The Harry Meghan show is turning into a slow-motion car-crash which couldn’t be less relevant in these challenging and tragic times. But they seem incapable of staying out of the headlines even if only to announce in the crassest way possible that they intend to block out a chunk of the UK’s most popular newspapers. Picking a fight with the Mail, Mirror, Sun and Express, is not only tone-deaf in the midst of the coronavirus crisis; it’s also bone-headed and counter-productive, unless they intend to disappear down a bunker and stay there. Which they show no intention of doing and indeed couldn’t finance their wannabe-glitzy LA lifestyle by being invisible.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge managed to cope with the wilder excesses of the tabloids, only firing the occasional shot across the bows, and stuck firmly to the ‘don’t complain, don’t explain’ approach even when her family was being dragged into the headlines.
Harry is, by all accounts, not the sharpest tool in the box which you can’t see from his astrology, but his chart certainly indicates an inflammatory and reckless temperament, prone to outbursts, and with his Sun square Neptune, not always too realistic. Add that onto an intense 8th house Sun and an obsessive Saturn (and Pluto) in Scorpio, he’s clearly not one to let go once he gets onto a train of thought, however muddle-headed. His hatred of the media is mainly because of his mother Princess Diana’s death which he attributes entirely to the paparazzi, but doesn’t take on board the part she played in stoking up publicity and indeed in deliberately staying in exposed locations. But there’s also an element of irritation at them poking their cameras into his Nazi-costume party years ago and naked billiards etc. He seems/seemed to want it all – the money and the privilege without the duty and exposure.
The Murdoch-owned Sun, whom he’s suing for phone hacking, appears to be top of his hate list. Founded 15 September 1964, it has its Virgo Sun exactly on his; with their Uranus Pluto square his Mars Uranus; their Neptune conjunct his Saturn Midheaven and their Mars square his Pluto – all adding up to visceral dislike. The relationship chart has a hostile composite Mars Pluto square Saturn. It will be under serious pressure in 2021/22 with a disruptive tr Pluto square Uranus and tr Neptune opposition the Sun.
The Mirror, 2 November 1903, is similarly a mismatch with its Pluto opposition Mars Uranus in Sagittarius colliding with his Virgo Sun and its Saturn square his Pluto. That relationship chart with its Mars Saturn trine Pluto will be moving into deep swamp come 2021/22 as well.
The Daily Express, 24 April 1900, with Venus, Neptune Pluto in Gemini bouncing off Harry’s Virgo Sun and Sagittarius Mars Uranus, is a crotchety and at cross purposes connection. The relationship chart indicates trouble ahead there through 2021/23.
The Daily Mail, 4 May 1896, isn’t great with him since their Mars in Pisces square Pluto Neptune in Gemini hit his Sun and Uranus Mars. There will be ups and downs and hassles this year and in 2021 to 23.
Other minor European Royals stay off the radar by living quiet lives and doing occasional charity work. But if you’re trying to set up a Bill Gates/Oprah Winfrey/Obama-sized philanthropic project with a movie career for Meg, it’s lunacy to rile the media. There will be payback. There is recourse for egregious breaches of editorial conduct but getting prickly over every minor infraction and indeed wailing a Trumpian ‘I can only tolerate good publicity’ chorus is plain not going to work, indeed will only make matters worse.
I honestly do not understand how Swedish Court, with maybe a tenth of resources manages these situations, but British Court doesn’t. It isn’t that Carl Gustav XVI doesn’t have issues himself – his affairs and friendship with a Serbian mob boss are pretty well documented – or that his children don’t have issues with their royal roles. Princess Madeleine in particular, who first “escaped” to The US after the messy breakup from her Swedish fiancé, and is now married to a heir of a rich American family, who obviously hates all kind of ceremonial occasions. But The Court ultimately managed this by limiting the size and setting same rules for everybody (there were, of course, precedents with King’s sisters, a couple of whom “opted out” when they married half a century ago).
So, I don’t know, maybe Windsors take a page from Bernadotte’s book? Limit royal duties to children and spouses of the current monarch and direct line of succesion (Charles and William), IF they want. And give an opt out.
Thanks Marjorie. Is this the LA bubble working it’s usual spell? H&M seem blinkered, confused, and ill advised whatever the actual pros and cons of their case against the tabloids. The timing raises questions of perception – so many people are worried sick, grieving, or terrified of bankruptcy at the moment all over the world. It’s a time to look outwards where we can, to help others or be supportive.
I also noticed that several of this year’s eclipses activate Harry’s chart. June’s lunar eclipse at 15 Sagittarius hits his 16 Sag Mars, with tr Mars in Pisces squaring all that. July’s Capricorn lunar eclipse is close to the ascendant. November’s 8 Gemini lunar eclipse opposes Harry’s Uranus, and December’s Sagittarius solar eclipse squares his Sun. This seems like a number of challenges for his 11th house interests, friendships, or projects – Sagittarius might represent the Ivictus Games or similar projects he has built up. Also, perhaps, that meaning of the 11th house as “love received”?
My final thought was I wonder what this couple will do when they no longer have some kind of “enemy” to fight? Unless they can really work very hard towards their stated philanthropic aims, they may flounder without the energy of this shared “battle”.
It might seem trivial that Canadians were put out with H&M for leaving my country like thieves in the night without a word of goodbye — despite the consideration shown for their privacy by locals while on Vancouver Island, and the Canadian tax dollars needed to protect them for months while they were still officially royal. As Vinay Menon expressed it in the “Toronto Star”, it was as if we were left looking for note in a cardboard box of used t-shirts on their lawn…
However, such a heedless, needless burning of a bridge on their climb up to Hollywood seems consistent with Meghan’s long pattern of social climbing. It’s worked magnificently for her so far, but what happens when her movie career/financial rewards don’t pan out and the couple becomes financially desperate in a few years as you predicted months ago, Marjorie?
Wallace Beery, an American film and stage actor of the early 20th century, was once asked about the longevity of his 36 year career. He replied that if, when you’re climbing a ladder, you help others on the way up, they’ll tend to remember you when you’re on the way down the ladder.
Despite warnings not to do so, it wouldn’t surprise me if Meghan doesn’t do a $1 million “tell all” interview about the Royal Family with American media. That would be the final burned bridge. For Harry and Archie, I hope she doesn’t do it.
I’m curious what their son Archie will make of this. It seems likely he will grow up as an American and away from Royal Life. I wonder if he will be pleased about that, or resent the fact hes been excluded from all the privilege and status? His cousin will be King, but where will he be.
Spare us the ‘smear campaign’ rants Julie D.
H & M are mollycoddled, solipsistic and tone deaf to the real concerns of most people at the moment ie. staying alive, staying fed, staying safe.
They have perfected self-sabotage to an Olympic standard. Aren’t they the couple who wanted to leave the Royal family to raise their family in privacy, only to end up in the paparazzi haven of Los Angeles? And who do you think tipped off the photographers when the couple were conveniently snapped delivering free meals in the city? I’d bet good money that their PR company Sunshine Sachs had a hand in that.
I have limited sympathy for the tabloid press but even less now for the Sussexes. Do they think we’re all utterly stupid?
The ongoing smearcampaign by the British tabloids against Meghan and Harry is the worst of its kind. It’s brave and excellent that Meghan and Harry will expose the evil tactics by these tabloids through their lawsuits. Low profile victims are not able to do so.
The British tabloids are in an economic downturn. Due to the coronacrisis the British tabloids have lost massive advertising income and are in survival mode, even begging the public to buy their papers because the billionaire owners refuse to bail them out with their private money.
In an ethical sense Meghan and Harry have already won this battle. Hopefully the British government will set ethical standards for the British press sooner than later.
Julie D, You raise valid points about the tabloid media.
But you are not giving the same scrutiny to H&M. They mentioned they want a private life away from limelight. Then, why do they have to engage with any media. Harry said that he remembers his mother every time he is in a camera flashing scenario. But, they choose to go to be in limelight all the time!!
The word “ethical” and British tabloids cannot go in the same sentence. Neither can H&M and ethics