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How will Meghan distract from Prince Philip's funeral tomorrow?

 Saturday afternoon April 17 is the funeral for Prince Philip, a little more than a week after his death.

It's been a remarkable time for the media, which has published numerous stories about how humane and kind this seemingly crotchety old man really was on a one-to-one basis.

My personal favorite came from White House butler Lywood Westray, who served various Presidents for 32 years. When Elizabeth and Philip visited in 1979, the Prince had apparently had enough of the stuffed shirts - and, perhaps, of the Carter family - and hid away from the party for a drink with the staff. 

"The prince was in there by himself, which was odd, because everybody else had gone down to the other end of the building," Westray says. "I said, 'Your Majesty, would you care for a cordial?' He says, 'I'll take one if you let me serve it.' What do you do? I didn't do all that because I had the stuff in my hand. And he says, 'If you let me pour it, I'll have one with you.'

"... So he poured it, the one he wanted, and we took the same thing that he had. And we had our drink there together and had a little talk while we were there. He told us if we were ever over there in London to stop at Buckingham Palace and see him. Can you imagine the prince serving you? I enjoyed it. You know, we're not supposed to drink and carry on at that time. We're not guests. It was just the three of us in the room, so nobody knew what happened. And I drank my little cordial, we all drank, and had a little conversation. But that was one thing I'll never forget, having been served by royalty."

The memories of Philip are just the kind of thing to bring people together, which Meghan must hate, because she prefers to tear people apart. 

As the world prepares for Philip's funeral, it seems inevitable that Meg will do something to bring attention to herself.

What will it be?

Early birth scare

The most obvious approach would be a rush to the hospital to give birth to the daughter she is (supposedly) carrying, perhaps to be named Filippa or some version of Philip's name. (Or "Drew" - Philip's middle name was Andrew, and Meg could get a Drew Barrymore reference as well. Diana Drew Mountbatten-Windsor?)

A "just contractions" false alarm scare would do the trick as well, as would having one of Meg's very good friends, who always seem to be so talkative, release rumors of a Philip-related name.

Other options for attention

The British Consulate in Los Angeles is currently working remotely, so there's no opportunity to go sign the condolence book, as the Duke and Duchess did for the victims of the New Zealand massacre. 

Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited a California cemetery on the most recent Remembrance Day, it seems unlikely Meg will repeat that performance, which got universally poor reviews. 

What do you think Meghan will do to steal the spotlight during Prince Philip's funeral?






Comments

AnT said…
@JennS,
It is silver, yes, and I do still have it. Will check to see if I can find a hallmark on it of some kind. It is an old piece, caramel and rust color stones, he got it from an antique shop near his offices. He knew I loved stones and rocks as children do, and always kept an eye open for something unique, like an amber string.

Re Oprah and Gayle, I remember that Doria was in the audience when O fell on stage at some event. And, Gayle was part of the $500,000k baby shower, wasn’t she?
London Gent said…
Blogger KCM1212 said...
I get it, Gent.

He is not in her league. But I would hate for her to have another loss at her age.

I can't even entertain how sad it will be to lose her.

April 18, 2021 at 10:50 PM

---

Thanks.
JennS said…
@AnT and Puds
O and G are sickening. I do have the christening on my list but had forgotten the Doria links. Remember how Oprah and Doria got together at one point? I think it was before the wedding and supposedly they did yoga together and exchanged gifts. Then there was that event you mentioned where O took a bouncer on stage with Doria present.

Your wee bracelet sounds lovely! How sweet your father was to pick that up for you. Is it something you can still wear? Perhaps add some links to it to lengthen it?

I'm doing a Windsor documentary night - watched Elizabeth and Margaret on Netflix which was very interesting. and now I just started "Prince Philip the plot to make a king" on Amazon Prime.
Anonymous said…
This is OT but did anyone see the article about Prince Andrew’s new car? A 220,000 pounds/$300,000+ Bentley? Call me crazy but if I were in his ignominious state and hoped to one day rehabilitate myself, the last thing I would do—aside from demanding to impersonate an admiral at my father’s funeral—is parade around (knowing the tabloids are stalking you) in a vehicle that costs nearly ten times the average annual British wage—at a time when millions of your countrymen are suffering economically and otherwise.
Anonymous said…
Someone in Montecito will not be a happy camper after they read this:

SARAH VINE: Kate, a class act who can be the monarchy's rock

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9484879/SARAH-VINE-Kate-class-act-monarchys-rock.html
@puds,

My mother was bedbound for nearly 20 years. I can't even recall all of the horrible things that the caregivers did, including stealing my mother's pain meds and fine jewelry and one instance of elder abuse (physical).

I've never hit another person, but the one who did the abuse almost saw the full wrath of Jocelyn's Bellinis fury. She was very lucky that I was able to keep my cool. The one who stole my mothers pain meds and jewelry, I sent to prison for a year.

Out of all of the caregivers over the years, I trusted only two, and they both became close friends of mine. It was only with those two that I could get some sleep. The others, I had to watch closely.
London Gent said…
Just re-watched the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanck.

How in love they are.
PS. What kind of person would steal the pain meds of a 90-year old woman who was in constant pain and in a hospital bed? I can't even think about the abuse, which thankfully, only happened once. I would call it the sexual abuse of an elder person. Thank God Mom told me right away, and I sent that one flying out the door with all of her stuff following behind her.

The district attorney told me after my grand jury appearance to testify against the one who stole the meds and jewelry, that she had thrown her little boy through a glass coffee table, nearly killing him, and he was taken away from her. She was also a meth head with meth head friends. I slept with a gun by my bed for a year.

All of these came from "reputable" caregiving agencies.

Ava C said…
@JennS - The Queen has other pearl and diamond brooches so I was just disappointed she picked the one associated with the Sussex wedding.

I've haven't fully caught up yet but I wanted to add that I think the Queen probably wears the Richmond brooch as an additional emotional support. When would she need it more than at her husband's funeral? That she wore it at the Sussex wedding speaks volumes. It is VERY Queen Mary. Queen Mary at her most imperious and formal. The way the Queen has to be at difficult times, to stay strong.

She was extremely close to George V and Queen Mary as she was left with them for months as a very small child while her parents were abroad. I always loved the story of how George V would get down on his hands and knees and pretend to be a bear for her. And that the carol with the words 'to you and all mankind' she thought was about him as she thought they were singing 'old man kind'.

Queen Mary was far more vulnerable emotionally than the public or indeed the court ever knew. She had a difficult and at times humiliating life in her youth. The example I always remember is that her own very outgoing mother was what we would now call morbidly obese and needed two of those spindly chairs to sit on when watching her daughter at dancing class. You can imagine how unkind the other girls were about that. She was also of lower status in royal circles and cripplingly shy. She built a carapace about herself to survive. I think the Queen will be doing that now more than ever.

I read yesterday about the Queen being upset because Prince Andrew keeps visiting her to ask for more money. We know how he lives and what his means are. He lives in Windsor Great Park, on her doorstep. The strain of dealing with that on a regular basis, AND THEN the prospect of H being there in person too, would be a lot for anyone with a soft heart like the Queen has for her family. If it was me I would have a once-and-for-all reading of the riot act and then instruct my servants to keep PA out but I'm not 94. About to be 95.
O/T

I've been resisting the urge to comment on some of the vocabulary used by Yahoo/Cosmo but I find it such an appalling usage that I have say it.

According to the headline on Yahoo this morning refers to Her Majesty being `coronated', a backformation so hideous and ignorant that I'd like to stuff it down the throat of whoever wrote it.

Monarchs are CROWNED, the past participle of the verb `to crown'. `Coronation' is from the Latin (`Corona = crown') meaning `the process of being crowned'.

Whoever devised such a ghastly mangling of language should've been shot at dawn. At least I can be sure that no Nutty would ever use it!
Magatha Mistie said…

Cheers @Puds@AnT
Glad to be of service 😉
Ava C said…
@WBBM - we're living in a barbarous age. Like Noël Coward we shall rise above it.
Maneki Neko said…
Harry alone with family for first time since Winfrey interview
Senior members of the Royal family spent an hour together after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral


The Daily Telegraph19 Apr 2021By Victoria Ward

Part 1

The Duke of Sussex was reunited with his family at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral on Saturday for the first time in more than a year. They sat together for an hour after the service
THEY gamely presented a united front after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, strolling side by side and chatting amiably as they emerged from St George’s Chapel into the sunshine.

But the Duke of Sussex, 36, was afforded a rare opportunity to have a proper heart to heart with his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, his father and his grandmother on Saturday, as they returned to Windsor Castle.

There, after the ceremony, when most other guests had melted away, senior members of the Royal family spent an hour together, face to face for the first time in more than a year.

There, reunited in grief and in their support for the Queen, the Duke of Sussex is understood to have spent valuable time with Her Majesty, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

It was the first time they had been together under one roof since the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey last March, when the frostiness and tension were palpable.

The group remained locked in conversation, no doubt comforting the Queen in her darkest moment.

But it would have been odd had they not addressed the elephant in the room, the Duke’s televised interview with Oprah Winfrey and the damaging allegations made by him and the Duchess of Sussex.

Aside from suggesting members of the family were racist and had ignored the Duchess’s pleas for help when she felt suicidal, the Duke had accused his brother of being “trapped” within the monarchy and said he felt “really let down” by his father.

In response, the Queen said the “serious allegations” would be addressed privately, but added that “recollections may vary”.

The Duke of Cambridge was understood to have been furious, while Prince Charles, 72, was said to feel “let down” by his son and daughter-in-law, whom he had supported “more than he would care to say”.
Maneki Neko said…
Part2

But on Saturday, they were there to support the Queen and it was she, more than anyone, who had been desperate for her family to resolve their differences. If anyone is the driving force behind a reconciliation, it will be the sovereign, sources insist.

But while conversations may have begun, they were brief. Most of the 30 mourners are thought to have left Windsor Castle soon after the service. Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall have newborn babies, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex were there with their two children. The Duke of York left shortly before 5pm, while Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges all left at about 6pm.

The Duke of Sussex, who is staying at Frogmore Cottage, on the Windsor estate, might have taken the opportunity for a final word with his grandmother before heading back home.

While there were suggestions this weekend that the Duke might stay in the UK until the Queen’s birthday on Wednesday, others said he wanted to return to his pregnant wife, Meghan, and their two-year-old son Archie in California as soon as possible.

Sources close to him refused to divulge his travel plans, keen to avoid him being followed or mobbed by paparazzi at the airport.

The Duke is understood to have brought his own private security team from the US, who travelled with him on a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow.

Although the Sussexes were stripped of their round-the-clock royal protection when they stepped back from royal duties, it is thought the group were met at the airport by personal protection officers from Scotland Yard.

The Duke’s private team is likely to have stayed at Frogmore before returning with him, potentially as early as today. The Duchess, 39, is due to begin maternity leave in about three weeks, with the couple’s second child, a daughter, thought to be due in about a month.

However, he has committed to being back in the UK for the unveiling of the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, on July 1, which would have been her 60th birthday, suggesting they expect her to have given birth a reasonable time before that.

The event will be the next time the two brothers are seen together in public, and the first occasion since the Duke of Sussex moved abroad that the focus is solely on them.
Maneki Neko said…
So Harry flew in with his own private security team. How big is a team? Who's paying?
Thank you, Ava. I really should frame that thought and put above my desk!
Ava C said…
I definitely get the feeling they're playing nicey-nicey for the sake of the Queen, just as the royal family and court did around the deathbed of Edward IV. As soon as he was gone, everything changed. By necessity, as one of the families that had married in was utterly rapacious.
Presumably, his `private security team' would have had to give up their weapons at some point?
SwampWoman said…
@Wild Boar Battle-maid, I have never heard the word coronated used. I find that this is in regular use on the internet.
Ava C said…
@WBBM - you're welcome! The number of times that saying has come to my rescue ...
SwampWoman said…
Wait, what? Meghan is going on maternity leave? Leave from what? Sitting on a chair in an ugly dress trashing her husband's family to Oprah?
London Gent said…
Blogger Jocelyn'sBellinis said...
PS. What kind of person would steal the pain meds of a 90-year old woman who was in constant pain and in a hospital bed? I can't even think about the abuse, which thankfully, only happened once. I would call it the sexual abuse of an elder person. Thank God Mom told me right away, and I sent that one flying out the door with all of her stuff following behind her.

The district attorney told me after my grand jury appearance to testify against the one who stole the meds and jewelry, that she had thrown her little boy through a glass coffee table, nearly killing him, and he was taken away from her. She was also a meth head with meth head friends. I slept with a gun by my bed for a year.

All of these came from "reputable" caregiving agencies.

---

Hope I don't derail the thread with O/T.

JMFC.

Ralph L said…
Was he afraid of people on the plane?
If he believes that `Grandpa killed Mummy', he'd be afraid of the Royal Family, although his love of money seems to exceed fear of the `enemy'.
xxxxx said…
So Harry will be back for the Diana statue. He can self isolate in California for ten days, fly via private jet. Then he can be out and about immediately in London after getting a Cov-19 test. More photo ops for H-M to give the illusion of being Royal. Pap walks too for this. More time to siphon money from the bank of Dad. More time to badger Charles. They can stay in FrogsMore for a month perhaps, to make a real spectacle of themselves. To make huge pests of themselves.
More time to try and sucker William. Time enough to finally test out the $5000 copper bath tub.

The Dastadlies will spend time in LA consulting with LA experts in surveillance devices. Spy video cameras and concealed voice recorders. In order to gather some prime Netflix material in England. Also making videos out in the open for this purpose.

I can see H/M rehearsing his moves until this takes place July First. Megs gives birth by then I think and they will both go.
________________

Mar 27, 2021 · PRINCE William and Harry will both attend the unveiling of a statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace on July 1 this year, it has been reported. Officials …
Well, I'll be blowed!!!

That sub-heading I moaned about has been changed to CROWNED!!!

Are we being watched?

Is that my dish-soap moment???
London Gent said…
Blogger xxxxx said...

________________

Mar 27, 2021 · PRINCE William and Harry will both attend the unveiling of a statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace on July 1 this year, it has been reported. Officials …

---

Won't be watching this.
Thank you, Yahoo! You are forgiven.
Now we just need some gentlemen/ladies of the Press, who can take an objective view, to investigate what H****y was really fiddling with as he imposed himself upon William and Catherine...
SwampWoman said…
The conflicting royal tales in the media are interesting. Crystal ball prediction time, everybody! I think that there was a meeting. I expect that PC had to, at a minimum, generously reimburse Family Adder's traveling expenses because I don't think he would have come if he had to pay for it. I expect that Medusa of the Yak Hair will have 'sources' leaking any discussions to put herself in a good light while trashing the family. I'm looking forward to reading about the Queen begging Her Favorite Family Member to return to support the Queen in her time of sorrow after the birth of Diana Philipa Oprah Gayle, for example.
xxxxx said…
@Maneki
It is thought the group were met at the airport by personal protection officers from Scotland Yard.
.....second child, a daughter, thought to be due in about a month......
However, he has committed to being back in the UK for the unveiling of the statue of Diana on July 1, suggesting they expect her to have given birth a reasonable time before that.


Yes! The stars are aligning perfectly for Megs to go with Harry. Their English personal protection officers are the best. They know the lay of the land. They know every nook and cranny, every entrance route and backdoor escape route from buildings. They can easily arrange it so that Megs will only appear at venues where she cannot be booed, to have rotten eggs and tomatoes heaved at her.

The drama never ends for the H/M show. London and England are perfect backdrops for their traveling shitshow. To take 1000gb of video for their upcoming Netflix special event .... "All the world’s a stage"... London, Royal Palaces and England will be the Duo's stage

Their UK sugars are getting psyched up to do their part if needed. To provide adoring crowds for Netflix. Young Sugars of color will be in high demand. The BRF better start preparing for this and finding counter strategies.

How will the Duo explain away that Archie and new born are left behind in Montecito with Doria and nannies? Megs can assert that under English law the Queen can take them away. (this law was struck off I think)
Ava C said…
What with his return visit shortly and this determination from both of them to have a "proper break" with the new baby, Harry's new employers won't be getting much of a look in. Neither of them. And that's not including Netflix and Spotify. Actually, they're all probably happier if he stays away. Thing is though, with his grubby, moth-eaten presentation and lack of social skills, what IS he good for? His employers probably had someone like William Holden's character in Sabrina in mind. A charming, ne'er-do-well with entrée to the best places, to bring in occasionally to oil the wheels of commerce. What a joke to end up with the Windsor reject.
London Gent said…
Re-watching Catherine and William's wedding.

Harry and Meghan will NEVER experience anything like it.

No matter what.

I'm not sorry in the slightest.
Girl with a Hat said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Girl with a Hat said…
I am surprised at comments that I read at CDAN on a post about Markle regarding Philip's cause of death.

Also, Lady C said the same thing, so there is definitely a rumour going around that Philip died of pancreatic cancer.
London Gent said…
Blogger Girl with a Hat said...

... Prince Philip died of pancreatic cancer apparently.
---

Yes. I knew it was cancer of some kind. You only had to look at him to tell.

It was his iron will that kept him going.

SirStinxAlot said…
@Nelo said...
For Charles, as sad as his father's passing undoubtedly has been, the priority now is the reintegration of Harry into royal life."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9484877/RICHARD-KAY-funeral-masterstroke-Charles-just-reunite-warring-sons.html


This is a false flag or wishful thinking, IMO. Dim has even less chance of getting 'reintgrated' than Andrew at the moment. The Oprah interview was last month on Prince Phillips deathbed. Literally! The Disastrous Duo put out stories saying the RF were just using PP health as an excuse yo muzzle them. And they wouldn't try to stop airing it even if they could. "Harry has no say". All the lies and twisted narratives they said, NOPE. I must have missed the divorce announcement, graveling, and public apology.
Ava C said…
I worked with a doctor who had pancreatic cancer and was viewed as a walking miracle as she had survived for five years. One of her colleagues sheepishly asked her for permission to attend her post-mortem when she eventually died because he wanted to write a paper on her. She was a real character and could see the funny side.
Girl with a Hat said…
@London Gent,

the fact that Philip had pancreatic cancer makes the Oprah interview more appalling.

Pancreatic cancer survival rates are less than 1 year for most cases, let alone for people ho are 99 years old. Saying that they thought the RF were "bluffing" about Philip dying just doesn't cut it. I thought that they thought that he was 99 and that 99 year olds don't have a long life expectancy, normally.

But knowing that he had cancer, and that at a certain stage, cancer sufferers' doctors will say that the patient doesn't have long to live, especially with pancreatic cancer, that is a different ball of wax altogether.
Girl with a Hat said…
@Ava C,

Stephen Jay Gould, the famous writer and scientist also survived 5+ years after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. When he learned of the diagnosis, he found out how few people survived past 5 years, but decided that he was going to be one of them, and he was.
London Gent said…
Blogger SirStinxAlot said...
@Nelo said...


For Charles, as sad as his father's passing undoubtedly has been, the priority now is the reintegration of Harry into royal life."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9484877/RICHARD-KAY-funeral-masterstroke-Charles-just-reunite-warring-sons.html

---

This is a false flag or wishful thinking, IMO. Dim has even less chance of getting 'reintgrated' than Andrew at the moment. The Oprah interview was last month on Prince Phillips deathbed. Literally! The Disastrous Duo put out stories saying the RF were just using PP health as an excuse yo muzzle them. And they wouldn't try to stop airing it even if they could. "Harry has no say". All the lies and twisted narratives they said, NOPE. I must have missed the divorce announcement, graveling, and public apology.

---

Yep.

Harry is going to be very, very, VERY sorry, if he isn't already.

He will also regret the missus.

No one wants to admit it, but he f......ed up big time.
Girl with a Hat said…
Well, doctors say that cancer is a disease of the elderly and normally, that's the case. The older you are, the more chance you have of coming down with the disease. I am just surprised that it would be pancreatic cancer because it's normally associated with people with excess weight.
London Gent said…
Blogger Girl with a Hat said...
@London Gent,

the fact that Philip had pancreatic cancer makes the Oprah interview more appalling.

Pancreatic cancer survival rates are less than 1 year for most cases, let alone for people ho are 99 years old. Saying that they thought the RF were "bluffing" about Philip dying just doesn't cut it. I thought that they thought that he was 99 and that 99 year olds don't have a long life expectancy, normally.

But knowing that he had cancer, and that at a certain stage, cancer sufferers' doctors will say that the patient doesn't have long to live, especially with pancreatic cancer, that is a different ball of wax altogether.

---

I know about cancer. I lost my wife to glioblastoma.

And you are correct. Harry knew. And he ignored it.

I really don't have words bad enough to apply to him.
London Gent said…
To answer Nutty Flavor's question, I would say that there is NOTHING Markle could say that would in any way do at all.

Nothing.
London Gent said…
I noticed that Sir Tim Laurence acknowleged the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at the altar before he left ....

:)
Maneki Neko said…
Will the viper have recovered from her exhausting labour to fly across the pond for the unveiling of Diana's statue, assuming she he due before? Whereas pregnancy (or moonbump) stopped her flying this time, she wouldn't hesitate to fly over two days after the birth, assuming she gives birth. Will she be invited? Judging by the reception H got when leaving the funeral service, I doubt the BRF would want to see that venomous snake at the unveiling of the statue. Oh well, she can always send a bouquet of flowers - Diana's favourites, natch - to remind us of her existence.
Maneki Neko said…
@London Gent

I'm sorry to hear about your wife. You understand what her condition involved and I understand why you must feel angry abt H. I think the viper has dug her claws into him deeper than we think.
Take care.
AnT said…
@Wild Boar Battle-Maid said, "Is that my dish-soap moment???"

.....brilliant. :-)
Snarkyatherbest said…
Rebecca. Andrew keeps proving he and Sarah are a mat CJ made in heaven. After all the optics issues in their marriage and it thy eirnpost married life eventually you would think they would be a little more careful.

So Charles isn’t holding a summit. He should he needs to courts the Wessexes and maybe part time on the York girls He doesn’t need Harry. Just drop it dad you failed moved on.

If Harry is in London for the Diana statue the marriage is done. The Mrs will be “delivering” around that time. I’m fairly laid back but I would want my hubby with me in or around baby due date (even if it’s a surrogate).

I’m beginning to think there was audio. Of course it will be in a clipped British accent and something about bloody ingrate and Megs will get it wrong what it means. And she will tell Gayle they were fat shaming her.

Harry not going back right away. Maybe they did open up the tower 😉. My guess every royal will be paraded through and he will have to apologize to each and everyone. Could take a while.

lizzie said…
@Maneki Neko wrote:

"...Judging by the reception H got when leaving the funeral service, I doubt the BRF would want to see that venomous snake at the unveiling of the statue. Oh well, she can always send a bouquet of flowers - Diana's favourites, natch - to remind us of her existence."

I doubt any of the BRF (except Will) will attend the statue unveiling. While I assume Will and Harry had to seek permission to install the statue at KP, I don't think the statue is being placed on behalf of the royal family-- it was all Will and Harry's private initiative. So it will be up to Will to fight Meghan's attendance I'd think.

Assuming he doesn't want M there, and I feel pretty safe in assuming that, it seems to me the only way to accomplish that is for Kate to not be there either (and certainly the kids can't be there.) And that would make sense to me. I always thought it was a little odd Kate was there when Diana's "white garden" was dedicated at KP. There was nothing wrong with her attending, but it just seemed a little odd to me it wasn't just Diana's sons. Certainly there's no way to say to Harry he has to come alone if Kate will be there or worse if Kate and the children will be there. I don't like M at all, but that sort of disparity won't fly.
Snarkyatherbest said…
Maneki. I sought they will invite her. In fact I would be surprised when we saw that she is taking 6 months off that was to save face so she wouldn’t be at an event for which she was not invited. The rate she is going she’s gonna have a dozen kids so she can use the excuse not to come to anything for which she is not invited 😉
Girl with a Hat said…
@Snarky, there is a law in the UK that you cannot record someone talking without their permission.

@London Gent, my condolences
Snarkyatherbest said…
Girl with the hat. Not sure the harkles care about laws. When he gets back to the states they aren’t going to arrest him or push the us to arrest him. So they will get away with it.
AnT said…
@London Gent,
I am so deeply sorry about the loss of your wife, and what she went through with that most vile disease. Your wife was fortunate to be attended by your love, at least.

We went through cancer with my beloved aunt. For her, all the sons, nieces, and nephews, took part in a very organized "be with her 24/7" care rota for the last two months of her life because she expressed the wish to be in her lovely home, like Philip, at the end. She had a nurse, but those of us far away flew in using vacation time or special dispensation to work remotely, all to help make this happen. I was able to work from a local office in her city for those months. Every one of us was so happy to be able to do this, and she had her wish: her house teeming with people talking, laughing and cooking, going through photo albums with her, playing bridge with her, tending her garden per her requests, making she could hear the music she loved. Whatever she wanted, someone always sitting with her, or holding her hand.

I think of what PP was enduring, while we saw H jumping about on a beach with a dog for photo money, and asking a hired pap to check to see if his weak little booboo on his leg was okay...

....nothing can redeem H in my mind at this point. H knew about PP's diagnosis, and kept away doing camera stunts and signing up to fake jobs from which he is already scheduling "a break"....he could not be bothered to visit, to show respect, to stop the taping or broadcast of the ludicrous interview show of lies.

I note the news about Charles having a summit in the next weeks with the Queen about the future of the slimmer monarchy has an amendment today: William is now included. All the eager press talk about a reuniting or reconciliation is about to have cold water thrown upon it. William is involved? Harry is done.

Girl with a Hat said…
@Snarky, I think you're wrong. I think that given the bad reputation they got from the Oprah interview, they will not want to push the envelope any further.

And, who will want to work with them if they record everything you say to them?
Girl with a Hat said…
I am sure that whatever baby girl Meghan drags out at the end of her gestation will be much darker than Archie.
AnT said…
@Rebecca said,

"....Prince Andrew’s new car? A 220,000 pounds/$300,000+ Bentley? Call me crazy but if I were in his ignominious state and hoped to one day rehabilitate myself, the last thing I would do..."

Do you suppose PA, the incorrigible, over-stuffed idiot

1. Expects that Edo's rich family can now start kicking in to cover his embarrassing overdrafts too?
2. Anticipates a payout from PP's will, and is stupidly splashing out in a hog-like manner already?
3. Got a thank you for your silence" cheque from Ghislaine Maxwell's sisters?

Hmmm.
JHanoi said…
Lady Louise -
Was excerising PP’s Carriage Ponies the morning of his passing.
And DM report says he bequeathed the ponies, Storm and Nevis, and carriage to her. so touching and fitting. bth Lady Lousie adn Sophie have taken up carriage riding and Lady Louise has competed as weel.
Ava C said…
Queen 'not in mood' to host family summit over Harry and Meghan Oprah interview

Like the rest of this coverage it only comes down to personal opinions, though this is Ingrid Seward who ranks high among 'experts'.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queen-not-mood-host-family-23939080

Feels right though. Would YOU feel like embarking on this right now? Even if you weren't nearly 95? She obviously just wants quiet times with favoured family and her dogs. Thank goodness she has those. And it's Spring. She must wonder how many more Springs she will see, and that she has better things to do than dwell on her most troublesome son and most troublesome grandson. She knows she has to get to it but these are very early days after her loss. I'm usually one of those who says she's too often a mother and grandmother when she needs to be a Queen, but she deserves a break.
gfbcpa said…
@London Gent

I am so sorry to hear about your wife. My son passed away in February of last year. He had been diagnosed with 2 astrocytomas 10 years ago, and one grew back into a glio. He was 30 years old. The pain never goes away. That is him in my avatar and his cat who never left his side.
brown-eyed said…
Re: Pancreatic cancer

I recently read that the Palace had announced that the DoE did NOT have pancreatic cancer. He may have had prostate cancer sometime in the past. I am sorry I cannot find the article I read, but it was after he retired and sourced (the Palace).

Thanks for the excellent posts this weekend, as always. @JennS , thanks for the archive. .
xxxxx said…
Here is their knavish plan:
Megs gives birth
They both go
Only Haps goes to Diana statue unveiling
Megs presence in London will be well known anyway
Looming is the keyword

They stay for at least a week at FrogCott or hotel
Or a combination of the two
Plenty of NetFlix video material goes onto their phones and
Video cameras of London professionals
Material is submitted to an actual professional director in California

Finished product goes to NetFlix
NetFlix likes it
BINGO!
The Malicious Mess from Montecito gets paid handsomely
No one here can deny that many eyeballs will be attracted to>>>>
Megs and Hapless do Diana
combined with
Megs and Hapless do the BRF, as in a stitch up!
Megs and Hapless do London tourist sites and even hit a fashion show

Also on their agenda will be wheedling more money out of Charles, along with subtle threats of blackmail if Charles does not accommodate
none said…
In looking at the picture of Harry holding some small black gadget I was struck by how scruffy and unkempt he looked. The other men looked well groomed with the back of their hairlines neatly trimmed.

Harry is repulsive with zero redeeming qualities. I think the BRF will have the last laugh because Markle is now stuck with him. Brings to mind the saying "Be careful what you wish for".
AnT said…
@Girl with a Hat,
Normally I would agree with that, because M's calculating little pinhead brain would view a child of color as more profitable now than snow-white Archie or even the child of her friend, who she's been using for the photos in the past 16 months. She will view the children of Beyonce, the Kardashians and Serena with envy.

But due to the fact that M seems to have tried hard to lead an all-white life, with her white best friends, marrying/dating only white men, marrying into a very white royal house, letting people think she was Italian, putting "Caucasion" on her CV, and lastly, being bizarrely obsessed with Diana, I think she might have still put in an order for a little Diana blonde girl to complete her "wannabe" life fantasy. Her "Diana Two" will complete the cut-short life of the late princess, etc etc. I have absolutely no doubt she's already asked her SS agency reps which sort of child will make more money with photo and film contracts. With the way the sugars have turned on H for talking to William and Catherine after the funeral, she may be switching her order though. Her problem will be that the sugars are teens with no money. She needs a child to attract the bigger dollars, but even so, baby photos are not enough to support a long-rage multi-million dollar lifestyle.
AnT said…
EDIT: I accidentally typed "to support a long-rage multi-million dollar liifestyle" above when I meant to type "long-range" --

--but I think the slip of my fingers is perhaps more apt, so I am letting it stand. Long-rage, indeed.
The Cat's Meow said…
Deepest condolences to all who have suffered loved ones' loss due to cancer. I have not endured this but can only imagine your pain.

It is for this reason (being able to empathize) that I believe there must be an element of sociopathy in H's personality. Like his wife, both seem to be emotionally stunted at an adolescent age. In addition to narcissism their complete lack of connection and deep understanding of others' humanity to me indicates that they must be sociopaths as well.

Disclaimer -- am NOT a professional. What do others think?
AnT said…
@Nope,

Great comment. As my 23-year-old niece says, "She was a really bad actor no one knew, then she married the worst prince, and then messed up that job in two years. Why is she so proud of herself?"
Acquitaine said…
Harry continuing to show how low he has fallen, his IMDB page has been updated to include his appearance at the funeral which has also been listed as a TV spevial as if it was an entertainment and he an actor in it.

https://www.lipstickalley.com/attachments/1618834596292-png.2486406/

That separation of celebrity and public service continues to be a problem for him and his US handlers.

His entire page is a disgrace.

Then again, Meghan listed herself as an actor in her own wedding which was also listed as a TV special so Harry did find his own level of crass.
AnT said…
@The Cat's Meow,

I am not a psychologist either, but I absolutely think H has a strong sociopathic streak as well.

As a child. he purposely would ride his little trike or bicycle down corridors, hard into the legs of staffers, even in front of his mother. As a polo player, he hit his pony cruelly. Rumors of his rough abusive treatment of prostitutes during his service years overseas are out there. A girlfriend or two have hinted he isn't the nicest person. He exhibits public scowling, pouting and jealousy off the scale. And then he chose to "date: and marry this vile woman, via the creepy channels of Soho House, and chose to spit on his family, and his brother, and even Catherine, to please M and feed her delusions of power. He participates in a game about an invisible child. He attacked his family with vicious lies as his grandfather lay dying --- then came striding back into town like nothing had happened, demanding a uniform, acting as if he should be welcomed warmly, and behaving like a peevish, arrogant boor at the funeral.

Nothing there suggests a healthy mind to me.

xxxxx said…
Blogger Rebecca said...
This is OT but did anyone see the article about Prince Andrew’s new car? A 220,000 pounds/$300,000+ Bentley? Call me crazy but......

Bentley owned by Volkswagen so not even British anymore. Tata of India owns Land Rover
"Tata Buys Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford"

If I was given 30-50 thousand US dollars that could only be spent on a new automobile. A new Honda CR-V would make me very happy. It could be the least expensive on up to the most expensive. All the same to moi. Even an HR-V would do starting at 26 thousand.

I would most definitely NOT want a Bentley or have to be driving one. Though the Queen should give me the same one as Andrew's. I will sell it, buy Honda and keep the leftover money.
Could the wife have been paid to shut up and stay away?

------------------------

London Gent is absolutely right, there are no words to express just how low the despicable duo have sunk - worse, we can be sure they are capable of going lower still.

AnT said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
xxxxx said…
AnT said...

Normally I would agree with that, because M's calculating little pinhead brain would view a child of color as more profitable now than snow-white Archie or even the child of her friend, who she's been using for the photos in the past 16 months. She will view the children of Beyonce, the Kardashians and Serena with envy.

But due to the fact that M seems to have tried hard to lead an all-white life, with her white best friends, marrying/dating only white men, marrying into a very white royal house, letting people think she was Italian, putting "Caucasian" on her CV, and lastly, being bizarrely obsessed with Diana


As far as I know Megs lived with Doria for a few years in her house in a Black neighborhood, not Compton. In the DM, Many of her black relatives have reminisced about Megs in the last few years. They represent themselves as being close to her. Though they still got no wedding invites, they ain't the Oprah or Gayle.
So, Megs has spent some years leading a black life

At ten years old Megs was living exclusively with her father. Was sent to very white private schools and so on.
_____________________

From 2016----

EXCLUSIVE: Harry's girl is (almost) straight outta Compton: Gang-scarred home of her mother revealed - so will he be dropping by for tea?
Prince Harry's new girl, Suits star Meghan Markle, is from Crenshaw, LA
Crenshaw has endured 47 crimes in the past week - including murder
Gangs, including the Bloods, count the neighborhood as their territory
Markle' social worker mom, Doria Ragland, lives in the run-down area
And the actress's aunt, Ava Burrow, is in nearby gang-afflicted Inglewood
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3896180/Prince-Harry-s-girlfriend-actress-Meghan-Markles.html
Este said…
Maternity leave matter. I suspect the real reason for announcing maternity leave is to afford Meghan the excuse for not joining Harry to UK for Diana's statue. She's never going back to the UK to face the family she burned and the people who hate her. And this will be her excuse.
AnT said…
@Acquitaine,
Wow. People suggested he might stoop that low, but in a joking way. But he did it. An acting credit at his grandfather's funeral. I cannot even process the sort of mind that would do that. His mind-meld with M is now complete.

I have no doubt their inflated silly 2019 list of 500+ examples of "royal work" includes things like this, and their begging appearance at Canada's embassy, signing for free clothes, their 100 dinners with Soho House mucks, meetings with Russian oligarchs, Oprah, and Tyler Perry about freebies, 100 minor movements on the Africa tour and plotting calls with Bradby, and pleas to the queen or Charles for money. The Harkles at Work.

They remind me of someone at a firm I was doing a branding project for a few years ago. My agency was in there for about, hm, 7 months at this point, and in-house staff were working hard with us on the plans and roll out. One other staffer however kept telling us about her Stanford degree, and all the work she'd supposedly done, lists via email of things like sitting in meetings as part of a large group, or inspiring a team with her enthusiasm, or attending annual meetings. But in 7 months, we never actually saw her "do" anything at all, and so she became a running in-joke with us. I think the most we ever saw her do was find an old file for someone, only when forced to do so. But she was enamored of herself and always hinting at her "accomplishments". She was the daughter of a top executive's friend, but was eventually let go.
Girl with a Hat said…
@AnT

Your comment reminds me of a university friend who had embellished her cv to such an extend, that when I read it, I didn't recognize whose it was. She had made a cycling trip with a friend into some sort of amazing accomplishment.

She was such a liar, that when she had a group of us over for supper one day, I asked her if it was homemade pasta, knowing full well that it wasn't. Of course, she replied that she had made it herself.

She is now head of an IBM manufacturing plant. Her son is launching an IPO for his company making an electric vehicle in the next few weeks, and knowing what a consummate liar his mother is, I wonder what quality the vehicle will turn out to be.
AnT said…
@xxxxx,
Yes, I know all of that, and I have seen the photos of her spending time with her mother's side of the family, who seem like great people who deserved a better niece and some invitations.

But, as a young adult and until recently, she focussed on Thomas per the Tig, joined a white sorority at Northwestern, and then add on everything else I listed. Only when expedient for press and PR since 2016 did she pull Doria back in, become a humanitarian, cultivate Serena and Oprah, and knock her father out. She even selected old money white bread Montecito for their new supposed hometown. Why did David Foster become H's temporary new father figure, and not Tyler Perry, whose home they lived in (and then insulted)?

AnT said…
@Girl with a Hat,

Wow, your friend sounds like the pretender at that company. I am always amazed by how these people rise, but they do. People are too nice to point out the lies, so they keep going. No one wants to say "X stole my report and work and presented it as their own", so they keep going. No one wants to say "their CV is a sea of lies", so they keep rising. When company leaders focus entirely on stockholders and trust preoccupied or unversed HR people to keep an eye on the teams inside, this sort of thing happens. It goes on and on until sales drop and production fails and spending zooms out of control, etc., then maybe they look. It's sickening, isn't it. There is always someone like this in troubled companies, every time. I once helped flush out a president who was hiding millions in crappy products he'd had made in expensive warehouses after a former client called to tell me about the man's entirely fake background. The president fled in the night, only to pop up elsewhere and ruin another company. And yes, he retired wealthy.

I note that IBM stock has been tanking, badly, so there's that

Your friend son is either the polar opposite, ashamed of his mother's approach, or paying someone with sketchy connections to build a car that will explode on the road.
Girl with a Hat said…
@AnT,

Yes, I wish they would have taught this to us at university.

The other thing I've noticed in life is that the worst people are the most popular. They have the most friends and the most active social life.
Ralph L said…
Two US presidents lived in Compton for a while when they were young.
AnT said…
From the DM:

Prince Harry 'may delay return to LA to stay for Queen's birthday this week after two hours of peace talks with brother William after Prince Philip's funeral', royal sources claim

• The Duke of Sussex is said to have booked open flight back to the United States
• It means that Harry could go back after his grandmother turns 95 on Wednesday
• It comes after reports said he held two hours of peace talks with brother William
• They are said to have met with father Prince Charles after Prince Philip's funeral

.......And so now, when I read something like this, and see the word "sources". I tend to think it is a lie.
"Royal sources" probably means Bradby, whereas "sources" mean Rachel with the hotmail.

My guess: Harry is either still trying to see any one of them for a one-on-one for cash because M told him not to come home without more, and they are still icing him out. Or he was too drunk to get on a flight this morning because he realized he ruined his life. Or his recording device was discovered and Tindall took him out back, and they have to wait for the eye swelling to diminish.
AnT said…
@Girl with a Hat,

I agree with you, because weirdly enough, my business school did teach us about this in a experimental honors course they added in the last term. Top execs from around the world were brought in to tell us what life in business was really like. Nothing spared. The seminar was every Friday morning, starting early, for three hours. The room was always packed, no one skipped it as it was mesmerizing. It turned out to be incredibly useful, thought I admit at first we would walk out of the room in a sort of dazed, "oh my god, oh no" sort of state. It also perhaps made me a little too wary in some respects, but for the work I was hired to do, it was a brilliant grounding that helped me get to the root of issues ten times faster, and left all of us "suited for battle" as a former classmate says. It was reality, and a fair cry from the "work is a shining fairyland" slant you see in Ted Talks and LI, etc. I always say I would end up being the one unsurprised person in the room when hearing about some company jerk, or corporate misdeeds, though luckily I have otherwise worked with truly amazing people and companies.

I tend to think terrible people who are popular are enjoying the nervous adoration of cronies worried about their power levels, because you will see those people scatter when the time comes (it always does). Nicer, more normal popular people have more solid, richer or deeper networks in the long run.
@GWaH

Was your acquaintance at Big Blue recruited to fill a gap that occurred as a result of the `skills rebalancing' of the early 1990s? What a euphemism that was for getting rid of their older employees!

I'm tempted to say that Karma has bitten them in the corporate backside.
AnT said…
@Ralph L,

Exactly. Places are places. People rise up from anywhere and everywhere, and learn things from their environments and experiences wherever they are placed. It's unfair and ignorant to cast general negative aspersions about any given place, or the people from any given place. Every place has good and less great aspects. Those early Compton articles and references were ignorant, of course, even if, as some suggest, they planted as a crude way the press, which already had some insider info about M's yachting past, were trying to hint to her they could run the truth about her.
Animal Lover said…
If Prince William wants to cut Royal patronages by more than one half that will open him up to criticism. Before MM came on the scene, I recall the Cambridges were criticized for being lazy. Things go in cycles, right now due to their behavior the Sussexes are vilified. I can see some of that criticism returning as disgruntled former patronages complain to the media about the "work shy Cambridges."
AnT: The pretenders rise because recommending them, with a glowing reference, for an even better job is the easiest way to get rid of them without getting entangled with lawyers.

I happens a lot in what I've seen of UK education. It's obvious from their cvs - 4yrs max in any job.
AnT said…
How about a nice palate cleanser:


Did Kate Middleton meet Prince Philip before she met Prince William?


In a press release shared by the Palace, Kate Middleton revealed that she has taken part in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. The Duchess said, “I started my Duke of Edinburgh's Award while I was at Marlborough College, completing my Bronze before getting my Gold Award while I was in the sixth form.”

Those who complete the Gold Duke of Edingburgh award are invited to an awards ceremony hosted by the Duke of Edinburgh. This means that Kate could have met William’s grandfather long before she met Prince William.

Although award winners will typically meet the Duke of Edinburgh, it is uncertain if Kate did meet Prince Philip, or another member of the Royal family. The Duke of Edinburgh site states, "All young people who achieve a Gold Award will be invited to a Gold Award Presentation (GAP), attended by a Member of The Royal Family, to receive their certificate."

In an ITV special titled, When Phillip met Prince Philip: 60 Years of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Kate Middleton spoke about her experience on the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. Kate revealed, “I can remember trying to cook bacon in the soaking wet. Everything was just sopping and I was trying and trying to cook bacon. I remember saying you know what, I think we're just going to have plain sandwiches. Bread, basic bread and butter!"


https://www.womanandhome.com/us/life/royal-news/did-kate-middleton-meet-prince-philip-before-she-met-prince-william/
Miggy said…
Prince Charles 'walked and talked' with Prince Harry before 'family summit' following funeral - as Duke of Sussex is set to miss Queen's birthday by flying back to LA today, sources claim.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9487565/Prince-Charles-walked-talked-Prince-Harry-family-summit-following-funeral.html
@gfbcpa, I am so sorry about your son. A close friend passed away from glio 2 years ago. She somehow made it 5 years from diagnosis but with increasing physical disabilities. She was in a clinical trial for a drug I worked on in my first job out of college and I hope it did help her. It was awful watching her decline. A friend's brother also passed from glio. Horrible, horrible disease.

@WBBM, GWaH, AnT, in the 90s, my father used to comment on how IBM was really going downhill. Had a roommate that worked there in the 2000s and so I would hear the ugly stories. I grew up hearing similar stories about Xerox where a few close family members worked. I'd been hearing first hand about the rise of Ursula for a long, long time-from back when she was nothing. I'll leave it at that, though.
Girl with a Hat said…
whoever said that Harry entered the funeral on his IMDB page - it's not there.

There is archival video listings on Meghan's IMDB page for her wedding, but not as an appearance.
AnT said…
@Wild Boar Battle-maid,

That's true enough. The old "do me a favor, hire this person on and we'll give you x later" definitely happens too!

At the same time, in the states, I've seen people sit uselessly in roles for years and years, dodging discovery by blaming others or using others, dragging down productivity and encouraging hire turnover among brighter staff. The "well, we know, but Joe has been year for 20 years" thing is a self-damaging company stance too.

I think in some ways, it's great that Gen Z doesn't have the will or patience to work for losers, or to be stunted and stymied by bad execs or lack of strategy. So they move on very quickly and are wise to do so, in my opinion. But moving on quickly is much more normal in the states as people try to access extended role experience and title lifts as quickly as possible. You can ruin an entire career by trying to achieve 5 or 10 years in some middling, sluggish American companies. In fact, other companies will worry a worker has "developed bad habits with company X." I know of two corporations who won't hire anyone who spent more than two years with middling firms. It's a fine line. When I was starting out, I was poached or recruited rapidly and had to turn to my old business professors (who were also executives) for advice as I'd thought longevity was better. I came up with a timeline of always seeing goals through, before accepting an offer because I didn't respect hit and runs who left before accountability.
AnT said…
@ConstantGardener33.

I know what you mean -- sometimes those we know or are related to are in place, shall we say, and see the truth before the press is willing to mention it. The press doesn't want to be accused of disturbing the stock market, and corporate PR are usually spin masters. Cutting costs with no innovation will look good for a president, as will spending wildly in secret to look amazing. But in three years, with no other moves, or strategy, a company will be staggering.

For me, knowing people from different firms, I sometimes get a sense of future company success or failure when I see someone move here or there. Or just from advising a company, you can tell if the company or division is headed up or down. The greatest business secret to me is that shareholders, and sometimes even management, never know what's really going on inside that's going to nudge the numbers in the most unexpected ways.

To relate this back to the Harkles, they are trying to seem like smooth rising young successes on the outside, like Andrew driving his expensive new car. But it's the financial and psychological mess underneath that's the predictor of where they'll be in two years. Spending every dime they have to PR an empty husk, while exposable lies and bad acts mount up, talk with no product, is no strategy for Harkle success long term.

Snarkyatherbest said…
AnT so was he “trapped” in a room with Charles and William. I hope Charles stay down and went point by point from the interview like he wanted. Sadly I do see Charles buckling eventually. He did however leave the brothers alone and walked off alone with Camilla so who knows.

Andrew and his Bentley. So tone deaf. Then again some make up influencer crashed his pink Bentley in Wyoming recently so maybe he too wants to be admiral Andy tiktok influencer
London Gent said…
Blogger gfbcpa said...
@London Gent

I am so sorry to hear about your wife. My son passed away in February of last year. He had been diagnosed with 2 astrocytomas 10 years ago, and one grew back into a glio. He was 30 years old. The pain never goes away. That is him in my avatar and his cat who never left his side.

---

Thank you gfbcpa :) You are quite right. The pain never goes away. But we have the memories.

Lovely young man he was :)
London Gent said…
Blogger Puds said...
@ London Gent, very sorry you lost your wife to this devastating illness.
The callousness of Harry and his wife must hit home hard when you know what family and others were going through.

---

Thank you @ Puds :)
Acquitaine said…
Andrew and his Bentley.

The frequency with which he replaces his Bentleys for newer models leads me to speculate that Andrew has a deal with Bentley in the same way that the wider family have a deal with Jaguar / Range Rover to supply them with updated models at discount prices every few years.

This new model was delivered last September because it was reported at the time, but Andrew had it repainted from the original reported blue to it's current bottle green colour which is why we are seeing it for the first time and the DM has added a clickbait headline to make it appear that the car has just been bought.
Hikari said…
@nope

In looking at the picture of Harry holding some small black gadget I was struck by how scruffy and unkempt he looked. The other men looked well groomed with the back of their hairlines neatly trimmed.

Harry is repulsive with zero redeeming qualities.


I watched the service live on Saturday and have viewed portions of it again since. I was manifestly trying to avoid looking much at the WPOS who I will never again 'dignify' with a name. When Charles and Diana got married, I was only slightly younger than Lady Louise is now, and I have watched both of Diana's boys grow up before my eyes. Like all children, the person who is now WPOS was once an adorable child, full of potential. But considering all the stories about his truly vile character which have become common knowledge since hooked up with his grasping harlot, I think back and wonder--"Was he *always* a bad seed?" Reports of his cruel behavior to animals and staffers, laziness, poor attitude, and whinging cover even his earliest years, while his mother was still alive. The caustic jealousy of his elder brother seems to have been seeded very early, from the age of 7 or 8 onwards. Is the current despicable character of WPOS to be attributed solely to an upbringing of obscene privilege and deference combined with the traumatic loss of his Mum at a vulnerable age and the benign neglect of a father who was too busy to be around and assuaged that guilt by enabling underage drinking and other forms of hijinks--turning a blind eye to the inescapable fact that the second son was developing into a rancid apple?

Or is WPOS like this due to a congenital defect in his wiring? Whether sociopaths are born or made or a combination of both is endlessly debated, but one sordid fact seems crystal clear: WPOS was a bad seed long before 2016 when the grasping harlot blundered into his path. The GH is a piece of work all right, but she is not responsible for all the animals and women he abused (*classic* sociopathy markers) and his complete lack of performance or, in truth, giving AF about anything but the next party from his school career onwards. The GH pursued WPOS, but since they swam in the same corrupt pool, it was perhaps inevitable that they should meet.
Hikari said…
I don't think GH 'made' WPOS into what he is now; he was always as we see now, but his faults were to a largely successful degree kept hidden by a Palace machine working overtime since he was a lad to clean up his messes and manage the facade. One wonders if things might have been different had he been persuaded to stick with the Army but it's better that he resigned his commission in a snit fit over being expected to shape up or ship out because WPOS is a danger--to himself, maybe, but definitely to others. The life WPOS is living now is the one he's been heading towards since at least the age of 13 onwards. GH didn't 'make' him; she just allowed him to be his unvarnished self. She tweaks his animosity toward his family to suit herself; would WPOS have ever thought on his own to secretly record his grieving family members? That was likely one of GH's ideas. But to my mind, WPOS no longer gets any sort of a pass for being 'coerced'; hopelessly in love with his handler to do her bidding; victim of Stockholm Syndrome or any of the pseudo-compassionate explanations. How WPOS is behaving now is exactly how he has always wanted to behave, and perhaps . .always behaved in private (sans recording devices). The glowering, pitching tantrums, intemperate living, arrogance, refusal/inability to see any wholesome thing to its conclusion . . These have always been there, and the RF is now facing the consequences of covering for WPOS all his life. They tried to give him the benefit of every doubt, thinking that if he could just find 'that thing' which he was passionate about, he'd get into harness and everything would fall into place. That thing was supposed to be the Army and helping wounded veterans.

Turns out the only thing WPOS is passionate about is getting high and having others pay all his bills.

Girl with a Hat said…
about the pancreatic cancer:

Gyles Brandreth stated it in an interview he did just after the Duke's death.
Hikari said…
If it turns out that he was indeed secretly filming his family in their hour of grief, then he's just sunk to yet a lower rung of WPOS hell. If he and the Hoor leak any of this clandestinely obtained stuff or try to use it in some way in their self-aggrandizing schemes, my HM throw the entire weight of the Crown behind prosecuting the corporate partners working with the toxic tossers in the hopes of profiting off of all things 'Royal'. That means: Orcah and her production company, any network that has or will air anything to do with the WPsOS, Netflix, Spotify, everyone.

I am fed to the teeth of the endlessly conflicting 'media reports' that contradict themselves by the hour if not the minute as to what is 'officially' happening. Is there a summit or no? Did WPOS meet with his father and brother for 2 hours or didn't he? Who, if anyone is currently staying at Frogmore Cottage? When is the WPOS flying back to She-Lob's lair? Has he left already or not? What does this portend for the July 1st ceremony?

Once upon a time, Buckingham Palace would release a statement and that could be relied upon to be, if not 'the whole truth and nothing but the truth', at any rate, the 'official' word on what was happening. Now at any given time, we've got 16 contradictory reports of 'what is happening' that change by the hour.

It would have saved the RF and the entire world a lot of grief if William had been an only child in reality instead of just in practice like he is now. I think WPOS may eventually come to the point where he regrets ever being born. I passed that point some time ago.

WPOS was born into the most powerful family in the world but even they are powerless to save him from himself. At the funeral, where I observed at least his mourning dress looked appropriate, his demeanor was that of an addict: Fidgety, shifty, untrustworthy . . no sign of genuine grief for the occasion. Sociopaths cannot feel the full range of normal human emotion. The more skillful ones learn how to pretend so as to blend in. WPOS cannot act the part. And he very obviously has no 'man' to take care of his hair or his shoes or anything else which the RF would have looked after for him. I am pretty confident that he Wessex children have been instructed by their parents to under no circumstances engage with Uncle POS or get too close to him.

If 'secret recordings' come to light, I hope he and his co-conspirator get nailed to the wall. After wallowing in filth for so long, that's all WPOS is ..living filth, good for nothing. The RF has GOT to amputate him, like one does a gangrenous limb. If they don't, the poison is going to infect the whole body and it will die, and that death will not be pretty or easy.
Hikari said…
"Cousin POS' I meant to say. Louise and James are so much younger than the other grands, I tend to forget that they are on a level with William and the York girls.

Cousin Thing is his own level.
The Cat's Meow said…
@Hikari, I totally agree with the "gangrene" comparison.

However, I think they are juggling not only the potential public reaction but HMtQ's massive grief. It will be a tough balance to wait till she is able to act decisively....all the while hoping that PC doesn't waver and capitulate.
London Gent said…
@ Hikari

'If 'secret recordings' come to light, I hope he and his co-conspirator get nailed to the wall. After wallowing in filth for so long, that's all WPOS is ..living filth, good for nothing. The RF has GOT to amputate him, like one does a gangrenous limb. If they don't, the poison is going to infect the whole body and it will die, and that death will not be pretty or easy.'

---

This.

They are, together, two bacilli.
Ralph L said…
I recall reading somewhere that the Spencer family has produced a lot of nasty aristocrats. The first Duchess of Marlborough could be a genetic source.
@Hikari - very well said.

I too wish he'd never been born. He's is a waste of space and a waste of rations, and a threat to the stability of the Nation.

It's a shame that neither Gan-Gan nor Pa can see it that way too. It's reassuring that William seems clear-sighted on the matter - I do hope he'll be able to persuade his father to see sense.
SwampWoman said…
AnT said: I think in some ways, it's great that Gen Z doesn't have the will or patience to work for losers, or to be stunted and stymied by bad execs or lack of strategy. So they move on very quickly and are wise to do so, in my opinion. But moving on quickly is much more normal in the states as people try to access extended role experience and title lifts as quickly as possible. You can ruin an entire career by trying to achieve 5 or 10 years in some middling, sluggish American companies. In fact, other companies will worry a worker has "developed bad habits with company X." I know of two corporations who won't hire anyone who spent more than two years with middling firms. It's a fine line. When I was starting out, I was poached or recruited rapidly and had to turn to my old business professors (who were also executives) for advice as I'd thought longevity was better. I came up with a timeline of always seeing goals through, before accepting an offer because I didn't respect hit and runs who left before accountability.

Sadly, sometimes the only way to get more money is to switch companies. It comes down to whether people are more valued by competing companies or the company they are working for. If they are too easily recruited, maybe they aren't worth as much as they think they are.
AnT said…
@SwampWoman,
The money factor is quite true as well. Every time I left for a better job offer, the company I was resigning from would suddenly offer me more money, stock, new title, whatever. Sorry, but you should have done it a year ago, fellas. I remember the very first time I decided to move on from a job I I loved but for one with a promotional juicier work, and much bigger salary. I felt so bad about leaving, and was told they would exceed the offer I was leaving for and make the bump retroactive too......”but they thought I’d been okay with them giving my larger raises and bonuses to my boss because he has three kids, and a new house and his wife didn’t work...and couldnt I just ask my parents for money?”
Imagine my face. Umm...have a nice life my friends, you just made saying goodbye easier! They lost seven more women to that crazy raise system within two months of me, and we all met for a dinner and drinks weekend in NYC that summer to toast our foresight. 😁
London Gent said…
Markle is a write-off. The more I learn about Harry, though, the more disturbed I feel.
Ava C said…
Hikari - I am fed to the teeth of the endlessly conflicting 'media reports' that contradict themselves by the hour if not the minute as to what is 'officially' happening. I

You and me both. It's exhausting and it makes you want to get shot of the whole thing. I don't think the traditional royal pattern of saying nothing will wash much longer. To me it's like a multinational oil company doing zero crisis-management in the middle of a natural disaster they are responsible for. Just follow the rules - there are plenty of experts. Some suggestions off the top of my head from a pure amateur - give clear, concise information at reasonable intervals. Control the information flow so there is one clear spokesperson. One very good one I learned from a director I worked for is tell people when there's no news - don't let rumour fill a vacuum. They need to take control of this. I don't see why I should owe my allegiance to what looks like a never-ending script from EastEnders.
xxxxx said…
@AnT
My time line is that after Megs is born, Thomas and Doria live in Thomas' house for 6 years. In a white neighborhood, Both sides of her family are welcome to visit and they visit them.
2- They get divorced at Megs age six. Partly due to Doria scamming her way into an inherited house. Doria now has prime custody
3- From age six to ten Megs lives with Doria. Megs lives an all black existence in Doria's house. Black neighborhood bordering Compton. Compton street crime might have leaked over. Black relatives. And probably black schools, unless she got bussed to a white dominated one. Which just might be.
4--After 4 years Doria drops her off at Thomas' house where she lives a white existence. Doria is off to a yoga commune, prison or both. Thomas has sole custody with white neighbors, white relatives. Megs is sent to white private schools. Thomas pays for her to attend North Eastern where she joins a white sorority.

Conclusion--- Megs lived a black existence for 4 years. That undoubtedly forms part of her psyche.
Foose said…
I think Harry is essentially the Lydia Bennet of the royal family, even down to his obsession with uniforms, and he has married Mr. Wickham. Jane Austen even prophesied the kind of lifestyle he is living now:

"It had always been evident to [Elizabeth] that such an income as theirs, under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants, and heedless of the future, must be very insufficient to their support; and whenever they changed their quarters, either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some little assistance towards discharging their bills. Their manner of living, even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home, was unsettled in the extreme. They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always spending more than they ought. His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; hers lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her."
Humor Me said…
Thank you for addresing the conflicting reports of "when will harry leave England". I must admit - it is getting humorous of "what will/ has Harry done in meeting with his father, brother and Grandmother." I do agree with AvaC - the rumors that are swirling from lip reading to "they've reconciled" (Because they walked together) are mind blowing from the stand point the British press is giving MM lots of ammo to use that the Family accepts them, when the opposite may be true.

The Family needs to get in front of this despite it being a "family matter" before MM does.
Christine said…
Hello. I went out of town but did watch the funeral. My guy and his friend that were with us actually watched it too. I have a few things to share, some of which have been echoed already above.

1. It was beautiful. The Naval whistlers gave me chills.

2. The Queen. Even though for some of the eulogy, all the guests were bowed, to see the Queen like that, bowed, alone was devistatingly hard to see. My guy turned to me and said "Oh she won't last much longer now". And that made me so sad. Of course I disagree and am very hopeful the Queen has a good many years. Also, those who were sitting closest to her were her disparate son and traitorous grandson. That was on purpose. I hope those two men absorbed every second of being near their grief striken mother and grandmother. I believe she wore the broach as a sign that it's a somber occasion and she isn't happy. She's somber, she's worried and she's sad. Charles and William will now be stepping forward in a way more palpable way.

3. Charles. Oh my gosh, Charles was so heart broken, my heart went out to him!!! That was very difficult to watch. I was thinking that Charles was pondering his father and his relationship and the sh*t show that is going on with his son Harry. Very hard times for Charles. I know Camilla and he don't show much affection, but she seemed very solicitous of him. Also, Charles is now THE male figurehead of the Royal Family. The choice is already made for him.

4. Harry- Strangely Harry seemed a little more like his old self. I'm telling you, I got the feeling that even though he's there for his grandfather's funeral, I sensed relief. He certainly dashed up right next to Wills at the end of the service. He should stay longer, at least until after the Queen's birthday. There is NO way in hell Meghan will allow that though. She was likely in a horrible state watching William, Harry and Kate walk together. I chuckled a little thinking of her reaction.

5. William- I agree with others that William was doing his self-care rituals when Harry walked up to him. I also agree with others that they were ONLY discussing Philip's service. Maybe, just maybe, back at Windsor, they may have poured a drink and discussed more. I just don't know. My sense is...maybe some generalities, like how is Archie, how's Meghan's pregnancy progressing, but not much further than that.

6. Katherine Elizabeth- Lastly, how unselfish is this woman!? And how much does she utterly love her husband and want the best for him?! After she's trashed by Markle on TV, Kate engages Harry in some light conversation and slips back by Sophie so that the brothers could talk, for whatever it was worth. I think Kate's tear was for the brothers walking together finally after all the animosity. I think that was why Sophie touched her back. No matter what anyone can say, Kate is a tremendous person. My admiration for her went up ten fold. That's a very, very good person inside.
London Gent said…
Blogger Foose said...


'I think Harry is essentially the Lydia Bennet of the royal family, even down to his obsession with uniforms, and he has married Mr. Wickham. Jane Austen even prophesied the kind of lifestyle he is living now:

---

Wonderful analogy.

' ... They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always spending more than they ought. His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; hers lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her.'

---

Cheapness came naturally to the Duke of Edinburgh, obviously .... but also to the Royal Family. After all, they existed on the taxpayer's pence.

Nice one, Foose.
Hikari said…
@WB,

I too wish he'd never been born. He's is a waste of space and a waste of rations, and a threat to the stability of the Nation. It's a shame that neither Gan-Gan nor Pa can see it that way too.

It gives me no pleasure at all to write that. I have two favorite memories of the child: the photos of the boys at the piano in KP, when the Waleses were still attempting to purvey the 'Happy Family' narrative. Wills was about 3 and Baby H. maybe 12-14 months. They banged on the piano happily and Basher was heard to exclaim 'Ow, Harry, don't tread on my foot!' How much damage a bare-footed one-year old can do to an older brother wearing shoes is debatable, but I was mighty impressed that a 3-year-old would use that phrase.

The other favorite is H.'s first day at nursery school, age 4, so proud in his school uniform, identical to his brother's. William, a blase school veteran of 6, is looking confidently at the cameras and smiling. Little brother is looking up adoringly at Big Brother, so proud to be matching William. I detect only hero-worship in that look, nothing sinister, but obviously something went very badly wrong in LB's head within a few years of this picture.

We can't know the full picture of what WPOS's family knows about him or what precisely they have implemented or are planning to viz. cutting him off. In the wake of the Orcah interview, smeared all over the world media while Philip lay dying, I sense a sea change perhaps, in Pa and Granny's tolerance levels. Charles was very visibly moved on Saturday, opening weeping, which defies centuries of stoic male tradition and I don't begrudge him a single one of those tears. One should weep for one's father, especially when the relationship has been fraught. Charles had plenty of reasons to be angry at the old man, but when the end comes to us all, only love matters. Charles will heal quicker because he allowed himself to cry. We had a clue that he knew how bad things were for his father after he visited the hospital . . that was the very same time that the WPsOS were shoveling their manure on global television. By admitting to 'feeling very let down' by his son's allegations, Charles was in fact admitting to being gutted to the core. How else, how better could he have welcomed his son's wife? He stood in for her father on her wedding day, for God's sake, and gave her unlimited money for wardrobe. His indulgence of Harry is to a large degree why he's facing this mess now, but given his own sufferings at the hands of a very hard-ass father (who meant the harsh treatment for Charles's good--to mold a king--but which badly misread his child's temperament) made him determined to project the kind of 'understanding pal' demeanor which he craved from his own dad but never got.

Huge mistake. Hindsight being 20/20 of course, Philip's rigorous programme of anti-mollycoddling education is *exactly* what his WPOS grandkid required. H should have been sent to Gordonstoun and had his ginger arse kicked into shape. They might have turned him into real officer material. Too late now. Charles might have gotten better results with his second-born if he'd allowed Philip to oversee H's education. Summer holidays would have been spent in Granddad Boot Camp, learning how to tie knots, navigate by the stars, survive on hard tack and water rations plus daily cross-training and naval calisthenics.

Hikari said…
Not to dump on Chas as the sole architect of the current situation. WPOS has got to bear the responsibility now. Being betrayed by one's child while having just buried your father and trying to shore up your increasingly frail mother, whose gargantuan shoes one will be expected to fill quite soon is enough to be getting on with.

The Queen said her piece at the Sandringham Summit, what, 15 months ago now and one senses that that was her final word on the subject. She's delegating that mess to the heirs that are going to have to deal with the continuing problem once she is gone.
It's reassuring that William seems clear-sighted on the matter - I do hope he'll be able to persuade his father to see sense.

As do I . . it's William I feel the sorriest for in all this mess. Talk about betrayal. I presume that at some point he loved H; might still, underneath the hurt. What is going on now in the House of Windsor is a Cain and Abel level tragedy, with birth orders reversed. Cain couldn't have what he thought was his due, and killed his brother in a fit of jealous rage because Abel was the dutiful, hard-working, favored one, and genuinely good. Cain was ruled by anger and revenge and ruined what remained of his life. Became untouchable, cursed and ultimately severed forever from his family and from all decent society. This is WPOS's road now. Imagine being the father and the brother who not only have to stand by and watch this happen but be continually showered with abusive lies in the media from which they cannot defend themselves.

The Queen has seven other grandchildren to console her, and even when H was behaving better in her sight, it's not really as though she knew him that well. How often did she see her grands as they grew up? A half-dozen times a year, maybe. She was busy Queening and they were busy being kids. It's not like for normal kids where dropping by Granny's house after school several times a week might be a thing. The Queen may be insulated from the full horrors the WPsOS get up to, and at her age, I say that's just as well.

Charles himself was largely at a remove from his own children as they grew up, so the two people who know the most what H is really like are William and Tiggy. It's probably feeling pretty desolate right now to be William, but he has Catherine by his side. I'm sure they both are determined to instill all the values in their brood which are so absent in WPOS. They are certainly on a solid foundation there.
London Gent said…
Don't agree with you though Foose, on Elizabeth and Philip.
It truly doesn’t matter what Prince Philip died of. He was clearly terminally ill when he left the hospital and went home to die. The royal family knew he didn’t have long, but Harry didn’t care enough to travel over to pay his last respects and say goodbye whilst Philip was still alive. Truly, truly unbelievably shocking. :o(
London Gent said…
@ Hikari,


Charles himself was largely at a remove from his own children as they grew up, so the two people who know the most what H is really like are William and Tiggy.

---

This is the crux of the matter, or at least a piece of it.
Ava C said…
@Foose - thank you for that Jane Austen extract. It's perfect. I was reading her letters this morning as I felt I needed her astringency in the midst of all this woolly faffing around in our various royal households. She's a lot tougher and even more clear-eyed in her private correspondence than she is in her novels. The most famous example is:

Mrs. Hall of Sherbourne was brought to bed yesterday of a dead child, some weeks before she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she happened unawares to look at her husband.I

I've always disliked that as it was just too much, but how I wish Miss Austen was here to turn her full fire-power on Montecito.
SwampWoman said…
Hikari said:I don't think GH 'made' WPOS into what he is now; he was always as we see now, but his faults were to a largely successful degree kept hidden by a Palace machine working overtime since he was a lad to clean up his messes and manage the facade. One wonders if things might have been different had he been persuaded to stick with the Army but it's better that he resigned his commission in a snit fit over being expected to shape up or ship out because WPOS is a danger--to himself, maybe, but definitely to others. The life WPOS is living now is the one he's been heading towards since at least the age of 13 onwards. GH didn't 'make' him; she just allowed him to be his unvarnished self. She tweaks his animosity toward his family to suit herself; would WPOS have ever thought on his own to secretly record his grieving family members? That was likely one of GH's ideas. But to my mind, WPOS no longer gets any sort of a pass for being 'coerced'; hopelessly in love with his handler to do her bidding; victim of Stockholm Syndrome or any of the pseudo-compassionate explanations. How WPOS is behaving now is exactly how he has always wanted to behave, and perhaps . .always behaved in private (sans recording devices). The glowering, pitching tantrums, intemperate living, arrogance, refusal/inability to see any wholesome thing to its conclusion . . These have always been there, and the RF is now facing the consequences of covering for WPOS all his life.

I have worked with troubled children in the public school system after about 30 years in male-dominated industries such as construction. I only lasted six years because in my opinion the school system was not only failing the children with special needs, it was failing to protect the other children FROM the children with special needs, plus I was tired of taking a beating and not being able to protect myself (grin).

I will give you my opinion, and it is just my opinion, but some children are broken. They will not get better, ever. They will not grow out of it, just get more dangerous. Some people are born that way and, after reading about the parents, I could tell that it was a genetic tangling of dysfunctional people resulting in even more dysfunctional children. Some were probably due to an exposure to crack, meth, fentanyl, heroin, alcohol and cocaine in utero. Some were due to accidents causing head trauma after birth.

How bad were some of these children? One child had killed a parent and siblings while they slept. The judge decided that due to his elementary school age, he wasn't responsible, but he planned it all out and we knew.

Another child had a habit of sneaking up behind seated staff and trying to garotte them either with a shoestring he had removed from his shoes (then he could only wear velcro closure shoes but sometimes hid cords in his pockets or backpack) or their necklace (anybody that worked with him were advised to NOT wear any personal adornment that could be used as a weapon). He tipped over shelves with books on smaller students. He flung metal chairs at staff and smaller students. He also used classroom computers as weapons, the large old fashioned monitors and desktops because he was immensely strong. This child came from a *very* good family that had overachieving older children; he was born somehow flawed. He was eventually put into a home because he nearly killed his mother. He had broken her wrist previously. All of us that worked with these students visited the ER on a monthly basis to get bones set and wounds stitched. We tried our best, but we couldn't make them normal.

I forgot the girl that wanted to stab everybody in the eye with a pencil. She was a beautiful child, looked like an angel. She actually did stab one teacher below the eye, another in the hand. Sharpened pencils make very good weapons of opportunity.

just a thought:

if Charles is considering adding the Yorkies to a "slimmed down" monarchy, then would they be part-time? Both husbands aren't "royal" so I would assume not working royals.

If you let yorkies be part time then Grip and Drip would be part time

I'm very concerned Charles will let the awfuls back in, as half in half out.

I'd quit supporting the monarchy in any form if the Harkles are let back in any capacity
London Gent said…
Blogger Raspberry Ruffle said...

I disagree with you on this point --


'It truly doesn’t matter what Prince Philip died of. He was clearly terminally ill when he left the hospital and went home to die. The royal family knew he didn’t have long, but Harry didn’t care enough to travel over to pay his last respects and say goodbye whilst Philip was still alive. Truly, truly unbelievably shocking. :o('

---

I must disagree, that it DID matter what his illness was.

People want to know.

Might seem plebian, but there it is. In the old days of the Spanish Flu, people needed to know. Could it have been a conventional flu? After time, it became obvious, but in the beginning it was a concern.

xxxxx said…
Compton is no longer the home of black rappers such as Ice Cube and NWA. No longer the gritty gansta and crime ridden black neighborhood, that borders Crenshaw where Doria's house is. The Hispanic immigrants are taking over Compton. Forcing the blacks out. Often done via physical intimidation and violence. In fact this is ongoing all over Los Angeles with its black population declining.

And prior to the NWA era, I am sure Compton was a white working class neighborhood. Briefly , LA has always had a large working class working in Aero-Space, Hollywood and much more. San Francisco has always been the effete contrast with a larger financial sector and more office jobs. I was in LA for 10 days in 1986.

You hear about the glitzy Hollywood actors but they have always had a huge working class staff to make all their movies and television happen. From make up artists, to carpenters, to costumers, and lighting directors such as Thomas Merkle. He who learned the hardest, most difficult, most publicly exposed way that, "So much sharper than a serpent's tooth" "Is an ungrateful child". This is Shakespeare for the Philistines out there.
Humor Me said…
Dan Wooten column up at DM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9488241/DAN-WOOTTON-Prince-Charles-heads-Welsh-bolthole-privately-grieve-father.html
In a "nutshell" - the three met privately in the 2 hour post funeral. Charles has left after that to his home in Llwynywermod to reflect in silence.
There was no "reconcilation" per se.
lizzie said…
@xxxxx wrote:

"They get divorced at Megs age six. Partly due to Doria scamming her way into an inherited house. Doria now has prime custody."

I don't disagree with your main conclusion about M's life but I don't think the above part of your timeline is right.

It's been reported Thomas and Doria separated when M was 2 but divorced when she was 6. I don't think the scammed inherited house was a factor if you are talking about Doria's current house inherited from her father under suspicious circumstances. Doria's father, Alvin, died in March 2011. Not when M was a child.

Several years prior to Alvin's death (early 2000s when M was at Northwestern or shortly after that) Doria declared bankruptcy. Official records were available online at one time but I can't find them now. As I recall though, she had essentially no assets at that time other than a car and was living in an apartment and was being evicted for not paying. (I *think* it was an apartment she had shared with her motber, Jeanette, who died in 2000.) Doria had credit card bills around $50K as I recall.
London Gent said, People want to know.

Well then, some people may want to know, whilst others it doesn’t matter. ;o)

We never knew what Princess Margaret died of, nor the Queen Mother. For most part I guess I feel it’s in poor taste to confer over what he died of. I think we can say with almost all certainly he didn’t die of anything contagious. :o/
KCM1212 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
KCM1212 said…
@gfbcpa and
@London Gent

My deepest condolences to you both. A terrible loss for each of you.

@gfbcpa your son is lovely.


For someone who feels free to comment on the BRF, GK hasnt got a clue. She asked Tina Brown why Princess Anne walked with the men. She clearly has no idea what (or whom) she is talking about and had NO BUSINESS covering the funeral.

Its so obvious CBS was hoping to stir more furor. They think that interview was good business for them

If you are holding CBS shares, this might be a good time to unload them.


https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/gayle-king-sexism-row-questioning-5315177
Christine said…
I suspect Philip died from heart failure. I think with the infection and the apparent weakening of his heart, the doctors diagnosed that he would not survive and would pass away soon. They have the best of the best doctors. I think when that news was given to the Quee, she asked Charles to go to the hospital to meet with the doctors. It wasn't for a visit with Dad, although he likely did that too.
Girl with a Hat said…
@Raspberry Ruffle, Princess Margaret died of a stroke.
Hikari said…
@Swampie

I will give you my opinion, and it is just my opinion, but some children are broken. They will not get better, ever. They will not grow out of it, just get more dangerous.

Kudos to you for surviving your career with 'troubled children'. I'll say.

Are you familiar with the books of Torey Hayden (One Child)? She managed to reach an 'unreachable' child, but she was incredibly lucky or gifted or both.

I trained as a teacher, too, and am empathetic by nature. Sometimes too much compassion can be debilitating. I made a lateral movie into the public library and we still see plenty of broken kids here, too--just for shorter periods of time. It became clear to me pretty early on that I probably was not best equipped to work with really troubled children. I feel drawn to psychological thrillers populated by homicidal psychopaths though . .living encounters with monsters vicariously and really desirous of understanding aberrant psychology. Unfortunately for us as a society, the preponderance of broken children turning into broken adults is rising every day.

As educators, we are drawn to helping children out of an inherent belief in the power of encouragement and care to help children rise to their potential, and the entire profession exists because on paper any way there aren't supposed to be any hopeless causes. But I agree that certain mental disorders are not curable and the sufferers present a real and present danger to society. What is an enlightened society to do with these people, though? Especially children? Even if the only 'permanent' solution that would bring peace of mind to society at large would be unacceptable by any civilized order.

I don't think WPOS is actually capable of killing anyone in his family, but I have no such reservations about his wife, the stone-cold B*tch who choked her cat on purpose. Only God knows how many household pets Rancid is responsible for killing. Anyone who could torture, maim or kill a small defenseless animal for amusement is totally capable of killing a person. I think any of us *could* kill, but for the great majority of people, it would be in self-defense. Somebody who gets kicks from maliciously wounding sorority pledges wouldn't bat an eye over tinkering with the car brakes of someone she didn't like. Poison probably would be her preferred method--something that could be done from a distance without her fingerprints on it.

WPOS is an empty vessel inside too, IMO, but he'd had all those years of Royal training plus a support system his unholy half lacked. His sociopathy isn't as deeply rooted, I don't think, but as long as he insists on being with her, it's only going to get worse.

WPOS did inherent some instability from his mother, I think. Diana's bulimia was in full swing during her pregnancy with H and it was suggested by a Royal biographer--don't remember who--that Diana left the hospital with H much sooner than required because she 'did not propose to give hospital staff a chance to observe her habits'. (the purging)
Taking drugs is one thing I do not suspect Diana of, but her disarrayed relationship with food can't have been healthy for the baby, nor her near constant state of upset/drama/stress. Though she did say that the time she was expecting Harry had been the happiest of her marriage. Charles was happy because she'd told him they were expecting a daughter. Lied for at least six months about that, as though there would be some miraculous Hail Mary save at the end to make her lie come true.

The human brain is so complex. Whatever disadvantages H was born with, two decades of substance abuse haven't improved the situation and have likely done permanent damage on top of whatever he was dealing with organically.
Christine said…
One more thing I wanted to add. Since I was watching the funeral with two guys, I was filling them in on some of the Markle drama. They knew about the interview with Oprah but some of the rest of it, our buddy had the most shocked look on his face. He said they are utter pieces of sh*t. I think, besides a few, and I do mean a few people, H&M are on a downward spiral. He better work hard at that 'job' he managed to get, because that's it.

They are OVER. This funeral was about the end for them. They will experience a slight boon of interest when they have the baby, but it's the end.
Girl with a Hat said…
I read Lainey Lui's site about the funeral so you don't have to.

This is what Markle's ass kisser has to say about the funeral, paraphrasing: The funeral was an example of what the BRF do best, pomp and pageantry. The London Times wrote an article about Philip's funeral and their online edition said that "we all laughed at his slitty eyed remark". So, how can the BRF say they aren't racist?

That logic doesn't even make sense.
JennS said…
Ava C said...
@JennS - I think the Queen probably wears the Richmond brooch as an additional emotional support. When would she need it more than at her husband's funeral? That she wore it at the Sussex wedding speaks volumes. It is VERY Queen Mary. Queen Mary at her most imperious and formal. The way the Queen has to be at difficult times, to stay strong.
She was extremely close to George V and Queen Mary as she was left with them for months as a very small child while her parents were abroad.
.................

**@Ava C

Thanks so much for this response and very interesting post. For some reason, it really bothered me that QEII's choice of brooch for the funeral might become a source of delight for Markle's sugars but you have made me feel completely relieved. Your explanation makes perfect sense and I agree that Her Maj may have chosen the Richmond Brooch for Harry's wedding to bring her strength on that occasion as well.

It's interesting to remember that the bandeau tiara Markle wore came from Queen Mary as well. I understand that Queen Mary received a large number of pieces of jewelry as gifts for her 1893 wedding - many of which were brooches. I know that the tiara Markle wore featured a detachable brooch in the center that was a gift from Mary's wedding and the bandeau itself was commissioned by Mary to fit the brooch in 1932. I understand that the Richmond brooch was also a gift from Mary's wedding. I wonder about the real story and the details behind the tiara tantrums that Markle threw?
Hikari said…
Re. 'What Philip Died of'

I suppose when one reaches to two months shy of one's 100th birthday, any cause could be considered a 'natural' one. Things just wear out over that much time. To have lived *such* a long and active life until very nearly the end is well-nigh unnatural. During the funeral it was said that the Iron Duke started work on the design for his bespoke Land Rover hearse 18 years prior. So, at the age of 81, he started preparing his own funeral and he was already at an age when the great majority of men are already in the ground.

He really was the most incredible person. Such vitality. He had basically been defying the Reaper and telling him to P!$$ off for at least the last 5 years.

I'm not sure how knowing that a 99-year-old man officially died from cancer or if his heart gave out really matters, in terms of making any sort of difference. When it comes down to it, *every* cause of death is heart failure. When the heart stops, all systems are down. It just takes longer for some than others. Cancer ultimately causes the heart to fail and that is the end.

There is still such a stigma attached to cancer, and I'm not sure why that is, but heart failure gets us all in the end.
London Gent said…
It is essential to know that .... were responsible for Hollywood.

I am not one to give in to the whole ideal of the film industry.

But it was begun by ..... people.

On purpose. Why am I happy to pay tribute?? Because I am PROUD of them.

PROUD of what they have accomplished.

PROUD.

KCM1212 said…
I don't know what really happened with Kate on Saturday - was she deliberately stepping back to let the bros have a moment??

Or did she move away before murdering the WPOS on live television?

We may never really know, but I am enjoying the hell out of the press she is getting. Not only for her selfless gesture towards pond scum boy, but she looks so darn good doing it!
The photo in the car is stupendous. She looks ethereal.

Forget staged photos with umbrellas.

WPOS2 must be feeling her fuller figure because her army of trolls are all over suggesting Kate "eat a sandwich".

Everything the mafia widow thought she gained by the interview
or by sending her worthless creep of a husband back to London for the funeral or through her insane PR onslaught went out the window the moment kind Kate stepped away.

Its always interesting to see how a relatively neutral moment is interpreted. Catherines grace, gentle nature, and just plain goodness has not gone unnoticed in these pandemic years, nor in the years prior. She is trusted to do the right thing, even if she has good reason to do the opposite.

Had the exact same moment happened with the pretenders wife it would not be interpreted benignly. We know who she is and what she would do in that instant. She would sow division and hate unless she could make a nickel from it.

She is no longer fooling anyone. Nor is he. I dont even think the bot army is fooled. She is paying them to look the other way (just like her pr shills do).
xxxxx said…
Meghan finally gets to "update" the BRF as the stiff upper lip gets abandoned by The Queen and Charles. Be careful Charles. You have been one of M's prime enablers due to her being multiracial. Her useful idiot ever since you agreed to walk her down the aisle. Undoubtedly you were duped by her line that, "My father abandoned me. He preferred to remain in Mexico"

_________________________

Nigel Cawthorne, author of I Know I Am Rude but I Like It: Prince Philip’s Life in His Own Words, claimed that 'Prince Philip himself would not countenance public displays of affection.'

Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, he explained: 'It is significant that not only Charles but even the Queen appears to have broken this rule.

'The stiff upper lip is no longer, and under Charles’s increased influence it is likely to be phased out as out of tune with the times.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9487141/How-royals-outpouring-grief-signals-shift-monarchys-approach-emotion.html
@KCM1212, If my formerly trusted BIL-turned bully and the person that had unleashed how many horrible threats upon me and my children(and my reputation) walked up to me acting as if nothing had ever happened and everything's chill, it would've been all my strength for a few civil words before the scab was torn open and it washed over me. Maybe she left him for William to deal with.

@London Gent, please accept my condolences as to the loss of your wife. I'm very sorry. I enjoy reading your comments and am glad you are here.
@SwampWoman, you're an angel for working with those children for as long as you did.
One of the first things taught to us volunteers(in a program for kids in a lousy, underserved area of Boston) was "You can't save everyone." It was so hard to not get completely sucked in every day and go on missions to fix every problem they had. It would happen before you realised it, and you'd have to stop, step back, and ...get perspective back. Easier said than done.
Ava C said…
@JennS - I'm glad my thoughts on the Richmond brooch eased your mind. I've had to rethink my idea of Queen Mary in recent years, once I had read around the subject for myself, as my father (born 1935) has always disliked her and all the royal family and I grew up with that view, without questioning it.

To give you an idea how things have changed, my father was asked to write about the royal family when he was at school and he didn't let that opportunity pass him by to really speak his mind! Then the headmaster sent for his parents to explain how their son could have got hold of such revolutionary opinions. They were members of the Conservative Party (I have a picture of my grandmother standing next to Churchill) and were just as flummoxed as he was. Can you imagine something like that happening now? Actually, as I'm writing that, I'm thinking parents could be hauled in because their children weren't sufficiently progressive!

To go back to Queen Mary, a good proportion of the royal jewels used by the royal women come from her, as you say. At the time of the Sussex wedding I kept thinking of Queen Mary absolutely spinning in her grave, but really the tiara that was used was fitting, since I suppose she was entitled to have one at that point. It was unshowy by royal standards. It made my day to see Eugenie later that year, with a glorious tiara. Especially as the York girls always look like a direct link with Victoria. "Here's the real deal!" I thought. Unpoetically.

Really, the best thing would have been to refuse a white wedding in a church for the Sussexes. If they give an inch to M she'll take everything. They didn't know that yet, though if they'd employed private investigators at the time of the engagement they would have. The Queen thought she could keep the ceremony within suitable limits, with specifically no veil, only to see that enormous train and the whole works coming up the aisle towards her! That's why she was wise to wear the Richmond brooch. You need whatever helps you best when dealing with that person. I don't even want to call her a woman.
AnT said…
@Girl with a Hat,

Would this be the same Lainey whose site last July posted a piece calling actor Terry Crews "trash"? It's still posted. She blasts him for his rich privilege and his Black male privilege.
https://www.laineygossip.com/terry-crews-proves-hes-still-trash-with-blacklivesbetter-tweet/66589


And yet, she also called Tara Reid, who is a woman with no male privilege, "trash" and a few other expletives simply because she heard TR was a "*itch" at a party:
https://www.laineygossip.com/Tara-Reid---Trash-hits-Toronto/6819

And gosh, LL didn't have to frantically post a whole chunk apologizing for her own past racist & homophobic posts? Why, yes she did, saying:

“Those posts were racist, they were misogynistic,
they were homophobic, they were transphobic, they
were ugly, they were shameful,” Lui said, referring
to said posts. “I am so sorry.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/lainey-gossip-apology-racist-homophobic-posts_ca_5ef4c0d3c5b66c3126836409


Summary:

I think LL is just as happy and as mentally fit a person as her evil queen, MM.




JHanoi said…
DM- PC goes to his Wales Bolthole day after funeral.

to greive alone and contemplate and reflect on the future of the Monarchy
That tells me that whatever he had hoped to acheive during the baby steps of meeting with PW and JH didn’t go well. My perspective, JH is a lost cause and his ‘woke’, ‘PC’, ‘millionaire sheltered bubble’, ‘CA celeb’ lifestyle brainwashing, is complete and done, no regrets on anything from his part and now he is trying to brainwash his Dad and PW. JMO. and PC was hoping to take steps to bring him back into the fold. he’s (JH) a lost cause until he rids himself of the Claw. determined to make a fool and laughing-stock of hmself, PC needs to let him go and do it.

So I guess PC will miss HM BDay? mabe it’s a super low key affair.

makes me sad for them, I hope PC doesnt take anything JH said to heart and make any changes based on it. Harkles are a walking disaster area.
Maneki Neko said…
Re H's childhood, riding his tricycle into staff's legs etc, I can't remember if Diana reprimanded him on that occasion. I think his problem might stem partly from the fact that he was indulged by Diana - the baby of the family. Maybe he didn't manage clear boundaries. I don't think William, being the eldest, was indulged as much. JMO.
AnT said…
Thanks for posting the info about Dan Wootton's comments about Charles meeting with the sons before leaving to go alone to grieve privately at his bolthole in Wales.

This struck me. Dan's tweet about it:

"But, in an unprecedented development that lays bare the depth of their rift, Charles and William preferred to meet with H together so that nobody’s words could be misconstrued afterwards."

File the above quote under "how you know it's time to give up and cut a rotten child off permanently." Well, at least they have H and M figured out. Or, William does.
AnT said…
@Maneki Neko,
I have no children myself, but spent years logging a lot of time hanging out with my friends and relatives and neighbors and their many children in England, Ireland, Germany, France, and the US. We have 15 young nieces and nephews too (yikes!) who enjoy coming over to stay with us in smaller groups of two or three.

Not one of these kids was of a mind to ride a bicycle hard into the legs of people for fun. I tend to think the problem starts there, a weird desire to hurt and harm, even before a weak reprimand from Diana? Maybe I am wrong. Maybe it is down to bad early parenting or not addressing anger issues. I don't know. Of course, none of the kids harmed small animals as has been alleged with MM and her cat, either.
@AnT-yes, witnesses! If it is so bad you have to have a witness there, ...Can't unpoison that well. It's done.
Ava C said…
The comments about Catherine's thinness - I think she must, understandably, be taking out her frustrations in the gym or running. All the better to stop her feelings running over and affecting her children and the support she can give to her husband. So for the sugars and I expect M to be spiteful about that is beneath contempt.

Catherine did look the most beautiful I've ever seen her, in that shot taken in the car. The Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary shows up now and then on this blog. Catherine reminded me of her in that she didn't just look royal. She looked like an empress. Not of this century.

However it's not just appearance with Catherine. If you Google her in the past pandemic year you see her making bread, cooking, planting trees and flowers, packing baby supplies, serving breakfast, listening properly to people in front-line jobs and playing with babies and children of all ages to their obvious pleasure.

What did we ever see M do? She preferred brief photo opps in charity offices as then she didn't have to actually meet the real people they were helping. Her aversion to the elderly, when she couldn't get out of it, was painfully on show. Her lack of hygiene when visiting kitchens. Her ridiculous, patronising gesture writing on those bananas. Grandstanding at every event. Spending nearly £1M on clothes in 18 months that were unnecessarily extravagant, upstaging and inappropriate when not downright disrespectful. How she must hate seeing Catherine now. Even more than she did before.

Catherine is the living embodiment of that phrase Michelle Obama used. 'When they go low, we go high.' M supplying the 'low'. I bet Catherine wouldn't have any problem getting Michelle to return her calls, but then she would never have pretended to have lunch with her when she didn't. That article by M was just like the one Dominic Cummings' wife wrote, giving the impression they'd stayed in their London home when she had Covid symptoms instead of travelling several hundred miles. This pandemic has judged such people mercilessly. We don't want to hear from them. We don't want to see them. We don't want them in our national life.
Hikari said…
AnT,

"But, in an unprecedented development that lays bare the depth of their rift, Charles and William preferred to meet with H together so that nobody’s words could be misconstrued afterwards."

I've always assumed Dan Wooten to be pretty reliable. I've just heard so many contradictory reports over the last couple of days re. WPOS's post-service activities. No sooner had I read that WPOS would go strolling with his father to look at tributes--code for hashing it out in the open air, and that William and Chas would call a summit to discuss the future of the monarchy post-PP and post-Megxit when a new day dawned and I read that No, there wasn't any walk and there wouldn't be a summit, either.

Re. POS's travel plans: He planned to return to California on Monday. No, he didn't, he's waiting until after Granny's birthday. Oh, no, we guess he's not doing that after all.

The papers seem united that he's staying at Frogmore Cottage, ostensible home of a couple with a 2-month old baby. Unless they aren't staying there, and POS isn't either, having already decamped for America.

Completely confusing. J'accuse the Mudslide Hooker of meddling, but these were the UK papers that couldn't get their stories straight.

I like the suggestion someone made earlier that as soon as the mourners reached Windsor Castle, William spoke to POS privately--to say his Uber had arrived.

'Here's a sandwich. (taking from footman who magically appeared to hand) I've called you an Uber and it's waiting at the gate. You're booked on the 7pm redeye from Heathrow and I'm sure you don't want to miss it. If you do miss it, you'll have to pay for the rebooking yourself. Nigel the RPO will accompany you to the doors of the airport, where he will frisk you for hidden devices. Now get out and don't call me again. Stop crying--it's pathetic." (spuns on Royal heel, back to Granny's sad tea party)

If Dan's story is true, then I'd say it means that it was thought prudent to have a witness to the conversation . . .along with, perhaps a court stenographer. I know I would. The WPsOS lies are a lot easier to dismantle in writing.
SirStinxAlot said…
@AnT...

This struck me. Dan's tweet about it:

"But, in an unprecedented development that lays bare the depth of their rift, Charles and William preferred to meet with H together so that nobody’s words could be misconstrued afterwards."


What do you want to bet, words get 'misconstrued' anyways? Grim will use ceative license for every snippit of information Dim brings back. Just like the baby appearance begore they were even married, she wasn't even present for.
JennS said…
@Nutties

I have a favor to ask.
If folks don't want to call Harry and Meghan by their names anymore could we just refer to them as H and M?
The blog has become so hard to read with everyone using different names and sets of initials for the vile pair I can't follow what people are writing.

The initials are particularly confusing and don't allow for a smooth read when we already abbreviate so much (RF/QEII/PC etc) and use text-speak as well.

I'm finding myself constantly trying to figure out which set of initials is a designation of which person and with all the new nicknames it's just impossible to know who/what anyone is talking about. It takes me a lot longer to read here and I'm already spending too much time on the Harkles without having to try to decipher a code.

In addition, I thought a good part of the reason we provide our time here is to try to spread the word about the Sussexes. Anyone stopping by to read would think we were talking in some kind of code and would definitely not understand much of what we are writing about.
I don't want to spoil any enjoyment anyone is getting out of these various code names but it really seems to defeat part of the purpose of the blog.
I hope everyone will consider returning to calling them by their names or actual initials and that y'all understand the reasons why I'm asking.
💓😁💓
Christine said…
AnT- Perfect saying of Michelle Obama's to apply to Kate. I believe that is exactly what she did. Kate does things for love. She was raised in a very loving family and she loves her Wills and the children. Also, Kate is very dutiful and I believe she is as duty bound to the Royal Family as anyone. Again I say, for her to publicly act as unselfishly as she did on that post funeral walk was amazing.

If there could be a winner on that sad day, it was Kate.
Christine said…
JennS- I agree! Many times I cannot identify who people are referring to by the nicknames, but then I don't come in here as often.
lizzie said…
@Maneki Neko wrote:

"Re H's childhood, riding his tricycle into staff's legs etc, I can't remember if Diana reprimanded him on that occasion. I think his problem might stem partly from the fact that he was indulged by Diana - the baby of the family. Maybe he didn't manage clear boundaries. I don't think William, being the eldest, was indulged as much. JMO."

I don't think any of us know for sure. But Will was reportedly kind of a terror as a child (Billy the Basher because he was a bully in nursery school.) And there is video of The Queen having to run after 4-year old Will at Andrew's wedding when he chased the carriage and could have gotten run over or trampled by a horse. This was after he spent much of the time during the ceremony sticking his tongue out and goofing around with the other children in the wedding. Reportedly the Queen told Charles and Diana to start taking Will in hand rather than laughing at his antics.

Here's a PEOPLE article from 1986 on William The Terrible
https://people.com/archive/cover-story-william-the-terrible-vol-26-no-1/
none said…
I've been on youtube watching some old footage of Charles, Diana and their sons. The family dynamics are quite interesting going all the way back to when Harry was barely walking.
Ava C said…
Yes I agree. H and M would be simplest.

Having just read about only Charles, William and H meeting so remarks can't be misconstrued ... it doesn't really matter if they are misconstrued or not if we're only to hear H's version in the media, supplemented by what feels like thousands of 'experts' who seem to know no more than we do.
AnT said…
@Christine,

Hi -- it was @AvaC who applied Michelle Obama's perfect quote to this situation, not me. But I agree with her, it's an appropriate quote to think of here, now. (Easy to confuse with so many comments here, and we both have short "A" names!)
Ava C said…
@lizzie - oh there's lots about the William's time as 'the Basher' in Christopher Andersen's book and it's worth reading if only to realise how far he's come. H didn't make that transformation but William did. Here's the Basher:

William routinely picked fights with other children and refused to take part in any activity that didn’t interest him. He clenched his teeth and put up fists to any teacher courageous enough to try to discipline him. “He was always threatening to have us sent to the Tower,” said one. “Either that or just executed by one of his bodyguards. Charming.”

Nanny Barnes, who actually spent more time with William and Harry than either of their overscheduled parents did, would have none of it. She brushed aside all criticism of the princes, preferring to characterize them as simply “high-spirited” and “full of fun.” When Prince Philip suggested that perhaps a new nanny would be able to tame William, Diana, who was also wary of anyone becoming too close to her boys, took his advice.

The new nanny—this time armed with the authority to spank the Basher—had little effect. William upheld his reputation as Britain’s flesh-and-blood answer to Dennis the Menace with more tantrums, schoolyard tussles, and threats to have bodily harm done to the teaching staff. As king, William began telling anyone who would listen, he would have the power to have his knights “do anything I want them to—like killing you.”

In the fall of 1987 William departed for Wetherby, a prekindergarten school at Notting Hill Gate that was even closer to Kensington Palace. Mrs. Mynor and her teaching staff breathed a collective sigh of relief—until they were told that Harry would be replacing his older brother at the nursery school. At Wetherby, Wills continued to run roughshod over children and adults alike. If he didn’t like what was being served for lunch—and frequently he didn’t—the prince screamed and threw his plate on the floor. If he raised his hand and wasn’t called on first, he stormed out of the classroom. “I wanted to put him over my knee and spank the hell out of him,” one of his protection officers said. “We all did. And I think that’s probably what he was asking for someone to do—care enough to set some limits, you know? He was wild, uncontrollable.”


Christopher Andersen says that William began changing when he saw how kind his mother would be to people and what a difference she made to their lives and began to want to be a kinder person himself. Maybe this is where H's limited intelligence comes in. He never analysed anything. Never thought of anyone else.
Maneki Neko said…
@lizzie

Thank you. I must say I've forgotten what H and William were like as children. Of course, I read about it at the time but maybe didn't pay too much attention to it. It could be that a young H had a nasty streak from a young age, not helped by possibly weak parenting. Be it as it may, H seems to have done nothing to improve his character and then went from bad to worse with the advent of the venomous viper.
AnT said…

So, wait a moment here.....Charles is off to Wales to grieve, leaving his newly widowed mother to cope, and also not being there for her first birthday without Philip?

I'm sure she "understands etc etc".

.....but, honestly, rather weak in my book. Even if it is felt others are there with her, it seems a bit..... Well, just my opinion. Mr AnT just lost his father a few months ago, and his father's brother just a week later. And while he was grieving a lot and very aware of his new role as the eldest son in his large Irish family, he didn't cut and run. He kept visiting his step-mother to make sure she was okay, along with his other siblings and me. Granted, Mr AnT doesn't have the weight of a throne waiting for him, but....

Well, everyone grieves differently. Maybe the Queen wishes to be alone. I suppose I am swayed by the image of the tiny Queen alone in that pew, which is still breaking my heart.
JennS said…
The current inconsistent back and forth from the media is enough to drive anyone trying to follow this story crazy. I think this is the worst I've ever seen the reporting on the Harkles - even worse than the mess around Archie's 'birth'.
And it's hard to even pick out what might be coming from the Harkle camp.

We have contradictory tales of whether the brothers were cold to each other or were healing their relationship, whether Harry is staying a while longer or not, whether the family met/will meet with him or not, and whether there will be a summit to discuss the future lay-out of the firm or not.

What's really troublesome is that trusted outlets and reporters like The Telegraph and The Times, and Camilla Tominey and Valentine Low are engaging in this behavior.

Here is the latest from Valentine Low:

"Prince Harry held talks with Prince William after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, it emerged last night.

The brothers met with their father, Prince Charles, at Windsor Castle for two hours, the first time they had got together since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s televised interview with Oprah Winfrey last month, according to sources.

One told The Sun: “It’s early days but you’d hope this is exactly the first step Philip would have wished for.”

Another told the newspaper: “Harry and William appeared cordial as the cameras rolled and that seemed to pave the way for Charles to join them when everyone had left.”

The damage caused by the interview that Harry and Meghan gave to Winfrey is so deep, however, that many believe that a serious conversation is needed to discuss their allegations.

Harry may be keen to return to California, where his wife is expecting their second baby, but there have been reports that he might stay until the Queen’s 95th birthday on Wednesday.

Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, said that any family summit was unlikely this week. “She hates confrontation,” she said. “The royal children have so much difficulty in getting the Queen to discuss anything other than dogs or horses. I remember Fergie telling me it took three weeks for them to try and get her to discuss their divorce. She kept saying ‘Oh, I’ve got to take the dogs for a walk.’ ”

Harry had described his father and brother as being trapped in their roles."
HappyDays said…
If the poor child who is destined to be her dsughter is born in the next month to six weeks, I think Meghan might, and when I say might, I mean it’s a big might, come with Harry when he returns for the statue unveiling. Even if she makes no official appearances because she is no longer a working royal, she would be sure she’s papped around Windsor or London through a few well-placed calls to pap agencies.

Heck, as with the NYC baby shower, she might even send out a schedule to the paps so they could “catch” her making “secret” entries and exits around both places, and maybe even a “surprise” scheduled visit to one of her former charities such as popping in to say hi to the ladies at the Grenfell Kitchen.

She and Harry can also squeeze in a quickie (what else?) CoE baptism for little Diarito instead of in LA at the First Cosmic Church of the Wokeness.

She can keep Harry on her leash, grab the headlines for a few days, get the kid baptised and the baby’s dual citizenship papers filed before heading back to the mudslide manor never to set foot in the UK again unless she’s accompanying Harry’s body back for a funeral and to assume her new role as a professional widow.
AnT said…
@lizzie,

Thanks for the reminder about The Basher! I suppose they just have a lot of war kings in their blood, but William had the intelligence to look around, absorb the idea of better behavior, and grow. While H......


@JennS,
I do understand what you mean about the confusing use of nicknames and initials -- I think we were all just so fed up with H's awful behavior this weekend, that when a few nutties suggested not using their names, to avoid giving them more PR, it made sense on a few levels. He Who Shall Not Be Named, etc. I'm okay with whatever people wish to do.
Ava C said…
New article in The Guardian (free access) which doesn't write royal articles every five minutes:

Sophie and Edward: what key role after death of Prince Philip could mean

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/19/countess-wessex-sophie-prince-edward-death-prince-philip

Basically saying they're a good fit to fill the void and that Sophie has excellent communication skills due to her previous PR experience. Points out that she has even more experience than Kate as she married into the royal family in the '90s and that she was authorised to speak about Prince Philip's death. I thought she did that most movingly but at the same time didn't go too far. Perfectly judged.
Portcitylass said…
H and M are pushing to be superstar globalists in order to outshine any royalty in the UK. They are using the global anti monarchy media to do it. It has always been H's desire to outshine William, and the narrative that nationalism is racist, only in white countries, will make it easier for him. Looks like blm is now going after Jane Austin. Buckle ppl. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Hikari, said I'm not sure how knowing that a 99-year-old man officially died from cancer or if his heart gave out really matters, in terms of making any sort of difference. When it comes down to it, *every* cause of death is heart failure. When the heart stops, all systems are down. It just takes longer for some than others. Cancer ultimately causes the heart to fail and that is the end.

This pretty much sums it up for me. ;o)

Philip lived to a ripe old and wonderful age, he well exceeded his three score years and ten.
AnT said…
@JennS,

I am no longer feeling confused. Here is my secret: whenever I see,

"according to sources.

/One told The Sun: “It’s early days but

/ Another told the newspaper"

I instantly now assume it is all a lie, fabricated from MM's pointy crazy brain, and then sent to the papers via hotmail or an SS flunky operating on her orders. It's worth posting here to record, but don't let it bother you or overly puzzle you. Liars gonna lie.



JHanoi said…
just read that people article... and got a good laugh on PC talking meditation to the CA lumbar Jacks.


https://people.com/archive/cover-story-william-the-terrible-vol-26-no-1/

Also interesting/ disturbing, that after Lord Mountbatten’s death Occidentals, CEO Dr Armand Hammer , became PC’s mentor and was the second person to visit after JH was born, first was PAndrew.
Dr. Armand Hammer is wannabe bbq cannibal Armie Hammer’s grandtfather and just as creepy. Armie’s Dad is creepy, and his Great grandad too. PrincessDi was right about him!
Hikari said…
@Ava

To go back to Queen Mary, a good proportion of the royal jewels used by the royal women come from her, as you say. At the time of the Sussex wedding I kept thinking of Queen Mary absolutely spinning in her grave, but really the tiara that was used was fitting, since I suppose she was entitled to have one at that point. It was unshowy by royal standards. It made my day to see Eugenie later that year, with a glorious tiara.

Well, this saga has certainly educated me more on the Crown Jewels than I ever thought I would know. One of the earliest conspiracy theories is that Markle's wedding tiara was a fake. A lot of bloggers posted pictures attempting to display how Markle's stones had the 'wrong color' and that the scrollwork was different up close, though it passed muster well enough from a distance.

By the time the wedding day rolled around, Markle had caused so many tears and headaches over details of her wedding, including her tiara, that while it didn't occur to me the day of that the tiara she was wearing could have been a copy, in retrospect if it *was*--

1. Could Markle tell the difference? (My answer: No. She is not versed enough in the real good stuff, preferring dinkety trinkets that look like they come from a mall kiosk.)

2. What better shade/punishment for diva antics from HM, who sent Wallis's hearse to transport 'The Bride' and gifted Her a home overlooking the last American Duchess's grave in a frog swamp?

3. Potentially very real concerns that this grifting con artist would finagle a way to abscond with the priceless Queen Mary bandeau tiara and hock it for cash. People say, oh, impossible--but Markle has gotten away with legions of misbehavior to downright criminal activities that were once considered impossible within the Royal family.

Feign illness--a lady complaint or other that necessitates her retiring to the ladies' room. The RPO would not follow her into the toilet cubicle itself. Do a quick-change swapping the real tiara for a paste one and leaving the real one in some secreted location later to be picked up by an accomplice . . Oprah or Serena, perhaps. Either of them would have a right old laugh about pulling one over on an elderly racist woman.

I had read that the Queen Mary bandeau worn by It was HM's grandmother's favorite, go-to piece. As such, to allow Markle to wear it seems an even greater honor than the showier tiara worn by Eugenie. That one is very lovely as well. The QM bandeau is simpler design but the colors worked better with Markle's dress.
Pantsface said…
Firstly condolances to all that have lost loved ones to cancer and all manner of awful diseases - My mum had lung cancer, had an operation to remove part of the lung, she and step father thought she was cured - I knew different, lung cancer survival rates are poor in the UK, although I said nothing and lived with knowing it wouldn't be long and it wasn't, I miss her every day so can empathise with you all x

With regards to the chopping and changing press re H - could it be that the RF/BP can't be bothered to offer a timeline as to when he is/isn't leaving so the press are just guessing or maybe H himself hasn't advised the RF - no change there
JennS said…
Thanks @Christine @Ava C and @AnT
I was afraid folks would be angry with me for asking...but it really is hard to follow and the Harkles are annoying enough without having to try to decipher the posts at our favorite place for Sussex commiserating.
😍💓😍


❓❓❓
So, what does everyone think about the narrative the media is putting out about the brothers repairing their relationship? And the one about Charles and Harry also repairing their connection?

Where is this coming from and who wants this narrative out there?
Would the media make this up and write these stories on their own?
Is the palace asking that this narrative be put out there whether it's true or not?
Are the Harkles behind it?
Is the story true?


🤣🤣🤣
@Ava C
ROTFLOL at little William wanted to put people in the tower or have his guards execute them! I can well imagine that raising any child in the RF especially the ones in the direct line must be very difficult. How can they be anything other than spoiled brats at least while they are quite young??
W and C seem to be doing a better job with their children than what may have occurred in the past...although I get the feeling Charlotte is a handful!

I've been watching royal family docs the last couple of days and it's amazing how the one person who seemed to get "it" right away even as a child was QEII. She supposedly had a strong sense of duty beginning in early childhood which was first reflected in how she cared for her younger sister. And she never misbehaved!!!
Ava C said…
@Hikari - What better shade/punishment for diva antics from HM, who sent Wallis's hearse to transport 'The Bride' and gifted Her a home overlooking the last American Duchess's grave in a frog swamp?

LOL. Yes, surely no coincidences there!

I agree the tiara M wore did suit her. I just wished her hair has been better. Being so dark, those wisps were far too distracting. As I've said before, she could have looked magnificent with a formal, high updo. Like a Goya painting (not the Nude Maja obviously).
`Misconstrued' - a euphemism for `twisted'.
brown-eyed said…
@Girl With A Hat
@Hikari
@London Gent

Prince Philip was reported to have prostate cancer in 2008 by the London Standard. BP declined to comment.

The article I read denied that he had pancreatic cancer; it was said to have been released in an official statement from BP. Lipstick Alley is where I first read this post. It was referring to an alleged diagnosis previously—not to the Duke’s recent hospitalization.

@Hikari, do we really know that MM damaged sorority pledges at Northwestern or strangled her cats? It’s hard to believe no one at Northwestern (sorority sister) has ratted her out. I enjoy your contributions to the blog so much, but these two incidents just strike me as exaggerated or perhaps not true.

It gets harder all the time for me to evaluate what is really true.
Pantsface said…
@Happydays - do we actually know how far along M is? I thought "baby" was due in the summer, not sure May is summer??

@Ant, I understand your feelings with regards to Charles taking himself off to Wales, seems a tad self indulgent, but we don't know the full circumstances, he looked like a broken man, not to say that his grief is no more or less than HM, I guess people deal with things differently.
jessica said…
According to MBTI theory QE is an ISTJ, which is probably one of the most perfect personalities for a monarch. Duty, tradition, structure driven, and no-nonsense kind of people.

As for the narrative of reconciliation, I have no idea what to think. On one hand it bodes much better for Meghan and Harry to look associated and close with the BRF. On another, it’s terrible for the people of the U.K. to have such wild card Mavericks spewing anything and everything as if they are ‘in the know’ and ruining the Monarchy’s image. I do think their tolerance for Harry’s mental illness and bad behavior is quite high. They are *used* to this Harry behind the scenes. They don’t seem to believe in tough love and ‘grow up’ ‘he will get it one day through his tribulations!’ No, they are far to privileged to have the sort of tribulations that would knock sense into Harry.

I can see the Monarchy being cordial with Harry. I think when William ascends, it will be wildly different though. I think the trust is completely gone. It’s been such a horrible thing to witness Harry betray William this way. Completely unacceptable and nasty.
JennS said…
Whoops - here we go - shall we believe this one hot off the press from the Telegraph?

No man-to-man for Prince Charles and Harry as Duke heads back to US
Duke of Sussex set to return to California without securing one-to-one time with his father to clear air after bombshell Oprah interview


By
Victoria Ward
19 April 2021 • 9:04pm

Part 1

The Duke of Sussex will return to California without having a private meeting with his father, The Telegraph understands.

Many family members had hoped the pair would take the opportunity to spend some time together alone, to air their differences face to face.

But despite a 10,000-mile round trip, the Duke was either unable, or unwilling, to pin down the Prince of Wales, who is still coming to terms with the death of his father. While the Duke’s travel plans have not been disclosed, he is thought likely to return home to his pregnant wife, the Duchess of Sussex, 39, and their son Archie, who turns two next month, within the next day or two.

The lack of any time spent with his father suggests that feelings over his Oprah Winfrey interview are still running high and the fallout remains raw.

Having quarantined for the requisite five days after landing in the UK last week, ahead of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, Prince Harry would have been able to abandon self-isolation on taking a private coronavirus test under the “test to release” scheme.

He is thought to have had at least two days following Saturday’s service in which to catch up with friends or family members. Should relations have thawed sufficiently with his brother, he would certainly have liked to catch up with his young nephews and niece – Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five and Prince Louis, who turns three on Friday.

The two elder children return to school following the Easter holidays today, meaning they would have been back in London yesterday, should such a visit have been an option.
JennS said…
Part 2

The Duke is also particularly close to his cousin, Princess Eugenie, who is thought to be staying with her parents at Royal Lodge, not far from his Frogmore Cottage base on the Windsor estate, and who has recently given birth to her first child, August.

He may also have wanted to take the opportunity to see friends, or hold meetings with some of his remaining UK-based charities, which include WellChild and the Invictus Games Foundation.

The Prince of Wales, 72, was said to have been furious about the Sussexes’ decision to discuss private family matters on television and “let down” by his son and daughter-in-law.

A source close to him said the “incendiary” interview had caused pain and division and that trust in the couple had been eroded.

“It goes against everything the Prince of Wales believes in. He believes diversity is the strength of our society,” one source told a newspaper.

“The Duke of Sussex continues to say he respects his grandmother, but he has ridden roughshod over the institution she represents.”

While the Duke of Sussex and Duke of Cambridge made a point of chatting together as they strolled back up the hill from St George’s Chapel following the funeral on Saturday, Prince Harry was not seen interacting with his father.

They are thought to have spent at least an hour together, alongside other family members including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, following the funeral service, away from the cameras.

But many believe the damage caused by the Sussexes’ allegations about racism and mental health is so deep that chances of meaningful reconciliation in the short-term are slim.

A Buckingham Palace statement said of the claims that “while some recollections may vary”, the issues raised by the Sussexes would be “addressed by the family privately”.
AnT said…
@Pantsface,

MM is going to "have the baby" on July 1, of course! Even If it takes 11 months again, what ho! /s

I am sure Charles is broken and grieving. Only natural. And definitely, we all grieve differently. But...the queen may be as well, and is in her 90s and Philip was her rock, her true north. And Charles needed to buckle up and deal like a future king and a son and a man. I think I see where H got his floppy weak self-indulgent streak.

That's my very judgmental comment, and yah, I said what I said! :-)
AnT said…
Um..... @JennS, how can H do all of that

----He may also have wanted to take the opportunity to see friends, or hold meetings with some of his remaining UK-based charities, which include WellChild and the Invictus Games Foundation.

----when only halfway through quarantine?
Hikari said…
@Ava

I agree the tiara M wore did suit her. I just wished her hair has been better. Being so dark, those wisps were far too distracting. As I've said before, she could have looked magnificent with a formal, high updo. Like a Goya painting (not the Nude Maja obviously).

Its hair looked like utter, absolute shite, and the makeup, too. After the huge hullabaloo she'd made about demanding access to the tiara vault so 'her stylist' could practice with it, and pitching a fit over what tiara she was entitled to, the results were less than impressive on the day. Markle thinks she's gotta have the most expensive couture because the most expensive is the most coveted and the best, right? She looks better in casual California style, like the Stella McCartney dress. Wispy hair is more appropriate to a beach wedding not the highest of all High Church weddings.

Her very beige makeup just deadened her out. There was no 'fresh, radiant bride' aura. She looked, frankly, like she hadn't washed her face in a week. (Shout-out to Fly Guy!) I deduce that maybe Markle stinks up close . . the rot of her soul coming out perhaps.

If I were a so-called 'beauty professional' I would not want to be associated with Markle's look that day.

My theory is that there was no style team, blubbering Daniel Martin was probably paid to say he was there. Why would he want credit for a makeup look that was bad? I get a picture of just herself and Dorito flying around the suite, trying not to burn holes with the doobies and slapping themselves together. Meg basically looked like she rolled off somebody (Marcus) and threw her ensemble on. I think having been denied the tiara she made Harry yell about and the red carpet runner, she retaliated by looking as crap as possible. I don't think she managed to wear dirty bridal shoes but everything else was crap.

Boys and Girls, How Would You Choose?

You are getting married. You want a red carpet. You are told, No, the red carpet is reserved. But we have a very nice blue carpet in a lovely shade. How nice for a spring wedding.

Since you can't have the red carpet reserved for children of the monarch and direct heirs, you refuse to have any carpet at all and have to drag your ostentatious train over a bare stone floor.

Did you choose well?
Acquitaine said…
@ Hikari: Re: Queen Mary's jewellery.

It's hard to pinpoint which piece was her favourite. The woman loved jewellery and bought, collected, commissioned or was gifted pieces at a phenomenon rate. Between her and Queen Alexander it's hard to tell which one was more of a jewellery magpie.

The Queen mother was also a jewellery person, but not to the degree of her in-laws. Still, she was given alot of jewellery by friends and her husband.

The jewellery we see today is from these ladies and we've only seen a small portion because our present Queen isn't a jewellery person and tends to wear the same pieces repeatedly unless she's wearing nationally important symbolic pieces.

Sadly the jewellery from an earlier era eg pieces owned by Victoria and some pieces owned by Alexandra left the family when later females married out.

They do pop up occasionally in auction when the descendants sell them eg 2 of Victoria's coronets that had left the family due to marriage popped up in auction within the past 5yrs and were purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum and are displayed at the museum and at KP.

https://gazette-eu-west2.azureedge.net/media/18437/queen-victoria-coronet-2307nedib-29-08-17.jpg

https://i2.wp.com/www.katiecallahanandco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/royal-jewels-4-2000.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&ssl=1


When we first heard about Meghan's desire for an emerald tiara ( leaked to the daily star during the engagement period) i assumed she wanted to borrow the KP displayed emerald tiara.

lizzie said…
@AnT,

If his Day 5 test was negative under Test to Release, he could end his quarantine in England.


https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-test-to-release-for-international-travel
Girl with a Hat said…
@brown-eyed

about the pancreatic cancer:

Gyles Brandreth stated it in an interview he did just after the Duke's death

Lady Colin Campbell also says this.

So, I don't know why it's so hard for you to accept.
JennS said…
@AnT
LOL! They certainly have him busy, don't they!
I think the author of the article guessed Hazza may have taken a private covid test after 5 days which I believe would have released him from quarantine at that point. But they don't know for sure! It's all theories!

I have come to the conclusion that the media does NOT know anything about the issues I posted above. They are simply guessing about all of it and I'm annoyed at the times and telegraph who charge for these guesses.

I read somewhere that Harry is not saying when he is leaving as he doesn't want paps at the airport. That I can believe.

I don't even think MM is involved in this current weirdness in the press although I'm sure once he's home we will get all manner of dumb PR from her.
Ava C said…
I think Prince Charles is going to find this extremely hard, but then that is to be expected as he does feel things so terribly. He is lucky to have had his father so long though.

I mentioned Noël Coward earlier in this post. A fellow actor and friend, Clifton Webb (who did a memorable turn in my favourite film, 'Laura' in 1944) was devastated to lose his mother Mabelle when he was in his early 70s:

Webb was consumed with grief at the loss of his mother, who he had lived with for his entire life, and he carried his inconsolable grief everywhere he went for the rest of his life. One of Coward’s famous quotes rose from Webb’s grief.

According to Graham Payn, when Coward called Webb from Jamaica after Mabelle’s death, Webb spent so much time on the phone saying nothing and letting out racking sobs, that the only way Coward could calm him down by threatening to reverse the charges. [...] After a dinner party, about a year after Mabelle’s death, someone made a suggestion that everyone go downtown to see a XX Show. Deep in grief, Webb wanted nothing to do with merriment and kept saying, “It’s too soon, It’s too soon.” An exasperated Coward is said to have turned to to Webb and said, “You know, Clifton, it’s not a terrible thing to be orphaned at seventy four.”


I'm not being heartless I hope. Prince Charles HAS only just lost his father. However he does have a tendency for introspection that is too freely exercised at times, or should I say for too long and without an appreciation of his extremely privileged lifestyle.

I'm only mentioning this here because I see this in H. This is where he gets it from. Thankfully Prince Charles has many good points to compensate for this, unlike H. When I was watching the Land Rover bear Prince Philip's coffin along, I thought what a tremendous success he had made of what could have been a thankless role. So many accomplishments. I then realised that the same will be said of his oldest son, when his time comes. For the Princes Trust alone, never mind anything else. This then made me truly realise what a hollow figure H made that day. His failure wasn't inevitable. His supposed problems weren't something pre-ordained by his upset youth. His grandfather showed that. Being on the sidelines for years doesn't stop you building a unique place for yourself in the meantime. His father shows that.

I just wish Prince Charles had spent less time with the supremely self-indulgent Queen Mother. She has a lot to answer for.
xxxxx said…
@Lizzie
Thanks and I stand corrected on my timeline---
From the 2016 DM article I originally drew from in previous post here. As far as bankruptcies go:

Markle remains close to her mother, who divorced her father Thomas, 72, when she was six, and is often seen with her on the red carpet.
Thomas, a lighting director, is currently thought to be in Mexico and recently filed for bankruptcy after racking up debts of $30,000 (£24,000).

Doria, who also filed for bankruptcy herself in 2002 over a $52,750 credit-card bill, appears to be the one of the defining influences in her daughter’s life.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9487141/How-royals-outpouring-grief-signals-shift-monarchys-approach-emotion.html
Maneki Neko said…
I've just seen the headline re Charles decamping to Wales. He probably needed some peace after the meeting with his wayward son. What I find shocking is that Charles and William 'were too scared to meet him individually'. Also 'Charles and William preferred to meet with Harry together so that nobody's words could be misconstrued afterwards.' So they thought their words might be twisted. We know how they were grossly misrepresented in the O interview so this is not surprising. They're being careful now.

I know H doesn't deserve forgiveness but I think it's positive that Charles, William (also Kate in part) met and started talking. The longer they left it, the more it would have festered. If they can at least be civil towards each other, it will help at the unveiling of the statue and of course, will also help the Queen. I don't think giving H the cold shoulder treatment would be ultimately productive, however tempting that may be. They're dealing with it as a family, i.e. a son and a brother. This doesn't meant H is part of the royal family, even if he is accepted in the family. Let's hope H stays until the Queen's birthday on Wednesday and that they all feel a bit better about him when he leaves. The harpy can wait in Mudslide Manor.


Hikari said…
@brown-eyed

@Hikari, do we really know that MM damaged sorority pledges at Northwestern or strangled her cats? It’s hard to believe no one at Northwestern (sorority sister) has ratted her out. I enjoy your contributions to the blog so much, but these two incidents just strike me as exaggerated or perhaps not true.

It gets harder all the time for me to evaluate what is really true.


If there is one thing I have learned through this whole debacle is that 'truth' is very elastic, depending on how powerful the parties involved and how much money they have to buy silence and/or PR firms to manufacture narratives. When it comes to Royals and other powerful people (MM got the Royal umbrella of protection by default when she became engaged to Harry, not because of her own merits) the amount of actual 'truth' we plebes are entitled to seems pretty low.

Re. Lash-gate, the alleged crime is so bizarre and so specific it's hard to imagine it being completely made up. Consider how there's been Zero corroboration of Markle's university experiences from anyone affiliated with the university--former teachers, classmates or anyone in the sorority. NW and the chapter have refused all comment. It appears all of Markle's records have been sealed, which means that members of press or public or private investigators, etc have no access to them.

Why would that be? Ask yourself that question.
Ava C said…
The monarchy could be in for a very uncertain time if the Queen and Prince Charles find it too difficult to engage with the Sussexes. With the country facing a fresh challenge from Scotland and further dissatisfaction from Wales and Northern Ireland (the latter with exceptionally good reasons after Brexit), this is not a good time to feel rudderless. Or more accurately, to be circling around the drain. If the first two aren't up to it, devolve more to William. We know he will deal with it. Let him.
ShadeeRrrowz said…
@Puds

If H is not fully vaccinated, per the California DPH he should test and quarantine for seven days at home, or 10 days if he doesn’t test. Funerals are not specifically listed under the category of “Essential Travel” or “Non-Essential Travel” which means it’s a bit murky. Since we didn’t open up vaccinations to all adults here until April 15th, it is not very likely he is vaccinated.
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Travel-Advisory.aspx

RE: The Dan Wooten article

Of all the back and forth we’ve had the last few days, this is the one I’m most likely to believe. I see it as more than PoW and DoC making sure nothing they say is twisted. This, hopefully, is them putting on a united front. I believe that PoW has seen that his younger son can’t be trusted and that he and William must stand together and H needs to see that.

I think the family part of the Royal Family is now firmly in Prince Charles’ hands. HM has never really had the stomach for it and now that PP is gone, it only seems right that PoW steps up and deals with H. And if he needs William to be his wing man, so be it.

Above all, I hope everyone is shielding HM from H.
Snarkyatherbest said…
Am a bit disappointed that Charles left (but not disappointed he didnt meet with Harry). I am guessing this is the beginning of the change in leadership and its all a bit overwhelming. After all of these years, its gonna happen and he's now taking over the family aspect of things. And maybe he isnt that close to his mom that she would find him consoling. I remember when my mom was dying she wanted my brother out of the room because his emotion was too much for her. (she was in her 80s and he was complaining about her decision for no more treatment) As she said, she couldnt die in peace.

as for haz, he just needs a negative test 48 hours before reentry into the US; California may have additional restrictions for quarantine. If I were him i would, as one posted suggested, be in a days inn in oxnard. If he comes home empty handed there will be trouble.

Girl with a Hat said…
@AvaC, quick fact - the Queen Mother and Markle share a birthday.
Maneki Neko said…
@JennS said

I read somewhere that Harry is not saying when he is leaving as he doesn't want paps at the airport. That I can believe.
------------
I don't think somehow that H or any member of the BRF have to go through the departure lounge and security like the rest of us. The BRF have their own private lounge and are usually taken straight there. I don't know about airport security, checks might be made discreetly in their own lounge. In any case, H flew with his security 'team' who would be able to keep photographers away.
lizzie said…
@Hikari wrote about M's time at Northwestern:

"It appears all of Markle's records have been sealed, which means that members of press or public or private investigators, etc have no access to them. Why would that be? Ask yourself that question."

But most of any university student's records are sealed by FERPA anyway. "Directory information" (name, email, phone and so on) can be released and so that does require a request to seal. But once a student is a former student, most schools wouldn't release any directory information they had anyway.
Maneki Neko said, know H doesn't deserve forgiveness but I think it's positive that Charles, William (also Kate in part) met and started talking. The longer they left it, the more it would have festered.

Imagine if either Catherine or William had ignored or blanked Harry in public? They really couldn’t. Being polite and civil was the right thing to do. It’s all helping to shut down the awful damage Mole (H) and Maggot (M) have done worldwide, but particularly stateside.

I also agree no serious talking has occurred, Harry has shown he can’t be ever be trusted. I truly don’t think he’ll be trusted again.
Snarkyatherbest said…
Maneki - once when we traveled as a family we were given the platinum treatment when the airline rep who worked with my hubby pulled out all the stops near his own retirement. We were ushered off an international flight before anyone was allowed to deboard and we were whisked to a special lounge for immigration and customs (bags were brought to us). so I imagine VIP H would have the same. We even had a connecting flight held for us back in the states. Oh we lived it up on that trip, at least at the airport!
Ava C said…
@Girl with a Hat - quick fact - the Queen Mother and Markle share a birthday.

I never noticed that!!! Well they both liked to spend money on an unimaginable scale.

I saw the QM when she launched HMS Ark Royal in 1981. I was 17. My whole life her twirly wave and 'gracious' (condescending) smile put my back up. That day was no different.

When you see a ship like that, in real life, up close, and appreciate the hard work, skill and - yes - danger involved in building her, and then a woman who has always lived in the lap of luxury turns up in her usual OTT flowery hat and gets all the applause, you can feel like a raving revolutionary.

One could argue this applies to all royals, but only the QM, Prince Andrew and Prince H make me feel that way. The QM most of all. Still now. As I've said before, I heartily recommended Lady C's book on her. I don't believe QM's real mother was the family cook (one of the reasons it is said why Wallis called her 'Cookie') but I'm happy to fall in with the rest. I trust my gut instinct.
JennS said…
@Ava C, Hikari, Acquitaine

Re the royal jewelry!

I read just today that the bandeau tiara Markle wore had not seen the light of day in about 65 years.
@Hikari it wasn't QM's favorite. She seldom wore it and there are very few photographs of it being worn by her. That story of it being her favorite must have been a sugar hallucination!
Check this out...
Apparently, Queen Mary and King George dressed up for dinner EVERY evening including Mary sporting a tiara even when they dined alone and at home! It is thought that the reason Mary had a number of bandeaus (which are smaller and less spectacular than normal tiaras), as well as a good number of tiaras, is that she particularly used the lighter more comfortable bandeaus for wearing at home! LOL!

I thought that Queen Mary's tiara was the only part of Markle's wedding outfit that was nice!

I saw a recommendation for a book on Queen Mary that I'm going to purchase tonight:
Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor Kindle Edition
by Anne Edwards
I also found a documentary on KG and QM for my viewing pleasure.
Ava C has piqued my interest in them!

I have a huge collection of books on antique jewelry - I think about 40 including some antiquarian ones, but I have never really been interested in the RF collection before other than Queen Victoria's since she set so many trends and wore many types of jewelry. I think that some of Victoria's Scottish agate I mentioned last night is displayed in the Royal Collection and at the V and A museum.
I will have to research Queen Mary's collection some more when I get the chance.

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