The Iffy-Wiff Club: Archewell Foundation, Invictus, and other charities, news, a

[TLLK]

The part of that article that I found completely incredulous was a paragraph that said (paraphrasing, but this was the gist) that Harry and Meghan left because they didn't want royal life for their family, and everything else flows from that.  Seriously??!!!  The Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't want royal life for HRH Prince Archie and HRH Princess Lilibet???

No one has forgotten that this is not what Harry and Meghan wanted.  They didn't want to give up being royals.  They wanted half in, half out.  They wanted to pick and choose royal events to participate in, and also build their own personal fortune.  Their leaving is rooted in two things, imo:  jealousy of William and Catherine (they still can't seem to let that go, can they?) and a desire to build their own Hollywood empire.  And even that desire is connected to their envy of the Wales.  Of course I think they wanted money and fame for its own sake, but I also think they want it because they want to upstage William and Catherine.  If they can't actually move ahead of W and C in the hierarchy, then H and M at least want more wealth and popularity. 

At least that's what I think.     

I have to agree that if the couple didn't want the "royal life for their family" they could have chosen a few different options when it came to the styles/titles for their children. First, they could have kept to their original announcement made shortly after Archie's birth in May 2019 in which they stated that he'd be known simply as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. They didn't  want to use Prince Harry's secondary title: Earl of Dumbarton or even Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Lillibet could have been known as Lady Lillibet M-W. Second, upon KCIII's ascension to the throne,  they could have announced that they'd wait until their children were adults at 18 to see if they wanted to use the style/title HRH Prince/Princess of Sussex.  Buckingham Palace allowed the Sussexes to be the ones to determine when they'd want to  make any announcements regarding their children's styles/titles after Sept. 8, 2022.

Like you @Kristeh-H, I tend to believe that the  couple still desire some form of their "half in and half out" role that they'd envisioned and  originally announced in January 2020.

[wannable]

A great post @Kristeh-H, although I'm not gobsmacked about their revolving change of to be or not to be in reference to their children and other areas too, where they've contradicted themselves.

My initial comment about Spotify tied to the couple's via WMA comment campaign, let's say the part of the article that caught my eye is ''The Duke and Duchess of Sussex "were given no formal lay of the land to kick things off," says a source close to the 'Archetypes' production.

^ Basically this line is confirming what Tom Bower, Valentine Low, Robert Jobson, Rebecca English, Camilla Tominey - every RR except one or two - have said the couple complained about, which was a lie, they wrote in their books and articles not only the sources within the palace but described the many instances of receiving ''guidance'' of the how to, including formal 20 page bullet points about the British royal family, which she rejected. Whoever said NO to the couple was eventually made redundant. In their minds, via this People article, the NO is 'red tape'.

Their BRF and Spotify is exactly the same,  the couple are self-sabotagers.

[Kristeh-H]

Thanks.  Yes, it's very much like how Meghan claimed she didn't have a 'princess school' to help her assimilate into royal life--when it turned out that she had the equivalent of a group of private tutors.  Including the extensive dossier that Edward Lane Fox compiled for her with a list of experts who have said that she only contacted two of them.

It does sound to me like they simply want all the planning and hard work done for them and all that is required of them is to show up for the photo op with a smile. 

[Curryong]

It is often forgotten that Diana received the same ?guidance? from senior courtiers, including a lady in waiting to the Queen. However that person had known Charles all his life and adored him. So Diana felt that she would automatically be regarded as lesser than he if she wished to do something official or even informal that Charles disapproved of that the Court, including that person, would side with him. In other words she felt hostility directed towards her by senior courtiers from the beginning.

If it was very very difficult for a British aristocrat to pick up, understand the rules and ?fit in? to Court life, how much more difficult do you think it would be for someone separated from their mother, their country, their friends, their profession? And one who had their first pregnancy and baby within a few months of the wedding.

And it isn?t as if senior courtiers are incapable of lies and deceit. There is a lot written in this forum about lies told about the Sussexes. Yet there is at least one story Harry tells in Spare of once contacting the three most senior courtiers in the hierarchy (whom he calls by insect pseudonyms) about an issue that he wanted discussed with the Queen and righted if possible. And each of these three men agreed to raise the matter with HM. But when the Queen asked them directly about Harry?s communications with them when he raised it, each one, collectively and together, denied to her face (with Harry present) that they had ever received any such communication from him.

[Kristeh-H]

I'm certain it's not easy to adjust to royal life, but that is all the more reason to research it as much as possible and consider if you really want to be a working royal, and not rush into it blindly.  I'm also sure that Meghan was under stress, considering how many big life changes she made.  But some of that is on her too.  I understand that she and Harry wanted children and so there was a bit of a time crunch given her age, but no one forced her to jump right into full-time royal work.  It might have been wiser to have eased into it, working part time or even just saying that she was going to devote a few years to starting a family and adjusting to a new country and culture.  Would there have been some criticism?  Yes, probably.  The media criticised Catherine for being a part time royal for a while too, but William and Catherine made the decision to do what was best for their family.  Harry and Meghan could have certainly done that too, and it likely would have made things a little easier for Meghan. 

In any case though, Meghan didn't say that people were assigned to help her but it didn't work for whatever reasons.  She made it sound like she was simply cast adrift and no one was there to answer her questions or give her any guidance, and I don't believe that that is true.  I think there were people giving advice and guidance, but it wasn't what Meghan and Harry wanted to hear, so they discounted it.

I'm not sure I agree that lies are deliberately told about the Sussexes.  And how can anyone trust what they say?  Harry and Meghan have both been caught saying things that are half-truthful, misleading, or sometimes not truthful at all.  That has all been discussed over and over again.  Harry himself says that his memory is 'selective' or something like that, but that his memories are as good as facts.  Um, no Harry, it doesn't work like that.       

[Curryong]

Kate had the luxury, if you like, of being a part time royal because Prince Philip was still active on the royal duties roster at the time she married William and started her family. So she was able, from 2011 to 2017 to do a few royal duties and concentrate on growing a family.

By the time Meghan married Harry the situation was very very different. Prince Philip retired from royal duties at the age of 96 in August 2017, a few months before Meghan and Harry?s engagement. When they married the next year he was completely retired and had undergone a hip operation. After his retirement the younger royals automatically went into fulltime duties mode. There wasn?t the luxury of part time duties for any senior royal.

And as for courtiers let?s not forget that Valentine Low, no friend of the Sussexes, wrote in his update on ?Courtiers? that there were senior members of the Royal Household who ha*ed Harry and Meghan, ?and said so?. A direct quote, can?t get balder than that!

[Kristeh-H]

But Harry has said that the family discussed whether Meghan should become a working royal, and that he and Meghan were the ones who were adamant about her joining.  That doesn't sound like anyone was pressuring her to jump in full force.

Tbh, I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't staff and advisors who came to strongly dislike the Sussexes.  They don't sound easy or pleasant to work with at all.  Even Harry said that staff would be slumped at their desks crying, though he blames the press and the staff members themselves.  But considering the bullying allegations, that staff said the the Sussexes were difficult and bad-tempered, and even Harry admits that there was tension and crying staff--I'd bet there is a lot of truth to the bullying stories.     

[Curryong]

Harry wanted his wife to join him by his side as a full time royal. Charles, before the wedding, asked if Meghan wanted to continue to act. As she had obviously left Suits in Nov 2017 she expected to be on the royal roster. Charles moaned about the expense, not about her joining the roster or anything else.

And nobody on any royal staff has come out and spoken publicly about these bullying allegations. And that?s all they are, allegations. The Palace commissioned report remains private and undisclosed. 

[Nightowl]

Kristen-H:
That was a really great insightful comment you made, very interesting;

Does anyone ever wonder why that bullying report has remained locked up?  We will never know what is in that report till it is made public, yet I don't think it is to save the reputations of Charles, Camilla, William or Catherine, or any of the employees who worked for the royals,  I think it would really hurt the Sussex's, so be careful what you ask for as the saying goes.

I also think that Meghan saw how the royals live, and with that and titles, servants went to her head  as that is not how she was brought up or lived that lifestyle before Harry.  Harry grew up with that lifestyle, he expects to be waited on hand and foot and get whatever he wants when he wants it. So he assumed the same would be done for him wherever he went in life.

There is no doubt that the Sussex's have LIED again and again and those that know them have to be extremely careful of what they say around them for fear of it being in some interview, book, TV show or a reporter......they can't ever be TRUSTED again and that is on them only.  Half in and Half out, that will never happen with Charles or when William becomes king. As the saying goes, you made your bed so lie in it.

I would like it if they would just make their life in CA and leave the royal family in the dust of their lives. Yet that will not happen ever.

   

[Kristeh-H]

Harry wanted his wife to join him by his side as a full time royal. Charles, before the wedding, asked if Meghan wanted to continue to act. As she had obviously left Suits in Nov 2017 she expected to be on the royal roster. Charles moaned about the expense, not about her joining the roster or anything else.

And nobody on any royal staff has come out and spoken publicly about these bullying allegations. And that?s all they are, allegations. The Palace commissioned report remains private and undisclosed.

Charles moaned about the expense--according to Harry who does not always remember things accurately, even by his own admission.  It still doesn't sound to me like the family was pressuring Meghan to jump in full steam and that she and Harry could have taken things more slowly on that front.  The press can be intrusive and unfair as well.  But no one forced them to pore over every word.  I think mature people would have assigned staff to read through articles and let them know if there was valid criticism (something that the Sussexes might need to  improve upon), but not to disturb with them with nonsense or stupid, hateful things.  Harry and Meghan chose to read everything and obsess over it.  Not a healthy way to deal with the situation.  I'm sure it was a stressful time, but at least some of that was due to Harry and Meghan's own decisions.

The staff have spoken to authors, some of whom you have also quoted.  Harry himself said it was a tense atmosphere and the staff would be slumped at their desks, crying.  That's just not a normal workplace scene.  The Sussexes are (or were) responsible for the tone of their workplace environment.  When you consider the things that multiple staff members have said to authors, the turnover rate, and that Harry's own words show an unpleasant work situation, I think it's very reasonable to believe the Sussexes treated their staff poorly.       

[Kristeh-H]

Kristen-H:
That was a really great insightful comment you made, very interesting;

Does anyone ever wonder why that bullying report has remained locked up?  We will never know what is in that report till it is made public, yet I don't think it is to save the reputations of Charles, Camilla, William or Catherine, or any of the employees who worked for the royals,  I think it would really hurt the Sussex's, so be careful what you ask for as the saying goes.

I also think that Meghan saw how the royals live, and with that and titles, servants went to her head  as that is not how she was brought up or lived that lifestyle before Harry.  Harry grew up with that lifestyle, he expects to be waited on hand and foot and get whatever he wants when he wants it. So he assumed the same would be done for him wherever he went in life.

There is no doubt that the Sussex's have LIED again and again and those that know them have to be extremely careful of what they say around them for fear of it being in some interview, book, TV show or a reporter......they can't ever be TRUSTED again and that is on them only.  Half in and Half out, that will never happen with Charles or when William becomes king. As the saying goes, you made your bed so lie in it.

I would like it if they would just make their life in CA and leave the royal family in the dust of their lives. Yet that will not happen ever.

Thanks, Nightowl!  It would be interesting to see that report, wouldn't it?  I too think being royal kind of went to Meghan's head, but I have seen a report from her earlier days working in Canada that, while she could be very warm and friendly to some people, that she could also be a rude and difficult to people she considered 'inferior'--that she thought were only there to serve her.  It sounds like she was a diva on the set of a photoshoot she did for a clothing line.  So maybe she already had a bit of that attitude.  And it was a stressful time.  I wouldn't be surprised if she weren't very unhappy in the UK, but I still say that some of it was due to her own decisions and even if a person is stressed and unhappy, it doesn't excuse bad behavior especially from a grown adult who should be able to have some self-control.

Yes, I think the trust between the Sussexes and the rest of the family is gone forever.  I could see them reaching some sort of guarded truce, but I don't think there will be a close, loving relationship again (if it ever really existed.  I think now that William and Harry were never as close as we thought).  I said on another thread that one thing Harry and Meghan are good at is burning bridges.

[wannable]

Basically a Human Resources report is classified confidential at any organization, company worldwide.  IF it ever is disglosed, it will come from the 3rd party firm, although I very much doubt it.

[Nightowl]

^
Yet it has been reported that HM paid personally for that report.......so wouldn't that report be her private property to do with as she pleased?  I don't think she would of wanted that report to be made public because it would be damaging to some of the royal family and for me that would be the Sussex's.  I keep reading the comparison between Andrew and the Sussex's which are 2 very different issues as at least Andrew has mot threatened or bad mouthed or written a book or done TV interviews about the royal family, all he has done is exercise horses while the Sussex's can't keep their mouth shut how much they hate the royal family. 

So my opinion is that report is all about the bullying the Sussex's did to their staff, gads wonder what the turn is in Ca if it is anything like it was in the UK.

[TLLK]

Better Up has laid off 16% of its workforce this week after not meeting their financial targets last year.   :(  I hope the workers who were laid off will be able to find work soon.

Harry's San Francisco startup laying off workers amid Sussex rebrand

Over the last week, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have returned to the spotlight in an effort to reportedly ?reinvent themselves? and prove to the world that they?re not ?grifters? who need to exploit their fraught connections to the British family to keep people?s attention and maintain their wealthy, A-list lifestyle.

But they hit a possible snag with the news Thursday that one of Harry?s projects, the San Francisco-based mental health startup, BetterUp, ?missed its financial targets? last year and needs to lay off 16% of its workforce, or some 100 employees. The Daily Beast cited multiple sources within the company to report Thursday that the company, which provides ?mental fitness? services to corporate clients, has been dealing with ?internal tumult? for many months, including ?a revolt? in 2022 by its army of coaches over pay cuts and other professional issues.

It appears that Harry still has his lucrative job with BetterUp as its ?chief impact officer,? and is still listed at the top of BetterUp?s leadership team. The company has never offered details about what the Duke of Sussex does in his role, how much he is paid or how much time he puts in. He has given interviews for BetterUp on the importance of maintaining mental health and appeared in March with CEO Alexi Robichaux at the company?s Uplift summit. In interviews, Robichaux has vaguely said that Harry?s role is to expand BetterUp?s ?global community reach,? while the duke has said his job involves ?driving advocacy and awareness for mental fitness.?

[wannable]

The HR website Glassdoor with verified ex employee comments for that company are ugly.

And there are thousands of ex employees of of thousands of companies that are users of Glassdoor, mostly they don't describe working atmosphere, salaries, bonuses as such.

Harry is integral to BetterUp, he DID ''influence'' CEO's of companies to sign up with BU 2022, but that was before Netflix and Spare - which the Mercury news didn't detail about The Daily Beast originator - that kind of toxic attention isn't wanted. I think like Travalyst, instead of making redundant, you pause or shelve the person out of the front view for a while.

[Kristeh-H]

It's a terrible shame about the employees who lost their jobs.  I hope they can find other jobs quickly. 

[Kristeh-H]

I've always questioned Better Up's judgment in taking on Harry.  He's not the poster boy for handling mental health issues well.  If nothing else, the fact that he--a person who already had a therapist, who had been one of the figureheads for mental health support in the UK--then says that he had no idea how to help his suicidal wife does not speak well of his capabilities.   

[Curryong]

I've always questioned Better Up's judgment in taking on Harry.  He's not the poster boy for handling mental health issues well.  If nothing else, the fact that he--a person who already had a therapist, who had been one of the figureheads for mental health support in the UK--then says that he had no idea how to help his suicidal wife does not speak well of his capabilities.

Well as they have employed Harry now for quite a while and continue to do so, the BetterUp people quite obviously believe he is a valuable employee and therefore disagree with your assessment.

[wannable]

Two valid comments that are not the answer from one comment to the other comment. IOW IF I had a FAQ/Q&A, it would be two ''different'' questions with independent answers, which IMO are both valid.

The couple did DO a brouhaha about M suicidal thoughts, H I have my therapist in speed dial, H I didn't know how to help my wife, her pregnant medical team are ghosts...anyway IMO the suicidal and racist was M&H plot to disrepute the BRF.

H DID bring in about 60% of the BU sales goal (2022) with just his 'presence' little work. 1 hour show up. Source: TDB.  The other 20% BU sales force, the other missing 20% some have to pay. 

BUT, there's a but after the pandemic, in all industries the CUT in each department is notified by a BOD/CEO to be, for example: HR department cut 20%, Facilities department cut 30% and so.  According to Glassdoor the cuts in all Companies have been the Higher paid personnel to cover the losses, that means 1 white collar cut rather than 5 to 10 blue collar or worse cut.  Empathy to get rid of 1 white collar expensive hire rather than 5-10 blue collar employees. IOW, the savings of the rich is there, but the poor has no savings, a bad situation indeed.

The Glassdoor BU comments I refer as ugly is from Greed of the white collars to other really bad stuff (working atmosphere a dictatorship, contrary to their philosophy, etc that the coaches bring out externally to the companies that hire them)

[Kristeh-H]

Well as they have employed Harry now for quite a while and continue to do so, the BetterUp people quite obviously believe he is a valuable employee and therefore disagree with your assessment.

Yes, that is obviously true.

[Nightowl]

Harry is the very last person on this earth to talk about positive mental health as he is a total freak mess with the way his actions and behavior have been for the last 3 years.  Anybody taking any advice of any kind from his is sitting themselves up for failure. A company that employs him is a company nobody should ever do business with.  Those employees who lost their jobs I bet are wondering how he keeps his job when he is a millionaire many times over....... titles talk I gather!  Shame on BetterUp!

[PrincessOfPeace]

Prince Harry's new documentary release date confirmed as Netflix drops trailer

[wannable]

All the best, I hope it's 85% about the participants, 15% H.

[sara8150]

Check out ?Heart of Invictus? on Netflix

Watch Heart of Invictus | Netflix Official Site
August 30

[wannable]

https://archewell.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FINAL_ARCHEWELL-FOUNDATION-2021-FORM-990-PUBLIC-DISCLOSURE.pdf