Megan and Harry again!

I am shocked that her suffering has been used to criticise the
Queen

trisher you are happy to misuse another woman's suffering to justify your hatred of the RF. I am disgusted with your attitude, I don't believe you actually care two figs about Katherine Kent.

I so agree Rosie , I really was shocked to use the pain of a woman who suffered the loss of two babies

Anniebach I think its been reasonably established that I'm not against the Queen and I am reasonably fond of her and respect her position, contribution and role - but in all honesty she has never been known as a paragon of empathy and giver of warm fuzzies. In this case I do think it's reasonable for people to be able to say that it was not the RFs finest hour. Neither was their treatment of Prince Philips mother or the Queen's cousins who both died in an asylum. They aren't perfect, and even her Maj has had to learn some difficult lessons. I suspect it's why she's been so openly tolerant of H&M and still describes them as much loved.

It's in extremely bad taste and beggars belief on a thread where when posters have expressed their dissatisfaction/anger and or dislike or M & H's behaviour they've been accused of engaging in bitch fest.

Neither was their treatment of Prince Philips mother or the Queen's cousins who both died in an asylum.

i don't see how our RF is responsible for either of those.

NellG the Queen never publicly displays emotions and race around hugging , but she cannot be judged as uncaring because of this.

What was wrong with Princess Alice’s care ? As for her two cousins, are you responsible for your cousins ? Their parents
placed them in a home , their decision. I have cousins who live
in London, haven’t seen them since they came to Wales for holidays when children, don’t know where they live now.

NellG I agree the Queen is not overtly affectionate in public but none of us know what she's like in private, although I suspect she isn't one of life's biggest huggers. trisher said Mind it took the RF driving the Duchess to breakdown for her to get out. which is a very nasty, hateful statement to make, especially after reading the article she herself linked to. Nowhere does Katherine Kent indicate she wasn't supported.

NellG you have made some very insightful points about the British public’s relationship with the RF, a relationship not understood by Meghan. We require our RF to be boring and conventional, bound by tradition. Meghan came in with the American attitude of getting on and thinking ahead. If we want new ideas, we go to Tate Modern or the Saatchi Gallery. Woe betide anyone who messes around with the Garter costumes etc.
It reminds me of the series Emily in Paris where the heroine arrived from America ready to make her mark in the firm, even though younger and inexperienced. The sophisticated French are not impressed.
I’m sure the RF were sympathetic to the Duchess of Kent, but her nickname within the family is “Mad Kate”.

Katherine Kent had severe depression after the loss of two babies, how the hell can anyone be blamed for this, and I thought mental illness was now understood.

hollysteers did you read Katherine Kent was called that cruel
name, or did you hear them say it ?

But Meghan didn't just come in with the attitude of getting on and thinking ahead. She came in with the attitude of a new broom sweeping the entire place clean.
Some may admire her for that, but it just doesn't work.

Rosie51 I was hoping to make the point that in order to rationally discuss the RF we have to accept that they are fallible, and may not have always dealt with things in the warmest way - the reasons for that may well warrant whole new set of speculations based on the very little we actually know about what goes on behind closed doors.

If my post seemed to support the idea that someone was deliberately driven to mental ill health then I apologise.

Anniebach It's a matter of perspective re Princess Alice and the cousins.

It's not that they were treated badly, it's that it appears they weren't treated particularly well, or appropriately by today's standards.

I'd like to think that the Queen has had pause for thought over such things and has become more compassionate over time. Is there anything terribly wrong with my view? I'm not making an accusation, just expressing an opinion that no one, not even the Queen is perfect.

hollysteers Emily in Paris is a good comparison.

But what did they do so wrong with Princess Alice NellG ?

I just googled the queens cousins, read it been has played out in the Crown.

They were placed in the asylum in 1941, the Queen was 14, !

Annibach As I understand it regarding the cousins the Queen mother knew what had been done and condoned it, when it came to light years later the Queen distanced herself from the issue on the advice of her advisors and her mother. As the RF is wont to do - never complain, never explain. None of us have any idea why what happened happened and can only go on the information that we can read, which is also based on other people's opinions and insights. I am not blaming the Queen for what happened to them, but I am saying that they could have been treated differently when she did know of their existence ( I understand she thought they had died). It's a topic all on it's own really Annie. It doesn't make the Queen a bad person, but one who's had to temper herself against a lot of demands. This may, and I mean may have stifled her compassion in some ways.

In the case of Princess Alice - her own family treated her pretty shabbily and kept their distance. She spent many years living in poverty before ending up here under the care of the Queen. Her supposed mental illness was a source of embarrassment and though she was not treated badly as such, she was hardly embraced into the bosom of the family as the Queen's MIL. But again, I can only base my views on things that I've read. I wasn't there and can't judge, I can only have an opinion which is that the RF and the Queen don't have a public reputation as being the warmest, most inclusive family and therefore it is acceptable to discuss situations and people who may or may not have been adversely affected by that.

So maybe it's not a case of what the RF did to these people, but what they didn't do for them.

Sorry I can’t agree with you NellG , how old was the Queen when she was told ? The Queen Mother was one of ten children , how many cousins from that side ? was The Queen
Mother a Guardian of her nieces ?

Princess Alice had founded a nurses order of Nuns, when she left Greece following Constantine thrown off the throne she moved into Buck House

Have you not seen film of the Queen’s wedding? Princess Alice
attended dressed in her Nun’s habit.

That's fine Anniebach we don't have to agree.

Anniebach I can’t remember where I read the comment about the Duchess of Kent, but it certainly struck me at the time.
Where I live, being called ‘mad’ in a lighthearted way is usually a friendly and even complimentary remark!?

Funny isn't it one woman has the sense to get away from the RF and take care of herself and her family but is slated, apparently she should have stayed and suffered. Another woman works after two tragedies and has a breakdown so is now regarded as being suitable for sympathy. Anyone sense some real mysogyny going on here? Strong women are not real women!!! By all means sympathise with Katherine Kent but someone shouldn't have to have a breakdown to be able to distance themselves from the RF.

Your misogyny towards Katherine Kent is showing. You belittle her as lacking the sense and strength to leave royal duties until after a breakdown. You use her tragedies to support your hatred of the RF. I wonder, do you not admire her that she used just her name ( and was known to her pupils as Mrs Kent) and not any royal association once she stepped away?

trisher I don't think it's misogyny, I think it's fear (re my earlier post today). Thing is, KofK went quietly without being inserted into everyday consciousness - we didn't even have to think about her. I imagine most might even have forgotten she existed. On the other hand M doesn't do much quietly - the concept of personal privacy is alien to her, she creates discomfort by ensuring that we hear about her all the time. Some people love her/ it/ the whole experience of her - others detest it/her/the whole experience of her. Only one side has a choice. She's become a bit like Christmas - there is no escape from her. Maybe she's not strong, just too loud and self serving for comfort. Nobody is obliged to like her. But maybe by discussing, venting and exploring their reactions to her they just might learn to calm down and accommodate her presence in their lives a bit more tolerantly. A bit like living next to a railway and getting used to the trains.

apparently she should have stayed and suffered.
But exactly what suffering was Meghan having to endure? That nobody asked if she were ok?