Oh dear Harry and Meghan

I'm sorry but reading the bit about Harry agreeing to help move a colony of penguins from the South to the North pole had me thinking of his character in The Windsors

Also believing there's an island called Chunga-Chunga where he could become the head of a restored monarchy!

So much for an Eton education.

I don't care whether its a genuine hoax call, whether it is Prince Harry or an actor. I suspect Harry would be delighted to speak with greta and her father, why wouldn't he? Greta and her family have also been subjected to dreadful comments. You'd think these people were causing horrors to be subjected on others, rather than people who appear to want a better world for others.

merlot I haven’t heard the recording, did they really discuss
moving penguins from the south to the north ?

If this is genuine, you'd think by now that the RF would have learnt to keep their mouths shut when approached for any interviews. Sarah Ferguson was duped in the fake sheikh fiasco. Sophie Wessex was similarly duped in a fake interview. Prince Andrew's interview was a car crash. Will they never learn?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8099331/Greta-Thunberg-wants-marry-Prince-George-Russian-pranksters-tell-Prince-Harry.html

Scroll down for the transcript, Annie

It’s on the BBC news site MawB and the palace ( and Harry) haven’t denied it took place, so......
The Russian ‘pranksters’ once did much the same thing on the phone with Elton John apparently.

They're scallywags aren't they, the Russian pranksters. We all need a bit of light relief

It’s one of those things Iam that’s funny when it concerns somebody else ( not one’s own self)

Meghan must have been aware of the calls as they were just before and after Christmas. Did she fall for it as well or give him a good shake?

I wonder when they were made aware it was a hoax and would be published. Maybe that's why H looked so stressed during Monday's commonwealth service.

If it's not genuine their lawyers will be busy......again.

Someone is in trouble, how did they get his telephone number
and how come security didn’t check the call line , if they did they dropped a clanger.

Didn’t Fergie and Sophie meet the people ?

lemongrove - I'm relieved it isn't my own self, or any of my loved ones. It's a given that I struggle to understand the level of vitriol and horror directed to HandM on Gransnet. Harry isn't the first to be duped and I don't expect he'll be the last. What I would enjoy is if these two could get through to The Donald.

As Dickie Arbiter said, 'This would never have happened if they'd stayed within the protection of the system.'

I suppose when you grow up never having to think for yourself, surrounded by sycophants, you are easily taken in.

Fergie and Sophie succumbed to flattery.

What I would enjoy is if these two could get through to The Donald.

No chance, Iam. I doubt he's ever taken them seriously and he definitely won't now.

Don't think it was a bit of light relief when it happened to the nurse who later committed suicide Iam64

Iam you say vitriol, I say criticism,

I was involved with some charities when Diana dumped them
and was a fundraiser for a womans refuge. Camilla does much
for these refuges, has done for some years, makes private
visits without a camera, she doesn’t jaw on about empowerment or write on bananas, she knows the women are
in such a bad place in their lives, empowerment means nothing, they have lost all confidence , many love their abuser.

Yes I critcise Harry and Megan, it’s not vitriol, in my opinion
it’s earned critcism.

Merlot’s post of 20.45 echoes best what I meant in my original post about “innocents abroad “ without the protection of a Royal Press office such as the RF usually enjoy

As Dickie Arbiter said, 'This would never have happened if they'd stayed within the protection of the system.'
I genuinely worry about Harry’s ability to function outside the system, outside “the Firm” he has grown up with.

You're all assuming it was Harry and not a double hoax with you as the victim.

Of course it is Chestnut. It's obviously a fake. But the makers got what they wanted, mass media attention.

?
Some sources very close to the RF seem to think otherwise,
questions were raised yesterday about reputational damage. Chief ­Superintendent Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection, said the ­episode “exposed huge flaws in the couple’s security” which he warned “will only get worse” if they lost their armed bodyguards.
Ken Wharfe, a former bodyguard to Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princes William and Harry when they were younger, said: “If they were still living at Kensington Palace or any other royal residence, any calls would go through a switchboard and then to a private secretary to be vetted. Clearly that didn’t happen. There seems to have been a breakdown in the system and that’s very worrying.
Simon Morgan, a former royalty protection officer, and director of operations at Trojan Consulting, a private firm which provides security to high net-worth individuals and foreign royals, said modern public figures “do not only need physical protection but protection from reputational embarrassment, blackmail and from pranks “

Those two Russians are either fantastically convincing or famous people are easily taken in....could be a bit of both.
There is the fact, when the call is first accepted, that famous people are used to getting calls from other famous people therefore aren’t as cynical as we would be, if say the Pope rang us for a chat.After that though, as the call progressed you would think the content of what they were asking rang alarm bells.

Yesterday I thought it likely that it was a hoax but it hasn't been called out as such by the BBC or the Royal Family has it?Their strategy of not commenting would seem to indicate that it is authentic. At the very least, it will bring into sharp focus the very real problems the couple are facing in terms of security. And ironic too that one of the reasons given for their move was to protect their son. I feel very sorry for Harry over this incident

sodapop - of course, it goes without saying that it wasn't light relief for the nurse who killed herself.
My point was that whilst I expect Harry feels a bit of a bobbin, hopefully he won't be devastated and will in future, think on a bit.

Some people have been wondering how on earth the pranksters got hold of the landline number.

Isn't the mansion where Harry and Meghan are staying owned by a Russian billionaire?

I'd wondered that merlot, how the pranksters got hold of the landline number. I expect with the right technical skills, anything is possible. My five year old grandson is highly skilled with technology - scary!

According to the News on my phone, Harry responded from his own personal email address and phone number in a shocking security lapse, and he also called the pranksters on his mobile without withholding his number.

The pranksters say that none of his advisers bothered to check they were genuine, and royal insiders are pointing fingers at the Sussex's new Hollywood PR advisers who don't follow royal processes.

Harry then shared his thoughts and feelings with them!!

Oh dear, Harry..... sigh.