A saying in the United Kingdom goes, “one would wait for hours for a bus and then two suddenly turn up at the same time.” We are at that point in the battle of the Sussexes against the gutter press.
As the gutter press and their apologists were lamenting over Wednesday’s balast from the Duke and the Duchess claiming her copyright, tonight, the Duke added the vile and untrustworthy the “muckracker” Sun and the slimy Daily Mirror to their litigation list.
The Duke has filed High Court summons suing those two newspapers for phone tapping. We would know a bit more as the days go by. That goes to show those so-called “experts” who have been tearing their hair out about the earlier legal announcement in South Africa were totally wrong.
One such person, who wrote a book about Prince Charles, with his support during the battle of the Wales’ in the mid-nineties, got her bit in early to say the Queen would not have approved of what the Duke said about the awful lying gutter press and the Duchess suing for copyright infringement.
Perhaps this retired journalist thought because the condemnation and the announcement of the litigation took place in South Africa, the Sussexes might have fouled the Monarch’s fine sensibilities. It is surprising that all these commentators are not remotely considered as members of the Royal Family, yet they know what the Monarch thinks and feels on particular subjects and events.
If one wrote an “authorised book” about Prince Charles twenty six years ago, that does not make one the Monarch’s confidant. If this woman is Prince Charles confidant or friend, she would have been invited to the Duke and Duchess’ Royal Wedding last year. She was not and ended up as a paid guest commentator for one of the US TV networks covering the wedding. As most Americans do not know or understand the intricacies of the Royal Family, that woman fed a lot of nonsense to those watching.
So today Friday, the Sussexes barely twenty-four hours after putting down their bags, the Duke is suing those two gutter newspapers and announced by Buckingham Palace. That does not mean the Monarch sanctioned the announcement. Remember, the Sussexes have their office and staff at Buck House. What it does mean is that the Duke and Duchess are in charge of their lives and future. It proved that the old journalist and all those who have made snide comments or written guff about the Duke’s condemnation and suing the Gutter on Sunday were wrong. The coming days would tell us the extent of the phone tapping and when they took place.
I am glad that we are having decent conversations about my observations across the mass media in the United Kingdom. There are some broadsheet (serious) newspapers, although conservative, have tried to present a balanced picture of the Duchess, but failed terribly. It is not their official policy to harass her, but have given their columnists carte blanche to attack her sometimes. Their fashion pages, though, write positive articles about her. The conservative newspapers claim to be royalists, yet do not stretch that loyalty to the Duchess.
One would think the Guardian a broadsheet (serious), left of centre newspaper would stay out and not support the Duchess. The paper does not support the Royal Family. They do not even have royal reporters as the others do. However, all their female journalists always write to defend her from the conservative scums.
But the print media is losing readers badly anyway. That is why they are now concentrating on online news. As one of the Sussex squad army said, one of the best ways to hit their resources, is to interfere with their advertising revenues. Any number of interventions would help with the battles ahead.
I do think I have to respond to one of the responses to my last piece. For an old black Brit living in the United Kingdom, I was very careful to make the point that we should avoid making a solely black support for the Duchess. As I said, whilst there are many black supporters in the United Kingdom, the overwhelming support, from Northern Ireland to Wales, are white Brits. They have been since 2017. They defend her on some television programmes, radio and newspaper comments. One would think, because of the noises off; there is no support from white Brits There is and in the majority.
I have to go back to the oft comment that the Monarch and Prince Charles should make declarations in public of their support for the Duchess. The Monarch does not usually do that, not even for her children. She would offer advice and support in private if she is asked and assuming she follows what the gutter press and some good for nothing trolls do on social media, which I doubt very much.
Prince Charles is very close to his daughter in law, but issuing a public statement to call for a ceasefire from the gutter press, would be counterproductive. He would only advice that she stays strong and continue with what she is doing. After all, what crime has she committed? In my sincere view, the smart way forward is what the Sussexes have embarked on – take the battle to their enemies with the help of friends like the Sussex squaddies and the law.
Journalists in the UK are more reprehensible than politicians. With our support, the battle would be won. Three gutter newspapers have been sued, who knows when others would follow.
Having read many so-called bios and one by the author you are alluding to in your piece, Charles is afraid of William for many reasons. He will not stop the courtiers because he has no control over William and never has. The Queen, yes she should step in but she is too old to change now, too old to see it and too buried in the old court ways. And she will be firm with William having the spotlight and very cautious of Meghan overshadowing the entire royal family. Harry is not just drawing a line in the sand to the Press, he is doing it to the royal house of Windsor as well. And William and Kate, they need to clean up their game and start playing fair. This court case will spill a lot of garbage and I hope and pray it ends with that horrific human garbage, Piers Morgan.
Hi Mr Gilbert, Sir! Hope you are doing well.
Thank you for your piece, I understand a few things better now. I still am trying to get my head around these Royal Commentators, whose words are taken to be as the ‘absolute’ on all royal matters. Just because they have written one book on members of the BRF, do they think they are bosom buddies? Their proximity to the Royals under the premise of writing a book is just a sham. They still do not ‘know’ them. And the public (myself included) readily accept what they say or write about them. I don’t know where have they gotten the idea that Prince Harry is ‘dim’??? I seriously cannot fathom. If he was, would be who he is now? A confident man with a clear focus on what he wants to do to bring change, and be a force for change? Would he have chosen the Duchess as his wife, if he was ‘not bright’, for whom he felt he ‘had to up his game’?
Well, these RRs have not been listening to Prince Harry when he had found his true calling since he was 19 years of age, and founded Sentebale. Not many at 19, in his ‘pack’, and given his background would even think of wanting to help young vulnerable children in Lesostho (a remote African country). With Duchess Meghan, his path for helping the vulnerable have never been clearer. Well, the RRs continue to underestimate him, but for how long? That will be interesting to see.
Prince Harry’s battle with the Press and the Tabs have just begun, and I am here for it. I fully support the measures he has taken, and Lord knows it has been a long time coming. I will be keenly following the developments, and will be praying for Prince Harry and his little family to come through unscathed. I believe they are mentally prepared, I know Prince Harry is (and I am sure the Duchess is as well), judging by the law suits he has launched. Seems like he was collecting his evidences for a long time. And I knew, he was going to take this step eventually at some point in time.
One point, you mentioned, Sir, with all due respect, that the Monarch showing public support for members of her family is not usually done. But what about the time when the Queen rode the car with the big windows with Andrew at Balmoral, in the midst of reopening of that Pedophile’s case, and his connections with the Monarch’s favourite child? It was interpreted that the Queen was showing support for her son, and openly at that. This contradicts from what you have stated in your piece. Being an outsider (not a British person) we get told that this is the Queen’s way of showing public support towards her son or any member of the RF. If the Queen does not mean to ‘show support’, what is the right way to interpret this? This could be subjective. It could be just a car ride. But is there any real meaning to these special car outings (with the big windows)?
And also Buck Pal, was quick to deny in a few statements, about Andrews’ allegations regarding his relationship with the Pedophile. Seems to me there is a double standard here – very much out in the open. For us, it is difficult to understand and see any justification about the Firm’s ‘selective’ actions. They are pretty consistent in protecting some members of the RF, and throwing the two ( in particular) to the wolves – is this fair game?
Seems like the Queen has made a special pack with the Devil Press and the Tabs, that she needs to provide human sacrifices to them every year in order to keep the Firm relevant. I will come across as being extremely harsh here, but, this is what I have interpreted by the Monarch’s actions, or lack thereof. I wonder whether this sacrifice is worth it? She already has the blood of one family member in her hands, the mother of her supposedly ‘favourite grandson’. And she is allowing that ‘favourite grandson’ to relive the horrors of his childhood again, and again, and again. One’s heart should be made of absolute hard, cold steel to allow such a great sacrifice just to keep her legacy relevant. I ask again, is it worth it?
#istandwiththesussexes forever and always.
Oh how i love & enjoy your articles, they’re brilliantly well written & ful of insight, yes, as for me i stand with the Sussexes & i applaud Prince Harry.
Thank you.
Thank you for your great insight, comments and opinions. I wholeheartedly agree with GP Maynard. I thought the exact same thing. I did not & don’t expect statements from the Monarch or Prince Charles. But, I would, and still do, expect them to engage in those important symbolic gestures, like riding in the car with Meghan and/or Harry to church or to some other event together. Attending or observing one of her working efforts with her patronages. Posting pictures of Meghan’s efforts on their Instagram. And doing a host of other creative ways to support Meghan. And for sure, reigning in Prince William & the courtiers.
Thank you for your insightful comments Harry and Meghan deserves to be respected and left alone so they can concentrate on their agenda to help the people.
This is a brilliant and well articulated article! Thanks, so much ! At times it seems like all hope is lost, and the belief that every white person in the UK hates this couple, but thanks for easing my anxiety. I look forward to your next article. Thanks again.
Thanks again for your opinion. Why r they all surprised at what Harry has done. Anyone who knows him should know that he will protect his family, this is the family he has craved for all his life and for them to try and use his mental health is to show they r running scared. I had to laugh when they say the would not report on them and they will c their charities suffer. Did they threaten this when they wouldn’t show the baby’s? Well now they will focus on the relevant ones. Harry and Meghan will b fine cause they have real supporters not bought ones. GOD BLESS???
Thanks.
I appreciate this very much, so thank you Mr. Gilbert. I used to hear stories of how the commentators referred to Prince Harry. They would say he was not smart, that he was not the brightest bulb in the box, but that he was very kind. Well, I do believe they have mistaken Harry’s kindness for weakness. And now Harry is about to take them to school and teach them how very wrong they were. And believe me, I’m here for it. #WeStandWithTheSussexes!#TheBrittishMediaAreBullies!#SayNoToBullying!✊?✊?✊?✊?✊?
Was the ‘blast from the past’ that disgusting geriatric JB questioning Harry’s mental health? I was appalled and it seemed to be the angle some of the toxic media were trying to push.
Glad to see it hasn’t gained any traction.
I find it funny that a number of toxic ‘talking heads’ are now saying to their press colleagues “let’s not write about the Sussex’s and watch their charities suffer”. Are they really so deluded that they think this will make a difference? We all know the majority of the support for the Sussexes and their patronages/charities comes via their IG and Twitter supporters and call to arms.
Anyway…thank you for another great piece. As time goes on I see the desperation of the press/media growing into hysteria at their oncoming demise!
Thank you Mr. Gilbert for keeping us in the loop across the waters. We are not there to feel the tremours of this. Your excellent account is well worhwhile. On a side note I do believe along with the tapping he is indirectly out to get Piers Morgan on his relentless abuse of his wife. In so doing a reinvestigation of piers Morgan be addressed. First time lucky not a second time for Morgan the Organ.
I do agree that there are more people that like Meghan, it’s just the biggest haters have the bigger platforms.
I hope more Brits join this fight.
Thank you for another wonderful article.
Thanks for making these excellent points about the uselessness of so-called “royal experts” and the broader support that the Sussexes enjoy. As to Harry’s father and grandmother I doubt anyone is expecting a statement. Rather there were many opportunities to utilize symbolic gestures of support. Whether an appearance together or support of their endeavors on Instagram (through their press people of course), their hands are not completely tied. Not to mention that behind the scenes more should have been done to rein in the courtiers.
I believe that it takes many people to allow an injustice to continue and I cannot absolve senior royals who have the ability to help.