The Evil Stepmother in the Palace
I'm not a big fan of the Royal Family especially now that QE is gone. And I am certainly no fan of Camilla and find her distasteful. But I find it interesting that in Harry's interviews he pointed the main finger of blame at her as the typical evil stepmother and the one who is responsible for the bad press he's received and his current situation:
"Prince Harry said both he and his brother, Prince William, had asked the King not to marry Camilla.
“We didn’t think it was necessary. We thought that it was gonna cause more harm than good and that if he was now with this person, that – surely that’s enough.”
But he said the brothers eventually came around to the idea: “We wanted him to be happy. And we saw how happy he was with her.”
However, the Duke of Sussex added that Camilla was “dangerous” because she’d been cast as a “villain” by the press for her role in the collapse of his parents’ marriage and needed to “rehabilitate her image.”
“That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press. And there was open willingness on both sides to trade of information. And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her on the way to being Queen Consort, there was gonna be people or bodies left in the street because of that,” Prince Harry said."
So let me get this straight: Despite the legendary, historic dysfunction of every single member of this family including his own mother, Prince Harry claims it's the STEPMOTHER and her actions who is ultimately responsible for his predicament and the rift in the family. Not a peep about his father's role.
Classic. As in fairy tale, anyway.
Camilla Parker Bowles
Camilla converted his bedroom at Clarence House into her own personal dressing room.
“I tried not to care," wrote Prince Harry. "But especially the first time I saw it, I cared."
How dare she not keep the room as a shrine to him!
Exactly!
It's not like he had nowhere to go. I think this speaks volumes about how no matter what a stepmother does, it will be considered "evil."
As much as I loved Diana, she
As much as I loved Diana, she will always be viewed as a saint with a golden uterus. Even if she wasn't a crappy BM, there is no way Camilla can compete with the world's darling Princess Diana.
I still don't care for Camilla. She and Charles don't poop without the other one smelling it, so if Camilla was doing sketchy stuff, you can be sure Charles knew about it.
I agree
She will always be the saint with the golden uterus. I may be wrong but she was an adult when she married Charles and I'm sure she knew what was going on. She married him knowing he was in love with Camilla and I think she played the victim in order not to loose face. That's why people hate Camilla. They know nothing about her, except for what the media and people who don't like her say. She will be seen as the evil stepmother and the woman who stole Charles from Diana and no one will ever want to see the truth. This is very close to my story, sadly and, on a smaller scale, my husband and I have been victims of the self proclaimed saintly golden uterus ex wife. I did not steal him from her yet she has sullied us to anyone who will listen and no one seems to ask us what happened and our side. Same for Camilla and Charles. I say forget what the viperine tongues say, even if it's the children of the King and just live your happy life! That goes for all of us.
Harry strikes as a HCGCOD
Harry strikes as a HCGCOD (High Conflict Golden Child Of Divorce).
Regardless of my feelings about the RF, it's classy of them to continue to take the high road and not respond to the repeated attacks from the Malarkeys (Markles). If they were as altruistic as they claim, they'd go about doing charitable work without the constant need for recognition and publicity. They leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I figure they are doing it
I figure they are doing it for the money since they don't have royal funds anymore?
I figure that same thing,
I figure that same thing, Rumple. Show Them The Money!
We saw maybe 2 minutes of the
We saw maybe 2 minutes of the interview.. We can care less about the royals but SO goes "This just spews entitled brat." Haha
That whole royal scene is
That whole royal scene is full of moral degenerates, sham marriages for status or money, and all kinds of depraved people going back centuries, but it's Camilla who gets all the hate! At least they don't legally murder people like Henry the 8th (that we know of) anymore! I watched The Crown and sometimes read the stories about them in the tabloids in line at the store, so i'm not one of those anti-royal people and could even be called a fan, but let's be honest about it!
Of course. She's the stepmother.
SMs are always the target of everything bad that did, can, or could happen to any child at any time of their life, including adulthood.
I like Camilla - she seems to
I like Camilla - she seems to be a down to earth person with no airs and graces, who has made Charles, a previously unhappy man, stable and contented. I don't know what the view is in the USA about Harry and Meghan, I would be interested in knowing how US members see them. Here in the UK public opinion about them has nose dived since 2020 and now is only just a bit higher than Prince Andrew's.
But going back to the subject of the thread - of course, step mothers are always a very easy target, sadly. What more can be said?
I'm in the US, see the
I'm in the US, see the Malarkeys as attention 'hos, and wish they'd go away. Nothing like looking at the news and always seeing more Malarkey whining or something regarding a Kardashian. *wacko*
Same here.
I think most people in the US are tired of hearing about how "awful" their lives are in their $14 million Montecito mansion. Especially when most American families are truly feeling the pinch of the rising economy and struggling. And their performative altruism isn't fooling any of us. The majority of us here in the US know bullsh!t artists when we see them...and these two have covered their canvases in it.
What is most concerning now is that due to Harry's comments about the Taliban, I think anywhere one of these two show up is going to be a terrorist target. And that's going to last for years. If I were a charitable organization OR a corporation I'd stay far, far away as they may find themselves the target of an attack simply because of their association with H&M. (For security reasons (meaning the safety of the American public) I think it's time they both find another country to live in - any takers? LOL)
The U.S. veterans' community (much like in the UK) is disgusted and not fooled by Harry's comments about his "heroic" military service. I think most of them would love to see him show up in a VFW Hall without his bodyguard. There is nothing - and I mean nothing - that will generate nuclear ire in most citizens than knowing someone is exploiting their military servicemembers for personal or financial gain. Harry and Meghan are guilty of both.
Hopefully sponsors will now start to withdraw slowly and find plausible excuses for it. "Just not in our budget this year..." etc. The fact of the matter is here in the U.S. it almost always boils down to ... MONEY. And if someone may affect a company's bottom line then they are dropped.
Same here, 2T4D. The only one
Same here, 2T4D. The only one I know not feeling the pinch griped about not being able to afford the purchase of a summer home in New England. Call the waaaaaaahm-bulance!
Harry would not be welcome by any veterans I know. My DH is a war veteran (Desert Storm). We have friends who are Desert Storm and Vietnam vets - all with physical and/or mental scars. I won't repeat what they say about Harry Malarkey.
There will always be someone who sees the Malarkeys as potential moneymakers simply because of what they are. Scandal makes for a better story and some cannot resist that bit of a Pandora's box.
I'm in the US and I just don
I'm in the US and I just don't care about them. I have neither a positive nor a negative view - they're irrelevant to me. I haven't seen the Oprah interview, I don't read the ubiquitous click bait about them, I didn't watch their Netflix show and I won't read Harry's book. I hear about all that stuff, but I have way too much stuff to do to waste my time thinking about the royal family or Harry/Meghan.
Kes, of the people i know
Kes, of the people i know here in America, we want do NOT like the Harkles.
I feel for Camilla
I get the impression Charles was positively fixated on Camilla. She seems to be making him happy and more balanced. I feel for her having her life so exposed to the public but she seems to be handling it.
Harry and Meagan - I thought they wanted privacy and an escape from the press? His book is a cringy TMI embarrassment. I guess he needed the money. His next moneymaker will be a film of his book. But once he's done selling his story to every available outlet, where will the $ come from? I dont see any skills or education there.
As far as wanting renewed relationships with family members, why would his family want to do that? Based on this book, if I were they, I'd grayrock him - civil and polite only. Good luck with all that, Harry and Meagan.
Blaming Camilla for all his problems.
As I mentioned, I'm no big fan of Camilla's but at this point Harry is seeming unhinged and is not even making common sense. He claims she is dangerous but didn't show any proof positive of her actions. I think he just "feels" she's behind it all, therefore she is guilty. Much like anything that goes wrong with skids is ultimately the fault of the stepmother, right?
"The CBS interview included a reference to Harry’s memoir when he reportedly wrote about being “sacrificed” on Camilla’s “personal P.R. altar.”
By way of explanation, the duke told Cooper: “If you are led to believe, as a member of the family, that being on the front page, having positive headlines, positive stories written about you, is going to improve your reputation or increase the chances of you being accepted as monarch by the British public, then that’s what you’re gonna do. “
So he says all this bad press the duo have gotten is due to Camilla? I am not following the dots here and it seems illogical.
1. Many people don't like Camilla. It's been that way for decades. Everyone knows she was a cheater as was Charles.
2. Camilla and Charles marry in 2005 - EIGHTEEN years ago.
3. For the last 18 years Camilla has kept up a PR campaign against Harry, up to and including Meghan to make herself look good
I think that Harry should have spent more time talking about those psychedelic drugs he's taken. It's obviously affected his logic.
If you are led to believe, as
If you are led to believe, as a member of the family, that being on the front page, having positive headlines, positive stories written about you, is going to improve your reputation or increase the chances of you being accepted as monarch by the British public, then that’s what you’re gonna do.
Thanks for explaining your endgame, Har.
His score
I give him a 10 for whining and a 0 for judgement.
Yes, Charles was in love with
Yes, Charles was in love with Camilla long before Diana came along. He had no choice with his future. Camilla was not the proper choice for the future king at that time. So here she is now with King Charles the 3rd at his side. I can understand how Harry feels. The Royal Family is full of dysfunction. I wish Harry a life with truth and love. Something he never had in the UK.
Obviously being born into the
Obviously being born into the royal family is going to confer upon you some great challenges.. as well as some extremely luxurious side benefits... both financially as well as just plain old access to places and people that most will never imagine. It is a culture deeply steeped in tradition and obligations... and that must be, at times, difficult... especially when you are not "the" chosen one for succession.. your supporting role may seem a bit like a gilded cage. Losing his mother so young has also had to have had some impact on him...and he is not totally off base by seeing her death came as a result of the royal family's burden of fame.. just for existing. I would also guess that in more modern time.. the negative impact of the press has made people's lives much more open to public scrutiny (though it seems the gallows and guillotine are less of a risk these days).
And.. while she was greatly loved by many.. Diana had her own demons... and she likely did have some idea of what she would be gaining by marrying a prince who would be king one day.. and after that marriage did end.. she pursued relationship with another wealthy/priveleged man.. so I'm sure she had some interest in that "life".. even though from her upbringing.. she would have had some idea of the challenges it also brought.
I also have mixed pitty and concern over charles' and Camilla's actions.. it seems that given HIS succession in the Monarchy.. he was very trapped into marrying a certain woman.. despite the fact that it appears that Camilla was where his true feelings lay. And.. Camilla, would not be the first to carry on an affair with a married man...and given the limitations they felt they had.. it's hard to not see a bit of star crossed lovers in their union.. and you have to give it to Charles for doing what he did in marrying her.. despite the risk he may have endured from his mother and other's opinions. And.. in the end.. the queen did graciously allow some amount of acceptance for her.. and likely had some regrets that they had not gone that route to begin with given all the bad press that came about from everything.
But for Harry's point.. I can't seem to totally get where is is willing and able to totally eviscerate his relationship with his family. This goes deeper than some poor treatment his wife may have gotten.. (which always rubs me wrong.. because HE was well versed in royal ettiquette.. why didn't HE help poor Meghan out?). I don't know if he is cunning or just plain stupid and easilly led down this path by someone who is ambitious. Maybe he felt he didn't want to live that quiet life of desperation as someone who would always be a lessor player.. but certainly that life also would have afforded him, and his family with resources but maybe those weren't enough for him and Meghan? But the things in that book almost certainly can't be forgotten or forgiven by the rest of his family.. and honestly.. the relationship he has with Meghan seems doomed to die under the weight of the negative opinion polls.
They may get some short term financial inflow from the book.. but at some point... people will just not care any longer about a rich boy who had more benefits than them who was unhappy serving his obligation..
No offense but Camilla was
No offense but Camilla was obsessed with Charles and did everything she could to be with him including attempting to befriend or be part Dianas circle.
They were not only cheating but were being openly disrespectful to Diana and then gaslighting her for not being able to control her emotions like anger, jealousy and sadness.
When Diana and Charles divorced, Charles had full custody and Diana moved on with Dodi. Camilla was waiting in the background for Charles to make their relationship official but that couldnt happen because of the titles and children. Eventually Diana passed and Camillas coast was clear. Diana and Camilla hated each other but Camilla was 15 years Dianas senior. Diana was 19yo when she got married and involved with Charles and Camilla who were much older.
The children are probably resentful because how poorly Camilla treated their mother and disrespected her in life and death. She wants to erase all traces of anything happening in the past and act like she is this amazing wife catering to Charles who is a former egomaniac.
Harry is very attention seeking so it is hard to be in a family with Camilla....they are quite similar in that way and I can see why they would want to cancel each other out in a home
William and Charles are more level headed and calculating. They want to be able to do wtv they want when they want with no care in the world. They are alphas as opposed to Camilla/Harry being betas and always needing to be seen/pursued/validated by others including their spouses
As a Welsh person
I would seriously love to see the end of a hereditary head of state elected by no one. I don't care about their toxic dysfunction but if this ridiculous storm in the media leads to greater democracy in this banana republic I and many others in the UK will be very pleased.
Curious...
What do the people in the UK think about the wealth/resources which are granted to the BRF?
I know that here in the US, providing taxpayer-funded personal security for H&M would never pass the sniff test.
Which is another reason his comments about the Taliban are so concerning. Anywhere H&M show up, municipal police would probably have to jump through hoops to make sure the public is protected (from being ancillary targets of terrorists) and thus... guess who winds up paying for it?
IMO it is just a matter of time before this issue winds up making headlines here in the U.S.
"POLICE SECURITY AT CHARITY EVENT COSTS TAXPAYERS IN SMALLTOWN U.S.A. $50K DUE TO H&M APPEARANCE"
Yeah, that's not going over well.
Patty Davis, who told her
Patty Davis, who told her truth in a book, wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times -- The Value of Silence. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/opinion/prince-harry-and-the-value-of-silence...
This summary of the NYT article is available if the original is behind a paywall.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ronald-reagans-daughter-patti-davi...
The perspective of someone who has previously aired in a book is interesting.
Interesting read! I'm not a
Interesting read! I'm not a fan of airing dirty laundry and prefer to be quiet. Patty and Harry are in a world much, much bigger than mine. If I tell something, a couple-three friends know. They tell something, half the world knows.
And Patty is correct; there's more than one side to the story. A poor comparison, but it's akin to asking my sister and me about our mother. You'd think she was two different people because our perspectives (due to the different ways our mother treated us) are like night and day.
Maybe it's me, but tell-alls make me cringe. If your family is toxic and nothing will change, walk away. If that life isn't for you, walk away. It all feels so... "look at/feel sorry for me". *unknw*
Can you imagine the life you
Can you imagine the life you'd have with your income and job based on public opinion?? No we can't (USA here) and that's what I take away from H and M. Throwing each other under the bus to save your image. The royal way. Keep calm and carry on equals eat your $hit sandwich with a smile . All that money and wealth and yet the UK economy is awful from what I've read. And, how many of US have been attacked by the other side (crazy BM) in an effort of image management? Traumatized people sound crazy trying to explain and defend themselves. ( see relational aggression)I see shades of that with this story. Just goes to show that people are F'd up no matter how much money/power you have. IMO
If I were William and Kate....
If I were William and Kate, I'd be giving serious thought to their son, Louis. Based on Andrew and Harry, the second son position is perilous.
I love the whole Royals thing
And watched the netflix series. After a while it was eextremely repetitive and you could see what they were trying to "sell", and you still find them sweet and engaging. You still find yourself cringing even while wanting them to succeed.
I too wondered why they decided to upset the applecart when they seemed to have it so stinking great.
Camilla - even though she appears to be so solid and stable - will always be someone who hi jacked a marriage. Its obvious that Charles didnt want Diana and he wanted Camilla...and he got his way.
Im not a big fan of his at all.
I got nothin.
I don't care enough to even read the headlines. I have absorbed by fleeting glimpses that Harry wrote a tell all. I know nothing about what is in it or much else about the British RF for that matter. After the death of QE II, I have no interest. The rest of them are superficial at best.
That said, I would not give up my title if I was Harry.
I value my family history and we are far from Royal. Though a several steps back Great Grand Father was governor of Georgia when it was a British Work Release Colony.
Good Gawd
I watched the interview. Dang it, Camilla is dangerous. WTF i guess all SM's are right? The SM is the unwanted addition to the ROYAL family. Literally in this case LOL
Also they begged big daddio to NOT marry Camilla. Sounds like a typical entitled royal LOL skid. BUT gawd forbid big king daddio doesnt roll out the red carpet for Princ Haz new wife.
Lets get this straight skids can whine and complain about the dangerous SM and beg king daddio not to marry her. When the shoe is on the other foot lets write a memoir and slander.
Dang Camilla should be on this site LOL I guess she is laughing her way down the red carpet, sorry Prince entitled but your SM is now the queen.
I never knew much about the royal family until now. They are dysfunctional like so many families.
I find it ironic that Meghan
I find it ironic that Meghan and Harry no longer speak to Meghan's father, who was a great father all of her life by all accounts, because he allegedly (this was never proven btw) sold stories for money. And those stories he allegedly sold were not even bad, they were about him going to Meghan's wedding and how excited he was. Again this was never proven and her father denies this yet H&M have both completely shut him out of their lives after he was a great father to her all of her life (she even admits this). And now they choose to do not only exactly what they accused her father of doing, but worse. I saw Harry's book the other day. It is called Spare. I walked by it and thought to myself "Spare me". That being said I am not a fan of Camilla's. She had an affair with a married man for years. I can understand why his kids dislike her. Their mother was Diana, the woman whom's husband she was sleeping with. It is odd however that Harry takes issue only with Camilla and not with his father as well.
I am the minority here. I don
I am the minority here. I don't see this as a SK vs SM issue that I should side w/ the SM based on her being the SM and him being the evil SK. I don't have a built in assumption that him being a sk makes him the evil must be hated one. I don't think I'd trade lives with any of them. I don't understand the world they live in and I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in it.