I came here to write about yesterday's announcement from the Sussexes that they are expecting a second child.
Having done a bit of background reading about what's been said, however, I cannot do much better than today's piece in the Spectator UK by Joanna Williams, The stage-managed world of Harry and Meghan.
Williams notes that the announcement has very interesting timing, just a few days after Meghan's surprise victory in her case against the Daily Mail.
"I’m confused. Am I allowed to congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Sussex or not? Should I feel guilty about poring over the details of their latest announcement? Am I somehow breaching their privacy when I read that their pregnancy photo was taken remotely, via an iPad, by a friend? Because Harry and Meghan are all about privacy, no?....Congratulations Harry and Meghan. I really hope someone asks the Duchess of Sussex if she is OK this time around. But please, spare us the birth story details. And if you must share every intimate moment, just don’t complain when the public expects to know more."
Toronto Paper Returns
And there was also a comment from longtime Twitter troll Toronto Paper1, who may or may not have inside information about the Sussexes:
Darling, another moon bump show? Still haven't learned about the sizes? At least this time you probably will get the baby legally although he won't have a title, but neither will you for much longer.
Taking a photo by remote iPad
Finally, what's with the bizarre fiction that the black-and-white (of course) pregnancy photo was taken remotely via an iPad by a friend thousands of miles away, supposedly during a relaxed video chat.
Photographer Missan Harriman supposedly
noted that Meghan and Harry were 'so comfortable chatting and being in the moment that they were not fully aware that he was shooting a piece of history', in the words of British Vogue (as quoted in the Daily Mail)
Could anyone possibly be so gullible enough to believe this is true? First of all, they're quite well dressed for a video chat with a friend - if, in fact, Harriman is actually a friend. Nice of them to match the tone of Meghan's dress with Harry's shirt for a totally casual video chat.
Secondly, the picture is very well-composed, with the lovely "tree of life" in the background. When you're doing a video chat with a friend, do you generally make room in the frame for a giant tree of life? As the Daily Mail helpfully points out, the tree takes up 2/3 of the picture.
And the picture is composed very nicely, with its fork right in the center of the shot...almost like a professional photographer would frame it, intentionally.
The Sussexes' favorite photo tropes
Finally, the image repeats several of the Sussexes' favorite tropes, for example the laughing! laughing! laughing! while we are looking at each other because we are so! incredibly! happy!
There's the bare feet sticking straight towards the camera - last seen in the first, strange, Archie photo. There's the inevitable Meg bump-fondling.
And there's Harry slightly above Meg, as seen again and again and again on their @SussexRoyal Instagram. Is Meg trying to make the point that she does not, in fact, dominate her husband, as so many people believe?
What I think really happened
My guess: Harriman was sent by British Vogue to California to do a photo session.
But that wasn't something the Sussexes wanted to publicize given the ongoing COVID lockdowns - particularly since California governor Gavin Newsom now faces a recall based on his own flaunting of the COVID rules. So this ridiculous fiction of a remote-controlled iPad was invented.
More plausible would have been a story that the Sussexes did it themselves with a self-timed camera at home, but I suppose Harriman wanted the credit (and the income) from the shot.
How silly they are.
Comments
Good Morning,
Welllllll. I see over the weekend the wonderful news was announced. Right on the heels of that weird story about how W&K want another baby and in the complete middle of Eugenie's baby story. I also heard again Eugenie is going to 'raise her baby at Frogmore'. As I believe Meghan doesn't use surrogate, I hope she has a very safe and healthy pregnance. On the converse, I pray that she doesn't irritate the piss out of the world on her way to delivering the Golden Child #2.
Meghan sure likes to mess with and bother Eugenie. There's no doubt she'd mess with Catherine a lot more but one of the only people she fears is William, so she can only get so far. Eugenie and Jack are way too nice and they really need to wise up. How much more will Eugenie allow of this? I think I would literally call Meghan on the phone and tell her to f'ing knock it off. Knowing Meghan she'd give some breezy laugh, hang up and then head to her writing station and fire off some other horrible story about Eugenie to the press. My point is.......she couldn't have waiting for Eugenie to announce her son's name, bask in a little glow for the baby and keep her trap shut for a week or so? Guess not when your a Mega Narc.
The picture too was sooo dumb and unnecessary. I'm surprised Harry wasn't on his knees kissing and licking her belly in her earth mother gauze gown and braids.
Bah, I'm grumpy because it's like -30 here. :)
When you really think about it, her timing is impeccable. Just in time for the possible March review too.
Oprah will air a 90 minute tv special with the Harkles on March 7, on the US CBS tv channel.
“Oprah with Meghan and Harry.”
Even Oprah puts the blood prince last behind the Z-list yacht ho.
Murky Meg tweet said she initially thought it was a prank, but she then said she believes it was a real front page.
Real or not, I suggest that all of the UK papers send a message to the Harkles by placing black bars over their eyes in all coverage of them and write around using their names until the Queen removes their titles.
My caption for the pregnancy announcement photo:
“Fetch me a drink, Harry. I’ve never been so thirsty in my entire life.”
Let’s have some fun. Does anyone else have a caption suggestion?
Let’s have some fun. Does anyone else have a caption suggestion?
.......
"MoonBumps" by NWO Incorporated.
We have every progressive size for all the stages of pregnancy.
Our product features a super comfortable fit that will not slip.
Available now at our online store.
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-02-15/exclusive-meghan-agrees-to-oprah-winfrey-interview-which-could-lift-lid-on-her-and-harrys-departure-from-royal-family
Probably organised it the minute they got the news of the SJ verdict.
Prepare for saintly, victimised Meghan who had to ran away to California to thrive.
What happened to Harry not wanting to add to the population by having more kids?
@Blithe Spirit: Harry said that he and Meghan were only planning two children.
However, I think if this child is another boy, Meghan will be extremely disappointed.
She will quickly get pregnant again and claim she thought she couldn’t get pregnant while nursing or that “my birth control failed,” which translates to “I want another try at a girl, so f**k limiting our family to two boys that will be difficult to merchandise and impossible for me to mold into a miniature version of myself.”
1. Unending thirst of Queen Rachel
2. Suggested threat to BRF: “we hear we are being stripped on 31 March, so beans will be spilled on US television, Granny! Nyah, Nyah!”
3. Shopping for new production deals after fumbling the Netflix and Spotify offers.
4. Begin merching baby Diana Oprah Shonda immediately. “Doria has a cream for that!”
5. Look I am reallly pregnant, see my bump, it is real because I am in California where the tools of fakery are unheard of”
6. It’s a whole new world, order up some shows for our upcoming political show ponies! Easy questions only!
7. How come it isn’t Oprah and Meghan and Harry and Archie? Hmmm?
8. “Look, I should totally be in the new Thor, and Bridgerton. Listen to my laugh!”
9. “Catherine made me cry when I was pregnant and wouldn’t drive me to the doctor!”
10. “William-the-dingo ate my baby! So yah, we need another one!”
AnT- haha
@Acquitaine said,
All sides of the various generational cousins, Spencer or Spencer-Churchill or Goldsmith have the same heavy-set jaw and big head. Funnily, only Harry doesn't have that Spencer-Churchill family characteristic.
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I've always wondered how a gene pool so small as the British aristocracy has affected the BRF historically. Especially the modern version re: Harry..."
I'm not sure i understand the question. Please would you clarify.
Do you mean genetically or in general terms?
The BRF has genetic diseases which manifested fatally in several generations post-Victoria. Obviously not as badly as the Spanish Royal Hapsburgs of the 18th century who were so inbred they literally bred themselves into extinction.
Since the BRF ( and their European cousins) opened up their gene-pool in the 20th century aka stopped marrying their literal 1st or 2nd cousins, i'd say that genetically they are getting better.
The most recent known case of genetic disorder within the BRF is Prince William of Gloucester ( The Queen's 1st Cousin) who died in 1970. He had porphyria, the genetic disorder Mad King George 3 was suspected of having.
That said it is widely suspected that Harry has a genetic disorder inherited from the Spencers because he displays many traits that Diana had. Diana, Charles and Johnnie Spencer are suspected of having the same disorder.
That's why Harry came to the states. He plans on creating political chaos in revenge for his ancestor losing the colonies.
I'm not sure why Missan Harriman would want to take credit for that pregnancy pic? I do agree the framing and the background with the Tree of Life is beautiful. However, artistry on the subjects of the photo is lacking. Rache's face is so blurry she's almost unrecognizable. Her hair looks like she's wearing cheap clip extensions. Harry and his bald patch. Enough said. The pose of Rache on her back in what I would guess is at least her 2nd trimester made my bff wince. She's in her 20s and when she was pregnant, she didn't dare do that. Compromised blood flow to baby for who knows how long over Zoom?
Perhaps Harriman okayed the iPad story to explain away the awful editing choices she was forced into because of Rache?
ON BABIES
“It was a huge surprise to us. Actually, I had been staying with my friends John and Markus recovering from my heartbreaking miscarriage for couple of months while Terry and Snarchie made sure all the asbestos was removed from our villa. Yes, there will be a lawsuit. Anyway I was out in Silver Lake totally alone with the dogs and Markus and John, when I reached for my hair fork, and felt something and I knew instantly my IVF pills had made me pregnant with another royal child. I immediately had Markus dangle a ring on a string over my suddenly huge stomach bump and the ring test confirmed it: it would be a girl. I called Warbely Warb Warb right away and scheduled a summary judgment victory so I can focus on my little one and lie on my back in the sage and imagine building a new world for her future. When I got home four weeks later and told my husband about the baby, he wept for three straight days. He needed an IV. The Queen never let him have an IV.”
ON POLiTICS
“Well, since millions have been asking us ‘when does your US presidency begin?’, my husband and I decided I should start my presidency as soon as possible, like in 2022. I went and told Mr Newsom to book that, and so it is extra good I can get this baby done now so I have time to write bills about media muzzling and prison for trolls, before I take office in a year. No, I won’t need a VP. I wrote that soap letter alone. As my mom says, you’ve got this Flower. Anyway, yah, we’re excited, I haven’t been in the White House since I was hired to entertain some guests.”
ON THE ROYAL FAMILY
“Haaaa haaaa, who? I mean that’s what my husband and I say to each other whenever someone mentions the Queen in a Daily Mail comment section. Who? Who? Please, we don’t even save the envelopes our cheques come in. My husband has the family he never had with my mom and Eddie down at Big Jack Car Stereos. Oh yah, and Archie. He doesn’t need anyone else either because my mom did his tarot reading for the Chinese new year and we learned Diana is coming back in this next baby and so that means she will transport herself out of my body at last after bringing us together, which is another reason I look shorter and will have more time to finally accept the starring roles being offered to me by top film directors. Sorry guys! I will choose my roles soon! Hahaha! Anyway, yah, it was hard, Diana didn’t want to act, just shop and do charity visits, so I had to go along with that but now that she is being sucked back into my baby, I can focus on my Chekhov teleplay for Netflix again.”
I'm guessing the 90 minute Oprah interview will contain all the footage she has taken and tried to sell to Netflix as a reality TV show and Netflix, smartly, turned it down.
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Haha true. Maybe Martin Bashir will collaborate with Big O on the interview lol.
@ Nutty,
I particularly love how Piers is continuing his insights on the DM.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9262261/PIERS-MORGAN-Meghan-Harrys-intimate-baby-bump-photo-shows-dont-want-privacy.html
"with her Hobbit-like bare-footed husband grinning broadly as he cradled her bump". LMAO.. Bilbo Baggins. This makes her Mrs. Baggins ha ha . Very fitting.
Wow...interesting thought! I share your hope.
In the 90s, having a one to one Oprah interview was the pinnacle of celebrity.
I hope Oprah interviews Neghan as she did Beyonce.
Refresh:
Oprah to Beyonce: You are a Goddess.
Beyonde: smiles beatifically
Oprah: Yes you are. Tell me, how are you such a goddess
On repeat for about half the interview.
You got what I was wondering about.
I have read quite a bit about the Romanovs re: Tsarevich's hemophilia. I was getting at the mental illness that seems to run in the BRF/aristocracy and still shows in individuals like Harry and Diana.
That's an interesting tidbit how the Royals "opened up their genepool in the 20th century".
Thanks a bunch!
My post on Martin Bashir collaborating with Oprah crossed in the mail with JennS mentioning Bashir and the Queen. FYI only.
If you ever have a minute to read Koening’s various twitter rants (juicy ones today), you might deduce even more about this academic library historian. Today she is imagining sticking “a hot poker” into someone’s “orifice” actually.
"Thanks @Acquitaine for answering my question about Marlene Koening and how Rache broke news about Archie. I've noticed Koening's inability to read between the lines and use abstract thinking in interpreting events. That makes for a very flat historian. I'd say she's more a fact checker but even then I'd prefer so many others over her."
You are welcome.
Marlene is so frustrating in that way.
She can be counted on to have the facts, but in her world there is no grey area which means she never sees the pattern, other viewpoints, context etc.
I think she'd be great at tye kind of history that onpy requires regurgitation of dates and roll call of names at events.
Excellent call. Very 90s. Wonder what left her stuck in, or fixated upon, that decade.
The visual lack of Big Brother Archie is weird - we should at least been given a shot of him writing out in perfect italic script that he eagerly anticipates the arrival of his sibling.
Finally, `Hi, Meghan! Are you and your baby OK? After your risking the compression of his/her/their blood vessels and hindering the passage of oxygen to his/her/their brain'.
PS Yes, I can confirm that Daily Star cover is real - I saw it on the newspaper shelf in the Coop this morning
Everything screams moonbump and surrogate again to me. Her "lay-down" photo looks like a moonbump to me(this looks nothing like any of my friends have looked while pregnant), and I thought every woman knew not to lay on your back like that when expecting? Looks like she missed the details again, as usual. These two need to go away. They have contributed nothing to the world, only taken, while so many decent people are struggling to keep a roof over their head or afford a meal. They're both disgusting and worthless. I think if the Queen doesn't take their titles away shortly, the RF is in for a world of trouble. People have no patience for this stuff anymore because so many are on thin ice.
LOL @Acquitaine :) Agreed about Koening. I saw that Beyonce-Oprah interview and I was struck by how uncomfortable Beyonce seemed with Oprah. Years later, Gayle and Oprah were talking about memorable interviews on the show. Oprah brought up Beyonce and said something along the lines of how delicious Beyonce's skin looked to her. She kept going on and on about it. Oprah's creepy side was out for everyone to see.
I deduce that Koerning is au fait with royal assassinations.
I know, right?! Yikes!
*****✨
@Wild Boar Battle-maid,
Lol! a special fascination for her? Don’t see that on a librarian’s Twitter thread every day!
The interview will show Oprah in her sausage suit at the wedding. Oprah will spend a lot of time talking about herself, her experiences (nod Shamus!) and her questions will be: I can only imagine how I would feel, being born into a situation where you don’t have a choice in life, like I did, born to a very poor family in Jim Crow times, working hard, 24/7, becoming a coke addict along the way, until my hard work that almost broke my back, becoming rich and powerful because I had the talent and genius to become a female black billionaire. How awful, Just Harry, for you to be born into unfathomable fame just for being born into a Royal family, everything you will ever need given to you, living a billionaire lifestyle like moi, except with more homes, more of everything that I worked so hard to have, and you had to escape the press which gave you nothing but unreal nice stories. Your privacy is much more important now. (Nod yes Shamus). It is why you are having an interview with me, to protect your privacy. I love the Royal family, btw, and I look forward to more invitations, especially when William becomes king. So, I really like your family, and I was finally invited and given seats meant for family! Why was that?
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0125439/mediaviewer/rm1989435648/
Lol, thank you! We have to occasionally joke and be silly and laugh about it, eh? Or our heads will pop! I know, everyone on here writes such amazing content, it is like a delicious feast every day. And I agree, certainly the Queen has to act at this point? It is ridiculous.
Here’s the side by side from the cover of the Daily Star—The Notting Hill photo is inset on the right.
This is taken from the last scene of the film, where are blissfully happy couple Anna and Will Show off her expectant state on a park bench. I think Meg fancies herself as a biracial Julia Roberts. There was a time several facial procedures ago that she resembled Roberts and some photographs. I am thinking specifically When she crashed the BFAs And stood cradling her bump with both hands and simpering like an idiot. If one didn’t know the backstory, one could say she looked good. In that picture, she was only meant to be 5 months along. This was December and Archie was not “born” until the following May. She looks in her ninth month with twins in that photo. I suspected her of faking prior to this photo, But disappearance not only confirmed my suspicions, This marks the instant that I really and truly began to despise her. Be that as it may, she looked a lot like Julia.
https://mobile.twitter.com/home
Oprah 'You are glowing'
MM, giggling and pushing a string of nylon hair out of her face, while declaring with self-satisfied originality
'well, as I was telling H, you are what you eat, and we only eat veggies from our own garden. It's important to give back to nature, when you're so blessed, and shine a light on hard working farmers everywhere. Of course the Black community, as you know, has been proving this point very passionately this last year, but it's really not enough, we all need to give back, don't we? H agrees, we always tell Archie that progressiveness and kindness means nothing if you don't start with your own children. Children are out future, teach them well and let them lead the way. All that glitters is not gold and actions speak louder than words. Archie is so funny Oprah, we taught him that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and now he refuses to leave our apple tree. But then we tell him about global warming and how destructive it is to our planet, he Zoomed with Greta and he said to her 'wawwiow mommie'' giggle giggle giggle smirk. 'You know, H likes to call me warrior mommy'......
And so on and so forth.
Oprah will ask more softball fangirl questions than TigerBeat magazine interviewing BTS. The questions will allow them, especially Meghan, to portray herself as a victim.
I bet it happens before the Queen’s annual review of their behavior in the year since the Megxit departure. This interview will be aimed at attempting to prevent the Queen from removing their titles and funding.
I love the Royal family, btw, and I look forward to more invitations, especially when William becomes king. So, I really like your family, and I was finally invited and given seats meant for family! Why was that?
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This is the only reason big O has attached herself to H$M. She's waiting for the time she can capitalize on Prince Charles, Camilla, Wm. and Kate & Co. If they allow it which I would hope they don't. She exploits big time...
I do admire her rise to billionairess status, coming from poor means in Mississippi, but I have never liked her pandering and attaching herself to every Black icon so that she will always be the one who shines.
I find her rather narcissistic and obnoxious. I know people who were hoping she'd run for Prez. I would never endorse her. I personally believe she declined because she is a gay woman who is still in the closet and Stedman is her beard. There are accounts of his being on the down low in the city where they are based. But I have no receipts, I'm just repeating tea, so IMO only. I believe she knew that particular tea would come out during the vetting process. I couldn't care less who people sleep with but that is still a very hot button when one is running for Prez.
As a centrist politically, I am not an Oprah fan.
"Dance of the Moon bumps" part duoh.
I too, do not and have never liked Oprah. I have some respect for her success but I don't care for her.
Far too many excuses are being made for the Queens inaction.
I can see how the NH pic could inspire a sophomoric, "Duch-esque", like Mrs. Baggins (who clearly show tendencies towards arrested development) who by showing her ass, she lives in a fairy tale version of real life.
@WBBM,
There are Nutties who will believe until the cows come home, that I am Meghan or one of her squad. I don't care. I have learned in life to detach myself from the virtual world... so there's that.
I'm still wishing I could have out-raced @NotMeghanMarkle for that handle! But I'll stick with LL. It shows continuity and that I have nothing to hide.
Sorry in advance if I misread you.
Cheers.
👏I am laughing my bum off. All the cliche phrases! But oh my goodness, “brushing a string of nylon hair out of her face” before prattling on about her garden is exquisite and hilarious at once.
@ConstantGardener33,
👏You have offered us such a clear of Harry’s hairpiece resting in its rabbit cage, that I wish Artemis Goog would draw it so I could look at it every day and laugh. “ Then they let it out to run around.....” oh my god, I can’t stop giggling.
@JennS,
I kind of hope MM just pumps herself up and spews in her interview with Oprah, so that there is no question left in the queen’s mind about turning her back into a cocktail waitress. I imagine we will see Harry, out of focus, skulking quickly past Oprah’s window, hurrying to Hot Rob’s, eager to join the interview when his pizza delivery shift is over.
"Trying to find a link to the Notting Hill pic that everyone is saying Meghan copied. If any of you find it, please post!"
Here you go
https://staticfanpage.akamaized.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2020/11/notting-hill-2-hugh-grant.jpg
It's the closing shot of the movie.
Can be summed up as upper middle class English guy marries a Hollywood actress.
“The Trouble with Tribbles“ from that old Star Trek tv series just came to mind! One of the few episode reruns I have actually watched with enjoyment. Now I imagine his hairpiece multiplying just as quickly. Yeesh.
From Rebecca English's twitter feed!
I agree with others that it is a problem that Harry, Archie and this new baby are still in the line of succession, and quite high up, but what can the Queen do? She can't just strip them of their titles or HRH (that she has asked them not to use HRH or the word royal is telling enough, but the Harkles are cashing in on it all because it is all they have, plus Harry's inheritance). Especially in the time of the virus, the Queen and the family do not want Parliament distracted with the Harkle problem. (Supposedly taking away the HRH and dukedom and lesser titles is in the Queen's power, by issuing letters whatever.)
People are screaming for the Queen to strip them of the HRH and titles and remove them from the line of succession but there is not a clear way for her to do this. The last time someone was removed from the line of succession, he did that himself, willingly. You'd have to pry any of it from the clasp of the Harkles on their deathbeds! Besides, how would any ruling from the Queen affect the rest of her family?
Maybe she can pay them off to willingly give it up and let BP, not them, make the announcement? His family must realize by now that they are never getting Harry back?
When is the unveiling of Diana's statue and how does that fit in with the pregnancy and birth? Meghan will make that unveiling all about her.
Oprah interview? Completely predictable! It will be completely filled with disrespect for the BRF and the British people, completely ignore the tens and millions Meghan and Harry fraudulently spent in less than a couple of years, be filled with lies (philanthropist?!), and probably destroy the last shred of hope that Harry can reconcile with his family..?
Am I nasty to really really want the release of the kraken now?
"@Aquataine - I was just going to say that this isn't the 90s anymore. Oprah is a has been. At this point MM and Oprah are desperate for one another."
Clearly you never understand my overall or nuanced points.
I'm perfectly aware that this isn't the 90s anymore and that Oprah isn't as influential as she once was. Infact i'd wager she's more a sunset legacy ie she should just stay home and enjoy her money instead of trying to stay in the game.
It was Oprah's pattern to do a big 1-2-1 interview with whomever was in the spotlight. She doesn't do as many such interviews as she once did, but her biggest such moments remain the 90s and mid-late 00s.
Meanwhile Meghan's entire aesthetic is frozen in the 90s / early 00s. Her royal wardrobe frequently cosplayed (badly) or downright copied Carolynn Basette Kennedy without any editing or adapting to the 2020s, her body type / height or colour matching.
Her (pretend) celebrity friends are all people who were big in the 90s / early 00s.
Her PR game is straight out of the PR strategems of the 90s/ early 00s right down to the black/ white photography evoking Bruce Weber / Herb Ritts, this baby announcement release is a straightforward copy of the 1999 film Nottinghill sans the bench.
So in her 90s obsessed mind, a 1-2-1 big interview with Oprah is the peak of celebrity in her mind.
Noticing all the above doesn't mean i agree or applaud what she's doing or that i'm bigging Oprah up in the 2020s as if she's 90s Oprah.
Let's also not forget that Oprah has been trying to ingratiate herself with the royal family since the 90s. She tried to get a sit down with Diana, she got Fergie. Meghan is her way to get Harry. She hopes to get CharlesCamilla, Willuam and Kate. She'll sell her soul to get a sitdown with The Queen if that were the price.
My nuanced point is that this interview is not surprising considering the people involved.
Finally, Oprah's 1-2-1 interview style is atrociously obsequious. On that we can agree.
There has been a lot of tea spilled in the past that Oprah wildly inflated her impoverished background. I believe that one of her family members said that it was not true. This rumor was going around shortly before her chat show ended, and I have always believed it. Like MM, Oprah will do anything that advances her rags-to-riches story.
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@whoever asked (sorry, but I can't find it again, so no name), Murky Meg has the clearest photo (that I've seen) of the Notting Hill bench scene. It's on her YouTube channel.
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I may be seeing things that aren't there, but will all of you take another look at the pregnancy announcement photo? Does it appear to anybody else that she is arching her back in the photo to push her belly up and out to make herself look more pregnant?
**************************************
Who wants to bet that MM has already chosen the name out for her second child? I believe that it will be a girl by surrogate, and that The Harkles have already set up at least one company, "charity," or "foundation" with the girl baby's name attached?
LL. Have heard those stories too about Oprah, Gayle and Steadman. All paid up Beard club members and frequent visitors aboard David Geffen's super yacht.
I agree! Oprah goes after the people who can do something for her career. She sucked up to Travolta and Cruise when they were hot, and dropped them when they got too controversial.
She is also easily taken in by charlatans such as Dr. Oz (a group of doctors got together and signed a paper saying that his medical advice and miracle cures were dangerous) and Dr. Phil, who doesn't have a license to practice.
Oprah has lost a lot of the respect that she once had and is going into charlatan territory. I don't think her Harkle interview will make much of an impact. The Harkles will cry and moan in between trying to set up MM as a political leader. We Nutties can probably write their script in advance. Nothing they say will surprise me. It's all been said before.
@LL,
There has been a lot of tea spilled in the past that Oprah wildly inflated her impoverished background. I believe that one of her family members said that it was not true. This rumor was going around shortly before her chat show ended, and I have always believed it. Like MM, Oprah will do anything that advances her rags-to-riches story.
*
Wow I didn't know that. I've never cared for Oprah so never read up on her. I'll check it out! Apparently Dolly Parton has done the same. I love Dolly's music so I did look into it. Some celebrities use that gimmick.
I totally agree Megsy and Oprah have a lot of similarities in their life's stories!
@Disgusted Tunbridge Wells,
Yes, I think the tea is out there more than Oprah would like...
Will Oprah let MM run the show and allow only for pre-approved easy questions, or will MM have to swallow the bitter pill of d-listness by agreeing to an open interview if she wants that money and exposure?
Bets are open...
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/overjoyed-prince-harry-delighted-baby-23506176
This article claims H told friends quite a while ago and they held onto the secret. Gee I wonder why they were timing the news drop?
Also states she could be as much as 7 months pregnant.
Refers to the Oprah deal as a "Megxit and royal interview".
Apologies, I thought I’d responded to your call for a bingo card for their interview. Your game idea is brilliant and we need to create one somehow. Like you, I won’t be viewing, but can someone here be braver than we are? I might be able to talk a snarky friend in Boston into doing so to help us....
Some key words we might include: My Husband, Kindness, Building, Authenticity....Family.
????????? Have you mistaken me for someone else?
So now everywhere and every single solitary online magazine and paper is plastered with Harry and Meghan. Sickening.
If I were Eugenie, I wouldn't even announce my baby's name. Just file the cert and let the press release it. I sound like an I-told-you-so person but when I heard the story about how Eugenie got the crown that Meghan wanted, I thought... oh boy Eugenie is f'd. Meghan will never forgive or forget that. Andrew is to disgraced to properly protect Eugenie, Fergie is just trying to hang on to whatever she can from the Crown by clinging to Andrew, she has no clout. Jack Brooksbank is not nuanced enough and frankly might be too much of a nice guy to stick up for Eugenie. I hope Eugenie is enjoying her sweet boy and not paying much attention to the circus that Meghan is absolutely loving.
Everyone have a good evening! Stay warm!
Exclusive: Harry and Meghan agree to Oprah Winfrey interview which could lift lid on departure from Royal Family
Monday 15 February 2021, 7:52pm
Chris Ship
Royal Editor
The Duchess of Sussex has agreed to sit down in the US with the TV host Oprah Winfrey in what could be an explosive and revealing interview about Meghan and Harry's departure from the Royal Family.
Neither Meghan nor Harry has given an interview about their decision to leave the UK since their shock announcement a year ago that they were quitting as senior working royals.
ITV News has discovered that the Duchess is finalising a deal with Oprah on what US television executives have called an "Oprah Winfrey Special".
Since our story broke, US network CBS announced it will air the programme on Sunday 7 March. The programme summary, which ITV News saw in advance of the confirmation referred to it unambiguously as "Oprah interviews Meghan Markle".
A deal was signed over the weekend and includes the Duke of Sussex who will "join" Meghan and Oprah to talk about the couple's move to the United States.
There have been rumours for some time that Meghan would choose Oprah for her first interview since she relocated to California with Prince Harry and their son Archie last year.
On Sunday, the couple announced the news that they are expecting their second child and released a picture taken by one of Meghan's longtime friends, Misan Harriman.
Oprah, sometimes referred to as 'American royalty', runs her own channel called the Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN. She also heads production company Harpo, which will be making the Harry and Meghan "primetime special".
Securing the interview is a huge coup for Oprah and her production company.🤣
It is not clear what parameters the Duchess has set on her interview or whether she has drawn red lines on speaking about the Queen and other Royals.🤣
However, CBS said she will speak to Oprah "in a wide-ranging interview, covering everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure."
It is entirely possible that Meghan has demanded some 'no go' areas of discussion with her friend.
But ITV News believes Meghan also plans to address issues surrounding the press coverage she has received since her relationship with Prince Harry was first revealed.🤣
With all respect, I admit due to past conflicts, Im sensitive to anyone making a reference to Meghan being in the blog. When you said Hi Meghan, I thought here we go again... someone saying I'm her.
This is why I apologized in advance. Sorry I assumed. I should have just asked you if that was meant for me. Mea culpa.
Forget it.
"Harry told his friends..." What friends? He's dumped every friend that he had before meeting MM. Even new friends, such as David Foster ("the father he never had"), dropped the Harkles after questioning why he'd never seen Archie.
Do "his friends" include Oprah? I'm sure that the woman with the most money was told first. A boatload of freebies will be sent to The Harkles by Oprah, and a nice little PR piece will be written about that. Maybe another set of children's books that have Oprah's name plastered all over the front cover?
******************************
I've noticed many ads online lately for the suitcase that MM gave to her "friends" at the shower in NYC.
Harry still has pals? Who? Who is left? James Corden?
But yes, clearly shows they were waiting to drop the news like a lead ball on a Eugenie or Cambridge news cycle. So tacky.
So, to the taping if this 90 minute (NINETY minutes! Who on earth would advertise on this mess to pay for all that time? What can the duchess of despair yap about for that insane length of time? Will they show a yoga lesson, organic farming tips, wig care? Clips from Suits, the wedding, Desmond Tutu, her SmartWorks speech.....a visit to Doria’s cash-only senior care van? Meghan’s Pandemic Plan?
Maybe the old sitting outside in deep-seating poolside chairs thing? To show luxury and bright sun to all poor the saps the Harkles hate who paying for their lifestyle while these taxpayers sit in grim UK lockdown like Soviet zoo animals?
I can’t imagine a 90 minute Zoom holding the attention of anyone but obsessed sugars or squadies, can you? So it has to be “wandering around Montecito with Oprah footage, talking about being a doting mama in spite of the cruelty of the royals, sipping the oat milk lattes... Talking about how you can only be a successful free woman in America so thank god she escaped the kind of country that would make a woman a queen or a prime minister.
No sign of Archie of course. Maybe a scattered prop toy, or a dog, but “sorry, Archie is with his French teacher and then Harry must take him to his baby physics class at Stanford.”
At the end of the day, Smugs is pushy and unlikeable. Her South African interview backfired. This one will, too.
Royals going on camera to get explain themselves and seek sympathy is a bad, bad look. This could be the Harkle’s ‘Prince Andrew’ moment.
@JennS: Do you have a guess as to how long ago this blind appeared on CDAN? Thanks!
Well, I guess I didn't get enough sleep last night. I thought your post above this one said that you were going ISA, and I was wondering how I missed a person or place named Isa that had to do with The Harkles. I know you meant LSA. Maybe I need a nap? Too much champagne last night?
I believe she paid them beaux cous bucks for it. I can't see Megsy doing such a big gig for free. Oprah's been salivating for it for a long time and Mrs. Bilbo Baggins will make damn sure she gets the maximum exposure, and will squeeze every penny out of it.
I'm wondering if it will be at their home in Montecito. I think that's a possibility.
A lot of Americans will see that interview so the setting choice will be calculated to hell and back. Maybe their 90s McMansion isn't grand enough?
Beaucoup, buku, boocoo, bucks.
Mine is a weird one lol...
All I know in French are a few lyrics of a Jaques Briel song and that doesn't work when ordering wine... Darn ;)
@JennS,
Noted. Thanks.
"@aquitaine. Never seen an Oprah interview. Is her obsequious style akin to Lorraine Kelly, who panders to the celebs' egos by repeating "you look so, so well." over and over again. Cutting edge stuff."
Lorraine is an amateur compared to the obsequious tongue bath Oprah gives those she who are famous and with a positive image.
She spends most of the interview telling the interviewee that they are god's gift to humanity. Literally.
On the otherhand if you are infamous, Oprah will go hard on you. Not entirely eviserate you Jeremy Paxman style, but certainly no tongue baths - see Lindsay Lohan interview at the height of her troubles.
And if you are dead and infamous, she will relitigate your legacy to reframe you as the devil incarnate even if she was calling you a literal god when you were alive - see Michael Jackson interviews in life and after death.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9263605/Royal-sources-say-no-way-official-duties-Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle.html
"The Megxit review has already happened. The DM has an exclusive: all royal patronages will be relinquished.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9263605/Royal-sources-say-no-way-official-duties-Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle.html"
Wow.
I wonder if this came before or after they broke the news of their Oprah interview.
I know the Queen has been signaling that it was a done deal for some time, but the Sussexes kept pushing begging PR - Harry was prepared to come visit to discuss terms.
Harry has been doing the rounds of various military affiliated charities to shore up his titles.
Though in typical self-sabotaging fashion, the Suseexes have also pulled moves that have brought the family into disrepute eg the 2 court cases especially the SJ which has been reported as Queen and by extension the Sussexes winning due to rpyal privilege.
Could have persuaded QWC to just cut the code completely instead of the extension lead they gave the Sussexes.
"@Acquataine, if Fergie's six part interview with Oprah didn't help her, Meghan's will not."
True, but i think Meghan has more cunning hustle than Fergie.
As per Fergie, I agree that Meg is more crafty and has a team behind her while Fergie was alone. But what Finding Freedom couldn't do, no amount of one-on-one will do it. Meghan always self sabotages, that's a given. She will sabotage herself shortly. And I agree with you that the SJ was bad for the Queen because most people believed she had a hand in it. Also coming on the heels of the Guardian story about how she influenced parliament's decision, the insinuations that she also influenced Warby's judgement was definitely something she will try to shoot down
In South Africa, Meghan is said to have charged the equivalent of $25,000 US per person to pop in to a private luncheon on one of the days Harry was traveling without her. It was estimated she walked away from it with $250,000 in her pocket for an appearance of approximately 30 minutes.
And unlike a lot of her previous work for “special appearances,” she was able to remain vertical and on her feet the entire time.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/02/prince-harry-meghan-markle-oprah-interview
Interesting excerpts:
"According to former Palace Spokesman Dickie Arbiter, the Sussexes will need to be careful what they say about their son Archie and Meghan’s relationship with her father."
“The Sussexes have an army of professional well paid advisors so they will go into the interview well-rehearsed and prepared but they will have to be careful particularly when speaking about their son and Meghan’s father.” Arbiter told Vanity Fair. “Associated Newspapers will I imagine be watching the interview very carefully. They want their day in court so I can’t believe Meghan will talk in depth about the court case and she should be careful when talking about the media because from what I have seen, she hasn’t been harassed by the British media. Meghan is very smart and I suspect this is more about getting their message out about what’s next for them and what they are going to do in LA. Harry and Meghan aren’t going to make any waves, it’s not worth them upsetting the apple cart.”
Re: H$M interview with Oprah. Royal reporter Robert Jobson states in today's DM, "we are not sure if they were paid for the interview".
---------------
Missy doesn't do anything for free. That's what megxit was all about. She objected to not being personally paid mega bucks just for showing up once a week. She didn't even think she should have to dress in clothes that fit.
She and H were convinced that there were mega bucks out there to be made, just for existing.
Except that there aren't.
Especially not for for two people who are so incredibly unlikable. Their friends (see David whoever and Karen somebody) are starting to tumble to the lies (see invisible baby), and they've burned a lot of bridges with people who have done them favors (guy from Atlanta who rented them his house which they then dissed).
I don't see how they're going to make the millions they need to support their desired lifestyle.
They just shot their last wad with the Oprah interview. What's left for them to shoot? A second baby isn't going to cut it, especially when they hide the first baby. And she can only have so many miscarriages.
Lawsuits aren't going to earn them millions, either. Not on an on-going basis, anyway. That's only going to be a once a year kind of deal. And not much going forward I wouldn't think, because they don't do anything interesting anymore.
No more wedding hoopla, no more family issues...on either side, no more Royal stuff like his military things, or their patronage. What would they have to sue about in the future?
Fading fast.......
"@Acquaitaine, it happened after the Oprah announcement. Everything will be taken away from Harry, even the three Rugby patronages and the London marathon. The Commonwealth titles will go as well. The National Theatre is going. Every royal patronage will be taken."
Looking at the provided list of Harry's patronages under threat, i didn't realise that Sentabale was a royal family patronage. I always thought that he created that one on his own steam - with help from Charles of course. Didn't realise it was as much a sham as Invictus.
Also, i thought he had more patronages and charities. He left most, if not all his charities with the royal foundation or perhaps they were one off associations eg Maps, WWTW, help with Heroes, Endevour Fund, coach core, conservation.
I always knew that conservation was William's specialty, but with Harry's summers spent in Africa allegedly on conservation work, i really thought he was giving it some effort.
With such a tiny list of patronages and charities, and without military work to keep him busy, you have to ask what he was doing with his time.
He barely registered on the annual royals duties lists, but it doesn't appear that he had much charity work to occupy his spare time.
Is there a special PR G.O.A.T award that we can award the palace PR team and ELF in particular? They created and maintained a shining mirage of Hero Harry for years!!
Looking at the list and realising the implications, It's hit me again what a great job they did.
Anyone think anything like this line of questioning will happen?
No?
Me either.
I have always understood that Arbiter Knows Things. He may come across as occasionally petty, snobby, petulant or opportunistic, but he is privy to the buried bones, since his days working with the Queen.
His daughter Victoria is a modern day Harkle-gushing sycophantic royal reporter for CNN and CBS (ding ding) who used to live in Kensington Palace when her father handled press. She is also former actor with ties to Oprah. Her bestseller author mother-in-law Sandra Brown has Oprah ties as well.
Anyway, Dickie old-school Knows Things — or perhaps he is trying help boost ratings for his daughter’s employer with comments like these.
My guess is that he may view this Oprah interview as a sharp can opener in an unsteady (MM) hand, and Archie as the can of worms. Be it the origin story, NDAs, payments, whereabouts, the truth if revealed is too awkward for his Queen’s happiness. Just a guess.
That is quite a word salad for one photo that resembles an old movie, and a greeting card, isn’t it?
Photographers often love to make their snap into deeply meaningful philosophical art. Beats shooting sportswear.
Piers’ take on it has more meat that I can believe in.
The palace also makes it clear that ALL official ties to the RF have been cut and they are unperturbed about the interview.
Now that Elizabeth Rex has put her tiny foot down, will The Queen of Daytime TV still do a primetime special with The Grifters?
Or, perhaps there will be a double helping of victim word salad served with whine.
You know, Dr. Phil was big in the late 90s, perhaps Oprah will bring him in at the last minute--the old switch and bait. I would love to see Dr. Phil interrogate Hairy and the Young Mother.
Hairy. My wife and I are life partners.
Dr. Phil. We teach people how to treat us.
Hairy. My wife and I want privacy.
Dr. Phil. People who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.
Hairy. My wife would never leave me.
Dr. Phil. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
Hairy. I am so happy I left England.
Dr. Phil. What the hell were you thinking!
Hairy. I will never talk to my brother again.
Dr. Phil. Don't make me put your head in a blender!
Hairy: Let me introduce my wife, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.
Dr. Phil. You can put feathers on a dog, but that don't make it a chicken.
🤣👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Sooooooooo perfect! Oh, if only! Can you imagine MM’s face?
Bravo! Well done!
Harry: "I want to live completely free, with complete privacy, with the woman I love.
Dr. Phil: How's that working for you so far?
"He who hesitates is lost" The BRF could easily have stripped Megs titles if not Harry's. Should have been done months ago to this alleged princess who remained American and will be living there permanently. Now with her pregnant their hands are tied. But they should do it anyhow. Get this over with and tell Harry not another another farthing when he comes in June.
1) they are fading into obscurity and need a massive media boost, yet again. (Seriously, their analytic stats are 1/15th of what they were last year at Megxit)
2) they are getting in front of the titles they know will be taken in March. They are using the RF’s schedule against them and playing the ‘see look how terrible they treat us’ sympathy card to garner more sycophants.
It’s a strange time to do Oprah, but not when you put it in context of a) needing a paycheck b) relevancy desperation and c) the BRD’s final sword.
If only....I’m afraid the Oprah interview is reciprocity for her being invited to the wedding. Logrolling at its best (or worst). Oprah’s star has dimmed considerably since she gave up her talk show—again, I hope this is reflected in the ratings.
At about 4:00, you can see Oprah try to push Sara into discussing Diana's problems(this interview was done in 1996, before Diana's death), and Sara deflects to another subject. Then Oprah says, "The newspapers are bad here (US), and they are "vicious, VICIOUS!" in GB. THEN, Oprah says, "THEY TRIED TO KILL HER. LITERALLY, THEY TRIED TO KILL HER." MEANING DIANA. The media tried to kill Diana????????????????????
THEN, Oprah says that people don't understand in terms of Diana, "why with all of that stuff, why don't you just behave yourself, do what you're told, and just PLAY THE GAME (rules for royalty) and go along with the program?
"To do this, to have this life, you have to lose yourself, that you can play the game, and IT'S THE BIGGEST GAME, IS IT NOT? iT'S THE BIGGEST GAME OUT THERE."
****************
Sorry for the caps, but it is just shocking that Oprah would say these things. Now we can see that she has a long-term hatred of the British media, and this hatred of the press will be reflected in her interview with Harry. Their hatred is symbiotic. They feed off each other in their hatred of the British press.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87zagGHGSFs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87zagGHGSFs
Seems like Oprah has already made up her mind about the press in GB, so I suspect we'll see more of the same. Also, those "vicious" newspapers didn't seem to bother her when she went to the Harkle wedding-as a complete stranger.
I thought she was a mostly American entity. That could have something to do with it.
No, she never made it in GB. I don't know if she even tried. But you bring up a good point-jealousy. I believe that Oprah is as big of a narc as MM, and jealousy is a big part of that.
When Oprah gets on a bandwagon, she goes all in. Her voice becomes louder and she gets very angry. She can barely control her rage in the Sarah video.
As for the Oprah interview and payments.....I don't think so. Please bear with me as I try to explain.
I believe the Oprah/Markle relationship has always been HIGHLY transactional. Oprah received an invite to the wedding (why? Would she have known D-rate actress from "Suits", or JCMH either?). The invite to the wedding (and reception? I don't remember) was in exchange for an interview at some future date.
Further favors on Oprah's part to ensure this big "tell all" include arranging for the Harkles to quickly escape Canada before total lockdown on Tyler Perry's private jet, and couch surfing accomodations at Perry's Cali mansion.
I believe Megs concocted her whole plan last fall, of miscarriage, sad article, pregnancy, announcement, and interview to coincide and boost both her court case, and the annual review. Another transaction with Oprah was her insipid vegan oatmeal latte. Meg & Oprah share the sugars, after all. Who better to help Megs (now and in the future) to boost Goop v.2.0 type stupid merching? Vegan latte. Srsly?
It woudn't surprise me in the least if Meghan is attempting to use Oprah to help conceptualize or produce Netlix material. It's now quite obvious the Harkles are incapable of producing anything on their own. We know it. They know it.
So I expect to see a set piece interview, with Oprah slipping in a few sneaky things to get a scoop. Payback time is real in the BIGS Meg. I expect it to be her last mistake, a la the Sir Paul lyric..."that was your last mistake, and you broke it in two". Transaction fail! The End.
Sorry for the essay, it makes sense in my head, hard to put to words, though. Thanks for bearing with me here. I'll sit back and listen. And try to catch up, again. The comments move so fast here I mostly have a hard time keeping up.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/76abae295c4bf93fb70ad45307800cfd/e68cf5f50d9e827c-05/s1280x1920/c70f68a1a4f33c41cb70e0869023208ca4fd876e.jpg
https://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2021/02/blind-item-3_13.html
I believe that the Oprah/MM relationship is transactional, too. We have two narcs trying to get the most benefit out of each other.
I also believe that Oprah is desperately trying to take Maya Angelou's place, with MM where Oprah once was in the Oprah/Angelou relationship. She wants people so sit at her feet, looking to her for wisdom. The problem is that Oprah is gullible and has no wisdom to impart.
"The best way would be for Harry to abdicate his title as Prince and give up his claim to be on the succession to the throne list. As far as I understand it this may happen if Harry seeks citizenship in the USA, though some say he could keep his title as he was not born in the USA."
I will defer on some of this to any immigration lawyers who are reading. But I am 100% sure there is nothing that prevents US citizens born in the US from holding titles. There was a Constitutional amendment passed by Congress in 1810 (Titles of Nobility Amendment) that stripped citizenship from US citizens who accepted foreign titles. But all Constitutional amendments must be ratified by 2/3 of the states. That never happened although some copies of The Constitution listing it as the 13th amendment were printed. Today it would require ratification by 38 states (at the time only 13 until Louisiana became a state) and obviously that will never happen. It also will never happen because it make citizens without dual citizenship "stateless." It is true that federal employees cannot accept titles without Congressional approval though. So far as I know though, there is no legal reason that pre-existing titles would have to be surrendered even for a federal employee (although a titled US citizen might have trouble getting elected but most federal employees aren't elected anyway)
I will defer to immigration specialists but I am nearly 100% sure that if Harry were to become a citizen he would have to give up his titles as those signify allegiance to a foreign power. While we allow dual citizenship, we don't allow outward signs of allegiance like titles when taking the oath. So naturalized citizens are held to a different standard than birthright citizens. No apology from me on that. Many countries do that.
Finally, even if Harry abdicated his place in line, that wouldn't remove Archie (or the upcoming "Diana Archibella.") He can't abdicate for his children. Edward VIII was forced to do that for any possible future children but that's different. I guess if they all joined the Catholic Church they'd be out but I'd say there's no chance if that happening.
California starts dreaming of Meghan the politician
A prominent Democratic strategist says the Sussexes’ mental health work could provide a launchpad into politics
The Duchess of Sussex is believed to be “putting her toe in the water” of electoral politics
SIMON DAWSON/REUTERS
Will Pavia, New York | Valentine Low
Saturday February 13 2021, 12.01am GMT, The Times
Part 1
When it emerged that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had met Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, privately before the US election, it prompted surprise and wild speculation that Meghan wanted to be considered for a vacant Senate seat if Kamala Harris became vice-president.
But many California Democrats were not surprised; they were delighted. “I think it’s fantastic,” said Mike Trujillo, a prominent Democratic strategist. In his view, the duchess was following a “well-worn path”, adopted by Arnold Schwarzenegger ahead of his foray into politics.
“She’s doing everything that’s appropriate and allowed given her new position but she’s definitely putting her toe in the water,” he said. “And once your toe is in the water your whole foot is in and next thing you know you are knee-deep and then you are fully in.”
Since their arrival in Santa Barbara last summer, the couple have started a foundation devoted to causes such as more equal provision of mental health services and “racial and economic justice in the tech sector”. Their first podcast on Spotify featured Stacey Abrams, the politician and activist whose years of organising work in Georgia are widely credited with helping Joe Biden and the Democrats win the state for the first time since 1992.
Trujillo felt that the duchess was leading these forays. “Everything she’s doing is similar to what other folks have done before they run for office,” he said. “Arnold Schwarzenegger, before he ran for governor, had a big after-school foundation that promoted opening after-school clubs, that was called Arnold’s All Stars. He used that as a vehicle to talk about the need for tutoring and after school care. Really easy stuff. That’s what introduced him to politics.”
He thought the couple’s advocacy of mental health and their foundation could provide a similar launchpad.⭐⭐⭐ [How does this work when they themselves are in need of straight jackets??!!]
Another Democrat strategist, Roger Salazar, who worked in the Clinton administration, said the state has a long history of being open, politically, to newcomers. “California is one of those states that welcomes fresh perspectives,” he said. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see Prince Harry getting more involved.”
Others are more sceptical. One well-informed source said: “I don’t really think she has political ambitions now. But her ego knows no bounds, so maybe she is keeping the door open. But she cannot right now, because they are very focused on making money. Running for public office and making a fortune don’t go together.”[Ha ha ha!]⭐⭐
A source close to the Sussexes said the meeting with Newsom was “nothing political — it was more social than anything. It was with the governor and his wife.”
In Santa Barbara, the writer Laure-Anne Bosselaar said that the understanding locally was that the meeting with the governor was in relation to their foundation and what they hoped to achieve with it. But she added: “They are going to be active”.
The actor Rob Lowe💋 recently said that he had sighted his new neighbour, Harry, in his car and had determined that “his hair had grown very long”. But it was apparently a rare sighting. “He’s been very reclusive. Seeing him in the neighbourhood is like seeing the Loch Ness Monster,” he told James Corden on The Late Late Show.
Another neighbour, Oprah Winfrey, presumably sees more of them: she is working on a documentary series with Harry about mental health — when she is not busy puffing the brand of vegan lattes that Meghan invested in.
Other than that, there have been few public sightings of the duchess in recent months. With her court case against The Mail on Sunday over earlier than expected, Meghan is now free to concentrate on the future. Harry, on the other hand, has another issue to deal with: tax.
The rules say that if someone is in the US for an average of 120 days a year for two years they are liable for US tax: Harry and Meghan are believed to have spent at least 240 days in the US in 2020. However, David Lesperance, a tax lawyer, said that the Internal Revenue Service was being “generous” to people who claim that they have been trapped in the country because of Covid-19.
“I think it’s a pretty strong argument,” he said. “They are going to be fairly flexible, not because of who he is but because of the circumstances.”
US tax, he said, was something he would want to avoid. “As someone who has spent three decades assisting Americans to undo the noose of US taxation, I would advise the internationally-focused Mr. Sussex not to blithely climb the same scaffold.”
Jenn,
Well, I guess I didn't get enough sleep last night. I thought your post above this one said that you were going ISA, and I was wondering how I missed a person or place named Isa that had to do with The Harkles. I know you meant LSA. Maybe I need a nap? Too much champagne last night?
.............
Hope you enjoyed your lobster dinner!💓
The last couple of days have been disappointing, and despite all the articles about M having to be careful with this suit, pushing her luck, etc, here she is, having “won” the case for all practical purposes. After raging about it internally for a bit, I began to wonder: we are in this for the gossip and the drama, yes, but are we getting carried away with speculation upon speculation? I have lost all sense of perspective because there are so many unknowns that are each just so audacious., and even individually make no sense. M having “trapped” H (lovebombed), not following the rules at the RF premises (without facing any consequences), insulting the Queen and country (again, no consequences), crying racism and victim hood while proclaiming to be an independent feminist (M doesn’t do nuance at all), the business with Archie (oh lawd, the rabbit hole that this is!), and now with fresh material: the second baby and the Oprah interview.
I’ve missed many episodes of this epic tragicomedy, but please bear with me while I play the devil’s advocate.
I believe her Oprah interview will be about re-establishing her image as a strong, independent woman (now also a brilliant and visionary businesswoman), who has upended the damsel in distress story by rescuing the trapped prince from his gilded cage. She now firmly has her sights set on how she can help the world, how she can revolutionise social media, the press, philanthropy, film production, etc etc, and what her plans are for the future in America. H, Arch and the bump are sympathetic side characters who will light her up with a saintly glow. And Oprah will be the priest who launches her into American celebrity stratosphere and baptises her as the Ultimate Saviour.
This, anyway, is what I think they plan. M has an entire team of PR folks, and you don’t really need to be in PR to understand that directly attacking the BRF is not helpful. It’s one thing to lob potshots via anonymous friends, which she can and will brazenly deny, but it’s another to say it yourself on tv. So the aim will be to only hint about the torture she endured in Britain, and mostly talk about how they survived something terrible and here they are trying to start a new life in the land of opportunity. They may even add in details aboutAchewell that have been missing thus far.
I think I’m mostly trying to temper my own inevitable disappointment if the Oprah interview is also declared a win, but my overall point is (I think) that we expect a neat fall of the narc in one fell karmic swoop, but, as someone mentioned earlier, it’s probably going to play out very differently and slowly. She may be using every little bit of self discipline she has to make sure her projects take off, and Oprah may be the biggest attempt at “success”, but luckily M doesn’t follow rules, so there’s always the chance of an epic mess.
The uncertainty is part of what makes all of this so juicy. Will she/ won’t she. But she’s not going to have a huge fall from grace overnight. Not if the reputations of the likes of the BRF, Oprah etc are involved.
That’s it from me. Also, Warby made a very spineless call on the SJ, makes me wonder what happened behind the scenes, and if the BRF is helping her (because they are actually helping themselves), then there’s never going to be any gotcha kraken moment, I’m afraid.
Insightful.
I agree, there are too many BIG reputations on the line for an immediate and swift fall from on high. I mean look at all the lies, insinuations, and crass behaviors since Megxit and well, here we are.
One can only hope for the Archiefall from grace.
'Harry’s dilemma: the public wants real royals, not Hollywood ones
The Daily Telegraph 16 Feb 2021 By Camilla Tominey ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Part 1
Behind the carefully choreographed Valentine’s Day announcement of the Sussexes’ second baby lies a dilemma for the sixth-in-line to the throne after Meghan agreed to do a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Caught in a tug of love between his new-found family and his old family “Firm”, Prince Harry, 36, now finds himself having to negotiate his wife’s desire for both maximum publicity and unprecedented privacy – while ensuring that already bitter relations with the Royal family do not sour even further.
For make no mistake – this is now Harry’s battle to fight alone.
Having always had an eye on the bigger prize of American adulation over British blandishments, the Duchess appears to have little intention of returning to the UK. Yet for a British prince still seemingly desperate to keep up his royal and military ties, it is much more complicated.
While the Daily Star’s front page headline yesterday “Publicity-shy woman tells 7.67bn people: I’m pregnant” may have been unnecessarily mean-spirited, royal watchers could be forgiven for being confused by the Sussexes’ current modus operandi.
A couple who left the Royal family because of the “intense scrutiny” they faced cannot seem to resist courting publicity with endless tirades against the media, court actions, stagemanaged photo opportunities with Vogue snappers – and now a televised tête-à-tête with the US’S leading talk show host?
Billed as a “wide-ranging interview” with Meghan “covering everything from stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure”, Harry will only join the pair later to discuss the more anodyne aspects of their move to America and “their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family”. So this is ultimately the Meghan show, with a side order of Harry.
Naturally, the Palace will fear a repeat of Diana, Princess of Wales’s 1995 Panorama interview, now the subject of a BBC inquiry, in which Prince Charles’s estranged wife gave a doe-eyed depiction of how miserable life was in the monarchy.
Having long adopted the Queen’s mantra of “never complain, never explain”, Meghan will effectively be able to give her own version of events, unchallenged.
They are also unlikely to look favourably on the format – not least when Winfrey’s last royal interview was with Sarah, Duchess of York.
All of which leaves Harry in a very tricky position indeed.
Following her court victory over The Mail on Sunday after the publication of a private letter she wrote to her father Thomas Markle Snr, Meghan accused the newspaper group of playing a “game”, declaring: “I share this victory with each of you – because we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better.”
Yet what the Duchess has never quite understood is that when it comes to the royals what the public actually wants is the unvarnished truth, rather than the “Oprah’d” version, liberally layered with endless coats of gloss.
That is why we lap up pictures of the Cambridge children covered in paint, or Kate sporting muddy knees. We don’t want Hollywood royals, but real ones.
While celebrity-worshipping Americans might happily swallow any amount of word salad tossed up by Harry and Meghan, the British prefer members of the monarchy to take themselves a little less seriously.
Indeed, that is why Harry used to be so popular in the UK. Like his late mother, he had a fantastic sense of humour and was never afraid of sending himself up.
But since he has moved to the US, he appears to have suffered from the sort of humility malfunction that results in a black and white image of his wife’s pregnancy seemingly being likened to the Second Coming.
“With the tree of life behind them and the garden representing fertility, life and moving forward, they didn’t need any direction, because they are, and always have been, waltzing through life together as absolute soulmates,” said photographer Misan Harriman yesterday in a press release that left most people this side of the Atlantic reaching for the nearest sick bucket.
While there is no justification for what Meghan last week described as “illegal and dehumanising” media practises, when she calls for “reliable, fact-checked, high-quality news”, she must be prepared for that to include negative coverage – not just sycophantic drivel designed only to add zeros to their commercial dealings.'
There are some astute comments and it is obvious that Megalo has never understood the British people and the BRF. She thought having a common language meant she understood it all. Not wanting to be nasty but I hope the interview backfires.
Caught up on the comments and omg, the writing here is Pulitzer Prize worthy. I’ve never laughed so hard. Megs should ditch her PR team and join us here. She has NO IDEA what she’s missing!
I am quite excited about the continual 90s references from Megalomaniac. She was supposedly 12 in 1993, which is where I peg her emotional age to be. The woman never gained awareness for others and I believe she is ‘mind-blind’ A.K.A stunted like her hubs Harry.
Queen of the 90s Media and Meghan? You all are right that it must be a dream come true for Megs.
Referring back to Meghan and her dinner party conversation with Hot Rob, McPhee and Foster...I’m wondering how Megs is going to fill 90 MiNUTES of screen time. The woman has NO LIFE. No accomplishments, no inspiration, just money from a Royal family! I’d rather Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen get the interview- they would not hold back. Set it up like a Housewives Reunion. Harry, Meghan, Vinyl Boy, the dogs, and A Darren Doll, include Doria and Markus to round out the family. Now that would be $$$$.
90 minutes? I guess she has her list of historic dumbass decisions to rewrite. It reminds me of the Lohan interview. It was done to rehab her image but because she backstabbed too many people and had too little work ethic she just disappeared afterwards.
We know Meghan is determined to NOT disappear from our screens (don’t worry, hubs IS working on the blocker) but what ELSE could she stand for?
Meghan stands for herself only. She doesn’t stand for anything we all value in society. Oprah at least was able to fawn caring for others, scripted, for years and years.
Raise your hand if you think Megs is going to ask for donations to Archewell from the general public via the Oprah Special?
Matilda's abdication instrument contained a negotiation that allowed her son to be installed as King after her usurping cousin Stephen died instead of Stephen's own son inheriting after him.
James's baby son was declared heir apparent, PoW, DoC, DoR within weeks of his birth, but when James abdicated his throne, the boy and any descendants from that line were included in that instrument.
I think the HRH divorce amendement shows that The Queen can make the necessary change if the offending family member irritates her enough.
Ditto allowing Charles to finally divorce even though the PoW wasn't technically allowed to do so by convention or constitution.
You are right that it would be impossible to remove Harry's children from the line, but precedent and unexpected modern situations may cause it to happen.
It's almost certain that if William were in charge, he'd find a way to do it without hesitation.
90 minutes is a very long time indeed. I fear a lot of it will be used to complain about the Brits, Britain, the BRF up to a point (can't slag them off too much or the money will dry up), how unfairly she was treated etc.
Being in the UK,I don't know Oprah's interviews, but I can imagine there will be some flattering opening about how radiant Megsy is looking, actually blossoming with this pregnancy etc. You can imagine Megalo lapping it up and smiling broadly. I'm sure some of the questions if not all will be scripted and some topics will be out of bounds, e.g. Archie, except to remind us how wonderful he is and ahead of his peers etc. Sick bags at the ready.
This is also Meghan planting seeds for her future political aspirations. She wants to abolish the monarchy and run for office. And when she does, her platform will include defeating racism and old-fashioned views and nepotism.
@Maneki Neko: What Harry can do is renounce his titles but he can't remove himself from the line of succession
I think you are technically correct, but the reality is, that if Hazmat issued a statement that he felt unable and unwilling to carry out his duty (to succeed to the Throne) should he be called upon to do so, then he would force Parliament to enact legislation declaring that he no longer is in the LOS.
Even without Hazmat making such a statement, the LOS is a matter for the Parliament, and should they view someone in the LOS as wholly unsuitable (e.g. they certifiably insane, or they were in a perpetual coma - both of which arguably Hazmat is)
then Parliament can enact such legislation at any time.
The clue's in the feet...
She seems so lost in her own bullshit, that I can’t imagine this to be a grounded interview. She surely can’t bleat on about how she isn’t ok. She has to make herself look inspirational to Americans. Look what she overcame! Look how kind she is to the universe! Will she avoid Covid talk? Or lean into it with her typical ‘we all, we must, together we can’ statements.
It’s going to be wild seeing their Egos interact together.
The funny thing is, we don’t want a Meghan interview. We want Harry. Solo.
Re: a Harry interview, this line from the DM cracked me up:
“Harry will also feature in the 90-minute show.“
Despite my attempt to predict a milquetoast interview by M in my previous comment, I honestly don’t know what to expect, especially after reading about how disastrous previous Royal interviews have been. I mean, given how manipulative she is, I wouldn’t be surprised if she deliberately set off a proverbial bomb in this interview. She surely would have read about how Diana’s Panorama interview set into motion a chain of events that led to all manner of things, including the Queen herself advising Charles to divorce her (I wonder when the Queen will draw Harry aside and “advise” him to divorce M). M is an agent of chaos, thriving while others are struggling to make sense of what she has unleashed. I can imagine M and Oprah discussing racism in Britain and nodding sagely at each other in shared victimhood after having personally experienced racism in its ugliest forms (yeah, right. barf).
Come to think of it, hasn’t Oprah’s behaviour at times indicated a narcissistic personality?��
In the pregnancy announcement picture of the Harkles
The true of ife was a prominent gesture
Was the the setting for the pregnancy announcement featuring the tree if life more than symbolic ?
Just a coincidence ?
Or a merching opportunity for free treatment ?
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"As an aside, Harry cannot 'abdicate'. Only the reigning monarch can. What Harry can do is renounce his titles but he can't remove himself from the line of succession (please correct me if I'm wrong)."
Correct.
@Lizzie and i are using 'abdicate' as an easy shorthand for the general idea of Harry removing himself and his descendants from the line.
Of course in ye old times, a trip to the tower would have sorted all of this out.
I'm asking, does she have an audience, does anyone care? I never watched her show, but she did have a pretty magazine, but that seems like a long time ago. From what I've read here, her interviews seem to be substance-less and syncopantic, and this one in particular seems like a "reward" for the wedding invitation.
In short, why her, who cares?
Surely, even Oprah wants that answered! Hopefully she asks them what the hoopla is, are the press still bothering you, and if so, why? They’re not leading private lives after all.
Or is Megs going to interrupt Queen Oprah at times to interject and say stupid things like , “well surely you understand Oprah, we all employ the same tactics”.
I think Oprah having the final interview before she further crashes and burns is fantastic insight. Oprah ain’t a billionaire for no reason. She’s the woman Megs wishes she could be, but that would require years and years of work. I don’t recall Oprah sleeping her way to publicity....
I looked further into OWN network, which was launched in 2011 under Discovery Inc (food network), and funded with - you guessed it- $100MM :) . Anyway, long story short it was an abysmal failure that lead to Oprah having a nervous breakdown! You know what revived the network?? A multi-year exclusive deal with who else??? Tyler Perry! Tyler saved her network with scripted programming.
All roads lead to $100mm, and Tyler Perry. Curious as to why they didn’t do the initial deal with Meghan? Has me thinking they hooked her up with the Netflix meeting and are in that deal in the background. Everyone wants to make Meghan work to make them money. I’m kind of here for it. Lol.
Taken from Skippy blog posters
Comment:Palace now quickly shutting down official Royal Engagements. And the September baby birth date now moves to June
From what I understand it was the BBC that put out the misinformation about the September due date. Apparently they were speculating that she was on the same timeline as Diana because she made the announcement on the same day Diana did, but it has since come out that MM is farther along than Diana was at the time of her
Palace 'only found out about Harry and Meghan's new Oprah interview on Twitter'
The Palace was reportedly not pre-warned about Prince Harry and Meghan's upcoming interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfry, which is se
Questions for Oprah to ask MM….
1. How well did you know the Seagrams family? (Brontfman Nvxium)
2. How well did you know Jeffrey Epstein?
3. How well did you know Harvey Weinstein?
4. Can you name all the sleazy men you have known?
5. What’s up with you and Markus Anderson?
6. What the hell is up with you and Mio?
7. How many years have you been associated with Soho?
8. What did you use to coerce the fakeage….and marriage?
9. Have you ever been pregnant….not fakeant?
10. What about your missing years? Were you yachting then? In prison? Where were you?
11. Do you keep Archie on a shelf? Or in a drawer?
12. Is it true you are a very detail oriented person?
13. Why do you write all your own articles?
14. How many BOTS have you hired?
15. How do you contact your sugars? Do you use pigeons?
16. So, tell us…we know you have never owned anything of your own….do you live on the streets? Do you live under Mio’s bed? Is the rumour true that you are living in a Mexico with your father?
17. Do you pay your family with promises or cash?
18. Do you have a prison record? Juvenile record?
19. Is there nothing you won’t merch? Are sex toys next for you Meghan?
20. Is there anyone you won’t sell out?
21. Do you know Canadians can’t stand you?
22. Can you tell us about your mother’s missing years?
23. How long have you owned Meghan’s Mirror?
24. Is it true you once had at a a movie career in porn?
25. Come on tell us….you WANTED the public to see the letter to your father…right
"Could I just ask any US readers who have a conventional TV: do you watch talk shows? is Oprah still a "thing"? Or is she a relic...."
I wasn't sure if my cable provider even included OWN. But it does. Looked up the schedule of offerings-- yuck. Starting at 9am tomorrow I could watch 7 straight hours of Dr. Phil. I can't believe that charlatan is still on TV ruining lives.
No interest in watching Oprah interview anyone. But I don't watch "celebrity" talk shows. Don't know who does watch O these days. She used to be background noise in while waiting for the car to have the oil changed.
“Late comedian Caroline Aherne starred as the wry, no-nonsense elderly host of mock talk show The Mrs Merton Show in the 1990s, interviewing a litany of stars...
But it was her chat with Debbie (McGee) that stands out above the others, and her brazen question about her guest’s marriage … has been voted TV’s best one-liner in a poll of 2,000 British fans…
In the 1995 interview, Caroline’s Mrs Merton asked Debbie: “So what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”
At: https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2017/04/18/news/mrs-merton-s-brazen-question-to-debbie-mcgee-voted-best-one-liner-999791/
I've used renounce in other discussions but not in this one. Must have been somebody else. But I think we all know what is meant whether "abdicate" a place in line or "renounce" a place is used. I also don't think "Good King Harry" would ever do it willingly.
Alas, I can't take credit for the Hobbit bit. That came from Piers Morgan. And yes he was referring to Hap's feet. Lol.
I equated the LSA phrase 'securing the bag' to the Duke-esque and viola Mrs. Bilbo Baggins was born :D
Splendid list of questions. Wouldn’t we dream of seeing it?! Oprah would finally have something watchable again. But as she is a Harvey Weinstein apologist, a narcissist, and lies and shenanigans and cover-ups are her thing too, it probably won’t happen.
A guess: Oprah is trying to test a new run, with an Oprah version of monthly specials. She has a little watched cable channel and some line of frozen foods, but probably still craves attention.
I think M thinks it is a test run for a big talk show and Oprah career of her own. Hence, not much Harry. Lol. When worlds collide....
I never watched Oprah or any talk show. The blathering upsets my penchant for silence while having down time. I particularly detest shows like the Talk, View etc. which my sister watches. I can't be in the same room with a tele spewing sound pollution.
I have always found Oprah a narcissist gas bag. Is it no wonder she and Megsy are sitting in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g all pal-sy wal-sy? Ugh...
Your list of questions for the interview just nails it. Brilliant!
“....What is it she expects Americans to do about her supposed mistreatment by a family she chose to marry into? Boycott watching their next wedding? Throw their tea into the harbor?”
Now, THAT is a question Oprah should ask her! But two greedy control freaks in one interview?
It will instead be an arse-kissing yawn fest in search of two more Weight Watchers deals or similar. Oprah has an 8% to 12.3% share ownership deal with WW for the net three years. Oh I can help with those post-bump pounds, Megsy! Here’s your bug American check.
"With the tree of life behind them and the garden representing fertility, life and moving forward, they didn’t need any direction, because they are, and always have been, waltzing through life together as absolute soulmates,” said photographer Misan Harriman yesterday in a press release that left most people this side of the Atlantic reaching for the nearest sick bucket.
Indeed. All that's missing from that repulsive photo are golden halos and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing...Hallelujah! Hallelujah!, Halaay lool yah!!...
Double Ugh.
"The HAMs will censor anything said in the ibterview though, they dare not risk a live interview. But Megs vanity and pride in her word salad may still cause a slip up plus Harry's loose tongue and gormlessness are always a risk."
True. If it's actually true the interview has already been taped though, that does leave plenty of time for editing and approval of the final product. M won't recognize her own failures but she will recognize Harry's.
So, Celt Views seems to think the photo is an old one taken in Australia during their trip when she “was pregnant with Archie.” She suggests the clothing is the a match for what they wore there, and Harry’s fuller head of hair (no Friar Tuck look) suggests the photo is old as well.
Thoughts?
It also exposed the fact that there is no cohesion among the offices. The Sussexes interview will be a car crash interview. But if the palace is going to be proactive enough to handle the fall out is what I'm not confident about. What do you think? Do you think the palace can handle the fall out and do you think the interview will have the impact Diana's own had on the BRF?
'Oprah Winfrey has been told she can ask Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'anything she wants' during her 'intimate' tell-all interview with the couple it has been revealed - news that is likely to spark fresh fears for Buckingham Palace over what embarrassing revelations may come to light during the 'wide-ranging' prime time sit-down.
According to Oprah's best friend Gayle King, the 67-year-old has been given complete freedom over what topics she discusses with Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, during the televised interview - which will cover everything from the couple's marriage and new pregnancy to their exit from the royal family.'
I wonder how far she'll dare go. Our American Nutties are better placed to answer this.
Another DM article says it all. The BRF is not interested.
'A hastily-prepared 18-word statement from Buckingham Palace reacting to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle saying they were expecting a second child was in stark contrast to their first pregnancy statement three years ago.
The first announcement in October 2018 featured a 95-word statement from Kensington Palace on behalf of the couple, the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and Meghan's mother Doria Ragland.'
Re. the pregnancy announcement photo being taken in Australia: we can't see enough to judge. I don't know California but Australia did make me think of it. Meg's wasn't in an advanced stage of pregnancy in Australia. Hard to day.
Today’s echoes of the events of 1688 are loud: the evidence for the public attitude towards Mary of Modena’s critical pregnancy are worth quoting here:
p 56…`the Queen’s great belly is everywhere ridiculed, as if scarce anybody believes it to be true’. (Earl of Clarendon)
p.56-7 `I can’t help thinking (the King’s) wife’s great belly is a little suspicious… her being so positive that it will be a son , and the principles of that religion such that they will stick at nothing, be it never so wicked, if it will promote their interest, give some cause to fear there may be foul play intended.’ (Princess Anne, James’s daughter)
and so on.
Anne even mentions that it could be a `false belly’ and that were she permitted to feel the bump, the question would be resolved. Mary, however, wouldn’t get undressed in front of her step-daughter.
Even the Earl of Danby observed that Mary’s servants were surprised at how quickly the belly increased in size, compared with their own experience.(p57).
Anne herself was in Bath when the Queen went into labour so couldn’t say what had happened. Months later, there was still such disquiet that the Privy Council had a special meeting at which 42 men and women, who had been present at the birth in some capacity, were witnesses to there being nothing untoward about the birth and that the baby was indeed the King’s son. (pp58-9)
Not that that had any effect – William of Orange was preparing invade – the die was cast and fear of a resurgence of official Catholicism was so great that when Wm landed he was greeted as the saviour of Protestantism (not that that was his primary concern – he expected to be king anyway, more or less, when his wife succeeded her father, assuming the lack of a male heir).
His interest was the formation of a strong Anglo-Dutch alliance to curb the ambitions of Louis XIV of France. Without it, the Netherlands were doomed.
Strange how we’re repeating the doubts about Mary of Modena’s pregnancy but, whereas there were 42 people prepared to witness to the veracity of James Francis Edward’s birth, we haven’t a single one asserting that Archie’s birth was above board.
Oprah and Netflix etc they are old guard media types who want cheap advertising for their respective careers. This puts Oprah in front of a younger audience again. Her OWN platform is focused on being an African American Female content network. Well, it was. They may have shifted away from that, but all of this Royalty stuff lines up for Oprah. Also, if Meghan goes up in further flames -it’s not like Oprah has much to do with her publicly other than this tell-all interview. The upside for Oprah is huge, the upside for Meghan? Meh, she probably thinks it’s better for herself than it is. And like everyone else pointed out...Meghan has to pay Oprah back for the Jets and Homes during her great runaway. Meghan is being outplayed here, though, and I’m here for it.
The only entertainment person who publicly played Meghan wrong was Beyonce. Putting her image as a Queen in her absurd video, then acted fawning in front of Bob Igor at the Lion king premier. It was such an OFF move for Queen Bey. She bows to no one and here she was prematurely grasping onto Meghan....I remember thinking ‘uh-oh’ at the time and now we have video which forever damages Beyoncé’s brand. Amazing.
liauq, w midlands
'First question: Exactly why was I invited to your wedding?
Second question: Were you still with Cory when you took up with Harry?
Third question: When you were papped in Canada, that was a doll, wasn't it?'
As for the remark about Rache needing to be careful discussing Archie, I think it is indicative of Arbiter having doubts of Rache being a good manager of Archie's "privacy." Or perhaps the BRF has a larger hand in controlling the life of Archie than the Sussexes do. Arbiter just gave a friendly reminder.
----
Very interesting observation about the age of that photo, tho' the row of strappy-leaved plants look like those `growing' in the thatch of the Christmas card stable. Or were the ones on the card lifted from the preggy pic?
Certainly possible. Although I didn't think she was that far along when they were there.
H's hair is a problem. If that's his real hair then possibly Australia. However, when you zoom in on the picture, his hair pixels become extremely blurry whilst the sides stay clear. Leads me to think photoshopped hair.
----------------
James Corden and the bus pictures...
Wasnt there some hoopla recently when a guest on Corden's show made some comment about seeing H out driving, and it made Corden extremely uncomfortable.
I wonder if what he saw was H on the bus and was needling Corden about it.
O became very obsessed with herself and I've never watched anything with her again. I know about her magazine, O which always featured herself on the cover. I believe it recently went under or is about to. I believe her OWN network is in dire straights too. When she tied herself to WW, i stopped buying any WW products.
She used to call herself the new version of Barbara Walters (her alledged idol) but was never even close. She is said to be very controlling. You don't cross her or else. Her way or the high way.
I do not plan on watching it (I'm in US). I may go ahead and record it but i truly have no interest. If I do record it, i'll be happy to share info from it. although there will probably be plenty of others far more literate than I here to report on it.
"@Acquataine, you seem to have a nuanced view of the RF's PR operations. My assessment of their PR is that it's usually reactive and not proactive. The palace also lack efficient crisis managers. The fall out from Andrews interview was a very clear demonstration that the palace are only used to feel good, cushy PR and do not have competent crisis managers.
It also exposed the fact that there is no cohesion among the offices. The Sussexes interview will be a car crash interview. But if the palace is going to be proactive enough to handle the fall out is what I'm not confident about. What do you think? Do you think the palace can handle the fall out and do you think the interview will have the impact Diana's own had on the BRF?"
In so far as individual offices, with rare exception, there has never been a unified voice between the main Palace and it's satellite offices. They frequently work against each other hence the juicy historic conflicts eg Mary vs Elizabeth vs Edward, all the Hanoverians vs their heirs and sometimes their heirs vs their own siblings, Victoria vs her heir, The Queen vs Charles, Charles vs his sons. Charles vs his siblings.
That said, they all have the same goal - to maintain the Monarchy and to promote the dynasty. They are united in that goal and will often pull together for that longterm goal and will play to win.
And they are good at the longterm execution and planning.
Look at how they rehabilitated the young royals.
From work-shy Kate to Queen Kate in less than 2yrs. And making it look organic and natural. The work numbers show that Kate's work rate hasn't improved significantly, but the PR is subtly and smoothly persuading the public that she's now extremely hard working and the best thing that happened to the Crown.
Party prince Harry to Hero Harry in less than 5yrs.
Toxic Camilla to tolerated Camilla.
What they fail at is individual crisis management. To be fair, there are few of those and usually can be overcome very quickly even if it requires flexing their power rather than employing PR.
Their way of using PR is frustrating to the observer when there is a crisis because we are more familiar with the Hollywood crisis management way of creating and handling a crisis.
The Palace has many considerations that prevent them from managing a crisis summarily in the manner of Hollywood. Doing a pap stroll isn't always the solution. Neither is a tearful media interview or good deeds.
It's about balancing the wishes of the public, the law and considering the long term implications of any actions taken. Not to mention the on-going self-inflicted injury of taxpayer funding which means they are answerable to the public in 16 realms.
And if it goes badly wrong, there is rarely an alternative. It could cause a constitutional crisis that throws country into chaos.
The dress Meghan is wearing is supposedly a designer frock she had specially made for her when she was pregnant with Archie (but it was not Summer then, so maybe she wafted around Frogmore Cottage wearing it ... but it is not Summer now either).
You can see that Photoshopping has been done to try to hide Harry's huge bald patch.
I do think the story of them staging themselves and a photographer working remotely from London is a load of baloney. The photograph is carefully staged, in focus, tree and subjects perfectly framed. Doria has a half brother who is about Meghan's age who works as a graphic designer in LA. Perhaps he did the set up and would agree to not have his name mentioned?
As a result, all the Catholic / Catholic wedded Kents were restored to their rightful place in the line of succession.
In the quiet moments during their very public meeting, you see her discomfort and wheels turning to end the meet up asap.
And she doesn't hide the showboating as if she's deliberately showing that this is a fake meeting needed for contractual purposes. 44 glaring moments stand out
1. The videographer filming the hug on the side Beyonce places her head on Meghan's shoulders captures a moment where Beyonce's eyes dart sideways to the camera to see if moment is being captured even as she very publicly says "My Princess" and appears to close her eyes in ecstasy.
2. Straight after the hug, on the other side of Beyonce, Meghan tries to hold onto Beyonce's arm, but Beyonce pulls it away and when Meghan settles for holding her hand, Beyonce balls her hand, making it impossible for Meghan to hold it and has to let go.
3. JayZ barely allows Meghan to get close enough to hug him, and then steps back with a barely concealed disdainful look on his face as he speaks to her. Makes it impossible for her to close in on him.
4. After that encounter with them, Meghan soon runs out of conversation. Clearly they were not forthcoming or helpful in keeping the conversation going and she quickly turns to Harry for help.
Compare and contrast when Beyonce and JayZ met William and Kate.
It starts out as Beyonce and JayZ grandstanding as they cross the court to meet the Cambridges. Ends with them fangirling the Cambridges. The smiles are completely natural. Beyonce can't stop talking and she's looks genuinely thrilled to have met them, she takes her time dropping Kate's hand. She's looking like the fan in that scenerio.
I assume that as a yoga adept(!) she can do belly breathing. By a combination of pushing the diaphragm down, to shove out the abdominal wall, and breathing in to a maximum, she could achieve a fair representation of a pregnancy bulge. Add in arching the back and you have it.
A moonbump would be less of a bother though.