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Do the Tales Get Taller?

(107 Posts)
Nancat Thu 05-Jan-23 22:36:06

I'm not a Royalist by any means, but I'm getting more and more fed up by the increasingly outrageous claims made by Harry and Megan, and the amount of coverage they are getting (Free Publicity) by the media. I expect in private the Royal Family are little different to any other family in their interpersonal relationships, it's just that ours are not dissected at every opportunity. To me the "revelations" seem to become more fanciful by the day, and no proof or witness for most of them. I just find it all hard to believe. It seems to me calculated aggression from a spoilt child who has not been able to get his own way, and is lashing out at his family, who he knows will not retaliate. (As a bonus, it makes him money!) Each time Harry "goes public", from Oprah to Spare, the claims become more extreme. Surely now it's time for the King to cut all Harry's Royal ties and titles, if only for the sake of the United Kingdom.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 06-Jan-23 09:19:53

It was reported some time ago that Harry would be writing a book which wouldn’t be published until after the Queen’s death. ‘Spare’ isn’t it because it was in the process of publication when the Queen died. I can’t believe there are yet more awful tales to be told, presumably involving the Queen and/or Prince Philip.

eazybee Fri 06-Jan-23 09:23:44

All I would hope is that Harry is removed from the line of succession, but I am not sure if that is possible.

TillyTrotter Fri 06-Jan-23 09:27:51

Harry wants respect for him and Meghan but in my mind he is disrespecting himself and his wife in the worst way with his (now) constant spouting of the details of their lives so far.
Could we be “spared” the details please?

OnwardandUpward Fri 06-Jan-23 09:40:39

Respect is earned.

It doesn't come from oversharing things that should be kept with the family. If only Harry had the insight and wisdom to consult with people who would give him good advice, instead of ghosts and those who do not have his best interests at heart, this mentally ill man's family might have a better outcome.

I love the quote that I saw this morning " If Shakespeare has taught me anything, it's that royals talking to ghosts never ends well"

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 06-Jan-23 10:02:44

I’m sure it’s possible eazybee, there’s a way to achieve many things through the law if there’s a will to do so, but I doubt that Charles, as a loving father, would contemplate such a step, nor remove their titles. William though, when he becomes king, is a different kettle of fish. Thankfully H is way down the line of succession now.

Imagine Princess Anne’s feelings on slipping down the line as her younger brothers were born - but she doesn’t whinge as H does and is the hardest working royal of the lot. I doubt she has much time for H and M and their antics.

OnwardandUpward Fri 06-Jan-23 10:08:33

Yes very true about Princess Anne, who is dignified and respected as well as loyal and hardworking. I imagine not!

Labbielsen Fri 06-Jan-23 10:25:18

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

OnwardandUpward Fri 06-Jan-23 10:53:18

True!

Also, no matter what mistakes anyones family have made, no one's Mother can pop them back in her tummy for another go, so it doesn't really achieve anything to focus on the problems. It would be better to actually commit to trying to grow as a person who looks to the future instead of the past.

An analaogy: Who as a farmer mourns the crop of the years before and doesn't sow new seeds to make a better future or learn how to make changes for the better? There is a time for mourning, but if that was all the farmer ever did, if he constantly raked up the failures of the previous years and grew so consumed with those that he failed to break up new ground and plant new seeds, he would grow nothing, achieve nothing and be not a farmer.

When my kids were little I read them a book called The Crow and Mrs Gaddy. I hope that everyone reads it and learns the lesson!

Smileless2012 Fri 06-Jan-23 11:25:20

I agree Labbielsen and the truth always comes out in the end.

Dee1012 Fri 06-Jan-23 11:36:22

In all honesty, I have no interest at all in the Royal family but I do find it interesting how many people view certain members in a good/bad light. All of this for me, does bring to mind the saying 'There are three sides to every story, your side, their side and the truth'!

OnwardandUpward Fri 06-Jan-23 11:42:06

Since we lost our beloved Queen I have little interest in the RF and even less interest in those who have left it, I do however have a great interest in using the headlines to make my points about Estrangement.

HousePlantQueen Fri 06-Jan-23 15:02:30

Blondiescot

vegansrock

There should be a separate Royal Family section as I’ve lost count of the number of threads about them. I keep hiding them , then they seem to multiply.

That would be a great idea - maybe GN should take note!

Yes please! Or at least a separate 'Here is my opinion on Harry and Megan' thread, so those of us who are not the least bit interested may avoid it. I keep accidentally opening threads about H&M because the title does not give a warning give a clue about the subject. Anymore of this and I will be forced to get the vacuum out and do something useful with my day

Callistemon21 Fri 06-Jan-23 15:15:08

^ Anymore of this and I will be forced to get the vacuum out and do something useful with my day^
I did smile but I've finished now (although the stairs need doing and the decorations need to be put in the attic).

Farzanah Fri 06-Jan-23 15:28:31

Iam64

GagaJo

OnwardandUpward

And yes I imagine the tales can get taller. The only limit is their imagination (and life span)

You've only got to read the tales about family problems on gransnet to realise that the things Harry is saying aren't actually tall tales. They're just tales of families with problems. Plenty just as bad on here from GN members. Why should the royals be any different? If anything, you'd expect them to be worse, given the crazy lifestyles they life.

Exactly so.
The estrangement and other threads provide details of family rifts, many longstanding. Generally, responses reflect a level of understanding of the complexity of family relationships.
The RF has generations of dysfunctional relationships. Good parental role models are thin on the ground. Add the peculiar expectations like 4 year old Prince Charles shaking hands with mummy when she returned after a long absence, children growing up in the public eye, the Shakespearean competitions to be most popular, leaking of private info to chosen press outlets etc etc - no wonder emotional and psychological stability isn’t their bed rock

I completely agree.
Two of the most insightful posts IMO, amongst the record breaking attention this sorry tale has provoked on GN.

nadateturbe Fri 06-Jan-23 15:33:08

^And I hate the way that this sort of thing keeps the real news out of the way.
Sunak must be delighted^.

I'm sure. Headline news, like we've nothing more important to talk about.
I do not believe they're telling lies.

Callistemon21 Fri 06-Jan-23 15:37:28

nadateturbe

^And I hate the way that this sort of thing keeps the real news out of the way.
Sunak must be delighted^.

I'm sure. Headline news, like we've nothing more important to talk about.
I do not believe they're telling lies.

I'm sure his tales of how he lost his virginity, his tales of Army life and other stories are true but much of what we perceive as true for one sibling may not be the whole truth as perceived by another.

Why tell at all?

Smileless2012 Fri 06-Jan-23 15:48:20

Let's hope he's purged himself once and for all.

Norah Fri 06-Jan-23 15:50:42

Iam64 The estrangement and other threads provide details of family rifts, many longstanding. Generally, responses reflect a level of understanding of the complexity of family relationships. The RF has generations of dysfunctional relationships. Good parental role models are thin on the ground. Add the peculiar expectations like 4 year old Prince Charles shaking hands with mummy when she returned after a long absence, children growing up in the public eye, the Shakespearean competitions to be most popular, leaking of private info to chosen press outlets etc etc - no wonder emotional and psychological stability isn’t their bed rock

Precisely. Best said thus far.

Grandma70s Fri 06-Jan-23 15:52:18

I remember Princess Anne once saying that she spent much of her childhood/youth feeling anger and resentment at coming second.

LadyHonoriaDedlock Fri 06-Jan-23 15:57:00

I'd really like to stay well clear of this. It's all about people who have little if any impact on my life and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Besides, all we've seen of the book so far is the salacious pieces that have been picked up by the media and spun in order to sell papers. It is, of course, a weapon of mass distraction: if you get the people in a lather about people with little impact on their lives, especially those whose role is determined to be that of scapegoat, maybe they won't get into a lather about the government's mishandling of the economy.
Might it be wise to wait for the book to see these salacious snippets in context?

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's what I think about what's been revealed so far. A presumption has arisen, no doubt carefully managed by the palace PR department, that whatever Harry or Meghan say that casts other members of the royal family in a dubious light must be a lie, since members of the royal family (Harry excepted) are demi-gods, infinitely wise and incapable of ever doing or saying the wrong thing. Is Harry lying when he tells of William hitting him and knocking him down in what sounds like an act of blind rage which he regretted shortly afterwards. I find it disturbing that the future king might have a violent temper, contrary to the image being carefully constructed by the PR department, preparing the people to accept him as a devoted family man.

The other thing that made me laugh, and did actually make me a little sceptical of the man, was the bit about the spiritualist who purported to be passing on messages from his mother. Supposedly, Diana's spirit said was pleased that Harry was living the life she would have wanted for herself. Which was actually pretty much on the button, I thought. Diana really, really wanted to live among the über-rich of Southern California, shopping on Rodeo Drive and being invited to all the best parties. She was never going to get that married to the heir to the throne of course; her job was to defer to her partner and stay two steps behind like her father-in-law, not be forever trying to steal the show.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 06-Jan-23 15:58:08

She grew up though, didn’t she? Accepted her role and got on with it - as well as excelling at equestrian sports and bringing up level-headed children for whom she refused to accept titles. What a difference.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 06-Jan-23 15:59:24

That was in reply to Grandma70s.

nadateturbe Fri 06-Jan-23 16:05:00

Callistemon21

nadateturbe

^And I hate the way that this sort of thing keeps the real news out of the way.
Sunak must be delighted^.

I'm sure. Headline news, like we've nothing more important to talk about.
I do not believe they're telling lies.

I'm sure his tales of how he lost his virginity, his tales of Army life and other stories are true but much of what we perceive as true for one sibling may not be the whole truth as perceived by another.

Why tell at all?

Of course there are different perceptions of truth. We're getting it as H sees it. If the RF aren't willing to speak that's their problem.
I prefer to have compassion for someone who is obviously deeply troubled.

Shropshirelass Fri 06-Jan-23 16:05:30

Harry has lost the plot, he is behaving appallingly. Idiot on every scale. Best to ignore attention seekers like him. I must admit, I thought he was better than this, how wrong I was.

JaneJudge Fri 06-Jan-23 16:09:53

IF Harry e is on the verge of having a mental health crisis - is the reporting of all this ethical?

It is the same with Britney Spears atm, it isn't ethical reporting.

and the sad thing is, I am just as guilty of listening to it all and forming an opinion for those 10 minutes sad