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Quick thoughts on Archie's baptism photos

Just a few quick thoughts on the photos from today's baptism of Archie Harrison.

- This baby looks older than 8 weeks. He holds his head up well, a bit like a 3 or 4 month old would.

- If the baby does indeed have Meghan's and Harry's DNA, Doria's DNA is not particularly visible at this point. That can certainly change; many babies with African heritage become darker as they turn into toddlers and older children. Right now, however, the baby appears to have European coloring.

- William looks over it. Kate's smile is forced. Doria looks elegant, as always. The two Spencer sisters look happy to be included, including the one who looks like she got her Panama hat from a tourist shop along with some sunblock while sightseeing. Where was their brother, the head of the Spencer family?

- Otherwise, these are standard-issue baptism photos. Why was there so much drama about keeping everything private?

- I see the second photo was black and white with the parents' back to the cameras. Classic Meghan style. I guess when baby is older she'll teach him how to pose with his back to the camera too.

UPDATE: 
Some thoughts on the day after the Christening.

- The Sussex Royal Instagram account supposedly has 8.9 million followers, but there are only 2.3 million likes on the christening photos, some of them no doubt from non-followers.

That suggests that a huge number of the Sussex Royal followers are fake.

- Upon closer inspection of the christening photo, Harry looks like hell. His grey trousers are wrinkled and he is wearing the same beaten-up brown suede shoes he wears everywhere.

It reminds me of a rebellious teenager who refuses to take off his favorite rock band T-shirt, except that Harry is 34 years old. If Charles or the Queen could force William and Kate to attend the christening, as seems obvious, couldn't they force Harry to dress properly for the photo?

- Meg supposedly wore a 12,000 pound bespoke Dior dress for the ceremony, but only released two photos, neither of which offered a full-length view of the dress. Kind of silly to spend so much on a dress that no one will see, particularly one that can't be worn again - unless the surrogate is up for another round.

- The re-arrest of Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday may have some significance for the Royal Family. Epstein is a known associate of Prince Andrew.

- The Daily Mail is suggesting that Markus Anderson, Meghan's reputed pimp, was one of Archie's grandparents. If true, that would have been a very good reason to keep the list of grandparents secret.

Comments

Anonymous said…
William has his best RBF on. If you zoom in on the picture, his left lip is twirked up in the classic contempt sneer, but he's trying his best to hide it. Still, RBF.

The ability for a baby to hold its head up is around 4 months. This could be why they are not showing the baptism certificate - true date of birth.
MLRoda said…
Archie looks like his parents. Notice how Meghan is holding the babe? Her left hand is on top of Archie showing off her rings. Classy that one. Nice of them to include Diana's sisters, but wondering where Earl Spencer is. Camilla and Kate look lovely and Doria looks good.
Harry knows Her Majesty's schedule and annual trips very well. It is possible they picked this particular weekend for a reason, knowing full well she would not be able to attend.
Bubbles said…
It’s a nice photo but everyone looks like they’re holding in a toot - except MM showing off her rings. Is the center diamond bigger? Generic. Give it a couple days, more will come out. As the title says, though, these are the quick notes & first impressions.

Such a cute baby, no matter where he came from or how old he is :)
Anonymous said…
From the DM article: "Mr Gratton suggested the Duchess of Sussex is perhaps more image conscious than other royals because she draws more attention than other members of the family. " I guess William had read it, too, lol.
OKay said…
I have to admit, I do see Harry in Archie in one picture and some of Markle in another. He definitely does look older than advertised though, which for me lends some credence to the idea that the baby was born in April as expected but the surrogate wouldn't give him up right away.
MLRoda said…
I just looked at the side by side photos of Harry as a baby and Megs as a baby and Archie. He's definitely their son. He's cute but I worry about him with parents like them.
Now! said…
I agree that all three ladies look lovely. And I also noticed the Earl of Spencer was not there. Previous engagement, like the Queen? One of Diana's sisters was one of the first to visit the newborn. Perhaps Harry has a good relationship with them.
Now! said…
Quite possible. I also read something (where, I have now forgotten) that HMTQ will not appear in photos that will be sold for money.
Now! said…
Me too, but like every human, I'm subject to confirmation bias. Many people claim to have seen "Thomas Markle's nose" on the baby.
Now! said…
William is going to have to clean up all the messes left behind by his lily-livered father, his misbehaving brother, and the brother's greedy wife.

Too bad Bill Shakespeare kicked off four hundred years ago, because he could have definitely gotten another play or two out of William's situation.
Girl with a Hat said…
that is not the child they presented in the swaddling clothes. I don't think he's an attractive child. Sorry. He obviously inherited his mother's real nose and he will look like Boris Becker's kids - ginger with tan skin. Not an attractive look. That is my personal opinion.
Girl with a Hat said…
and by HM The Queen and her incompetent staff. There's no reason they should have been married in the first place. All they had to do was release the salad tossing video before the wedding, even if there had been an elopement prior to the official ceremony. People would have understood that this had nothing to do with racism.
Now! said…
Becker's kids seem to have dark hair, with the exception of the one conceived in the broom closet, who is indeed ginger.
Anonymous said…
@Nutty LOL "I guess when baby is older she'll teach him how to pose with his back to the camera too." I love a good snark with my morning coffee :)

And yes, I am looking forward to watching William clean it all up. Although I'm not British, I enjoy the tradition, and I especially like watching William and Kate reach out to the public in genuine fashion. I think it comes as a comfort that there is civility and grace left in a crazy world. So opposite the tacky merching and me-ness of MM who is the quality equivalent of a QVC mail-order escort.

Gotta say that her loving gaze is getting a little old and someone should gift her some spanx. Also, Harry's feet in the photo - notice how the one leg is pointed over and away from MM instead of resting against her with feet pointed in same direction. Interesting body language. And it's hard to tell, but it looks like Kate's left eyebrow is arched.

Baby Archie is cute and innocent of all of this. I feel sorry for this child.
abbyh said…
MM looks very pleased, followed by PH and then everyone else has more or less of a stretching the lips over the teeth look.
Bubbles said…
I believe he’s their son as well - but why keep surrogacy secret? Champion the cause!!

I’m just stuck at why they’re allowed to keep the show going. They’re very selfish people and their son will hopefully be spared their nuttiness. Maybe that’s why William is staying close - there’s a child involved so his own conscience won’t let him wash his hands?
Anonymous said…
Oh, @Bubbles, I just checked the DM comments because they're always telling re the mood of the crowd.
"Also, that baby is older than two months unless he is supermans kid." and more like that.
I also thought it humorous that someone thought Kate looks nervous, like she's expecting a throwdown at any minute. If Archie is older than his two months, then this is the beginning of the unraveling...
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bubbles said…
Ha, Spot on with how Kate looks! To be a fly...
hardyboys said…
I've had 3 kids. I think the baby looks 2 months. I think the secrecy was the old Michael Jackson ploy. Starve the public create a media frenzy. MM looks like she hit a jackpot saying nah nah na na....she looks so smug...
Bubbles said…
I looked back at the pictures of my kids, both were holding their head up around eight weeks as well. It may not be the date of birth that they’re hiding but the where and who.

She is flaunting and it’s ugly. She’s no better than any of us but in her head I bet she thinks the Queen is crazy for not declaring She will be handing her the crown next.
Now! said…
Good point about the body language.

Also, I wish someone would get Harry some new shoes. He wears those beat-up brown suede ones everywhere he goes.

It's like a rebellious teenager who insists on wearing his tattered Guns n' Roses T-shirt to school every day.
Charlie said…
On B&W photo Harry looks at Archie, Meghan looks at Harry, I'm not an expert, but it was weird for me.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anna said…
This baby is not 8 weeks old.
I really wish all the lies came to the surface so we can be rid of this charade of nonsense.

Anyone can see that they have lied about the baby.
Poor little child.
Bubbles said…
Is it just me or does Harry look like he has his eye at the camera while trying to look like he’s focusing on his son?
hildarumpole said…
At last we are properly introduced to Archie! Why was it so difficult? He's a cute baby, but does appear older than 2 months, closer to the full-cheeked baby they showed off days after the alleged birth rather then the preemie looking Father's Day baby. Meghan looks good and appropriate for the occasion. Harry could use a new pair of shoes. The composition of the group photo is interesting. There is a barrier in the form of the green upholstery, separating William, and especially Kate, from everyone else. I don't now if it was intentional, but it conveys a message about the family relationships.

First time poster, longtime lurker. I've enjoyed reading your blog postings, Nutty, and the insightful input on the Harkle mess from commenters. They are a confounding pair.
SoCal Karma said…
In regard to the baby's coloring, the child is 3/4 white. MM herself is light skinned so the baby's coloring isn't quite that unusual. I knew a young woman who was very dark skinned. The father of her baby was white. The child was full on light skinned with blond hair and blue eyes. It happens. DNA is a funny thing. Unfortunately the mother was always embarrassed at how her child looked.
Girl with a Hat said…
I was wrong - his children had fairer hair when they were younger as does his youngest son but his daughter has the ginger hair. She is really not a great beauty.
SoCal Karma said…
Agreed. My son was 10.1 lbs when he was born and looked like a 3 month old. Archie wasn't a big baby. He's cute though, and I hope the child has a happy life. He doesn't particularly look like either parent, but then I never though Harry looked like Charles or Diana.
KayeC said…
Just realized that Kate is wearing the same earrings Diana wore to Harry's christening....

Baby is cute. Not sure I see Harry yet. Check out his christening photos....
Anonymous said…
Regardless of DNA, I've looked at Charlotte's and Louis' Christening photos, and they were 2 months old. Their little heads are still bobbing around. At three months, PG was much less jellylike. Archie is older than he appears. So, my current theory:
Surrogate - Harry's DNA, at the very least (I hope one of MMs, TBH)
MM & PH didn't announce for the 42 plus days because you just never know
May 6 was the day they actually "got" Archie
That would make Archie a month and a third older than 2 months
It would also be the reason for the secrecy
and the reason for a private Christening today b/c birth date
HMTQ knows this, but didn't know until later because it's not like she could hold MM down and give her a look and MM only used her own doctors
And that would mean PH was def part of this
And, of course, this would mean the whole family would know and explain William and Kate's WTF I cannot believe this farce! expressions of contempt and wry (that should be the new BRF cocktail "I'll have a contempt and rye on the rocks with a twist")
Now! said…
Sure. I have a friend in a similar situation, and while she wasn't embarrassed, she was afraid to travel with the baby because they didn't resemble each other. She got the baby a passport right away for identification purposes.
SDJ said…
The royal christening pictures are usually meticulously composed. I have a feeling this one was as well, until the photographer turned his back to walk back to his tripod and Meghan scooted over to be nestled next to Harry. Honey, stop spelling it out: we get it, you loooooove your husband. No need for a physical demonstration every damn time you two are photographed.

And on that note: her handholding + clutching his arm at EVERY engagement is inappropriate. Those are "work" events, not dates.
Now! said…
Welcome!

Will and Kate do look like they were forced to be there. The Spencer sisters are there as a proxy for Diana, of course, but Thomas Markle's absence is notable. As is the Queen's.
Now! said…
Good point about the composition.

I think all that clutching is a sign of insecurity, not love.

In the black and white Christening photo, Meghan is looking at her husband, not her child.
Anonymous said…
And that should be "NONE of MMs, TBH, because I'd like Archie to escape the Markle DNA. I don't know that anything good has swum out of that gene (cess)pool.
Anonymous said…
@Bubbles, before all of this is over, I expect the place will be swarming with flies. That baby is not two months old. It's just a matter of time now.
Anonymous said…
Perhaps that is the truth right there: "Meghan is looking at her husband, not her child."
Anonymous said…
I only looked online about baby heads and it is all a version of this: "By 2 months old, baby head control increases, and baby can hold his or her head at a 45-degree angle. At 3 months, you’ll see those adorable mini push-ups as baby rises to a 90-degree angle in preparation for crawling. And by 6 months old, you should see your child have complete control of their head." I don't know. But I do know that comparing Archie to Charlotte and Louis and George, he looks much closer in age to the latter than the two former. Of course, one would expect that a baby sporting the Markle DNA would be in all ways superior, so I bet he'll be walking and talking 2 months earlier than the average child, too, lol.
Anonymous said…
And here it is: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7219973/Royal-fans-celebrating-Archies-christening-claim-Prince-William-looked-sour-photographs.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

Kate's left eyebrow was arched (I'll have a Contempt and Rye with a twist please... oh, make it a double...) and William's new scarf-without-a-scarf look.

Funnier to me: MM approved these photos, so perhaps she missed the body language entirely?
Now! said…
That's very possible. Like most people, she probably looks for herself first in any group photo, and thought that if she and Harry looked good, the photo was a go.

It's always tricky to take a photo of so many people and have them all looking good. Perhaps there was another photo where Will and Kate looked more comfortable but was less flattering to one of the Harkles.
NikNak said…
First time poster here, just wanted to say I love your blog Nutty. Check it everyday x
Bubbles said…
@elle, of course MM’s child is far more advanced than others in his bracket! Did you know Master Archie can cry in French?

My girl was walking at 8 months, she was sitting up at 5, and photos are showing good head control at 2ish months. Not bragging, just sharing. My lazy son didn’t walk until 15 months, and sitting was delayed as he recovered from a couple surgeries for his cleft repair and one for Sleep apnea (massive tonsils & adenoids) all before he was one.

I can easily believe a 8 week old has control. But I don’t believe their baby is as young as they claim.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bubbles said…
@elle, pour me a contempt & vodka soda while we wait? ;)
Now! said…
Thanks NikNak! Welcome. I don't write every day - once a week is about all I manage - but I am lucky to have many great commenters who contribute frequently.
Now! said…
Could be, Unknown.

And remember the suggestion that Harry might be sterile due to a childhood operation. Apparently he told previous girlfriends he could not have children.

He did want to be a father, however. Maybe he's just so happy to have ANY baby that he is eager to keep this child and raise it, even if it isn't genetically his or "of the body" as required.

That might be why he is so keen on "privacy".
Lady Luvgood said…
There is no tenderness in the way Megs holds the bambino, none at all.

I find it incredibly sad, really.

I thought the same when they presented the swaddled babe.

If you look at the Cambridge christening photos, you can see Kate gazing lovingly at her babe, as it should be.

Megs did not carry or have that baby.
Girl with a Hat said…
not a chance that a 2 month old can do that. It has to do with the myelation of the nerves and that proceeds in a rather regular way in all babies, except those who have some type of cancer of that pathway.
NikNak said…
I would like to just note a few things... Meghans preference for virgin white is getting a little old. Its up to you if you state you're 37 years of age for forever but we know you're not.

Charles and Camilla look like they have been drinking slow gin all morning. Gloria looks lovely and poised albeit tired. William looks like he wants to throttle someone (or at least take a shot gun to Balmoral and let of steam) Kate looks as though she is about to witness a public assault and counting the minutes. The Spencer sisters are a nice touch and finally Harry, please buy new shoes....just go to NEXT or Topman if you are worried about money...please, invest in new shoes.
NikNak said…
Completely understand. I just don't want to miss anything! Have you considered starting a youtube channel? I know it's all two familiar these days but you can get patronage. Just a thought. Keep up the work girl. I live in the UK and a high percentage of people are seething at this couples lack of self awareness. Don't even get us started on the black and white Instagram posts. We complain more about these two than the weather at this point.
MLRoda said…
Actually, if you look at the photo - Megs is still dead centre on that couch and Harry looked like he had to squeeze in to it to be in the picture. Just MHO - she's just got to be the focal point with her rings. Oh and the babe of course :)
Miss_Christina said…
So much to unpack in that photo.

Quelle suprise. There's an actual baby here!

Camilla must have had a few stiff belts before the ceremony to look that relaxed. Everyone else looks like they need a good laxative.

Why is Lady Jane wearing Meghan's Wimbledon hat?

William and Kate look one shutter click away from bolting for the door.

Wow. MeAgain looks properly dressed with her hair combed. Doria must have done that for her.

And........still no godparents. Is the big godparent secret that there were never going to be any?
NikNak said…
There's something so off about all this but I still can't put my finger on it.

Even my own mother who has no clue on gossip (60 years of age, likes her chickens and dog walks) watched the baby reveal and raised an eyebrow and then sniffed "Harrison...hmm...OK. Her bump looks a little..odd" Now we don't judge people for appearance in my family and never will but her crouching down in heels at 8 months made her shake her head as well. My mums an honest woman who used to be a medical professional for the NHS and now has retired, take this as you want but one look at her and she said 'Is she on amphetamines, she's not blinking?'
Now! said…
Those shoes seem to be a form of rebellion for him.

I agree that a cream-white would have been nice.
Now! said…
I saw there was speculation that Tiggy Leggs-Bourke, Harry's former nanny, might be one of the godparents.

Interesting if true. Archie only needs one female godparent, so if Tiggy got the nod, perhaps none of Meg's friends did.

Of course, he could have multiple female godparents, but as a male baby he's only required to have one.
Now! said…
I don't know that Doria and Meg have that great of a connection - at least, none that has been visible in photographs, the way her connection to her father was.

If she didn't have a close connection to her mom, perhaps it's natural for her not to be particularly connected to her own child.
The Wiz said…
I try not to like Camilla, but I have to say that this pic of her made me giggle: She looks like she just enjoyed one helluva good gin and tonic!
Now! said…
Ha ha! I didn't think there was anything British people complained about more than weather!
Lady Luvgood said…
Hmmm, you’re Mum and your family sound lovely and yes I often think Megs looks manic, too.

I was just looking back at the Cambridge and Harry and Wills own christening and my own newborn pics with my ninos and no she has a strange disconnect to the baby, like it is not hers.

Hence the dopey foot picture, and than the jigsaw hand one, it’s not ART, Megs it’s tiresome and utterly boring.

For someone so lauded for being a social media whiz, I think it was as fake as everything else about her.
I can tell you as someone who has my own large following of over 150k followers, she has no connection to people, she cannot read people, their energy or their feelings and I am going to say her famous SM savvy comes from others more skilled in PR and social media than herself.

She is bombing and fast taking the formerly beloved Harry with her.
Now! said…
I thought the earrings were a nice touch.
Now! said…
I think Harry is happy to be a father, and Meghan is happy to have something (someone) that ties her to Harry.
Now! said…
Camilla has a great attitude about life. She seems to always be smiling. The press supposedly love her - she's easy to get along with and very co-operative.

I also think she dresses very well in an age-appropriate manner. If I were her age, I'd be very pleased if I could dress as nicely as she does.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
NikNak said…
@Bubbles, I'll sit with you at that bar if you like. The baby is certainly a mash of both of them. How good their parenting will be is up to debate. I think Meghan will be trying for another sooner rather than later.

How they arrive/arrived is anyone's guess. The whole secrecy of birth, questionable birth certificate and now the god parent stuff is very strange. It was ill managed and somewhere below stairs a royal servant is laughing their heads off.
SoCal Karma said…
@ Unknown: Yes, pretty rare indeed.
NikNak said…
The media isn't backing down either. It's got all rather embarrassing for the Royal Family. Every day is a hit in their direction with Harry and Meg being in the firing line. We were all looking forward to the new baby (who wouldn't) but the delay and confusion over delivery place and time confused us normals, Then they fucked up the christening and then the black and white hand picture, then god parents. People who are royalists are around my mums age (she doesn't have instagram) they just want to see the damn baby. Why be so difficult?
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hikari said…
This baby is definitely not as big as MM & PH both proclaimed he would be . . "She's got a big baby in there", and Herself swanning around in a belly big enough to hold twins back in January when she was still in her 2nd trimester . . .(allegedly). Then she goes to 43, 44 weeks gestation and the baby comes out at a quite delicate 7 pounds, 3 oz, or whatever he was? That's full-term size . . a little small for a male baby who belongs to Haz. Both H. and Wills are tall after their Spencer side, and before Haz got so stringy looking, he was robust. Look at photos from 7, 8 years ago. He's dropped at least a couple of stone since then. (Using Brit parlance . . I'd say H. is a good 25 pounds or more less than he was while on active duty. Shall we attribute this, as they want us to, to embracing that healthy vegan yoga green tea lifestyle? . . . Sure, and the sky is purple.

This little baby is the same one from the IG but not the same one from the debut in swaddling clothes on May 6th. I'm myopic as hell but my eyes are not that bad to believe otherwise. Frankly, the baby-that-never-moved was quite a bit cuter, at least what we could see. He also seemed somewhat older than 2 days old. Is it possible that H. and M. rented another baby for that photo op, if they didn't have custody of this one yet?

I think this baby does look like Harry as an infant. Guess we will have to see if he develops a more African appearance as he gets older.

If the Sussexes had decided early on, even before they were married, to have children via surrogate, as they obviously did . . . how different it would be now if they'd been honest about it from the beginning. It would have been a large adjustment for the family to make viz. succession/titles, etc. but since there is no possibility of Archie getting anywhere near the Crown, his manner of conception never would have affected the succession. They could have opened a dialogue about fertility issues and the many means of becoming a family . . they talked about adoption even while they were engaged, but didn't follow through with that candor, since this disgusting Pregnancy Show commenced soon after. Why go through that charade unless getting a title for Archie was so GD important that they were willing to adhere to a lie of this magnitude?

That's why the family is all disgusted--with the pretense and the lies. Surrogacy is unconventional and there was no precedent for it, but I think everyone would have been happy for Harry to be a dad--had he been honest.
Meghan could have still had a baby shower and done up her baby nursery . . and certainly been going around looking more attractive these last 10 months.

I can't imagine that Harry has any peace of mind over the situation; Farkle is not troubled by a lack of peace of mind. To feel anxiety or doubts or shame over one's actions necessitates having a conscience, which she lacks.

I'm just marveling that they managed to pull it off. So far . . .
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hikari said…
She's going to be using that baby as a prop and a merching opportunity, and that's all he means to her. Narcissists are incapable of maternal feeling, because they operate from a self-centered place only, and being a parent (a good parent) requires the opposite of self-centeredness. Narcissists only value relationships in how they benefit themselves. Narcissists who have children raise children who are insecure and have feelings of deep unworthiness. Which is a natural outcome of knowing that your mother does not and cannot love you, and is emotionally erratic--cold and distant and angry unless cameras or other people are watching, in which case the child is smothered with faux displays of maternal affection.

Best case for Archie is that Harry and the Queen retain full custody of him after the inevitable divorce. If the baby has none of Meg's DNA, that should be easier to arrange, particularly if she can be shown to be an unfit mother.
Hikari said…
Of course she wore white . . .Kate wore white for Louis's christening last year.

A note on Kate's dress: Very nice, love it on her, but a lot more modern-looking than we see from her usually. She normally goes formal/matronly for these types of things . . probably she decided to dress to please herself in something bright and shorter since this event was most definitely not High Church.
Hikari said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
KayeC said…
I think silent little things like this speak louder than words. LOL!!
Hikari said…
Oh, and as I mentioned on the last entry . . . the Charlatan Duchess has pictures of the upscale Soho House home furnishings line called "Harrison" . . home linens of spa quality . . towels, bedding, robes, slippers, etc., which are used in the SoHo House hotels. Megs and Haz used SoHo House Toronto for their hook-ups when he would visit . . not her relatively modest studio rented apartment as she claimed, and which made it into the Lifetime movie about them.

So . . . my take is, "Archie Harrison" is something they concocted while they were high and/or as a little in-joke amongst themselves. 'Archie" may be the pet name for Harry's mighty scepter or their favorite drug they do together--it does not have the authentic ring of a name lovely selected with care for a firstborn royal baby. It sounds like a character in a movie or maybe something you'd name a pet. I have a ginger cat I have called 'Archie.' After 'Archie Andrews', not this one.
Hikari said…
Just to add, that may have been why Camilla imbibed before this ordeal. Not that I blame her at all. Only way to get through this with some sanity left.
KayeC said…
@Hikari, I pointed out above, Kate also wore the pearl drop earrings that Diana wore for Harry's christening......subtle, but you know that ticked MM off! LOL!
KayeC said…
When and if there is some sort of ending to this drama, I propose we ALL share a drink via skype/facetime/whatever!! Cheers!
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wolpertinger said…
I really don't see the point in the secrecy regarding the godparents. All the people who attended the ceremony and even more, like the Queen and Prince Philip for instance, know who they are. If they are chatting about it with other people, I think it is inevitable that the godparents will be sooner or later revealed. But Harry & Meghan can't punish their own family for that (talking to people), can they? It's not like employees you can punish, ban or fire... I really don't get it.
NikNak said…
@Curlysue2u She is the best person on this planet (for me) so thank you :)

I have to agree with Nutty though there does seem to be a lack of affection between mother and daughter when it comes to Meghan and her mother. I'm not asking for kissing/hugging pictures but their doesn't seem to be any protection either. Neither was there any presence of her on Meghan's blog and she seemed to enjoy being vocal. There is no way my mum would want me to walk down the aisle alone (nervous and worried, she'd hold my hand the entire way and give me away...fuck tradition), let alone let her sit on her on her own in a pew under the glare of cameras. Absolutely disgraceful.
abbyh said…
Weird.

On another site, someone mentioned that it looked as if PW was wearing a different colored tie while driving in for the Christening. With tinted windows, I don't know. Maybe?

However, beside him is supposed to be Kate and she clearly is wearing a different outfit (it has a neckline) than what she is wearing in the official picture. Unless, somehow they mistook Carole for Kate (or someone else). Photographs are in the DM.

How odd. Very few things make any sense. It's like Through the Looking Glass.
Photos tell a story, and these show a family miserably forced together for a photo op. The main stone on her engagement ring looks bigger than at TOC. The baby looks like her dad. Karma.
Harry’s light suit seems too casual too.
Maddie said…
Good eyes KayeC. Makes you wonder if Kate was like “I’m going to wear these earrings just to f—— with her” LOL!
Maddie said…
And he needs new shoes. 😁👞 as everyone is saying. LOL. He really does.
NikNak said…
@Unknown I can't speak for everyone (obviously) in Britain but its the inconsistencies with their behavior. The monarchy has always been the back bone to our little island, certainly the older generation. Literally all they need to do is be reliable and reliant upon when shit hits the fan (the leaked articles of a feud is NOT helping) H & M have done neither and it's disconcerting to many, as we pay for their lifestyle. The re-shaping of the monarchy (if that's what you call it) is not sitting well with most, and with the logging of the spending the people are not happy. I would also like to add that most feel they are being lied too. The moral has done a nose dive with this couple. They are NOT living at Frogmore Cottage yet they claim to be. Its bullshit. We pay out of our incomes so they are a figure for us and to the rest of the world. Yet they are not identifying with the public when it comes to giving a little...they get A LOT as it is.

KnitWit said…
My mother is a malignant narcissist. I suspect Meg is also. Both married kind but flawed men who could be manipulated.

At some point, Meg may begin to resent the child because the child gets more attention. Heaven help the child if he is more intelligent, more successful, more famous.....

I don't know what the truth is about Meg/Harry's relationship/pregnancy. In my opinion they should have been honest. If it an adoption, surrogacy, etc. Fine. If the baby has a health problem, fine. At some point someone near the line of succession may have fertility challenges or decide to adopt. If that person is honest from the start, they will gain the public's support and respect.

The Harkle debacle is doing the contrary.
NikNak said…
@Nutty This is correct, Her Majesty does not do photo ops when there is personal gain (financial) out of principal and respect of the public. To put it bluntly; it cheapens her position and would gather disrespect from the people if she turned up solely for the money.
Girl with a Hat said…
I am sure that they all travel with an extra change of clothing in case something happens.
NikNak said…
Harry looks a goddamn mess. Have a shower, shave, moisturize and at least do up your suit yeesh. I'm not going to mention the shoes again...but THE SHOES. Maybe leave the gray blazer alone as well for a month and get something else tailored to fit you.
The Cambridges probably travelled in other clothing so they wouldn’t be wrinkled in photos.
Paja said…
I told the same, 3-4 months old kid.
OzManda said…
Of interest - 1) the queen was at the Cambridge children's christening but not this.
2) In the B&w shot sparkles isn't looking at her "child" which is a habit she is showing
3) You can actually see the tension of William and Kate
The whole thing just reeks of being off
First time poster, lurking for awhile. And the comment that drew me out was:

"Camilla must have had a few stiff belts before the ceremony to look that relaxed. Everyone else looks like they need a good laxative."

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

The group picture is interestingly awkward in so many, many ways. It's almost like everyone is getting ready to cut and run at the first opportunity. Or they smell something and can't figure out what it is. Kate is lovely, Camilla cracks me up. I think she could be a blast or a complete pain in the a$$, either way, I'll bet she's like dynamite. I do think the baby is adorable and I hope that Archie has all the love and support that a child needs and deserves, but I'm not sure why there has to be a continuous circus going on around these two....

Actually, I guess I do. As long as people are talking about her, she doesn't seem to care WHAT they are saying. She and the Red Menace both just want attention, good or bad.
Anonymous said…
HI @Unknown Trudy -
I can't speak for the entirety of the theory re an older child, but I can tell you why I believe it is a viable explanation for all of the mystery: it's the simplest explanation for so many missing and incongruent pieces of the puzzle. In one fell swoop it explains length of pregnancy, changing bump, MMs amazing physical feats while pregnant, the "privacy" surrounding the birth and unwillingness to show the baby, the need for privacy re the Christening, and the shunning of MM by the BRF. If the baby was born of a surrogate, then there are 42 days between birth and signing the baby over, and the mother could change her mind during that time. Also, she had the baby, so she was probably with the baby, and MM and PH couldn't be sporting a real Archie. So, IMO, surrogate is the simplest explanation that explains all of the insanity. As for the earliest photos, it could've been an expensive Darren. I have not seen "reborns" (shudder), but I have read that they are often mistaken for real babies because they're so lifelike. Beats me.

Also, if there were a surrogate, it is possible that the BRF suspected but did not know for quite some time. As I've said before, I do think that Charles and William are probably two of the few men on planet earth who've not seen the megster sunny side up, so they might have suspected surrogate, but they wouldn't have been privy to the ins and outs of the process (pun intended). It may have only been much later that they were able to confirm their suspicions and by then, too late. It's hard for me to believe that they would throw PH under the bus and publicly out this if there were another way. However, the looks on William's and Kate's faces speak volumes. I am not British, so I'm not quite sure what the exact phrasing is there, but here in America it's something along the lines of GMAFB.

This is only my current theory. As more info comes to light, it may morph. As @Bubbles reminded me, Archie can already cry in French, so all magnificent feats re the pregnancy may have occurred and we must wait for more miracles or for someone to lose it and spill the story. (I'd like to see Philip have a go at it, that would be good.)
Anonymous said…
@Bubbles and NikNak, make mine a Contemptini.
Anonymous said…
>>>Did you know Master Archie can cry in French?

LMAO @Bubbles
Anonymous said…
And this from Charlatan Duchess, "

Meghan’s outfit to Archie’s christening was mostly bespoke pieces. Her dress would have cost around £12000 (bespoke Dior), her shoes around £960 (customised Dior, repeated from last year), and her Cartier earrings are about £13000. Her hat remains unidentified as yet.

Catherine wore a Stella McCartney costing £1425, that was a repeat from Christmas 2018, and possibly from Prince Phillip’s birthday in 2011. Her shoes were probably the Gianvito Rossi 100 Pump (£550, reworn), and her hat was a customised version of the Juliette Botterill Pleated Pillbox Hat (£500)."



Nick Rivers said…
Long-time reader, first-time poster, huge fan Nutty! Came over from CDAN awhile ago and have been reading religiously ever since.

I agree with poster SDJ above who noted how MM was clearly seated more against the pillow but moved at the last second to be closer to Harry and further from Kate; you can tell from her left shoe which is at an awkward angle had she actually originally been sitting the way the photo portrays. She scooched to create visual distance from herself and the Cambridges and perceived closeness with PH and by extension Charles et al.

The only thing missing from this picture is a literal eyeroll from the Cambridges. But the rest of us looking at the pic certainly feel the inclination.
Louise said…
I had read earlier this week that William would be "forced" to attend.

Forced by whom? How is it that William has to follow orders but Harry does not?

William being forced to attend implies that there is actually someone in control at the Palace, yet Harry and $mirkle are allowed to run amok.

I must say that I am totally confused. If Canada didn't require that the entire Canadian constitution be reopened in order to do so, I would be happy to cut the Monarchy loose at this point.
Louise said…
Elle, your argument is persuasive.

However, as a citizen of a Commonwealth country that still has a Governor General and ten lieutenant generals (I.e., a representatives of the Queen) for whom we have to pay a salary and provide regal residences, I am fed up with the lot of them for allowing this "Carry on Duchess" farce to continue.
Louise said…
A propos Camilla: I saw a video earlier this year of her visiting a Jewish centre for seniors where Camilla joined the residents in dancing Hava Nagillah. It could have been awkward for her, but she seemed carefree and uninhibited... very comfortable in her own skin, as the expression goes...
Louise said…
For the love of God, can someone tell me how Charles thinks that it is a good idea to continue indulge these expenditures? This is obscene.

Is he trying to bring down the monarchy himself?
Blackbird said…
Hi OzManda, the Queen wasn't at Louis' christening.
Anonymous said…
Oh, @Louise, please do not think that my argument is any kind of support or acceptance for this entire farce. It's only a possible explanation. MM turns my stomach - I see her as a smug, contemptuous, ill-mannered, trashy fraud, and those are the best things I can say about her - and if I had to pay for her, I would be even more fed up.
Anonymous said…
Nice catch on the shoe. I agree with your assessment. And welcome. It's a lot of fun.
Anonymous said…
Not just you, @Bubbles. Once I saw your comment, I went and took a look. Astute of you, good catch. Of course, I'm a few Contemptinis in, so probably I don't have the best judgement in this case :)
Anonymous said…
It is official: 'The fig-leaf hand gesture, head tilt and rather evaluating facial expression and knowing smile all bear the hallmarks of a man who won't let you into the venue until you produce some ID.' (from the DM)

William is now my favorite royal (although Kate and Louis are tied for close 2nd).
Louise said…
My favourite comment from a Daily Mail reader :

"Kate and that green couch unintentionally stole the show. Honourable mention goes to William's face.'
NikNak said…
@Elle Thanks for the breakdown. My God, it's worse than I thought.
NikNak said…
Welcome Fellow Nick :) I'm new here too. Nutty has created such a great blog and is such a good and insightful writer! If the Royal Family can't sort this out we might have too lol.
NikNak said…
I'm up early as I have to pop into work, this comment has made my morning! I feel like they should make birthday cards of just William's face with the caption 'Well you made it...Just'
NikNak said…
Sarcastic/pissed off William is the best kind. Little Charlotte and Louis are strong second and third (of course George is wonderful too). Kate's smile and professionalism will always get an A+ from me.
Anonymous said…
I predict we'll be seeing more of the best kind of William lol. I'm really looking forward to William as King and, of course, Kate is an inspiration in the way that she is gracious, call, and just does the job. I would love to be more like her. Unfortunately, I'm more of a William and must constantly monitor my RBF.

I believe that because Archie has finally made a physical appearance into the world and it's quite likely he is older than two months, the truth will begin to unravel. William's "knowing smile" tells me that there really is much more to know.
MLRoda said…
There's a blog on tumblr that lists Meghan and Kate's sartorial expenditures if anyone's interested. https://wickedwitchofwestminster-blog.tumblr.com/
Jdubya said…
Just read Epstein was arrested Saturday and the article mentions Prince Andrew and previous allegations with young girls. RF might be dealing with more crap soon
eller from TX said…
Hello Nutty! I am a writer in the US who was pleased to discover your blog via CDAN back in February of this year, and I have been hooked ever since then--and lurking in the shadows until now.

I just want to say how much I enjoy your well-written blog and your insights about the Sparkle Farkle soap opera! Also, I 100% agree with your theories about the possibility she could have some damaging information or evidence either about PH or another RFM that she is using as insurance to keep her status intact within the Firm.

I have been watching the RF for over 40 years (not that I am necessarily an Anglophile, but more from a social and historical perspective), and from the very beginning I knew this woman was completely unsuited to be accepted into British royalty. When I would go on certain forums and comment respectfully about this, people would immediately play the race card and accuse me of being an outright racist--which I find highly amusing since I am most definitely a product of the American Melting Pot (as is MM) through 3 separate races and several ethnic backgrounds. So, I can most definitely say that I am NOT a racist or bigot, and like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I judge people by their character and not their color.

This is what I really like about your blog, Nutty: The people who come her regularly to comment feel free to say (respectfully, of course) what they think or believe could be going on with this whole Sparkle Farkle debacle. All without the knee-jerk, reactionary tactics of those who are either working on behalf of MM, or are just blind or in complete denial to what is occurring before their eyes.

Keep up the good work!
R_O said…
Is it just me or did Meghan's face look fuller a day before when she was at Wimbledon compared to the Christening day? How is it possible for her to lose that face fullness in just a day?
Anonymous said…
Photoshop.
Now! said…
Thank you! Glad to have you here. You might want to get yourself a screen name to distinguish yourself from the other two Unknowns - one is Australian, I believe, and the other signs off "Unknown, Trudy" - not sure where she's from.

What makes the story so fascinating is how an unknown actress who is not particularly bright and not particularly beautiful - or even smartly-dressed - seems to have one of the world's oldest and most powerful families in her thrall. Her main weapon is pure shamelessness. You couldn't make it up, although I have no doubt many people will produce a fictionalized version once the outcome is known.

I'm not sure Markle's PR tactics are working. Her Instagram followers appear to be mostly purchased - if she really does have 8.9 million followers, why does she only have 2.3 million likes on the first good photo of Archie? Ratings on Gayle King's specials about her were not good. Magazines don't put her on the cover because she doesn't sell.

She claims to be a social media shark, but didn't even trend on US Twitter for the Christening - people were too busy discussing the girl with the flu who licked a carton of ice cream and put it back in the freezer at WalMart.

I think the most interesting thing now is what Jeffrey Epstein's arrest will mean for the Royal Family. No secret that Andrew was one of his buddies, but does he have a connection to Meghan as well?
Now! said…
Yes, and lots of people all over the Internet now claiming the Christening photo was a Photoshop pastiche. Not sure I buy that.
Now! said…
Yes, isn't this interesting? If Meg was trying to blackmail the RF due to some hidden information re: Epstein, this might put her out of business.

I don't think info about Andrew is enough for her at this point. Everybody knows Andrew is decadent and creepy; it's why he's one of the least popular royals, although he's trying to redeem himself with a lot of work with young businesspeople and by acting as his mother's escort now that Philip is retired.

I think Meg would have to have some info on some other family member - Philip? Charles? William? Harry himself? - to make a strong case for blackmail.
Now! said…
Speaking as someone who is not into spiritualism at all, I know a lot of the Lipstick Alley ladies are, and they have been following some tarot readers who say everything will begin to fall apart on July 8.

It could be they wanted to get Archie baptized first, get all the ceremonies out of the way, before everything begins tumbling down.
Now! said…
Welcome Nick! Yes, that picture told a thousand stories. Also, the space between Meg and Kate was big enough to drive a truck through.
Now! said…
Kind of silly for Meg to wear bespoke Dior if she's not going to release any full-length pictures of the dress. What we saw - the scoop neckline - was nothing impressive.

Particularly when it's a dress that really can't be worn a second time, unless the surrogate is up for another round.
Now! said…
I saw that video too! She was great, and the seniors were having a great time. To me, this is what the Royal Family is really good for - reaching out to all the various segments of society and reenforcing that everyone is important.
Now! said…
I think the word was that the Queen was ill on the day Louis was christened.
Now! said…
There are only two people who can order William around - Charles and the Queen.

I wonder which one it was.
eller from TX said…
The Epstein-PA connection is one that I've wondered about all along, with respect to MM. One could speculate that this is heavy-duty leverage she is holding over the RF--something that could irrevocably spell the end of the Monarchy.

eller in TX (Howdy, Y'all!)
Scarlet Peaches said…
They might as well have grabbed the Prince William from Tussauds. He was so wooden and uncomfortable, I cringed for him.

Catherine has learned to smile through gross situations. She’s a trooper. I just wish she had had the balls to have worn a tiara. Meghan would have killed herself before the day was through.

Does Harry even own another suit? Or have the Givenchys his wife goes through in a week taken up his budget for decent clothing? I swear you can get a better suit at Target. All he wears is this grey, polyester garbage that wrinkles with every of his moves. And his dirty and old, suede brown shoes are something to behold up close.
Humanitarians, you guys!
eller from TX said…
Maybe something to do with the just-arrested Epstein?

eller in TX
Unknown said…
Hi, love reading this blog. The photo of the three...with both my babies it was impossible to look at my husbands face, let alone lovingly, when being photographed, because there is so much going on with babies, and with our own bodies, way past two months, right up to about over a year, I would say. All i wanted to do was gaze at my own creation with wonder. Almost all new moms, rich or poor ( except for medical reaasons ) cant take their eyes off their babies. That picture with her gazing at Harry instead of her baby, is proof enough to me, that that baby was not from her body. There is absolutely no survival instinct in any of her so called post birth photos.

Also my pregnancy was a State/Province/ Hours away from family and friends. No support, no familiar ground , different culture , everything was foreign, so my mothering and survival instincts kicked in massively. I can identify with having a baby away from where you are originally from. That is Imposter Syndrome . No way that is her baby. If it is, she does not love this baby.
Now! said…
Harry has lost a lot of weight recently - mostly muscle mass - and he lost his personal assistant/starmaker Edward Lane Fox right after the wedding as well.

Supposedly he and Meg have no staff now except for a personal assistant each.

Whomever is in charge of Harry doesn't have ELF's sartorial flair. If I were Charles, I would insist on him finding someone who did - even a part-timer, or an employee of some high-end store who could sell Harry a couple of better suits.

I'm surprised the Queen doesn't insist, as well. She was clearly not pleased when William visited Kate's garden exhibit in a casual plaid shirt. When she joined the Cambridges at the garden the next day, the first thing Willam said was, "I've smartened up a bit."
d.c. said…
Well, I’m not sure about how to judge the claims, but there does seem to be a lack of people’s reflections in the mirror. For comparison:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzlHhZylvwT/
vs.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjCrNe8AXBq/

Here are two reasonable-seeming posts on the whole photoshop matter:
https://fabfoxly.tumblr.com/post/186109623972
&
https://fullbananabouquet-posts.tumblr.com/post/186106930697
d.c. said…
Also, here is a side-by-side of MM’s jawline, one day apart (Wimbledon, then Christening), which implies some pretty extreme changes:

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/D5Eqynr
Girl with a Hat said…
wow, the Queen gets worked up when William wears a plaid shirt to a garden but doesn't do anything when Meghan spends 15k or 100k on a dress? or when she wears padding that is visible through her clothing at a baseball game? with an obvious wig? or jeans and a trilby at Wimbledon? if I were in that family, I would be getting very upset at the lack of equity and fairness exhibited by the Queen and Charles.
d.c. said…
(Argh, sorry, don’t kill me, but I meant to say, I didn’t make that side by side comparison image. It’s from Payton’s post on lipstick alley. I just found it useful.)
d.c. said…
(Also, (I’m sorry, I’ll stop after this,) the one photoshop claim about the clock may not be valid, given this posting image and description of the clock:

https://www.rct.uk/collection/30013/mantel-clock

But, the rest of those two posts seem worth a look.)
Now! said…
I see that the Daily Mail is making a few guesses as to the godparents now, and suggests that Soho House's Markus Anderson is likely to have been a godparent.

Making your pimp the godfather of your child? When it comes to Christian ceremonies, I'm all for following Christ's example, but that's pushing the Mary Madgalene theme a bit too far. What's next, a fisherman? A tax collector?

At any rate, if you're a conspiracy theorist that might have been something Markus demanded as payback. No wonder they wanted the godparents to be secret, though. The press would have been all over Markus' past and present.
Now! said…
I did see the bit about the lack of reflections in the mirror. That is strange.
KayeC said…
My husband is a Pediatrician, he sees dozens of babies everyday. Unbiased, as he has no clue how old the baby was suppose to be, I showed him both photos and asked how old he thought the baby was.

First he said, "That's two different babies, look at the shape of the head, ears and jowls. But the first baby (color photo) is at least 3-4 months."

I was kind of shocked, I asked are you sure it's not the black and white.....he gave me the "I'm a professional" look.....now I don't know what to think!!
Miss_Christina said…
Well, she's wearing bespoke Dior...... because she CAN. Everything she's doing and wearing and buying is because she was never rich enough to before. Money and status is everything to Megs.
KayeC said…
Lol.....pimp as godparent!! But, just because I don't want to push a false narrative, the Bible never ever says that Mary Madgalene was a prostitute, Jesus cast seven demons out of her......
KayeC said…
@Mischi, Agreed!! Can you imagine how Kate feels? She was never included as a fiance, her family have been fairly quite, never had friends talk to the media. Then in walks the new chick and she is treated with kid gloves. I really do blame the BRF for her behavior. Should have made following protocol a must in the beginning. They really only have themselves to blame in that department!
KayeC said…
@Nutty, where are the press on this??? I know different laws in the UK, but Markus is not a UK citizen is he? And why is no one calling out the Omid, Markus, MM connection in the press.???
Silli_emperors said…
I think the secrecy, not just privacy behind the godparents is tied to the convoluted suspicious birth in addition to lack of suitable candidates on MM's side. This secrecy generated anger from UK subjects exhausted by their shenanigans but it also created buzz, and the Harkles love their buzz. Dior finally got the photos of MM wearing their pieces in the environment they expected instead of out of place $100K caftan worn to afternoon party in Morocco. MM aces the art of something out of nothing. Wonder if she knew at the time that Cambridge was wearing the Diana pearl earrings from Harry's christening, stealing the sheen from those new Cartier's.
Louise said…
I agree with Mischi that the treatment of William and Harry are at odds. I understand that William will one day be King; but if Harry is not important enough to require rules, then why is he important enough to receive so much financing from the public?

The amounts spent on their house, as well as her jewelry and clothing is obscene.

Like everything else in this saga, it doesn't add up.
Now! said…
You're absolutely right about Mary Madgalene, KayeC. Just looked her up - apparently the bit about her being a prostitute or otherwise "fallen woman" was introduced in the Middle Ages! Live and learn.

Libel law strongly favors the complainant in the UK, so I guess the British press will keep calling Markus "a very close friend" of Meghan unless he identifies himself otherwise or gets charged with something, which isn't likely given his clientele. Probably some judges and politicians among them!
Now! said…
Your husband's observation is very interesting!
Louise said…
I don't believe that one has to be a citizen of the UK in order to be a godparent. The godparent is the spiritual advisor.. unlike a guardian who would be responsible for raising the child in the event that neither parent was available.
Bubbles said…
@elle & @Nik Cheers!
Bubbles said…
@elle, it’s all I see!! Drives me crazy.
Anonymous said…
@Nutty and KayeC,

And just think, someone on a blog somewhere far into the future will make the remark that MM was a duchess, and someone will respond and say: "I don't want to push a false narrative, but Markle was a prostitute and no one could cast even seven of her demons out of her...."
hardyboys said…
Nutty I have noticed that out of all the followers a person has including a celebrity only about 1/3 ever answer or hit like. Just because a person has 8M followers half or even more dont usually like the pics. This holes true for the Kardashian clan athletes celebrities even me with my massive 179 followers. I'm not sure I believe that 6M of the Sussex royal account followers are fake.
Fifi LaRue said…
I'm with KayeC on this one. The photo with the hand/finger, and the christening photo are of two different babies. They don't look alike. And, I'm wondering, did William, Kate, and et all at the photo shoot have to suffer through champagne, cake, small talk, and forced smiles afterwards?
Silli_emperors said…
Keeping space for George as per Gary Janetti who thoughtfully added #s.
QueenWhitby said…
Thank you Nutty for indulging me and providing a forum for my musings, it’s wonderful to find you all and commiserate over what is one big, fat, royal s**t show. I have mostly lurked, but as a forty+ year devoted royal observer I cannot bear to see what is happening to the monarchy, and I feel that it has never been in more danger than it is right now. I really can’t get behind the ad hominem attacks on Harry’s intelligence - he is not the first male to be bamboozled by a narcissistic opportunist and he won’t be the last. Harry will learn from this, and I think we are seeing it already take shape - the veils are off that marriage. I’ll preface things by saying I subscribe to the Occam razor philosophy, I don’t thing we need to burrow too far down the rabbit hole of bizarre conspiracies to see what’s going on. HM was not at the christening because she decided not to be, there was no diary conflict - potential christening dates would have been pencilled in to her diary long before Archie was born, this was deliberate. In the lead up to the birth we saw every indication the stage was being set for MM to merch this baby from it’s toes to its nose, exploit the monarchy, and undermine Kate’s parenting choices at every turn. “Friends” were stating that MM was the California earth mother/baby wearing/gender fluid perfect parent who was not going to dress her children old fashiondly, pose on the hospital steps, use the royal obstetricians etc. I’m sure MM thought she was being super clever, covering her (faux pregnancy) deceit, undermining the DOC, and setting the stage to merch her baby and every item it would use from birth to university. Then she made a massive mistake. She released the photo of HM and Philip cooing over Archie in what was certainly a private moment and certainly without authorization as it would have caused embarrassment and napalm grade fury at the palace. Apart from manipulating HM’s image, it was unprecedented and bad form to release a photo implying preference to one in-law and baby when you have not done the same with the others (Middletons, Tindalls, Kellys), and I’m certain this was done partly as a slap to Kate and to hype Archie’s position. Thus, HM shut MM down in what was a brilliant chess move as far as I’m concerned. No royal title for the baby, and insistence (via HARRY who I think has been brought in to tow) on privacy for young Archie. This has accomplished many things: no merchandising and monetization of the baby, shifted the tide of public sentiment against the Sussexes, protected Master Archie who could potentially be damaged by overexposure and the circumstances of his birth, and it has thwarted the comparison trashing of the DOC that would certainly have continued. The palace will despatch MM but it will be done with all the chess pieces in the right place. MM’s hubris is her downfall, her feeble education and life experience are no match for the master statesmen at the Palace and she will be dealt with, of that I’m sure.
Anonymous said…
True, but it's possible to find out how many followers are false using other methods. That bit of statistical analysis has been done in addition to other information out there. This on MM only, but I do believe the Markles have bought some friends:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1097753/meghan-markle-news-latest-update-royal-family-twitter-bots-russian-conspiracy-theories
Fifi LaRue said…
Out of curiosity I googled Meghan's Mirror, and went to the site. It's on Etsy, and has only 312 sales, and 28 reviews. Apparently not many want to emulate Markle. (I really wanted to say no one wants her crap.)
Anonymous said…
Ooooooh, @Flowers..., I love this analysis of the situation, and I wasn't aware that The Queen had not authorized the photo of them cooing over Archie. I do hope that Archie's "privacy" means "no monetizing" and slows MMs deceit re: the Cambridges.

Also, this: "I really can’t get behind the ad hominem attacks on Harry’s intelligence - he is not the first male to be bamboozled by a narcissistic opportunist and he won’t be the last." So true, and I've said that as well. He may not be the sharpest tack in all the boxes in the kingdom, but he was played by MM, and masterfully, and it's not the first time it has happened to a male or female (Anne Hathaway, for ex.). I pity him, actually. It can happen to any one of us, it just take the right person and circumstances. Those who believe they're immune to it are probably more at risk.
KnitWit said…
Megan should get Dior or another of her favorites send clothes for Harry when they send her clothes. One would think they would be glad to dress him for publicity. I assume more clothiers would be eager to send him samples (or whatever they call free clothes for publicity)

England is known for impeccable tailors. Having a member of the royal family looking so disheveled in official photos is bad for business.
KnitWit said…
Some women have post natal depression. However, Megan seems to have other psychological issues.
Miss_Christina said…
This is a brilliant take! It begins to make so much more sense than thinking the Queen has done nothing to slap Megs down a peg or several.
Louise said…
Agree, Nutty. Since the monarchy no longer has any real powers to govern, their role should be that of ambassadors for the UK and Commonwealth, and for the Royal Family.

Apart from the diabolical duo, they all seem to get that.

So it always comes back to the same question: Why does the Queen and/or Prince Charles and/or the palace courtiers allow this deviant behaviour by Harry and $mirkle?
Maddie said…
WOW KayeC. That’s very, very interesting what your husband said. This whole situation is so bizarre. I just don’t know what to think.
SDJ said…
But isn't it thought that she simply "borrows" these clothes in exchange for money? No royal dollars are spent. If she's buying, it sends a terrible let-them-eat-cake message. If she's borrowing and getting paid, then its trashy beyond words. I'm not sure which would be worse.
Lady Luvgood said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
NikNak said…
Does anyone one know if the Royals could possibly use 'new born' dolls on there first public appearance for security purposes? (Although I can't say the Sussex's should have been overly concerned as they were indoors with the Royal press)
Lady Luvgood said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
KayeC said…
I want to make clear that the two photos I'm speaking of are the christening photos. The close-up of Archie and "the claw" on the DM in color and the black & white shot of all three of them outside. I was kind of thrown back because he does not follow this at all, (he is very thankful @Nutty that you have given me a place to discuss this with sane and interested participants, lol) and doesn't care, just wondered why I showed him two different babies. Maybe one was photo-shopped, as suggested by others, and that is why these features seem different?
KayeC said…
@Flowers, great comment. I agree and have always thought that in most cases, (no Lido stairs, US state dinner, etc.) was more likely the Queen said NO, and it was her PR spin trying to fool some into thinking these were her decisions.
Now! said…
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, CurlySue2u.

That said, wouldn't a christening photo be kind of a Super Bowl, a World Cup, for Sussex fans? If you don't get a lot of likes for that one - particularly since it was the first clear image of Archie - then when are you going to get a lot of likes?
Now! said…
Interesting. Makes it seem even more likely to me that some of Meg's most virulent fans on the various social media are paid commenters.

You can certainly see from the DM comments that there is a "theme of the day" they follow. (Yesterday's was "William always looks like that in photos.")

There just doesn't seem to be a market for her - she doesn't generate interest, unless it is negative interest.

Now! said…
Hi Veena! I'm not saying that all 6 million followers who did not like the photo are fake. But Meg has a history of buying bots - someone looked into her old, pre-Harry account and found a large number of followers were located in Kazakhstan.

Also, her follower counts grew very, very quickly, in the absence of any corroborating evidence that the Harkles are popular.

I would be very surprised if Meg didn't have at least a million fakes, or more.
Now! said…
Yes, it will be interesting to see if any of the godparents at all ended up coming from Meg's side. She knows some pretty shady characters.
Lady Luvgood said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
QueenWhitby said…
I can only conjecture but I really can’t believe that HM would have authorized the release of that photo, the Royals are all about proper form and the “done thing”.

HM would not let herself be perceived as giving one family member preferential treatment over others.

I did cynically entertain the fact that it was released as proof they are not racist when THAT inevitable bomb gets thrown, but HM has many people of color in positions of importance around her, she doesn’t need to throw all her in-laws under the bus to prove she’s not racist.

I think that photo, more than anything since the wedding, shocked the H out of me.

You are right Elle, Harry grew up in a bubble, he has been protected his whole life and would not have any experience with Grifters, he would have been protected but with MM he thought he knew better. An analogy would be Diana. She refused Royal Protection Officers after her divorce, thinking they would spy on her - dismissing their expertise in keeping her safe. This paved the way for her to be killed by inexperienced security and a drunk driver who thought trying to outrun the paparazzi was protecting her.
Now! said…
LOL at your husband's relief that you have someplace else to discuss this case! Civilians do get pretty tired of hearing about it after a while.

It actually reminds me a bit of the Jussie Smollett case, in that when it first came out I thought, "That sounds pretty fishy." And then it got fishier and fishier as more evidence emerged. Of course, it all turned out to be a big fraud.

The same with the Meghan case. It's sooooo obvious that Meg is trying to pull off a scam. When people say no, no, you're crazy, you're racist, I think.....nah.

Since the "birth" I think a lot more people are sensing that something is off.
Lady Luvgood said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Now! said…
I agree about her lack of ability to connect. This is one of the many reasons she was never a great success as an actress, and probably also a reason she churned through so many relationships in her life.

Her skill is shamelessness and imperviousness to rejection. She just keeps going.
Lottie said…
The Daily Mail is suggesting that Markus Anderson, Meghan's reputed pimp, was one of Archie's grandparents. If true, that would have been a very good reason to keep the list of grandparents secret.

Nutty do you mean Godparents?
Maybe i am too tired and not reading correctly
The Wiz said…
Thank you, Elle, for that post. You made me roll with laughter!
Anonymous said…
MM played some classic fraudster tricks, too. Chief among them: the pity play. I wrote about this on another post, how it happens in the financial industry. And yes, there are some easy marks out there, and those are hit by the everyday grifter, but all fraud isn't limited to those people. Madoff hit people who had money, intelligence, success, advisors, resources - and it still worked. Ditto for Anne Hathaway. Ditto for Paul McCartney. Ditto for lots of million/billionaires who succumb to flattery and pity, the lethal combo. As I said on another post, most everyone hates to be pitied, so when someone is seeking that pity and "confiding" about it, all alarm bells should go off. The pity play is classic and it worked on Harry, both with the open letter to save her from being mistreated by the press and to give her "the only family she ever had" and then to save her and protect her in ways he could not save and protect his mother. But his emotional buttons were being pushed, so he couldn't see it, he could only feel it, and it felt good for awhile and filled that hole... and then something happened, because his contempt for her at TTC, at the baseball game, it's obvious. And contempt is an insidious beast that eats away at everything. I don't remember who came up with the Harry-confess-all idea, but it's a wonderful one. He would have the public behind him, he'd probably get to keep Archie (regardless of what happens, I want the best for that baby), and the BRF could have the palace demegged.
Now! said…
Ha ha! Yes, godparents. Sorry.
Girl with a Hat said…
Dior for Harry? that's hilarious as Dior is a French couture house. And, there's an entire street in London where the famous men's tailors have shops. Harry is just stingy/lazy/stoned and doesn't care less.
Jdubya said…
Saw this link on lipstick alley - having to do with the possible photoshopping of the grup pic from Christening

https://fabfoxly.tumblr.com/post/186109623972/fun-with-photos-the-gangs-not-all-here
Anonymous said…
I was LOLing when I typed it. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Fifi LaRue said…
There is a two-page photo spread of Markle as a baby with Doria. People, maybe. Not in any of the photos was Markle a happy little girl, and Doria look absolutely flummoxed looking at baby Meghan. Doesn't portend well for Markle nurturing her baby, not to mention the christening photo where she doesn't even look at the baby.
Tea Cup said…
Here is a thought, could it be the reason for keeping the godparents' identities secret is one of them is the surrogate? Perhaps as a concession to the surrogate for handing over the baby. Wouldn't want prying eyes in the press questioning the nature of the relationships between the parents and named godparents.
KayeC said…
Great theory! As we know, in this circus, anything is possible..
abbyh said…
I thought I might spew coffee on the keyboard at the idea of Kate wearing a tiara at this event (especially after the articles talking about body language based on the photo). Thank you. Made my morning. (there is a small part of me which kind of wishes she had too)
Louise said…
I don't know whether they photoshopped the entire photo, but compared to her photos a few days ago at Wimbledon, $mirkle's skin has lighted and she had fat removed from her face and neck, more on the left than on the right. Her nose is also slimmer.

Her hair also seems to have been coloured in with a Sharpie type pen.
EFarrell said…
I too have a malignant Narc mother. I think the saving grace for Archie is that he is a boy. Narcissist mothers seem to save their worst abuse for girls.
Amanda said…
So does anyone know why Harry is wearing bracelets? At first i thought they were the types that some addicts wear to "help" in their recovery but either way - they really look bad
MLRoda said…
@Unknown @KnitWit - PND is experienced by all mothers to a lesser or greater extent. I think if she birthed this baby and it wasn't a girl as she originally thought, it can make one dislike or distance from him. A friend of mine was hoping for a baby girl but got a boy and mom just didn't bond with him. She couldn't breast feed, she couldn't cuddle and hold him, thankfully grandma was living with them and took over. It took months before she could even enjoy him. She really had a hard time but in the end it worked out. Now she's her pride and joy.

Nutty - had to delete the first one cause there were some typos and we can't edit. Sorry about that.
Jdubya said…
Harry Markle has a new post with a photo of him and MM when she was small. Off to read it.

Nutty will have to make a new page soon
fairylights said…
Some of the lack of reflection is due to camera angles. The wedding picture was taken at an angle with regard to the placement of the mirror, the christening picture was dead on, which makes it more difficult to see the reflection of the items right in front of it.
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