Thursday, January 9, 2020

Not sure how I feel about this?

One of the latest headlines on Wednesday is that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "stepping back" from their royal roles.


Now as I am not an "insider" to their life nor do I know them personally really I have no say in what they do or how they lead their lives.  However as a tax payer in the country of Canada and a citizen of both Canada and the UK, I do have a vested interest in how tax payer money is spent.

They want to be financially independent, which is all fair and good, but because of who they are they need 24 hour protection and regardless of whether they decide to live in the UK or in North America, someone has to pay for that, at a cost as per the newspaper article below of over $1 million per year.  

At the end of the day, Prince Harry was born into a royal family, he is expected to work for the "firm," whether he likes it or not.  Megan knew this when she married him, so it can't have come as a surprise to her.  They both have a good heart I am quite sure.  Both want to do charitable works; all very admirable.  But at the end of the day, he was born into the royal family, he is the brother of the future king and needs to step up and do what is expected of him.  

They may not like it; but the more they fight the situation the more peed off the general public are going to be.  The more secretive they are, and the more they hide from the press and general public, the more interested everyone is going be, it's human nature.  I am not sure who is advising them about dealing with the public, but they seem to be going about it all wrong.

With Megan working in entertainment she is not daft when it comes to publicity.  So all this commotion they are causing with this stepping back and not wanting to deal with the public and press, is a great way of pushing their image to the forefront.  

I hope at the end of the day, that they get to live their lives how they want; but you can't court publicity on one hand and then spurn public interest on the other hand.  It doesn't work like that......just saying.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7865387/How-life-Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle-look-renounce-HRH-titles.html

14 comments:

Evelyn said...

I wondered the same thing when I heard this. Who is paying for this selfish choice to step back? I am sure it was Megan idea.

Anonymous said...

It's there life I'd hate to be followed every were ,good luck to them

Susan said...

I get where you are coming from but I have wondered many times about your Royals and how heavy the pressure of the eyes of, not just those who they reign over, but the eyes of the world, looking at them must be. I can't imagine how hard it is to live under that type of scrutiny. I wish the, all well and maybe these two just need a breather and will come back refreshed and ready to fill their shoes soon. BTW from another blog I saw that your Queen gave a message for Christmas and so I listened to it. It was a wonderful message. She has a very sweet voice.

Andi's English Attic said...

They seem to want the benefits without the responsibilities. However, given the reports of 'personality clashes' within the royal household, perhaps they were encouraged to step down?

Maggie said...

I agree totally with what you say.
I heard on the news also that they did not seek permission from the Queen for this, wonder what her Maj will have to say!!

I will go one step further, just my opinion but she is not cut out for the role and again just my opinion but you can bet she is behind this.

Time will tell on this marriage

Practical Parsimony said...

Thank you. She wants it both ways. I do not like her because she wants all the attention. She signed on for this. But, before she even married, she stated she wanted to change and modernize the royal family. Pushy much?

Jenn Jilks said...

I certainly cannot judge, I don't know what they are headed for. The firm is so big, and so old, perhaps it is time to move into the new decade. There must be so much anguish with Harry losing his mother the way he did. I certainly wish them well. If they get off the firm's books and are self-sufficient, then good on them!
They have a long history of volunteer work. They will give back by lending their names to good works.
I just want them to be happy. They deserve it. /2 cents

Barb said...

Dont comment often but I admire them for wanting to make their own way. From what I've read, Harry blames the monarchy as well as the press for his mother. He seems an intelligent young man with a spine who know his own mind so I have to laugh at the "it's all her fault" theories. I hope they succeed. As for the protection they get it whether they want it and with good reason. Just as even Jimmy Carter, as modestly as he lives, still gets secret service protection in the US.

busybusybeejay said...

They are both worth and have millions of pounds so no hardship there.I think the worst thing for me is that Harry and William are not as close as they were.Such a shame.

Meg B. said...

A U.S. citizen, so my opinion probably doesn't count for much, but doesn't the "firm" that is to say the Royal Family, receive taxpayer money for its senior members? If that's the case, then perhaps this money should be withheld, not just from these two, but from the family in general, and put to better use? Being a member of the family is not like being a U.S. celebrity--you don't get to leave work at the end of the day.
I never cared for Markle. I said early on that I think she is ill prepared for the obligation of her position, and would probably follow in the footsteps of the former Duchess of York. In any case, I think other than those in direct line (Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George) beyond security, the taxpayer money spent to finance these members is an utter, shameful waste. Let the queen finance it herself through her ample real estate holdings. Again, that's my American sentiment speaking.

barbara woods said...

They may find it a little hard to get a job!

Cherie said...

It really annoys me that people blame Megan.. What the heck do any of us know about their private conversations. I wish them both well and hope they have a long and happy life together.

Jenn Jilks said...

This is an interesting article. Princess Di was at a disadvantage. Poor Meghan faces racism, as well.

William Kendall said...

I don't know what to think of it, aside from that the British tabloid press has a hand in all of this.

{{{SIGH}}}

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