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The Sussex merchandising concept: Who wants to be like Meghan and Harry?

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?

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

Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
Trudy Blue Times two re Harry with you. My brother and I used to want to kill one another. It doesn't mean we don't love each other just as much.
SwampWoman said…
OFF TOPIC! Corona Virus Article from NEJM!@Elle: This article from the New England Journal of Medicine concerns the Coronavirus patient from your neck of the woods. Apparently the virus does follow the same pattern as in China. A chest radiograph taken on illness day 7 showed no abnormalities, on illness day 9, ( hospital day 5) his radiograph showed pneumonia in a lower lobe. He worsened rapidly and was on oxygen. Antibiotics did not help. If it were not for the experimental/investigational use of a new antiviral drug, IV remdesivir, I believe he would have joined the list of those deceased. And this is a 35-year-old male.
Wanda said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
@ Bluebell, I'm sure that Harry has some wonderful qualities. Personality can't be looked at in terms of all good or all bad. He was once a lovable character, but that has changed.
Imagine the number of people who have met Harry in his lifetime. He's a public person, and the masses only see or hear what he wants them to see or hear, even in a private setting. Hollywood stars do that a lot, too.

From a psychologist's column at the Huff Post:

"Giving people a nickname is a common ploy people use to make people think you're their friend. In a session with a client one day, it occurred to me that when we use descriptive language like “Yale” or “Legs” to describe someone else (rather than calling them by their given name), we keep people at a distance. In essence, we depersonalize the person as a way to feel in control and safe.

The only problem is that it’s a small way we begin to lean toward objectifying another human. When this happens, one person whittles away another person’s complex inner life into something that’s more manageable for them. To maintain a position of power, they’re effectively describing the other person as “less than” they are."


SwampWoman said…
Sorry, Elle! I forgot to put the address of the article: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
Wanda said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rainy Day said…
From page six.com: “A group of power players were seen streaming into Miami’s Soho Beach House on Thursday before the Super Bowl for a luncheon hosted by Fanatics mogul Michael Rubin and Hollywood sports agent and scion Casey Wasserman. The hush-hush A-list gathering aimed to bring together NFL owners, top CEOs, moguls, musicians and more in town for the game....Also schmoozing were Mark Cuban....FedEx founder Fred Smith, Meek Mill, Barry Stenlicht, nightlife guru Dave Grutman, and new NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell. The group was seen powwowing in a cocktail area before sitting to dine alfresco.”

I’m surprised MM didn’t use her Soho connections to go there and “bump” into Cuban or Shell. This is the kind of crowd she’d like to hang out with and look for a business deal or new husband. Harry would be useless - wouldn’t fit in at all - but MM probably thinks of herself as WAG material.

I want to see what Kate wears to the BAFTAs!!
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
I was talking about people in position of power/public figures who use nicknames, not the funny or endearing ones for friends and family.
Public persons often use nicknames because they are easier to remember than real names. They can meet thousands of people a day, and the faces will blur together after awhile.
"Hey, Green Eyes," helps them to remember who they are talking to, when it's much more difficult to remember a name. It also puts them in a position of power. You will remember their real name, but will they remember yours?
I also agree that fighting among young siblings is common and actually healthy. It teaches the older one to be more gentle and teaches the younger one to be more assertive, and is a pathway toward teaching good communication and negotiation skills, if the parents use it as a teaching tool.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rainy Day, wouldn't we LOVE to be a fly on the wall at the Miami SoHo house this weekend? I wouldn't put it past MM to be there. She and Harry can get out of town without being seen. It's just PR that they're trapped by crowds of paps and can't go anywhere without being followed.
Magatha Mistie said…
@BlueBell
Thanks, yes I understand Harry is not all bad, most of us have our good & bad sides. I realise that he is/has battled mental health issues, exacerbated no doubt by being in the spotlight all his life. But he has struck me, from watching him grow up, as having a bit of a bullying nature.
There’s often one in a group that always takes a joke too far, doesn’t stop until someone gets hurt verbally, or physically, Harry unfortunately strikes me as this type of person, I hope I’m wrong.
It’s wonderful that your relative got to meet him & struck up a friendship, I agree he has a good side, pity we don’t get to see it these days.
Magatha Mistie said…
@Rainy Day
Cheers, made me giggle writing it 😉
Kat said…
I'm not even sure Hallmark is going to come knocking on Meg's door to star in a movie. I've seen both the two she did for them pre-Harry, and they are some of the worst ones on multiple levels. Also her demands would probably be too much since she sees herself as a get now. The thing is no one is clamouring for Meg, the people cheering her on, are only doing so because they haven't realized she's a con-artist yet.

Harry is the draw out of the two of them, but even now I can't fathom for much. The adorable Harry who had his popcorn eaten by a child at a Sporting Event is long gone and forgotten.

We know Meg has an arsenal of web domains ready to go, so she'll most likely be trying to build a lifestyle brand. But what she forgets about the people who have successfully done so is that they share their lifestyle with people in more than just a blog post. She's not known for her cooking or her decorating (She basically copies SoHo House), I've never heard mention of her baking (Yay, she can't compete with my slutty brownie recipe), and we know she's a fashion disaster. I also don't see her doing well as a Mommy blogger, I don't think she could track where Archie-doll should be without causing more questions.

Maybe Meg could team up with Morphe and make a bronzer kit.
Portcitygirl said…
If Nutty allows me, Congratulations England on taking back your country from Brussels! God save you and God save the Queen!
@Elle, Yes, it is a complicated subject, one that can't be discussed thoroughly here. Maybe I have too many psychiatrists and psychologists in my family. Between them and the family lawyers, you should hear our dinner discussions when we're all together!
xxxxx said…
Doria was with M-H over Thanksgiving. If this was an extended time in close quarters, then maybe there was friction and arguments. So now we get the PR that Megs and Doria are not close. Perhaps Doria came down on her case and La Royale Miss did not appreciate the motherly dose of reality. Perhaps Doria told Megs she is doing her grifts all wrong. Perhaps Doria inadvertently woke up Hapless from a nap and he flew into a Royale rage.
@xxxxx, Are we really sure that Doria was with The Harkles? It makes a nice family PR story, doesn't it?
With the Harkles, I don't believe it until I see it.
Magatha Mistie said…
@Portcitygirl
Go Brexit 🇬🇧 I called my mum in the UK & we did the countdown together, Big Ben 11pm!
Fantastic to see the country celebrating!!
Ziggy said…
O.M.G.
My Nutty friends... have you read this?

Meghan Markle’s Evil Plan to Be a ‘Hollywood Royal’ Is Almost Complete

https://www.ccn.com/meghan-markles-evil-plan-to-be-a-hollywood-royal-is-almost-complete/

Ok... which one of you wrote this article? ;)
Longview said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Longview said…
Nutty,

I don't think the end-game for M was ever going to be merching, it was a side-line to bring in cash, and something M had used all during her career to fund her real goal, which was/is fame, celebrity, and adulation. It's now nothing more than a opportunistic habit she can't resist, like picking a penny up from the pavement.

Her success has never been based on talent, but on an ability to leverage one minor progressive step, into another minor progressive step, through networking, yachting, begging, putting-out, and selling her soul just to get a break.

A combination of luck, propitious timing, and a willingness to do anything when Harry dropped into her lap, combined with his stupidity and emotional vulnerability, rocketed her into the RF.

But those of us who have been around for a while saw the writing on the wall from the beginning, that she had been promoted well beyond her capabilities.

She has now made two fatal errors:

1. The gig with the RF was the first time ever she didn't actually try. Her history shows when she really, really tries, she is relentless and can make things happen. But she was so out of her depth, that not trying was the only way she could justify what even she knew was going to be her inevitable failure. By not trying, she came across as lazy, entitled, ungrateful, with a poor work ethic. That is now the core of her public image.

2. Secondly, she has allowed her failure to be widely reported, and has in fact actively promoted it herself. Playing the victim, making the Megxit announcement hastily and out of anger, biting the royal hand that feeds her, leaving Britain without a plan, contacts, a home or a next job, all have the whiff of a person who is not in control, and doesn't have the power to control outcomes. Failure for average people is something you can move on from, but if your life is celebrity and fame, failure on that scale is career death.

There is now a definite 'has-been' stink about her. She is now the very worst thing she could ever imagine, she is irrelevant. History will show she is just a minor blip on the Monarchy's radar.
@Longview, A few more fatal steps MM has made:

3. Suing the press. She files a suit, then flees to Canada? They aren't going to let her off the hook, and she will have to appear. Many of her secrets will come out. How she thought that would work is beyond me.

4. Suing her father. No matter what family squabbles they may have, it just doesn't look good for MM, who has a history of dropping people who are of no use to her. The fact that it is her father, who gave her everything, doesn't help her case at all.

5. Actively taking on The Queen and PP, two very elderly people who have devoted their lives to the service of their country. No matter who they are, it doesn't look good to be fighting with one who is in her nineties and one who is almost 100.
Animal Lover said…
Before she married Harry, M was angling to get on a reality TV show in the UK.
I wonder if reality TV is still an option as she really hasn't a brand now.
Sussex Royal has been tarnished since the Queen said they couldn't use their titles.
Animal Lover said…
I read in probably the DM she wanted to be on Made in Chelsea.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
 Ziggy said...

Ok... which one of you wrote this article? ;)

OMG 🤣 it wasn't me 😂😂😂😂😂😂

That photo of H&M on the beach is super cute tho. They would've made such a cute couple if they weren't spewing all that woke gibberish.

I really wanted to like them, I really did.

I mean when your mom dreams about Princess Diana before she discovers she's preggers with you & nearly named you Diana after her... and then Princess Diana's son marries someone when I'm working on something that was set in 1981 (the year she married), you wonder why everything just falls into place like that, and you really, REALLY want to like them. Pity they're a pair woke wankers tho. Cute couple, but a pair of a-holes...
Scandi Sanskrit said…
Not to mention I actually liked "Suits".
@Scandi, I wanted to like them, too. I was so happy for Harry that he finally found someone who loved him, and I wished all the best for them. Then came the engagement announcement, and I almost recoiled at how MM was hanging onto him and giving him the doe-eyes- like teenagers rather than adults. It was absurd, so cringy to watch, and it was so obvious who was in control. It wasn't Harry.
Nutty Flavor said…
Good morning, all!

The New York Post has a fun article on Meghan imitators and how the Duchess of Sussex's poor decision-making has hurt their business too.

My big takeaway from it was that one of the Meghan imitators, who also appears to be biracial, has two absolutely gorgeous children with her white husband. See her Instagram here. (The little girl seems to be in JonBenet style pageants, which is too bad, but both of the kids are breathtaking-looking.)

Can you imagine how much we'd see of Archie if he had these kids' looks?
Hikari said…
@Longview

All the stars for your post!
Any Gilbert & Sullivan enthusiasts out there? Part 1

I am constantly reminded of The Gondoliers and the Duke & Duchess of Plaza Toro. The fit is extraordinary – from the Duchess’s song `On the day when I was wedded’ to the Duke & Duchess’s explanation of their new wealth by means very familiar to us.

In Act 1 they arrive looking down at heel and we hear the Duke’s biography: https://allpoetry.com/The-Duke-Of-Plaza-Toro

In Act 2 however:

`The Duke and Duchess of Plaza Toro soon arrive with the beautiful Casilda. They are now dressed in style, and the Duke explains how he was applied for by the public under the Limited Liability Company Act, and how they now earn a very good living.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gondoliers

https://www.opera-arias.com/sullivan/the-gondoliers/libretto/



SONG—DUCHESS.


On the day when I was wedded
To your admirable sire,
I acknowledge that I dreaded
An explosion of his ire.

I was overcome with panic—
For his temper was volcanic,
And I didn't dare revolt,
For I feared a thunderbolt!
I was always very wary,
For his fury was ecstatic—
His refined vocabulary
Most unpleasantly emphatic.

To the thunder
Of this Tartar
I knocked under
Like a martyr;
When intently
He was fuming,
I was gently
Unassuming—
When reviling
Me completely,
I was smiling
Very sweetly:

Giving him the very best, and getting back the very worst—
That is how I tried to tame your great progenitor—at first!
But I found that a reliance
On my threatening appearance,
And a resolute defiance
Of marital interference,
And a gentle intimation
Of my firm determination
To see what I could do
To be wife and husband too
Was the only thing required
For to make his temper supple,
And you couldn't have desired
A more reciprocating couple.

Ever willing
To be wooing,
We were billing—
We were cooing;
When I merely
From him parted,
We were nearly
Broken-hearted—
When in sequel
Reunited,
We were equal-
Ly delighted.

So with double-shotted guns and colours nailed unto the mast,
I tamed your insignificant progenitor—at last!
Hikari said…
@Elle

“The Iago Of wives” hits it in one. Which makes Harry the Othello of the piece...Jealousy and insecurity driven by an inner sense of inferiority are his fatal flaws.

The Macbeths are the more obvious model: Power mad wife corrupts gullible, less-bright and ambitious hubby who is popular with the guys but owes his high position to a loving and trusting kinsman who happens to be the King. Macbeth was loved and favored
, but his proximity to the crown becomes his undoing, and his wife’s. Being close enough to nearly touch it isn’t good enough; They must have it. Charles is Duncan, the trusting King who does not spy treachery in his bosom until it kills him. William is Malcolm. Do the witches cause Macbeth’s downfall, or is the true satanic corruptor already in his house? His wife gave him the push, but it was where he wanted to go. He just didn’t have the balls to do it until a stronger personality put the knife in his hand, literally.

Echoes of Lear’s children here too...Richard II...It’s quite the cornucopia of Shakespearean tragedy with a Millennial wokeness all its own.
Did her Business Plan come from the Gondoliers? Pt2

DUKE.https://www.opera-arias.com/sullivan/the-gondoliers/libretto/

My dear, Her Majesty's father was in the habit of
being applied for over and over again—and very urgently applied
for, too—long before he was registered under the Limited
Liability Act.


RECITATIVE—DUKE.


To help unhappy commoners, and add to their enjoyment,
Affords a man of noble rank congenial employment;
Of our attempts we offer you examples illustrative:

The work is light, and, I may add, it's most remunerative.


DUET—DUKE and DUCHESS.


DUKE.
Small titles and orders
For Mayors and Recorders
I get—and they're highly delighted—

DUCH.
They're highly delighted!

DUKE.
M.P.'s baronetted,
Sham Colonels gazetted,
And second-rate Aldermen knighted—

DUCH.
Yes, Aldermen knighted.


DUKE.
Foundation-stone laying
I find very paying:

It adds a large sum to my makings—

DUCH.
Large sums to his makings.


DUKE.
At charity dinners
The best of speech-spinners,
I get ten per cent on the takings—

DUCH.
One-tenth of the takings.


DUCH.
I present any lady
Whose conduct is shady
Or smacking of doubtful propriety—

DUKE.
Doubtful propriety.


DUCH.
When Virtue would quash her,
I take and whitewash her,
And launch her in first-rate society—

DUKE.
First-rate society!

DUCH.
I recommend acres
Of clumsy dressmakers—
Their fit and their finishing touches—

DUKE.
Their finishing touches.


DUCH.
A sum in addition
They pay for permission
To say that they make for the Duchess—

DUKE.
They make for the Duchess!

DUKE.
Those pressing prevailers,
The ready-made tailors,
Quote me as their great double-barrel—

DUCH.
Their great double-barrel—

DUKE.
I allow them to do so,
Though Robinson Crusoe
Would jib at their wearing apparel—

DUCH.
Such wearing apparel!

DUKE.
I sit, by selection,
Upon the direction
Of several Companies bubble—

DUCH.
All Companies bubble!

DUKE.
As soon as they're floated
I'm freely bank-noted—
I'm pretty well paid for my trouble—

DUCH.
He's paid for his trouble!

DUCH.
At middle-class party
I play at ecarte—
And I'm by no means a beginner—

DUKE (significantly).
She's not a beginner.


DUCH.
To one of my station
The remuneration—
Five guineas a night and my dinner—

DUKE.
And wine with her dinner.


DUCH.
I write letters blatant
On medicines patent—
And use any other you mustn't—

DUKE.
Believe me, you mustn't—

DUCH.
And vow my complexion
Derives its perfection
From somebody's soap—which it doesn't—

DUKE.
(significantly).
It certainly doesn't!

DUKE.
We're ready as witness
To any one's fitness
To fill any place or preferment—

DUCH.
A place or preferment.


DUCH.
We're often in waiting
At junket or feting,
And sometimes attend an interment—

DUKE.
We enjoy an interment.


BOTH.
In short, if you'd kindle
The spark of a swindle,
Lure simpletons into your clutches—
Yes; into your clutches.

Or hoodwink a debtor,
You cannot do better

DUCH.
Than trot out a Duke or a Duchess—

DUKE.
A Duke or a Duchess!
Natalier said…
I have mentioned before that Meghan and Prince Harry's relationship reminds me of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. It was a toxic relationship. Whoa, they have just released a recorded therapy session between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp and she admits to being physically and verbally abusive to him countless times. She belittles him, talks over him etc. It is a classic case of gaslighting and intimidation and I imagine that it is what is happening with Meg and Harry now. It is heartbreaking why the victim stays in that relationship.
Magatha Mistie said…
Bravo WildBoar, very apt.. I especially like “ When virtue would quash her, I take & whitewash her,& launch her in first rate society”
Gondoliers Part 3 MM Business plan?

G&S operas were originally written as social & political satires. High time they were revived as such, not just as jolly pieces for school productions. Every amateur company in UK could do Gondoliers with appropriately togged up Duke & Duchess, after all, HMS Pinafore was getting at WH Smith (yes, the bookseller) for being given an admiralty appointment. He was the original of Sir Joseph Porter; Princess Ida was having a go at women's higher education & Girton College.

Btw, has anyone picked up on MM's claim of Maltese `heritage'? In 2015 she went there & posed in the għonnella/faldetta:

Extraordinary photos of Meghan Markle in Malta in 2015 ...
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6438465/.

I note she says that her `gt.gt. grandmother was born there' but omits to say what nationality/ehnicity said lady might have been, or how long she and the baby were there. Just think of all the places wo could claim affinity with, just from being on holiday there a few times!
Magatha Mistie said…
@WildBoar
The Maltese family turned out to be, I think, (on the red wine) her UK relatives stayed emigrated, & stayed there for a while before voyaging on to the States.
No Maltese, ancestry. I was horrified to read that her great, great.., Grandmother was from Yorkshire!! No, No, No
Magatha Mistie said…
Sorry, it’s the heat, not the wine 😉 her relatives, English/Irish posted to Malta, British Army, gave birth to Megs great great etc, husband died & wife then emigrated to N America. The photos of Meg posing in a ghonnella is both cringe worthy & disrespectful. Cultural appropriation, not woke,
Magatha Mistie: Sorry about that - do I take it you're a Yorkshire Rose?

I got the impression that it was Doria who applied the so-called Yorkshireman's Motto:

"Ear all, see all, say nowt.
Eyt all sup all, pay nowt.
And if ivver tha does owt fer nowt,
Do it fer thyssen"

Can't generalise - I'm married to the most generous Scotsman imaginable but his youngest brother, to quote one of our friends, `is the sort that gets Scots a bad name'.

She'd prefaced it with `I hope you don't mind me saying it but...' We could only agree most heartily. He only came to see us if he could claim it on expenses. We don't expect to see him again, now he's retired, not even when one of us dies.

We had to fly up to Scotland for my MIL's funeral, bro lives on E coast, funeral in Glasgow. I was feeling really ill after the rites ('flu), longing to lie & sleep, but they insisted on driving miles out of the way back to Fife, prolonging the trip by 2 hours. This was so SIL could buy cheap computer paper in Cumbernauld. Fuel costs on expenses. A bargain trumped respect for both the dead and the living.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
 Hikari said...

Do the witches cause Macbeth’s downfall, or is the true satanic corruptor already in his house?

Yay are we the ✨witches✨ then?

I wanna be one of the witches.

Echoes of Lear’s children here too...

Right?! When I saw the video of Thomas' interview where he says England is "more liberal" about race issues, I did think: OMG LEAR!

Not sure which daughter is which... And I think he's just a sucker for spoiling his daughter (rather than having a weakness for flattery), but yeah the dad is not okay. (I feel for bad for him, he gets tricked by the paps. It's not like he'd know how to call a pap in England on his own.)
Magatha Mistie said…
@WildBoar. Yes to Doria, very clever, perfect. “Nivver do owt fer nowt “
I am indeed a White Rose, Gods country n all that.
Magatha Mistie said…
@Scandi Sanskrit Meg is Goneril, obsessed with power, flatters her father whilst wishing him away. Poisons her sister, if only, Megthinks..,
Scandi Sanskrit said…
@Magatha Mistie: I think we've got ourselves a "Lear" without a Cordelia 😂😂 which would've been kind of hilarious if we weren't talking about real people.
xxxxx said…
Like I said before Nutty...... Biracial Obama in the Presidency gave a huge boost in self esteem to biracial offspring of all ages. As a result, biracial is kind of in these days. Black-white, white and NE Asian are very common, as in Korea-white marriages. Black-Asian marriages are low in numbers, so it seems to me. White-Subcontinental Asian marriages not that common. NE Asian meaning of course, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan. They intermarry with whites in America, almost at the drop of a hat. With the common combo being white husband - NE Asian wife.

You would think Obama was exclusively black, due to his identification with the black community. His mother was white with her family being from Kansas, with a few slave owners among them.
NeutralObserver said…
Nutty's sunglasses were J-Lo, not JS. My old lady brain shuts down in the early evening nowadays.

If the Harkles get branded as losers in Hollywood, I'll almost feel sorry for them. Even someone like me, who doesn't follow Hollywood gossip or watch talk shows can see how even 'big' stars get 'disappeared' if they don't make money for someone. Actors should follow the example of character actor Robert Mitchum. He apparently quietly salted his dough away into real estate, & retired a wealthy man. Not sure if real estate would be the way to go these days, but there must be a way for these people not to piss away all the money they make.

@Nutty, your link to Uherd really depressed me. So many things are cutting writers off at the knees. I'm not a writer, just someone who reads for pleasure. Not sure if young people do that anymore. Over the years I've enjoyed so many writers who could not only give me the pertinent facts, but do so with style & skill. Now even formerly great outlets like the NYTimes are printing stuff that sounds like jr. high essays. Like a lot of news outlets, they don't want to pay their seasoned writers, & just keep throwing junk at the wall.
Longview said…

@Hikari,

Many thanks :)

Longview said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Miggy said…
"ROYAL RUMBLE Prince Harry and Meghan ‘furious’ at ‘desperate’ Thomas Markle for dragging mum Doria into public spat."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10863620/prince-harry-meghan-markle-furious-thomas-markle-dragging-doria/
Miggy said…
"BBC tennis commentator Annabel Croft says Meghan Markle 'has taken Prince Harry away from his family' and couple 'won't be any happier' living new non-royal life in Canada."
__________________________________________________________________________________________

BBC tennis commentator Annabel Croft has been moved to fire off a volley of dismay at the Duchess of Sussex.

The former British No. 1, blames Meghan for Prince Harry's decision to quit royal duties.

'I don't really know if I'm a monarchist or not these days, and I'm not sure about Meghan Markle either,' she tells me.

'She seems to have taken Harry away from his family and now he's stripped of his royal titles. I think she's doing the same in Canada [separating the Prince from his background].'

Annabel adds: 'I can't see how they will have a quieter life in Canada and I don't think they will be any happier living apart from the rest of the Royal Family.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7955021/Annabel-Croft-says-Meghan-Markle-taken-Prince-Harry-away-family.html

SwampWoman said…
Re: The Sun article where TM urged PH to "man up" and fly to see him, I wonder if "manning up" may be a bridge too far if PH is as dominated as has been suggested.

Since we have a dog whisperer that trains dogs and a horse whisperer that trains horses, I give MM mega props for training princes. It even sounds good as an introduction. "And now we bring you MM, the prince whisperer!"
SwampWoman said…
Wild Boar Battle-maid, I confess that I was singing along, albeit sotto voce since it was after midnight and I didn't want to start the dogs howling.

I loved the comparisons to a Shakespearean tragedy, too.
KCM1212 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
KCM1212 said…
@mustysyphone
Meghan MUST be Jabba the Hut,yes?

With Harry in the Princess Leia slave outfit, complete with chain?

😊😊😊
Miggy said…
@SwampWoman,

"And now we bring you MM, the prince whisperer!"

Spat my tea out reading that!

Love your sense of humour and wit. :)
Hikari said…
@Swampie

My degree in literature comes in handy in the most unexpected places. I forgot to mention that in my Macbeth comparison, Tom Inskip is Banquo, the best mate of hero who tries to warn his friend about trusting the wrong people. He is killed for his pains, or ghosted forever in the 21st century version.

This is why Shakespeare plays remain relevant 500 years later… Technology changes, but human beings don’t.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
@Nutty said:

Frankly, I can't see the Sussexes successfully branding anything at this point. Can you?
____________________________

Not only can I NOT see any successful branding, but I don't WANT to see it. I am so sick of these two that I can't stand it.

Go to HELL you pair. Straight to HELL.
Scandi Sanskrit said…
KCM1212 said...

So.... Nacho Figueras writes romance novels??

That just tickles the hell out of me for some reason.


😂😂😂😂
with a name like that, I'd expect himm on the *cover* of a romance novel.

A la Fabio.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
AAAAANNNNNDDDD Brexit lives!!!!

Yess!!!
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
Buy British, anywhere you find it, We are British, poke your nose into the Harkles, we hate them, hahahahaha

Wheeeeee!
xxxxx said…
Miggy said...
"ROYAL RUMBLE Prince Harry and Meghan ‘furious’ at ‘desperate’ Thomas Markle for dragging mum Doria into public spat."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10863620/prince-harry-meghan-markle-furious-thomas-markle-dragging-doria/


Now this has potential. Thomas and Doria getting together and allying/even half-allying against Meghan because she has screwed around with both of them. Of course more with Thomas than with Doria. Doria likes to keep her distance. She is wary of Megs because she knows she is hauled out as Meghan's race card. If we see this, then Doria knows this for sure, but has been willing to go along with this so far. This can change.
xxxxx said…
JocelynsBellinis said...
@xxxxx, Are we really sure that Doria was with The Harkles? It makes a nice family PR story, doesn't it?
With the Harkles, I don't believe it until I see it.


I think they got together for Thanksgiving. For how long, who knows. If Doria went up to Vancouver then a few days at least? If this took place in LA then just half a day, before Megsy jetted off to see her Hollywood agents and to see about other showbiz matters. Perhaps she barged in on Oprah and Ellen DeGeneras.
Miggy said…
@Natalier,

I have mentioned before that Meghan and Prince Harry's relationship reminds me of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. It was a toxic relationship. Whoa, they have just released a recorded therapy session between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp and she admits to being physically and verbally abusive to him countless times. She belittles him, talks over him etc. It is a classic case of gaslighting and intimidation and I imagine that it is what is happening with Meg and Harry now. It is heartbreaking why the victim stays in that relationship.

I agree with you.
There's a guy on Twitter called thatbrianfella who has released a much fuller video than the one presently in the DM. (if that's where you saw it?)
Amber really is a vile piece of work!

That said, as much as many of us think that H is under M's thumb, I can't envisage her ever becoming violent towards him. She'd have to be 100% certifiable to go there!
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
So much mystery.

So much ….. so much.


I don't like mystery. I like answers.
NeutralObserver said…
@JocelynsBellinis,"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."

Amen to that. One of my kid's 5'4" ex girlfriends spent six months in the forests of Kenya doing research on blue monkeys. Her mother & I were worried sick about her. That little female has bigger balls than the ginger haired big royal galute. No RPOs for her, either!

So many good comments!
SwampWoman said…
Scandi says: with a name like that, I'd expect himm on the *cover* of a romance novel.

A la Fabio.


I can see it too, him shirtless on the polo pony, both smelling of Windsor cologne.... Perhaps they can put a scratch and sniff on that cover so that we would know what they smell like.

/Never pass up a marketing opportunity, Sr. Figueras.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
@ NeutralObserver said...
@JocelynsBellinis,"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."

Amen to that. One of my kid's 5'4" ex girlfriends spent six months in the forests of Kenya doing research on blue monkeys. Her mother & I were worried sick about her. That little female has bigger balls than the ginger haired big royal galute. No RPOs for her, either!
________________________________________________

I would like to punch HRH in the face, if I could.

With or without a truncheon.
JHanoi said…
I don’t understand why. MM is advertising for new Management / Agent. Didn’t retain her old agent later on after her marriage? Or wouldn’t she go back to that agent? Was there a breakdown in their relationship?

MM and SOHO house- a month or so again when MEGEXIT was going on one of PH’s old “dropped” friend’s wife posted something on Twitter mocking the Megexit situation. Wasn’t favorable towards the Harkles. It was later deleted but the wIfe is a board member of one of the SOHO houses in England , so I wonder if MM’s SOHO relationship is rocky. i’ve also read SOHO is very private and doesn’t like all the publicity they were getting from MM drama.

I don’t see the Money making opportunities the press does for the HArkles. Sure thy will always be able to sell something to their stans, but the general public? No. That Herefordshire estate would have been perfect , they could’ve lived there & frogmore part time and the sold all kinds of stuff, still benefitting from the Royal HRH stuff. Now, i see them as desperate.

And i’m so over that phrase lala land ‘ authentic self’ or ‘authentic’ anything. its another world salad phrase that means nothing. It’s used by hypocrites and frankly everyone is a hypocrite and thats why it’s automatically shows one as a hypocrite.

LavenderToast said…
@ Lt. Nyota Uhura

I have to admit I really like how you say what you want by being blunt, and sayings things some of us wouldn't but we think it! lol
lizzie said…
@JocelynsBellinis said...

"Are we really sure that Doria was with The Harkles? [at Thanksgiving] It makes a nice family PR story, doesn't it?
With the Harkles, I don't believe it until I see it."

I agree I'm not sure we are sure. There were also stories H&M were in Toronto with JM's family over Thanksgiving. And the fencing wasn't added to the borrowed estate until pretty close to Christmas. So if everyone including Doria was there at the oligarch's estate from Thanksgiving on, it is amazing no one saw them.
Hikari said…
@Miggy

The true nature of the Amber Heard Johnny Depp relationship Is coming to light; Until recently I had swallowed her version of events that HE was the abusive one. Amber sounds very much like Meg. The foundational emotion for a narcissist is rage, and though it’s not always physically expressed, I think it’s a very short jump from hurling words to hurling objects or fists. The notion that a tiny woman of 5 foot three beating up a man twice her size is so incongruous that most assume it wouldn’t happen. Male victims of domestic violence tend to suffer in silence out of the double shame of being hurt by a partner who is half their size. Goes right to the heart of their masculinity, even though they’re not fighting back because they were raised not to hit women.

Personally I have no difficulty picturing Meg as a physical abuser; We’ve already got rafts of anecdotal stories of her verbally abusive and combative language When she’s not happy, and well publicized reports of at least one physical altercation with her personal assistant. At this point she has devalued Harry so far that the only worth he’s got left is as entertainment value as a whipping boy. There’s no proof that she’s physically hurt him… Yet… But I think she disrespects him enough that it’s not out of the realm of possibility. And now It’s just the two of them trapped together without diversions... I imagine the atmosphere at the oligarch’s house is very fraught. He’s already the victim of emotional abuse and manipulation; physical abuse would be one step further on this toxic path he’s on.

I don’t imagine hairy fighting back were he to be attacked. He’s already the victim of emotional abuse and manipulation
NeutralObserver said…
@Bluebell, @Elle & others, In spite of my sometimes harsh comments about Harry, like you, I'm sure that he's a mixture of both good & bad qualities, as we all are. I'm also certain his family loves him, & want him to return to safety.

Heck, even Megs might have good qualities even beyond the gerbil-like energy & intensity which she brings to her own self promotion. Her ruthless treatment of her family & former loved ones, however, remind me a bit of the late Saddam Hussein.
Hikari said…
Whoops double posted the last line. Trying to edit in the tiny box with fumble fingers usually doesn’t work out for me.

Just to comment on Meg’s future “acting career”... she’s not going to have one. She’s basically like Lindsay Lohan now, only 10 years older. Those of us who remember how promising Lindsay was as a fresh faced teen, Before the drugs took hold mourn the wasted potential. But Lindsay got really famous too young. Toast of Hollywood at 16; washed up drug addict by 21. Meg is now at that level of notoriety without ever having had the early talent. Plus she has very publicly dissed the queen of England. She is not returning to Hollywood in a glorious royal procession to assume her rightful mantle as the heir apparent to Jennifer Aniston. She has no talent nor style. Nothing original to say. Only the dubious distinction of having quit the royal family. She may get her wish to be on a reality TV show after all. That is her natural level.
Didn't somebody mention once that H loved The Lion King because it was like Hamlet and he saw himself as Hamlet, deprived of his birthright by a usurper? I ask you!
Portcitygirl said…
It's rainy and cold here this AM so I stayed in bed and caught up on all of the comments. Very entertaining all of them!

@Mustysyphone:
I will purchase one of your shirts and proudly wear it around town! Can we legally market this? 😆

As to MM and PH's brand, I think it was over on Crowns of Britain, a cartoon with Harry trying to sell an umbrella with the SussexRoyal logo to HMTQ, PC, and PW. Really funny.

Also, an r/royalfamily sub has been created on Reddit. Pro MM. And I'm sure by an American. I made one snarky comment during Mexit and was banned permanently. 😆 The crowd over there is mostly Millennials. As a cautionary warning, if not familiar with the site, don't start. It will suck you in☺ And interestingly, it was created by Serena Williams' husband
while he was a student at UVA.
JHanoi said…
I never believed the Amber and her side of the story. The relationship Heard / Depp relationship was toxic and violent on both sides so putting blame solely on one party (Depp) is wrong. There is video of Heard abusing her girlfriends, once an abuser, most likely, always an abuser.

MM sounds like she could be a verbal abuser and a thrower, which if your aim is good, is abusive.
JHanoi said…
MM will probably be selling knock off RF Diamonique tiara designs on QVC in 5 or 10 years.
Hikari said…
@Neutral

Well, Hitler loved his dogs, and was good at art. How many good qualities in a heinous dictator cancel out the bad stuff? Your comparison of Meg to Saddam is pretty apt...Both ruthless dictators with deity complexes. Meg's dictatorship is on a smaller scale, but just as destructive to the lives it touches.

Longview made an excellent post about how Meg purposely tanked her own success as a Duchess because she knew she couldn’t cut it. Far easier to create a victim narrative about racism and bullying then to actually apply the effort to raising her game to the level into which she had married. That would’ve meant being humble enough to be instructed, taking directions, accepting her and Harry’s roles in the Firm. But that would’ve been hard work, not glamorous enough and most importantly not putting her front and center, so she’s been issuing a big FU from Day 1. She didn’t bother to even try. Having very publicly not tried, and having splashed her hot mess, litigiousness, and mental stance with Archie, etc.… She now thinks that Power players in Hollywood are going to clamber to work with her? She had her shot swimming with the power players back in London and she blew it. She is an unkempt divisive shallow self deluded trouble magnet. “Airport lounge hooker” is about her speed, though many of those would dress better.

Can’t wait for the Mail court proceedings... Those should hasten the “transition period” from Royal into broke late night joke nicely.
MustySyphone said…
@KCM1212

Love it! Perhaps Harry is the blue guy with tenticles coming out of the top of his head next to Jabba.

My first thought was MM as the death star.....
Harry (FKAP) = JarJar Binks (a totally useless character),
Sugars = storm troopers,
HM = Planet Alderon (never knew what hit her from the death star),
Nacho = Lando Calir8ss8ah
Prince Phillip = Obi Wan
Lord G = Yoda
Kat said…
@JHanoi, I'm not sure she can pass the training to be a QVC host. I was reading just the other day that it's an actual class they put people through. At least a six month training/class before they're possibly put on the air.
Kat said…
I can't help but think her suit against the Mail in Sunday was just a cash grab. She expected they would settle and she would get a hefty payout, but they're not playing her game. They know who she is and what she's after. It's a shame Harry doesn't see it.
Miggy said…
@Hikari

Great post - you pretty much nailed it.

AMBER HEARD, (sorry but I have to spit her name out) has done a great disservice to all genuine victims of domestic violence. Those with experience of DV saw through her immediately. She's a crap actress, (like Meg) but she excelled in playing the 'victim' role and that's why so many believed her. Worse still, she used the #MeToo movement to her advantage.

Unlike JHanoi, I don't believe that Depp was ever physically violent towards her. She however already had form.
Nelo said…
Meghan has gotten a gig in a reality show. She will be making appearances in JMs show

https://pagesix.com/2020/02/01/meghan-markles-first-gig-will-be-reality-tv-show-about-second-weddings/
JHanoi said…
if true, that’s really pathetic. Reality shows are so lame, thats like kardashian or real housewives level.
JHanoi said…
“Pretty pictures are pretty pictures,” wrote Mulroney on social media just as Middleton posted her photos for International Holocaust Remembrance Day last week. “Strive to use your platform for good and spread stories of incredible people striving to make this world a better place.”

One could also say, pretty weddings or tv shows are pretty weddings or tv shows. Strive to use your platform (and money ) for good and to make this world a better place
JHanoi said…
MM doesn’t need to be a QVC host and work directly for the company, she can just be the guest hawking her diamonique jewelry, like lisa rinna, isach mizarhi, dennis basso, etc. she can make decent money with that if her goods sold and was personable enough.
But she might have a problem with the personable part.
Madge said…
I'm no Kardashian fan, far from it, I'm too old and far too unfashionable! But you've got to hand it to them, they know their exact market demographic and they know how to tap into that group accurately. They also have a very slick and efficient team behind them. And then right at core is the business balance, the momager Kris.

So comparing the Harkles. Where is their demographic? If the public don't know then they surely won't, no matter how money they throw at Sunshine Sachs. Even if they think they know who to sell to, what are they going to sell and how? Where is the team that can do that for them? They have already proved that they can't follow directions or listen to advice. They have proved they cannot keep quality staff. The Bill Gates and George Clooneys of this world listen to advisors and have teams of experts around them.

And finally, the anchor. Who holds it all together? Markle seems to think that she will, we hear so much about her work ethic and efficiency. It can't be doubted that she is dogged, after all, she snared Harry. But when dealing with really big players, it's a world apart from a needy man-child Prince in the very sheltered world of royalty. I just can't see it happening.
Liver Bird said…
@Madge

"I'm no Kardashian fan, far from it, I'm too old and far too unfashionable! But you've got to hand it to them, they know their exact market demographic and they know how to tap into that group accurately. They also have a very slick and efficient team behind them. And then right at core is the business balance, the momager Kris."

Plus, the Kardashians have something that the Harkles sorely lack: Hides thicker than a rhino's. They get all sorts of nastiness written about them and they don't care. They don't demand that everyone like them. They don't complain when they're 'papped' in public. They don't pretend not to want to be famous. They just sit back and watch the millions roll in. That's how you do it.

But no doubt the Harkles would be horrified if you compared them to the Kardashians. I think Meghan thinks of herself more as an Angelina Jolie type - travelling the world on fauxmanitarian stunts, directing documentaries on fashionable dinners, getting invited to gala dinners and so on, with a bit of lucrative merching on the side. Thing is, Jolie, and I'm no fan, was an A list Oscar winning actress and part of the biggest celeb couple in the last several decades. Meghan is a D list cable TV actress who was royal for less than 2 years. No comparison.

Plus, if Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes speech is any sort of indicator, people are getting tired of celebrity 'humanitarians'. Let's hope so.
@Liver Bird,’Plus, if Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes speech is any sort of indicator, people are getting tired of celebrity 'humanitarians'. Let's hope so.’

Particularly ‘fake’ humanitarians. 🙄
Portcitygirl said…
Well well well, Netflix second marriages and her BFF. Poor Harry. Hope it's worth it. Netflix vs. Royalty.
Well, we knew this was coming. I wouldn't watch it if it was the last show on earth. Barf.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Liver Bird said…
Netflix rumour has been deniedk, apparently.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
LavenderToast said...
@ Lt. Nyota Uhura

I have to admit I really like how you say what you want by being blunt, and sayings things some of us wouldn't but we think it! lol
_______________________________________________

The loveliest thing about this blog spot is that we can say what we like. We are (mostly) girls together, and free to say what we like without fear or favour.

Thank you Nutty!!!!
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
Okay, I will give.

Markle is a no-show.

The term "Markle" will go down in history forever, and for all time.

Miggy said…
@Liver Bird,

Netflix rumour has been deniedk, apparently.

Yes, it's been denied by her favourite media mouthpiece.

https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-will-not-appear-on-jessica-mulroney-wedding-reality-show/
DesignDoctor said…
@Lt. Nyota Uhura

The term "Markle" will go down in history forever, and for all time.

And not in a flattering light!

I don't think JM's show will be worth watching. She is a "fashion consultant" on Good Morning America and her fashion taste/sense, personality, and presence is cringeworthy. I can't even imagine the trainwreck JM and Rach will be on a show together!

I would not put it past Rach to be physical towards Harry. After all, she threw a pot of hot tea at an aide and made our Catherine cry. The tea pot throwing incident shows very unstable behavior! Who does that?

And JM's nasty remarks about Catherine's photograph's were horrid and catty. What an awful pair JM and Rach will make on TV.
Liver Bird said…
"Yes, it's been denied by her favourite media mouthpiece."

No, it's been denied by the Canadian TV company on their own Twitter feed.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
Yeah.

Take it to the bank.
abbyh said…

I was thinking of the she's going to be doing this, oops, no that wasn't her first big event.

For us, it looks rather like what we think of as her lack of planning, details and very uncoordinated. This is not a strong projected follow me image.

I'm wondering where the deal fell apart: she thought it a done deal and the palace said nope according to this clause in the megxit paperwork or it was not a signed deal with JM's show's team.

Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
She is a piece of shi - ite. Plain and simple.
Lt. Nyota Uhura said…
Right, I'll allow that I can't stand La Markle. Let's say it is "okay" that someone is allowed to have a card for humanity.
Miggy said…
@Liver Bird,

No, it's been denied by the Canadian TV company on their own Twitter feed.

The CTV Communications tweet was included in the People article, so let's not split hairs.
Miggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Teasmade said…
"Truly, Meghan is the woman every mother lives in dread that her son will one day bring home . . ."

https://conservativewoman.co.uk/meghan-the-daughter-in-law-from-hell/

LOL
Miggy said…
@Tweeymma,

Nutty has a new article. Maybe repost?
KCM1212 said…
@mustysyphone

You've got it!!!

I had to laugh out loud!

Esp the sugars as storm troopers.
thanks for the giggle
Scandi Sanskrit said…
@SwampWoman:

PLEASE STOP YOURSELF

sniff-and-scratch is just a step too far!! 🤣🤣🤣😂
erika said…
Hmmm...here are my thoughts on branding from my MFA merchandising days, people need to trust a brand, it needs to be consistent, dont lie or embellish n people dont trust or like hypocrisy. most of all it HAS to be aspirational "If I buy this product, I will be seen as rich, beautiful, sexy, smart, hip, etc....." now does anyone view the Sussex's as rich, beautiful, sexy, smart, hip or even trustworthy? n god knows they can't be consistent with one single thing! oh! YOUTH! youth sells too! an aging couple, hitting their 40s....?? sorry for grammar/punctuation typed on cellphone. luv yr blog!
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