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Making money off Archie: What type of company would consider it?

There's been a great deal of discussion about a Blind Gossip article from Monday suggesting that Meghan is holding off sharing images of Archificial until she can find someone willing to pay for them.

According to the article, Meg hopes to "monetize" the first full-face and full-figure images of Archie, which is why she has been partially hiding his face in his rare public appearances.

Unfortunately, she's been unable to put together a deal, according to Blind Gossip, in part because too many people knew about her plans to donate just some of the income to charity and divert the rest to a private account.

But the question I'm intrigued by is : what type of company would consider paying to feature the first clear images of the seventh-in-line to the throne, and what would they hope to get from it?

The magazine industry has been in crisis for more than a decade, so it seems unlikely that Meg will be able to sell her Archie images to a publishing house. And the unimpressive ratings of her Gayle King specials will dampen the enthusiasm of TV producers.

Who else might be interested?

Baby goods?

The most obvious answer is a company selling baby goods - baby food, toys, diapers. But wouldn't using Archificial in their advertising call up all sorts of questions about his birth and parentage that would distract from your product?

A big-name company, like Proctor & Gamble (which sells Pampers) doesn't need this kind of distraction, or the distraction of Meg's thinly-disguised political views.

An up-and-coming diapers company, perhaps one with biodegradable products, might be interested. But would they have enough money to satisfy Meg?

Financial companies?

Insurance and investment companies often produce "family values" type of advertisements, showing the continuity of family and the importance of structuring your own family's finances.

Could an investment company use the Sussexes as an example of a thoroughly modern family that serves as an example for others? "No matter what type of family you have, it's important to plan for the future" or some similar tagline.

The problem is that any company with this much money to spend will also have enough money to spend on research, which will show that Meg isn't universally admired and is becoming less popular every day.

Harry is still well-liked, which means he would be key to structuring a deal with this type of advertiser. In fact, an image with just Archie and Harry might be worth a lot more than one that includes Meg.

That's if Harry would agree to it.


Baby fashion?

Children's fashion is big business, and Meg might be hoping that luxury brands like Burberry Kids, Young Versace, Armani Junior or Kenzo Kids would be interested in featuring Archificial in their advertising.

Maybe they would - but probably not if Meg also wants to be in the picture. Her fashion appearances in Givenchy have been memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Again, these brands might be willing to shell out for an image of just Prince Harry and Archificial together, particularly if both of them wear the company duds. (Father and son Burberry? At least it's British.)

But Archie on his own is just a baby.

And Archie photographed with just his mother feels a bit Kardashian-like. It lacks the exclusivity and snob appeal that people who buy designer kids clothes are looking for.

In fact, Meg's grifter reputation might even turn off people who would otherwise be interested in the brand.



What type of company do you think would be willing to pay big money for images of Archie?






Comments

OKay said…
I can't possibly be first here, can I? *LOL* In any case, I read the BG item and the bottom line is I don't think anyone would pay to unveil Archie. He's never going to be King. He doesn't even have a title! And merching out your kids is just tacky, tacky, tacky - the RF would pitch a fit. Not that Meghan cares, of course, but sooner or later Harry is presumably going to wander out of the fog. That's what I'm waiting for.
Nutty Flavor said…
You're the first today! Yes, I think they'd have to couch it as something for charity - "In return for their participation, XYZ company has donated XXX million to Sentenable/Invictus/Conservation in Africa." And then Meg would get something on the side.

There's something about the novelty of a senior Royal Family member appearing in an ad, although junior ones have done so. You can see Zara Philips and one of her daughters in an ad for strollers (iCandy by Land Rover) on YouTube.

Zara, however, is likeable and clearly upper-class. With her sunny disposition, her rugby hero husband and sweet family, she's someone new parents can aspire to be. Meg, not so much.
Jen said…
I'm somewhat surprised People magazine has not paid her a lot to get the first shots of Archie. That's what they are known for, and they were big on getting Diana's "real story" out back when she and Charles split. I think this is just an excuse on why we haven't seen pictures of Archie. The real reason is there IS no Archie for pictures to be taken of.

Maybe her PR folks think it's better to go with the "holding out for more money" than "she lied and manipulated millions of people with the story of a fake pregnancy and birth, as well as the photoshopped christening photos......"

I can't really see why any one would pay top dollar for the photos. I honestly don't care what the kid looks like, I only care that there's this web of lies being woven around Archie that you just don't see with other Royal babies, or even celebrity babies. It's just so very odd.
Jen said…
I can honestly say I would LOVE to see William and George do a Burberry ad. That would be so freakin cute!
PaulaMP said…
I think that ship has sailed already. If it's just him it's just another baby and like you said, if she is in it that's a massive negative.
Nutty Flavor said…
People has different owners now than it had back in the day. All of the Time-Life Magazines were sold off in 2017. It's now owned by Meredith Corp., which is based in Iowa.

Also, back in the day, you had to buy a physical copy of a magazine to see the photos. These days, you pay for the photos and they're reproduced online everywhere in the blink of an eye.

That's why I think the only people willing to pay will be people who want the Sussexes to bring attention to something else. Dubai tourism? Archificial on the beach?
Liver Bird said…
I have absolutely no evidence for this, but I have a hunch that the 'Harry Meghan + 1' 'special' on American TV was originally supposed to be where Archie was first 'revealed' but the palace for once put their foot down and said 'don't even think about it'. I've not seen the 'special' but from what I hear it was just a few of Meghan's new-found 'friends' going on about how wonderful she is, and who wants to watch that? As I say I have zero evidence for this theory but it just kind of seems right to me.

As for 'merching' Archie, I think so long as she is an HRH that will be impossible. She has got a way with a lot, but that would be a bridge too far. And much as Harry has been complicit, I do not think he would agree to his son being monetised.

After the divorce though? All bets are off. But how much interest would there be in another Z list celeb kid who doesn't even have a title? Especially as the Cambridges have 3 cute kids, one of whom will be king.
Jen said…
@Nutty, very true...I didn't think about it that way. I assumed that online would provide a "sneak-peak" ut the full spread would still have to be seen in the mag.

Well, one group that certainly will NOT be giving them money is the private plane industry.
QueenWhitby said…
I’m with you Jen, it’s just another tactic, there is no baby - if there was, a more updated tease would have been released on Harry’s birthday.

I think I see what you’re doing here Nutty and I love it - hello all you big name sponsors reading here trying to gauge public opinion.


Felicia said…
Honestly I just can’t deal with how long they have been getting away with the fact that there is no baby. Also it’s obvious since they haven’t bothered to adopt a different baby there is no marriage either. So what becomes of Archieficial in the divorce? Will they kill him off beforehand for sympathy or play out the game of him being sent abroad to private schools for twenty years? When MeAgain returns to the US she will be under heavy pressure to present herself as a super celebrity single mom; that will be the only marketable angle for her at that point. She’d better rent or adopt a kid, stat, if she is serious about building her “brand.” Registering TigTots as a trademark will only get you so far. You have to have a kid to back it up.

On her ThisLittlePetal not so secret Twitter she is freaking out about some hilarious cheeky images somebody put together of little Archie’s face ( well, one of his six faces) onto a baby surrounded by money and merch. We see her next move and she doesn’t like it one bit! Because she’s so insanely smart, how could we possibly see through what she is so ineptly doing?
abbyh said…
Lots of good thoughts.

I don't think it would get past the BRF. Full stop.

She may have asked for too much money. Being first is great but they need to get their investment out too...so how given that many papers don't have much of a paywall on the net? Given that they (H&M) have strangled the press by their control, the terms may have been too onerous.

I think the boy (versus girl - so cute dresses) and the lack of title made it a harder sale.

She is not known for her display of good family values so the comments about her being the distraction is a viable concern for any potential company. This is well known and has been for some time so it's not like someone can say: Oh, but she's changed. Look at this.

And, I think Paula is on target, that ship sailed and is out of sight.

The question I have is: Given all the issues, drama, problems of producing a baby (team if there is a baby, it isn't from her), what is the chances she will start talk of another one but this time a girl?
Liver Bird said…
I don't think she'll have another child. She really gained weight in the months prior to and after the birth (yes I think she was pregnant and did give birth) which is fine, but for such a vain woman that would be a good reason not to go through that again. Also, one child is enough to secure her connection with the royals even in the event of a divorce, especially as he's a boy and can inherit the earldom. Harry will probably want more though.
Now! said…
Harry can have more kids with the next Duchess of Sussex, who should be along shortly after Meg departs.
Girl with a Hat said…
I see Meghan called "Harry's first wife" all over the place. LOL
Kat said…
I just can't think of any company that would want to pay for Archie's face at this point. It's too mysterious at this point. How could a company even believe that who they're presented is even Archie. I'm sure that MM is diligently going through baby modeling portfolios trying to cast the role, but this whole scheme is bound to blow up sooner rather than later the more she chases the almighty dollar.

At some point Harry will have to wake up to what MM really is.
NeutralObserver said…
She needs a baby before she can sell photos. Did she plant this blind herself to keep up the fiction she actually has a royal baby? As I've posted before, I'm an Archie-skeptic. She'll have to come up with a size-appropriate infant with 'tufts of red hair' before she can merch it. Other blogs say BP is quietly waging a pr war on Megs. Whatever the truth is, her brand is being eroded big time. Will the Xari & Silver Cross pram buyers purchase stuff she recommends? I doubt it. The disposable diapers her true fans might use don't exactly jibe with her eco-friendly posing.
Liver Bird said…
I don't think you can really compare Meghan to Zara Tindall. Meghan is a 'working' royal who receives taxpayer money, while Zara has no titles and is a private citizen. So while her merching her kids is tacky imo, as a private citizen there is nothing stopping her from doing it. Not so with Meghan, who is a 'full-time' royal in receipt of public funds.
Girl with a Hat said…
I can see one of her PR stuff trying to get a collegue who is friend to use Archificial in a campaign for a charity, but this will backfire big time. People in the UK hate her and people in the USA don't care.
Girl with a Hat said…
a campaign for charity from which Meghan hopes to skim off the top, of course.
NeutralObserver said…
I'm too old to be a big consumer of Conde-Nast titles anymore, although I still get the New Yorker. From what I've seen recently, big name fashion houses, Dolce, Prada, etc. ,seem to have moved away from celebs in their ads. The super-woke, ethnic & gender ambiguous models seem to be the rage at the moment. Megs has miscalculated her merching plan. Celebs are out, & she's already been photographed with infants who don't seem to be very African-American. Biracial kids are often adorable, Megs was one herself, & sometimes genetics mix in unexpected ways. It's not unthinkable that she could have given birth to a gorgeous black looking infant, but she blew it.
Girl with a Hat said…
I would NOT like to see William and George do a Burberry ad. Further commercialisation of our lifestyle is something to be avoided and there would be a national outcry to see the future kings peddle shmattas. (szmata is the correct spelling I believe).
Anonymous said…
"What type of company do you think would be willing to pay big money for images of Archie?"

Only one that does not do any market research or focus groups prior and that has the financial ability to withstand the adverse impact of the spectacle de merde that would inevitably follow. It would need to be a company whose reputation and image would not suffer as a result of the markle taint. Also, it would need to be a company that did not care about maintaining even the most tenuous and superficial connections to the BRF. And, of course, one with which markle's image and "celebrity" status align well. Given all that, TMZ is probably the best fit with markle's image and the likely choice for Princess Greasy-Pole Climber's picture pimping. I think she may have a long run with TMZ.
Liver Bird said…
"People in the UK hate her and people in the USA don't care."

In a nutshell!

Though I'd add that even in Britain, most people don't much care about her either way. I think British people are much more indifferent to the royals than is commonly believed. Your average Brit goes from one end of the year to the next without giving any of the clan of Mountbatten-Windsor too much thought.

And I agree that she might try to use Archie to front some sort of 'charity' initiative for her dodgy 'foundation'. But even then, I think the palace, and maybe even Harry himself, would clamp down on it. Her own tacky merching is bad enough, but dragging her innocent child into it? Nope.
punkinseed said…
Past is prologue. Which member of the royal family marched themselves or other family members to sell ads? Wasn't it Edward and Sophie who tried to profit by doing that? Fergie did ads for Ocean Spray and Weight Watchers, but I can't recall anyone else.
My guess is Megs would merch and exploit the baby to anyone who would pay her what she feels she is entitled to, like prams or life insurance. If she does go through with such a scheme, BP would react upon it like their response when Diana did the Panorama interview. Exploiting Harry's baby for profit, even if all of the money was given to a charity, would be a bridge too far.
After so many charity scandals in the past, including big ones like the Red Cross, people are very skeptical about them anymore. There's a lot of mistrust.
Shame on her if she's using her baby, or any baby, for financial gain like that.
Wasn't there a blind recently that touched on or hinted at if Harry and Megs split, that he would stipulate that he'd never ever allow her to let the baby be photographed, filmed or seen in public? It was posted some time last week.
Julia said…
The obvious choice would be Hello! Magazine who would pay generously and would probably be willing to say there is a donation to charity as well - they've done that before with people who didn't want it to sound like they were being paid for an interview or photo shoot.

They would be the obvious choice to - targeting British royal followers, and have sister publications abroad. They're completely safe - they never publish anything negative. A recent poll they did was designed in such a way that the answers had to be favourable to the royals. In fact, although things have changed a bit, the Spanish owner of Hello! bought up compromising photos of Diana - so they wouldn't be published.

The trouble is Hello! is seen as a bit declasse - although Princess Anne gave them an interview at the start. Peter Phillps got into trouble for selling them exclusive rights to his wedding at Windsor and that seems to have scared other royals away. They do have ties to Ella Windsor. I doubt that being declasse would bother Meghan - that baby shower defined vulgar - but there would be a huge outcry with such a deal.
JL said…
In addition to the recent item in Blind Gossip that she has had problems putting the deal together, there was an earlier item saying the husband (assume Harry) is refusing to allow the child on social media. He knows his wife now. Ironic how much those boys hate media because of Diana and then he married HER.

https://blindgossip.com/she-is-not-in-control/#more-99194
CookieShark said…
Slightly off topic, but I remembered recently how MM's own brother tried to warn Harry before the wedding. I feel like families usually defend each other, even to a fault. If anything they can't see their loved one's bad behavior, or they want to cover for them. Thomas Markle Jr straight up told Harry: "She has torn our family apart." And what has happened since she joined the RF?
Felicia said…
Oooohh that would be interesting. If it’s presented during the divorce that the child can never be photographed, then there’s no need to present any child at all—forever!

Maybe twenty odd years from now “Archie” sightings will occasionally be dripped, like Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot sightings!
hardyboys said…
There is a long comment from Lainey the idiot columnist who reverts to racism being the real reason Smeghead isn't accepted by the British Public. She also keeps going on and on about how Andrew the paedophile son of the queen friend of a dead paedophile is getting the protection of his mother. Like it is the same comment every day like she is a witty David Letterman or something. I would love to email her and say your column sucks you are so elemental you knob head Millenial but I'm not prepared to get into a war with her over MM being subject to racism.
Lurking said…
If she tries to merch Archie, it will be some woke eco-social warrior brand targeting the tween to 29 American demographic. Kind of like when celebrities sell out by doing ads in Japan or Middle East, while at the same time claiming they would never use their image on something so crass. It will be a brand that is clueless about how much she is disliked. Maybe if she does manage to pull it off and the brand tanks and burns, others will finally realize she's poison. I would hope that the royal family slap them down hard.

Liver Bird said…
Didn't Lainey and Meghan run in the same 'celebrity' circles in Toronto?

Anyway, Lainey is yet another North American who hasn't got a clue about Britain and its people, and is trying to superimpose American race politics onto Britain. As I said above, most people here really don't care much about the royals one way or another. And if she thinks Meghan's 'Smart Set' launch was an unmitigated success, she obviously hasn't read beyond the fawning headlines.
Humor Me said…
Duh - and I thought the Susseses wanted privacy to protect the sanctity of their family unit! Nutty - this makes perfect sense that she has tried to merch the baby a la Kardashian and the RF got wind and said NO in no uncertain terms. I would like to think that JL is correct in Harry (finally) put his foot down and stopped her.
Girl with a Hat said…
I read that but didn't want to encourage people to go over to her site. I didn't understand the logic behind her post. People are saying that Catherine is responsible for Meghan's success? But Meghan has no success?

She is also angry that people want to promote Catherine, but she's doing promoting for Meghan? And she calls Meghan "black". Meghan self-identifies as Caucasian!!!

Lainey used to say that she kept her gossip items light and funny because there was too much dark stuff going on in the world of celebrity and she didn't want to go there. Funny how she loves to "go there" when it comes to Andrew. And it hasn't been proven that Andrew did anything illegal but just hung out with a pedophile. Perhaps he knew but that will be hard to prove. Andrew did have sex with a young person who seemed to be the age of consent in the country involved. The SJW don't seem to care about facts or legal niceties and love to ruin someone's life on the basis of hearsay and rumours, and Lainey is among those.

Don't ever interact with Lainey. She will doxx you and it will be a one-sided fight as she has all the contacts in the media.

Lainey herself has psychological issues having been raised by a narc mother. I think Lainey is a narc herself because she thinks that the stunts her mother pulls are funny rather than tragic and has even written a book about it.

I can't think of anyone who would be more compatible with Meghan than her Toronto friends - Jessica Mulroney and Lainey Lee. All very materialistic, very ambitious, social climbers!
NeutralObserver said…
Had an idle thought. Megs might be playing us all much more cleverly than we think. The Atlantic did a recent article on how generation Z Instagram influencers think the carefully composed 'pretty' aesthetic of recent years is unappealing. They're into 'spontaneous' or something. So is Meg's blowsy, unkempt, & high on something vibe at recent appearances, and Harry's crumpled grey suit & scruffy shoes part of a big plan to reach out to young consumers? Their respective ages make it seem more plausible that they aim their brand at mid-twenties/thirty something strivers, but that ain't gonna fly anymore. We're assuming Megs schemes at a level reminiscent of Ursula in the Little Mermaid. Sometimes I wonder if I've completely misread her, & she's really a reverse of the Lance Armstrong & Bill Cosby stories, a naive wannabe who got in over her head, & she really does have an adorable little baby that she gave birth to. If so, show it to us, for heaven's sake!
Girl with a Hat said…
sorry about the rant. I just hate Lainey and everything she represents. I also think she's dangerous because she and Meghan are trying to exploit the vulnerablities in society for their own self advancement.
Jen said…
I fail to understand why the Queen should be shunning Andrew. Not only is he her child, but many have stated he's her favorite child....MM is her grandson's wife. This Lainey apparently does NOT have children if she wants to try to compare how the Queen is treating her favored child over an American her grandson married.
On the Bayou said…
My first thought was Jessica Alba and The Honest Company. They have Daniel Martin as a mutual friend and weren't Honest products part of the freebies for the over the top New York baby shower? The Honest Company certainly fits her branding as an eco-conscious, woke, mindfulness type. Megs chose Baby2Baby as a charity to follow which Jessica Alba is involved in (she's a board member) and then Jessica defended Megs on the Gayle special. They've already done the quid pro quo but maybe a connection has been made. I agree that Megs is thinking much bigger and I don't think Jessica's company would have the kind of cash Megs wants, but personally, I think Megs has an over-inflated idea of her and her child's worth when it comes to the press. Eventually, she's going to realize that nobody is going to pay up to her standards and what happens then? Will she accept less money and go with a smaller company like Honest that wants to increase its profile? Will she try a quid pro quo situation, maybe a deal with People where they don't pay her as much, but they give her free positive press for a certain amount of time? One things for sure, she is a schemer and will figure out some way to line her pocketbook.
JL said…
Once upon a time Lainey was a good writer with interesting views. Then her ego blew up and she started to use her blog as a bully pulpit and for vindictive revenge tactics. That’s when I started to loathe her. She targeted Kate even before Meghan. In her case I am happy for the Markle Effect because I can’t wait for her to go down.
HappyDays said…
She might very well be trying to get a media outlet to pay for phoyis of Archie, preferably a US media outlet because of the audience size. But if she can’t figure out s way to divert money to a Sussex personal account, she might be out of luck.

Keep in mind that it was reported a few days ago that Meghan is renewing the trademark for her defunct blog The Tig through 2021. She might be doing it just to keep someone else from using it. HOWEVER: The most important part of the story is that she has added a trademark for Tig Tots. So she is playing the long game as she does so well. I think she has her eye on doing a blog about raising children, childrens fashion and accessories including toys and furnishings such as cribs, strollers, etc. at some point in the future.

She might realize her days are numbered in the RF, but I think she will still try to stay in it long enough to have another baby next year or the first part of 2021. She will probably be pregnant by this time next year or due to the speed she moved with Archie, might even have had a second child by this time next year. She is truly a piece of work.
Unknown said…
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Unknown said…
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hardyboys said…
Her skin imploded after the birth of Archie. She looks like crap now, and if she's 43 as stated she's only going to go downhill. It's all blotchy and gross.
Girl with a Hat said…
Let's hope Lainey does go away. I don't think she brings anything positive to society in her present incarnation.
Girl with a Hat said…
It's interesting you should say that because it reminds me of a trait that humans have. If you dislike one aspect of a person, you are more likely to find other aspect of that person you dislike.

For example, we all find Meghan to be of dubious character, so we, and everyone like us, are more likely to find that her uneven skin tone is "crap". That's why celebrities/famous people have to watch their grooming and behaviour. Because if you notice that celebrity X has horrible hair, you are more likely to find that you don't like their behaviour or their movie, and so on.
Liver Bird said…
I must say I'm tired of all these 'woke' gossip bloggers. Celebitchy is another one. At the end of the day, their job is to tittle tattle about the personal lives of people they will never meet. Which is fun but it's hardly 'woke' or 'right-on'. When you make a living discussing what this model is wearing or who this actor is sleeping with, what gives you the right to preach 'wokeness'?
Girl with a Hat said…
Exactly. Gossip is one thing, and it's not a positive thing but a minor vice I indulge in. So, these gossip mongers are like minor pimps. What makes them think they have to right to preach to us about who is good and who is not? After all, there are lots of little nuances in every story that can change the protagonist from a villain to a hero. Making judgements on people is what they do for a living.

As for Lainey, she has achieved wealth and fame much beyond her qualifications. She hasn't written a best selling novel or acted in anything. And despite her being from a minority. But she still shits on the society that has provided this to her as though she had to wash toilets despite being a PhD to get where she is.
SDJ said…
Mischi - "People are saying that Catherine is responsible for Meghan's success?"

Check out the article entitled "Meghan Markle owes success of Smart Works charity fashion launch to sister-in-law Kate Middleton" Its damning MM with faint praise.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/9930192/meghan-markle-fashion-launch-kate-middleton/

It is a perfectly crafted criticism of MM. Basically saying MM has blundered all over the place and she knows it. Whoever wrote it had one intention and that was to annoy the hell out of MM.
Liver Bird said…
Yeah, gossip is a guilty pleasure, like ice-cream or chocolate. OK in small doses but too much can be unhealthy. I do like to indulge but I'd never claim it's a great intellectual pursuit. Sites like Celebitchy used to be fun when they were, as the name suggests, all about bitching about celebrities. But now it's all virtue signalling, over-investment in people who wouldn't give them the time of day, and lashing out at those who don't conform to their rigid worldview. Where's the fun in that?
Fifi LaRue said…
According to Thomas Markle Sr. he blurted out the Meghan was born in 1977, making her a geriatric 42-year-old "mother." Tweens to 29-year-olds don't care about her, the age difference is too great. The Middle East might prefer blondes; and, she's too old, unfashionable and unimportant for the fashion epicenters of Osaka and Tokyo.
Girl with a Hat said…
I wonder why they wrote that article about Kate and Meghan. It's so weird. It's like they are trying to force Kate to take Meghan under her wing.
@HappyDays, I most definitely think she’ll be pregnant by next year, she wants to increase and extend her meal ticket for her gravy train. I’m in complete disbelief that the royal family couldn’t see right through this revolting vulture from the start, or maybe they could, but..........

I think Harry was on board with the notion of selling photos of Archie, I can’t see how she could have done that behind his back, without him not finding out...then again he isn’t exactly the brightest spark, and is somewhat naive.
@Mischi, 😂 lol at ‘Harry’s first wife’, I wonder how long we have to wait to see those words?! 😀
Princess Greasy-Pole....lol lol 😂😂🤣 quite a title, and most fitting too! 😂😂
Hello! is horribly and syrupy sycophantic! Yes, they might just be stupid enough!🤑
@JL, that blind wasn’t about Murky. 🤭
Remember Samantha, she did too. The hideous comments she received, but both her and Thomas Jr were all right about Murky and her behaviour and past.
CookieShark said…
CB is a hateful, hateful site. It is basically a handful of angry people who are able to be online most of the day, even though they insist they have hotshot jobs. It is the same group of posters who have feeding frenzies on new people while they cheer each other on.
I’ve not heard of this Lainey, but she sounds oh so tiresome! 😬
Anonymous said…
Celt News' video discussing the photoshopping of it is interesting, too. It's a completely bizarre photo, right down the the new nose.
@Liver Bird, completely agree about the Brits being indifferent towards the royal family. We know they’re there, but for some reason I get the impression a lot of foreign nationals think we look up to them and admire them etc. Nothing of the sort, as long as they don’t embarrass us...
they are tolerated; they aren’t doing too well at the moment!! 😩
Lurking said…
Does he have several children and may have forgotten their birth dates? Mine aren't that old and I mix up their birth dates. Don't even ask my husband when they were born... even though he was in the room.
Anonymous said…
The "title" was inspired by Tatler's Social Climber of the Year award. I wasn't surprised by her win, but Tatler's reference to markle as a "tungsten toughie" at the top of the "greasy pole" was fresh and lol-worthy.



Beth said…
I am wondering why no one has put the issue of her age to rest by publishing her birth certificate. I believe that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows that kind of information to be obtained from the California Department of Health's Office of Vital Records. And no, Nutties. I will not accept your nomination to be the one to try it. LOL
Girl with a Hat said…
Louise, she runs the gossip site Laineygossip.com She used to do it alone, but now has hired lots of "diverse" writers to write on lifestyle, shopping, gossip, etc.

She is also a co-host on an entertainment television show with Ben Mulroney, who is Jessica Mulroney's husband, and the son of the ex-PM of Canada, Brian Mulroney.

She was famously photographed with Meghan a few years ago when she was secretly dating Harry with a few other people - Jessica and Ben, of course, and with Marcus Anderson. I forget who the other smug people gathered around the table were.

I think she was one of the first to drop hints that Meghan and Harry's relationship was serious.
Anonymous said…
Good call because The Honest Company was embroiled in scandals early on, too, for being far less than honest. I could see that one really blowing up on both of them.

In fact, I'm surprised that there hasn't been spew re Princess Pole Climber's "capsule collection". That polyester nightmare of a dress is a sale of a sale castoff that no one wanted and polyester is notoriously bad for the environment and the body. Also, the totes are made in India (can you say "child labor!" three times fast). Also, I would love to know the "source" of the leather. If it's from China esp, there's a good chance it is cat or dog leather (it's why I will not buy any leather from China ever no matter what.) There are potential scandals all over that "collection".

The best thing about that 5-piece fashion wonder is its mediocrity, and the *only* surprise to me re that polyester pile is that the pants aren't crotchless.
Mom Mobile said…
Elle, thank you for saying all this! I completely agree. Although I hadn't considered crotchless pants. Now I can't seem to scrub that image from my mind. Yikes!
Anonymous said…
"For security reasons, you can't order an official birth certificate for just anyone. You can typically order a copy of your own certificate and official copies of the birth certificates for people you're related to."

In addition, each state has varying levels of accessibility re access to birth certificates. Birth certificates are Vital Records, not Public Records. Big diff.

A birth certificate is also one step closer to any kind of identify theft, too. It would be far too handy if those could just be PRRd by random members of the public.
Beth said…
Related to, as in sister Samantha Markle or brother Thomas Markle?
Anonymous said…
Mom Mobile, I know. I shared that image to curse others with it so that I wouldn't be alone in my misery lol.

Still, I'm surprised the media hasn't leapt on this potential hell unleashed. It would wipe out global-eco-warrior princess, animal-welfare princess, and feed-time princess titles in one easy bitchslap.
Girl with a Hat said…
Sussex sex toys! LOL. Well they said they wanted to modernise the BRF. They can tie it in to their mental health initiative.
abbyh said…
I had not thought of the "leather" from China not being cow.

I am currently reading: Overdressed: the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion by Elizabeth Cline. I wanted a different one by her but this was what they had.
Jdubya said…
With Harry and his reported hatred/animosity towards media, I feel he is more likely the one keeping Archie away from the press. She might want to merch Archie and Harrys blocking it.
Girl with a Hat said…
I 'm conflicted about that. I know Harry is very interested in the ideas that she has brought him regarding money initiaves because he is limited in his income..
@Elle, I love their passive-aggressive approach, it makes it more of a tasty morsel!

I subscribe to Tatler, I wish they’d put that article in their printed mag....they usually do. Maybe next month?! 🤔
@Mishi, I’ll look up the site and see what Missy Lainey has to say. She sounds quite a piece! 🧐
Emily said…
The Danjazone discussed the photo of Archie as well. Def not the same baby, and agree it was bizarre
d.c. said…
(oh, my thoughts on the newest Archie photo were too long and messy for a comment, so just to respond to all you lovelies, I started a blog to put it all in one place):
http://dorothycrabtree.blogspot.com/2019/09/archies-newest-christening-photo-whats.html
Anonymous said…
@Mischi, lolololol re the sex toys. I was going to suggest a blow-up doll in markle's image, but then it occurred to me that so many men have had sex with the real thing, the vinyl version would be too been-there-done-that.

@AbbyH, once I found out about the potential "fur trim" and "leather" from China, I was way over buying it, but I think that this is a potential minefield, if the media wanted to dig in. When we were suggesting things that could make the markle wholly unpalatable and forever disgraced, pimping dead dog and cat skin handbags would sure do the trick. And Ms. Oh-So-Woke won't be able to hide behind "didn't know" because it's "her" "curated" "capsule collection" (excuse me while I go throw up a little in my mouth now.)

And yes, cheap fashion and all that it says about our culture offends me.
d.c. said…
yah, my original comment about that photo had too many pics, so I had to make a blog, just so I could get it all in one place, lol:
http://dorothycrabtree.blogspot.com/2019/09/archies-newest-christening-photo-whats.html
d.c. said…
Is this in contrast to "Megan's third husband?" (did I count that right?)
JenS said…
I could see her going with Hello! if they're interested and offer enough money.
NeutralObserver said…
I don't think Megs will merch her baby, because there is no baby (IMO). It will be interesting to see how she proceeds. Will she stick with Harry? Surely she understands that without him people will lose interest in her, putting the kibosh on her influencing empire. She's so much like Tracy Flick, the character Reese Witherspoon played brilliantly in the movie Election. Tracy is a ruthless, determined little schemer, but always lands on her feet. It's a funny flic, with Matthew Broderick as the man who unsuccessfully tries to bring her down.

Yesterday I tried several times to post a slightly off topic mention of the upcoming Glamour magazine Women of the Year gala in NYC on Nov.11 at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. The tag line is right in Megs' wheelhouse: 'Celebrate the leaders & changemakers who are pushing the world forward.' My guess is Megs is working on an acceptance speech. I wonder if she'll be acknowledged in any way. Don't know if Glamour is one of the outlets that puts out her little puff pieces.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
50 and counting said…
Oh, she is a product of her upbringing. The rest of Canada isn't cool enough for her and the Mulroney's. She's a loud mouth on a daytime chat show.
JenS said…
I don't think she has possession of a baby. The blind was probably a plant to perpetuate the narrative that she does. If she had Archie with her, we'd have seen him trotted around in a brand-name stroller or pram, wearing eco-friendly bamboo-fibre nappies, sucking on an ergonomic vegan dummy, and wearing gender-neutral hemp onesies manufactured by women-run village collectives in Uzbekistan.

The collage pic is photoshopped beyond belief -- and so badly, too. Is this her fantasy, where bewitched Harry kneels before Murky-as-Kate and ZombieBaby, in a hazy, dreamlike vision? Wonder how much pink water and party supplies it took to create that?
KnitWit said…
They can bounce the baby on their laps during Gail's interview. That may get ratings.

If there were a healthy baby, showing it in public would end a lot of the bad press.

I normally don't care about the royal family.

As another reader mentioned, it is the mystery that keeps my attention. Situation gets more and more surreal.

I didn't know fake baby bumps and real doll babies were a "thing"
KnitWit said…
Think Harry is really "frugal". How else to explain that ratty suit? Read former girlfriends and army buddies say he never picked up a dinner check it round of drinks. Bet there are lots of fights about money in that marriage, if they are even talking.

Think they should go camping again in Africa -ha. Can't imagine that MM is a happy camper!
KnitWit said…
She should just go to the hospital and stand on the steps like the other royal mother's before her. Better than a home birth - for a woman in her thirties! Who wants that mess?
KnitWit said…
Maybe they will adopt an African orphan. That would have been a better option than bumps and dolls.
NeutralObserver said…
Didn't Michael Douglas & George Clooney sell their wedding pics to Hello? So pretty sure Megs would leap at the chance to do a deal with them.
NeutralObserver said…
Well said. I totally agree.
Anonymous said…
'Blind plant' is actually the likely explanation. Sad, really. Imagine being a middle-aged teenybopper wanna be, clawing into the CDAN blinds, holding on for dear life, trying to stay relevant.
KnitWit said…
Her nephrw is merching Markle marijuana.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/meghan-markle-nephew-names-marijuana-strain-after-archie.html/
Fifi LaRue said…
Maybe. It is a mystery how old the Megster really is.
Fifi LaRue said…
If Jessica Alba does any kind of partnering with Megster she can expect to experience nothing but headaches. Megster knows better than anyone.
Fifi LaRue said…
Cringeworthy! If that comes to pass, Glamour can expect to be out of business shortly. They will quickly lose any credibility.
Fifi LaRue said…
Thanks for posting the link. Too funny! Markle must be kicking herself now by excluding her family from the wedding. Dude has made $200 million, and he's probably not going to give Markle any money to help her out.
SwampWoman said…
Tasty T, in the previous blog post in the comments, said that she was able to see a copy off the birth certificate through Ancestry.com, and she (MM) was born in 1981. I don't think many people saw it because you must scroll to the bottom of the comments, hit "see more", then go back to the top of the comments then read down. Perhaps those of you with Ancestry.com accounts can check.
SwampWoman said…
So sorry to put "off" instead of "of". Sorry, y'all, working with a small screen, fat fingers, and am all bundled up and shaking with chills.
Emily said…
Meghan is 42yrs old. The girls she went to school with are 42. She admitted knocking a few years off her age to help get acting roles.
Emily said…
Haven't seen anything regarding this but if there is no Archie as most suspect, what implications will this have on the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince William, Kate, Camilla and Prince Charles? They have all been in photos with him. This would also mean they have gone along with the deceit. The backlash would be huge. Any thoughts?
Anonymous said…
I stand with: 1) surrogate baby, but real; 2) HMTQ et al have plausible deniability re surrogate; 3) back-channel steps of the most confidential kind (and with no trail to the BRF) were taken to ensure the surrogate kept the baby; 4) statements have been made to back the Dumbartons into a corner; 5) the BRF will have plausible deniability re all of it; and 6) when the inevitable divorce comes, the BRF can be as surprised as the rest of us. My opinion only, current theory. As for the photos themselves, if "the baby" is real but of surrogate and the BRF didn't "know", then no harm, no foul.
Miss_Christina said…
You can't merch what ya don't have.

I believe that if she had full access to a baby, that baby would be everywhere. She'd be merching everything from baby clothes to breast shields. Instead of all this speculative PR about why they didn't go to Balmoral and upstaging Princess Charlotte with that sad little clothing collection, there'd be a thousand and one pictures of Archie a day.

The fact is Megsy missed her opportunity already. Interest at the time of his birth was huge, and continued till the odd christening. After that there were just too many questions. No reputable company will pay her what she wants now.
Girl with a Hat said…
but she doesn't need a reputable company. She can merch it on her own site.

That's how it's done these days. Look at the Kardashians.
Anonymous said…
It was *not* the birth certificate. It was downloaded information. Big difference. Information available on a public website is only as good as the source material. Birth certificates are not PRR-able and they're not public records request.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
@Liver Bird: That is such a good point.

Celebrity gossip is such an 'un-woke' pursuit. I wish people would just own up to it.

At least I admit to following stories that I project on. AND I'm self-aware that it's all due to my pettiness.

I can actually relate to the whole "who-gets-to-wear-which-tiara" drama. I'm super petty like that. 🍹
Anonymous said…
And, yes, Beth, *maybe* Markle's siblings. It varies from state to state. FIOA is the floor, but each state can set their own ceiling and each state has different rules. Search any of the states' statutes and you'll find their rules.

Here's some CA info on birth certificates: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/pages/vital-records.aspx

Here's a link to CA statutes: https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/ that will tell you more about PRRs.

Each state handles disclosure of adoption information differently. Birth certificates and other vital records are used to determine identity, for example.

Re ceiling and floor, for example, the 4th Amendment gives us our "floor" level rights re search & seizure, so warrant requirement. But each state can set the ceiling. So, for example, SCOTUS held that roadblocks / sobriety checkpoints are permitted by the constitution, but a number of states' constitutions ensure greater rights of privacy and do not allow roadblocks. Same is true with many things. FIOA is one of those things. States have codified their own public records statutes. But birth certificates are Vital Records, not Public Records, and what is found on sites like Ancestry is from public records and updates from others. This may or may not be valid. According to deep background checks on the best databases, my ex is my brother and my brother is not even listed. So always beware the public information on Ancestry sites and if you don't have the official record, do not consider it to be fact.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Anyway, it's really not that hard to get influencer deals.

I've had offers for collabs on my cats' Instagram (which has only about 55 followers) after posting some photos of my cats' birthday celebration of my cats in kimonos/bow-ties. I didn't respond because I had mixed feelings about it. I might change my mind if it means my cats get pampered and it doesn't add clutter into my home.

Also, I don't want to sound like an ungrateful a-hole but I also didn't respond to an influencer offer on my planner/stationery account for free pens... Because I'm trying to reduce the amount of disposable pens and my goal is to only use refillable pens I 2020. FTR, I only have about 100+ followers on that account.

These days companies will work with anybody. The mainstream media likes to report how everyone's a wannabe influencer & they're approaching businesses for free stuff... But I find in reality companies seek you out and will slide into your DM pretty hard... So if Meghan can't get anything, it must be bad.

To be fair, I can tell you for a fact that there are people out there who genuinely like Meghan Markle. I know you probably would rather believe all her supporters online are bots but I know at least 2 real humans on Instagram, one with a verified account because she's a well-known social media manager guru/stylist... Except she's an a-hole. I subscribed to her email newsletter and she threw a friend under the bus. I was flabbergasted. IDK if she was trying to stir some manufactured housewives-style drama for clicks, but I can tell you it reflected badly on her (professionally). Not saying all stylists/SMMs are vapid, but this one seemed to value clothes mkre than humans... So yeah there are people who genuinely like Meghan, but they're not what I'd consider wonderful human beings.
Anonymous said…
And I got this from the LA County website where (I believe) markle slithered forth.

https://www.lavote.net/home/records/birth-records/birth-records-request/who-can-obtain-a-copy-of-a-birth-record

Who Can Get an Authorized Certified Copy of a Birth Record?

--The registrant or a parent or legal guardian of the registrant
--A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant
--A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply with the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code
--A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
--An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant estate

So, certain members of the family that Markle never had could get it.

You can also google re the accuracy of Ancestry & other sites' information. It "should" be good, but it's not to be considered fact. You can't go to court waving Ancestry.com info to the judge as proof of your birthdate, for ex.
NeutralObserver, im with you in thinking this blind could have been planted.

We are thinking of merching opportunities, but in the world she inhabits (in her head) social media clout is everything. And she had been well aware of the fact that she is so well liked. She wants to be the favoritest of them all. And a baby pic is one of her trump cards.

During their upcoming tour, she will want to be all over the media coverage. And people are already curious with the will they/won't they show archie. That's the kind of interest she wants to generate and is counting on, so that she can finally drip.feed his images. Once we see a cute picture of his, she is basically above reproach right?! (According to her)

There could be so many ways she would want to control his reveal, money or no money ..
1. Africa tour - at an AIDS hospital, orphanage playing with the kids

2. An appearance on Ellen's talk show where she will show pictures on the baby.

3. The US elections are coming up. At a fundraiser/fun charity event.

4. Her (supposed) children's book launch.

5. She could enrol him in a preschool. And show pictures of the first day. (Merching for preschool)

6. Most likely sometime during the Africa tour so she can "break the internet" with those pictures and say that their tour was super successful.
Anonymous said…
However, you *might* try this if you're interested:

Informational Certified Copies

Those who are not authorized or do not wish to submit the notarized Certificate of Identity may receive an Informational Certified Copy. Informational Certified Copies have the words "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY," imprinted across the face of the copy

So it might resolve the question of age. Personally, I think she was born in 1981 b/c the BRF would've checked. I just think she looks "ridden hard and put up wet" as they say re horses (and it's not a compliment) and much older than her age. That, to me, is far worse than actually being 40something. Far worse.
Girl with a Hat said…
I read somewhere that they are making money from their Instagram account. Is this true?
OMG I remember that movie "Election", it's hilarious :-) "Glamour" magazine in the UK is really cheap here, something like £2.00 for a monthly issue & it's gone from a typical sized glossy mag to a much smaller size. It's rubbish, I used to by lots of glossies every month - Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle etc but stopped about 4 year's ago as they're mostly ads & Vogue UK has really gone downhill esp after their last Editor Alexandra Shulman left. No-one wants preachy-type ridiculous, "woke", pc nonsense. Another Commentator mentioned that photo with Lainey, Jessica Mulroney, Megxit & the dreadful, slimey Marcus Anderson (plus 1 or 2 others) all having dinner - i've seen it they all help each other. All of Megxit's "friendships are soley based on what she can get out of it, they always end up sooner or later, in helping her whether it be useful PR, paid work or further more useful connections. I can't think if any of her friends that she's ever had where it's been only based on pure friendship.
Mishi, LOL, you are describing the "Unconscious bias" that His Intellectual Highness, Prince Harry, talked about.

A thought did occur to me then, and now after reading your comment makes me think that poor Harry might just have been describing his own feelings in a very round about way.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Nothing wrong with doing car commercials... in Japan.

Regina George did it.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
I've no idea.

All I know is that she tagged a for-profit (?) yoga retreat her friend owned when the post should've been about mental health.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Ellen's faker than Regina George's mom's tits.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
@Louise500:

I was under the impression you Brits mostly wanted to take them down 1789-style, except for:

- the dish-buying crowd (you know the ones with the photo of royal wedding couples printed on them)

- the ones sucking up to the Queen for a knighthood
Girl with a Hat said…
You are right there. For example, Marcus Anderson seemed to have a relationship with the Vogue UK editor. They are both gay.
Ava C said…
I agree Mischi. Seeing any senior royals involved in advertising would be the beginning of the end. If they do such a thing, I think they should be disqualified from receiving any public funding at all, including indirect funding such as protection. You know, all those massive costs that are hidden from the public.
Ava C said…
I think any plans to merchandise the baby are doomed from the start, at least in the UK, as people can feel it in their bones that Meghan is not maternal and that everything that matters to us in terms of loving family relationships is just an act for her. We would just laugh at such ads. Or be sad.
Ava C said…
I don't think the great British public could stand another pregnancy rigmarole. From all I hear from people around me - friends, colleagues, people on the bus, waiting in line in shops - they are fed up to the gills with Meghan and anything to with her, and that includes Harry. And these days the world is a small place. Surely the fact that they are unloved in the UK and barely qualify as senior royals will affect their status abroad. Given time. She is in a race now, to get as much as she can, as her celebrity grows tackier by the day.
Ava C said…
I can't imagine any woman would marry Harry now. His previous girlfriends didn't want to BEFORE he was so damaged by Meghan. The only kind of woman who would want to would be someone as bad or worse than Meghan, and unless Kate has another baby, he still needs permission to wed. After Meghan, the monarch has a free-pass from the public to refuse that permission.

The Jilly Cooper side of me wants Harry to be rescued by some quiet beauty from the shires who loves labradors and babies and all will be right in the end. But it ain't gonna happen.
Ava C said…
@Scandi Sanskrit - no, we just want them to be quiet and pop up occasionally looking pretty, or smart if they can't do pretty. A few nice smiles and waves and cute children with bunches of flowers, a plaque on the wall and we're done.

I wasn't around till the 1960s, but I miss the old days I see when I read old Tatlers or about the lives of the Queen's parents and relations. The impression I get from speaking to older relatives when I was a child, is that it was rare for someone to resent the BRF, even though their own lives were much tougher than now. They just wanted peace and continuity and people to behave properly. As we do now. I'm not attracted to the alternative, as the only people I would like to fill that position in a republic wouldn't want to do it.
Ava C said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
gabes_human said…
I would love to see the Cambridge fellows WEARING Burberry in a family photo-classic trenches, sweaters and maybe a cap-maybe for the Christmas photo but not as an advert. George and Louis would be adorable and Wills, well he’s a handsome man no matter what he’s wearing.
gabes_human said…
It’s been mentioned before that Megs is still in a ‘90’s state of mind. Nutty, you pointed out that People and some of the other mags just aren’t spending what they used to but M is still living in the past. It think she hasn’t received an offer yet that she’s willing to accept and probably won’t. I thought from day one of ‘Archies birth’ that she has great plans to sell a cover and spread but the money just hasn’t been offered. I think that if an acceptable amount was available she would take it and lie like a rug to the family or just thumb her nose at them on her way to the banque. Since there seems to be no real baby as she had planned, she must be gnashing her teeth.
gabes_human said…
Knit W, I didn’t know about any commercially available pregnancy prosthetics either before this. I knew there were some for the film industry and jut figured she got her hands on one there. I was flabbergasted when I looked into newborn dolls and saw how life-like they are.

Since MeGain is such an accomplished um, prevaricatress, I’m wondering if her PR people know that she really doesn’t have a child? It seems she would have to level with them but then she’s letting even more people in on her secret. It seems that only her sugars are defending her motherhood now so it’s an unspoken truth that there is no baby. How much longer before msm let’s the cat out of the bag?
gabes_human said…
The British press is keeping any knowledge of there being no baby under wraps but will the press in SA? I hoping that her bitchiness and teapot throwing nastiness won’t be kept as quiet there as it was in Australia. They are taking a staff of ten or so but will still have to depend on locals as waitstaff and such. Something tells me they won’t be signing an NDA.
Nelo said…
Has blindgossip ever revealed a blind about Meghan which turned out to be true? I don't know that's why I'm asking. Blind Gossip has revealed blinds about many celebrities and even Prince Andrew which turned out to be true but I don't know about Meghan.
gabes_human said…
N.O., Most of us reading this have had a child/children. We know what it feels and looks like and that’s why we know that M has done neither. She hasn’t even read up on pregnancy and birth to know how to fake it convincingly. Like you though, I hope my tin hat is just strapped on too tightly and I’ve been an awful person as she sits at home nursing her adorable infant. But I don’t think so.
gabes_human said…
This is off topic to my way of thinking but my youngest bro was the carrot-top-covered-in-freckles completed red head. I always thought I could smell him but later decided it was all in my head because he was “the baby” and an absolute brat. That was until I had a babysitter with the same complexion and the same odour. It turns out that those extremely fair-skinned red heads do produce chemicals to protect their fragile skin and my kid bro did stink. P S. My other bro and I got the auburn hair and skin that will tan.
gabes_human said…
What Elle said about ordering a birth certificate. I’ve even gone to searching census records but most of them are blocked for people born before 1940. I haven’t given up though.
gabes_human said…
Rabbit, I thought the same when I read about his new strain. He did well with Markle Sparkle too from what I’ve read. Maybe she should move to where cannabis is legal and hire a gardener. That’s one of the few ways for her to make the kind of money she seems to think she deserves.
gabes_human said…
Nelo, the only blind I read regularly is CDAN and he has stuck with gossip tidbits that were pretty right on. He had one saying she thought she should have a salary of £400K/yr but that she wasn’t going to get it. If someone on here mentions one like Lainey or Celebitchy I might look at it but I mostly like the comments on Enty’s board as the others are not as funny as they are judgemental.
Liver Bird said…
Aren't 'Hello' and 'People' basically the same magazine, just on opposite sides of the Atlantic?
Liver Bird said…
That's why I think the surrogate and especially the 'fake baby' theories are ridiculous, and have the unfortunate effect of making critics of Meghan look foolish.

There is simply no way that the royals are going to publish a photo of a doll baby on their official website, yet they did with the queen and Archie. He is also placed in the official line of succession as 7th in line. The idea that senior members of the royal family are going along with an attempt to deceive the British public is absurd.
Ava C said…
Slightly off-topic but kind of relevant and something I've been thinking about a lot. I was a long-longstanding lurker on Kate Middleton Review. I agreed with the general frustration that Kate wasn't doing more. She was at home too much, she should be making more speeches, doing far more and the list of her charities should be much longer. A lot of people felt this way but since Meghan we've brushed this under the carpet. It's funny actually. We complained Kate's maternity leaves were too long, but Meghan's maternity leave is too short and she should be looking after her baby if there is one. Many of us (including me now) love Kate's devotion to her family and all her domestic virtues. The change is so great we should date royal history BM and PM - Before Meghan and Post-Meghan.

I'm not saying Kate is perfect but there has been a general shift away from Diana-type activism to wanting them to be away from the headlines and working with charities in a strictly limited and rather old-fashioned way. Also, now Meghan has been so extravagant and thrown her riches in people's faces, the spotlight is on the entire BRF. How many private flights, how big are their houses and how many do they have, how many holidays etc. etc. So there is now a limited number of things they can speak about without being charged with hypocrisy, because Meghan has made their discreetly concealed, privileged lives more visible. Even Diana didn't do that. She spent a fortune on makeup, personal grooming and clothes but I don't recall any national outcry about that. It didn't clash with her charity work. But now we've experienced Meghan, it would.

So there needs to be a national debate about what kind of royalty do we want, how many are we willing to fund and, if they are funded, what kind of work can we countenance them doing, especially work providing additional income.

For me, I think William and Kate's family already looks like modern European royalty. Which is my ideal. A contained unit, smart and professional, who seek lives of reasonable moderation for their position, with a healthy balance between work and home. Which is what we should all be seeking. I can accept funding privilege to that limited group. The monarch and the heir and his/her family, the focus always being on the oldest in the family. We can't take Charlotte and Louis behaving like Harry in 20 years time. People think the Queen Mother was cruel to focus on William and ignore Harry, but maybe she was being clear-sighted and recognising how things are. If she saw Harry now, she would say I told you so and lay the blame at Diana's door.

I see the reign of Charles III as incapable of delivering real change and I can't for a moment believe he would become less extravagant than he is now when he becomes king. It is just an inevitable period to get through, becoming shorter every day the Queen remains with us. But to ensure sufficient numbers continue to support the BRF as a whole, Prince Charles has to rein in Harry and Meghan, particularly regarding commercial activities as they already have enough to live comfortably, and he mustn't flaunt his wealth as monarch. Otherwise I honestly think they will lose the support of the people, who may then push seriously for a republic. The UK parliamentary system is already being tested to its limits and calls for a written constitution are getting stronger. No reason why this questioning should not spread to the monarchy also.
Bardsey said…
Good advice, Mischi. Lainey & Kaiser enjoy exercising power. What's the point of Wokeism if you're not getting to tell certain people to sit down and shut up or you'll ruin them? The sad thing is neither them (nor most of the commenters at CB) are really any good at SJWism. They're gossip hounds, not politicos. They don't realize they've all said such unwoke stuff over the years, and in the kind of climate they've created there can be no forgiveness for past transgressions.

Which is one of the reasons I started to dislike Meghan early on. I'd been annoyed by the weird hatred of Kate for years, but Meghan was presented as the second coming, the new Angelina who can do no wrong. Everything she does is confirmation that A) She's a goddess and B) The world doesn't recognize her greatness b/c of the patriarchy/racism/something something. Meghan played right into that with her language. Even then I could have grudgingly admired her if she put her money where her mouth was, no matter how much I maybe disagreed with her on some things, but Meghan's even more shallow than her sugars. She's a yachter on a delusional power trip. Woe to the rest of us.
Jen said…
@gabes_human, that's kind of what I was thinking of, but wrote it wrong. The classic look of Burberry is lovely, and the William and George would look great in a photo reminiscent of Burberry ads.
Jen said…
I think your point is important, is any child they present ACTUALLY their child? That may be what is keeping the offers from coming.
Nelo said…
Ava C, I usually love your analysis and I agree with you that Britain needs to have a conversation about what kind of monarchy they want to have. When Charles is King, there have been reports that he intends to slim down the monarchy to his immidiate family (Will and Kate, Harry and Meghan).
jamalee said…
I think there was a surrogate, that me-again could not get pregnant. I also think that the queen has taken control of Archie and he is in the hands of somebody she trusts. That's why there are no more recent pictures of Archie because Me-again does not have Archie. Maybe the queen realized that me-again would merch Archie pix if she had him in her possession.
Mom Mobile said…
I wonder if MM's maternity leave seemed so much shorter than Kate's also because we never got a break from her? She seemed to be in the press every day she was on "leave". When Kate took a leave it was much more low key and certainly less attention seeking. Probably because she was busy parenting.
Ava C said…
Hi Nelo. Yes you're right. Charles has been pushing for a slimmed-down monarchy in his own generation too. Andrew and Edward are more than aware (but who would challenge Anne! I'd pay to see that.) If I was Andrew or Edward I wouldn't sleep at night as there's no way Charles will maintain them as the Queen does. But what I'm worried about is his conspicuous extravagance carrying on for more distant heirs. He needs to recognise Harry is now 6th in line, and he seems to be funding Meghan at an insanely high level. Couture becoming the norm, and not even UK-based designers. Following my idea, Charles should be focusing his wealth on William and George and cutting down significantly on support for Harry and Meghan. While they have access to big-time funding, their pretensions to grandeur will continue.
Liver Bird said…
" he seems to be funding Meghan at an insanely high level. Couture becoming the norm, and not even UK-based designers."

I don't think Charles is paying for all of these couture gowns. I think she gets them free to merch. That would also explain why they are often so poorly fitting and out of season, and why she rarely wears British brands who wouldn't risk it.
NeutralObserver said…
I think that's why people dislike her so much. She seems inauthentic, & all of her 'friendships, ' relationships, whatever seem entirely transactional. ' You scratch my back, & I'll . . . yours.' She has the same quality that Hillary Clinton does, everything she does seems for effect, not because she thinks it's right. For those of you who live in the UK, the Clintons, Bill & Hill, seem to beyond any kind of comeback from the obscurity they're slowly sinking into. They're becoming radioactive. The Epstein rumors are the last straw. Donations to the foundation have dried up, tickets to their speaking tour dropped to $ 25 reportedly. Hillary has been deeply unpopular for some time. Both Trump & Hillary were the least popular candidates to run for president in recent history. Hillary's big vote margin was run up in two very Democratic states, California & New York. Trump alleged voter fraud. I don't think that happened in terms of people illegally voting twice, but in both states it would very easy for people who are not citizens to vote. Neither state wants to devote the manpower to check whether everyone who checks the 'citizen' box is actually a naturalized citizen. The only study I've seen on the web that analyzed the issue depended on self reporting illegal voters. LOL. Mass media will not go there for now because their advertisers want high levels of immigration, legal or illegal. Sorry to bring up politics, but just so you know that Hillary's recent tweet supporting Megs probably didn't help her any here in the USA.
Nelo said…
Liver bird and Ava C, your points are valid. It's likely Meghan gets gifted some of the clothes she wears that's why they are so badly fitted. As regards Charles reign, he will definitely retire Andrew, that's a given. Anne is his favourite so I don't know if he will retire her. I suspect he may not completely retire Edward, he may just cut down some of his benefits. What I wonder is how he will handle Harry and Meghan, knowing how weak he can be in disciplining his kids.
hardyboys said…
I watched half of queen of Scots yesterday. It was pretty good. The royalty back then when the queen had real power and had to worry about her sisters brothers cousins and aunts overthrowing her at any moment and sustaining that power is what makes being royalty so truly unique and special. They got that power by the tip of the knife. Watching fat jaded big bottom chubby fingers like Andrew and mute Edward make it all too clear that the English are being exploited into paying wayyyyyy too much for this family that inherited their power as opposed to earning it and shielding it. So when we talk about MM being a celeb that's all she is bc the BRFs dont really do anything other than try to protect their cushy positions and cut ribbons. That's why William had to appear on a budget flight. Hes got too much to lose. He cant risk an overthrow bc hes got no talents or skills in the real world.
Jen said…
Well, William is lucky....he married a gal whose parents are self-made millionaires who could give him a job at Party Pieces. At least he wouldn't be out on the street if the monarchy folds....
hardyboys said…
That's true depending on how much attention they have paid to the business. That's a competitive business with a lot of people waiting in the wings to take over
NeutralObserver said…
Kate has 3 young children, & gives the impression of being fairly hands-on despite the royal nannies.

Re: the monarchy. A poster on this blog mentioned that the queen gets the authority to rule from god, which most monarchies all over the world throughout history have claimed. The current Japanese monarchy, which I believe is even older than England's, makes the same claim. The comment immediately got pushback, because, 'nobody believes in god anymore' blah, blah, blah. It's certainly true that organized Christianity has lost followers in a big way in recent decades, but I think what the commenter who said Elizabeth's reign is related to god meant more that the monarch is supposed to represent accepted morality, what's considered right & decent in Britain. She's an historical, cultural and social figure who is the Monarch for the entire British family, everyone, without breaking them down in little political 'isms.' Globalists want to imagine a meritocracy without any regard for national borders or traditional cultural values. That's what the Brexit argument is about, & what used be called 'the first world' is having so much trouble dealing with. There are new power centers globally. Who calls the shots, not just politically & economically, but socially & culturally? I don't think people mind adding kabobs & curries to their diet, but does it mean they must give up scones & clotted cream as well? Who knows? I think if Megs had any natural grace or empathy, & had embraced her adopted home more fully, she actually could have been much beloved & done Britain & the royals a big favor. I just don't see that she has the natural chops for it.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Come to think of it, marrying into a royal family isn't exactly the most woke pursuit ever...











Unless it's for true love.

But like why would you hang around people like Harry in the first place if you were so woke?
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Lmao

William, you cunning gold-digger...
Ava C said…
Veena, yes I keep thinking about how monarchs had to be in the past. To survive they had to be ruthless with their own relatives. At any point you can draw a royal family tree, and there should be a blood-red line following the direct succession and everyone else is faded out. Think how differently Henry VIII was brought up - in his mother's household - compared to his older brother Arthur who had his own household. Mind you, that's a bad example as he did become king and his upbringing may have contributed to his many faults. That's why I really don't like William's family travelling together! As long as they keep travelling together, Harry is uncomfortably close to the throne. Another Harry, same colouring as Henry VIII, same apparent friendliness with the people when he meets them (great drinking companions), same changeable moods, sulkiness and unwillingness to focus on boring tasks, same sense of entitlement and both seduced by manipulators who brought out the worst in them. I DO hope William reads his history books.
Liver Bird said…
Pics just released of the twosome and baby Archie on the pub outing which supposedly took place 3 weeks ago - though the pub owners denied it ever happened. Pics are blurry but it does seem to be them, though can't be 100% sure. What's noticable is that the pub seems almost entirely empty, which would be odd on the hottest August bank holiday weekend on record.

Wonder why these photos have dropped now, 3 weeks after the 'event'? Surely if someone wanted to make money from them they'd sell them right away, not after everyone had already forgotten - that is if they'd bothered to take notice in the first place. Could it be anything to do with Harry's supposed interview with Oprah about mental health, which just today is being talked about in some papers? I ask because there's always something with these two.
Jen said…
The website looks pretty decent. I'd order from there if I lived in the UK.

I would imagine that since everyone knows about the company, and their daughter is the future Queen consort, the business is probably doing well.
Girl with a Hat said…
Veena, the situation since Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II has changed quite a bit for the royals. Firstly, the English have always been quite attached to their monarch and still are. To them, it's the system they prefer. There is no need for the rightful heir to fear for their right to succeed to the throne as they had to in the Elizabeth times because so many years have passed and the succession has become law.

As for that movie, I only stayed to the end in the theatre to watch how she would twist history. You realise that she inserted people of colour to play roles of people who were in fact, white. To be politically correct! So you can imagine what else she may have changed. There was a big outcry that she was changing history so she could be woke. I hope no one else follows this trend. I, for one, like to see history as it really occurred.
Girl with a Hat said…
https://www.tmz.com/2019/09/18/prince-harry-meghan-markle-archie-public-outing-pub/
Ava C said…
Meghan could have been SO good. When the Kate Middleton Review blog was running, most followers were excited at the thought of her arrival in the family, expecting her to be confident and outgoing, great at events and getting involved more than Kate. She was stylish then too. We didn't realise she was the product of the 'Suits' costume and makeup department.
Ava C said…
Harry's looking straight at the camera in a couple of them, proffering the baby seat to the camera (baby unseen) as if to say "This is the baby. A BABY. This is MY baby." It looks set up to me.
Liver Bird said…
And Meghan - assuming it's her - has her back turned or her face covered by her hair in every single photo. And no sign of any RPOs. Where is the '53 year old businessman' who gave us an account of the 'event', including that Archie never cried, including when he had his nappy changed? Speaking of which, how did the 'businessman' know Archie had his nappy changed? Did he follow them into the bathroom? Or did they change the royal nappy right there and then, in the dining room?

Yup, looks and sounds like a set-up.
Ava C said…
I think the RPOs are the ones in the foreground of one photo, eating their dinner. They look like they could do that kind of thing. They have to be able to blend in - not obvious muscle men - but they have to be fit and capable. There's so few people it could easily be a set-up.
bootsy said…
@Liverbird and @AvaC.
Dead on with your descriptions about how people really feel about the Royal Family. Most don't care at all. The interesting thing that I have found is that when I talk to people like that who don't care too much, all of them think that MM is fake.
Girl with a Hat said…
I wasn't clear in my comment above. By "she", I meant the director Josie Rourke.

There was no Asian lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I and the person that she portrays is a real person, who happened, as 99.99% of the population of Elizabethan England, to be white. That person's name was Mary Seton.

Also, the English ambassador to the Scottish court, several members of the Queen's council, and even just peasants in the background.
Girl with a Hat said…
Now tell me that Harry isn't in on this charade.

abbyh said…
I thought it might be the same green dress from polo but it is a top, not a dress.

White looshorts.

I'm not into the whole follow someone because they say this or that is a great product (influencer sounds a little too close to Jamestowny for me) but if one is looking for that to be your next act, then always look so pulled together that there are no potentially lousy photos of you because the seller wants the person to step right in without missing a beat.

The other problem with the idea of influencer as a career move is, what do you do for the act after you have lost your influence? It is really hard to pay for what you used to get for free. And, the lifestyle is one of consumption, not savings.

Even if it isn't influencer but talk show hostess, reality show, the same problems exist.
NeutralObserver said…
Thanks for enlightening us, Elle. It's wonderful to know how stuff is done. I wish our lazy press knew as much as you do, or would go into such detail.







SwampWoman said…
Thanks, y'all! Not having a subscription to Ancestry, I didn't check it for myself.
Ava C said…
Mischi - I agree with you and having seen the Mary Q of Scots trailer, I knew I couldn't watch the film. In the wonderful BBC 'Hollow Crown' series of Shakespeare plays, one of Edward III's sons was a person of colour and although he was an excellent actor, it just wasn't right. And it's not the same as white actors playing Othello as the equivalent would be a person of colour painting himself white to be believable as a son of Edward III. It has to be believable, so the audiences can lose themselves in it, without distractions.

Ava C said…
Photos:

https://www.tmz.com/2019/09/18/prince-harry-meghan-markle-archie-public-outing-pub/
QueenWhitby said…
Fake, fake, fake. The man doesn’t even look like Harry, and the pub owners have already stated they weren’t there. Plus, an empty pub on a bank weekend? Nope.
Liver Bird said…
Yes the two men eating in the foreground - the only two other diners on one of the busiest weekends of the year - could be the RPOs. But would they permit all those photos to be taken? Also they're at some distance from their principals and are focussed on their lunch. I doubt they would be allowed to eat while on duty. Also, who's the blonde woman sat with them? At first I thought she was the waitress but now I reckon she's the nanny? Oh, and where's the '53 year old businessman'?
Girl with a Hat said…
the metadata shows Sept 17th as the date they were taken.

https://twitter.com/RoyalReporter/status/1174252742463959047

lower down on the thread.
PaulaMP said…
I sound like a loony, but that photo of the Queen, Doria etc gazing down at the baby looked really strange, like they were all photoshopped in. Sadly in 2019 we have to question everything, all pictures, even videos.
QueenWhitby said…
I’m with Elle, it’s very easy for the RF to deny they knew anything about this til late in the game (which I actually think is the case).

Furthermore, it’s plausible that the RF could say they sought guidance from medical professionals / psychiatrists on how to handle the situation (which again, has probably happened). The RF could then easily take the position, that with concerns over drug and alcohol misuse, and mental health issues, MM was unfit to have custody of the child.

Every mummy and granny in the country would nod in agreement that removing the child from an unstable mother (and keeping it quiet to protect the baby), was in the best interest for Archie and the birth mother given the furor that would inevitably erupt if it ever went public.
Girl with a Hat said…
but Meghan's intentions were not to "be good". Her intention was to make as much money as possible, and everyone else be damned.
Kat said…
@PaulaMP, that picture weird me out. I look at it and something just doesn't look right. It does look like several images put together. The first time I saw it I was like, wait hold up, something looks off with the whole thing. MM and Doria looking at babydoll Archie is for sure something taken together, but the part with the Queen, Prince Phillip and Harry just looks off, as if it was from some other time.
Ava C said…
The woman could be an RPO. Have been reading about royal protection, trying to find out what they are allowed to do, and one site mentioned Meghan prefers a female RPO. In the third photo the man with his back to the camera looks on the alert rather than just noticing their presence. Not a typical pub customer. They all look suspect. If it was real, the photographer had opportunities to take much better photos (I'm not talking about deliberate blurring. The photographer could have taken more informative photos.)
Ava C said…
Re: Charles' spending on his sons this is good, from Vanity Fair, June 2018:

"Accounts released by Clarence House, the Prince of Wales’s household, reveal that Charles is spending more money than ever on his sons and the Duchess of Cambridge, who are now full-time working royals. Charles spent £4,962,000 this year, compared to £3,529,000 the previous tax year, roughly a 40 percent hike. The amount is billed as ‘’other expenditure,” and while a spokesman declined to elaborate further on the figure, the increase coincides with Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle. The couple carried out a number of official engagements around the country ahead of the royal wedding, funded by the Prince of Wales. Now that Meghan is a member of “the Firm,” the Prince of Wales will finance all of her official royal activities, her staff, and her working wardrobe."

Liver Bird said…
I guess the woman could be an RPO, yes. And you're right that the photos are really very poor quality. Why wait for 3 weeks to release such poor photos?

And apparently the British press which Harry hates so much is not publishing these pics because they are 'too intrusive'. Yet the American press which he and his wife pander to has published them. Figure that one out.
Liver Bird said…
Interesting that you cannot see Meghan's face at all in any of the photos. She could be any dark haired woman. And would she really go out in public in those shorts? I get that the weather was very hot that weekend, but she's used to that surely?
@Liver, I’d say as a mag they are different, but I think Hello! has the edge over People for brown-nosing and being sycophantic.
Anonymous said…
@NeutralObserver: it's been pounded into my head by professors who didn't care what I thought or what I saw, only cared what the physical and official evidence said and what statutes & case law applied, so that's why I question everything and the links to the county recorders office were a google away.

@Swampwoman: to be clear, the information *could* be correct on Ancestry. We just can't know with certainty without the real thing. There are ways to manipulate any data and, of course, there are probably ways to fake a certified birth certificate, too, but if it's from the LA County Recorder's office, I'd think it less likely. However, if Princess Greasy-Pole Climber produced her own copy, I wouldn't put money on its validity lol. I would believe an unofficial copy straight from the county, however. I just don't believe that she lied about her age. I like to believe she is just looks hard-and-been-around-lots-of-blocks :)
I read the story of Murky's nephew in the DM, he’s done better than her, well at least he’s self made! Lol 😂
MaLissa said…
I think if William had to go get a job, he'd go back to being a helicopter pilot for the ambulance service. He seemed to enjoy it.
Ava C said…
I know, but we didn't know enough about her at the time. Just shows what a minor actress she was. I get so annoyed when journalists describe her as an ' A' list or famous actress. I had a look at the Tig before it was closed down and quite liked the image she presented. I didn't dig any deeper. I was just relieved Harry was going to settle down with someone who would be used to cameras(!) I didn't like the spooning bananas though, or the 'Wild About Harry' cover and article in Vanity Fair. That was trapping Harry. The equivalent would be the young Priscilla living secretly in Graceland for years, suddenly ringing journalists to snap some photos of her in seductive poses through those famous gates, forcing Elvis to come back from LA and marry her. Meghan knew the deal but ignored it, and she's continued that way. He should have said to hell with chivalry and got out of there fast. All the warnings were there, before the engagement.
Anonymous said…
@Liver Bird - This: "There is simply no way that the royals are going to publish a photo of a doll baby on their official website, yet they did with the queen and Archie."

Agreed.

However, the child could have been surrogate born and bred. The BRF would have plausible deniability because the royal doctors never examined her, the "baby" was delivered by who knows who, and none of the BRF physically examined markle, most likely. So how would they know? They might suspect. They might have found out thru back channels. But at this point in time, it does seem a surrogate birth would be possible and the BRF would still have plausible deniability when that came out. Markle rejecting the royal doctors was big news and the birth was a bizarre spectacle de merde, so how would the BRF know? That's what I keep coming back to. I'd love to have it proven one way or another. What are your thoughts?
MaLissa said…
Uh... 3 weeks AFTER the fact? Smells like a set up. As usual, they've done it to cover their lies. Oh yeah.. wasn't there a 53 year old businessman and his wife there too? hmmm......
Anonymous said…
@Louise500, Duchess Dumbarton is self bought and sold - does that count?
Girl with a Hat said…
they didn't wait three weeks. The metadata shows the photos were taken yesterday.
Liver Bird said…
I hear a lot of people talking about metadata but what exactly is it and how can it be accessed?

BTW thinking about it again there is no way that on duty RPOs would be eating and drinking. Not only would their attention be diverted from their job, but their hands would not be free. Look at the RPOs in the photos of Megs at Wimbledon. They all have their hands free and are clearly on high alert.

So either these people - the two men and the blonde woman - are not in fact RPOs (which begs the questions of where the RPOs are) or they are RPOs but feel free to look relaxed as they know it's a set-up and the pub is empty and has already been screened. Either way, these photos sream FAKE! Is this really the best SS can come up with?
Ava C said…
I've been looking further and there's a firm rule that royals are not allowed to accept free clothing. They can be sent a lot to see what they like, but the clothes that are worn have to be paid for. So leaving the labels in etc. could mean Meghan would pretend she didn't use that garment in the end, but that's crazy as there would be photos and references to the designer all over the internet.

The only alternative would be that she's selling them on immediately at a higher price because they still have the labels on. Incidentally I also read references to Meghan having £5M, or even £7M in one article, blithely saying she has so much money of her own she doesn't need to worry about paying for clothing (this is around the engagement time). Where do they think she got so much money? She rented her house and there were lots of signs of an luxurious lifestyle. She wasn't paid enough to build such a fortune unless she lived like Scrooge. Why has no one investigated this properly? Any competent journalist could dismantle all or most of her claims before marriage to Harry, including the actual extent of her philanthropy and social activism. The claims that created such a misleading image.
abbyh said…
I don't think the Queen or the palace released that photo of her, Prince Philip and Doria showing off the baby.

Sussex Royal Instagram

https://metro.co.uk/2019/05/08/royal-baby-archie-will-popular-name-uk-2025-9458008/

Emily said…
The pictures are fake. Do they honestly think that we will believe that in an empty pub they would allow someone to sit there pointing a phone at them taking pictures lol. Anyway the pictures were taken today.
Ava C said…
My thinking is the latter. I thought about their hands being free etc. but I think the whole thing is a set-up and they've already done a security sweep and more RPOs are outside just in case. As senior royals they can have more RPOs at times, per royal person, than you would expect. So my online searches indicate.
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