When is a royal tour, not a royal tour?

That was the story Allira, if the Royal Family had been kinder to Diana, I'd have believed it a little more. It was a turning point in the way they had to behave, the Queen even toned down her posh accent after that.

As for your last comment, you sound quite stiff upper lip yourself, those days have moved on thank goodness.

Thanks for understanding my reason for sympathy towards Harry, says it all, what a lot of bitterness there is being held in the population towards anyone who doesn't kow tow.

William and Harry were not paraded behind their mother's coffin. They were asked if they wanted to walk behind and both said they would.

And would they have had a free choice, no emotional blackmail, come on.....

Anniebach

The press attacked the late Queen when Diana died, headlines
‘Your country needs you’, what for ? Who here needed the Queen because her ex daughter in law had died ? The two children were brought from the freedom of Balmoral to face the world press

It was a moment of national tragedy, many of you hated Diana because, I suspect, people liked her and she was emotional and not afraid to enter the modern world, and even shock horror embrace HIV patients.
Again I cannot imagine how you people can be so harsh. What would Jesus say eh? I'm sure you're Christians!

Anniebach

Some believe everything they read in the newspapers

Thank you Luckygirl another human being with feelings. I'm sure the others are up for bringing back capital punishment!!

Granatlast you needed the Queen in London, why, for what ?

Rosie51

missdeke

I find all the Harry and Meghan bashing quite sad. He made his choice now why don't we just leave them alone and let them get on with it.

Do you think Harry really wants to be 'left alone to get on with it'? If you deliberately put yourself in the public eye then surely the public are entitled to comment and judge your actions and words. Criticism is not 'bashing'. Did you object to the very public and worldwide 'bashing' that Harry gave to his family in interviews and his book? He certainly wasn't going to leave them alone.

Harry was born into the public eye, so will always be open to comment whatever he does. What I don't like is that peole make so may judgements on him and Meghan without knowing the other side of the story. It's too much like trolling when people decide whatever they do they deserve criticism without any praise ever given. I'm sure he probably regrets some of the things he's said and done, but don't we all?

I'm sure the others are up for bringing back capital punishment

Definitely.

What is the other side of the story missdeke? What's been missed?

Who knows what the other side of the story is . It’s not something we are privy to, but it doesn’t stop people making it all up. The royals spent doesn’t do tours “ for free”, they are handsomely rewarded for shaking hands, waving and eating banquets.

Granatlast007

Anniebach

The press attacked the late Queen when Diana died, headlines
‘Your country needs you’, what for ? Who here needed the Queen because her ex daughter in law had died ? The two children were brought from the freedom of Balmoral to face the world press

It was a moment of national tragedy, many of you hated Diana because, I suspect, people liked her and she was emotional and not afraid to enter the modern world, and even shock horror embrace HIV patients.
Again I cannot imagine how you people can be so harsh. What would Jesus say eh? I'm sure you're Christians!

Are we? 🤭
Anniebach you’re right, nobody needed the Queen to be in London, she was better in Scotland with the boys.
Giving in to so called public demands ( more like media demands) was a mistake.
As was forcing the boys to walk behind the coffin with the eyes of the world on them.They could easily have been driven to the funeral had they wanted to attend.

Cardamom

^I'm sure the others are up for bringing back capital punishment^

Definitely.

🤔😄
Yes, bring back flogging…there’s quite a few backs aching for the lash IMO 🤣

missdeke He doesn't give any indication of regretting any words or actions though does he? Do you think he was wrong to bash his family in TV interviews and in his book, or do you find that acceptable? Of course it's sad that he's estranged from his birth family, but he was the one who left and then decided to trash them for monetary gain. He was a favourite with lots of the public, there are many videos showing his lovely natural interaction with children. We can only judge on what we see and hear. Many of us praised him for his involvement in Invictus and his warmth towards the athletes. That always gets forgotten and only the criticisms are remembered.

vegansrock perhaps you'd care to list the cash paid speeches the royals have given when on a tour. Harry is being handsomely rewarded for giving a speech and Meghan is having an expensively paid for ticketed event on her final morning. Not all the tickets had sold last time I saw a report. From what I've read Harry and Meghan are being wined and dined too.

I didn't need the Queen back in London Annie but there was without a doubt a large number of people who did, and that's why I said that she failed to see what 'her people' needed.

I don't know why some continue to perpetuate the myth that William and Harry were forced to walk behind their mother's coffin!!! Harry has said it was a "collective family decision" and as William has never said they were forced I'm afraid I can't believe Harry if he says otherwise.

One thing that I struggle to get my head around is this: Harry has said that he was driven to thoughts of self harm and depression, brought about by the intrusion of the press into his private life. He said that his family, friends and even ex girlfriends were unwillingly thrust into the limelight, simply because of their connections to him. He's spent many weeks,months and years, not to mention £££s, fighting for the right to privacy. BUT THEN

1. He writes a book revealing sufficient details of where, when, and who he lost his virginity to that, so that, within hours, she was easily identified. She was appalled and embarrassed that he did that; she'd led a hitherto quiet, anonymous life that he'd now ruined.

2 He revealed sufficient details of his House Mother at boarding school; again revealing so many disparaging, cruel and unpleasant details about her that, she too was identified.

3. Worst of all, he revealed so much information and detail about his time in the armed forces; how serving personnel in active military combat spoke and referred to the enemy, that his ex comrades felt that he'd put a target on their backs. They felt that he'd betrayed the code of conduct that bonds military personnel on active duty.

He demands for himself the one thing that he's unable give to others: respect for privacy. Hypocrite.

His hypocrisy is astounding isn't it Cardamom.

Smileless why would people want the Queen in London? was she not shocked over the death? She was in her 70’s , I am shocked that anyone thinks unkindly of her during that time

Agree Cardamom and did the world need to know William had been circumcised when a baby ?

Cardamom he also revealed that William had been circumcised, a very private matter that can only have been revealed from either spite or for titillation. That wasn't anything to do with him and wasn't his to reveal. I'm sure he would object to anyone revealing such an intimate medical detail about either Archie or Lilibet.

Cross posts Anniebach, I'm such a slow typist!

I don't know why Annie but many clearly did and why wouldn't she have been shocked at her death? I can't think of anyone who wasn't.

Apologies Annie I mis read your post, yes she would have been shocked just as everyone was.

Smileless you compare the Queens shock and grief with anyone! A grandmother, mother, mother in law?

DaisyAnneReturns

The first time the word "performative" was used it was part of my post:"

"By listing these activities in a slightly dismissive way, the question reframes them as trivial or performative but in reality, they’re central to what these tours are meant to achieve: visibility for causes, soft diplomacy, and public engagement."

It that wasn't what the OP intended it shouldn't be impossible for them to explain what the did intend.

Tours @DAR are by definition something official, unless of course you refer to package tours.
Harry and Meghan may have a ducal title, but that does not render their trip to Australia an an “official” tour any more than a holiday to Majorca by eg the Duke of Plaza Toro or, indeed by George and Amal Clooney.
They opted out of the working royal team, that does not entitle them to selectively opt back.
They are not there in any official capacity.
It’s as easy as that.

The RF have/ had similar problems as some of the families I used to work with from estates , but council , not royal.

Harry, despite family wealth beyond our imagination clearly has mental health issues and I think anyone, royal or otherwise, with such problems should be treated with a bit more kindness, care and some consideration.

A few days ago we were unexpectedly able to help police with a young man who was missing but subsequently took his life. We didn’t know him but it has affected us.

Perhaps people would treat him with kindness, care and compassion if he and his wife treated others similarly. But they don’t.