where has that money gone?
Now! said…
That's a really good question, Mischi.

As I say on CDAN in my response to another question today, Markle has had tax problems in the past and given her mysterious merching income will probably have tax problems in the future.

US expats are supposed to declare the value of housing provided by their employer on their 1040s - Markle's was due June 15, unless she filed for an extension.

If the IRS examines her return for any reason, I'm sure they'd find plenty of irregularities related to Frogmore Cottage.
Jen said…
I read something about a month ago about some illegal stuff he became involved with in France. Cant seem to find it again, so can't confirm its validity.
Now! said…
Sophie didn't have much attention on her outside of the UK, and it was before the days of social media.

I also don't think there was a financial angle to Sophie's misdeeds, the way there may be with Markle's.

Finally, Edward wasn't involved in Sophie's mess (although he had plenty of messes of his own.) Harry may very well be involved in whatever Meghan is up to.
NikNak said…
Apparently there were upgrades on the the A308 a couple of weeks before (I think that's the right one, google maps it as I may be wrong) and people were asked to avoid it at night for construction. May just be a coincidence.
Now! said…
Apologies, but what does the A308 have to do with Frogmore? Is it the road that drives by?
MLRoda said…
I read something about stuff he was involved in in France and his "business" partner who's really shady. If forgot his name. Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to it.
WildKnitter said…
Honestly, if this were me, I’d WELCOME any advice from people, seeing as she is new to the country, never mind new to the BRF. Also, my politics mirror hers, but from what I understand, the BRF is supposed to stay out of commenting about anything politics-related. As for the dog thing...REALLY? She already abandoned one dog and another got badly injured. Hopefully someone can talk some sense into her before yet another dog ends up with a similar fate.
Girl with a Hat said…
not to mention that there's a story about her replacing a luxury carpet a few days after it was installed after her muddy dog dirtied it and there was difficulty with cleaning it. Do you think people will not clamour for removing the Royal Family if they replace luxury carpets every time a dog dirties it?
Maddie said…
Thank you got the new post Nutty. Your blog is attracting new posters. I’m loving it. I think you’re going to need a bigger blog :)
Hikari said…
Last night I read a piece that may be the nadir in gag-worthy Meg-bot pieces. I got it through my Apple News, and am not able to share a link here since the magazine page is only open to subscribers. In a new article entitled "Windsors of Change" Meg's sugariest journalistic stan Katie Nicholl actually puts her name to this statement: "The Sussexes are glittering gems in the monarchy's crown."

Yes, she did . . on instructions from Meghan, 100% positive. In fact, Katie probably just edits (nominally) copy that Smegs sends her and submits it verbatim. Interesting that this article appears the day after the christening, with the two photos being widely mocked by people with eyes who have not drug the Meg-Ade. Katie covers a number of other topics, including the couple's glittering international tours which were such successes for Britain (koff), their compassionate 'charity work' via their Instagram account (koffkoff), their glorious new digs at Frogmore (I think I need a doctor . .), Baby Archie of course and how over the moon they both are at their perfect infant . . it goes on.

All public figures engage in a little positive self-promotion from time to time; goes with the territory. But what we are seeing from the Smeaghan camp is so utterly disconnected from reality, it is stupefying. In our InstaTweet, relentlessly merching age where every bit of information is for sale, does NO ONE in the business care about journalistic integrity anymore? I didn't think that reputable (once reputable) publications could print balls-out fiction day after day after day like this without consequences. I mean, from a self-regulating standpoint--censuring/firing the 'reporters' responsible. Isn't this proof that Katie Nicholl and others like her, not to mention the publications they represent, are taking money to reproduce flagrant lies?
Woodward and Bernstein, we need you! It's to the point were I no longer trust or want to read *any* so-called 'news' at all.

Hikari said…
Glass vs. Meghan's Mirror

If you are familiar with the movie Shattered Glass starring Hayden Christiansen, it depicts the sailing close to the wind, acclaim and eventual downfall of a young reporter at the The New Republic. Glass's pieces were the talk of the town . . not only his facility with words and images, but his incredible scoops. It was later discovered that Glass had fudged nearly all of his pieces, with only the barest bones of actual fact holding them up. The story was broken by an intrepid reporter for a small and insignificant online magazine. This was back in the late 1990s, when the fifth estate was just getting started, and the zeal was high to make online journalism the new Woodstein era Washington Post in holding the traditional print media accountable. How nostalgic is all is, since 15 or so years later . . online media is the very depths of the swamp for journalistic integrity. But with many, if not most, print publications closing shop on their unprofitable print editions to focus exclusively on their digital editions, that line between formats isn't just blurred; it's gone.

Stephen Glass was swiftly fired from his job at TNR and faced criminal investigation for fraud. Like Smeaghan, I peg him for a narcissist, though of the vulnerable/fragile variety, rather than the malignant variety. His con started because he was afraid to let his editor down with subpar, 'boring' pieces, and wanted to be liked and respected in his field, where he was a young pup of only 25. His recurring refrain in the film: "Are you mad at me?" Glass enjoyed the attention of being a boy wonder, but he was operating more from a place of being a people-pleaser, at least at the start. He got a taste of success, faux though it was, and couldn't stop.

Smeaghan wants to be 'popular' and adored and envied and copied; she doesn't care a whit about being 'liked', however. She exists in a permanent high school girl mentality where to be the reigning Queen Bee of popularity has little to do with being liked. Envied, yes. Envied and respected but it's a respect coming from a place of fear and/or jealousy in others. Genuinely good, kind, authentic people very, very rarely are catapulted to the upper echelons of popularity, in school or the adult world, either. Truly nice, good, authentic people do not have the stomach for utter ruthlessless which is required. Both Smeaghan and Glass operate from a place where the *appearance* of authenticity gains one the perks of the real thing with only a fraction of the work.

Hikari said…
Glass vs. Meg's Mirror, 2

Steven Glass had psychological problems, but he was a far superior writer to Smeaghan. Her copy is instantly recognizable by the same repetitive, grandiose phrases. She's delusional and ruthless--a bad combination--but unlike other delusional, ruthless narcissists we could mention (a number of world dictators come to mind), she completely lacks the necessary personal magnetism and charisma to sway people to her will. She can buy people to say and print what she wants to disseminate about herself, but even with dipping into Royal funds to do it, it doesn't seem like there's enough money in the world to buy as many magazines and outlets as she's bought. SM bots are cheap; they work for pennies, most of them being from developing countries. Even so, to purchase 6 million IG followers at even a dollar apiece would add up. Not to mention all these formerly esteemed flagship magazines. It's like the entire universe has entered some sort of twisted wormhole where the Duchess of Smirkle has absolute power in controlling her own narrative. She's not that good. Nobody that meets her in person can believe that she's pulling it off because they've met the incredibly gauche real thing. The rest of us, all we get are smoke & Meghan's mirrors.

Here's a supreme irony for you: The magazine that dedicated a long piece to the saga of Stephen Glass and his downfall? Vanity Fair.
https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1998/09/bissinger199809
Miss_Christina said…
That money's probably going into her wardrobe and PR budget.
Hikari said…
P.S. I neglected to clarifly in my first comment that the article "Windsors of Change" appears in the current issue of Vanity Fair. Kinda tanks my ironic finish, but hopefully you figured that out.
The Wiz said…
I think there is an article on the harrymarkle site that describes the alleged missteps of Rose's hubby.
The Wiz said…
Sophie had misdeeds? Hard to picture. She's pretty staid these days.

As for HM, PC, etc., I hate to say this, but I think they have adopted a "hands off" policy with MM due to the potential for racial allegations being slung around. As I think someone here has observed before, the royals have probably decided to back-off and let MM screw herself over.
Hikari said…
Quoting Mischi,
"So these renovations appear in the accounts produced by the Duchy of Cornwall or some other institution. Has there been some fraud perpetrated regarding the amounts supposedly spent on the Frogmore Cottage renovations? And if so, where has that money gone?"

*************

That was the burning question for me, and the centerpiece of my thesis in a previous entry that for this amount of money to just go 'poof', with nothing to show for it in terms of purchases made at Frogmore . . MM has got to have some sort of collusion from within the Royal family, no? By all accounts, Harry's been going around like a hobo because he has lost his valet. Meg 'styles herself', with predictable results, and the couple has no household staff nor evidently a nanny for their baby. And yet 2.3 million pounds have supposedly gone into FC . . and the Sussexes are allegedly living in remodeled splendor with Archie by themselves? Also apparently incorporeal, since nobody has seen them at all around there.

Meg's a grifter, but padding one's expense account for clothing is a lot different than claiming massive reno work on a public trust building. There should be visual evidence of the expenditures. She couldn't just ring up Charles's banker and say "I need 3 million dollars for my new house". Doesn't work that way.

Renovations for FC had been in the works long before HM 'gifted' the property to the couple. Shouldn't she have been kept apprised of its progress? And Charles? to see where he money was going? The point is, this amount of money shouldn't be available to Harry's wife to just spend up. Where's the paper trail? The receipts? The items?
Fraud on this massive a scale can't be tucked under the carpet . . unless someone much higher up the chain than the Sussexes are in on it.

That's why I suggested money laundering. Why is there no mention of this in the press, unless the family is colluding?

That said, were the renovations genuine, 2.3 million pounds is quite modest, for the sheer magnitude and comprehensiveness the property required to make habitable.
Miss_Christina said…
No self-respecting rescue group will give that woman any kind of pet. I hope not, anyway. This is just another one of her attempts at looking like Kate, only much much cooler *insert eye roll here*. And I can't see any decent stylist or makeup artist claiming credit for her recent looks either. The Photoshopping of her hair just smacks of desperation. Can she not even buy herself a box of Miss Clairol?

But it's understandable. When you've based your whole life on your (average) looks and your (questionable) sex appeal, the approach of age 40 ( or age 40 a couple years in your rear view mirror) and it's attendant grey hairs, sagging parts, and so on must be the worst thing that's ever happened to her.
NikNak said…
@Nutty its a main road that can be used to leave the Frogmore estate and the surrounding houses in an approx 10mile vicinity. I'ts a commuter route. Leads off a direct private drive. Sorry for the late reply I've just finished work.
MLRoda said…
I also should have said after my post /end of snark because it was meant to be facetious as opposed to serious. My apologies if anyone was offended.
NikNak said…
@Nutty according to my friends parents it caused problems over the a week leading up to the bank holiday weekend as people were in traffic due to road works. Her parents decided to take a different route to wherever they were going as they had their dog in the car and didn't want to be delayed.
Bluestar said…
Hikari thanks for your insights but they are rather long and off topic, to an extent. Perhaps you can start your own blog!? I'd read it!
Now! said…
Thanks, Hikari.

Vanity Fair plays an interesting role in the Meghan saga, since of course its longtime editor Graydon Carter resigned on September 7, 2017.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/media/graydon-carter-vanity-fair.html

That was the day after Meghan's Vanity Fair cover story:

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/09/meghan-markle-cover-story

Graydon Carter is also caught up in the Epstein case, having removed some info from a VF article at the last minute at Epstein's request. The information stated that Epstein had assaulted a 16 year old girl.
I signed in just to agree with Hikari and tell you how much I enjoy your insight. There is something very fishy with the Frogmore renovations, I suspect money laundering also. Paying her and her backers off by billing ridiculous amounts for renovations and her wardrobe. Even in our old neighborhood of tract homes whenever one of the old houses gets renovated there's at least one giant dumpster outside for weeks just to haul away the old stuff, then there are delivery and construction trucks for the new work. No way they turned a five-unit dwelling into a single luxurious home without tons of material being hauled away but no one's seen anything going on.
Now! said…
Sure, that was a good movie. There was a German version of Stephen Glass who was discovered this year at Der Spiegel. He'd also been inventing his stories from whole cloth - dozens of stories about how awful Americans were, which the German audience swallowed whole.

To Der Speigel's credit, they sent another reporter to re-report some of the stories, which turned out much more pleasant.

But Glass was not unique. There was also Jayson Blair at the New York Times, and Janet Cooke at the Washington Post.
Now! said…
Welcome, Glinda!

Bluestar, I don't mind if the conversation wanders a bit, as long as it wanders back to the Sussexes, which is the reason we're all here.

It helps put the whole story into perspective.
Jen said…
TheWhiz, maybe that is where I saw it....I just began reading that site.
Jen said…
MLRoda, may be nothing...but would make more sense then the reason we've all been given..W cheating on K.
Hikari said…
@Bluestar,
Yes, they were long, and I had to split them into three parts. I appreciate that a lot of people don't want to read lengthy comments, though the Scroll feature is always an option. I would respectfully disagree that I was off-topic, since Nutty's theme in this entry is MM's consistent manipulation of social media across platforms to burnish her own image. Since there's nothing real there, and she's a hollow suit with no real achievement to her name, she's all about her image, and what she can convince people, via inflated puff pieces and purchased SM followers, that she is a person of substance, importance, and a real world influencer. Her tactics worked to snag Harry, but this community is just one of the proofs that the world is weary of the charade put on by this delusional woman and her dim spouse. It is obvious that none of their actions match their words, but the media, by and large continue to insist upon Meghan's own version of herself as the truth. In actuality, this Duchess has no clothes, just like Frogmore doesn't have any new floating yoga floor or vegan nursery.

I was attempting to compare MM's sway over the media to paint a completely false image of herself with another narcissistic word spinner of 20 years ago. There are decided similarities between them, but in SG's case, only one magazine was duped by his fabrications, not the literally hundreds that are spinning Meg's spin for her. Also the response was completely different: Glass was fired and criminally investigated. I am not alone in wondering what is taking so long, since a number of MM's frauds have come to light, to see her reap negative consequences for what she has sowed, and get her 'fired' from the family she's conning and embezzling from.

I think it has a lot to do with the slippage of not only journalistic ethics, but a decline in morality worldwide, and in its place, cultural obsession with materialism and being famous for no other reason than being famous, even if you have to sell yourself to get it or buy it via other means. Meg is the product of this culture, and a particularly egregious example of it.

If you can track down that Vanity Fair article, I encourage you to read it. MM's middle name truly is Shameless. Her tenure will be remembered as a very dark time for the Royal family. The mystery endures as to how she's managed to get this far. I wove in the story of Steven Glass because Vanity Fair published an expose of him in 1998, and 21 years later, they are lapping up whatever lies MM wants to shovel out, in exchange for a fee, of course. I call that a pretty devastating turnaround, ethics-wise. Just a caveat lector to anybody reading any media outlets these days, but MM seems to have tainted a very large pool of formerly reliable magazines. Basically every American fashion/lifestyle mag appears to be in the tank for her.

Maybe one day I will be able to start a blog of my own, and I can only hope it will be as high-quality and lively as Nutty's. I'm just glad to be here. If she feels my comments are off-topic, I will delete as needed.
Lottie said…
I have got a feeling that someone will have to rescue the rescue dog...lol
MM is all over the shop...she can't seem to concentrate on anything with any degree of dedication or investment, except poor Harry
I for one, would be focusing on the baby, trying to find a decent nanny that can tolerate them both, not thinking about another dog
And i haven't stopped laughing about the Christening photo...her hair 'sharpie' that is a perfect description, her hair just looks soooooo bad it is ridiculous...why??
Why would you try and pass off something so amateurish to millions of people...the audacity of MM is beyond the pail
I think that MM is trying to 'wearing all hats' & the micromanaging has become hilarious...she must be running around like a lunatic trying to make it all happen, inbetween breastfeeding (with breast that look like they have never produced an ounce of milk)
I will never forget the 'banana loaf brick' she tried to serve those poor Aussi Queenslanders.
I have never seen such a sad looking banana loaf.
But to her credit, at least she didn't write a 'sweet little note' on the banana loaf
From her brief history with banana's, it does seem like she doesn't relate well to them, they just don't seem to be her thing

Lottie said…
*'wear all hats'
I really should proof read before i hit the publish button...haha
Unknown said…
Hi Nutty, found your blog on CDAN. Great stuff, you make me howl with laughter.

After the recent avalanche of Meghan fluff PR in the papers, I've started to wonder just how much is being spent on this relentless push.

We're all already pretty pissed off about how much has been spent on her (third) wedding, Frogmore Cottage (Especially considering they don't seem to live there) and her tacky wardrobe and jewellery, but I want to know exactly how much money has been handed over to try and force us here in Blighty to love her. A fruitless endeavour, I may add.

Sara Latham is clearly shite at her job. I always thought hiring an American was an odd choice, as our countries are very different in a lot of ways. A British agent would have been the better choice. Giving the job (in this time of high unemployment) to a British person would have been a good move, for a start. The fact that said Brit would understand the people they are selling to, know the history of the BRF and the love and respect that the people .... had. They would understand how our media works.

SL seems to have no idea of how the game works here and I wonder if she was bought on primarily to sell MM to the US market for her triumphant return as 'America's Princess' when the inevitable divorce goes through.

At this point they are throwing away good money after bad. But it's only the tax payers picking up the bill, so who cares, right?
Aquagirl said…
@Hikari: I’m American and cannot believe how all of the magazines are tripping over themselves to write about her. She supposedly has a deal with People for 6 positive articles per month, but every magazine is writing glowing articles about her. They’ve pretty much lost me as a reader for good because clearly there is no journalistic integrity.
Re: Frogmore: I agree that the whole thing is fishy & nobody is living there. The taxpayers are already up in arms about the cost, so what’s going to happen when the truth finally emerges? IMO, the renovations were never done. It’s a scam.
Aquagirl said…
@Lottie: Believe it or not, many people are accepting the photos as real. When I say that they are photoshopped & point out all of the discrepancies, I’m told that I’m crazy.
Hikari said…
Very true. I don't know offhand how long these three faux journalists (crummy reporters, but outstanding creative fiction writers) were each able to pull off their cons until they were detected, but it's notable that usually, in cases of journalistic fraud on this scale, the perpetrators were fired and internationally shamed/made examples of, and people tsked, tsked all over the globe.

People are tsk, tsking at MM at Wimbledon elsewhere--the common folk, that is. Until the CEO of her Firm or Her deputies publicly decry MM and oust her, we are just going to keep seeing more of this. She's embezzling and defrauding them on the world stage and the Queen, Charles, and the courtiers are permitting it.

Frogmore really sticks in my craw as a potentially separate volatile issue. This is one area in which I feel that MM is potentially innocent . . or as innocent as MM gets. I wouldn't put it past her at all to demand the very most expensive home furnishings and interiors, but my question remains--there's no way she personally is handling all the contractors for the work. Their invoices have to go directly to Charles's representatives . . so where is the follow-up to supervise the work? Harry's wife cannot just take 2.3 million pounds of Duchy of Cornwall's money off her own bat and claim 'home renovations'. HM and Charles would want to *see* it with their own eyes, not to mention, HM's auditors. If there's nothing there, how does MM explain it? What kind of lame accounting practices are in place if Megs can have carte blanche with all the funds, not just the Sussex allowance, but that much of Charles' money, without oversight? Given her spending record, particularly?

If FC is indeed the 'empty house' the continued tolerance of the Sussexes; extravagance is beyond baffling. If not a money-laundering scheme in progress in echelons higher than Smegs, I would suspect Charles of purposefully tanking his own ascension. Maybe he's come to the conclusion that he doesn't want to be King after all, but doesn't know how to say it.
Aquagirl said…
@Nutty: I was commenting on the Christening photos on CDAN & I pointed out the the gown is not the same one that the Cambridge children wore, it was a knock-off.
‘Samantha’ went crazy on me, & sent a nasty response saying ‘so what, it doesn’t matter.’ Of course it matters because I for one, don’t believe that a Christening ever occurred, and if it did, she presumably would’ve used the Royal Christening gown. (Unless this is another case of the BRF giving her enough rope to hang herself.)
Lottie said…
You can tell it is all MM doing most, if not all of the Sussex Instagram page.
Shows that she also has very little interest in the Commonwealth because she spells it without using a capital C ( commonwealth)
Any half intelligent person, even with a mediocre education wouldn't make such a basic mistake, especially when running an international social media page
It's insulting.
Aquagirl said…
I still question if there is a real ‘Archie’. The baby in the group photo is not the same as the baby in the b/w photo (totally different shaped heads) & neither is the same as the baby in the Father’s Day post. The baby she was holding on her lap looked 4 months old, not 2 months. (Perhaps the baby was born much earlier & the surrogate was trying to keep him?) Nothing that they have done or shown has convinced me that there’s a real baby. In any case, who would be seeking a rescue dog for a 2-month old. C’mon.
Lottie said…
@Aquagirl
I know, it is all so 'off the wall' and bizarre that I'm sure people think we are the ones wearing tin foil hats! haa haa
But there is evidence
Especially the TOC .....the carriage ride (obviously hell for Harry,Camilla & Kate) MM seemed to be the only one enjoying herself!
The 'turn around' was harsh, but in retrospect, fair
And her latest gig at Wimbledon with her strange behaviour plonking on the hat backwards...acting very stoned ( i use the term 'acting' loosely with MM, because it is evident that she cannot act very well)
It's all there if you know what to look for
The proof is in the pudding ; )
Hikari said…
I used to enjoy Vanity Fair, but I think it's clear where its priorities lie. If and when the Duchess of MeGain has a downfall, will VF have the brass neck to do an expose of her after taking her money all these years? Wouldn't doubt it.
Lottie said…
Exactly
Hiring a British PR would have been a savvy move
It would have shown some foresight and intelligence and the ability to assimilate into your new country, embracing the Royals & the British citizens
Common sense is severely lacking when it concerns MM
Perhaps she feels she can better manipulate the American PR company to her own advantage, which in fact is clearly becoming a disadvantage.
Hikari said…
That's both of us, AquaGirl. It's not like she was even known by 2% of the U.S. population before she married Harry. Now, if someone like Cameron Diaz or Julia Roberts married a royal, I could understand this fuss . . but I cannot get their relentless promotion of her, when it's all fake and she doesn't have any *true* American fans that aren't bought and paid for. In the UK at least, Mags featuring Harkle and Smirkle on their covers have dried up because *they do not sell*. The ones before that were relegated to the bottom shelf down with the dust bunnies and then used to wrap up the chippy leftovers in.

I'm flummoxed.
Now! said…
Also, as a professional writer, I know that *every* writer needs a proofreader, including me. (I was the one who wrote yesterday that Archie's "grandparents" would be a secret, LOL. I meant godparents, not grandparents.).

A pro social media person would make sure his or her posts had 2-3 different sets of eyeballs to pick out dumb typos, incorrect tags and links (of which Meg has had many), and anything that might be offensive in a diplomatic sense.

She clearly has none of those things. She's a one-man band.

Thank Goodness she hasn't said anything yet that would offend a Commonwealth government, but she has done idiotic things like unfollow the Invictus Games and fail to add Harry's own conservation charities to her "environmental month" follows.
Now! said…
Oh, yeah. When she was running her own PR firm, shortly after her marriage, one of the tabloids set up a sting pretending to be a rich Arab client and recorded her saying all sorts of flippant stuff about the Royals. She had to shut down her firm entirely.
Now! said…
I'm glad you're enjoying it! This is just a fun side project for me.
Now! said…
VF, like Vogue, is past its prime. The Daily Beast covers some of its old target market, and so does New York Magazine, although in my opinion they wear their politics on their sleeve too much. The truth is, there aren't as many general interest magazines any more because everyone's interests are so atomized. Plus everyone is used to instant copy; nobody wants to wait for a monthly magazine.
Now! said…
Yes, the Samantha poster was an interesting character. And, if it really is Meg, a very interesting choice of name. :)
punkinseed said…
Well said. I like your definition of genuine. The word that comes to mind about Megs is avarice. Your last paragraph also sheds light on some of the ways a narcissist seeks to feed her unquenchable need for supply.
Wolpertinger said…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7218127/Meghan-Markle-talks-Vogue-regular-column.html

So predictable... my daily soap opera though ;-)
Jdubya said…
Do you really think she's hiring her own contractors? They are regulars used by the crown with extensive background checks on all employees . No way would they be involved with money laundering or ripping off the crown.
No way is she submitting bogus receipts for work done or not done. She probably never sees an invoice. Neither does Harry.
Amzz Naylor said…
Sorry a little off topic here but I have just come across a new article on the cheatsheet which says the source was New idea. I'm going to copy and paste.
Apparently meghan made Kate cry at Archie's christening rehearsal. Here it is.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle held a very private christening ceremony for baby Archie and, while the public will never know what went on behind cl­osed doors, there are reports swirling that there was some drama at the rehearsal for the christening. Did Markle really make Kate Middleton cry?
According to a report from New Idea, Middleton was bothered that Prince Harry and Markle were able to have a private baptism ceremony as she and Prince William have to follow royal protocol and Harry and Markle can “play by their own rules.”

If the rumors are to be believed, Markle allegedly confronted Middleton at the rehearsal for Archie’s christening and had a “heated” warning, as a Buckingham Palace source told the outlet: “Tensions have been brewing between Kate and Meghan for a while, so no-one was surprised that it all boiled over at the christening rehearsal. Meghan basically went after Kate while there was a break in the rehearsal — it was very heated and the whole Palace is talking about it.”
It started when Meghan asked Kate not to do anything to steal her thunder at the christening. Kate was pretty taken aback and said she would never do that, which only set Meghan off more,” the source shared.

Markle was also reportedly upset about Middleton going to see her friend Serena Williams at Wimbledon. The whole exchange left Middleton in tears, with the insider noting: “Kate was very upset after and was visibly shaken. She knows Meghan is emotional at the moment and was taking everything out on her at the rehearsal, but it didn’t make it any easier to take.”

The source added: “She tried to keep it in but ended up leaving the rehearsal in tears and Prince William had to comfort her. It was awful.”

Royal fans may recall rumors that Markle reportedly made Middleton cry when they fought over Princess Charlotte’s dress for Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry. Sources shared that Middleton was “left in tears” over the incident.

Oh boy oh boy. I really hope this is not true but judging by their reactions in the official photos there is certainly bad blood between them all. If this does turn out to be true then I hope her fans start to really see her for the bullying, self obsessed, raging lunatic that she is.
punkinseed said…
Hikari, I come here to read every word you write, along with the well thought out input from others here, so please don't feel stifled. I'm a retired copy editor and reporter from the halcyon days of real reporting. You write tight and well. I'd have to change the "leading" in layout to fit your copy onto a broad sheet simply because reducing your word count would ruin your piece. Since those restrictions don't apply anymore, (yay!) I for one appreciate your in-depth views. I hope Nutty agrees.

If I don't want to read something I think is too long, I just scroll on.
Hikari said…
>>>>the royals have probably decided to back-off and let MM screw herself over.<<<<

One wonders how long this hands-off policy will continue. It's already been 2 years, if we count the pre-engagement period, when she was already posing for magazines, giving interviews and making Harry release 'official palace press statements' to make the media 'be nice to his girlfriend.'

In the run-up to the wedding, she alienated all of Harry's friends, as well as all her soon-to-be marriage family. She revealed her true colors with ridiculous diva demands for the wedding. Since the marriage, she is doing her very best to run the Crown into the ground financially and has just about used up the good will reserves of the British people, not just for 'the Sussex brand' but for the monarchy in general. If a regular British citizen or a foreign power was attempting the same, the security services would be dealing with the responsible parties. Charges of treason would likely be brought against British nationals. Yet, Harry's wife tramples through their well-mannered and regimented world like a banshee and there are no consequences.

Smeaghan seems to be like Teflon . . she's not screwing herself over so much as she's screwing them over. Royally, and in ways that will linger on for years even after she's gone. If she ever is. The distrust and feelings of betrayal run that deep, I imagine, and I'm not even a subject.
Louise said…
Nutty:What type of tax problem has Smirkle had in the past?

As for her current tax situation, is the Duchy of Cornwall her employer for tax purposes? Does she actually have an employer?
Life's Lessons said…
l love reading everyone's posts...Some are so funny, l am almost in tears laughing, but l wanted to mention, there is a video on YouTube on, which shows Megan with her two friends at Wimbledon and one was grabbing her above the wrist. The one on the left told her to put her hat on, which she did and the one on the left that was grabbing her arm, told her to smile and then she did...She seemed to have not be able to sit up straight.There was a closeup of Megan's jeans and the right knee seems to be wet with something that spilled down her pants ... You are very correct in saying, "lt's all there if you know what to look for "....
Louise said…
I never bought that "dog muddied the carpet" story. It was probably concocted because she didn't like the first carpet that she had chosen.

But if she already has a dog, why does she need another dog just for the baby?

And anyway, she refused the offer of a dog from Mayhew, stating that she was too busy being pregnant. Surely she is more busy with the actual baby, not less.
Life's Lessons said…
l did not know Megan made Kate cry again...l really think if this is true the Queen is going to have to talk to Megan directly or Sir Geidt to have a real stern talk with Megan about who comes before her now and in the future and that is her future Queen, Kate and l think she should be tossed out of the RF for being allowed to get so aggressive with Kate without any sort of punishment...

l think that is horrible and maybe that is why Wills was on edge in that photo.. Actually no one looks happy in the photo, except Camilla...
Jen said…
@hikari... I think even saying 2% is stretching it. I honestly had no idea who she was when she started dating him, and I was really shocked when they got engaged so quickly. The whole scene seemed really contrived.
Amzz Naylor said…
My thoughts exactly. I tend to take what I read out of gossip sites with a pinch of salt but there are some very specific points being talked about which does make me go hhmmm?!? Like when she supposedly made her cry at Charlotte's bridesmaid dress fitting there wasn't really a lot of detail about it. But this on the other hand.....
Jen said…
This is just further proof I'm just how tone-deaf she actually is. I bet you anything, the only reason she even hired Latham it's because she used to work for Hillary Clinton. Remember, MM got a letter from Hillary when she was a child
Hikari said…
@jdubya,
You said: "Do you really think she's hiring her own contractors? They are regulars used by the crown with extensive background checks on all employees . No way would they be involved with money laundering or ripping off the crown.
No way is she submitting bogus receipts for work done or not done. She probably never sees an invoice. Neither does Harry."

************

I am in agreement with you. Let me clarify my position viz. Frogmore. In this instance, I think we are talking a level of expenditure and layers of accountability which would stymie even Smarkle's creative fiscal efforts. It may have been hard to tell, given that I don't have anything good to say about her, but I do not think that she and Harry are personally responsible for running the reno tab at FC to 2.3 million pounds. Harry would not be entrusted with that kind of sum, and his wife certainly wouldn't.

This is why FC deeply unsettles me, because it seems to indicate that these matters are well above the heads of the Sussexes. Renovation work (ostensibly) had begun, or at least applied for and approved before HM announced that the Sussex couple was getting the cottage. At that state, the major contractors (electricians, plasterers, carpenters, plumbers, et. al,) would have been dispatched to start work. Charles or HM or someone acting on their behalf would have given those orders, and the bills gone directly to BP and/or Charles's accountants.

Given the sheer magnitude of work to be done, I'd say the 2.3 mil estimate, not to mention the time frame was much too low/short. More like 5 mill and a full year to outfit that place for a single-family royal dwelling.

Meghan's only level of discretionary spending (and they would have been insane to give her that much) would have been for cosmetic things like the vegan paint or the soft furnishings. If they had to entirely furnish the house, too . . .well, that's a lot more than 2.3 mil required. And in this case, were the renovations genuine, I wouldn't have faulted them spending to make the place nice for their baby. After all, HM allegedly was basically exiling them there, but had already approved extensive work.

What I'm wondering is . . . is there a 2.3 mil discrepancy *spent/diverted by someone else in the Royal family* who is using the Frogmore/Meghan's extravagance as a cover? And what this senior, highly placed person has done is so scandalous, that's why the Sussexes are going to such lengths to fluff out the tale of their renovations? Because they were told they had to, and if they went along with it, Meg could spend all she likes on clothes and baby showers in New York?

If the refurbing of FC is a demonstrable lie, then for once Megs is being blamed for spending money that she hasn't, do you see what I mean? She is a useful distraction, possibly, to cover up the real culprit. Meanwhile, I am convinced that Harry at least is living in Windsor Castle apartments. Maybe Megs is bunking with the Clooneys, but neither of them appear to be at Frogmore with Archie, poor mite. Archie might be in a box under some servants' stairs at Windsor Castle for all we know.

I don't know who would be guilty of this . . .but Charles would know. He *must* know . . it's his money, after all.
Jen said…
Donr steal her thunder? What thunder, it was "private." Besides, a christening is about the baby not the mother. Poor Kate.
Hikari said…
@punkinseed and all my patient readers,
I know I write long. It's the aspiring novelist in me. I'd never be able to cope on Twitter with only 140 characters to use. It's just that when I get a conundrum between my teeth like this one, I can't let it go. I have a need to analyze and understand the 'why' of things, and with this, I just don't. Every day brings fresh outrages to our collective intelligence. Writing is my way of working it out for myself.

When this full story is finally written, it's going to be a doozy. I think even Edward and Mrs. Simpson will pale in comparison, because after all, they basically went away for good after a couple of years. We are already at that point now.
Hikari said…
She was one hot mess at Wimbledon . . was that Friday or Saturday? Because I was stunned to see how she'd pulled herself together so nicely in such a short time. And holding a real baby, too. Even if a lot of it was Photoshopped . . she looked the best she ever has since we've known her. She didn't even seem to know where she was a day or two earlier. And not the first time she's been out altered in public. When her two friends aren't there to hold her up, Windsor police have to bring her home in a Jeep.

And this woman has sole charge of an infant. That is very comforting . . .!
Hikari said…
Duh, of course it wasn't Saturday. I think I meant to say Thursday or Friday . .? I am pretty sure it was the day before the christening. She looked completely out of it.
Louise said…
But that's my point, Nutty. $smirkle's behaviour is far more egregious and damaging that that of Sophie; yet Sophie was called out by the Queen, whereas $mirkle is allowed to do whatever she wants.
abbyh said…
I do not know if Kate was made to cry again or not is true.

Personally, I think not when I first read of it.

Kate looked a little like Ok, yeah just take the picture, I'm over this (which is really hard to pull off if your were crying/still steamy mad) and PW is a little smirky.

When exactly would this rehearsal have been? Wasn't PC and C out of the area the day before? I've been to a lot of christenings and never have I heard of a full blown rehearsal needed. And everyone (we know of who was there) has been to one or more christenings and most also to a royal one or two.

For the Archbishop, this is not his first time with the water. I could see him perhaps wanting to review all the particulars of the various names but that isn't anything someone under him could not verify as he, too, was out of the area the day before.

Why would a rehearsal be needed? Staff are usually on top of who needs to be where in a procession by rank. So why take time out of everyone's busy day to do this which everyone could have done almost in their sleep?

On the other hand, a lot of drama does seem to trail MM on a regular basis. A lot of drama where everyone else around with claims that they are jealous of her and are doing/saying spiteful things to hurt and just make her look bad. It's funny how this isn't the kinds of things we were reading about any of these people three years ago so either, after many years we are just now seeing their real colors without any sort of precursor nasty behaviors ... or ... the pot is being stirred or projected from some place else and these people are the collateral.

but this is just an opinion and I know none of the players
Now! said…
Who wants to read this column? Who is it’s audience? I understand that Meg wants to write it, but who wants to read it?
Girl with a Hat said…
I've known a few people who were unattractive before they had plastic surgery and their outlook on life is very interesting. They seem to need to keep proving to themselves and to the world of their attractiveness. It's not like someone who is attractive and goes in for a few tweaks to look even better. The former are never convinced they do look good. I guess it's the self-image you've grown up with that prevails.
gfbcpa said…
I stopped my subscription to Vanity Fair after Dominick Dunne died....RIP.
gfbcpa said…
He would have gotten the scoop on MM had he lived.
Fifi LaRue said…
For a few months, Vanity Fair had a Pippa Middleton page. It may have died from being excruciatingly boring. Markle would have to beg and pay VF to write for them. Not going to happen.
abbyh said…
And what life experiences does she bring the to writing table to lead the masses and then repeat the writing behavior but not the same column month after month?

Vogue is not the first one I think of humanitarian articles which I thought was her goal (as Diana 2.0). She has worn a lot of clothing which doesn't always make her look as pulled together so I would have a hard time buying a pitch that says she's the leading edge for where fashion is headed so you need to get a subscription.

OTOH, maybe she wants to do something like what she did for Tig but through the magazine? Not sure if that would be ok with the grey suits considering she closed Tig.

Amzz Naylor said…
Like I say a pinch of salt but the detail was what got me. I did think the rehearsal thing sounded strange. Yes I have also noticed that since her arrival on the scene BP and KP have more leaks than a sieve and dirty handed articles regarding other members of the rf being released weekly, it certainly makes me question meghan's motives.
And yes regarding the stealing her thunder comment if ever she did say that, considering it was a highly private affair how could the doc do that. But then knowing meghan's seemingly desperate state of mind recently I could imagine that it would not take an awful lot for her to get enraged about something like that, considering how desperate she is to be center of attention all the time.
gfbcpa said…
" It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do." - Steve Jobs

"I hire people brighter than me and get out of their way." - Lee Iacocca

She can't do it all.
Girl with a Hat said…
we need recent photos of Frogmore Cottage from a reputable source. And a copy of the audit of the expenses if anything is going to be done about this. Someone here said they had family in the aread. Would it be possible for them to drive by and take some photos or video?
Unknown said…
Thanks for another amazing post Nutty. I chuckled while lurking CDAN and seeing their comments. So Kate wearing white/cream for 3 Christenings doesn't qualify as her signature? CDAN has stopped being fun to check out for Meghan news for a while now.

I didn't pay much attention to the Photoshop until I did a double take at the pics of Archie because they looked like 2 different babies to me. I thought I was crazy until I saw KayCe's comment. For me it was the babies' cheeks and head shapes. Maybe Photoshop explains it? Everything is just so opaque and insincere with Sparkles.

I really am not for conspiracy theories but I find taking things at face value with Sparkles impossible. In the pic, the rug borders look off along Will's and Kate's feet. Why would that even be a thing? The pic shows a united front but perhaps it is severely manufactured. The secrecy makes it hard to check for timelines especially not knowing when Doria was around.

I am one of the few people familiar with Sparkles pre-Harry. I watched Suits for several seasons. Gina Torres and Gabriel Macht were what gave the show some *sparkle.* Meghan was awful and grating from the get-go. Before they were retired, the IMDB Boards were brutal towards Meghan and kept calling for her to be written out. Her storyline with Patrick was always blasted and considered a drag on the show. How her biracial storyline came about was interesting too. IIRC, her storyline of being biracial wasn't introduced until all the buzz and acclaim Gina was getting for playing such an awe inspiring black female character. Many speculated including me that the show and Meghan wanted to capitalize on it hoping it would translate to better feedback for her character. Meghan's racism and black queen narratives while with Harry was no surprise to me.

I was absolutely shocked to find Harry with such an obscure and talentless actress. Taking their relationship at face value would not compute in my head. I wen to the Daily Mail comments, then CDAN, then Nutty's blog, and so on to find out what was going on. This adventure has been amazing and I have to say my favorite place is Nutty's blog. Thank you Nutty, it has been quite a ride and it's so fun tagging along.

One thing for sure, Meghan's fakeness is so blatant that I went out of my way to slowly get an education on PR, Media, and News. Yes Sparkles, you are that bad of an actress! Mainstream media was very frustrating because I could feel a very badly put-on con. This place is a refuge for my sanity :)
Hikari said…
I can guarantee that the only reason MM was interested in SL was because of her Hillary connection. Apparently SL is also half-British.

SL was Hillary's campaign manager, and considering that Hils technically won the popular vote although losing to Trump in the Electoral College, it appears that SL is competent at her job. She's got vast experience in making a profoundly unlikable and divisive client with a tendency toward self-sabotage palatable enough to nearly win the Presidency of the U.S. MM might outdo HRC. Latham was obviously hired to be the inevitable patsy, because I think a person who can manage a successful Presidential campaign and all its moving parts is capable of sending out a birth announcement in a timely manner. SL was obviously instructed to fall on her sword over that.

Meghan will not be 'managed' under any circumstances, even if it's in her best interest. Why would a semi-intelligent person agree to ever work for her?
Ozmanda said…
What i find interesting is whether this is as true as it actually happened, there seem to be a lot of stories about her temper. When she came to Australia and all those stories about assistants leaving it was initially put down as "typical media lies" but it seems the allegations may actually have more of a ring of truth to it.

I refuse to believe it is "hormones" but more like Sparkles is realising that she isn't as high on the royal totem pole as she thought - i actually wouldn't put it past her to make a play for William to get Kate out.
Brielle said…
I've been lurking for a long time and just had to speak. I have come to the point where I want everything to be revealed, as I'm so tired of this maniacal bullsh*t it has gone on long enough. It's time to not only remove the wool pull over the public eyes but pull the plug on this entire situation. If they don't want them divorce have them go away. Stop giving them a platform. I hope she goes away.
Mom Mobile said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
hardyboys said…
Hi Hikari I found your posts totally amazing and not off topic st all. I am really wondering if someone is in fact money laundering since there are allegedly no renos taking place at Frogmore. I just doubt that this grifter is that clever to come up with this scheme. Makes me wonder who is skimming from the top. I learned along time ago that everyone who is super wealthy is usually from skimming off the top. I wonder if it's any of HM's kids? You never know. I'm going to Google Stephen Glass tonight. In case any one noticed the DM piece on MM guest writing for vogue is making the public crazy and the readers are spewing with anger. Some of the comments are hilarious. Like how she would only be qualified to write about bjays Ky jelly etc...the public cannot stand her I wonder how she stands next to the senior members of the BRF and doesn't feel like crap. I get the feeling that Dorito is so proud of her baby although at the wedding I thought she was genuinely afraid of what her daughter got herself into
hardyboys said…
Are you Meghan markle disguised as Meredith or her alter ego in a parallel universe? If so you need to pay attention to the worlds comments about you bc you are a colossal mess.
50 and counting said…
Yup, there have been articles on Rose's husband's relationship with his bestie in Paris. Their friendship goes back decades. The friend is shady and has been involved in what can best be described as frauds.

The marriage of Rose and the Marquis was for dynastic purposes. He needed an heir. Rose was available and has an ambitious Mother. Son and a couple of children provided. Rose has a good life (in appearances) and is financially secure.
Girl with a Hat said…
I have an idea - what if the BRF will throw Meghan in front of the bus when Prince Andrew is shown to be a pedophile with this Epstein case? That will take people's minds off of Andrew.
Jdubya said…
https://66.media.tumblr.com/754febfc4cbc284dcba34b17cea7060b/79d380ada7cbf3f2-92/s1280x1920/dd54b99167e3725499a78532c5e9f9b71399e61f.jpg

i swear i am not trying to be one of those weirdo conspiracy theorists but saw this posted and looked at each comment and, gee whiz. my mind is boggled
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Aquagirl said…
@Hikari, I agree with you regarding the level of work needed to be done at FC. I remember reading that the final plans weren’t approved until December—which makes it very difficult to believe that the house was move-in ready by April. As far as the cost of furnishings, etc., H&M were supposed to cover that and it was reported that M hired the designer from Soho House. This didn’t come as a surprise to anyone, given her history there, but there’s also possibly a secondary reason. I’d imagine that there is zero furniture in FC right now. So if M is doing any photo shoots, etc., they could be done at Soho House and she could say that they were done at FC due to the same aesthetic.
What amazes me is that not only are H&M saying that they live at FC, but everyone is saying it. Supposedly she’s had so many visitors there to see the baby and nobody, except commenters, those who live in Windsor and those who attended the Frogmore House tour are speaking out and saying that they don’t even live there. Why hasn’t anyone from the press explored this? Could there be a press black-out on reporting where the Sussexes do/ or don’t live? And the fact that they most likely do not even live together?

HushHush said…
The Stephen Glass story was good, and the scandals at The NY Times, and other papers really upset journalism. These guys got their bosses fired for promoting them. You can hear the echo coming back as "fake news" it haunts them still.

A better movie comparison is Matt Dillon and Sean Young in 90's noir "A kiss before dying."
A young psycho kills his secret girlfriend, then moves on to her twin. She comes from a very rich industrialist family. He drops everyone from his past in his quest to marry rich.
The Talented Mr. Ripley is another good example of such a psychopathic cipher.
Anonymous said…
Yes, @Ozmanda, I just read a lot of comments from people who allegedly worked with or know her, and by all accounts, she's a raging and unstable case. It's easy enough to discount some of it, but all of it? Narcissistic rage is real.
Aquagirl said…
@Life’s Lessons: That video on YouTube was very disconcerting. Idk if you noticed, but when Lindsay Roth grabbed her arm, she was actually pinching her. As if she needed to control her.

@Hikari, I agree that she was a hot mess at Wimbledon & she looked 20 lbs. lighter, with a much thinner face in the Christening photos. I don’t necessarily believe that the photos were taken on the day of the Christening (or that there even was a Christening); they could’ve been taken at any time since most of it was photoshopped.
Anonymous said…
@Mischi, I think most of the girls were past pedophilia age (pre-pubescent), so that means Andrew was only having sex with underage girls pimped to him by a sex trafficker*. But I'm still for throwing markle out for fun.

*probably obvious, but TBC, this is snark, not actual defense of Andy
Girl with a Hat said…
some people use the term pedophilia for those who have sex with girls up to 17.
Aquagirl said…
Hi Trudy, Yes, it was not the same gown that the Cambridge children wore. The ruffles down the front were different as was the design of the hem & the length. I’m assuming that she wasn’t allowed to use the one that the family uses or of course, she would have.
Anonymous said…
I just don’t get her. Honestly. I had never heard of her until they were engaged. Then I googled pictures of her and thought she was pretty. I was excited about an American marrying a prince (all our childhood fantasies). When they said she was biracial, I honestly didn’t believe them and had to look her up. I am a conservative, nut contrary to some belief, was excited about the thought of someone of color being part of the royals. Yet every. Single. Thing. She has done has alienated and isolated her. I just don’t get it. She had every opportunity to be the most popular royal ever, if that is her goal, by showing her weaknesses and embracing her new country and role. Instead, she seems to revel over sticking a big middle finger up at everything and everyone. What is is doing isn’t smart, isn’t endearing, and isn’t good for long term success. I go back and forth with the baby thing- I think she probably was pregnant, got him to ,army her, lost the baby, and either tried to get pregnant again and had a baby later , or she was pregnant and had the baby early. Who knows. I just know if I was new to a country, a family, and a role, I would ask everybody I saw for help and advice. The truth of what she has done shows she hasn’t done that and so she is either an idiot or narcissistic. I truly think she is cute, her Outfits are Hollywood cute,but none of it is a royal. On the flip side, I don’t see Kate as the type to show weakness twice now by crying over Meghan. That would give Meghan more power, and didn’t work the first time.
Aquagirl said…
@abbyh: Supposedly Amal 🙄 suggested that she write about her (cough) Humanitarian experiences. So there’s one paragraph.
Anonymous said…
Re the money laundering from someone who has actually worked in anti-money-laundering research: anything is possible re FC, but what is being described above isn't laundering, it's theft, it's fraud, embezzlement perhaps, but it's not money-laundering. Could MM be submitting fraudulent, puffed-up invoices for FC, sure but that takes a lot of accountants looking away. Regardless, that is not money laundering. Money laundering is when you have to make dirty money clean or divert clean money to dastardly deeds. What MM and any co-conspirators would be doing is just stealing via fraud. Also, for that many people to be in cahoots on that fraud, it's less likely.

And if there were actual money-laundering being done, it would be foolish to do that much in this short amount of time and in one place. It's spread about and filtered thru a number of channels, it's not just in and out and to the bank with it. That's why it is so hard to follow the money trails required of launderers. Just sayin'.
Blackbird said…
Hi Nutty! I'd like to start by laying an official complaint - why, oh why are you not writing more? I joke (maybe) ... but I do love your writing!

Does nobody remember that Harry and Meghan supposedly adopted a black Labrador named Ozzy? People sure do seem to forget things ...

HushHush, I absolutely love that movie (The Talented Mr Ripley)! I watched it the other night, forgetting how long it is. Gosh, everything about that movie was just perfection ... the cast, the gorgeous scenery ... it's one of very few movies that I could and do watch over and over again.

Back to Meghan ... she has the coldest eyes. I pick up on peoples' energy which can be a good and bad thing, and from the moment I saw her (I had to Google her when the spooning bananas article came out, as I'd never heard of her), I felt a bit sick. She is not a good person. I'll leave it at that.
Aquagirl said…
I do believe that MM is a raging narcissist; however, I do not believe that there was a rehearsal for the Christening. Even if there was, Kate would have no reason to be there as she was not a Godparent and did not play a primary role.
Blackbird said…
PS: With regard to these comments that pop up all over the place from seemingly different people ... it's a tactic some PR companies will employ. They'll have their (usually junior) staff log in under different profiles using different IP addresses (via a VPN) and leave the same sort of gushing comments wherever they can. Sometimes the agency will be paid a per-comment fee; other times they'll undertake to do it for a fixed price.
Anonymous said…
Oh, so that is interesting about the gown because there was a suggestion dropped prior that MM might not use that gown but would instead use something from her own background that had meaning and we all snarked-a-lot over poor Archie in one of Thomas' old sweaty wifebeaters instead. (For those who don't know, wifebeaters are the trashy undershirts with no sleeves. I believe Homer Simpson wore one, but I may be wrong on that, never watched it.) I think that whenever The Queen has refused MM, a story is dropped to explain how MM is "breaking tradition".
Anonymous said…
Oh, when I looked it up to understand just what was up, it said pre-pubescent. Either way, I hope they're all held accountable.
Anonymous said…
LOLOL. You know what gets me about her "humanitarian" experiences (besides their relative non-existence) is that no one in the press has called her out on that. She had The Tig for all that time, and millions (cough) as a successful (d-list) actress (or yachter, something like that), so why was she not writing about her efforts and using her energy to change the world instead of merching tacky stuff and taking pictures of herself and wine and food and travels for The Tig. I mean, she could've used her vast resources from her successful like and her A+ list instafriends for her humanitarian efforts then, right?
punkinseed said…
Teachermom, I know right? It's infuriating that someone who has been blessed with so much would behave so badly. Sometimes I think it's a type of Culture Shock. However, a normal person would be far more humble, ask for and receive help on every aspect of such a life. What makes zero sense to me is how she wanted so much to marry into the royal family and all of its tradition, then does an about face and pokes her tongue out at all of the traditions that is the very foundation and fabric of the monarchy.
Anonymous said…
I meant discount all of it = all of the history of her being awful, nothing to do with the rehearsal. I can't speak to that either way because I'm not up to speed on BRF protocol for Christenings. So no argument from me.
punkinseed said…
Thank you for explaining. It's not like she is Walter White running his breaking bad money through his wife's car wash.
Anonymous said…
I tried to shut up, I really did lol. But comes a point.
Blackbird said…
Pictures of Sophie appeared shortly before her wedding, topless and cavorting with some chap on a boat. I forget who and don't care well enough to search, but even though it had happened in the past she was seen as someone who was perhaps not suited to become a member of the Royal Family.
Unknown said…
I know right Jdubya. It is absolutely crazy! I cannot believe what Sparkles has me considering. I mean this is the same woman who gave us a pic of baby feet in a position only natural to robots and maybe aliens. One thing, I didn't see anyone point out is the rug design that runs along Wills and Kate's feet. It looks warped to my eye. Meghan's shoe doesn't look right with her body position either. I also think the 2 pics of Archie don't look the same. Any Photoshop experts care to comment?
Anonymous said…
I found this take on the photoshopping:

https://fabfoxly.tumblr.com/post/186109623972/fun-with-photos-the-gangs-not-all-here

I can't put my finger on exactly what's wrong with the whole bloody thing, but it just looks like each one of them was beamed down instead of actually being in the room. Strange things are definitely afoot...
KnitWit said…
I thought the photo conspiracy theories were too crazy until I saw Kate's chair missing legs.

Time for the Queen to shut off Meg's I ternet access and order a psychiatric evaluation.
Blackbird said…
We shouldn't forget the 'takedown' piece Graydon had planned for Gwyneth Paltrow ... I wouldn't be surprised if he was paid to "retire".
Blackbird said…
"New Idea" is often referred to in these parts as "No Idea". As in, they have no idea and make stuff up. This just sounds (to me) like a re-hash of the story about Meghan yelling at Charlotte and making Kate cry in the wedding rehearsal.
Blackbird said…
Elle, I've wondered if the funds earmarked for Frogmore have been used on maintenance at other residences ...
SwishyFishy said…
New Idea is one of the worst tabloids in Australia, so definitely take it with a pinch of salt unless more can be substantiated. I as more interested in the texts from Admiralty House in Australia regarding staff members that had to work with Meghan and Harry on the Australian tour. They are up on The Charlatan Duchess and Talking Tarot on Tumblr. They are confirming the CDAN blind about how badly behaved Meghan was during that tour and cite the blind as absolutely true. Granted, not sure if these Instagram comments are real or not but they do make for an entertaining read regarding Meghan's unhinged, rude behavior on tour.
SwishyFishy said…
Sofi, I did the same thing. I was so utterly perplexed that Harry was with this D-list actress and how everything was being pushed through so fast. It was like watching a train crash, but not having all the facts of what we were seeing. The train is off the tracks, but everyone keeps pretending that all is well. The Emperor's New Clothes 2019 Edition. I found the whole thing more and more confusing and ended up on CDAN. Daily Mail, Harry Markle Wordpress, Nutty's Blog, Celt News, et. al in some weird search for answers because it's such a mess. I feel like we are all confounded by this situation because it's so unnatural, secretive, manipulative and full of lies. I think we'll get some answers when the divorce happens, but most likely it won't all come out until someone decides to search for the truth and put it all together in a book. Thus far, no one seems to want to do some honest to goodness investigative journalism. It could take years. Even sister Samantha's proposed book has mysteriously disappeared. Either she was bought off or she is being bogged down in legal threats.
SwishyFishy said…
I agree. I'm finding it harder and harder to read through any of the PR drivel and comments anymore. Everyone is frustrated and fed up. I think we all want an end to this charade.
Aquagirl said…
NEW NEWS///Posting here & will also post on Baptism thread:
Original Date of Family Christening Photo was MAY 8th, 2019. Same day as they introduced Archie/Darren to the press. Her photographer was there. That’s why Harry is wearing the same outfit. And Doria was still in town then, so maybe she was also originally in the photo (although her lips look much plumper than in the past.) Assuming everyone else was photoshopped in. I posted that I didn’t think that this was taken on the ‘Christening Day’ but could've been taken at any previous time. Didn’t know how to prove it, but someone more tech savvy than me did. Pulled up the photo on Meghan’s Mirror of all places & found the specific info.
May 8, 10:56 pm
Aquagirl said…
There is a possibility that W&K were present. Someone blew up the photo & said that PW’s watch said 10:55, and this photo was taken @ 10:56PM. C & C were out of town that day, so they were photoshopped in. Not sure about Diana’s sisters.
Anonymous said…
It's happening again... comments are disappearing
Anonymous said…
Hi @Summer, I'm sure the funds could have been used that way. At least there would be legitimate invoices for actual work done, so only half the fraud (although with fraud, we always round up, so still a whole fraud lol). If that were done, it's still fraud, though, not money laundering. I think that money laundering just sounds so much sexier and exciting that it gets thrown around a lot, and I'm not saying that MM never laundered or assisted in laundering (I thought that might have been part of her story with the yachting, possibly), but fraud/embezzlement is different than money-laundering - very separate things for different reasons/purposes/sources/etc. - so I finally just had to say something. I'm all for a good theory, but some degree of precision and reasonableness are required for me to follow along.
Anonymous said…
So the date was in the metadata on the photo? I'd love to see a screenshot. I read his watch said 11:55. I wasn't able to zoom in well enough to tell.

Anonymous said…
@life's lessons and aquagirl (you aren't Mandy Moore, are you?), can you post a link? I want to see what you're seeing.
Unknown said…
Oh my God, Aquagirl is absolutely right! I just downloaded the pic off of Meghan's Mirror. If you got a PC, download the pic. Then right-click the pic, go to Properties, and click the Details tab. You will see the Date Taken as 5/8/2019 10:56 PM. For Title, you see that they forbid use of the pic without prior permission from Royal Communications after 12/31/2019. Is that when the Meghan Markle sh*t show expires?

How on earth did they have at minimum a 2-month baby for the pic when they just presented Archie to the world as a newborn? Some people are saying the baby looks 3-4 months. This is insane! Was the baby 2-4 months in May or did they take the pic and photoshop Archie in later. Is this baby even Archie? I thought the baby doll theory was ludicrous but after this, who knows anything anymore. All of this explains the secrecy about the visuals of who is involved in the Christening ceremony. Something is really not kosher with Archie and his Mama Sparkles.
Unknown said…
Did you see Aquagirl's comment KnitWit? The metadata of the Christening pic shows it was taken 5/8/2019! I am just gob-smacked after I confirmed it myself.
Unknown said…
I just hope I live long enough to find out what the hell is going on SwishyFishy! It is exhausting waiting for a resolution but I just can't take my eyes off of this insanity.
Now! said…
It would be interesting to know if leaving the metadata intact - any junior spy could have easily altered it - was a flub or intentional.

They know how much interest this case has generated, and it didn't take long for the metadata to be found.
Now! said…
She had unpaid taxes from the 00s and had to pay a penalty. Skippy had the images back in the days when I used to follow Skippy.

I'm not sure who her employer is for tax purposes. It would be interesting to look at other Americans who married royalty and see how they were treated, although of course tax regulations are changing all the time.
Now! said…
My understanding was that the females were teenagers. (The girl pictured with Andrew was 17, I believe)

Some were apparently held against their will, or deceived into interacting with the celebrity men.
Now! said…
Sorry to hear that. I have not been deleting anything except comments the posters themselves have removed.
Mom Mobile said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
Hi
I don't believe the money laundering or embezzlement at all. Just spending. Access to funds due to Royal status. The controls are only appearing after the fact, after the spending. It is this part , where the microscope shines. Unfortunately it is too late by then. Once the free for all spending is over , the next binge starts and the cycle continues.

Having never been an actress or anything remotely connected to that world, it's easy to see what is driving the Duchess (forced myself to type that word) of Excess. It's that buzz ,the feelings of superiority, the goofy lightheadedNess, euphoric sensations of bliss, blah blah, that known actresses speak of. She is living on one out of this world binge after another. That's an obscene and unhealthy amount of energy to be flowing in a person. I believe when the energy crash happens , it will be internal, the public won't see it.

I feel for the people in the path of this storm, even the readers , as we are all getting affected one way or another.

After reading so much of superficial one liner news headings, and so much of public distaste, I feel quite switched off . Haddictable Harry has brought in a cataclysmic disaster, it's bad weather every day.

Why would anyone want to be in the public eye, 24/7 ? Something is horribly wrong here.
Unknown said…
I wish I knew. All of this seems like a very convenient distraction from the horrible damage the Epstein-Prince Andrew connection would cause the BRF if it gets on mainstream media.
Mom Mobile said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mom Mobile said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
R_O said…
My artist friend noticed that most of them seems to be looking at different directions/cameras when there is supposed to be just one photographer. Also, Kate's height sitting down still made her look too tall, almost the same height as Charles and Doria standing up.
KayeC said…
@teachermom & punkinseed.....I cannot agree more! Why join a family with very public traditions and protocols if you don't want to follow them? She really drives me crazy in that aspect more than anything, (her past was irrelevant, Harry is no angel) but no, no stockings for her. Only tacky jewelry, ill fitting clothes, and hair that looks like mine on the days I clean house. All these things could be fixed, she is in the royal family (they have dressers, tailors, hair and make-up teams) but refuses??

**As a seamstress and costume-maker, I cannot stand when something doesn't fit properly. Literally would take someone 30 mins to adjust! Any body shape can look nice in properly fitted clothes!! Where are Stacy and Clinton?? (What Not to Wear)
Hikari said…
I tried to get the metadata to open for me but wasn't able to; however, I zoomed in to max size and studying the picture in sections this way is very instructive.

It'd be very typical of a narcissist to assume that her deception is so good that nobody will check obscure details like the metadata. At first glance, from a distance (ie, regular size), it passes muster, if one doesn't look at it too long, or study it blown up to epic proportions. Most of Meg's audience will take it at face value and be satisfied.

And then there's us . . .

Even at regular size, it's hard not to notice that the eye lines of Charles and Camilla don't match up with everyone else's. Either Chas has a wonky eye, or he was looking at a different photographer, on a different occasion altogether. It's hard to tell exactly what Camilla's looking at, but she does rather look three sheets to the wind. There is something off about the outline of her light-colored hat against Chas's navy suit. A similar effect is happening at the other side of the photo, with William's navy suit against Lady Sarah's cream dress. Why is William casting such a shadow on LS's left arm?

William's watch is a full hour behind the mantel clock. Or maybe 11 hours behind, but his watch distinctly says 10:56 . . .which would align with the metadata that says the photo was taken at 10:56 . . PM . . on May 8th.

Harry and Smegs and the green and gilt sofa look pasted on top of the standing group. Charles' hand gripping the back of the sofa looks so very odd.

I am struck by the profoundly desolate look in the eyes of Lady Jane Fellowes. I suppose the absence of Diana on a day like this is keenly felt . . . however, if this is a real christening, why did she wear *that* hat? She looks like she's off to a day at the regatta, not a church occasion. Not the most appropriate headgear . . so perhaps she was at another occasion when the photo was taken? It looks like she and her sister are dressed for two entirely separate events.

Hikari said…
Blowing things up really highlights the footwear. Haz's shoes look, if possible, even worse. The toes are completely scuffed and the laces are navy blue. Charles's feet are not visible, but William's shoes are what a gentleman wears to a formal event. Camilla's shoes are water-stained on the toe caps . . lending credence to my theory that she might have been snapped at a day at the races after enjoying three or four G&Ts. Her hat, also straw, is a more successful than Lady Jane's.

Smeaghan seems to be favoring her favorite pair of dirty blush-colored heels, with toe cleavage showing. Kate's shoes look impeccable. She's worn this outfit before . . were any of those occasions in the Green Drawing Room? If so, it would explain why there is a gulf between her chair and the sofa wide enough to drive a lorry through. She also seems rather clumsily pasted in on top of her husband. The contrast of her headband against his arm seems oddly flat, and check out the weird squiggly line of his shoulder against the green brocade background.

The fact that Haz is wearing the identical outfit to the photo call shouldn't be too surprising; he seems to only own the one any more, and it hasn't been ironed or probably taken to the cleaners' since ELF left him. Megs is going to great pains to show off her ring, but I do not see any evidence of the new pave band or the matching eternity ring that she had on at TOC, which happened nearly a month before . . .

Or did it . . ?

If these photos are all altered/staged, along with the Pregnancy Performance, it points to a level of insidious insanity that boggles the mind. But even more mind-boggling is why none of the royals will step forward and say that their images are being used fraudulently. How does a hoax on this scale happen with the cooperation of its victims?

At this point, I'd be willing to swear that the Loch Ness Monster is more authentic than anything about this marriage. I wonder if we will ever know anything approaching the full scoop.



Hikari said…
"Without the cooperation of its victims."
Lottie said…
@Nutty
We all make minor mistakes.
I usually have the habit of proof reading after i hit publish ; )
But for MM it is crucial at this point, especially as her popularity is at an all time low that she gets the diplomatic stuff right
She doesn't need to alienate anymore people than she already has
I find it hilarious how she always tags the Royal theatre incorrectly...and she is the Royal patron for chrikes sake...haahaa
Even after they have mentioned it, she still does it!!
Sometimes the most stupid person is convinced that they are always the smartest person in the room...and that is MM to a T
I'm sure that's what turned William and of course the many other multitude of things she does

Yesterday 'Harry Markle' had a scathing account of her behaviour towards her father, if you haven't read it as yet, then it is definitely worth a read
Hikari said…
I bet Kate is really enjoying being portrayed as such a cream puff who is terrified of Smeaghan that she bursts into tears every time they have to be in the same room together.

I gave the incident over Charlotte's dress some credence, because Kate had only given birth two or three weeks prior and would have been feeling emotional. Imagine being a post-partum mother, tired, not feeling one's best, having left your newborn to endure a dress fitting with your strong-willed toddler and your brother-in-law's nightmare of a fiancee, and she starts screaming at you and your daughter for no good reason. That would set anyone off.

I think this new allegation is bogus. Kate has her natural poise, the strength of her position and the Family on her side. I don't know what might have been said to her about having to make nice with Harry's Harridan in front of cameras, but privately, I hope Kate's read Smeaghan the riot act. As in "When we are behind closed doors, you will not approach me or speak to me, nor any of my children. If you persist, I will have you removed." I think Kate's behind crying over Smeaghan now; let's hope she's dug deep and found her inner Queen.

I don't foresee Smeaghan's tenure in the family lasting much longer . . .a year, tops. So she will not be married to Harry when Kate becomes Queen. It would be so tasty to see the Charlatan Duchess forced to bend the knee to her new Queen, though, wouldn't it? It's not worth the wear and tear on us all to keep her around that long in the family, but it's an enjoyable idea.
Jen said…
Maybe there is an underground entrance to FC and we just haven't seen the comings and goings. *kidding*

This whole thing is very suspicious. @hikari, I agree that the money spent doesn't match up with what appears to have been done (nothing) to FC. Where did that money ACTUALLY go?
MLRoda said…
Not being as tech savvy, would the metadata be manipulated - as in date/time changes?
Jen said…
Summer...I get the exact same feeling when I look at her. She is just shy of evil.
Anonymous said…
Hi, and yes, @MLRoda, it's very easy to strip or change the obvious metadata (other stuff is harder, but we don't have access to that). I always auto-strip things I'm sharing. However, if someone doesn't strip / change it, then it *may* be a valid source of information. I know I've certainly used it before to prove the provenance of spreadsheets. That said, it's also quite easy to change, so I'd need more than metadata from a picture stripped off the internet to convict.
QueenWhitby said…
My gut tells me something big is up, and I’m sure Fleet Street has the goods - perhaps a quid pro quo from the palace in exchange for time to get the chess pieces in place before the hounds are unleashed.

FS vets like Piers Morgan have longstanding palace sources and will know every salacious detail of what’s been happening. His was the opening salvo on MM and his subsequent columns all have the same theme: her modus operandi ( social climbing and ghosting), her ability to lie, and her hypocrisy. I think PM is too thick skinned to be terribly butt hurt at being ghosted, he knows whats up but he’s holding back while laying the groundwork and so are other FS vets.

It has to be something big and of great sensitivity for them to hold back like this but it will only last so long and then like TP1 said....BOOM. Signs are pointing to a sonic boom, the public are now getting very riled up and something is gonna give.

On another note, does any one else wonder if MM’s salary demand to replace her Suits income was made to the Royal Foundation, aided and abetted by the the fighter of white man power Natalie Campbell? I think William turfed them as a result.

As for Fraudmore, I’ve done a lot of renovations and you have to have a detailed list of works to be done, and a cost itemization to make a budget before the project even starts. The contractor bills would go directly to whoever administers the Crown Grant for payment and budget overages would be picked up on right away. I’ve seen fraud committed whereby contractors are lined up to give inflated bids for their work, and then provide a kickback after payment. You see this in government jobs all the time, but I really doubt MM had the time, or British connections to do this. The cost of Fraudmore is likely more related to MM extravagance and vindictiveness at being ejected from KP to the Royal

At any rate, things are heating up and lots of vague plans being thrown around for Sussexes without anything concrete. I’m really getting the buying time vibe, we’ll see.
QueenWhitby said…
“Royal Cemetary”
abbyh said…
Thanks for that link (I can't get the metadata as well) but the blowup size has some interesting points of: doesn't that look a little odd, somehow?

Prince Charles' hand seems a tad larger than anything else around but I can and have been wrong. Could just be perspective as it is coming at you and maybe he has really large hands.

Camilla's eye looks wonky because it sort of closed. (and you are really right about the water staining of her shoes).

Possible only one back leg on her chair (could be just our angle with the exact alignment to cover most of it) but when you move past it, you don't see the other one or the pant leg/shoe. Almost everywhere else, the dark patches of the carpet still show some faint detail.

The hair and lack of reflection (oh that is much more obvious in blow up).

The hat in the mirror is too low unless that camera, for that part of the photo, was much higher than eye level and way off to our right. (perspective) And then, we probably ought to have been able to see a tiny bit of the straw hat at the edge of the mirror as well.

Kate's neckline - I cannot speak for everyone but if I have something touching the front of my neck, it is because it also sweeps around close enough to keep close to the entire neck. This has all the space across the back.

Everyone keeps saying there is something off about the photo. I think it is that there is a certain sharpness to edge and a certain flatness to every body and every where. It just looks layered in a weird way. And then you throw in the facial expressions, the time differences, the warped horizontal piece in the mirror and missing chair legs and walk away with questioning how real it all is.

Interesting.

Anonymous said…
HI Unknown, just to say, I don't believe it, either, re the funds. I can't explain FC, and if the money spent were only stories in the media, then I'd question them. But I find it quite hard to believe that the BRF would embezzle millions so blatantly and via public funds and with records. It would require complicity and collusion at many levels. There are far more creative (and safer) ways to steal. I'm fairly certain the BRF has internal financial controls. Of course, those can fail, but on a scale of this magnitude, this quickly, and this publicly, I do not believe it.

Money laundering is something else entirely, and what I tried to briefly explain above - but this is not money laundering.

Back in MMs yachting days, if she yachted enough and if someone needed to make a financial exchange, I could see her being used as a strawman for a fee or to transport debit cards. I could think of ways her Soho pal could assist in laundering (easy enough with hotel rooms and properties), but regardless, that's history and not related to FC.

I do think there's something sincerely wrong with MM and I think Harry is a sucker and a victim. I think that it should be examined *reasonably* but about the time space aliens start landing in the possible scenarios, that is off-putting and minimizes the credible theories. That's my opinion.
Anonymous said…
Much of it is analyzed here: https://fabfoxly.tumblr.com/post/186109623972/fun-with-photos-the-gangs-not-all-here
Lottie said…
I just saw it too...OMGawd!!!
And i took a screen shot for good measure, as i am sure it won't stay up for too much longer
I am amazed at the audacity of MM
Also a few people are talking about the hour time difference with Will's watch and the gold clock
My theory is the antique gold clock wasn't changed back manually after daylight saving started which would have been at the end of March if i am not mistaken
punkinseed said…
I think FS is about to release The Cracken, but it's about Epstein, not Megs if reports are accurate. He is about to spill all for a plea deal. Meg's antics and her "don't look at me" or take pics of me BS is about to be buried at the bottom of the heap. She'd have to do something drastic, like fake a reconciliation with her father and sister to upstage Epstein's reveal. Alas, she'll get the privacy she longs for.
Girl with a Hat said…
I believe that the knives are going to come out for Meghan with the revelations from Epstein about Prince Andrew becoming public. The royal family will want to distract us.
Mischief Girl said…
@Nutty, I found your blog via CDAN a couple of months ago and I really enjoy your posts and the thoughtful comments from your readers. It's nice to see other CDAN readers here, recognized from their screen names. I appreciate a lively discourse where commentators don't devolve into name calling and on-line stalking. Hikari, Elle, Aquagirl, and the whole crew--thanks for making Nutty Blog a worthwhile place to stop, read, and chat for a bit!

Also, are you KIDDING me with the "I'm going to rescue a dog for a 2-month old child" routine? Puh-leeze!
Silli_emperors said…
There are a couple of ways of working with metadata of exif data including stripping entirely or changing creation date, adding copyright. Needs software but Photoshop and Lightroom allow for some edits, and w advanced tools sky is the limit.
Mischief Girl said…
@Lottie, every royal palace has a person who's sole job it is to manage the clocks--wind them and change the time as needed with daylight savings. No way would a clock be overlooked. There are enough clocks that it is a full time (probably very boring) job.

I don't know what to make of the discrepancy.
Silli_emperors said…
@Mischi MM assumes her audience has the same wiring she does regarding possessions particularly luxe apparel as status symbols. She just doesn't get that some assume status by accident of birth such as the aristocracy and royals or children of accomplished. Nice possessions are assumed but really don't create much envy or longing to emulate. She assumes wearing bespoke $100K caftans elevates her when all many noticed was that she wore it to an afternoon office party. Envy was not reaction when she debuted updated engagement ring but horror that she modified a ring given to her "in love" so quickly. "Understated" like a Brit is beyond her comprehension as Kardashians her speed.
Blackbird said…
Haha Mom Mobile ... yes ... actually, they're the wise ones! I wouldn't want that life for anything.
Vevs said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vevs said…
Hi, I was not sure where to post this, but I find the lack of renovations on FC and the amount disclosed as spent very disturbing (especially as a british tax payer). There were rumors last year (CDAN and others) that there was a MM sex tape being shopped around and that the RF were essentially being blackmailed into paying a huge sum to avoid it being released... could this be where the £2.3m have gone?
KaySea said…
Just to add a bit more to the Christening photo. This is the description tied to the photo:

NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERICAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER AFTER 31 DECEMBER, 2019 WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS. NO CROPPING. Copyright in this photograph is vested in The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Publications are asked to credit the photographs to Chris Allerton. No charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photograph. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. This official christening photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows the Duke and Duchess with their son, Archie and (left to right) the Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Ms Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of

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