THAT dress.

Phew. I'm just catching up with gransnet, this thread is gransnet at its worst imo.
It amazes me that people can be so very unpleasant about a young couple who have announced their engagement. The level of vitriol and sheer nastiness directed at MM is astonishing. It's difficult not to conclude much of it is driven by envy of the amount of money MM has earned. How many of us would make such negative and demeaning comments about our own children or loved one's. Who set some here up as moral arbiters, to sit in judgement about how they spend money, whether MM has done something to her hair to stop it looking African?!
Season of Goodwill - not on this thread.

The latest figures I can find from a very quick search of the internet in 2013 (the latest I can find) the royal family cost the British tax payer just over £33m or approximately 53p per person per year. In the same year it was estimated the royal family generated almost £500m. Value for money I would say. I agree with those who are shocked at the amount of venom being voiced against a young couple, who none of us know personally - just because of the family one of them was born into.

Sorry Jalima1108 the Americans all ready had Princess Grace. Most of the Americans I know think it’s silly that you still pay money for a figurehead.
I know the Queen and her family have many charities and that’s commendable but why not give the money that’s given to the royal family straight to the charity itself?
The money wasted on pomp and circumstance could be better served IMO.

Well said MawBroon and Rafichagran. Such nastiness and envy. I don’t care how much you protest that you’re happy in your lives, such horrible comments give the lie to your protests.

Does no one change their hairstyle over the years? A bit of a racist comment earlier.

I really do not care what the dress cost, the cost does not justify some of the comments on this thread which are plain nasty.
I do not envy anyone their wealth, good luck to them, I have got in life what I worked for, so do not resent others.
Why does a dress and photographs bring out so much nastiness?

The dress was made by a couple of unknown designers from Australia according to reports and imo she looks amazing in it.
Do any one of you remember seeing designs by the Emmanuals before Diana had her dress made by them I think not and just look at the business that dress brought in for the couple I hope these two designers have the same good fortune.I have never read such sour grapes amongst GNers during all the years I have been a member you can't pick who you choose to fall in love with be him a Prince or a Postman you just live and let live.

Pro or anti Monarchy there are some really snippy comments on this thread, fortunately I suspect not typical of all Gnetters.
As for expecting the marriage to last just 5 years, the Germans call it “Schadenfreude “ taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.
Count me out!

In my opinion, there are obscenities on various levels associated with Meghan Markel's wearing of that dress, irrespective of whether she paid for it or wore it just to give publicity to the designer.
1. The fact that a dress can cost £56,000 is pretty sickening, when there are millions of other women around the world who live in poverty and don't have the means to buy even one cotton dress costing £3 or £4.
2. The fact that a future member of the British Royal family buys into that culture is obscene, because royalty serve as role models for countless young girls and women in this country, who will never be able, especially in these years of austerity, to aspire to the Markel-look - the mannequin.
3. Whether Markel has bought the dress from her own pocket or simply worn it to showcase the work of some outrageously 'up-him/herself' designer, she has paraded her double standards - we have all been 'warmed' up to her as a person by the footage of her barefoot walks in African villages on her humanitarian rounds - and yet she wears a £56,000 dress which she lets out details of the price tag about. There's nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good on a grand occasion but honestly, when I go to an event I don't tell anyone how much I paid for my dress. Maybe she didn't do this, but somebody in her entourage did and that's her responsibility.
4. This lady is no newcomer to publicity - she's no shy, retiring Diana so let's not be fooled by the photographs. She knows that the price of this dress was destined for the press, and made a very, very bad error of judgement in this matter.
5. Why oh why, are we saying goodbye to our cultured European neighbours, and opening our gates to this Hollywood circus?! Yes, it really is obscene - oh, and regarding the work the dress has provided for goodness knows how many people - I just don't believe it - there will be a few very well paid individuals working on that, and the bulk of the money will be a price for the designer's intellectual property - the design. Surely, no item of clothing can be justified as worth £56,000 - or maybe it was diamond encrusted - then again, maybe living in London I just know too many teachers and nurses who find themselves having to visit food banks.

We are not the envy of the world, otherwise they wouldn’t have got rid of their monarchies aeons ago. The monarchy doesn’t bring in tourism, apart from the dead ones, hardly any tourists see the Queen. Tower of London is most visited attraction, then the London Eye.

Don’t believe what you read in the papers they like to make more of things than it is. Not often they write truthfully about the royals. Other then having a dig at Charles and his overseas banking.

So now there is another target for people to snipe at. We are the envy of the world with our Royal family, and they bring a huge amount of money in tourism to this country.

No problem Jalima1108 ! I expect the people who made THE DRESS are saying the same to Megan and Harry. They would be out of a job if some people on here had their way.

ps tiggypiro I am sure I heard on a programme about Qantas that the business class tickets cost so much because they are subsidising the cost of the economy tickets.

So - thank you

Just read your post HurdyGurdy,brilliant, couldn't agree more .

Not at all tiggypiro - that is my ambition, to go business class.
I keep saving and DH keeps buying lottery tickets.
However, should we ever treat ourselves, am I supposed to feel guilty that I could have gone cattle class economy and donated the £thousands difference to charity?

What would it have to have been made of to cost that amount ? Can we really believe everything that is reported?

I’m left wing, not a monarchist remotely, but I like MM and the dress. No conflict at all. Fashion is a huge industry and contributes a lot to the economy , unfortunately few garments are manufactured in the UK these days, but high end couture and bespoke tailoring still exists , these are highly skilled trades. The products will be consequently expensive. You should watch a YouTube clip on making of a Chanel collection to see the incredible skill involved. The UK produces so few quality products these days , so the few industries we do have should be encouraged surely. If that involves people in the public eye wearing their outfits that’s fine by me.

Harry and Megan are free to spend their money however they like as are the rest of us. I don't buy expensive dresses but I do go Business Class when flying long haul. I know lots of people can not do that so is it wrong of me to do so ?
Was it wrong of me to stay in 4* hotels in India (where my stay enabled lots of people to be employed) or should I have camped in a tent I took with me because not everyone can do what I did ?

Well said, HurdyGurdy

Goodness me. I hope there's enough salt and vinegar to go around, for all the sizeable chips on some Gransetters' shoulders.

I find it laughable that things said in the press are quoted as facts. A decent sized chunk of scepticism should be employed when reading ANYTHING in the press, and especially so in the case of the Daily Wail.

Actually, it's beyond chips on shoulders. It is utter spite and absolutely uncalled for towards a young woman who, let's face it, NONE of us know.

As is so often on the internet these days, it's cowardly keyboard bravery. I wonder who many would honestly say these words directly to either or both of Prince Harry and Megan Markle.

- sorry Blinko I should have explained; she met Crown Prince Frederik at a bar/restaurant in Sydney and he introduced himself as 'Fred'. She had no idea who he was

Megan is way back from ever reaching the throne , come April Harry will be 6th in line , so a minor royal really

Ah, thanks, Ab. I was getting worried that I was losing count of our own lot.....

Crown Princess Mary is an Australian who is married to theCrown Prince of Denmark