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Leaving Archie behind

(62 Posts)
Lizbethann55 Sat 07-Mar-20 17:19:25

Am I the only one who thinks it was a bit unkind of Harry and Meghan not to bring Archie to the UK with them on this trip? It's not as if Meghan would have to sit with Archie on her knee for nine hours in cattle class and then have to drag him around with her. I very much doubt that they will come to the UK very often and Prince Philip is obviously ailing. We read many posts on here from grandparents who never see their grandchildren and are so upset by it. The royal family may have different lives from the rest of us, but they are still human beings who love their grandchildren/ great grandchildren. I think it was a mean, even vindictive, decision.

Summerlove Sun 08-Mar-20 14:32:52

Ellan, have you have travelled with a small child?

They absolutely get jet lag. Even with sensible parents.

Depending on where they flew from, it’s either a 6-9 hour time difference!

Summerlove Sun 08-Mar-20 14:31:33

If they’d brought him, they’d have been called out for not caring about his health.

There is no winning for this couple.

If people are so eager for them to get on with private lives, why not make it easier and stop gossiping about discussing them?

EllanVannin Sun 08-Mar-20 14:30:38

Vegansrock---they wouldn't have noticed any time difference travelling first class with its sleeping arrangements, babies usually sleep if the parents are sensible enough about time differences.

trisher Sun 08-Mar-20 14:28:56

Would he have seen any of his extended family? Don't they all have timetables and schedules that are booked months or even years in advance? Why do GNers persist in pretending the RF operates just like they do? It's not just pathetic it's delusional. And what mother would bring her child to a country where his great grandmother could, if she wanted, legally claim him?

allium Sun 08-Mar-20 14:25:16

Maybe they have a tighter security/travel budget since intention to leave royal role?

Calendargirl Sun 08-Mar-20 14:16:11

Haven’t read all the thread, but maybe it was decided to leave Archie at home because of the corona virus, and also because his parents won’t be away for very long. I suspect he spends quite a bit of time with nanny or whoever anyway.
As for the Queen and D of E, well, although much is made of ‘family’, I imagine at their age they are not too bothered about seeing him in the flesh. GGC are yet another step away, and I wouldn’t think they are upset really. Although like the rest of GN, I have no idea what they think of course!

timetogo2016 Sun 08-Mar-20 14:07:14

Archies great grandparents won`t be here for much longer and would have loved to see him as I`m sure his cousins would.
Seems a bit out of character for Harry tbh.
I hope he doesn`t live to regret it.

vegansrock Sun 08-Mar-20 13:58:54

ellanvannin Canada may not be as far as Australia , but it certainly counts as long haul in aviation terms. Why disrupt the child, who is at peak age for anxiety about changes in routine for a short visit?With the tim difference it would mean settling them to a new sleep/ wake routine. By the time they’d done that it would be time to return.

EllanVannin Sun 08-Mar-20 09:09:13

It's not " long-haul " Vegansrock. The furthest part of Canada is only a third of the distance to Sydney, 9hrs or thereabout.

There's no reason why that child couldn't have travelled with them with nanny in tow. I thought it was so mean considering the ages of the Queen and Duke. It puts an entirely different light on their attitudes now-----selfish and thoughtless ! Typical of many ordinary families.

sodapop Sun 08-Mar-20 08:33:55

I think you are right eazybee It's sad for the Queen and Prince Philip to be treated this way but seems to happen in many families.

eazybee Sun 08-Mar-20 07:29:25

I don't pretend to know about the feelings of the Queen and other members of the royal family towards seeing the baby.
Nothing to stop this couple extending their paid -for visit into a private one so that the child would have time to settle. He was taken to to Ibiza, Africa, Elton John's hideaway and Canada.

I do recognise a classic technique of estrangement, when the dominant parent controls access to the child, and the weaker parent stands by and lets it happen.

DillytheGardener Sun 08-Mar-20 05:35:16

Considering they have flown with him before it could be they are concerned about him catching coronavirus or perhaps he’s been ill recently and they don’t want him to travel after an ear infection or the like, we aren’t privy to why they decided to leave him behind so it maybe a practical sensible reason.

Nezumi65 Sun 08-Mar-20 04:01:48

The queen left her old children for long periods of time. I’m sure she’s not that fussed about a great grandchild. Perhaps they Skype ?

My children rarely saw their great grandmother because it was difficult to visit. We stayed in touch in other ways.

vegansrock Sun 08-Mar-20 03:37:51

Few 10 month old babies enjoy travelling long distances and anyone who has taken a baby to a different time zone knows it can take days to adjust sleep patterns. So for a few days it would be very disruptive for such a young child. He would not appreciate “seeing” anyone . The child’s needs should come above that of elderly relatives who may or may not be interested.

janipat Sun 08-Mar-20 00:02:04

Dollymac says more about you than anyone else.

Dollymac Sat 07-Mar-20 23:42:42

Les tricoteuses

janipat Sat 07-Mar-20 23:41:01

I wasn't going to comment on this thread but since when does sympathy have to be rationed? It's possible to have sympathy, and indeed empathy, with many different situations, some obviously more desperate than others. My dad, a widower at the time, would have loved to meet his great granddaughter born in Canada (his 3rd great grandchild) but his health wasn't up to the travel and there wasn't the money for the Canadian family to come here. And anyway he died just over two months later. He'd not have managed to get down on the floor either, would that make him unworthy, despite being only 81?
It's illuminating how many feel able to make negative assumptions about the Royal Family, yet deny others the same ability to make more positive assumptions. Of course the plight of refugees is awful, but sympathy for one does not exclude sympathy for the other. Just because you personally couldn't care less about seeing a grandchild or great grandchild doesn't mean everybody shares the same indifference. No child ever suffered from too many people loving it.

Fennel Sat 07-Mar-20 23:27:56

I'm not really interested in the dynamics of the RF .But if I had a baby of that age (or any age) I would want him with me all the time.
Why have they left him behind?
Maybe fear of coronavirus wink.

Anniebach Sat 07-Mar-20 21:56:58

I am not, my two daughters loved their dead fathers sister and
parents telling them about their daddy.

I had a very large extended family , no fantasy, much love

Greymar Sat 07-Mar-20 21:47:07

Do you think it's at all possible that some people are playing out their fantasies throught this family, who infact are complete strangers? just a thought.

Anniebach Sat 07-Mar-20 21:36:19

He isn’t seeing two grandfathers, a great grandmother, a great
grandfather, an uncle and aunt, 3 cousins, 3 great uncles, 5 great aunts. An extended family is wonderful

Greymar Sat 07-Mar-20 21:11:12

Let's have a wee think now, he is healthy and well and has loving parents. I assume he has a nanny and a Grandparent close by. I assume all is well an he isn't traumatised from not seeing cousin Charlotte or Great Grandad.

Oopsadaisy3 Sat 07-Mar-20 21:05:26

greymar Archie will be ok

This an assumption I presume, not a fact.

Greymar Sat 07-Mar-20 20:54:02

Archie will be OK.

Barmeyoldbat Sat 07-Mar-20 20:40:35

Get a grip Greymar, poor little boy was a turn of phrase. And yes I have seen the pictures of refugees and I well aware of the problems they are facing. I teach english once a week to refugees and I contribute to a charity.