Harry & Meghan stepping back from RF

If they were dinner party guests they would turn up armed with their holiday photo albums, and leave without noticing that they never asked how the hosts are doing

If they were office workers you could sit beside them and know all about them and they wouldnt remember your OH's name or how many children you had! If the traffic was slightly bad for them the whole office would still be hearing about till lunch!
You could come in in a full body cast and they wouldnt notice or if they did they'ld say "oh yeah that reminds me of the time I needed a bandaid" LOL

Absolutely - withdraw from the RF and relinquish all the trappings, perks and titles that go along with being Royal. I don’t think many would shed copious tears if they were to go and live quietly over the pond somewhere.

In that case then, it's surely better that they withdraw?
They can't "do royal", obviously, so..

I mean "down-to-earth" as in willing to express thoughts and feelings out in the open as opposed to appearing reserved and placid. Guess it's an American "thing". grin

Its not an " Americamn thing"
When Charles, Kate & Will visit charities they talk a lot about feelings. The feelings of the people involved in the charities. They listen, they hear, they talk

H&M are only interested in themselves. They talk AT people. The places and people they visit seems to have little impact on them because they always bring the topic back to themselves somehow. They talk about their own feelings. Not feelings in general.

Well this is sad for the royal family for the queen and for William-If there isn't already a rift this may cause one especially with the distance!
What bothers me is who is going to pay for their security? Now they are stepping down. Not my tax money!!!!
Surely they could have waited to give their own families time to get their heads around this and informed everyone when they knew all the financial details.
But no family can have two queen bees and actress Meghan has more fans there rather than here where I for one knew her as the lady who married Prince Harry and became a princess not an actress,lovely wedding by the way. But great timing!!!!! let's not forget it's princess Kate's birthday today. Forget protocal, it's more like forget your family!! Oh are they Royals!?!?

Yes Merlotgran I too listened to that American Viscountess on the News, and my thought was ‘Well, you’re not in America now! When in Rome etc’

It might be an American thing but she’s not in America now, and as merlot says, she and Harry should have probably exercised a bit more restraint, consideration for his family and the royal institution, and integrity. They’ve upset a lot of people - especially his family. That’s something that will take a long time to heal, but I suppose if you’re estranged from most of your family that concept is irrelevant to you.

Viscountess Hinchinbrooke, who is American, was on our local news tonight talking about how difficult it is marrying into the British aristocracy because in America they're taught to believe you can have and achieve whatever you want in life.

That's all very well but a little lesson in British restraint might have served Meghan well before she took the plunge.

Maybe that's where, 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' comes from.

I mean "down-to-earth" as in willing to express thoughts and feelings out in the open as opposed to appearing reserved and placid. Guess it's an American "thing".

notanan2 she was criticised during her pregnancy for "flaunting" and touching her bump in public. She was critcised for not having her father at her wedding. She was criticised for not exposing her baby to the press. A private letter to her father was reproduced in the paper. She's been criicised for suing. She's been blamed for the rift between Harry and Wiliam. Is that enough? I'm sure there's more.
Good luck to them. Better to try and fail than never to try at all.

More down to Earth?! Down to Earth is not a phrase that immediately springs to mind to describe Harry and Sparkles

They seem more down-to-earth
The major royals take themselves FAR less seriously than H&M!

Yes their (public) claims have been challenged. Their hypocricy noted. Their public decisions/statements questions.

Thats hardly unfair press
It hasnt been cruel
The press has been sympathetic to her father who does appear vulnerable, and havent villified him. What? Was nobody allowed to mention the absent father of the bride?
The press has been universally kind to her mother.
The wedding ceremony was a mixed bag. Marmite, is that so bad?

notanan2 , because I am American, I probably have heard/read far less about the royals than you all have. I am then left with just a general impression, of sorts. They seem more down-to-earth but I don't know too much about their personal lives. Still wish them well, however. Being in the public eye has got to be onerous.

After all they've had to deal with from the press etc

I really wish someone would quantify this!
What awful things have been said? Specifically? By the british press not random twitter trolls (who the press called out/criticised but H said they were wrong to do that
She has had an easier ride than most, most press has been flattering and focused on her fashion?

Considering the behaviour of the Sussex pair Who knows what it’s been like for the royals behind closed doors

I wish them the very best of luck and hope they can be happy. After all they've had to deal with from the press etc, and who knows what it's actually been like for them behind the Royal closed doors.

I only heard a video of it on twitter. Apparently they ring them every birthday for a future queen.

They contradict themselves constantly. Hardly salt of the earth traits.

maddyone, I mean genuine in the sense that they tell it like it is (good and bad), for the most part, rather than presenting personas exclusively.

Tell it as it is? Like when MM said in interview that she didnt really know who H was before they dated. Then footage emerged of her before she dated H where she says that she thought H was the sexiest of the British Royals...
.... mmm

It's a bit far from me lucywinter!!

And no, I turned the tv off in the end.
You'd think there was no other news.

If he really wanted true independence and make his own way, earning his money he could always go back into the army, after all a lot of money was spent on his training. Or he could do what William did fly the helicopter for the Air Rescue

Could he? I dont know that they would have him.
In the army he was higher risk than W because he wanted to be in the centre of the action, where as Will was willing to graft away wherever he was useful and low risk. H was partying A LOT in his army days which also added to the risks he brought with him

W was sucessful in the air rescue for the same reason that he was sucessful in the army and at uni: he knew how to have a good time without being the centre of attention and a liability. He slogged away on the helicopters without drawing attention and causing problems.

They rang the bells of Westminster Abbey Callistemon. Didn't you hear them?

maddyone, I mean genuine in the sense that they tell it like it is (good and bad), for the most part, rather than presenting personas exclusively.

Oh no.

Happy birthday Kate!