Meghan & Harry Interview

[TCB]

4 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

You don’t protect your kids from snakes by pretending they’re teddy bears.

[katilac]

This has been mentioned, but it's a PSA that bears repeating: 

It is very difficult for many people to seek help for depression. First of all, they're depressed, and the nature of depression is that many even common-place activities are difficult to do. Second of all, depression is very stigmatized, and people are well aware of how some others will react if they do seek help.

Most people suffering from depression already have a running narrative in their head that says they shouldn't need help, that their life isn't so hard, that they have nothing to complain about, that they are being too much trouble. Imagine overcoming that internal narrative, and the depression itself, to ask for help . . . and all your thoughts become reality. You are questioned, discouraged, even mocked. This is really going to cause a lot of trouble for the family. This is really going to look bad. Do you really need help? Can you wait? Can  you wait a little longer? You are so privileged, I can't believe you're complaining.  You have a lot of money, no one cares if you're depressed! Ha ha ha, you're a grown woman and can't manage to coordinate mental health appointments?

If you have no empathy for MM because of her wealth and privilege, maybe remember that it will have an adverse affect on everyone who wants mental health support, but wonders if they deserve it, or if they will be dismissed and mocked for asking. 

[TCB]

Couldn’t seem to reply with the quote above. 
So are those the only 2 options available - put it all out there for the whole world to delve into or you are making snakes into teddy bears.

The one thing I hate about most of the conversations we now have in this world is that everything is so all or nothing. We have lost the art of discussion and we have absolutely lost the art of any sort of compromise. Yes it’s attractive to not compromise one whit, but is that really how we make things better and how we change peoples minds. Instead it’s more like the bell rings and everyone is back in their corners coming out fighting.

[Sneezyone]

3 minutes ago, TCB said:

Couldn’t seem to reply with the quote above. 
So are those the only 2 options available - put it all out there for the whole world to delve into or you are making snakes into teddy bears.

The one thing I hate about most of the conversations we now have in this world is that everything is so all or nothing. We have lost the art of discussion and we have absolutely lost the art of any sort of compromise. Yes it’s attractive to not compromise one whit, but is that really how we make things better and how we change peoples minds. Instead it’s more like the bell rings and everyone is back in their corners coming out fighting.

I don’t see an alternative to bringing racists around my kids, sorry, no. They’re not benign influences. YMMV.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Sneezyone

[katilac]

2 minutes ago, TCB said:

Couldn’t seem to reply with the quote above. 
So are those the only 2 options available - put it all out there for the whole world to delve into or you are making snakes into teddy bears.

The one thing I hate about most of the conversations we now have in this world is that everything is so all or nothing. We have lost the art of discussion and we have absolutely lost the art of any sort of compromise. Yes it’s attractive to not compromise one whit, but is that really how we make things better and how we change peoples minds. Instead it’s more like the bell rings and everyone is back in their corners coming out fighting.

I think the point is that the kids should know, whether or not it is put out into the world. If the kids need to know (and I agree that they do), then it doesn't matter if it's public record, they have already been told - so not saying it in an interview in order to protect the children doesn't come into play. 

[Tanaqui]

Darn, quoting's not working again. I don't get it.

Listen, maybe I'm not interested in changing people's minds.

[Melissa Louise]

48 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

If your kids are mixed-race, and their relatives are racist, then you should probably tell your kids so they know not to trust those people.

Some of the awful things Meghan and Harry are alleging happened pretty publicly. Was it really so important for those people to be publicly terrible? Or to leak awful stories - true or not - to the media without giving their own names?

Sadly, the most racist ppl in my kids lives were their (not white) relatives. I restricted access. 

[Roadrunner]

nm

Edited March 9, 2021 by Roadrunner

[Melissa Louise]

8 hours ago, katilac said:

This has been mentioned, but it's a PSA that bears repeating: 

It is very difficult for many people to seek help for depression. First of all, they're depressed, and the nature of depression is that many even common-place activities are difficult to do. Second of all, depression is very stigmatized, and people are well aware of how some others will react if they do seek help.

Most people suffering from depression already have a running narrative in their head that says they shouldn't need help, that their life isn't so hard, that they have nothing to complain about, that they are being too much trouble. Imagine overcoming that internal narrative, and the depression itself, to ask for help . . . and all your thoughts become reality. You are questioned, discouraged, even mocked. This is really going to cause a lot of trouble for the family. This is really going to look bad. Do you really need help? Can you wait? Can  you wait a little longer? You are so privileged, I can't believe you're complaining.  You have a lot of money, no one cares if you're depressed! Ha ha ha, you're a grown woman and can't manage to coordinate mental health appointments?

If you have no empathy for MM because of her wealth and privilege, maybe remember that it will have an adverse affect on everyone who wants mental health support, but wonders if they deserve it, or if they will be dismissed and mocked for asking. 

Edited to remove personal info.

I do empathize with Meghan. Suicidal ideation is intensely painful, no matter who experiences it. In the UK, the attending OB can refer for perinatal support. 

Will an Oprah interview make the slightest difference to ordinary people who struggle with suicidality ? No.

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by Melissa Louise

[katilac]

 

4 hours ago, Katy said:

 It is not okay to blame a victim for being in an abusive situation because "she should have known she would be abused before she married him."

QFT. I can't believe how often variations of this are posted in MM threads here. 

I'll expand on it and say that it's also okay to change your mind in the absence of actual abuse. You have discovered that living in the royal family is not good for your mental health, or simply not something you are willing to endure? Too bad, you said you could do it, so you are now obligated to do it for the rest of your life, and raise your children in it!! No. People can change their minds. 

[TCB]

5 minutes ago, katilac said:

 

QFT. I can't believe how often variations of this are posted in MM threads here. 

I'll expand on it and say that it's also okay to change your mind in the absence of actual abuse. You have discovered that living in the royal family is not good for your mental health, or simply not something you are willing to endure? Too bad, you said you could do it, so you are now obligated to do it for the rest of your life, and raise your children in it!! No. People can change their minds. 

Do you have to also destroy relationships? I don’t see many people saying just get on and do it for the rest of your life. I just don’t believe in making your partner disown their family virtually completely -  and I have a far from idyllic relationship in that area - but I don’t think it’s right to destroy it for my partner.

[Sneezyone]

I can’t imagine that. It’s not my frame of reference but what I have done with other sorts of toxic people in my life is to build a family of friends, people I choose, that support me and help my kids feel secure. ETA: if you have to *make* your partner maintain distance from toxicity/protect your kids he/she may not be much of a partner.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Sneezyone

[hippymamato3]

29 minutes ago, TCB said:

Do you have to also destroy relationships? I don’t see many people saying just get on and do it for the rest of your life. I just don’t bAelieve in making your partner disown their family virtually completely -  and I have a far from idyllic relationship in that area - but I don’t think it’s right to destroy it for my partner.

I think Harry is a grown man who has made his own decisions. He chose his wife, and his child. They are his family. 

[katilac]

30 minutes ago, TCB said:

Do you have to also destroy relationships? I don’t see many people saying just get on and do it for the rest of your life. I just don’t believe in making your partner disown their family virtually completely -  and I have a far from idyllic relationship in that area - but I don’t think it’s right to destroy it for my partner.

She can't destroy family relationships on his behalf. He's a grown man who can make his own decisions. 

[Sneezyone]

1 minute ago, hippymamato3 said:

I think Harry is a grown man who has made his own decisions. He chose his wife, and his child. They are his family. 

Leave and cleave, leave and cleave.

[hippymamato3]

1 minute ago, Sneezyone said:

Leave and cleave, leave and cleave.

Yep.

[katilac]

22 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

beyonce was standing there and she had what appeared to be a horrified expression on her face.  

I disagree that the video shows a horrified reaction, but either way, Beyonce and Jay Z paid tribute to MM six months later in their video for the Brit Awards, so I think it's safe to say they're fans and Beyonce wasn't too fussed about it. 

[hippymamato3]

53 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

 

Will an Oprah interview make the slightest difference to ordinary people who struggle with suicidality ? No.

 

 

 

I actually disagree. Anyone sharing their story, bringing the issues of mental illness to light, is changing the world for someone else. 

[TCB]

9 minutes ago, katilac said:

She can't destroy family relationships on his behalf. He's a grown man who can make his own decisions. 

Maybe so. But you can also create a situation that makes relationships virtually impossible. I have a feeling this might be so for them.

[Melissa Louise]

1 minute ago, hippymamato3 said:

I actually disagree. Anyone sharing their story, bringing the issues of mental illness to light, is changing the world for someone else. 

What changes things is access to quality mental health care. All the awareness in the world doesn't help if the resources aren't there. 

[hippymamato3]

6 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

What changes things is access to quality mental health care. All the awareness in the world doesn't help if the resources aren't there. 

Yes, that's most important...but knowing you're not alone is helpful too. 

[Murphy101]

 

15 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

I don’t follow the royals closely, and I haven’t seen the interview, but I don’t see how it’d be all that hard to understand how a person can go from “It’s okay, I’ll be able to handle this” to “OMG, this is WAY worse than I ever could have imagined and I’m not going to be able to live like this.”  I mean, it’s not exactly the first time.

and that wouldn’t bother me at all.  Fine don’t work the family business then.  But it really seems like they refused to listen to literally everyone telling them this was going to be hard and wasn’t going to change for them  and now they do t want to work the family businesses but they want the family money.  Oh well.  Sounds like Charles isn’t worth the price to me.  It’s not like they don’t have millions of their owns funds and can’t work to build on that. So why are they whining on Oprah? They won their tabloid lawsuit so you’d think the last thing they’d want to do is give more tabloid fodder and yet their they are on Oprah. 

9 hours ago, Katy said:

Why was it acceptable for Fergie to speak to Oprah but not Meghan, who was friends with Oprah before she ever met Harry?

I don’t understand why anyone needs to speak to Oprah about anything ever.  Don’t want to work in the family business? Okay. Good luck finding a new income and make a good life of it. Oprah isn’t one bit different than Maury Povich, Oprah interviews all just trash talking in softer tones in pretty garden settings. 

6 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Can you imagine them thinking up a doctor saying my wife, Meagan Markle, is suicidal and we want to make an appointment? 😀

I suppose they have money, but I bet every aspect of their life has to be carefully managed to present a certain public face. 

Um. Yes. I have zero problem imagining that. They have the money and the connections to find references to proper help that would be discreet.  I can understand Meagan might not have been mentally up to getting herself help but what’s Harry’s excuse?

I can believe the royals didn’t welcome the wedding for lots of stupid or valid reasons and I can believe that M&H didn’t like it and didn’t want to try to make it work after the kids started coming. Okay. Fine. Go make their own life with their own millions then.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Murphy101

[Tanaqui]

You know, Melissa Louise, if you replace that one word with "spit", you don't have to asterisk anything. I hope things improve for you as fast as can be expected, or faster.

As for Harry... it's possible he's being coerced or manipulated into cutting off his family. That does happen, sometimes. It's more likely that he's experiencing what people often do when taking independent steps away from a toxic family - the people who are left are playing crab bucket, trying to drag him back down into the muck with them because seeing him leave is too painful.

I mean, did we really need this interview to confirm what we already knew, which is that the British Royal Family is highly toxic and dysfunctional? That's true whether or not any of these specific allegations is true, or whether or not it happens, as some of you believe, that Meghan is (also) toxic and manipulative. If Harry is choosing to limit contact with toxic people for the sake of his own mental health or the well-being of his wife and child, then it's probably his own decision and not her "forcing him" to do this.

[katilac]

5 hours ago, Melissa Louise said:

The US is just having a fun time at the moment hating on a historical enemy as a distraction from their own national issues.

I was going to refute this, but this top-ranking tweet will not allow me to do so: 

https://twitter.com/gcornish91/status/1368742718063656960?s=20

[Happy2BaMom]

40 minutes ago, katilac said:

She can't destroy family relationships on his behalf. He's a grown man who can make his own decisions. 

That’s vastly oversimplifying any family situation. In-laws can (and sometimes do) have very toxic effects on familial relationships, including destroying them.
 

Whether that is the case here is something the general public will probably never really know. 
 

 

[Melissa Louise]

2 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

You know, Melissa Louise, if you replace that one word with "spit", you don't have to asterisk anything. I hope things improve for you as fast as can be expected, or faster.

As for Harry... it's possible he's being coerced or manipulated into cutting off his family. That does happen, sometimes. It's more likely that he's experiencing what people often do when taking independent steps away from a toxic family - the people who are left are playing crab bucket, trying to drag him back down into the muck with them because seeing him leave is too painful.

I mean, did we really need this interview to confirm what we already knew, which is that the British Royal Family is highly toxic and dysfunctional? That's true whether or not any of these specific allegations is true, or whether or not it happens, as some of you believe, that Meghan is (also) toxic and manipulative. If Harry is choosing to limit contact with toxic people for the sake of his own mental health or the well-being of his wife and child, then it's probably his own decision and not her "forcing him" to do this.

As someone who's actually had the chance in life to vote for a Republic, and voted yes, no interview was needed to know the Royal institution is toxic, discriminatory and utterly archaic. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. 

 

[Murphy101]

 

Have you read the newspaper today?!

😂

[katilac]

40 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

What changes things is access to quality mental health care. All the awareness in the world doesn't help if the resources aren't there. 

But the awareness that mental health issues are common and that access to quality mental health care is needed is a prerequisite to it existing. Hearing about other people asking for help can make it easier to ask for help for yourself, which is no small thing, but it also makes the general public more aware that it is not an isolated problem. When nobody talks about it, it's easy to 'other' the problem and think that it's not a big issue - after all, you never hear about it! But when people do talk about it, they make others realize that, oh, people I love have this problem, people I like have this problem, people I respect have this problem, people with a lot of privilege have this problem, a hecking lot of people have this problem, mayhap we should address it? 

I think awareness is a crucial part of working towards better solutions. 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by katilac

[Melissa Louise]

Just now, katilac said:

But the awareness that mental health issues are common and that access to quality mental health care is needed is a prerequisite to it existing. Hearing about other people asking for help can make it easier to ask for help for yourself, which is no small thing, but it also makes the general public more aware that it is not an isolated problem. When nobody talks about it, it's easy to 'other' the problem and think that it's not a big issue - after all, you never hear about it! But when people do talk about it, they make others realize that, oh, people I love have this problem, people I like have this problem, people I respect have this problem, a hecking lot of people have this problem, mayhap we should address it? 

I think awareness is a crucial part of working towards better solutions. 

 

Great. And most ordinary people the world round ask for it, and don't get it, or get inadequate care. 

Awareness-raising has been going on for decades. It hasn't changed things on the ground. Because that takes structural change. And that costs money. 

 

[katilac]

I don't remember who posted about her, but Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released from house arrest in Iran but not freed to leave the country. She may or may not face new charges. 

[Melissa Louise]

Just now, katilac said:

I don't remember who posted about her, but Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released from house arrest in Iran but not freed to leave the country. She may or may not face new charges. 

That was me. 

I also posted the Amnesty petition. 

Here it is again.

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/help-get-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-home

 

 

 

[Roadrunner]

Why is anybody surprised they would want to tell their side of the story? If I was daily accused across papers all sorts of things, I would want to tell my side of the story. 
 

 

[Carrie12345]

8 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

As for Harry... it's possible he's being coerced or manipulated into cutting off his family. That does happen, sometimes. It's more likely that he's experiencing what people often do when taking independent steps away from a toxic family - the people who are left are playing crab bucket, trying to drag him back down into the muck with them because seeing him leave is too painful.

As someone who married into run a of the mill toxic family, it can be EXTREMELY difficult to help someone see even the possibility of a healthy independence. And even then, change isn’t likely to be quick or simple if I comes at all. Crab bucket, indeed.

Regardless, humans are humans who are most often going to human. People have tweaked aspects of the monarchy before and will continue to, so why wouldn’t someone(s) think they might have a fair chance at some sort of shift or middle ground?
 

It’s absurd to me to see a wife being expected to give up everything with a smile but, if it’s the husband giving up everything, the wife must be a manipulative ogre.  Lame.

I don’t see the point of holding this family up as anything more than another Uber-rich family, but I wish them all safety and happiness like I do any other mortal human. Well, most of them anyway.

[Ausmumof3]

I feel like Meghan gets a different response from north Americans to others for some reason.  Mostly I’m sick of the whole story and I wish they’d stop doing interviews and go and do whatever they want to do with their lives.  

[Happy2BaMom]

52 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I feel like Meghan gets a different response from north Americans to others for some reason.  Mostly I’m sick of the whole story and I wish they’d stop doing interviews and go and do whatever they want to do with their lives.  

I completely agree, but given that 17 million people watched their interview with Oprah, I think it's safe to say that we will hear much, much more.

[Scarlett]

11 minutes ago, Dreamergal said:

While I support the idea that Harry and Meghan should go away and do their own thing once their piece was said, I would like to give context as to why interviews like these matter. 

This Royal Family unlike any other royal family is entwined in the history of 54 countries around the globe. Much of it is painful with a legacy that may have repercussions three generations later in the current events of countries. I know in my country of origin it still does. The basic premise of colonization is the idea that people of a darker skin color are lesser people and hence need to be governed by the British.

The idea is the British Monarch has been chosen by God. Under this supposed mandate, a lot of atrocities were perpetuated and executed. This is very different from plain conquerers who invaded. My country of origin has been invaded by pretty much every one from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan, rulers have invaded, plundered, some stayed and built empires, others left. No one to my knowledge said it was under the authority of God.

One of the good legacies of colonization is the Commonwealth, a collection of 54 countries of which the Queen is head of state for I think 15 like Canada. There is political power in these countries and relationships. All my life I have watched CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet), The Commonwealth Games and untold trade agreements. Much of them do not have term limits like the US has, many have dynastic rulers as head of state (even in a democracy, common in South Asia). There is soft power in diplomacy and the British Monarchy wields it. It is a myth that the Queen does not influence politics or policies world wide. It is a fact that the queen was a behind the scenes force in ending apartheid, relevant quote from attached article. 

According to former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, she was a “behind the scenes force” in ending South African apartheid

https://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160421/OPINION/160429897

All this matters. After the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth could be rotating heads from different countries, the Queen herself requested that Prince Charles head it now. 

The Commonwealth is an uneasy alliance and the Queen has dedicated her life to it, she made a promise at 21 while Colonization was still there to serve and I think she thinks of the Commonwealth as her responsibility, one of the reasons she will never abdicate I think.

How does all this play into the Harry and Meghan interview ? When they accuse a senior royal figure of wondering about the skin color of an unborn grandchild because the mother was a person of color and it is not the Queen or Prince Philip, it points to potentially two people. Both future monarchs. No royal aide would dare ask Prince Harry directly, even I know that. It matters because already many Caribbean countries which I knew as the British West Indies are jettisoning the Queen as head of State as they know her reign is ending. I do not know if they contribute money, but I know Canada does and the Queen is head of state too. Should the Commonwealth exist ? Should the Future British Monarchs be head of state of countries long since left colonization, but have vestiges of control by the British Monarchy ?  Most countries do not, like my country of origin, we are just members of the Commonwealth, but Canada is and I think Australia too if I am not mistaken and a bunch of Caribbean countries.

So to me this is not just an interview about a family. It is about a political family that still wields soft power in the globe, that has relationships with people around the globe that the British Government depends on. The views of these people are surrounded in mystery. So it helps to know those views on equality, race and so many other things.

When it comes to Mental Health it matters. When someone on TV like Piers Morgan is allowed to rant unchallenged previously on TV, it was not challenged. Yesterday he said  that Meghan Markle lied about feeling suicidal, it was pushed back heavily by organizations and the head of ITV was questioned repeatedly when she wanted to talk about earnings. ITV is allegedly having a talk with Piers. This has repercussions again.

To me, this though is an interview about family, it is about a family who is also a business. Who wields soft power and even now does play a part albeit not as before in World politics. So this is more than Harry and Meghan. How this plays in the Commonwealth has consequences. Though Harry and Meghan might not have intended it like that and basically used it to spill their truth, build their brand, respond to things and I believe that was the intent, the larger unintended picture that came out of this is consequences to the Commonwealth. So I think overall, it is a good thing for racism in the heart of the British Monarchy should be exposed in 2021.

Ugh.  He is a person who  needs to go away.  I have never heard anything good about him.  Isn't he the one who was turned down by Meghan when he asked her out?  What a petty little man to keep this up for so many years.  

[SKL]

13 minutes ago, Dreamergal said:

While I support the idea that Harry and Meghan should go away and do their own thing once their piece was said, I would like to give context as to why interviews like these matter. 

This Royal Family unlike any other royal family is entwined in the history of 54 countries around the globe. Much of it is painful with a legacy that may have repercussions three generations later in the current events of countries. I know in my country of origin it still does. The basic premise of colonization is the idea that people of a darker skin color are lesser people and hence need to be governed by the British.

The idea is the British Monarch has been chosen by God. Under this supposed mandate, a lot of atrocities were perpetuated and executed. This is very different from plain conquerers who invaded. My country of origin has been invaded by pretty much every one from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan, rulers have invaded, plundered, some stayed and built empires, others left. No one to my knowledge said it was under the authority of God.

One of the good legacies of colonization is the Commonwealth, a collection of 54 countries of which the Queen is head of state for I think 15 like Canada. There is political power in these countries and relationships. All my life I have watched CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet), The Commonwealth Games and untold trade agreements. Much of them do not have term limits like the US has, many have dynastic rulers as head of state (even in a democracy, common in South Asia). There is soft power in diplomacy and the British Monarchy wields it. It is a myth that the Queen does not influence politics or policies world wide. It is a fact that the queen was a behind the scenes force in ending apartheid, relevant quote from attached article. 

According to former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, she was a “behind the scenes force” in ending South African apartheid

https://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160421/OPINION/160429897

All this matters. After the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth could be rotating heads from different countries, the Queen herself requested that Prince Charles head it now. 

The Commonwealth is an uneasy alliance and the Queen has dedicated her life to it, she made a promise at 21 while Colonization was still there to serve and I think she thinks of the Commonwealth as her responsibility, one of the reasons she will never abdicate I think.

How does all this play into the Harry and Meghan interview ? When they accuse a senior royal figure of wondering about the skin color of an unborn grandchild because the mother was a person of color and it is not the Queen or Prince Philip, it points to potentially two people. Both future monarchs. No royal aide would dare ask Prince Harry directly, even I know that. It matters because already many Caribbean countries which I knew as the British West Indies are jettisoning the Queen as head of State as they know her reign is ending. I do not know if they contribute money, but I know Canada does and the Queen is head of state too. Should the Commonwealth exist ? Should the Future British Monarchs be head of state of countries long since left colonization, but have vestiges of control by the British Monarchy ?  Most countries do not, like my country of origin, we are just members of the Commonwealth, but Canada is and I think Australia too if I am not mistaken and a bunch of Caribbean countries.

So to me this is not just an interview about a family. It is about a political family that still wields soft power in the globe, that has relationships with people around the globe that the British Government depends on. The views of these people are surrounded in mystery. So it helps to know those views on equality, race and so many other things.

When it comes to Mental Health it matters. When someone on TV like Piers Morgan is allowed to rant unchallenged previously on TV, it was not challenged. Yesterday he said  that Meghan Markle lied about feeling suicidal, it was pushed back heavily by organizations and the head of ITV was questioned repeatedly when she wanted to talk about earnings. ITV is allegedly having a talk with Piers. This has repercussions again.

To me, this though is an interview about family, it is about a family who is also a business. Who wields soft power and even now does play a part albeit not as before in World politics. So this is more than Harry and Meghan. How this plays in the Commonwealth has consequences. Though Harry and Meghan might not have intended it like that and basically used it to spill their truth, build their brand, respond to things and I believe that was the intent, the larger unintended picture that came out of this is consequences to the Commonwealth. So I think overall, it is a good thing for racism in the heart of the British Monarchy should be exposed in 2021.

1) I agree that the "spilling" can have these implications, although I am not entirely sure it is fair, since it is one-sided and probably impossible to prove or disprove.

2) Re other invaders of India, I'm pretty sure the Muslims who invaded and ruled much of India for hundreds of years believed they were acting under God's authority.  Not sure this matters to the rest of the discussion.

[Roadrunner]

Yes of course the interview is one sided. It’s the other side (an answer) to what has been printed for years in papers. So I guess now we have two sides. 

[Happy2BaMom]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

Ugh.  He is a person who  needs to go away.  I have never heard anything good about him.  Isn't he the one who was turned down by Meghan when he asked her out?  What a petty little man to keep this up for so many years.  

While I am not sympathetic to the interview that was given (only because I think it will make H/M's life much worse, rather than better...but that's me), I have to say Piers Morgan is completely unhinged when it comes to MM. Completely. Unhinged.

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Happy2BaMom said:

While I am not sympathetic to the interview that was given (only because I think it will make H/M's life much worse, rather than better...but that's me), I have to say Piers Morgan is completely unhinged when it comes to MM. Completely. Unhinged.

Right?  It is so weird.  I can't stand to watch more than 10 seconds of him.

[Happy2BaMom]

And now Meghan's father is weighing in, supporting the BRF. He says he doesn't think they or the British people are racist. I'm not sure why what he thinks matters at all, but he seems to think that he has the inside knowledge here.

I'm starting to long for peaceful days of the Kardashians......

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Happy2BaMom said:

And now Meghan's father is weighing in, supporting the BRF. He says he doesn't think they or the British people are racist. I'm not sure why what he thinks matters at all, but he seems to think that he has the inside knowledge here.

I'm starting to long for peaceful days of the Kardashians......

I wonder why he (a white male living in the US) thinks he knows more about racism than his black daughter living it.

[Katy]

1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

I wonder why he (a white male living in the US) thinks he knows more about racism than his black daughter living it.

He knows he doesn’t. I didn’t watch the interview but I read he said he was going to keep doing paid interviews until Meghan talks to him. 

[Happy2BaMom]

6 minutes ago, Katy said:

He knows he doesn’t. I didn’t watch the interview but I read he said he was going to keep doing paid interviews until Meghan talks to him. 

Because that’s such an effective way to mend a family relationship......😑

[Roadrunner]

8 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

So far I have been reading this thread like...

🤨🍿

 

Taking it all in. Trying to be open minded to both sides of it. But I have to say that a lot of what I’ve read and seen shape my opinion on the matter. Yes to all the horrid dysfunction of the BRF. But...
 

Designer clothes (Megan’s dress for the interview reportedly cost $5K, shoes $600+, and exquisite jewelry, Harry sporting top of the line men’s apparel)

Garden of a Hollywood mansion

Friends like Oprah

One television interview that CBS paid $7M to air

A £10M inheritance

Multiple millions in the bank from a previous career

Insane profit potential from deals with streaming services

RESOURCES. These people have big time resources. I do not doubt that they are serious about wanting to speak up on important issues like racism and mental health. I just think, in the whole scheme of things, there are much better platforms to raise awareness than a tell-all interview. It keeps them all rolling in the mud. 

I’m a big fan of say what you mean, mean what you say. They said, many moons ago, that they wanted a peaceful and quiet life out of the limelight of royalty. Yet they keep seeking the attention by redressing issues from the past. I wish the best for H&M and their beautiful children. I wish they could cleanly walk away from further conversation in this arena. I know the scandal rags and people like Morgan keep throwing mud, but it’s like poking a bee hive. It gets boring once the bees stop flying out. H & M should move past the need to keep rebutting and go forward with wonderful things that will establish them freshly as culture changers. Let that old mud dry up and fall off. 
 

Okay, that’s my pair o’pennies. No doubt some will disagree, but I’ve said my piece. 

Oh yes. Nobody in the right mind would dispute that they are privileged when it comes to their income and income potential and their place in society. They wouldn’t dispute it either. That’s not what this is about though, is it? I mean do we get to write falsehoods, make up hurtful stories, destroy people’s character just because they are rich? And we achieve what? Makes us feel good about our own fortunes? I mean those things aren’t relevant to me. 
But there is a different discussion to be had I think about celebrity economy. One can at least say Markle worked - from yogurt shot to TV show, she earned her money. Harry? Well, a different story, but not so different financially than other children of rich people. Although he did serve his country in the military.

Now I keep going back to thinking of that Olivia Jade person whose mom cheated on SAT. Apparently that 17 year old was making millions on product endorsements. Why? She hasn’t really worked a day in her life. But companies poured millions because she is a child of a celebrity. This is now the norm. A celebrity economy of sorts. It’s puke inducing. All of it. 

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, Dreamergal said:

While I support the idea that Harry and Meghan should go away and do their own thing once their piece was said, I would like to give context as to why interviews like these matter. 

This Royal Family unlike any other royal family is entwined in the history of 54 countries around the globe. Much of it is painful with a legacy that may have repercussions three generations later in the current events of countries. I know in my country of origin it still does. The basic premise of colonization is the idea that people of a darker skin color are lesser people and hence need to be governed by the British.

The idea is the British Monarch has been chosen by God. Under this supposed mandate, a lot of atrocities were perpetuated and executed. This is very different from plain conquerers who invaded. My country of origin has been invaded by pretty much every one from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan, rulers have invaded, plundered, some stayed and built empires, others left. No one to my knowledge said it was under the authority of God.

One of the good legacies of colonization is the Commonwealth, a collection of 54 countries of which the Queen is head of state for I think 15 like Canada. There is political power in these countries and relationships. All my life I have watched CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet), The Commonwealth Games and untold trade agreements. Much of them do not have term limits like the US has, many have dynastic rulers as head of state (even in a democracy, common in South Asia). There is soft power in diplomacy and the British Monarchy wields it. It is a myth that the Queen does not influence politics or policies world wide. It is a fact that the queen was a behind the scenes force in ending apartheid, relevant quote from attached article. 

According to former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, she was a “behind the scenes force” in ending South African apartheid

https://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160421/OPINION/160429897

All this matters. After the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth could be rotating heads from different countries, the Queen herself requested that Prince Charles head it now. 

The Commonwealth is an uneasy alliance and the Queen has dedicated her life to it, she made a promise at 21 while Colonization was still there to serve and I think she thinks of the Commonwealth as her responsibility, one of the reasons she will never abdicate I think.

How does all this play into the Harry and Meghan interview ? When they accuse a senior royal figure of wondering about the skin color of an unborn grandchild because the mother was a person of color and it is not the Queen or Prince Philip, it points to potentially two people. Both future monarchs. No royal aide would dare ask Prince Harry directly, even I know that. It matters because already many Caribbean countries which I knew as the British West Indies are jettisoning the Queen as head of State as they know her reign is ending. I do not know if they contribute money, but I know Canada does and the Queen is head of state too. Should the Commonwealth exist ? Should the Future British Monarchs be head of state of countries long since left colonization, but have vestiges of control by the British Monarchy ?  Most countries do not, like my country of origin, we are just members of the Commonwealth, but Canada is and I think Australia too if I am not mistaken and a bunch of Caribbean countries.

So to me this is not just an interview about a family. It is about a political family that still wields soft power in the globe, that has relationships with people around the globe that the British Government depends on. The views of these people are surrounded in mystery. So it helps to know those views on equality, race and so many other things.

When it comes to Mental Health it matters. When someone on TV like Piers Morgan is allowed to rant unchallenged previously on TV, it was not challenged. Yesterday he said  that Meghan Markle lied about feeling suicidal, it was pushed back heavily by organizations and the head of ITV was questioned repeatedly when she wanted to talk about earnings. ITV is allegedly having a talk with Piers. This has repercussions again.

To me, this though is an interview about family, it is about a family who is also a business. Who wields soft power and even now does play a part albeit not as before in World politics. So this is more than Harry and Meghan. How this plays in the Commonwealth has consequences. Though Harry and Meghan might not have intended it like that and basically used it to spill their truth, build their brand, respond to things and I believe that was the intent, the larger unintended picture that came out of this is consequences to the Commonwealth. So I think overall, it is a good thing for racism in the heart of the British Monarchy should be exposed in 2021.

I have to be honest it’s really gut feeling only but she just doesn’t come across genuine to me, so that probably colours my opinion.  With no specifics it’s hard to make much sense of the allegations.  Needless to say I didn’t watch the interview as I’m just sick of hearing about them - maybe we got an overdose during the stupid Australia tour or something, but the snippets I heard just didn’t come across overly credible.  

[Pam in CT]

Literally LOL

 

 

[Oxford comma jokes being the best of all genres of jokes)

[Scarlett]

38 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

So far I have been reading this thread like...

🤨🍿

 

Taking it all in. Trying to be open minded to both sides of it. But I have to say that a lot of what I’ve read and seen shape my opinion on the matter. Yes to all the horrid dysfunction of the BRF. But...
 

Designer clothes (Megan’s dress for the interview reportedly cost $5K, shoes $600+, and exquisite jewelry, Harry sporting top of the line men’s apparel)

Garden of a Hollywood mansion

Friends like Oprah

One television interview that CBS paid $7M to air

A £10M inheritance

Multiple millions in the bank from a previous career

Insane profit potential from deals with streaming services

RESOURCES. These people have big time resources. I do not doubt that they are serious about wanting to speak up on important issues like racism and mental health. I just think, in the whole scheme of things, there are much better platforms to raise awareness than a tell-all interview. It keeps them all rolling in the mud. 

I’m a big fan of say what you mean, mean what you say. They said, many moons ago, that they wanted a peaceful and quiet life out of the limelight of royalty. Yet they keep seeking the attention by redressing issues from the past. I wish the best for H&M and their beautiful children. I wish they could cleanly walk away from further conversation in this arena. I know the scandal rags and people like Morgan keep throwing mud, but it’s like poking a bee hive. It gets boring once the bees stop flying out. H & M should move past the need to keep rebutting and go forward with wonderful things that will establish them freshly as culture changers. Let that old mud dry up and fall off. 
 

Okay, that’s my pair o’pennies. No doubt some will disagree, but I’ve said my piece. 

Money has nothing to do with being treated badly.  Surely they shouldn’t be expected to just take it all without comment because they have money.

My best friend has a lot of money.  And she still suffers from the same thing that all of us suffer from. 

[Roadrunner]

nm

Edited March 9, 2021 by Roadrunner

[SKL]

The thing about skin color - they should have made a documented complaint when it happened if it happened.  If they did, then they can prove that and it's on the "Firm" to prove that they investigated and what else they did about it.

Who was it?  You can't just make a public accusation like that and leave it open as to who did it.  OK so it wasn't Elizabeth II or Philip, then was it Charles, William, Kate, one of the minor children, or some aunt/uncle or a more distant relative?  It matters.  It's not fair to just say "someone in the family did this" and let everyone make their own assumptions about such a thing.