Author Topic: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'  (Read 7429 times)

Nearly Sane

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'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« on: January 08, 2020, 07:32:07 PM »
Not a fan of the idea of royalty but in part the reasoning here is part of that


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51040751
« Last Edit: January 08, 2020, 07:34:32 PM by Nearly Sane »

Robbie

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2020, 09:05:16 PM »
I don't blame them. You don't have to be a fan of royalty to see how the media turned against this couple when previously they were feted. It makes sense for them to take the initiative as the Prince of Wales wants to scale back the monarchy.

They are financially independent and will have more freedom to pursue projects and interests abroad; I'm sure they'll still come back here regularly.

I just hope they are happy, that's what I wish for any couple with children.
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Nearly Sane

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2020, 09:19:15 PM »
Agreed.

Gordon

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2020, 11:10:29 PM »
I'll look forward to seeing whether or not he gives up all the titles and privileges of his protected species status: after all, given his reported stance, it would be highly cynical of him not to. 

Perhaps we should help him by just disenfranchising the lot of them, so as to slim down the monarchy to the extent that it no longer exists.

Robbie

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2020, 12:43:02 AM »
I don't suppose he'll give up his title, that wouldn't achieve much. If he and his family move to Canada they won't need so much security and if they did want it, they'd pay for it themselves.  My belief is they can lead a useful and fulfilled life more easily abroad with far less press intrusion and criticism about the least thing. They've not been married that long and around the time of the wedding, the press were all over them.
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Harrowby Hall

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2020, 08:06:38 AM »
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex withdrawing from royal duties - without even informing the queen? Becoming responsible for their own income?

THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED!!!!!

They would be dragging the monarchy into the 19th century ...
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Roses

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2020, 08:22:29 AM »
I think it would have been more polite of them to mention  it to their family before announcing it to the media. However, good for them, especially if they are hoping to support themselves financially.
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Roses

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2020, 10:16:44 AM »
;D
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Udayana

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2020, 10:27:44 AM »
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex withdrawing from royal duties - without even informing the queen? Becoming responsible for their own income?

THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED!!!!!

They would be dragging the monarchy into the 19th century ...

What a terrible state of affairs. Boris and Trump should both resign immediately.

Harry is ineligible for the presidency but Meghan has what it takes and should start the campaign asap!
Ah, but I was so much older then ... I'm younger than that now

The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2020, 11:16:45 AM »
I have not read Harry and Meghan's statement so maybe I haven't grasped the mechanics of what will happen.

But I would like to focus on what "work to become financially independent" means. If Harry wasn't the Queen's grandson and if his mother hadn't been Princess Diana by marrying into the Royal Family (RF), he would make limited money from the celebrity circuit as no one would be interested in hearing him speak, interviewing him, having him endorse anything or buying things that have the Sussex logo pasted on them. Nobody would care who he married or what his baby looked like. His mother dying in a car crash caused by her boyfriend's drunk driver speeding dangerously in a tunnel in Paris probably increased his earning potential on the speaking and endorsement circuit.

The reason he has access to any wealth is due to his connection to the RF - his mother would not have had the wealth she bequeathed to him if she had not married Prince Charles and Harry would not get his allowance from the Duchy of Cornwall if the RF came to an end.

To me it seems the RF is a bit like a company, in that it has a culture and rules and responsibilities its "employees" (the Royals)  needs to follow in order for the RF to keep generating income and to try to justify it's obscene privilege and wealth. Unfortunately, unlike in a company, the shareholders can't vote the members of the RF out at an Annual General Meeting.

In return for access to that RF wealth and the potential for future high earnings from being connected to the RF, Harry is required to follow the RF culture and its rules. That goes for anyone who marries him.

If he is walking away from his inheritance from the RF via his mother and his income from his father and not exploiting his RF connection to earn money, and is therefore living a more modest lifestyle in keeping with his non-RF related skills, attributes and qualifications, then I am happy for them - they have chosen integrity and freedom over wealth and privilege.

But given the sudden requirement for private jets and expensive holidays since he got married and had a child, I doubt this is what Harry and Meghan are intending.

So if Harry and Meghan are trying to hang onto the RF credentials to earn money to keep them in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, while dictating the terms with which they will be part of the RF corporation - to me they seem to be just like any another employee who adopts a mercenary outlook e.g. asking for a 3 day-week, the ability to work from home, less supervision by his managers, and the chance to produce less output without taking a significant cut in salary.

If that is what they are trying to do, then Harry and Meghan are not the first employees to see things only from their perspective and put their needs first, rather than prioritising the business in order to ensure the business remains viable.so that there continues to be a source of income for the business-owner and other employees. They are not the first employees to try to get more out of their employer while giving as little in return as possible and feeling entitled to do so. They are not the first employees to ignore the fact that their income is only possible through the hard work of others, who will continue to shoulder their responsibilities and work the hours to keep the RF going so that Harry and Meghan can earn an income from their connection to the RF.   

I doubt there is much the rest of the RF key players can do about it - while it continues to exist, large sections of the public will be interested in the RF and so Harry and Meghan will be onto a nice little earner.

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Nearly Sane

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2020, 11:26:23 AM »
I think the royal family can be compared to a company but I think it's stretching the analogy to regard H&M as employees too far since people aren't born into a company, nor do they marry into it.

Gordon

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2020, 11:50:08 AM »
This is still the lead story on most media sites like the BBC: inexplicably so given what other events are going on.

Perhaps the media should all get together and agree to simply ignore this pair and deny them all publicity, which would presumably give them the anonymity they desire, and all they need do then is keep to themselves and avoid trading on family links, ideally by renouncing their silly titles, and then get used to being nobodies.

I'm sure all the wee sheep who studiously follow the fortunes of this family will find some other similarly useless and anachronistic targets to fixate on: after all, there seems to be no shortage of so-called 'celebrities' who serve no useful purpose other than entertaining the easily entertained.     

Christine

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2020, 12:55:51 PM »
Another distraction from the activities of our disgraceful government.  I bet the BBC news editors are relieved, they might have had to report yesterday's parliamentary votes if not for this.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/08/mps-vote-to-drop-child-refugee-protections-from-brexit-bill

and for people who don't believe the Guardian tells the truth

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/child-10-dies-in-undercarriage-of-plane-as-british-mps-vote-down-child-refugee-protections-974325.html

The Queen's upset about Harry and Meghan apparently.  She didn't feel the need to make a statement about disappointment in her son for associating with a convicted sex offender, then trying to excuse his inexcusable behaviour on TV.  It's good to know our Head of State has her priorities in order.


SusanDoris

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2020, 01:08:56 PM »
Gabriella

I like your post. I think I am right in saying that Diana was wealthy in her own right because of her family, but am not sure about that.

Christine

I hope you don't think anybody actually knows what the Queen might have said! the press are always saying what she felt, but she does not speak out to them on that.
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Christine

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #15 on: January 09, 2020, 01:38:23 PM »
Christine

I hope you don't think anybody actually knows what the Queen might have said! the press are always saying what she felt, but she does not speak out to them on that.

Fair enough.  There was an official statement from Buckingham Palace saying there were "complicated issues" to deal with.  Reports of the Queen's hurt and distress were from "aides". I withdraw my remarks about the Queen.


The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2020, 01:52:55 PM »
I think the royal family can be compared to a company but I think it's stretching the analogy to regard H&M as employees too far since people aren't born into a company, nor do they marry into it.
True - no one can choose the circumstances they are born into, whereas an employee can to some extent choose to switch jobs depending on their ability and qualifications or give up work and live on state benefits.

I'm just looking at whether H&M have adopted a financially shrewd strategy of getting what they can from 'the Firm' as Diana used to refer to it, while giving the bare minimum back. Similar to others in their generation who seem very mercenary and switched on when it comes to the earning potential from publicity despite having limited skills in anything other than being social-media savvy. By stepping away from the control of the RF, they get more control over their visibility and therefore more control over how much they can earn from that visibility. It would be pretty naive to think this has not been carefully planned from the start. I think it's been many years since Harry stopped being the innocent poor little rich boy forlornly walking behind his mother's coffin - but that is how the certain sections of the public like to remember him and it's certainly a lucrative way to be perceived.

But it's not just their generation that is canny about money - the Queen Mother made a series of wise investments with the loot she pocketed and her great-grandchildren managed to get out of paying inheritance tax on any loot she left them because she lived longer than 7 years after transferring a large portion of her wealth into trust for them. Apparently Harry did quite well out of that - he got a larger portion than William from the £14m left to them in trust by their great-grandmother - compensation apparently for not becoming Prince of Wales and then the sovereign.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/apr/03/queenmother.monarchy2

Also, Queen Elizabeth, who inherited an estimated £70m estate from the Queen Mother, did not have to pay IHT. Apparently inheritance from a 'sovereign to sovereign' or the consort of a sovereign to a reigning monarch is exempt from the 40% tax, above a £250,000 threshold.

This was agreed with former Conservative Prime Minister John Major in 1993. He accepted it in recognition of the need for the sovereign to avoid erosion of the Royal Family's wealth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1993665.stm
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ProfessorDavey

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2020, 02:01:15 PM »
Similar to others in their generation who seem very mercenary and switched on when it comes to the earning potential from publicity despite having limited skills in anything other than being social-media savvy.
I think that is a little unfair.

You seem to forget that Meghan had forged a successful career for herself long before she met Harry. In that respect she is unlike most of the other Royals (including Diana and Kate) who never had anything approaching a 'career' (let alone a successful one) prior to becoming part of the firm.

The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2020, 02:13:51 PM »
Gabriella

I like your post. I think I am right in saying that Diana was wealthy in her own right because of her family, but am not sure about that.

Thank you Susan.

I am not sure if Diana inherited from her father - I believe they follow the male-preference primogeniture rule of it all going to the son, her brother. There was a Private Members Bill introduced in the House of Lords called the Equality (Titles) Bill, known colloquially as the "Downton Law" and "Downton Abbey Law", which tried to end this male-preference rule and had lots of support in the Commons but was rejected at the House of Lords committee stage.

https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/equalitytitles.html
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Nearly Sane

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #20 on: January 09, 2020, 02:20:39 PM »

The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #21 on: January 09, 2020, 02:20:52 PM »
I think that is a little unfair.

You seem to forget that Meghan had forged a successful career for herself long before she met Harry. In that respect she is unlike most of the other Royals (including Diana and Kate) who never had anything approaching a 'career' (let alone a successful one) prior to becoming part of the firm.
No, I had not forgotten that she is estimated to be worth about £4m from her job as an actress and from her blog. I agree that she had done well from acting.

I was referring to her potential for earning a substantial amount of money by exploiting her connection to the RF through self-publicity on social-media and engagements as a RF celebrity. That would be a separate source of income and one that is not based on any discernible skill unlike the income she derived from being an actress.
I identify as a Sword because I have abstract social constructs e.g. honour and patriotism. My preferred pronouns are "kill/ maim/ dismember"

Quite handy with weapons - available for hire to defeat money laundering crooks around the world.

“Forget safety. Live where you fear to live.” Rumi

Nearly Sane

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #22 on: January 09, 2020, 02:24:16 PM »
..... It would be pretty naive to think this has not been carefully planned from the start.....

Not really sure what you mean by 'this' or 'start' here

ProfessorDavey

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #23 on: January 09, 2020, 02:30:05 PM »
No, I had not forgotten that she is estimated to be worth about £4m from her job as an actress and from her blog. I agree that she had done well from acting.

I was referring to her potential for earning a substantial amount of money by exploiting her connection to the RF through self-publicity on social-media and engagements as a RF celebrity. That would be a separate source of income and one that is not based on any discernible skill unlike the income she derived from being an actress.
Sure - but I think the important point here is that Meghan has experience of forging her own independent career and the ability to do so once provides a level of confidence that she can do it again. And that may not be on the publicity circuit (indeed it would seem odd for her to want to do this as it would catapult her straight back into the media junket that she seems to want to get away from).

To my mind they have the opportunity to forge a new direction where they permanently relocate to (probably) Canada, effectively establish (or re-establish) a proper career, safe in the knowledge that they are financially OK from legacy etc. The whole media issue is symbiotic (or parasitic) - it feeds on itself. If the two of them disappear from the limelight the media will get bored and move onto new targets.


The Accountant, OBE, KC

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Re: 'Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals'
« Reply #24 on: January 09, 2020, 02:41:22 PM »
Sure - but I think the important point here is that Meghan has experience of forging her own independent career and the ability to do so once provides a level of confidence that she can do it again. And that may not be on the publicity circuit (indeed it would seem odd for her to want to do this as it would catapult her straight back into the media junket that she seems to want to get away from).

To my mind they have the opportunity to forge a new direction where they permanently relocate to (probably) Canada, effectively establish (or re-establish) a proper career, safe in the knowledge that they are financially OK from legacy etc. The whole media issue is symbiotic (or parasitic) - it feeds on itself. If the two of them disappear from the limelight the media will get bored and move onto new targets.
Agreed - the inherited wealth will certainly be handy if they want to lead a life of luxury while they consider their options. £4m wealth and an income from Suits and a blog would not have afforded the luxuries they have recently accessed.

And I think it was odd to lecture people about environmental issues while flying back and forth across the Atlantic for frivolous reasons, especially by private jet.

If they do not exploit their RF connection to earn money, but solely rely on their other skills and qualifications, as I said before, good for them - it shows integrity. But the legacy they will be living off comes from their RF connection - so I neither despise them, nor feel sorry for them, nor do I applaud them - they would be just another privileged, wealthy young couple (with a child) and a mercenary mindset.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2020, 02:45:27 PM by Gabriella »
I identify as a Sword because I have abstract social constructs e.g. honour and patriotism. My preferred pronouns are "kill/ maim/ dismember"

Quite handy with weapons - available for hire to defeat money laundering crooks around the world.

“Forget safety. Live where you fear to live.” Rumi