William and to some degree Meghan seem to be a bit insecure. Maybe that's why they don't get along.
Kate seems to be a snob, who comes from a noble family, her mother was a flight attendant, a waitress.
Harry is smart, juggling lots of balls, but too naive to see how he could drop them all.
That said, I am starting to see why Diana said that Harry would make a better king.

M&H should start their own newspaper or magazine.

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Anonymous wrote:Kate and William sound petty. Kate seems as if she comes with safe handling instructions. This is from a person who HATES hugs and would never let anyone touch my makeup. Yes Meghan was out of line, but sheesh. Not a good way to start.

The reactions to the lip gloss incident in this thread are so weird, mainly because it doesn’t seem like anyone who has raised it understands its context in the book. The story has nothing to do with who was right or two was wrong as between Meghan and Kate.

Good to hear that Meghan didn't call Late baby-brained.

Anonymous wrote:Kate and William sound petty. Kate seems as if she comes with safe handling instructions. This is from a person who HATES hugs and would never let anyone touch my makeup. Yes Meghan was out of line, but sheesh. Not a good way to start.

The reactions to the lip gloss incident in this thread are so weird, mainly because it doesn’t seem like anyone who has raised it understands its context in the book. The story has nothing to do with who was right or two was wrong as between Meghan and Kate.

Anonymous wrote:Kate and William sound petty. Kate seems as if she comes with safe handling instructions. This is from a person who HATES hugs and would never let anyone touch my makeup. Yes Meghan was out of line, but sheesh. Not a good way to start.

+1. I understand it must be hard to be in Kate's position. But Kate could have had a little more understanding for the newbie.

A whole lot of white people understand and fight for racial justice because they are smart and empathetic.

For an adult who lives in a very diverse metropolitan area, traveled the world, trained and served with army, shot at brown people, consumed all sort of media, gave speeches in Africa etc, unless one is really thick and self absorbed, its odd to not feel aware of racial issues.

Yes, he is privileged financially, etc. But being coldly told your mother is dead, left alone in the dark you fear to process it, and being forced to parade behind her coffin on display like a prize poodle walking a show circuit?

There are millions of financially underprivileged families where no child would ever suffer like that.

Anonymous wrote:For those who read the book - does Harry seem to understand the tremendous privilege he was born into and how lucky he was to even be born "a royal"?

And in some ways - in many ways- the spare seems like the better gig than the heir

Yes, although he’s definitely— IMO — a work in progress. He’s white, he’s male, he’s a prince, and there’s quite a lot, including systemic racism, that he gave little thought to until he met Meghan and began to more consciously understand that his “normal” included both tremendous privilege as well as what I would see as pervasive neglect, and even abuse — when you throw in his experiences with paparazzi and the media.

I think being the spare could have been a much better gig, and had his mother lived, I think he would have had a more balanced and emotionally supported upbringing. I can’t imagine growing up with the kind of attention and harassment from paparazzi and toxic press anxious to exploit even children for their paychecks. I think for Harry, being in the military was both a broadening experience and a respite of sorts where he began to understand both some of the tremendous privileges and the accompanying toxicity of being born a royal.

Kate and William sound petty. Kate seems as if she comes with safe handling instructions. This is from a person who HATES hugs and would never let anyone touch my makeup. Yes Meghan was out of line, but sheesh. Not a good way to start.

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Anonymous wrote:5. I thought he showed quite a lack of empathy to his brother. Like, could he really not understand the reaction to the wedding beard? It's so important to Harry but silly for William to be jealous of the same thing? There were so many scenes like this scattered throughout the book - Harry's emotions are proper and well contextualized but he failed to allow the other's emotions and humanity.

This is astute. I think this lack of empathy and myopic thinking reflects immature emotional development (which I don't really 'blame' him for) and is what is leading him to make some poor choices when it comes to his family and other public actions/words.

+1

Also no concern over his niece Charlotte when she cried over the dress at age 3. No it was all about Meghan!

You mean when Meghan told Kate repeatedly the tailor was already there and waiting to alter the dress and Kate was demanding it be fully remade four days before the wedding?

But did she ever express sadness that Charlotte cried? Or was it all business...perhaps a little sympathy for a three year old wouldn't be that difficult!

A three year old is never going to cry about a dress not fitting. Maybe that it’s uncomfortable. If she cried because it wasn’t flattering that’s her mothers influence.

You have no idea what happened and immediately you blame Kate.

DP. Did you read the book? Because whether or not Charlotte actually cried is wholly irrelevant to the anecdote.

Anonymous wrote:For those who read the book - does Harry seem to understand the tremendous privilege he was born into and how lucky he was to even be born "a royal"?

And in some ways - in many ways- the spare seems like the better gig than the heir

He does acknowledge his privilege repeatedly.

I think there are pros and cons to both the heir and spare roles. Which would be more tolerable probably depends on the person. Being the heir certainly comes with more responsibility and restrictions, but also more protections.

Digger means tractors

Anonymous wrote:Did Edward VIII keep his security when he lived in France?

Did Edward VIII and Wallis get death threats? And do you think that’s a relevant concern? I ask in part because I’m sure that levels risk vary and standards of security have changed over the last century or so.

Anonymous wrote:Charles and the Queen abused their power. When they removed security from Harry (and Diana before), they are effectively telling whoever wants to stand up to them that they will be fed to the wolves. So, what is a person to do if the monarch abuses him or her sexually? Say Charlotte has an issue with Charles, does she just accept it for fear that she will lose "protection". I would take the Royal family's tail to court over the protection thing. They would back down for fear of the negative press.

Diana chose to have her security removed. It was her choice.