A few years ago, I bought a pair of Jennifer Lopez sunglasses, without really intending to. I tried on the glasses, liked them, bought them, and didn't realize until I came home that I had purchased celebrity-branded merchandise. The sunglasses were well-made, and I wore them until I lost them, the usual fate of sunglasses, umbrellas, and gloves.
I had (and have) no opinion one way or another on Jennifer Lopez, or on Jessica Simpson, whose merchandise I have also inadvertently bought for family members.
That said, both stars have solid fan bases - Lopez proudly represents Latinas of a certain generation, and at her peak Simpson had a country-western following plus a large reality TV audience. People like or liked them, and want or wanted to be like them.
Which takes us to the Sussex merchandising concept.
Who wants to be like Meghan and Harry?
Her PR people also seem to be pushing pieces in high-end legacy media. The Guardian ran a piece suggesting that "to Meghan Markle" was now a verb meaning "to value yourself and your mental health to up and leave a room/situation/environment in which your authentic self is not welcomed or wanted."
Vanity Fair ran a "funny" piece advertising for a movie agent for Meg.
And the New Yorker ran a long piece on the possible merchandising opportunities for Team Sussex. It interviewed the sycophants at "Meghan's Mirror", praised Meg's failed lifestyle blog "The Tig", and interviewed a merchandising lady who suggested that Meghan could take the same route travelled by Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.
(Goop appears to be making a fair amount of money off of dumb rich women, but appearances can be deceiving - it might just as well be somebody's tax shelter.)
Gwyneth is an Oscar-winning actress with an appeal to more than one generation, given her appearance in recent Spiderman movies. Still friendly with all of her famous ex's, she appears to be very good at making and keeping friends.
Meghan? Not so much.
I had (and have) no opinion one way or another on Jennifer Lopez, or on Jessica Simpson, whose merchandise I have also inadvertently bought for family members.
That said, both stars have solid fan bases - Lopez proudly represents Latinas of a certain generation, and at her peak Simpson had a country-western following plus a large reality TV audience. People like or liked them, and want or wanted to be like them.
Which takes us to the Sussex merchandising concept.
Who wants to be like Meghan and Harry?
Working their way back in the news
After a quiet period, Meghan and Harry are working their way back into the news. Meghan's team has leaked that she's not really all that close to her mother Doria (worried Doria will do a Thomas, Meg? She did say 'don't give away the milk for free', and maybe you're now too broke to pay her?) and that the couple is looking to spend the summer in Los Angeles (The summer? No, spend summer in Canada and winter in LA, you moron. Los Angeles in summer is sticky and stinky.)Her PR people also seem to be pushing pieces in high-end legacy media. The Guardian ran a piece suggesting that "to Meghan Markle" was now a verb meaning "to value yourself and your mental health to up and leave a room/situation/environment in which your authentic self is not welcomed or wanted."
Vanity Fair ran a "funny" piece advertising for a movie agent for Meg.
And the New Yorker ran a long piece on the possible merchandising opportunities for Team Sussex. It interviewed the sycophants at "Meghan's Mirror", praised Meg's failed lifestyle blog "The Tig", and interviewed a merchandising lady who suggested that Meghan could take the same route travelled by Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.
(Goop appears to be making a fair amount of money off of dumb rich women, but appearances can be deceiving - it might just as well be somebody's tax shelter.)
Gwyneth is an Oscar-winning actress with an appeal to more than one generation, given her appearance in recent Spiderman movies. Still friendly with all of her famous ex's, she appears to be very good at making and keeping friends.
Meghan? Not so much.
Men's products for Harry?
Meanwhile, the Royal Family's repeated suggestions that Harry is "fragile" plus unsourced rumors of self-harm attempts doesn't make him particularly marketable.
While there is a lot more compassion now towards people living with mental illness than there was even a decade ago, a jobless, uneducated, balding man dominated by his wife and struggling with his demons is aspirational for precisely no one.
The sort of branded products for men that might be endorsed by Prince Harry - watches? cologne? polo shirts? outdoor gear? require the kind of strength, confidence and effortless style that Harry might have had five years ago on his release from the military, but doesn't have now.
Could he get his macho image back? Maybe - a richly-documented role in wildlife conservation in Africa might help. (Maybe wanting to be seen as a more macho conservation guy was the source of Harry's complaint to IPSO about an article reporting that the elephants he photographed were tied up and drugged.)
What about an alcohol brand?
Another obvious way for the Sussexes to make money would be an alcohol brand. That worked great for George Clooney, Jay-Z, Bethany Frankel, and numerous other celebrities.
The only problem is that Harry reportedly has an alcohol problem, and Meghan may have one too.
If either one or both has been to rehab for alcohol abuse, that has not been publicized. But if they have, the UK media probably would publicize it as soon as a Sussex alcohol brand deal was announced, making the brand dead on arrival. No one wants to drink with a drunk.
Besides, in order to attract lifestyle drinkers, the Sussexes must be seen to have an enviable lifestyle.
Running from borrowed house to house with nothing to do and no reliable source of income isn't the kind of sleek fantasy world drinkers are imagining when they unwrap the foil at the top of a bottle.
Right now, the only thing the Sussexes seem to be able to sell is a victim narrative (It's all racist!), and I don't see that as much help when it comes to moving products.
Frankly, I can't see the Sussexes successfully branding anything at this point. Can you?
Comments
They're just not that interesting, or compelling.
I think Meghan believes she is like a royal version of the Kardashians. But she isn't. The Kardashians are somewhat clever, even though I'm not a fan of theirs. Much more clever than Meghan has shown herself to be. Also, they have relationships with celebrities who are stars and out in public themselves. People who are entertainers.
Harry is a "star" only by affiliation with the royal family he just dumped. He doesn't sing, doesn't rap, doesn't act. He's not very interesting.
With the Megxit drama essentially over, Meghan just doesn't have much to market off of now. And my guess is the further we get from Megxit, the less people will care. And they don't care much now.
Meghan trying to do "go girl" and "modernizing the royal family (from afar)" is only going to get so much mileage. Once again, the Harkles appear to be out of tricks and gimmicks.
Hilarious to see them throwing Doria under the bus. Doria is one of the only assets Meghan has in her profile. Because Doria helps to remind people of Meghan's heritage.
I suppose the problem here on this chat room is that we're preaching to the converted. None of us like MM/PH and none of us would have anything to do with them. As such it's really hard to gauge the feelings of others.
There will be people who like them, or love them based on what they manage to portray (amazing isn't it).
This is the reason why they have both gone in hard on the social justice woke stuff. As we have seen from films, if you preach this message then even if you're a massive hypocrite/two faced/shallow/privileged multi millionaire etcetc there are enough people out there who will consume your product, or not mind it, based on this positioning. Maybe not to make you a billionaire, but enough to give you a good lifestyle.
One thing that always amazes me about the US is the amount of very successful/very wealthy people who have businesses that operate in just one state. That's because the amount of people willing to consume the product (especially in the larger states) is more than enough to do very well for you indeed.
So the US has a big enough 'potential' market for the couple. Whether that translates to a brand that can sell a product remains to be seen. But let's face it, if MM can weather the storm and avoid any missteps in the next few years, aided and abetted by hugely influential shows like Ellen etc to spread her message/brand then sadly there is a good chance they might do well. Or just ok.
Caveat. "If MM can weather the storm and avoid any missteps in the next few years" is a big one. At the moment she has some media outlets who follow her lies, let her off and allow her narrative to dominate. This could change at any moment because she...is...trouble.
This piece is spot on and absolutely savage in its laser-like insights. I've thought all along that it's clear Meghan & Doria aren't close. They evince zero warmth or connection when they're pictured together, and Doria, far from being the paragon of grace that the media has painted her to be, comes across as a cipher with no personality. It's all been so baffling to watch. You're absolutely right about H&M being unmarketable, save for a small segment of die-hard stans, and it's vastly entertaining to see their PR wheels spinning. Thanks for another great column!
The part of LA where Smeg would want to live is not the sticky and stinky area. West side or nothing! I'm sure Smegs envisions herself living an air conditioned life of luxury, being driven around in an air conditioned vehicle from one air conditioned location to another.
When I think of royalty, I think glamour and classic style... Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn... I don't think sweat stains, unkempt hair, and mugging for the camera. People want class and glamour. HAMS don't possess either, which leaves them marketing to downscale punters. They may get a few lucrative nibbles at the beginning, but unless they can make a return on investment, interest will dry up.
I recall reading a few years ago that Goop was essentially bankrupt, heavily indebted. I think you're on the money when you say it's someone's tax shelter.
The problem is Meg's age, a tricky one for a woman in the entertainment industry.
Someone like Gwyneth or Reese Witherspoon can bring along fans she's had with her since her younger days (and even overcome a few missteps, like Reese's DWI).
I think it's hard to pick up fans in your early 40s, however.
The only exception I can think of is the "proud to be old" types, like Helen Mirren, Kathy Bates, Judy Dench, etc. Meg's still a few years away from that category, however, and all of these women are gifted actresses.
He doesn't have a lot going for him (as we have already discussed) - very little brain, no drop-dead good looks and not a lot of charisma. However, the one thing he does have, in spades, is his nationality. He's British through and through and could play on this fact, if he puts his mind to it.
Here in Britain we have the National Trust and English/Scottish Heritage which organisations are always keen to bring in tourists. Why doesn't Harry do a deal with them - advertise them to potential visitors in Canada/US? In partnership with these organisations, he could make adverts extolling the virtues of the British heritage, our quaint customs and our lovely landscapes, etc.
The RF could hardly object, Harry would generate some much-needed income and it would definitely be a win-win situation.
MM could go off and do her showbiz things which leaves Harry free to work as and when needed. Mind you, there would have to be a proviso that MM didn't get her ugly mug involved - what the hell does she know, or understand, about the British heritage?
What thinkest thou, Nutties?
I think Meghan believes she is like a royal version of the Kardashians. But she isn't. The Kardashians are somewhat clever, even though I'm not a fan of theirs. Much more clever than Meghan has shown herself to be. Also, they have relationships with celebrities who are stars and out in public themselves. People who are entertainers.
Good point, and I also think there is a very large audience of young(-ish) women who see themselves reflected in the Kardashians. They're glam girls, they're businesswomen, they date sport stars and entertainers. They own their own homes. They have cute kids they dress up in fancy outfits. That's a fantasy lifestyle many people would buy into.
Meg and Harry have none of the above. Not glam, not financially independent, no place to live, and their kid is mysteriously absent. What's the USP? They're ex-royals, big deal. It's like an ex-athlete. The magic is gone.
I completely agree with your points r.e. Gwyneth etc. And this is where the social justice branding along with being affiliated with aristocracy comes in. That's her 'talent' so to speak, that's where she will get her fans from. Let's face it, there are enough of them out there dumb enough to think that an attractive multi millionaire couple are victims. Or that 'nobody knew' about Harvey, even Oprah etcetc. The contradictions and lying are breath taking but are forgiven by certain sections of the population.
But it is precarious- the fact that they were opening up companies and securing patents such a long time ago blows their 'victim' status wide open. It was always planned that way. Here's hoping someone does some investigative work and brings more things to light in her previous lives to show everyone who she really is.
Could work, but there would have to be a little time for people to forget that Harry flounced out of the UK leaving his military medals on the bedside table.
The tagline, "Great Britain. I don't live there any more, but you should definitely visit" could be a hard sell, at least in the short term.
I’m sure they will have a market, but not sure for what exactly. Won’t the royal family be all over any branded goods they want to tout etc? If they go to LA, that’s another interesting twist, what on earth will the pair do there, Harry has no skills, he’s just a house husband.
I have more questions than answers, they deserve to fall flat on their faces. 😏
The fact that they were opening up companies and securing patents such a long time ago blows their 'victim' status wide open. It was always planned that way. Here's hoping someone does some investigative work and brings more things to light in her previous lives to show everyone who she really is.
Yeah, it's a great story for somebody - maybe someone writing for a non-traditional outlet like Unherd. (Which had a great story yesterday about how mainstream journalists are 'scared, demoralised, beaten-down, disillusioned' written by an in-group journalist named Jesse Siegel.)
While the story isn't directly about the Sussexes, it is about how mainstream journalists like Siegel are afraid to go outside the generally accepted narrative in the industry. In the Sussexes' case, that's become the "racist UK media", at least in the USA.
As I said yesterday, whomever takes on the real story about the Sussexes will have to be ready for a beating by the Sussex sugars.
Re: Harry shilling for tourism for the UK
He deliberately abandoned his country, even going along with his wife's cry of racism from the horrible UK public/BRF. Nope, no one will believe him if he says it is a great place, notwithstanding his claim it is his home. His home is where he puts his head on a pillow at night; he has no loyalty in my eyes and has brought such negativity to the UK is it tragic.
I for one would laugh if I saw Harry extolling the virtues of the UK as his credibility is zilch. I would believe PA over Harry in a heartbeat; at least PA didn't abandon the Queen, his family or his country.
And this is where the social justice branding along with being affiliated with aristocracy comes in. That's her 'talent' so to speak, that's where she will get her fans from. Let's face it, there are enough of them out there dumb enough to think that an attractive multi millionaire couple are victims.
Because social justice types are so vocal, I think there's a tendency to think they are more numerous than they actually are. The recent UK vote is a good example.
Absolutely! Harry’s is going through the biggest learning curve of his life, of how to live a ‘normal’ life, he’s never had to do anything himself. It must be crippling for him. 🙄
After several documentaries where they didn't come off as shining lights of glory to follow, I suspect that avenue has become a footpath at best.
Voice over work is nice when you can get it but I suspect most of it tends to be filled by men while the women tend to be more voices speaking what a woman might have said. Sure it is a way in for her but wouldn't she have explored that option earlier in her life had she really wanted it?
As for screen opportunities, grits teeth, I am not convinced she will be offered many starring role and I don't see her as going willingly into walk ons and other supporting roles. People can tell her abilities by watching her past work so unless they have some extremely well placed role where she plays herself (probably few and far between), then it would be up to them wanting to work with her based on how well she takes direction from whomever is running that deal. I see people wanting to meet her but I'm not convinced much will come of it other than people being able to then say they met her and talked.
As for coming to LA now (instead of after the assumption Trump will lose) is because, on some level, someone advising them recognizes they are losing the edge of traction they have and it will be much harder later when who knows what else new thing they will be competing with will exist.
It also allows her to dabble in supporting who she wants for political office. Maybe she won't run for anything but she will likely make her support known. (how it will be received by the palace, in this 1 year trial, should be interesting).
What about some products?
Well, it isn't just that most of the world may not want a hoodie from them but that producing anything out of China will be slowing due to the virus in one way or the other. Sure, they can go to Bangladesh or India but with the flu thing, that global transmission may close those options as well. People may not want anything from China for fears of transmission - logical or just paranoid. It will take then, some time to pick back up and they don't have all time right now.
PrettyPaws - interesting idea which could actually be a good one. It would be great if he would do something like this. It would be up his alley. As long as it didn't go off in the direction like PA, then it would be good thing for him.
It's what happens to a lot of kids when they leave for college, only they're 18 and he's 35.
He can learn. He's been saying for ages that he wants to leave the BRF - to leave home, figuratively. Now he's done that. Time to learn how to load and unload the dishwasher.
Thanks for the unherd link, I read that yesterday funnily enough!
I don't want to be contrary for the sake of it, but the fact that even with video evidence some journalists refused to change their extreme stance shows that there will ALWAYS be defenders for MM. We will have to come to terms with that.
I agree that the social justice types are vocal. But the question is will there be enough of them, and will they buy what PH/MM are selling to keep them in the $$. I would guess that there are enough in terms of numbers (not loads though), but whether they will buy what is being sold is another matter. Either way I'm sure it's nowhere near as much as the puff piece articles claim.
Stepping back, it's a fascinating insight into our society. Can a couple, with no discernible talent and with a dubious past/present, do enough of a PR job to make themselves into a brand? The dreaded Kardashians have done it, but is the world exhausted as there are lots of people vying for a similar career. Or will the lure of their blue blood USP be enough to initiate them into this fake world of $$?
Well yeah, it would be difficult to sell him back to the UK (unless he left her and was trying to come back).
As for they are would be like the Kardashians - the Kardashians regularly show their kids doing things on all the shows and SM. However, do they still have the market share they used to? ie, os the reality tv family living this lifestyle trend fading? I know of several pilots about local families which do not appear to have sold. And, if they did, it sold on the air, then ... we would see more of Archie - maybe.
I suspect H&M were trying to do something similar with the Apple documentaries and possible Oprah collaborations. As for what they would sell, I am thinking they want to just copy GOOP: promote spas and retreats, organic vegan recipes, detoxes, beauty products, baby products, and so on.
While living in a dorm...I once had to help a college freshman clean the washer after his pillow burst when he tried to wash it...I had to explain the purpose of PILLOWCASES.
I have been careful to teach all my children the how and why of certain things - like why you don't just toss pillows into the washer...and the consequences of not doing them that way.
"With the Megxit drama essentially over, Meghan just doesn't have much to market off of now. And my guess is the further we get from Megxit, the less people will care. And they don't care much now."
This exactly. Meghan and Harry are one-trick ponies. All they have going for them is that they are (ex) royals. But the whole allure of royals is precisely that they are not celebrities. They are - or are meant to be - above all that. Why would anyone want ex royals when they can have the real thing?
Harry is going to find this really hard. All he's ever known has been people pandering and grovelling to him. When you are royal, no matter how mediocre you are, people come to you. Now, he and his grifting wife are going to have to sing for their supper with the rest of the wannabes. They're going to have to come up with something quick or they're basically Eurotrash.
As we have already noted, TQ seems to have left the door open for Harry to return to the UK at some point (when he falls flat on his face, I suspect) and he will have to redeem himself in some way, especially after walking out on us. Promoting the UK would go some way to alleviating the UK public's disgust with him and would give him some kind of independence, thus getting him out of MM's clutches (as if!).
His nationality is really the only thing he has going for him and at least he may be able to put a few pounds back into the coffers of those who have had to subsidise him and his bit of skirt.
Plus, if Harry did do something akin to what I have suggested it may give Archie (assuming a baby exists) some knowledge of his heritage that his "mother" seems so keen to eradicate.
Oh he can learn and yes he has, but I wonder whether the reality is what he was expecting? Sometimes the dream and anticipation of something doesn’t match up to the reality. His dream could end being his worst nightmare. 😉
But she doesn't.
She made for a poor, shabby duchess at best and that's being complimentary. With the news finally taking their gloves off, folks are finally sharing stories about how greedy and nasty Markle is and that's going to really affect her image long term.
The public can be forgiving if you are a likeable person to begin with. As a society, we tend to be forgiving of American Sweethearts (actors, celebrities, and athletes alike) if they have a few hiccups and missteps along the way, but we are absolutely brutal to those we are already on the fence about. The more folks learn about her behavior and greed, the less likely she will be able to recover and move forward.
Heck, the only reason that Michael Vick was able to go back to football after the horrific things he did was because he was really good at that sport. But people haven't forgotten what he did and never will, no matter how good he is. Obviously, I'm not equating Megan to Michael Vick but she is not proficient enough at anything to truly make such a comeback. If a bombshell drops regarding a possible surrogacy for Archie or likewise, she's done. The public will not forgive her for that, no matter how many pretty quotes she posts or how many charities she visits. They'll see through her facade just like many are now.
It would do Harry a world of good to be stripped of all hired help. If he wants a normal life, give it to him. Make him find a job based on his talents and not his connections. Make that paycheck determine not only what he eats but if he eats. Let him experience what many, many "normal" people experience. Maybe, just maybe, he'd come to appreciate just how privileged his life is/was.
I see MM following a kardasian/ GOOP model - focusing on her followers who want to "look"/ "be" like MM. This is why i had a good laugh when Fergie beat MM to the punch and trademarked "Duchess" for her makeup line. MM is going for the "woke" female - WOC or not.
As for Harry, he will trade on his dead mother's legacy until he wear it out. That is literally all he has at this point, besides his private charities. Harsh, but true. He is as useless as tits on a boar hog, as my spouse often says. Harry gave up what made him valuable to the public - his family and his heritage.
LOL, good one!!
It was so tawdry and messy. Putting out that 'manifesto' only for the queen to say 'Hold on a minute! Not so fast!' and then the Suss-exit deal where they got almost nothing of what they so very publically and arrogantly demanded. And now, holed up in some dodgy tycoon's house in an island off the North Pacific, threatening to sue photographers? And meanwhile, back in Britain, the royals seem to be getting on just fine without them. Harry who?
And all the time, whining and moaning about how hard they've got it, in yet more lacklustre TV 'specials' with poor viewing figures. Nobody wants a self-pitying celebrity. For a supposedly media savvy person, Meghan has really made a mess of this. What does she really bring to the overcrowded celebrity marketplace?
With this genuine, authentic Wolfgang Puck stainless steel pizza pan! You too can make pizzas as good as Wolfgang's in his Los Angeles restaurants that are mobbed 24/7 by actors and celebrities. Brad Pitt and George Clooney eat at Wolfgangs all the time except, when they are on location making Oceans 11 at The Sands.
It's exactly what Princess Pushy thought she was getting when she married a Prince.
They're both nothing but dilettantes.
As far as Megs thinking she has the pull to promote products, she may have some sort of fan base, but that's so fleeting. For example, unless one is a collector, one might buy a few items like sunglasses or skin cream, but eventually move on to the next fad buy.
I have a Paula Deen cast-iron/enamel dutch oven which my husband paid way, way too much for. it is a great, heavy pot and would have been a great buy - at half the price.
He meant well.
Shortly after that, you could get them in a number of celebrity "flavors" - but basically at the same price. The thing is...Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Emeril, Wolfgang...all actually cook. Gwyneth believes in at least some of her GOOP I think.
MM believes that she wants to make $$$ and have her name on things.
I have noticed, from the myriad posts on this blog, that there seems to be some interest in the Brits and our history. Let's face it (and don't all come down on me at once), there is a bit of Brit DNA in various people of the US going back to the Pilgrim Fathers et al.
Even Harry, with all his dimness, knows a bit about his heritage and a couple of documentaries focusing on our similarities (UK and US) would, I think, be a money-spinner. Always providing MM can be kept out of things.
Wouldn't you be interested is seeing some of the lesser-known, madcap UK traditions? Or watch conducted tours around some of our lesser-known (but very interesting) historical sites?
I think Harry would be allowed to do that (accompanied by a US camera crew) and, as I said before, it would be a win-win situation, the people of the US would learn more about us - and why MM just didn't fit in. Perhaps afterwards, some of the fence-sitters may come down on our side.
However, I suspect this is just a pipe-dream - would Harry have the nous to think of this sort of thing and, more to the point, would his wife let him?
The trouble with Prince Edward is that he had already joined (and left) the Royal Marines - he couldn't take the training! His father, Prince Philip, was absolutely livid with him and I don't think PE ever quite recovered from this. His short-lived film company, Ardent, was more a vanity project and lost money hand-over-fist, mainly because he had no talent and because he tried to run everything himself whilst ignoring advice from those in the know (a bit like MM when you think about it).
He was only redeemed when he married his wife, Sophie (Countess of Wessex). She, like Catherine, married in and has been the saving of him. You may have noticed that these days, PE keeps quite a low profile as he is quite aware that the British public have not forgotten his grandiose plans - and their failure.
Prince Harry, on the other hand, does still have a fan-base in the UK and could easily tap into that so long as he keeps MM out of the picture - she will never, ever be accepted.
In short, "No"....I have no interest in 'Harry the Turncoat' shilling anything about Britain. I find him almost as disgusting as his wife. I hope they fall on their faces/butts big time. The only thing I would buy is a book that exposes the dirty secrets about Megsy (at half price). Even if Harry returns to his family I think he will be damaged goods and I can't see getting past what he did to his very aged Grandparents, his Monarch, his father, his brother and all the royals who lived their loyalty to the Crown.
I even view Harry as a bigger cad than his uncle David, because I believe Diana would not be proud of his behavior and his love for Meghan is closely aligned with his love for money (the millions/billions he think he deserves). If he has been planning this for a year, where are all the woke projects he should have launched (nary a single one). He is just laying up in a Russian oligarch's house eating bon-bons.and probably saying 'Yes Meghan' "Yes dear', 'Yes your so whip-smart honey' They are the antithesis of Angelina Joile-Brad Pitt (adopting many children and helping New Orleans rebuild their city, particularly in the Ninth Ward).
(If I may have a vote: I'm an American but quite familiar with UK, have lived there, gone to school there, studied Br. literature, watch your TV . . . but he has NO credibility with me; to have him touting Britain would just be a study in irony. I get much more out of Philomena Cunk as a tour guide.
Harry used to have some charm, and a sense of fun. If he can find that again, it might be fun to watch him chase a wheel of cheese down a hill.
But he would have to do a huge apology tour first. He has some 'splainin to do. And madam would have to stay home. Something she won't allow, so maybe post divorce.
But I get it.
I have been just saying about things that Harry might successfully do to earn a crust as I see it as a way he may be able to cut loose from that witch he is tied up with. If Harry can make his own way in the world, then the split from him and MM would possibly come sooner.
At the moment it's all about what SHE is planning - if Harry had a topic of his own to follow, so much the better. The end would come pretty soon, I think, as she wouldn't tolerate Harry becoming independent of her.
I am not saying that the situation wouldn't change after the desired effect - cut him loose from MM and then cut HIM loose as well. Do you see where I am going on this? Divide and conquer - but there must be a reasonable alternative for Harry to entice him away.
"the farce is strong with these two." LOL
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Punkinseed wrote:
"I think it would be very difficult for Harry to pull off anything British Heritage simply because he blatantly quit everything about being British, including his heritage. Nobody would believe his heart is there to support heritage after what he's done. He chose money over showing up for the military memorial. Nobody is going to trust him enough to stick with anything for very long."
This is so true. If he shows his face anywhere and opens his yap for any reason, people will revile him more . . particularly if he seems to be pretending to be a cheerleader for the country he turned his back on so petulantly and publicly.
The Harkles may get some money for appearances as a kind of curiosity, but if they don't get a number of visible projects in the next three months, nobody will even be interested in that anymore. Maybe not even that long . . witness the abysmal ratings for the TV shows just past.
There is only one way back into a modicum of public favor that I can see, but as long as he's tethered to Megdusa, it's unlikely to happen. Harry needs to go somewhere in the Commonwealth were the need is great, and roll up his sleeves and work. Not for photo ops--for redemption. Go to Austalia and help with the fire relief effort . . not fighting the fires, obviously--but help in a wildlife rehabilitation shelter. Serve food to the displaced homeless whose homes have been destroyed. In the Bahamas, I'm sure clean-up efforts are still needed. Go to Africa prepared to do some *real* labor, not just fart around taking arty photos of elephants. Harry could perhaps work on a coffee table book for charity of his photographs, but actually releasing that should come years down the road after he's actually put some sweat equity behind his words.
While he is doing these things, he could be moderately supported by Charles--with the proviso that the support is contingent on staying the course and not getting in trouble. Let him dig a well, build a school or a neighborhood playground, plug in with Sentebale and actually work with the children, teaching them soccer.
Do I think Harry would be willing to actually WORK hard and get callouses on his hands, maybe actually be taught a skill in the process? No, I don't. But this is the only way I see to come back from the pit--Hard work, humility, flying under the radar. Sadly, I think he is too far gone, in his twisted mind of jealousy and recrimination to realize that this is what he needs to do. The things he has said (or allowed to be said, as if coming from him) about William . . I am stunned that such hatred was brewing for so long. Envy will destroy Harry in the end, if his wife doesn't do it first.
Dilettantes at least dabble in a hobby or subject, and many are very stylish while they do very little, like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The Harkles can't even be bothered to look decent while they insist that we take their photos and listen to their clueless braying. *ALL* these two do is talk and mooch off people and make ridiculous Instagram posts. That is even less than dilettantism in my book.
>>>As far as Megs thinking she has the pull to promote products . . .
Nope. The only thing Meg could possibly sell are salacious tell-alls. She knew it and that's why she was keeping notes/tapes on the family even before the engagement. A juicy memoir (ghost-written, of course) could set her up for life, followed by the press junket . . only, I doubt she will be able to publish. She'll try--which means that from this point forward until she is senile or dead, the RF will be having to watch her like a hawk and sue her for every breach. And we know there will be lots of those. Even if the Palace agreed to let her merch deals to her heart's content under SussexRoyal *provided* she abide by NDAs about the family . . she will NEVER honor agreements. She's already said she's going to use the title and the Royal however much she wants and there's nothing the RF can do--she's *always* gonna be Royal.
The only hope for the Royal family's peace of mind, honestly is if Markle dies young. But Lord only knows what she might have passed on to the likes of Marcus Anderson or her mother . .whatever dirt she's holding on the Family. The Markle Effect is a Hydra . . it's going to be very, very hard to exterminate.
Does he?! Erm not sure how you you’ve come to that conclusion. Harry basically gave Britain the 1-finger salute, what he’s done is unforgivable, not sure he can redeem himself. 🙁Edward on the other hand never abandoned his country, he mostly just embarrassed himself. He’s got on with his life, and nothing wrong with that. 😉
Yes! Hard work, and No Freakin Cameras!
Absolutely, no cameras. Not realistic, perhaps, given that he is still a famous person and still the Queen's grandson. But his media exposure should be carefully managed. He needs a private secretary, and an SM savvy one. Maybe after a few months, Harry could start an online diary of his experiences, not preaching, just letting people know what he's been working on and how the people in the region are faring, what their needs still are, with a few photographs of Harry actually doing work.
At Christmas time, he could release a Christmas message with a recap of his year's activities, going through the proper channels, of course.
Maybe after 3 or 4 years, people might be willing to welcome Harry back to England, as well as his family.
Markle is not in this picture . . if only she'd stay out for real.
My thoughts are they are screwed. Meghan totally missed the largest opportunity of her life, which someone mentioned sometime ago here. PC was going to set them up with an Herefordshire estate and she could have done anything with that. High end goods, produced in the U.K. and marketed in the USA. Just think of having that resource behind you!
Now, they in a cul de sac of their own making. I’m physically cringing at the articles appearing. Touting for an agent? If you’ve got star power don’t they knock on your door, shouldn’t you be inundated? Now pictures appear in the DM, from her old twitter account. Is this laying some ground work for something journalists are cooking up?
They have nothing to sell, zero. People want to be more authentic, although my 16 year old has just told me that’s 2 years out of date. They can’t even see Greta about a climate change campaign as PC got there first! The only thing I see Harry being good at is a high end safari outfit, with conservation, and as Meghan isn’t into Africa, that’s out. As for Meghan, she’s no Paltrow or Witherspoon, but maybe she could be like Fergie and write kids books.
I am by far more disgusted with him than I am with her. Many of us had her number from the get-go, but I had no idea that this sort of hatefulness was brewing in Harry.
I fully understand his wanting to leave; it can't be easy living in that fishbowl. He could have bowed out gracefully years ago; could have married Chelsy and gone off to live a meaningful but still quiet and normal life in Africa.
Instead he has done the complete opposite. His leaving has been grotesquely and unnecessarily dramatic, it reeks of jealousy and greed, and he comes across as a whining, out of touch, immature spoiled brat. I don't doubt most of the money-grubbing portions are down to her influence, but he has gone right along with it, hasn't he?
Crushed his damn near 100 year old grandparents, and that's the bit I cannot forgive. Sod off, Harry. Hope she was worth it.
The Kardashians are frequently brought up as role models for the HAMS. Other than the issue that there is only one Kardashian freak show per generation; the Kardashians started in their twenties, with half a dozen producing more Kardashians every year; a genius mother money maker; entering their “brand” at the beginning of reality shows, which are quickly winding down and out, plus HAMS have zero to talk about, other than racism - I think no.
The reason the BRFs are so interesting is that they are not you or me. They are unique in most every way. Hollywood runs to them, not the other way around. What can the two possibly give to people now? Do not forget, the moment they trash the BRFs, or tell any juicy stuff, they will be permanently stripped of everything, sued for libel and will have zero. People will ask why give up the world’s attention, the best job in the world, money for nothing, after one and one-half year of marriage, living who knows where in the world most of that time?
I have to think of one thing they can actually DO.
thank you! I didn't know if anyone would get it. It was just too good not to say!
First of all, in a few months I would like to bet that Harry will have had a gutful of his wife and her screaming tantrums.
Secondly, as everything that's being talked about is HER wheeling and dealing, how long before Harry realises that he is superfluous to requirements except for his title.
Thirdly, how long before someone mistakenly refers to him as "Mr Markle".
Harry may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I think he still has some vestiges of pride and, at that point, would grasp at any opportunity to "strut his stuff" albeit in a voiced-over documentary.
That is the whole point of the exercise - let him become thoroughly humiliated as MM's hanger-on and then hold out a seeming chance for him to be famous in his own right.
Dim as he is, Harry wouldn't look for hidden pitfalls. All he would think of is, "Wow, the UK still wants me" (or words to that effect).
Then you set things up to give him the confidence to give the proverbial two fingers to MM when she objects.
When he makes a (very low-key) return to the UK having burned his bridges with MM and her "set", you let him know, as only the RF aides can do, that "things don't seem to be working out, old chap".
He is then offered the chance to remove to Botswana to carry on with his charitable causes (as has been mentioned prior to this post) - and then you let the traitorous little b*****d rot there, with none of the modern-day amenities.
Let the treacherous little git sit in his little mud-hut and fester!
Harry has no skills, he’s just a house husband.
From Prince of the Realm to House Husband what a downfall!
That just tickles the hell out of me for some reason.
Can I order a tee shirt?
Going back to the comments about a new world and adjusting to it, something probably no one on their team has thought of: health insurance.
I was just reading about an American who lives overseas but picks up a special health insurance policy every time she comes back to the States to avoid some scary high and unexpected medical bill not covered by their country's plan.
I watch the big bang theory and the nerds over there love star wars, star trek, nerdy stuff. I picked that one up from there and I thought your word play is quite clever. At any rate, the way these two are acting, I have no trouble at all believing that one or both of them have been spawned by Darth Vader.
The only product I would buy is a tell all book, but I would try to find it online first. Hate to give that woman a penny.
She also may be concerned about being so close to Meg that it's worth it for the tabloids to dig up stories about her. That strange piece that ran the other day about how her father died with pockets full of gold coins - not sure what they were getting at. But I'll bet Doria does.
If there's little visible connection between the two of them, it makes her less of a media target - she hopes.
I like your avatar, by the way!
As long as Dad keeps the checks coming, of course . . Even living in Africa requires money. He might be happy with less, away from the infection of his obsessively materialistic wife . . we know that Haz doesn't care about clothes or grooming products. But even if he's going around scruffy by choice, HRH will never sweep a floor or plant potatoes so he can eat cheap. He will still require food (all his favorites, flown in), beer, servants, fancy electronics and photography equipment to futz around with . . plus he will want access to private jets whenever he feels like getting away for a shower and a Hard Rock burger . .and his housing, however relatively modest according to Kensington Palace standards, will be the best available in the district, unless he decides to go play around at camping in the bush. (Fully staffed by servants to carry, wash, cook, oil the guns, what have you.
Harry's dream of Africa was just a fantasy escape from the role he was born to play. He doesn't really want to work hard to conserve wildlife or empower struggling AIDs orphans . . he wants to loaf in the sun and shoot animals (with gun or camera) and play at being Denys Finch-Hatton from "Out of Africa"--a real-life English lord and white hunter and biplane enthusiast. Not that Harry has read Isak Dinesen.
Earlier I posited that IF Harry were willing to go to Africa and actually work hard on behalf of the people for a few years, keeping a very low profile and hardening those soft hands, that the public might be willing to forgive and welcome him back to England. Harry will never do this. Harry is a lost cause, I'm afraid. Rachel only targeted and latched onto all the darkest, weakest parts of his character and exploited them. She has hastened the downfall of Harry though his own flaws, but I now think that without her, though he would not have flounced out of the family in such a dramatic and hasty fashion, that the Royal family or the British army, come to that, have ever gotten much value from Harry, a trend that would continue. In another post I called him 'an embittered, shiftless, worthless man.' His character is indelibly weak and compromised. At 35, it's too late for him to make himself into a worthwhile person in his own right, and the only noteworthy thing about him outside of himself--his royal birth--he's just thrown away in a snit fit.
Edward Lane Fox is a public relations absolute friggin' genius for having invented 'Hero Harry, Soldier Prince Who Loves Kids and His Nana and Who's Adorably Cheeky' and sold it to the world so thoroughly. I hope that in his retirement from service to the RF, that some company has snapped him up to run their PR campaigns for a handsome salary. ELF was brilliant at his job. He also packaged a big turd and dressed it up to look like a diamond. Harry has limitations, but all his life he has been allowed to skate away scot free from developing any sort of character. From Nation's Favorite Royal (after HM) to this sad-sack pathetic spectacle we now have . . .truly, it's the stuff of a tragic novel by Thomas Hardy or a play by Mr. Shakespeare.
When did the worm turn, Harry? When did you start to hate your brother? It was before Meg came on the scene, because she wouldn't have been able to turn him so very easily if he was not already hoarding seeds of disloyalty in his heart.
I feel sorry for the boy that was, but I look at the man (so-called) and only see a bad seed. Without even the gumption to run his own con on his family--he had to hitch his dim wagon to Meg's.
The Kardashians are frequently brought up as role models for the HAMS. Other than the issue that there is only one Kardashian freak show per generation; the Kardashians started in their twenties, with half a dozen producing more Kardashians every year; a genius mother money maker; entering their “brand” at the beginning of reality shows, which are quickly winding down and out, plus HAMS have zero to talk about, other than racism - I think no.
Mama K is a genius at directing her girls in money making ventures. The Kardashians obviously filled a niche. One being that the daughters are not conventionally beautiful with their pumped up butts and off white half-Armenian complexions. For their bi-racial marriages just when we got our first bi-racial President. Turns out there is a huge audience for this plus their fake scripted reality show. The show is so fake, fake, fake but I can see from comments at DM that many completely buy into it.
America has tens of millions of sillies, that if they were not blowing their money on Kardashian product, would be blowing their wad on something just as dumb. So Mama K says, "You might as well blow it on us. Blow it on us!"
Just as an aside, Obama being in office greatly raised the self esteem of bi-racial kids, bi-racial college kids, etc. Obama made it cool to be bi-racial and I mean white-Asian offspring too.
As for being in Botswana, oh dear no, I meant being out there in the wild, living in tents with the locals, eating what they eat and yes, HUNTING! KILLING things to try to exorcise his demons.
He is a wreck and I don’t see him wanting anybody’s opinions about his mental health so he will continue on with her until the bitter end!!!
But do they really have the 'pull' for that? Unlike the Harkles, who have nothing other than the increasingly tarnished allure of ex-royalty going for them, all the other famous people with major 'charity' foundations - the Clintons, the Clooneys, Bill and Melinda Gates etc - also have very lucrative, high-profile day jobs. Their 'charity' work is a spin-off from being highly succesful in their own fields. The only people who can afford to be full-time philanthropists are, funnily enough, royals. But the Harkles aren't royal anymore. 'Tis a conundrum.
I'm dying.
It's a very funny read if you missed it. See original version with links, but you can imagine where each goes, linking the buzz word stories to their origins:
When was the last time you took a leap of faith? Was it the other night, when you handed back the menu without even reading it, looked your server dead in the eyes, and said, “Chef’s choice”? Was it way back at the end of senior year, on an otherwise unremarkable day, when you decided to give this relationship a real go, and now it’s six years later and you’re getting married and these are your wedding vows, congratulations?
Or was it when you took a risk on a nobody? You don’t even know why you gave the kid a chance. Maybe the kid reminded you a bit of you when you were her age. Maybe you saw a hint of potential, a glimmer of talent, and thought, Hey, just this once, I’ll go out on a limb. Well, there’s someone looking for that kind of leap right now. Will you take a gamble on her, a young striver named Meghan Markle? I think she could really be something.
“Meghan is actively looking for representation. She has begun outreach,” a source told Us Weekly. “It can be a manager or an agent, but she’s reaching out to people to find someone to represent her for future professional projects.”
So this Meghan, who seems to go by one name, like Cher or Bono or “Queen Elizabeth,” is putting feelers out. Do you think anyone will bite? Will someone see gold amongst the glitter, find this diamond in the rough?
It’s not like she’s totally green. She’s acted a bit before, and more than just collegiate stuff. I’ve heard she does voiceover work too. You already know her story because it’s the story. It’s the one that goes like this: she always felt like she was meant for something more, something bigger, so she left her little nowheresville town and her family (and in-laws even), who weren’t going to stop her, necessarily, but weren’t going make it easy for her either. So she heads West and “has begun outreach” for “a manager or an agent” for “future professional projects.” A tale as old as the road to Hollywood itself.
Listen, she’s just a duchess, standing in front of the industry, asking it to give her a chance. And you know what? I think she really has a shot of making it. All it’ll take is a little hard work and a lot of luck. Because, you know, without luck, everybody is nobody.
T-shirts? yes please! I have visions of star wars characters with Harkles faces photoshopped on them. Yoda is there wisely saying 'the farce is strong with these two". I'd buy one.
We can all have fun deciding which characters best represent Harry and which best represent Markle. Any suggestions??
Don't tell the Harkles--they'll start making the T-shirts!
@harrythetwat:
I love the Big Bang Theory. Very much like watching my son and his friends growing up. I know way more about Star Trek, Star Wars, and PS video games than I care to admit.
Harry was born into an archaic hierarchy and he was treated differently on account of his 'spare' status. Diana did what she could to treat her boys the same at home while they were growing up. Not sure what Charles's thoughts were--he seems to have been a hands-off parent always. But others at court, principally the Queen Mother, and probably to an extent, the Queen, lavished more attention on William because he was the heir. As they got older, the boys' paths started to diverge as William was steered into the path of his future role, while Harry was left to fend for himself in terms of finding an identity. Diana gave her second-born extra cuddles and I think kept him 'her baby', while his brother, only two years older, became 'her little man/crying shoulder'. William was a more serious child, as firstborns tend to be, and as firstborns tend to have, even when they aren't heirs to the throne of England, more parental expectations. Harry was spoiled from childhood on. His mum saw herself in him, I think, while William 'belonged' to Charles and the Crown.
Had Diana not died, I think the damage was already done to her boys by the divorce, and Harry would have turned out very much the same in his character, though he would have been deprived of the 'Dead Mum, Poor Me' card, and so might have had to buck up a bit more and been less self-pitying. We can't know. Charles was an absentee dad, busy being Prince of Wales, during the critical years when Harry (and William) needed support the most. William had a clearly defined role to come, but Haz was allowed to run wild and be a party Prince since there was really no job waiting for him. Attempts to harden him up and give him a work ethic came too little, too late.
It must be a bad place to be, inside Harry's head, despite all his privileges. I wouldn't want to be in there.
I couldn't believe my eyes so I checked. Here is the link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/24/to-meghan-markle-verb-how-to-use-it
I am lost for words ...
The article basically insinuates she would rather return to that than be a member of the royal family.
It's quite shady that way, ha.
Shooting is actually a good, wholesome activity in a lot of families and Charles was known to be a hunter (with a full staff of gamesmen, beaters, dogs and such I am sure)
But seriously - it is a legitimate activity and he was trying to bond with his boys. You know, man stuff.
If I had all that time...I would become a potter.
Seriously - these "thrive not survive" problems are so pathetic.
Balmoral is in Scotland - where Prince Philip took them for privacy after Diana's death and spent time "stalking and hiking".
You don't really want to have a hunting with Grandad debate here do you?
Otherwise I think she recently did a brief stint on the lecture circuit.
Perhaps Charles' relationship with Camilla coincided with the brothers exploring the independence of adulthood (both had a gap year and then went off to university/army), and so perhaps there was some distance then. But, William had Kate and her family; Harry had Chelsea and their group of friends, until they ended their relationship.
I do think the brothers were unfortunate to have a mother who could be emotionally unstable and a father who could be self-obsessed, but they were always deeply loved by both parents.
William and Harry had the same parents and the same upbringing. William married Kate, who brought out the best in him; Harry married Meghan, who brought out the worst in him.
I agree. Diana went out of her way to present Charles as a cold, distant father during the 'war of the Waleses' but plenty of people who should know say he was actually a very good father and close to his sons.
I think it's not so much that Charles was an absent father as that William and Harry were absent children. They both went to boarding school from about the age of 8, so they would have been living apart from both their parents for much of the year. And even when they were all under the same palatial roof, there would have been nannies and other staff catering to their day-to-day needs. So neither Charles nor Diana probably did a whole lot of what we woulc consider normal parenting.
I just scrolled her twitter page - and someone had made it as a hoax. She addressed it and said it was not real.
I totally agree, and it’s a tragedy on Harry’s part or is it? I can’t help thinking he married Meghan seeing the traits in her that he wanted to see, whilst being oblivious to others. In a sense I think they’ve used and fed off each other. A kinder more honest and empathic person would have bought out the nicer and kinder side of him, maybe too, he had trouble of attracting and keeping a partner like that. 😉
Anyway, I think Charles was and still is an absent father. His schedule is always packed, and I think/assume time with his boys was always scheduled.
I think we should also bear in mind that Harry hardly knew Meghan when they got married. The timeline regarding the start of their relationship is a little sketchy, but however it's estimated, they had only 'dated' for about a year and a half when they got engaged in Nov. 2017. And it wasn't 'dating' in the sense of living in the same city, getting to know each other's family and friends, fitting into each other's daily routines, but a transatlantic affair where they rarely spent more than a few days in each other's company at any one time. It was basically a holiday romance, and it's easy to be one's best behaviour in such a set-up. No wonder William warned his brother that he was moving way too fast, but Harry was infatuated and put his hands over his ears. Foolish boy.
Off topic: Chinese tourists, I’m struggling to understand why we are allowing ‘tourists’ from the area to enter our country. ☹️ Wash your hands throughly with soap and water after handling, you’ll be fine.
I think Hikari mentioned two flew into Ohio?as well? This is very disconcerting.
American Airlines and Delta are grounding their aircraft next week until March something I cannot remember the source.
Does anyone remember them doing this before with SARs type strains?
Getting back to HAMS, maybe they could do a big screen movie like "When Harry met Meghan". Haha.
Aw shit. Corona virus in Botswana? Well that’s out! Ohio reported their first case yesterday. Honestly, I am terrified of this thing!��
The Chinese are very worried and should be. I highly doubt it will ever hit big in America and UK. Go worry about something else. Already no US airlines are flying into China. So this means a lot fewer Chinese will be getting in here during their Corona crisis. Hong Kong has stopped all entry from China. We should do the same but it looks like our American based airlines are already doing this for us.
Not quite.
Delta will continue flights until Feb 5 but there are some US quarantine efforts in place.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/delta-suspends-us-flights-china-amid-coronavirus/story?id=68666037
Good news from DM
BREAKING: Seventh American with coronavirus confirmed as the White House declares the global outbreak a public health emergency in the US and closes its border to visitors from China as the illness spreads to more than 11,000 people worldwide
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7953313/CDC-says-coronavirus-test-fail-flag-patients-dont-symptoms.html
Someone once mentioned they would like to see Harry and Meghan on house hunters international and I would also like to see that.
Did I imagine it or did I read somewhere a long time ago that right after Diana’s death Prince Philip took the boys somewhere (Balmoral) on shooting expeditions! Yes! wonderful idea..........shooting, killing, death, What a perfect solution for their grief!!!!!!
Marksmanship requires hand/eye coordination, breath control, and concentration. A state of mushin if you want to relate it to zen buddhism. If the story is true, that was probably what Philip wished to achieve for the boys.
I agree that whatever happened in the past, Harry is now a grown ass man who is Ultimately responsible for his own life choices now. Blaming either or both of his parents For the way his life is turned out is not productive, or kind, But that seems to be the card Harry is determined to play. Definitely with his wife’s encouragement, but as more truths about Harry emerge, it’s clear that he’s had a week and malcontent streak in him long before Meg came on the scene. I’m not diminishing her contribution to his current damage, But one of the saddest aspects of this whole tale is that the image we all had of Harry as the charismatic, happy go lucky soldier dedicated to queen and country has to a large degree bend a skillful white wash. Harry is probably most likely bipolar and afflicted with ADHD and dyslexia. He’s also had documented problems with alcohol and drugs in the past, and based on his recent behavior, those issues seem to be ongoing. If he’s been drinking and doing recreational drugs on top of being on antidepressants and or other prescription medication to manage ADHD or other, he has further compromised his brain chemistry.
Harrys wealth and position have masked his struggles Harry is wealth and position have masks his struggles from the public For the most part though his family and close associates have no doubt been aware for years. Being a prince and coddled in luxury with no real consequences when he screwed up have allowed his problems to fester. Would his teachers at Eton have cheated for him and passed him through without any achievement on his part were he not a Royal? No. He would’ve been allowed to fail. Likewise, if he were from A less Connected family, his indiscretions with drugs and other criminal behavior would have earned him some criminal convictions or at the very least more than one day in rehab. The family has been quietly cleaning up all his messes all his life. Having all the material privileges of being high born with none of the responsibility such as William has had to assume has ruined him pretty much. Even his military career, we now find out, Was pretty much a joke. They allowed Harry to play at soldiers, But a normal recruit would never have been allowed his latitude. And a normal boy would never have been accepted to Sandhurst with his abysmal grades and temperamental
instability. It’s really too bad, but what to do about Harry has been a recurring theme since he hit secondary school. Meg is just about the worst thing that could’ve happened to a guy like this, but he likely would have made a better woman completely miserable. It really is a tragedy.
Even Diana, who could be scathing about her ex-husband, praised Charles as a father. Something seems to have curdled between Charles and his sons once they hit adulthood, though reports on that are contradictory. Diana was definitely worried about her younger son and his future. She once remarked in a moment of levity which was nevertheless very telling, to the chef at KP that quote William is a deep thinker like his father, and hairy is an airhead like me.“ Harry is a lot darker than a genial airhead though. He is a very angry and tortured boy man. We can a apportion blame all day long but Harry is not inclined to blame himself at all for his poor choices and it’s padt time he did. Without accepting the responsibility to be his best self, he will just continue down the self-destructive path he is on.
I see a two - fold problem with Markles - men will not want to associate with Harry who is viewed as weak, manipulated brat still living on his daddy's cash.
Association with Megsy is not positively set either. She is not a successful actress, not a style icon, not a successful royal, not an honest humanitarian, not a true feminist. So what is she? She has positioned herself as victim of everything pretty much. Her dad, royal family, UK, racism, sexism, republicans and tory.
So whatever she sells may be popular for a while with women who see her as a symbol of their own problems and mistreatment. A lot will depend on media. The longer the ridicule continues the stronger her association with failure will be. I personally do not see many people wanting to consistently buy her stuff. Harry begging for roles clinched her image as talentless aged actress using her husband to get jobs. Hardly a recipe for mass success.
William did have the benefit of two more crucial years of maturity when Diana died, but Harry was only two weeks shy of his 13th birthday when Diana died. How is that not old enough to have a huge stockpile of memories of her? I still have the benefit of having my mother, but I am a lot older than Harry and I have many vivid memories of times with my mom going back to age 3 or four. That comment scored my heart, I don’t mind telling you, because it is so incredible. If you’d been a small child of five or six at the time of the tragedy it would be understandable, but nearly 13? Perhaps due to the trauma he’s blocked a lot of memories out as being too painful, however the same man who claims that he barely remembers his mom exploits her memory at every opportunity. Being Diana’s son is the only thing that makes him in anyway special, and he’s playing that card for all it’s worth, so he seems not to have cherished her enough when she was alive to make memories. If he barely remembers her, then he should be suffering less than William, who had a more substantial relationship with his mother in every way. Harry desperately needs help but I think he’s beyond it, very sad to say.
Blogger Mimi said...
Aw shit. Corona virus in Botswana? Well that’s out! Ohio reported their first case yesterday. Honestly, I am terrified of this thing!��
You think Corona virus is a problem? The lead story on my local newscast this morning was that feral rhesus macaque monkeys with a fatal-to-humans strain of herpes virus B have been spotted in my area, so don't let them bite you. As if it wasn't bad enough that I have to worry about Corona virus, Zika virus, Dengue fever virus, West Nile virus, various encephalitis viruses, brain eating amoeba, flesh eating bacteria, water moccasins, timber rattlers, freakin' pythons expanding north, alligators, rabid raccoons, rabid foxes, rabid and non-rabid coyotes, coydog hybrids, wild hogs, now deadly freakin' monkeys are lurking about in the trees. And they all want to eat my livestock or garden.
(grin) Maybe we should both hide in our closets with an adult beverage and an N95 or greater mask armed with Lysol until this is over.
Coronavirus comes from bats?
“Contagion”, anybody? Yikes.
Group founder Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Patient Ground Zero, And I have to commend Gwyneth for a willingness to look really really bad. Her role was brief, But it was some of the best acting she ever did...Definitely much more realistic than pepper Potts.
Wash your hands, keep your hands off your face, and until we get a handle on this thing best to stay out of airports. I think we will be OK. No American deaths yet. Contagion is just a movie.
I mean do people really buy Girl Scout cookies because they're tasty?
Personally I'm not too keen on celebrity-branded anything, but I will want things if they're related to a fictional character I like. For example: I'll like having a vintage Jaguar because Inspector Morse had one (even if not in the same colour/type/year) or I'll want an Aston Martin because it's a James Bond car... But I'm not going to buy myself a Jaguar just because Tom Hiddleston's in the ads.
Not sure why anyone without a certain loyalty to the British royal family would want to buy anything from them, but I can see some loyal royalists boycotting them.
Checked out a royal shop link someone posted here once. I'm really into the planner community (my drug of choice s Moleskine) and a noticed some pretty planners there. That's an item you use every day for an entire year, it's too much of a commitment unless you really, REALLY love the Queen. And what if your feelings change for the Queen, the Queen's only human after all... She might dissapoint/disillusion you some day (and I mean no disrespect by saying that, she is only human).
Oops my commitment-phobia is showing!! 😂😂
Then again, what do I know about advertising/marketing when my own consumer habits are wonky?
He doesn't sing, doesn't rap, doesn't act.
I'm sure Harry can rap if you give him some pre-written rhymes. I just don't think he'd be any good at freestyling.
Have a good weekend, everybody~ 🍹💜
Stay safe & healthy.
Tooth Tied? try “Venal Veneers the Flips that don’t Slip”
Back on topic does anyone know how the two specials on M&H did in the ratings?
That will give us an idea of their ability to attract big money.
I find at least one major problem with “Meghan” and her husband. America loves winners. We worship success, and not Sussex. We value people who come from nothing, but become something. Whining about their millions, maybe one hundred millions they received for doing what in GB? Being born into a family that may be a bit cold, that’s who they are, but there are many who loved them, specially Harry, and friends to hang out with, at any moment.
The ex-royals plotted and planned from Day One to leave unbelievable riches, security, and more, for what? To come to America and moan about how they had everything in life, but wanted even more? How much more do they want. Already they are looking like beggars, looking for somebody else to pay for them, at the very least a mansion (but not a palace, like the ones they had lived in and/or access to.) Will they put themselves up to the person, people, Corporation, whatever, and in exchange they will host events and parties to and for whom? HAMS will be the ones owing rich people for services, not the other way around.
Wokeness is beginning to get on the average person’s nerves, and there will be backlash against the insanely rich pushing their agendas ad ideas against people who have to work hard every day.
I was dismayed this week when browsing the glossy mags section that one of my favourite titles has on its cover something about how Meghan's "style" has revolutionised that of the denim industry. I scratched my head at this one ... I wasn't the only one who thought - when she appeared in those awful washed-out looking jeans and "husband" shirt alongside Harry at an Invictus event - how awful and unkempt she looked.
I always side-eye people who turn up wearing in-your-face designer everything, with full logos on display - it looks cheap and tacky (sorry) ... I'm meaning the types who wear the tee shirt, the slide-on sandals, the large drop-earrings with the designer name ... all at once. Yuck.
I do wear designer glasses - Ellery, which I love - but only because they were the only ones available at Specsavers that suited my face shape. I didn't go there intent on buying that brand especially.
If Meghan is tempted to be the new Goop, or Draper James (Reese Witherspoon's venture), then she should perhaps read up on 'Preserve,' which Blake Lively started around the same time as Draper James ... and shuttered quite quickly.
The fact of the matter is that hardly anyone will buy what Meghan's selling. After she's given her first exclusive interview the door will slam shut on just about any future prospects.
Meg could start a new dentistry line seeing as her teeth appear to have a life of their own.
Thank you! I truly laughed out loud!
Mimi said...
OFF TOPIC EXTREME WARNING!!!! Oh my goodness SwampWoman!!! Are you serious? When I read about the frozen iguanas falling out of trees I about died!!!!! I paid over $1,000 for a professional company to get rid of a opposum that would wander into our yard. I was truly freaked out over that thing. In fact, I am still traumatized remembering it’s eyes glowing in the dark, and the tail and the snout!!!!!!!!!! 😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖 Now we have little lizards and I don’t go outside and sit on my porch anymore!!!!!!!!!! Oh GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! 😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖
I feed the (feral) possums cat food along with the cats (grin). They're pretty shy and nonaggressive, so maybe you won't have nightmares anymore! I've had them living in the barn with the barn cats and they learned to come for food when I called the cats. (If you can imagine a possum eating from one of the cat bowls while the cats give it major side eye.) If I have to catch one that gets in with the chickens, I grab it by the tail and carry it out (by the tail). Those are the possums that are not eating cat food and want to eat chickens instead. Being captured and carried really p*sses them off. They'll swing up and try to grab my arm and bite; I gently shake it to make it falls back down. Ditto carrying captured armadillos, they are quite gentle. Raccoons are badasses; I would not try that with them. They would tear me up.
My mother in law has a lizard phobia, poor woman. My daughter would wear chameleons like earrings.
Animal Lover, I believe they did poorly in the ratings.
Am I the only one finding all the off-topic posts very annoying?
I like it when we go OT!!!
Think of it like this: This blog is for people who generally don’t like or respect M&H, and like to get together to discuss their latest idiocies. Now, if WE sometimes ignore them, forget about them, or temporarily lose interest in them, that doesn’t really bode well for them keeping the general public interested, does it?
Oh my goodness SwampWoman, I had to break out the smelling salts after reading what you posted. I can’t, I honestly don’t have words.......what do you have to drink?
The above is how I see HAMS. If I actually even shrugged my shoulders over my cancelled trip, in front of friends or family, I would need to understand that I am not normal, in any sense of the word. Yet HAMS actually has People magazine, and some loser celebs feeling sorry about their cancellation of the British citizens, who paid out of their own pockets to give the HAMS hundreds of millions, then being kicked in the teeth about how much HAMS hate, despise and felt that none of these awful citizens understood not having your way 100 percent of the time. The British are terrible in not feeling the unimaginable pain of walking behind a sibling a few times of the year. And his wife.
Yes, you paint a very evocative word picture. I agree!
Megs has no chance of establishing an upmarket brand a la Goop, ( & Nutty & others say Goop might be bankrupt, or at least heavily in debt, in any case) The more downmarket consumer is very sensitive economic conditions, & will want value above all. Megs seems to want to be a glamor brand, but she might put her name on things like household products as well. As of yet, she hasn't shown much financial or marketing savvy, so I don't see her being able to choose what will work for her.
Nuttie's sunglasses were probably stylish, reasonably well made & well priced. Some manufacturer was convinced that putting Jessica Simpson's name on them would increase sales enough to make it worthwhile giving her a few bucks per pair. I'm not sure that kind of marketing even works any more.
I agree with the other posters who say Harry could probably be marketed as some sort of aristocratic, outdoorsy guy, but the economy might need to improve, & he'd have to stop trying to guilt people about traveling. As long as he's married to Megs, though, she's not going to let him take center stage, so that most likely won't happen unless they divorce.
Jessica Simpson, who apparently actually could sing, is trying to reinvent herself as a victim.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/style/jessica-simpson-memoir-alcohol-addiction.html
I don't know if the saddo route will work for Jessica, I believe that she's already tried the struggling to lose baby weight route, but I think the victim narrative is a very confusing one for royals. Can they even be victims? Diana was seen as a victim because she was a beautiful young mother whose husband cheated on her, not because she was a princess. Can the Harkles sell themselves by saying, 'we're glamorous & enviable because we're royal, (or once were), but we're also schlubs just like you?' Who buys that?
Megs' connections to branding & marketing seem to be a designer whom no one has heard of (who has wealthy & socially prominent friends), & a mother of young children who likes to post pictures of her rear end in a thong on Instagram. That's her talent. I don't know how far connections like that will take Megs or anyone.
If I were a financial markets guy, I would just take all the categories that the Harkles have trademarked, feed the figures for all of those sectors into a computer & get a projection of how they're going to do in the next 12 months or so. That would give us a better picture, but based on sizzle alone, I don't think the Harkles are going to catch fire.
If MM has so much cache in Hollywood, why does she have to "put the word out" that she is looking for a job? Jennifer Aniston is going to "stop by" when she is in the area filming? I think Aniston is smarter than that. She doesn't need the bad press that other stars have received who have aligned themselves with MM. The DM article about the photos with "A list" friends shows her posing with a bunch of D list actors and actresses, most of whom I've never heard of, and going by the comments, neither has anybody else.
Harry's dreams of a quiet life in Africa are the dreams of a little boy who had good times on vacation there and thinks that's what like would be like for him today. That's like wanting to live in Disneyland for us mere mortals. It's a childhood fantasy that never went away, and it will certainly be different without all of the trappings of being a member of the royal family.
As for MM's visions of a world-wide conglomerate of products to sell, the first couple of years may bring in some money, but, after the first few years, the shine will dim on those products, especially as she gets older and her younger base of fans grow up. She's too old to start an empire like Goop, who IS Hollywood royalty, and I agree with Nutty that it's probably a tax write off. MM's fan base is way over-rated anyway, as we've seen with her buying Twitter followers, etc.
Both specials this week on The Harkles came in third or fourth in their time slots, so this shows that most people here in the US don't care about either of them.
BUT, they seem to be aligned with some unsavory characters who may bankroll them. What the end-game of those associations is has yet to be seen, and I don't think the British press will give up on trying to put the pieces together. That doesn't look good for the Harkles in their future endeavors with Hollywood movers and shakers who don't want their backgrounds looked at too closely, either.
As for Doria, MM is distancing herself from her because the press is now looking into Doria's background. So there goes another family member who has been Markled. Now, it seems, that close relationship with her mother was a fraud, too.
If they move to California, their tax situation will be an open target, causing them all sorts of legal trouble, and bringing the BRF along with them. As for their donation to the elephant charity, I'd like to see the receipt. Both of them have proven that they are not to be trusted.
Great Britain doesn't want them, Canada doesn't want them, and neither does the US. What is a 40-year-old suitcase girl and a lazy, not too bright ex-HRH prince to do?
I think the manifesto H&M put on their web site made clear their intentions. (As M. Angelou said, we should believe people when they show us who they are.)
H&M fully intended to remain royal part-timers but dump the demands. That way they could have the world stage set up for them when *they wanted* with tours and appearances. That spotlight would then allow them to cash in big-time on private speeches and events, with some tat merching here and there as they found appropriate. Hence the copyrights filed but that sort of merching wasn't to be the main money-making scheme.
I really do think M sees herself as equivalent in interest to people like the Obamas and Clintons. Never mind there wasn't a 2-term US presidency involved...being a HRH part-time working royal should work just as well.
I admit I don't quite understand how some ex-presidents make as much money as some do. But it seems to me, it's mostly because of the belief they have continuing influence in some way (or are married to the sec'y of state.) But if someone never had influence to begin with, once the "office" is gone....
I agree, her biggest mistake was angering the British press, they are waiting to unleash their load, & they will.
Can you imagine the dirt they have on her, they will have been collecting muck since she first tottered onto the scene.
We all saw how quickly the info/photos of Andrew were published, immediately after his story broke. They had been sitting on the dirt for years, same fate awaits madam, they may be waiting for the court case?
and I'm looking forward to it! I still haven't caught up with Doria and today, but I do believe that hell will be unleashed.
Because The Harkles have pulled every card in the book to get sympathy, I can' trust that, when they are in a bind, as they are now, that the "he's tried suicide" story is even true. If it is true, he's and adult and can get help. It's as simple as that. There is no need for him to publicly cry again and again about how hard his life has been. As MM's father said, it's time to man up. And shut up about how hard his royal life has been.
If he is in such a desperate mental state, he knows he is welcome back home with his family, but he doesn't want to do that. He wants what is in his Markle Manifesto, to be free to do what he wants and to be paid handsomely by the BRF for it- until he gets on his feet, whatever that means. What if he never gets on his feet?
I hope that the suicide angle is just another of their PR stunts to get what they want. Nobody wants to see what they are trying to portray here with the suicide comments. That would be terrible! But, I wouldn't put it past MM to use that for leverage. They have proven themselves not to be trusted in anything they say.
Megan is the Tonya Harding of the Royal Family.
I don't trust him any more than I do MM now. He's shown his true colors.
I considered US Weekly as one of MM's PR outlets, but I don't think she would have admitted this: Meanwhile, as far as Kate and Meghan's relationship is concerned, the insider told US weekly: 'They couldn't be further apart.'
I just do not think that she would have her PR put something showing how close her 2nd soon to be ex-husband is to another woman.
Harry has no idea how to be a regular person and just “hop on the tube”. If funding was cut off, maybe. But remember he wants to escape to Africa and save animals. Can’t do that without money.
LOL at escaping to Africa, wanting to save animals. My niece wanted to do that when she was 13, but now she is a biologist. Would Harry be able to do that? No. He doesn't have the intelligence to get a PhD, and his goal in life is to be a househusband. That's not going to work, either, as he doesn't know how to wash or fold clothes. He's useless.
LOL @ the Tanya Harding comment. So true. So, so true!
I can relate to that. Many people that know me superficially assume that because I am pleasant and smiling and happy that I must be a very nice person. I try to be. I know that I am a dominant-type personality so I bend over backwards to be accommodating. When certain people naively assume that because I am nice that they can walk right over me, tell me what to do, and attempt to dominate me, they quickly find out that the inner Army NCO and/or the construction company foreman comes out to play. When the fur stops flyin', I usually feel bad for having been so rough on them.
I would NEVER publicly disrespect the in-laws, the parents, or my spouse. I would never give up my family nor expect him to give up his. Harry is either a very weak or a very wicked individual. Neither reflects well on him IMO.
I’ve always favoured William. I thought as a child Harry often appeared rude, belligerant, & always seemed to be vying for Diana’s attention. Much the same as he is now, but he’s substituted Diana for Meg.
I think BP did a good job hiding the real Harry, & ELF should be knighted for services beyond the call of duty.
The real Harry Markle has stood up, & found to be wanting in every way.
Does anybody think that HAMS are reading this blog for job ideas?
God I hope so! I'd love to see Harry as the next Eminem.
He can sell his sob-story on "American Idol".
Meowwww said...
Plus, they are too old. Like many of us aging, they are trying to reclaim their youth, looking like idiots in the process. How many people do we see at Target, with lip fillers and blinged out jeans, trying to be young. There’s someth8ng to be said for aging gracefully, and MM and H don’t have it. Trying too hard.
I have gone waaaay past youth into second childhood!