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Meghan Markle Faced 'Disgusting and Very Real' Threats in the U.K., Former Counterterrorism Head Says

(470 Posts)
GagaJo Tue 29-Nov-22 20:02:25

So possibly NOT figments of fevered imaginations.

In a new interview with Channel 4 News, the former head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police said that there were genuine threats to the Duchess of Sussex's life while she lived in the U.K.

Neil Basu opened up about the alarming allegations amid his resignation as Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations for the Met Police in an interview released Tuesday. Basu, 54, is leaving the force after 30 years, during which he earned the Queen's Police Medal for distinguished service and served as the senior-most officer for the counterterrorism unit of the Met Police starting in March 2018 — two months before Meghan and Prince Harry's royal wedding.

"You were in charge of royal protection. How would you characterize the threats that Meghan and Harry received?" journalist Cathy Newman asked in a quick clip shared on Twitter.

"Well, disgusting and very real," Basu replied, calling extreme right-wing terrorism the "fast-growing threat" to the country.

uk.news.yahoo.com/meghan-markle-faced-disgusting-very-194441457.html

volver Fri 02-Dec-22 22:53:10

Why me? 😉

imaround Fri 02-Dec-22 23:15:40

Sorry volver, I thought I was responding to you when it was actually VS! This is why I shouldn't read while on my phone.

imaround Fri 02-Dec-22 23:18:56

I wonder if this woman on the right was also had questions about where she was from? I mean, she is wearing leopard print as well. That must mean she is from Africa!

volver Fri 02-Dec-22 23:19:37

I know exactly what you mean! 👍

Glorianny Sat 03-Dec-22 10:44:02

Apparently Lady Susan Hussey was one of the people appointed to help Meghan fit in to the RF. Can anyone now really say there was no racism and M&H imagined it all? It seems many of the allegations they made when they left are beginning to emerge as truths.

VioletSky Sat 03-Dec-22 10:54:09

I am tempted to buy the book tbh

I've never been that interested in the royal family but I'm also very nosy

Smileless2012 Sat 03-Dec-22 10:55:13

Which many accusations are those Glorianny? Archie not being given a title because of the colour of his skin? A member of the RF making a racist comment before he was born? M not receiving and help with mental heath issues? M having her passport taken from her?

hollysteers Sat 03-Dec-22 11:35:44

volver

"Sistahs in Space."

I know I shouldn't, I know I'll bring the indignant eye of Sauron to look in my direction, but it's too good to miss.

Sometimes I do wonder about Gransnet, really I do. Gives me a good laugh though.

“volver” whilst busy criticising others spelling, do you not know it’s Uncle Tom Cobley and not Cobleigh? Let yourself down there.😁

volver Sat 03-Dec-22 11:38:51

No, I will remember in future.

It's not the spelling, it's the picture it conjures up...

volver Sat 03-Dec-22 11:39:43

Oh.

Glorianny Sat 03-Dec-22 11:49:23

Smileless2012

Which many accusations are those Glorianny? Archie not being given a title because of the colour of his skin? A member of the RF making a racist comment before he was born? M not receiving and help with mental heath issues? M having her passport taken from her?

I suppose it depends on what you think is wrong with Lady S If she's just an old lady with out of date ideas, well perhaps she thinks it's OK to tell someone with mental health problems to pul themselves together.
If it's that she may be forgetting/have alzheimers she probably put the passport in a safe place and couldn't find it.
And of course it could be both.
What is absolutely obvious is that she shouldn't have been given the job in the first place and no wonder M&H wanted to be out.

Smileless2012 Sat 03-Dec-22 11:52:42

My questions to you are about the many accusations you think are beginning to emerge as truths Gorianny, so why have you responded with a post all about Lady S?

You have not commented at all, on the specific examples I gave.

hollysteers Sat 03-Dec-22 11:56:26

Well done volver, sorry Shakespere, for finding the only different spelling😁

In the heady days of their new romance, I believe Harry and Meghan’s dream was to live in Africa with only lions to worry about. What happened? In deepest (can’t say darkest) Africa, we might hear less of them.
I hear South Africa is a very safe place…

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:03:57

^I hear South Africa is a very safe place^…

I presume that's irony!

Glorianny Sat 03-Dec-22 12:17:24

Smileless2012

My questions to you are about the many accusations you think are beginning to emerge as truths Gorianny, so why have you responded with a post all about Lady S?

You have not commented at all, on the specific examples I gave.

Of course I have- mental health issues- pull yourself together
racist comments- what's racism?
Passport- it's in a safe place
Lady S was an advisor appointed to help Meghan adjust to life in the RF and the UK. Something she failed completely to do. So perhaps she is relevant to the Sussexes leaving.
Her racism is just emerging, goodness knows how old fashioned her other ideas are. Not a person to help a young black woman settle in

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:20:47

Lady S was an advisor appointed to help Meghan adjust to life in the RF and the UK. Something she failed completely to do. So perhaps she is relevant to the Sussexes leaving.
Well, that's interesting information.

However, I'm very sure indeed that she had a very minor part to play in all that. Perhaps teaching Meghan how to curtsey? How to pass a bouquet of flowers over to her aide?

Dickens Sat 03-Dec-22 12:29:12

Glorianny

Apparently Lady Susan Hussey was one of the people appointed to help Meghan fit in to the RF. Can anyone now really say there was no racism and M&H imagined it all? It seems many of the allegations they made when they left are beginning to emerge as truths.

I guess we'll never really know the unvarnished facts about the allegations.

In these kinds of circumstances, there's usually a nugget of truth with such claims, but so much depends on an individual's perceptions, past experiences, feelings (in MM's case), and the same, I guess, with the 'accused'.

Bending oneself out of shape either way - to accuse someone of racism where it might not be the case, or insist that it doesn't / didn't exist in the RF and its household, is just not helpful. Prince Philip himself was not averse to making comments that would now be unacceptable. I think the late Queen was more 'with it', more up-to-date and in-tune with modern society... but who knows - that's just my perception. But MM did say that Elizabeth was always very kind to her.
There's no denying though that racism exists in the rest of society - and some of it quite extreme. It doesn't surprise me one bit that MM was the target of death threats - along with racism, there's also misogyny. And I'm quite willing to believe that the RF 'household' has among them those that disapproved of MM, either because of her heritage, the fact she's an American, an actress, or a woman with an opinion - or maybe all of those.

volver Sat 03-Dec-22 12:31:12

Well done volver, sorry Shakespere, for finding the only different spelling😁

I probably need to get out more....

Smileless2012 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:31:21

I agree that Meghan failed to adjust to her life in the RF and the UK but don't agree that her failure was purely due to Lady S, members of the RF or palace aides and officials.

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:33:02

Smileless2012

I agree that Meghan failed to adjust to her life in the RF and the UK but don't agree that her failure was purely due to Lady S, members of the RF or palace aides and officials.

Lady Susan wasn't the main person who was appointed help Meghan adjust to life in the Royal Family and yes, Meghan did get a thorough introduction as the Palace learnt from past experiences.

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:35:08

Why are we talking about Widecombe-in-the-Moor?

There's a nice pub there btw.

volver Sat 03-Dec-22 12:37:11

Callistemon21

Why are we talking about Widecombe-in-the-Moor?

There's a nice pub there btw.

It's a diversion Callistemon. Just ignore me.

hollysteers - please don't ignore me 🤣

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Dec-22 12:40:58

Some like an alternative spelling.

Josh Widdicombe

Oreo Sat 03-Dec-22 16:57:12

As an aside, if you google Uncle Tom Cobley, which I just did out of interest, almost all the spellings for it are Cobley.
Possibly Cobleigh an alternative spelling either later or earlier.
I should get out more too😂
Shall we have a sing song?

Joseanne Sat 03-Dec-22 18:04:46

Might it be that we have hundreds of places and surnames with the spelling ...leigh on the end in Devon and Cornwall? I think it means a sort of clearing. Hence the Widecomb connection?