If anyone knows how to build up a tabloid story, it's The Sun.
The London-based paper is at the top of the tabloid game, even though it loses an enormous amount of money, year after year.
Like the New York Post, which has also lost money for decades, it's mostly an influence organ and vanity operation for its owner Rupert Murdoch, a plaything for a billionaire.
It was The Sun that published on Tuesday the first transcripts of a phone call in which Prince Harry believed he was talking to environmentalist Greta Thunberg; the Russian pranksters who made it confirmed that the "rights to the recording have been transferred to the British media," presumably The Sun.
Getting those right must have required a substantial payout from Murdoch, who has been positioning the paper as a reliable source of Royal scoops - it also broke the "Megxit" story in early January.
That's why the release has been broken into two, with the second half scheduled for release tomorrow (Saturday), according to the pranksters.
It will be just in time for the Sunday UK papers, including the Murdoch-owned Sunday Times. And just enough time for Tuesday's release to have maximum impact.
In the December 31 conversation, he took a quick shot at the Queen, who in her Christmas speech had just recommended "small steps" towards a better world, and his brother William, who had announced his Earthshot environmental prize that very day. "Small steps or giving out prizes doesn't make any difference these days," Harry said.
Instead Harry, like his Uncle David, recommended extreme political action to influence public opinion. "People need to be woken up and the only way to wake people up from what effectively is a consciousness crisis, I think, you need to be doing extreme things," he told the persons he believed to be Greta and her father Svante.
In addition, Harry made a fool of himself by offering to use his network to save some penguins suffering on a boat docked off the coast of (landlocked) Belarus and return them to the North Pole.
Penguins are native to the South Pole, not the north one, something Harry might know since he went on an Antarctic expedition himself in 2013.
So, the first transcript made Harry look both dumb and craven.
What in the world can be in the second transcript, reportedly from January 22?
I'm guessing it's a doozy, because The Sun knows how to set up a story.
They've informed the world about the transcripts, and every Royal watcher is waiting for the sequel.
Also, if the January 22 date is correct, the Russian pranksters had a whole month to come up with questions.
When they managed to get through to Harry the first time, no doubt they couldn't believe their luck. With a month's preparation time, surely "Greta's" questions for Harry will be even more provocative.
My guess: there will be specific references to William - what does he really think of his brother? - and specific questions about the "racism" the family has shown to his lovable wife Meghan.
What's your guess about what will be in the second set of transcripts, the "Saturday Stunner"?
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Many posters have expressed an interest in discussing the Corona Virus pandemic. I've created a new Nutty Virus board for precisely that purpose.
The London-based paper is at the top of the tabloid game, even though it loses an enormous amount of money, year after year.
Like the New York Post, which has also lost money for decades, it's mostly an influence organ and vanity operation for its owner Rupert Murdoch, a plaything for a billionaire.
It was The Sun that published on Tuesday the first transcripts of a phone call in which Prince Harry believed he was talking to environmentalist Greta Thunberg; the Russian pranksters who made it confirmed that the "rights to the recording have been transferred to the British media," presumably The Sun.
Getting those right must have required a substantial payout from Murdoch, who has been positioning the paper as a reliable source of Royal scoops - it also broke the "Megxit" story in early January.
Maximum impact
Given what Murdoch must have paid for the Greta transcripts - which seem fated to take their place in Royal lore along with Diana's "Squidgy" tapes and Charles' taped calls to his then-mistress Camilla - he wants them to have maximum impact.That's why the release has been broken into two, with the second half scheduled for release tomorrow (Saturday), according to the pranksters.
It will be just in time for the Sunday UK papers, including the Murdoch-owned Sunday Times. And just enough time for Tuesday's release to have maximum impact.
Column inches
Despite that other big story in the media these days, there have been numerous column inches devoted to Harry's insistence that he and Meghan "operate in way of inclusivity and we are focusing on the community. And so we are separate from the majority of the family."In the December 31 conversation, he took a quick shot at the Queen, who in her Christmas speech had just recommended "small steps" towards a better world, and his brother William, who had announced his Earthshot environmental prize that very day. "Small steps or giving out prizes doesn't make any difference these days," Harry said.
Instead Harry, like his Uncle David, recommended extreme political action to influence public opinion. "People need to be woken up and the only way to wake people up from what effectively is a consciousness crisis, I think, you need to be doing extreme things," he told the persons he believed to be Greta and her father Svante.
What's in the second transcript?
In addition, Harry made a fool of himself by offering to use his network to save some penguins suffering on a boat docked off the coast of (landlocked) Belarus and return them to the North Pole.Penguins are native to the South Pole, not the north one, something Harry might know since he went on an Antarctic expedition himself in 2013.
So, the first transcript made Harry look both dumb and craven.
What in the world can be in the second transcript, reportedly from January 22?
Waiting for the sequel
I'm guessing it's a doozy, because The Sun knows how to set up a story.They've informed the world about the transcripts, and every Royal watcher is waiting for the sequel.
Also, if the January 22 date is correct, the Russian pranksters had a whole month to come up with questions.
When they managed to get through to Harry the first time, no doubt they couldn't believe their luck. With a month's preparation time, surely "Greta's" questions for Harry will be even more provocative.
My guess: there will be specific references to William - what does he really think of his brother? - and specific questions about the "racism" the family has shown to his lovable wife Meghan.
What's your guess about what will be in the second set of transcripts, the "Saturday Stunner"?
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Many posters have expressed an interest in discussing the Corona Virus pandemic. I've created a new Nutty Virus board for precisely that purpose.
Comments
Let me say upfront that I think Megan's half-sister, Samantha, can be outspoken and mean (I would wilt in her presence) and her half-brother is a loser who keeps messing up his life (have them in my own family). They are family and that she can just dismiss them as if they don't exist and she does not know them is unacceptable. She does not have to be close to them but especially as she has prospered financially why does she not help them out even if she wants to keep contact to a Christmas card, birthday phone call and maybe meeting face-to-face at a gathering such as a wedding or funeral.
Another communication from her half brother (but he actually does know her and is talking a lot of sense) ...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8113967/Meghan-Markles-estranged-brother-urges-high-horse-let-dad-meet-Archie.html
It doesn't matter how little truth there is in the accusations, someone will believe it. Denying can make things even worse.
The one time I did jury service was an eye-opener about how many of those called in from the highways and hedgerows seemed incapable of assessing evidence. More than one apparently assumed that, as the defendant was on trial, s/he must have done `something'.
It shook my confidence in the jury system.
Maybe "charity" is just a euphemism for a way to get people to donate money to an organization so we can skim it off for ourselves.
They have had a glimpse in the last few months of the lack of interest by legitimate businesses to work with them
Their behavior in the last couple of weeks has shown how difficult they are to work with and how easily JH is taken in by fakers. Why would any business want to take them on as partners?
I believe there is a desperate attempt to stop the part II release. May be by Harry, may be by BP. What both fail to see is it only takes pranksters simply say the second part was even worse than the first.
I am not a lawyer but I believe the injunction has to be specific against somebody. If the Sun can't release the material, they can forgo the copyrights and release them back to pranksters, who owned it in the first place. And who can stop two Russians releasing it for free on their own channel?
Please correct me if I am wrong about how the injunction works.
Thanks for the links to the NZ Herald. All three are very interesting articles.
I checked the prankster channel and there is what they respond to the demand to release part II:
Soon!
This reply from Vovan came 18 hours ago.
She's not really a people person because she wants people to envy her.
Ain't nobody got time for that. People want celebrities that entertain them (comedians, sports stars) or inspire them to make their own lives better (self-help speakers, glamor girls.)
Who is really interested in envying someone else? It's not a good or desirable feeling.
I tend to think BP is behind any possible legal action involved in this or stopping the "Part II" tape release, not the Sussexes. Legal action is expensive, as MM must have found out in her own suit, and they are rumored to be running out of cash and/or falling into debt.
Where are the humanitarian Sussexes now? The globe is in the grips of a health crisis. It would be the perfect time to pledge money and resources from their charity!
You ask a lot of questions I ask myself. Regarding whether they regret the negative attention, I understand that, for a narcissist, negative attention is "fuel" just like positive attention would be. They also love to create drama and crisis. I would guess that Markle is fueling herself on the attention she gets and loving the drama she creates.
I love, love, love the ideas for the BRF to serve the public right now with helpful and heartwarming videos regarding the covid19 crisis. I just read the Atlantic piece on how HMTQ served the people of Britain in WWII; such leadership would set a great example now.
I hope this idea gets to the Palace, if it hasn't already.
Kate was spotted with the 3 kids in Sainsbury today.
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a31618698/kate-middleton-george-charlotte-louis-supermarket-shop/
Does it mean = business as usual (=don't panic)?
Not sure it's the appropriate message to convey...
I agree with you Nutty, William and Kate should take this occasion to "shine" (even if I don't really like this word at this particular tough time).
If you saw that spoof 'The Windsors' royal wedding special, Harry gets drunk before his wedding and wakes up in an American jail in his Nazi uniform. Meghan turns up and gets him released, pissily telling him she used her experience from Suits. He thinks it's legal expertise but she says "No, I just showed them my bra."
https://www.newsbreakapp.com/n/0OPIKzSx?s=a99&pd=01zJjkZu
Here come the baby
I feel just the same. I've read the Guardian for over 40 years and it's so tough to accept that I have to give it up. And yes, I'm sure it's not me that's changed.
Do you remember all the hype approaching the year 1984 because of George Orwell? Well we didn't need to worry about it then but we do now. It just took longer than expected. It's terrifying how closed minds are now, the threats to freedom of speech and the swiftness with which careers and lives can be destroyed.
A more trivial form, but highly annoying, is the lecturing we get about the Harkles with no acknowledgement of the other side of the argument and no right to reply.
This last point applies to the Telegraph as well (although many of their Harkle articles are more balanced) but their readers have also had enough. On a preview of Julian Fellowes' new drama 'Belgravia' some readers commented that they're allowed to comment on a TV programme no one's seen yet but not about Harry and Meghan. To which another reader responded with splendid traditional English disdain "I do not want to read one more word about that disgraceful little schemer". I like that. "Disgraceful little schemer". Dismisses her beautifully.
Could not get the link to load of Kate grocery shopping, so unless I see that I'm calling bs. Otherwise, maybe things aren't as dire as we thought? Surely she wouldn't take a chance with three future heirs.
Luvvies over on youtube are in a frenzy over HAMS poor treatment by the RF. My guess is she's afraid she is going to lose momentum with this narrative. Unbelievable they continue to put pr spin during a crisis.
I was unfamiliar with this personality disorder, and the associated ones like borderline and antisocial, until a narc hooked my daughter. He worked on her for a couple of years. He used to bother her but would never leave her alone at work. He used a "push me/pull you" method, flattering her and putting her on a pedestal, then throwing her away. She finally left that work place and moved 12 hours away. At a low point in her life, 3 years ago, when she wanted to make a transition to come back home and go to grad school, he appeared again, and over the course of 3 days, kept her up overnight, worked her, took her on a spur of the moment trip, and convinced her to run away across the country. (He stole our car in the process, but that's a longer story). He kept her from us for six months, at which time he married her. When we saw her next, it took our breath away. Our bright, shining, beautiful girl who loved everyone was now grey, ashen, and fearful. He (and his family) had remade her in their image.
It's been a terrible three years. We kept reaching out to her and have been able to see her on occasion. I had not heard of the "grey rock" method, but I'd say we learned to be completely empty when around him. He never lets her out of his sight, and keeps his hands all over her, as M the Narckle does to Harry. He continues to flatter her then emotionally abused her, as I suspect MM does, too. He creates drama and crisis, and has forged that "trauma bond" which someone else mentioned.
We suspected he was insincere when he first started hanging around her. In short time, she saw he was bad news and was always trying to get away from him. If only we had realized then what we know now. We didn't know about narcissism, but knew he was evil. Everyone around us, most of our family, can see it ,but now our daughter is entangled and dependent on him. As narcs do, he has charmed some of our family who think we are just overly protective of our girl.
He will do anything to hurt us, so we try to keep all emotional ropes dropped, as you describe the "grey rock". He made sure she had a baby as soon as possible, and our grandchild is kept from us, as Archie is kept from his family. It hurts so badly, and that's why I feel for Her Majesty, Prince Charles, Wills, and everyone.
My daughter was a smart girl and we've asked so many times how she got herself into this. We think he used shame and created that emotional hook. It would take a lot for her to admit her mistake now. It's very easy for a loyal, trusting person to get taken by this personality type. You cannot beat yourself up for that. I've seen the hurt in her eyes when he is condemning of her; she's never seen that kind of behavior in our family and must know it isn't right. She has an MBA and he's depleted all of her self-esteem. He's convinced her she cannot go out of the apartment without him. He is an excellent liar, deceiver, manipulator, though most of us saw through him very quickly. Once in a while, we have seen his mask drop, and it's frightening. It's like a cult of one.
We understand someone is more likely to leave a narc when their child is the one getting abused.
We depend on prayer. We miss our daughter and would love to know our grandchild. I hope the MM/narc story gets long legs and brings this issue out into the open to protect others. There are many, many families suffering from estrangement with their child due to a narc or other "influential adversary."
Sorry, Nutties, for the lengthy post. I did want to answer WBBM as well as possible. I wish you and your family peace and release from the hold the narc has on you all.
However, they are likely able to spread the infection!
And please will someone already disclose where saintly Doria was for SEVEN YEARS while evil Thomas was raising MM?
I WAS taken to such a place, but a wise lady doctor told me that although I could stay, I 'was too beautiful' to need to stay and that I'd be fine. Now that's an odd thing to say I know (though it's happened quite a few times, even from a dental receptionist!) but she meant I had a lot of options open to me and would survive, and it boosted me.
It took at least 15 years before I was ready to be in a relationship again, but I managed. I feel innoculated now. He still tried to come back several times but I was like ice. You have to be. As I think Wild Boar Battle-maid said. It's a survival mechanism and they will try to use your 'coldness' against you, but it's your shield. They know it. You know it. You have to keep your shield up. It always reminds me of the devil whispering to the man in the wilderness. You have to stay strong.
Meghan has unintentionally provided help to people, in that she's brought this issue to the fore. As if she's doing it on a high raised stage in front of millions of people. "I've abandoned one family. Now watch me destroy this one." We all have the benefit of some emotional distance, so we can see it more clearly and dispassionately and learn from it. Those of us who have suffered personally can get added strength by seeing the magnitude of what we faced, and knowing we dealt with it in a way Harry has yet to learn. Those of us who are still suffering, can be stronger for the fight.
Sorry for this long post, but I think this is a valuable long-running thread we are following. One of the reasons why this board is so exceptional a community.
It IS possible to escape a narc. I escaped my narc husband in 1991.
@Hikari said "this situation offers them the chance to be visible morale boosters for the nation as they were in wartime."
I agree 100%. When I read “@Chrissy’s” comment a couple of days ago about Harry’s prank controversy being “blown out of the water” by an imminent story about something else, I thought that perhaps the RF were about to release a video of various Senior Royals interacting via Skype, doing hand-washing demos, showing vignettes of family life while in self-isolation, etc. (Someone here suggested that William give a hair-braiding/plaiting demo with Charlotte—brilliant suggestion). I hope this is coming.
Honestly, I am rather appalled that Kate has taken her three children to a supermarket. I’m sure the intention was to put people’s minds at ease about the virus and to tamp down the rising panic, but to encourage Brits to venture out with their young families to busy or crowded public places is not the message the RF should be sending. Children may not be at high risk of getting the virus, but they can easily become carriers! My eyes got wide when I read the excited comment by the older, disabled (?) woman that made the doll for Charlotte and passed it to her outside Crathie Church at Christmas—this same woman was breathlessly telling a reporter that she “stood right next to DC and her kids” a the Sainsbury’s. YIKES!!!!
Thank you for sharing your story, too. I agree it is good that the issue of narcissism in relationships has been highlighted. Harry's destruction is being played out on the global stage for all to see. QE has wisely kept the door open for him. I pray Harry awakens to Rach's true colors and escapes. Or she discards him and he returns to the fold to recover.
They just need to start a reality show like the Kardashians. They can merch to their hearts content and make a fortune.
I don't think the Queen would care.
@DesignDoctor Wow. Thank you for the encouragement. If you can do it, others can, also.
@AvaC "as far as I know I'm the only partner of his who didn't actually end up being admitted/committed somewhere to recover." This is terrifying, but thank goodness you were encouraged to get on with your life and you've made it.
Regarding the "coldness", this man used to tell my daughter, when she would ignore his advances at work, that she was an "ice princess". In time, that made her feel bad about herself, like something was really wrong with her.
Now we see M the Narc saying the BRF is "uptight". Same pattern.
I am not a conservative but find The Guardian hard to read, along with the NY Times and Washington Post at times.
Just give me straight reporting without opinion or print of view, and leave that for the editorials.
I sill subscribe to the Times but also read the Washington Examiner and the Telegraph to get a fuller picture.
There’s also a National Enquirer with the header: “Queen Begs Harry - Divorce Meghan and Save Our Family”.