The Heir, The Spare and the “Baby Brain” -The Prince Harry and Meghan show rumbles on…

[miffy]

Just looked it up - it was her 19th birthday, he was 16 or 17 at the time. From a numbers standpoint, I don't think that's at all scandalous or inappropriate.

Yes, he referred to her as an older woman which didn’t make it seem she’d been a teenager too.

IIRC she was an employee of his father as well, a groom at Highgrove I think.

 

[Lynn226]

Just looked it up - it was her 19th birthday, he was 16 or 17 at the time. From a numbers standpoint, I don't think that's at all scandalous or inappropriate.

Where I come from, we used to call that jail bait, although the genders were usually reversed.

 

[MacMadame]

He’s not the brightest and probably thought he was vague enough that it wouldn’t be able to be revealed.

She was the one who identified herself after all.

If she had to identify herself, then how could he not have been vague enough? If people figured it out immediately from his details, that would be different.

 

[morqet]

I would not want sex with an underage prince to be my fifteen minutes of fame. To each their own.

Age of consent in England & Wales is 16. So not underaged.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

If she had to identify herself, then how could he not have been vague enough? If people figured it out immediately from his details, that would be different.

She said that people who'd been in their circle at the time did realize it right away and were calling her to say "OMG it was you!!" She knew it wouldn't be long until the media got her name.

 

[Lynn226]

She said that people who'd been in their circle at the time did realize it right away and were calling her to say "OMG it was you!!" She knew it wouldn't be long until the media got her name.

That makes sense. The ghost writer could have kept it vague to keep even insiders guessing.

 

[MacMadame]

She said that people who'd been in their circle at the time did realize it right away and were calling her to say "OMG it was you!!" She knew it wouldn't be long until the media got her name.

Only if she has shitty friends.

 

[Jenny]

Or maybe Harry should have kept his mouth shut about the whole thing.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Only if she has shitty friends.

Or a shitty hook-up who literally told the world about their decades-old secret and set an army of obsessed tabloids and hordes of internet sleuths on her trail.

 

[skategal]

I think we would find out most of us have some shitty friends when said friends are presented with mega-bucks to spill secrets.

 

[marbri]

Shitty family as well

 

[MacMadame]

Shitty family as well

No shit.

 

[puglover]

So now, at least according to some, Meghan is being criticized and ridiculed for participating in a coffee ad for a product she apparently likes and has invested in. I think this is exactly the road she should be going down. In breaking away from royal life including the royal purse, they need to have a substantial income to pay for their security alone. She is beautiful, the camera loves her, well spoken, and very recognizable - what else do "influencers" need to have? I actually bought an eyelash curler that was reasonably priced and the kind Meghan likes and I thought well if she can buy whatever kind she wants and this is her choice, should be good enough for me. And it is. I suspect they need to turn the dialogue around about them and that will take time but I think this is a step in the right direction.

 

[Jenny]

I give her points for not taking herself too seriously, and she's certainly not the first celebrity to support a brand she's invested in. Possibly a good move too to dip her toe back into the spotlight in a fun way, with a back story that is consistent with her own brand (ie wanting to support female-owned businesses).

However, it's now been fully 8 months since she signed with a high profile agency, and this is all they've come up with?

 

[Lynn226]

Perhaps part of the strategy was to lay low for a while. I seem to recall that the royal family didn't want them to have commercial endorsements. I think this is the reason Harry only gave one speech for compensation. They could earn significant sums giving speeches and with product endorsements.

 

[puglover]

As I recall Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, who isn't a titled member of the royal family or a working royal, and is a businessman did some sort of Chinese milk ad that caused a ruckus. I can see it not being a good look for any member of the royal family to have their name associated with harmful or negative things but then they have Prince Andrew so there you go. I wish she would drop the whole Duchess of Sussex title. I am not sure if she uses it or just the media does but she is living in California and it seems so out of place.

 

[Karen-W]

As I recall Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, who isn't a titled member of the royal family or a working royal, and is a businessman did some sort of Chinese milk ad that caused a ruckus. I can see it not being a good look for any member of the royal family to have their name associated with harmful or negative things but then they have Prince Andrew so there you go. I wish she would drop the whole Duchess of Sussex title. I am not sure if she uses it or just the media does but she is living in California and it seems so out of place.

She certainly uses it. There are multiple examples of her using it during the past few years - like when she wrote to several US Senators/members of Congress about women's rights and signed the letter "The Duchess of Sussex."

 

[Jenny]

Because of course a foreign title is going to hold weight with American politicians I mean points for her taking action, but come on.

As for "laying low," I don't buy it. A big agency like that doesn't take on a new client (and announce it publicly) to lay low. Might be part of a long term strategy in the years to come, but in this case they needed some early wins to not only establish Meghan as a sought-after personality/brand, but to make some money for themselves. (It's possible she's paying them a retainer, but AFAIK agencies like that work off commissions - big ones.)

There's so much noise out there about both of them, in part due to their actions (ie the lawsuits), and a lot that they can't control. Way too many so-called experts offering their opinions and anonymous sources saying whatever they want, so that it's a sea of noise with little of it based on fact, but highly effective in influencing public opinion just out of sheer volume.

What Meghan needs now are some wins - a brand contract or two, something with enough profile to lead the way for others to want to work with her, lots of pictures (red carpet events or staged outings that showcase her style and her legitimacy as a celebrity), perhaps a regular column in a major lifestyle media outlet (ie Vogue), and some serious charity work beyond writing letters - for example signing on as an ambassador or patron of a known charity, hosting a high profile charity event, perhaps hosting or voicing an important documentary. To cut through the noise and establish/grow her brand, overcome the damage Harry's done and rehabilitate their reputation as a couple, she needs all of these things combined IMO.

 

[airgelaal]

Because of course a foreign title is going to hold weight with American politicians I mean points for her taking action, but come on.

As for "laying low," I don't buy it. A big agency like that doesn't take on a new client (and announce it publicly) to lay low. Might be part of a long term strategy in the years to come, but in this case they needed some early wins to not only establish Meghan as a sought-after personality/brand, but to make some money for themselves. (It's possible she's paying them a retainer, but AFAIK agencies like that work off commissions - big ones.)

There's so much noise out there about both of them, in part due to their actions (ie the lawsuits), and a lot that they can't control. Way too many so-called experts offering their opinions and anonymous sources saying whatever they want, so that it's a sea of noise with little of it based on fact, but highly effective in influencing public opinion just out of sheer volume.

What Meghan needs now are some wins - a brand contract or two, something with enough profile to lead the way for others to want to work with her, lots of pictures (red carpet events or staged outings that showcase her style and her legitimacy as a celebrity), perhaps a regular column in a major lifestyle media outlet (ie Vogue), and some serious charity work beyond writing letters - for example signing on as an ambassador or patron of a known charity, hosting a high profile charity event, perhaps hosting or voicing an important documentary. To cut through the noise and establish/grow her brand, overcome the damage Harry's done and rehabilitate their reputation as a couple, she needs all of these things combined IMO.

She won something, but I'm not sure she'll like it
LEAST PRIVATE PRIVACY ADVOCATES - according to "The Hollywood Reporter"

After the Oprah Winfrey interview, the best-selling memoir, the Netflix series, and the (canceled) Spotify podcast, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could try looking under rocks to reach the few people who haven’t yet heard their appeals to be left alone.

Who Was Most Popular, Class Clown, Biggest Mean Girl? The 2023 Hollywood Yearbook

It’s been another tumultuous school year at Tinseltown High, marked by a nearly two-semester-long class walkout. Thankfully, the gossip, snark and scandal have gone uninterrupted, as chronicled in THR’s annual overview of the year’s highs and lows.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MacMadame]

As for "laying low," I don't buy it. A big agency like that doesn't take on a new client (and announce it publicly) to lay low.

They just had two kids who are still both very young though. maybe laying low wasn't the plan but it does seem to have happened. The pandemic probably contributed as well.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Because no one is the official royal purveyor of everything from jam to cat litter or puts that endorsement on their packaging.

 

[Lynn226]

Does anyone remember the Grey Poupon commercials? That's what they should do. They could be totally tiffed like they're attending the royal event of the year complete with a tiara for Meghan. I'm not a fan of these two, but it would be hilarious.

Grey Poupon - Original Commercial

Grey Poupon - Original CommercialProduced by Lowe Advertising fifteen years ago.

youtu.be

 

[skategal]

I think they are too busy counting their gajillion dollars from the Oprah interview, Netflix interview, and Spare to want to do much more yet.

And doesn’t Harry have Spare The Sequel coming? $$$$

 

[MacMadame]

And doesn’t Harry have Spare The Sequel coming? $$$$

No. But he's planning to add "bonus material" to the original.

 

[puglover]

I doubt anything they do will be as lucrative as spilling the beans and more expose type material. I wonder if the general public's appetite for it is diminished though. Omid Scobie's latest book has not sold well. Hard to develop new material if you are on the out with the key players and they don't trust you. I guess it depends on ultimately where they want to be with family relations going forward. Harry is fighting the security issue so hard so one would assume he wants his family to be able to spend significant periods of time in GB. This is far from a tiff or rift or whatever though, this family is now splintered. His father, the king, his step mother, the queen, his brother the heir apparent, and his wife the future queen or queen consort?, have all been injured and publicly criticized by the words from Harry's pen. I say - change course if you want any kind of relationship for yourself and your children.

 

[allezfred]

I am not pro/anti in any way, but I came across this on social media which I thought was nice.

Meghan Markle defended by Uvalde victim's father

Claims Meghan brought media to Uvalde after a school shooting are "far from the truth," according to the father of one victim.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Jenny]

They just had two kids who are still both very young though. maybe laying low wasn't the plan but it does seem to have happened. The pandemic probably contributed as well.

If she wanted to lay low then there was no point in hiring a powerhouse agency last April. If they didn't think they could make money representing her, they wouldn't have signed her.

So you're right, I don't think laying low was the plan at all.

 

[MacMadame]

So you're right, I don't think laying low was the plan at all.

Ironically, I think it's going to work out for her.

 

[MacMadame]

Interesting:

âIt hasnât delivered for themâ: where next for Harry and Meghan, content creators?

The Duke published a bestselling memoir and won a court battle but the couple’s media deals didn’t go as planned

www.theguardian.com

 

[taf2002]

There is a book coming out They Also Served, 200 People Who Trained At Sandhurst, that names 200 "exceptional" graduates who have "gained recognition beyond" the Armed Forces.

Prince Harry left out of Sandhurst alumni book while Prince William writes foreword

The Duke of Sussex has been left out of a Sandhurst alumni book that included a foreword written by his brother, the Prince of Wales.

www.yahoo.com

Prince William is listed although he never served outside the UK. Prince Harry is left out even though he did 2 tours in Afghanistan. William also wrote the foreword which has the only mention of Harry: “His [William’s] status as a future king meant that he could not be deployed on operations like his younger brother, Harry.”

There are 2 possible reasons mentioned as to why Harry is omitted from the list: Harry's chapter about his tours & about killing insurgents or "possibly petty". It probably isn't petty, it's probably because Harry angered a lot of military with his book. The more I think about what he included in that book the more I think he didn't let Meghan read it in advance. What wife would be okay with a lot of that info? Did we really need to hear about him losing his cherry?