Polly Toynbee.

Is that because she totally disagrees with you on most things, and makes the point as to why succintly and clearly ;)

merlotgran

A lot of us felt that MM would have been an asset but short of locking William and Kate up in the Tower and proclaiming Harry the heir it was never going to work. She’s not a team player and her demands would never have ceased.

Totally agree merlotgran .... and I don't forget her comment that she and Harry "are only a plane crash away from the throne".

She is rather annoying, but I completely agreed with her comments on Harry and Meghan.

Polly Toynbee is undoubtedly intelligent but also arrogant and one who always believes her own publicity.

Not a fan!
Patronising, arrogant and sour as other posters say.She also needs to get her roots done or choose a different hairstyle😬

Polly Toynbee crossed a massive red line for me when, I found out, like Diane Abbot she sent her kids to a private school. I have zero respect for anyone who professes to lean to the left and opts out of the state system. One or the other, send your kids to private school, always a personal choice, but don't bleat on about your left wing credentials because clearly you are not someone who believes in a level playing field.

Other than that, as posters have said, she comes across as humourless, patronising and arrogant, obviously an intelligent woman , but to me she exemplifies certain characteristics, I don't like, in particular sanctimony, she is not the type of person i would wish to be around in the real world

I do not really know PT's writings, but I do know that the royal family had the opportunity to be inclusive and failed at it. But then we all know how dysfunctional a royal upbringing is.

Going back to the original argument, there are so many variable factors that can affect the public's attitude as to how popular or not popular the royal family will be in the future much of it is conjecture. Of course a lot of that will weigh heavily on young George's shoulders, I feel sorry for him already. My feelings are that Charles does have a reasonable rapport with the public. He has made massive faux pas in the past such as "am I the only Prince/King not to have a mistress?". Then again people mature and I'm sure many of us retrospectively wouldn't say or feel some of the things that we could possibly attribute to the shallowness of youth. In many ways it's been a long road, but I think he and Camilla have redeemed themselves and have won over a good section of the public which William and Catherine have built on. As long as they model themselves on the Scandinavian royal ideal, not become too out of touch with public opinion, maintain a very slimmed down monarchy. That's to say no place for Andrew, or his family. Conspicuous privilege consigned to the past then I think there is a 50/50 chance they could be around in the future. Much depends on the state of the nation and the mood of the people. As for Harry and Meghan......just too much has been written about them, other than to say there was a nano second when they could have been fantastic for our nation but the writing on the wall emerged after a very brief honeymoon with the public.

Luckygirl3

I do not really know PT's writings, but I do know that the royal family had the opportunity to be inclusive and failed at it. But then we all know how dysfunctional a royal upbringing is.

I would like to agree with you Luckygirl so can you outline just how the RF could have been more inclusive where Meghan was concerned?

She started off as a very popular ‘new member, greeted enthusiastically on her early visits but it soon became clear that she was dissatisfied and petulant. Her self pitying interview with Tom Bradby in SA overshadowed what should have been a shoo in for her future role on a world platform. Nobody else who professes to aim for the goals she preaches about has had that chance.

She should have heeded Michelle Obama’s advice and given it time.

Luckygirl3

I do not really know PT's writings, but I do know that the royal family had the opportunity to be inclusive and failed at it. But then we all know how dysfunctional a royal upbringing is.

I don't think they failed.
I know, despite claims to the contrary, that every effort was made to introduce Meghan to the protocols of Royal life and she was welcomed into the family.

Unfortunately, joining not just a family but a firm where your duties might be directed by others and then proclaiming you are "going to hit the ground running" and forge your own path was never going to bode well. Alienating staff and family members to the point of distress would make anyone unpopular and to then claim this was due to prejudice is disingenuous.

Luckygirl3

I do not really know PT's writings, but I do know that the royal family had the opportunity to be inclusive and failed at it. But then we all know how dysfunctional a royal upbringing is.

No. The royal family absolutely did not fail at being inclusive. That’s not a nice thing to say. Meghan failed at being a royal. Totally failed, and has shown her true spiteful colours ever since. However she has made plenty of millions off the back of the royals hasn’t she! Neither she, nor Polly Toynbee show any signs of being the kind and caring people they claim to be. Hypocritical people who have set themselves up as being something neither of them are!

Along with Diane Abbott!

As for Harry and Meghan......just too much has been written about them, other than to say there was a nano second when they could have been fantastic for our nation but the writing on the wall emerged after a very brief honeymoon with the public

Yes, very true.

I thought she would be a wonderful new addition to The Firm and, with all her experience, would be a strong support to Harry in his duties.
Because, although a "slimmed-down monarchy" seems to be the aim, there is so much demand for the services of the Royal Family, despite what republicans may claim, that they cannot afford to slim down much further.

I am sad M & H burnt their bridges without seeking reconciliation. It sounded as though they could only find fault with the RF and wanted to tell the world how they were badly treated. I think Charles would have been a forgiving, supportive father and made allowances IF more compassion had been shown by M & H around the time of DoE's impending death.
After that there could be no coming back.

Well - they did fail at being inclusive. The were completely unwilling to bend - they expect the spouses who join their family to buy into the dysfunction, rather than recognising that these spouses have come from the real world.

They also failed to protect her from the press intrusion.

Meghan failed, and has shown her true spiteful colours ever since. However she has made plenty of millions off the back of the royals hasn’t she! Neither she, nor Polly Toynbee show any signs of being the kind and caring people they claim to be.
👏 👏 👏

Oh dear!

Didn't Diana Princess of Wales say something similar about her husband. Wishful thinking maybe??

I'm hoping they'll all be shown the door a lot sooner than 25 years .What DOES it take to get the blinkers off about these parasites ?

paddyann54

I'm hoping they'll all be shown the door a lot sooner than 25 years .What DOES it take to get the blinkers off about these parasites ?

Once you call human beings parasites you have lost the argument Paddyann54

It's just the opinion of one consistently left-wing and anti-Royalist journalist, so why would anyone be particularly exercised about it? It's totally predictable. I'm a Republican myself, and yes, I do believe that the Royalty's days are certainly numbered, not in my lifetime but perhaps my Grandchildren will be around to see it. One major claim which P.T. made which I strongly disagree with is that the Royal family "blew it" with Megan. I don't think so. I believe that she was the accident waiting to happen as regards her self-obsession, and that the man-child Harry just didn't have either the social awareness or the intellectual maturity to see this, even when her behaviour and her attitude began to alienate and upset both the family and the palace staff. Everything that the poisonous pair have done since has merely reinforced my opinion about them. Such a sad tale.

Oreo

Not a fan!
Patronising, arrogant and sour as other posters say.She also needs to get her roots done or choose a different hairstyle😬

She also needs to get her roots done or choose a different hairstyle😬

<<< sigh >>>

Well - they did fail at being inclusive. The were completely unwilling to bend - they expect the spouses who join their family to buy into the dysfunction, rather than recognising that these spouses have come from the real world

Maybe if Meghan had been supported by a loving family in the early days like Sophie and Catherine, she would not have been so eager to throw in the towel. She was backed up by celebrities she hardly knew and sycophantic career climbers. That’s not exactly the real world but these were people who said what she wanted to hear.

Meghan’s mother obviously supported
her decision to jump ship but this is easy when private jets and millionaires’ mansions are on offer to pave the way.

Dickens

Oreo

Not a fan!
Patronising, arrogant and sour as other posters say.She also needs to get her roots done or choose a different hairstyle😬

She also needs to get her roots done or choose a different hairstyle😬

<<< sigh >>>

Was wondering who would be the first sanctimonious comment would come from😄
It’s a real distraction when she’s on tv, which unfortunately is often given that she’s a real self publicist, all you notice are the glaring grey roots on the dyed gingery blonde hair as the top part is dragged back and secured with a slide, urrrgh!

Meghan had loads of encouragement and support and public applause but she found the RF rules too restricting for her idea of Disney princess lifestyle so packed it in.Without really trying.