Which if true, backs up the complaints from H&M - that the firm always has and always will put the firm over and above family? On the other hand it seems to me there’s been a lot more emotion at work than considerations about health of the monarchy. If that were the case they would’ve found some smoother way for H&M to disengage and maybe become part-time.
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H&M complaining about this is dumb. Thinking they can change it is even more idiotic. It doesn’t take much knowledge of history (Charles being told not to marry Camilla, Margaret being told not to marry Peter Townsend, Edward VIII abdication) for that to be completely obvious.
If you live in a glass house (or palace), you don’t throw stones. “Never complain, never explain” has been in place for a very long time (the phrase was coined by Disraeli).
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Dumb, idiotic - nice. Truth is, the assessment of the firm above all else is correct, they didn’t like it and said it and they left. They seem like the wise ones IMO.
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My point was that if you have a corporation with an executive that’s upset, the company will work with them to either address the problem or part on good terms. Heck, sometimes that even includes a golden parachute that’s totally undeserved. That’s the corporation acting in the best interests of the corporation and not letting emotions rule.
The royals (Queen Elizabeth at the time, I suppose) on the other hand seemed to let emotions rule the day when it came to the split and everything since then. From what I saw, it looked like there were a lot of hurt feelings leading to spiteful, hardline, rash decisions on the part of the royals, which led to the entirely foreseeable bitterness and public disclosures by H&M.
Maybe they (Charles, etc) believe/believed they’re acting in the best long-term interests of the monarchy, but if so they appear to be doing a pretty terrible job of it from my perspective.
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I thought the most interesting thing was the inclusion of Louise and James the children of Prince Edward. Given that their parents are working royals and they are minors, I understand it, but wonder if they will play a larger role soon. They seem problem free and a good bridge between the William/Kate generation and their young children, with whom they get along. Perhaps additional helpers for William and family in making appearances.
Louise and James
He’s a minor; she is not.
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I think of Kenny Chesney!
I realize she is over 18, but under 21 and in school seems to be considered still young in the firm…
I fixed the name of the high school boy.
There is a time and a place for reconciliation. The balcony of the Coronation is not it.
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I think it’s difficult because the royal family is both a company and a family. A family run business.
My husband is retired but when he was working, he could not discuss his company on any public social media platform.
An employee posted that he loved his job and his job site. The company noticed and my husband had to tell the employee that they couldn’t do that. Take the post down.
What Prince Harry did was talk about the family business. I don’t know how the family members whose privacy was affected go from that.
If a famous family had a member write a tell all. Say the Murdoch’s. Spilled the family secrets and disparaged Rupert and their siblings. Should they forgive and forget? Make nice?
The Sussex’s ’ can’t come back from what they’ve said. They can say they want to. But I’m not sure how that happens.
Saying all that, Prince Harry showed up. Did his duty and went home. Didn’t say anything, didn’t make a fuss. I really hope that everyone moves on from here. Separately.
I do think that the Sussex’s thought that monetizing their life was going to be easier than it’s proved to be. I think they thought they could sweep in and make money from speeches and boards. But for whatever reason, they did that disaster of an interview with Oprah. And now they have polarized every single move they make. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.
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Maybe that time could have been before the Coronation?
I think there was time and opportunity.
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Obviously we are just speculating, but I did read that Charles and Harry do have communication. They did speak that day. I think Charles missed an opportunity by not inviting Harry on the balcony.
If you have a corporation with an executive that broke the rules, the company will often drop them like a hot potato. Those rules don’t even have to be ones that involve lawbreaking. Think of the number of CEOs fired for sleeping with a co-worker, even if it was entirely consensual.
If Harry’s book is accurate, the palace and his family violated his privacy long before he wrote his side of the story in “Spare”.
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Two wrongs don’t make it right.
Is that how the saying goes?
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Did you read the book? It’s not a mere case of you did this, so I’m doing it also.
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My sibling bad mouths me and my mother to one of my kids. It’s hurtful because my kid believes the mistruths my sibling lobs at us.
I don’t address the lies. Because that’s what they are. I try to be the best most loving mother I can be. And the best daughter to my mom.
My sibling is misguided. I don’t interact with them any more than I have to. But when I have to, I treat them with the same grace as I would like to be treated.
I guess my personal experience colors how I feel about this issue. I don’t think anything I say will persuade anyone else. It’s how I feel from my own experience.
"I am endlessly fascinated by the meat and potatoes of writing. How you get to that?
That article shows why people who actually read Spare, are moved by it. By the way the ghostwriter gets his subject. And writes beautifully about it."
Harry’s emotionally exquisite narration also elevated the beautiful writing in the audio version.
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In my sunshine and unicorns world, I wish Harry and Meghan and their family had gone to the ceremony and been allowed to sit in the front row but on the other side of the aisle (like at the funeral, the family stretched across the whole row). They could have been on the balcony. Lots of grimaces, and tough to get through, but they’d all have lived. Then go to the concert and again, grin and bear it. They do the volunteer work with their kids and have whatever group they were put in (or picked) sing happy birthday to Archie. By then, people would soften to H&M, find the kids adorable, see that they can be royals on the side, making their own way. Their day of service could have been for one of their favorite charities or something the kids might like. Obviously not much real work would be done, but Lilibet with a hand print on a new sidewalk or Archie putting rocks in a garden is good press.
Do I think William would have liked this? No, I think William is pretty angry and he’s not going to melt as easily, but the Beatrice and Eugenie could be buffers, kids playing together can work miracles.
I’m a dreamer.
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RE: the mention above of the abdication of Edward VIII–
Much more complicated than just family dynamics. Documents have revealed that he was an out-an-out Nazi sympathizer and would have reached an accord with Hitler (we stop bombing England and you let us conquer rest of Europe).
Some even speculate that Mrs. Simpson was his ‘handler’. Edward unintentionally did the world (esp. Europe) a favor by abdicating.
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