Is it okay to put family first? (Response to royal family stuff)

[TLSnell1981]

I personally couldn’t care if their stars continue to shine, fizzle, explode into a supernova, or implode into a black hole. I see two people who want a career change and a new house, and I don’t quite understand why that would generate so much outrage. They want to live their own lives, let them. One part of this story that does seems outlandish to me, however, is that anyone could view Meghan’s paternal relatives as the pitiful, downtrodden, sympathetic characters in this situation. One doesn’t have to side with Meghan to see what a mess her family is.

Thomas Markle Sr. (Father)

• Has trashed her in the press every chance he gets. Seriously, this guy just never shuts up.
• Staged and sold pictures to the paparazzi.
• Waffled back and forth about whether he would attend her wedding in the days prior, ultimately backing out at the last minute due to a heart attack.
• The heart attack story may be fake.
• Leaked her private letters to the media.
• Has said in an interview “I’m enjoying the fact I can make the entire Royal Family not speak” and says he has no plans to stop talking about her/them.
• Plans to testify against her in court.

Samantha Markle (Half-sister)

• Changed her name back to Markle after Meghan’s engagement.
• Has three children, is estranged from them all. Also estranged from her mother, brother, and half-sister Meghan (for over a decade).
• Trashes Meghan in the press.
• Is writing a book titled The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister
• Lied about being injured in a car crash while trying to evade the paparazzi. Police say the incident never happened.
• Spends so much time hate-tweeting that, in one year alone, she landed herself on the Fixed Threat Assessment Centre’s watch list, had her twitter account suspended, and was investigated by police for cyberbullying.

Thomas Markle Jr. (Half-brother)

• Was also estranged from his father until recently.
• Reported to be an alcoholic.
• Arrested for DUI.
• Multiple arrests for assault.
• Involved in multiple domestic violence incidents including one where he held a gun to his girlfriend’s head.
• Sent Harry a letter asking him to call off the wedding.
• Has repeatedly trashed Meghan in the press.
  
  Tyler Dooley (Nephew)
• Co-owns a cannabis business selling “Markle Sparkle.”
• Tried to capitalize on his royal connection by appearing on a reality show.

This family is an absolute train wreck. There’s video of Meghan, 18 years old, saying she and her father weren’t “on the best of terms,” so this is not a new situation caused by her sudden rise to fame. She’s been dealing with this her entire life. Meghan has every right to step away from this chaos and I would argue she has a moral imperative to keep her child away from those toxic people. How anyone can fault Meghan for trying to get away from this dysfunction is beyond me.

Where is the bio on mama and where was she during Meghan's teen years?

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I wondered what he meant by having no choice. Why did they/he not have a choice?

He blames the media, which is weird because there are no longer manic paparazzi in Britain like there were when his mother was alive (and her death is why there aren't, btw). The British press has sometimes been critical of them. Not all the time and not uniformly, by any means, but the couple is thin-skinned.

But because Harry has been in the limelight all of his life and criticized plenty of times, without feeling the need to leave, I suspect the real reason is more about Megan wanting to live the unencumbered life of a celebrity that she's used to, which you can't do as a British royal.

 

[HopperFan]

Charles profits from the Duchy as he is a working member of the Royal Family. If he decided to pack it in, do a deal with Netflix, do an interview with Oprah and tap up Bob Iger for voiceovers, he’d have to give it up.

And the irony here is that the $6.5 million a year in "allowance" he still wants to receive until he .... is rich enough to live on his own .... comes right out of the profits from the Duchy. So ..... isn't he actually getting what he wants ... without being a working member earning. The only thing he is losing at this point is the $350,000 travel expenses for royal duties .... unless Charles and Grandma put their foot down on allowance.

He blames the media, which is weird because there are no longer manic paparazzi in Britain like there were when his mother was alive (and her death is why there aren't, btw). The British press has sometimes been critical of them. Not all the time and not uniformly, by any means, but the couple is thin-skinned.

But because Harry has been in the limelight all of his life and criticized plenty of times, without feeling the need to leave, I suspect the real reason is more about Megan wanting to live the unencumbered life of a celebrity that she's used to, which you can't do as a British royal.

Diana was the world's princess. She was married to a future King and she birthed a future King. Everyone everywhere loved her, wanted to know what she was doing, what she was wearing, who she was with, what were her causes .... and in the end it likely was part of the cause of the accident. We've all been able to keep up on Harry .... but I think he really has overestimated the interest in him, his wife and son. I hope the move brings him the happiness and perhaps peace that he has always seemed to be looking for.

I think perhaps he has some issues he needs to resolve and I don't mean in a negative way. He has grown up in his brother's shadow, in a very structured family, without a mother and with a very strong grandmother. I don't think anyone was surprised that he married someone who was in so many ways the opposite what a royal is expected to marry. William has had children now ... Harry is not needed ... let him go and make his own happiness. And hopefully in this find some mental peace.

 

[luvsJack]

He blames the media, which is weird because there are no longer manic paparazzi in Britain like there were when his mother was alive (and her death is why there aren't, btw). The British press has sometimes been critical of them. Not all the time and not uniformly, by any means, but the couple is thin-skinned.

But because Harry has been in the limelight all of his life and criticized plenty of times, without feeling the need to leave, I suspect the real reason is more about Megan wanting to live the unencumbered life of a celebrity that she's used to, which you can't do as a British royal.

I thought I remembered there being talk about changes in the paparazzi after his mother’s death, but I wasn’t sure if actually happened. So the whole “what happened to his mom” thing wouldn’t be about the paparazzi at all.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Where is the bio on mama and where was she during Meghan's teen years?

From what I've read....

Worked as a makeup artist where she met Meghan's father
Gave birth to Meghan
Divorced husband
Owned travel agency which went under in early 2000s
Got BA in psychology and passed social worker exam
Worked as social worker in a mental health agency until Meghan's wedding.
Meghan lived with her mother, though she was co-parented by both parents.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Where is the bio on mama and where was she during Meghan's teen years?

I didn’t include her mother for the simple fact that her mother isn’t one of the paternal relatives she’s trying to pull away from.

By all accounts, both of Meghan’s parents were actively involved throughout her entire childhood. She lived with each of them at different times. Specifically regarding the teen years you asked about is this:

“From the time she was 11, she lived with him during the week while attending private school.”

I take that to mean she was with her mother outside of the school week (at least a portion of the time if not every weekend, holiday, and summer break). Sounds like a very typical custody situation, just like there was nothing unusual about her living primarily with her mother from the ages of 2-11 while her father found other ways to be involved.

https://www.biography.com/news/meghan-markle-dad-thomas-relationship-press

 

[TipsyTraveler]

From what I've read....

Worked as a makeup artist where she met Meghan's father
Gave birth to Meghan
Divorced husband
Owned travel agency which went under in early 2000s
Got BA in psychology and passed social worker exam
Worked as social worker in a mental health agency until Meghan's wedding.
Meghan lived with her mother, though she was co-parented by both parents.

I would add:

Was last seen sitting front and center at the royal wedding and having an involved role in her grandson’s life, presumably because she knows how to have a respectful relationship with her daughter.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I didn’t include her mother for the simple fact that her mother isn’t one of the paternal relatives she’s trying to pull away from.

By all accounts, both of Meghan’s parents were actively involved throughout her entire childhood. She lived with each of them at different times. Specifically regarding the teen years you asked about is this:

“From the time she was 11, she lived with him during the week while attending private school.”

I take that to mean she was with her mother outside of the school week (at least a portion of the time if not every weekend, holiday, and summer break). Sounds like a very typical custody situation, just like there was nothing unusual about her living primarily with her mother from the ages of 2-11 while her father found other ways to be involved.

https://www.biography.com/news/meghan-markle-dad-thomas-relationship-press

I was just curious I have read that she lived with her father during her teen years. Teachers and friends never met her mother. I've heard speculation/rumors but don't know why mom wasn't around. The Royal biographer states that Thomas Markle was very supportive of her acting endeavors and often volunteered stage help never accepting the credit. Doesn't seem to be the evil villain he is portrayed to be by some.

BTW I didn't realize that he was a co recipient for two Emmy awards for lighting and photography on GH. He also won the lottery ($750k) in 1990. It's not relevant just interesting tidbits imo

 

[TLSnell1981]

I would add:

Was last seen sitting front and center at the royal wedding and having an involved role in her grandson’s life, presumably because she knows how to have a respectful relationship with her daughter.

There's speculation/rumor/gossip surrounding that relationship too.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

There's speculation/rumor/gossip surrounding that relationship too.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised. We see what her father is like and have to remember her mother was willing to spend a few years on that crazy train herself. The fact that she divorced him is a promising sign but yeah, mom might be a little hinky too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Currently reading this interesting tale of Meghan's growing up and relationships with her family. Thought I'd share.

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/20...arkle-family-breakdown-thomas-samantha-markle

 

[mummabear]

I respect Harry's feelings on this full stop.

I continue to be a bit puzzled about how they are going to end the tabloid issues by moving to Canada. Maybe a very low profile life will give the paparazzi little to photograph, and in turn, the tabloids will have little to write about.

I dont see how they are planning on living a low profile life with a production company and patronages that will depend on them having a high profile. They arent exactly planning to head to the Island and work as a book keeper.

 

[mommasita]

Time will tell, Harry is already in Vancouver. So far, not much media coverage on that, but that can change, as we all know

 

[Wakey]

Saw yesterday he skipped a meeting he was meant to be doing to get to Canada instead, got on another plane, got escorted off and through security (no queuing with the riff raff). Before that though there was a meeting with the business advisors.
I wish these two entitled people would now disappear for good, I’m sick of hearing about them, and if they lecture us on climate change again whilst flying all over, living in a mansion costing a fortune in energy consumption etc....

 

[mousefan73]

It cannot be that leaving the UK due to the Press thing is the main reason and the reason for him "protecting" his family. Doesn't make sense. Remaining a working Royal would have offered more PR and real protection. For one the British "press" is highly "regulated" when it comes to the Royals especially their children. I am sure they know that staying in the U.K. would have offered them and Archie more protection that anywhere else in the world. And I dont think they did this simply to give the finger to the UK press for bad press. Good example is one rarely see any official picture of Kate's kids. They are not hounded in London by the British press. I believe only once a German publication published one photo of George being dropped off at school. The only time you really see private pictures of royal kids is when the parents are at polo matched. that is really it.. Sure there are other cases here and there, but i live in Europe and the Royals are actually given tons of press privacy seeing how VIP that are.

now they will have to deal with TMZ , Just Jared and the likes. Notice the British press left harry and William alone until they were adults. This was the deal the Royal Press office made with them. Also most of the racist negative comments are not PRESS comments but online troll comments on Twitter etc..Leaving the U.K. wont solve this..

Also remember the french paparazzi (Not legit press) where the ones chasing Diana. How ironic now to Harry, she left UK and got the killed. Also Diana was no holy figure when it came to the press, she toyed, played and also used them for her promotion. Back then she was in a phase of finding importance so the Press were often called and there is dispute if Dodi and his father were the one who alerted the Paps on that night.. Dodi's father was loving every second of the PR/Pap blitz that followed his son with the Princess of Wales.

And if you believe Twitter ( lol) supposedly the Sussex's own PR alerted a specific Pap group for the recent pictures taken in Vancouver. It is known that many celebrities alert the Paps in order to get free PR

 

[Disney Doll]

I doubt they will have as much privacy as they think they will. The press is the press. And frankly, after Prince William and Catherine graduated college, she was hounded plenty. People have short memories. “ Waity Katy. “. Pictures of her splayed out on a roller skating rink. Videos of her walking to her car and wherever with 45000 flashbulbs flashing. Perhaps it’s different NOW, but early on it was quite similar.

For whatever reasons, they want it both ways and can’t have it. They’re still going to get a pretty big allowance from daddy to support their new “independent” life. I’m sure that there will be celebrity types etc, that will be thrilled to be hangers on, support the SUSSEX Royal brand (from which I am sure they will pull some income as administrators) so I’m not that worried about them.

 

[EveDallas]

I wondered what he meant by having no choice. Why did they/he not have a choice?

He's been watching the British media relentlessly attack his wife since day one. He lost his mother to constant media ambushes. Why would he want to stay? Especially when everyone over there is in love with Kate and she can do no wrong.

 

[luvsJack]

He's been watching the British media relentlessly attack his wife since day one. He lost his mother to constant media ambushes. Why would he want to stay? Especially when everyone over there is in love with Kate and she can do no wrong.

And there has already been pictures and a whole article about tweets condemning the way she is carrying Archie out on a walk with the dogs.

It’s not going to change. I feel for all of them (the tabloids haven’t always been nice to Kate either so that “can do no wrong” is not exactly right). Same as they did with Diane and Fergie. Remember the headlines that made it seem like they were at each other’s throats? Comparing poor Fergie’s more frumpier fashion (which later changed) to Diana’s very stylish dress (which didn’t start out that way)?

Harry can’t change who he is. And with her being an actress, they aren’t stepping completely out of the limelight.

 

[ronandannette]

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised. We see what her father is like and have to remember her mother was willing to spend a few years on that crazy train herself. The fact that she divorced him is a promising sign but yeah, mom might be a little hinky too.

Well, we know what we think we know, but none of us have first-hand knowledge. And whose family isn’t “a little hinky” - certainly some more than others. The Royal Family is hinky to the max, so was the venerated Princess Diana’s family of origin. Mine and yours are to a degree, just like the rest of the world.

Many marriages end badly; seldom is it ever completely villain/victim, and the people conduct themselves in ways that are shocking when the incidents are pulled out and taken in isolation. Your earlier post about it likely being a fairly typical co-parenting scenario is probably closer to the truth.

I dont see how they are planning on living a low profile life with a production company and patronages that will depend on them having a high profile. They arent exactly planning to head to the Island and work as a book keeper.

Personally, I don’t care what they do as long as they get the security thing straightened out to the point that it doesn’t fall on Canadian tax payers. It’s not worth one-thin-dime to me to have them in Canada, nor would I like to see them get any special concessions to our immigration policies. Maybe they should be invited to NZ?

 

[gwynne]

And I would add that they carefully made their choice. Whatever the reason, they have selected less protection from the tabloids and paps by moving to North America.