News and pics of Harry and Meghan 08/19

[Future Crayon]

I think the split tour was a bad idea as no one seems that intetested in where Harry is or what he's  up to (until he dons the blue mascara and strides into a minefield, that is).

I'd still say that Meghan is doing better than expected, even if she desperately needs better briefing and advice, and her wardrobe's a complete bust.

I will say I'm not 100% comfortable with some of the discussions here about Meghan's ethnicity or how she chooses to identify or represent herself. That's up to her. I'd prefer her calling herself a Woman of Colour in front of an audience of South African women and girls, than see her husband do his 'Mister Africa' routine because he went on safari a couple of times. But that's just me.

[Future Crayon]

In Danish, it’s called Pseudo Twins. Does that expression work in English as well?

Didn't they sing Pearly Dew Drops?

[Butterbean]

Megan assumed that all the women would feel comfortable sitting on the floor.  That really hit home to me the importance of the Royal Family's experienced staff, who do the research and advising before royal tours.  If the women were told to expect a very casual visit and Megan would be playing on the floor with the children, fine. IF the women dressed up for an important occasion and were asked to sit on the floor - blunder.  What are the customs in South Africa?  Do teachers sit on the floor with kids in child care centers? Do parents?  All of these details have to be worked out in advance, I assume.  

Except for the excessively high levels of violence perpetrated against them South African mothers are no different from other mothers the world over: we also play with our kids. The details were in all likelihood worked out in advance but Meghan went off-piste. The optics are so "Madam & Eve", it's frightening, and in South Africa, nogal. Historically, (and in large measure today), huge numbers of especially Black mothers were/are domestic workers, spending a lot of time on their hands and knees, scrubbing floors and generally cleaning up after others to eke a living that, more often that not, is not a minimum wage, let alone a living wage-paying job.

"Hey, Meghan: **knock, knock**: anybody home?  The dominant patriarchal society no doubt contributes to the high levels of violence against women and children, you invested so much effort in highlighting. So you are now issuing these women with more instructions for your comfort? How very patronizing and patriarchal of you!"

A Razzie for you, Madam Meghan. And here you thought you couldn't possibly have anything in common with your President. .

**edit: another lesson in  South African history, Ignorant Sussexes: bragging about the bag of hand-me-downs (even of the progeny of the Second Coming) is not only appalling etiquette but echoes of a  relic of apartheid where Madams would give hand-me-downs of their much-loved children to their maids in lieu of a decent wage.  Now is probably a good time to be grateful for little mercies: at least Madam Meghan did not hand out half-filled bottles of award-winning wines to the mothers given the prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome in the Western Cape related to the apartheid era practice of wine in lieu of/to top of slave wages on vineyards. For the history lesson, you are most welcome, my self-proclaimed WoC Sista.

   Very "Madam and Eve"!

[Ellie]

And we know Africa is only a nice place for Harry because he is able to go there, escape the evil media, and live large shooting animals and on luxurious safaris pretending to save the elephants. It is just Africa, mind you, no other countries or cultures or languages. Just the continent. Who cares about the rest! Worship Safari Prince!

[Ghost]

I've never had a baby so I don't know, but I thought you couldn't get pregnant if you were breast feeding? Is that true?

Thse are some replies with posters names omitted:

"It’s an old wives tale. If you have unprotected sex and you’re not on actual birth control, you might be getting pregnant.
That’s where Irish Twins comes from."

"Very much not true. Many "Irish twins" came about that way."

I'm asking that RDers to not use this phrase because it has been used to denigrate cultural and religious beliefs. Aside from the obvious reference to the Irish people, it is also used to imply that certain religions (catholicism in the Irish reference), fundamental christian and islamic sects, and nativism beliefs are inferior to other more mainstream/popular versions of particular religions.
  
I understand the science behind the caution, and I think most RDers do, however we shouldn't look down on the cultural and religious beliefs of others no matter what we think we know about the science of conceiving. I've lived in a very large metropolitan area and have learned about multiple cultural attitudes towards yearly pregnancies over time. It was a revelation in the outlook, beliefs and acceptance of the caprice of conception. Let's not label that with a derogatory reference.

We are better than that aren't we?

IMHO ~Pru

Thank you so much, Pru!
I am familiar with the expression but I did not know it is demeaning, I was using it with endearment. It must be quite recent - the last 50 years, maybe - that it is being used in a pejorative way, ever since birth control.
In my own family, my aunts were somehow like that, one of them born in December of one year and the next one 13 months later in January.
I do not understand when people are mocking others for their religion, beliefs or customs.

[Kristallinchen]

I've never had a baby so I don't know, but I thought you couldn't get pregnant if you were breast feeding? Is that true?

Thse are some replies with posters names omitted:

"It’s an old wives tale. If you have unprotected sex and you’re not on actual birth control, you might be getting pregnant.
That’s where Irish Twins comes from."

"Very much not true. Many "Irish twins" came about that way."

I'm asking that RDers to not use this phrase because it has been used to denigrate cultural and religious beliefs. Aside from the obvious reference to the Irish people, it is also used to imply that certain religions (catholicism in the Irish reference), fundamental christian and islamic sects, and nativism beliefs are inferior to other more mainstream/popular versions of particular religions.
  
I understand the science behind the caution, and I think most RDers do, however we shouldn't look down on the cultural and religious beliefs of others no matter what we think we know about the science of conceiving. I've lived in a very large metropolitan area and have learned about multiple cultural attitudes towards yearly pregnancies over time. It was a revelation in the outlook, beliefs and acceptance of the caprice of conception. Let's not label that with a derogatory reference.

We are better than that aren't we?

IMHO ~Pru

Thank you so much, Pru!
I am familiar with the expression but I did not know it is demeaning, I was using it with endearment. It must be quite recent - the last 50 years, maybe - in a pejorative way, ever since birth control.
In my own family, my aunts were somehow like that, one of them born in December of one year and the next one 13 months later in January.
I do not understand when people are mocking others for their religion, beliefs or customs.

I've never heard the expression of Irish twins before and I agree that we shouldn't mock are nationalities/religions.

Therefore I'm going to stick with the expression Harley offered of pseudo twins. I think it's also more to the point.

[Jane]

Wow those women really didn't want to sit on the floor. Sitting on the floor may seem cute and natural to Meghan who lives in a palace but I suspect those women found it an odd and demeaning request from a Duchess.
The used clothes is appalling. Agree it absolutely reeks of rich white women donating to poor black women in the bad old days.
Archie is a very cute baby. Weird to think he is Diana's grandson.

[Margaret]

Wow those women really didn't want to sit on the floor. Sitting on the floor may seem cute and natural to Meghan who lives in a palace but I suspect those women found it an odd and demeaning request from a Duchess.
The used clothes is appalling. Agree it absolutely reeks of rich white women donating to poor black women in the bad old days.
Archie is a very cute baby. Weird to think he is Diana's grandson.

I think sitting on the floor was a very strange thing to do.  Unless it had been decided on beforehand and was part of the plan and all the attendees had agreed to it, she should not have expected those women to sit on the floor.  Very strange indeed.

I, too, think that handing out her used clothing was appalling.   It's one thing to donate your good used clothing to charities, where it is distributed to anonymous recipients by the charity's staff, who make a decision based on the recipient's need, but quite another to personally hand her baby's used clothes to specific people like this.  I think this was in very poor taste and I would be insulted if I were one of those women. 

[Princess MS]

I've never had a baby so I don't know, but I thought you couldn't get pregnant if you were breast feeding? Is that true?

Thse are some replies with posters names omitted:

"It’s an old wives tale. If you have unprotected sex and you’re not on actual birth control, you might be getting pregnant.
That’s where Irish Twins comes from."

"Very much not true. Many "Irish twins" came about that way."

I'm asking that RDers to not use this phrase because it has been used to denigrate cultural and religious beliefs. Aside from the obvious reference to the Irish people, it is also used to imply that certain religions (catholicism in the Irish reference), fundamental christian and islamic sects, and nativism beliefs are inferior to other more mainstream/popular versions of particular religions.
 
I understand the science behind the caution, and I think most RDers do, however we shouldn't look down on the cultural and religious beliefs of others no matter what we think we know about the science of conceiving. I've lived in a very large metropolitan area and have learned about multiple cultural attitudes towards yearly pregnancies over time. It was a revelation in the outlook, beliefs and acceptance of the caprice of conception. Let's not label that with a derogatory reference.

We are better than that aren't we?

IMHO ~Pru

Thank you so much, Pru!
I am familiar with the expression but I did not know it is demeaning, I was using it with endearment. It must be quite recent - the last 50 years, maybe - that it is being used in a pejorative way, ever since birth control.
In my own family, my aunts were somehow like that, one of them born in December of one year and the next one 13 months later in January.
I do not understand when people are mocking others for their religion, beliefs or customs.

Well I am of Irish families - both sides - AFAIK it is not a "mocking" thing - we laugh at this and have many family members who had a second child on the way inside of 12 months - my brother being one. I think the old Catholic thing (yes I am in that space too) of "birth control" in any sense is long gone ...... modern Irish people are just that . . . . but we can appreciate all the "traditional Irish" customs that bring people to visit the pubs and institutions that make the tourist experience one that brings them back .... I don't see this different to the beer festivals in Germany  . . . I would not suggest that it is a "typecast"

[Eliza B]

I won't detail any further but exclusively nursing, until other milk/formula or food is introduced, will help keep hormones at levels that don't support pregnancy.  There are always exceptions. But speaking from experience of trying to get 2 close together even after food was introduced my body didn't agree with me. It also depends on how much you're around the baby.  My friend exclusively nursed but kids went to daycare and her cycle came back between 4-6 months with all her kids.  I worked from home more than not and babysitters were at my house and mine didn't come back for almost a year.

Its not impossible but I doubt she's already pregnant.  I think by next year both Eugenie and Meghan will be pregnant for Bea's wedding.

[Eliza B]

Poor Harry.  He's working the next 5 days and the majority of the press are staying with Meghan just in case she appears somewhere.

Granted,  even their Instagram is 90% her, even though Harry has already had solo events.

[Konradin]

 

What in fresh hell is this! 

It's like when Columbus got to America, he wanted to exchange cheap trinkets for gold, while keeping the natives happy. Really, this is "too white", if there is actually some PR behind this, they ought to be sacked. It's insulting to say the least.

Am I the only one who doesn’t see an honest bond between mother and son ... gonna’ be problems down the road ...

No, I thought I was mean to think that.

I don’t see a strong mother/child bond. He’s a prop for her and has been since before he was born. I am sure she and Harry love Archie but it’s obvious neither one does the hard work of parenting. They probably live their lives like before and pop in for the fun stuff while the rotating nannies do the rest. A strong attachment can’t be made as much as they leave him.

 
She isn't maternal, in a previous life she saw pregnancy/babies as a handicap (pregnancy clause). Inasmuch as Archie brings her attention she is happy to be with him, but I have to wonder when the cameras are off and they're home (wherever that may be) if she doesn't pack him off to Harry or the nanny and do her own thing. But that may be the best thing for him.

Did she really do that in her previous marriage?  What does it mean in legal terms?

I think their problem is besides not listening to anyone on their team, their team is completely incompetent. There are no diplomats from the Foreign Office to help arrange things and to give them briefings on what's going on. On cultural expectations and behavior. Not like they would listen, but they are really shooting themselves in the foot here being so independent - as they would like to call it. To me it is just foolish and rude.

Someone here suggested their PR seems more and more like is managed by some lousy influencer from instagram, and I have to agree, especially after watching and reading what they have been doing. The whole thing looks amateur-ish, and poor in execution. On top of that, they don't only make themselves seem lacking, but the BRF as well, which, as it happens they are representing there.

[Eliza B]

The clothes while a nice thought didn't need to be made public.  Also should contain new clothes as well. All royals redonate baby gifts to hospitals/charities it's not a Sussex new thing.  I'd rather them give the new stuff than Archies old stuff.

He's 4-5 month's, so at most they're giving boys clothes for 2 sizes as he'd still be in the 3-6m size now. Luckily some of her other friends gave 4 items each because otherwise this isn't really a "helping hand" it's a bandaid.  Sizes and gender  diversity are needed.  Didn't she JUST talk about this at smart works?

I say 4 items because every time my daughter sizes out (other than newborn) we make huge piles  - 1 to go to friends/family and 1 to local family shelter charities. Ok a 3rd pile for trash - not giving out stained clothing.  So 2 bags full,  with their budget and wardrobe plus their friends clothing too (including bunting and coats and sleep sacks) is nothing.  

[Principessa]

The clothes while a nice thought didn't need to be made public.  Also should contain new clothes as well. All royals redonate baby gifts to hospitals/charities it's not a Sussex new thing.  I'd rather them give the new stuff than Archies old stuff.

He's 4-5 month's, so at most they're giving boys clothes for 2 sizes as he'd still be in the 3-6m size now. Luckily some of her other friends gave 4 items each because otherwise this isn't really a "helping hand" it's a bandaid.  Sizes and gender  diversity are needed.  Didn't she JUST talk about this at smart works?

I say 4 items because every time my daughter sizes out (other than newborn) we make huge piles  - 1 to go to friends/family and 1 to local family shelter charities. Ok a 3rd pile for trash - not giving out stained clothing.  So 2 bags full,  with their budget and wardrobe plus their friends clothing too (including bunting and coats and sleep sacks) is nothing.  

My mom standard maintained a 'bag for Romania'. In other words 2nd hand clothing which we didn't wear anymore, if still okay and clean, was donated to local organizations which helped in Romania and such. Most of the time it would be collected in a new, clean garbage bag. We knew that we could put it in 'de zak' (= the bag).

Also some of our children's clothing went to family, neighbors and such. When older preferable that we were not at the same school. As my mom and other parents have experienced cruel comments about it, and in particular from one kid to the other.

[Oh_Caroline]

Other royals have the good sense to do it quietly knowing full well that if handled incorrectly it could and would be a PR nightmare.  It's also official policy to donate where appropriate to avoid unnecessary storage costs of non perishable gifts.  I mean honestly if you're donating clothing, toys, books, etc. for a baby you should assume that they're getting tons of gifts and are donating basically everything.

What the Sussex dou need to understand is this is nothing special or praiseworthy so just don't with the self serving PR wonder couple cr*p.