I did see the company that made Meghan’s pinky ring (she wore it when she was shshing the kids at the window) merching the ring. It was ok to merch the ring but the company had pictures of the children ‘in’ the ad/post. Considering that the Sussex’s are so sensitive about releasing photos of their own kids, I was in agreement (with many) that this company shouldn’t use someone else’s kids in their merching.
As always, well stated. I do have one quibble with your point about Kate ordering cakes for her children's parties. I think it’s possible that she bakes the cakes, but also certainly possible that she orders them.
Hmmm. I really am conflicted over this. Who knows how successful Clare Ptak's company is in these days of inflation, post-COVID? Does she need the publicity? It really is quite a beautiful cake but actually I feel it's Ptak, rather than M & H who is trying to get the publicity. How many of M & H's fans worldwide are going to order a cake from England? But the fact that they were in the UK, well, she may get some business from M &'s UK fans.
Some products are shipped worldwide for a reasonable cost (I doubt a cake would be but who knows.) I admire Kate's and, yes, I admit it, Meghan's jewelry. As an ex-pat Canadian, I bought the least expensive pair of Birks earrings she owns the last time I was home in Vancouver and love them. (I covet the diamond snowmen but, wow, just can't afford them.) I wouldn't have known about them had she not worn them. I have a few pairs of Kate's earrings (am so glad she wears affordable earrings a lot of the time) that have been noted on Jane's and other web pages and a couple of her Black & Co cashmere scarves too. Wouldn't have known about them had she not worn them. So, like Jane, I am not averse to being influenced.
The cake doesn't bother me. And, truthfully, I actually, in hindsight, felt sorry for them last weekend. I had a personal experience the weekend before: it was my 70th birthday which was a big deal in my mind. I had hoped for a lovely cake, nice presents, a "well done Mum, Grandma, dear Wife." It means a lot to me because both my mother and my sister didn't live to see 60 let alone 70. Anyway, unfortunately my birthday fell on the same weekend as my eldest granddaughter's high school graduation. We all live in the same town. So, while a got a birthday card and a vase of flowers and my husband said "Why don't you order yourself something online?" all celebrations were focused on granddaughter's achievement and super news that she had been accepted into the program she wanted at the university she wanted with full scholarship. There were parties, restaurant celebrations, graduation cake, the other grandparents came into town which is always a big deal because they aren't seen very often. I felt like I was watching from a corner (I went to every single event we were invited to); a happy corner but a bittersweet one nonetheless. While the mature side of me realized that I have had many birthdays and, God willing, will have more, and that high school graduation only happens once, I felt sad. Oh, okay, I admit I still feel a little sad (grow up Valerie!)
All this is to say that M & H would have a right to feel sad that they came all that way, that they had (perhaps) wanted to mend fences by having a quiet family party, and they got it wrong again. Wrong time (I mean seriously, the Cambridges were run off their feet!), wrong footed by all that they have publicly said and done in the past. I sincerely hope they were invited to the family lunches and the Party at the Palace and it was their own obstinence that they didn't go. That kind of thing can be got over in quiet reflection--I keep hoping that they will grow up soon and realize you catch more bees with honey. I do believe that if they were to come over again during the summer, stay at Frogmore and extend an olive branch, there would definitely be a positive response from their family. But they have to see that the desire is sincere.
It would be fine if they just re-open their Instagram, instead of these surreptitious posts by their vendors. They could say that they want to own rights to the images and don’t want a brand to profit from them. It’s more the backdoor-ness of it that seems hypocritical. They missed a massive brand building opportunity with the Jubilee and it would have been free, under their control.
I completely agree. Also your statement "Their platform is continuing to be “influencers” based upon the notoriety they both garnered as senior members of the British Royal Family." - is a spot on categorization of who they truly are now. And while there is nothing wrong with that, its their failure to recognize their own hypocrisy of using their royal title to move back and forth from royal to 'celeb/influencer' status as it benefits them. They chose a lane and they should stay in it, even though they were allowed to move to that lane on the coattails of their royal status. It's a conundrum for sure, because they couldn't have the one without having the other, but I think they thought too highly of their own star power and didn't realize it's the royal status that has the staying power.
Thank you, Jane, for this cogent analysis. All along since they got engaged, Meghan and Harry have done this awkward dance of over and undersharing. They like to cloak their lives in mystery when a simple acknowledgment of the truth/facts and consistency in their approach would be far simpler and more appropriate. But, then they turn around and describe in nauseating detail how they both are feeling. I really wish they would go away and do whatever they want that will bring them happiness without relying on their former royal connection. Oh, how I wish that Charles would strip them of their titles when he becomes king since I am sure that Harry's memoir will only be published if it includes damaging statements and innuendo against the royal family. Why should they get to profit from a connection to the royal family that they have tried to deliver really damaging blows to?
It does seem peculiar given Meghan's comment, as noted in "Finding Freedom", after the lack of photos and information about godparents after Archie's christening, that she felt she was expected to “serve her child on a silver platter”.
I agree.
I did see the company that made Meghan’s pinky ring (she wore it when she was shshing the kids at the window) merching the ring. It was ok to merch the ring but the company had pictures of the children ‘in’ the ad/post. Considering that the Sussex’s are so sensitive about releasing photos of their own kids, I was in agreement (with many) that this company shouldn’t use someone else’s kids in their merching.
As always, well stated. I do have one quibble with your point about Kate ordering cakes for her children's parties. I think it’s possible that she bakes the cakes, but also certainly possible that she orders them.
Hmmm. I really am conflicted over this. Who knows how successful Clare Ptak's company is in these days of inflation, post-COVID? Does she need the publicity? It really is quite a beautiful cake but actually I feel it's Ptak, rather than M & H who is trying to get the publicity. How many of M & H's fans worldwide are going to order a cake from England? But the fact that they were in the UK, well, she may get some business from M &'s UK fans.
Some products are shipped worldwide for a reasonable cost (I doubt a cake would be but who knows.) I admire Kate's and, yes, I admit it, Meghan's jewelry. As an ex-pat Canadian, I bought the least expensive pair of Birks earrings she owns the last time I was home in Vancouver and love them. (I covet the diamond snowmen but, wow, just can't afford them.) I wouldn't have known about them had she not worn them. I have a few pairs of Kate's earrings (am so glad she wears affordable earrings a lot of the time) that have been noted on Jane's and other web pages and a couple of her Black & Co cashmere scarves too. Wouldn't have known about them had she not worn them. So, like Jane, I am not averse to being influenced.
The cake doesn't bother me. And, truthfully, I actually, in hindsight, felt sorry for them last weekend. I had a personal experience the weekend before: it was my 70th birthday which was a big deal in my mind. I had hoped for a lovely cake, nice presents, a "well done Mum, Grandma, dear Wife." It means a lot to me because both my mother and my sister didn't live to see 60 let alone 70. Anyway, unfortunately my birthday fell on the same weekend as my eldest granddaughter's high school graduation. We all live in the same town. So, while a got a birthday card and a vase of flowers and my husband said "Why don't you order yourself something online?" all celebrations were focused on granddaughter's achievement and super news that she had been accepted into the program she wanted at the university she wanted with full scholarship. There were parties, restaurant celebrations, graduation cake, the other grandparents came into town which is always a big deal because they aren't seen very often. I felt like I was watching from a corner (I went to every single event we were invited to); a happy corner but a bittersweet one nonetheless. While the mature side of me realized that I have had many birthdays and, God willing, will have more, and that high school graduation only happens once, I felt sad. Oh, okay, I admit I still feel a little sad (grow up Valerie!)
All this is to say that M & H would have a right to feel sad that they came all that way, that they had (perhaps) wanted to mend fences by having a quiet family party, and they got it wrong again. Wrong time (I mean seriously, the Cambridges were run off their feet!), wrong footed by all that they have publicly said and done in the past. I sincerely hope they were invited to the family lunches and the Party at the Palace and it was their own obstinence that they didn't go. That kind of thing can be got over in quiet reflection--I keep hoping that they will grow up soon and realize you catch more bees with honey. I do believe that if they were to come over again during the summer, stay at Frogmore and extend an olive branch, there would definitely be a positive response from their family. But they have to see that the desire is sincere.
It would be fine if they just re-open their Instagram, instead of these surreptitious posts by their vendors. They could say that they want to own rights to the images and don’t want a brand to profit from them. It’s more the backdoor-ness of it that seems hypocritical. They missed a massive brand building opportunity with the Jubilee and it would have been free, under their control.
I completely agree. Also your statement "Their platform is continuing to be “influencers” based upon the notoriety they both garnered as senior members of the British Royal Family." - is a spot on categorization of who they truly are now. And while there is nothing wrong with that, its their failure to recognize their own hypocrisy of using their royal title to move back and forth from royal to 'celeb/influencer' status as it benefits them. They chose a lane and they should stay in it, even though they were allowed to move to that lane on the coattails of their royal status. It's a conundrum for sure, because they couldn't have the one without having the other, but I think they thought too highly of their own star power and didn't realize it's the royal status that has the staying power.
Thank you, Jane, for this cogent analysis. All along since they got engaged, Meghan and Harry have done this awkward dance of over and undersharing. They like to cloak their lives in mystery when a simple acknowledgment of the truth/facts and consistency in their approach would be far simpler and more appropriate. But, then they turn around and describe in nauseating detail how they both are feeling. I really wish they would go away and do whatever they want that will bring them happiness without relying on their former royal connection. Oh, how I wish that Charles would strip them of their titles when he becomes king since I am sure that Harry's memoir will only be published if it includes damaging statements and innuendo against the royal family. Why should they get to profit from a connection to the royal family that they have tried to deliver really damaging blows to?
It does seem peculiar given Meghan's comment, as noted in "Finding Freedom", after the lack of photos and information about godparents after Archie's christening, that she felt she was expected to “serve her child on a silver platter”.
I don’t think they realize that they’ve made themselves irrelevant and nobody really cares what they’re up to (or not) at this point! 😄😄
Bravo Jane!!