131 thoughts on “Prime Minister of Antigua invited Prince Harry to honeymoon on the island with Meghan Markle”

1. What a joy to see Harry. But the honeymoon comment was totally inappropriate. The PM made a complete fool of himself. I don’t think he needs to worry about welcoming Harry on any kind of holiday there after that.

   1. +100

      King Henry really is the future of the Monarchy!

2. Well, the PM made an arse of himself, I think. Way to be welcoming–embarrass your honored guest, and you as a politician and representative of your own country, too!

   Poor Harry.

   1. + 1

   2. Ellie, I so agree with you. What an idiotic comment to have been made. You are correctd in saying “Way to be welcoming….” I feel badly for Harry, too.

      He seemed a bit less buoyant in these photos, but he still shines. His interaction with people is lovely and I love the photo of him blowing bubbles with children. The kids — so darling! The little girl to Harry’s left, with the bubble wand in her hand, is a cutie!!

      Sadly, I think the comment about honeymoons is stirring the Meghan pot again. She really got the pr she wanted, I guess.

3. I’m between cringing and laughing at the PM’s statement. He was so unprofessional it can’t be real. I’m feeling second-hand embarassement for Harry. Journalists must be ecstatic though, now they have a solid excuse to mention Meghan in 100% of the articles for the next two weeks. Yay.

   I’m glad to see he had a packed day and made the most out of the visit. Those pics of him making bubbles and hugging the kids are awesome.

   1. Richard Palmer who called Invictus and Harry’s charity work boring now says Harry’s interesting to him because he has a girlfriend.

      Ugh.

      1. I don’t know how Richard Palmer could possibly call Harry boring. The Invictus Games were incredibly and Harry gave the press awesome photo ops. Does he call W and K boring? Because that last tour of Canada was an absolute snooze fest.

         1. Seriously! That most recent Canada tour was beyond boring.

            1. Cringe worthy and off the cuff remark by the PM. As for Richard Palmer stating Harry is boring. Did you follow the Canada 2.0 Snooze Fest? Seriously Harry always is a class act, respectful, and prepared. He cares. On a side note, I find it funny Harry gets sent on the Caribbean Tours. Not making fun of Harry. Just picturing The Lamebridges throwing tantrums because Harry gets to go to the beach and they do not. Probably in their minds.

            2. It was rumored last year that the Cambs would go to Caribbean this year, but then they did India and Canada. Considering several female reporters didn’t go with Harry specifically because of the threat of Zika, I wonder if the Cambs turned the Caribbean down for the same reason. They also didn’t do their usual Mustique holiday this year and instead opted for the Alps.

            3. Female reporters did not make the trek with Harry because of their fear of Zika Virus? Is that correct? Don’t male reporters know that it is a hazard to them, too? The virus will live in their bodies for years and impact any children that are conceived during that time period. I believe I understand the info I read correctly. It’s not just women who are considering becoming pregnant or who are pregnant who need to worry.

            4. That’s what several of them said on Twitter as the reason they didn’t go.

      2. Richard Palmer said that all of the royals when they focus so much on one topic become boring because how many times can you write the same things about the same topic without it getting boring.

         And while I would never compare myself to Palmer or the other royal reporters, as someone who writes about the royals I understand where he is coming from. Unless the royal gives an interesting speech or says something interesting during the visit, the visit tends to be boring. There may be great photos, but there just isn’t much to write about.

         That’s why I usually put the foreign royals in a royal round up together because there just isn’t much to write about them, so I just write what little I have and then include some nice photos.

         The only thing that Kate has going for her compared to William and Harry is the fashion aspect. Whether we like her fashion or not, at least it gives me another paragraph or two to write about.

         Someone in my previous article’s comment section said no one cared about William’s personal life, but I disagree. Most people don’t care about William unless he’s talking about his personal life. I see it in the page views and number of comments. A solo William article that doesn’t include William being a hypocrite about wildlife conservation or him talking about his family just doesn’t get many people’s attention.

         Same with Harry, to be honest, which is why I’m so surprised that ‘every day coverage’ won the poll. So I don’t think Palmer’s comments are anything personal; it’s just the way of things. If more people cared more about a solo Harry or a solo William, then Palmer’s comments would be different.

         1. I agree with some of your views. But RP will not say that William or Kate are boring, he doesn’t say that their charity work is annoying. Sometimes he makes critics about W, K or H; but I think it is always more easily for him to criticize H : it is my impression.

            Honestly when he said IG is not interesting, I don’t agree : what is interresting about IG is to listening the stories of the veterans.

            I add another comment about this article here:
            – Even if Harry makes this statement, the PM must not talk like that, it is not appropriate. Have you seen the video? Harry is near tears.

            1. Palmer did say that William and Kate are boring. He said it at the same time he said Harry was boring. He said all three of them are boring when they stick to the same types of events. It was several months ago now that he said it.

            2. I didn’t see these tweets about K and W, sorry : i just saw tweet about the fact that they sell less covers of newspapers and IG not enough interesting to cover, not about K and W being boring.

               If someone could give me links about these tweets, I interrested to see them. But I find difficult to see old tweets (not an expert about Twitter now)

            3. Richard Palmer takes shots on Harry that he wouldn’t William and Kate.

               Even if it’s “the younger royals” approach to royal duties he will use Harry as the example – like them changing the way they do royal duties, quality over quantity model. Harry who does a heck of a lot more stand out, memorable and remarkable ways to champion his causes than William and Kate (who honestly aren’t doing unique or different approaches, they are doing fewer visits and it’s mostly the standard way of royal patronages and not the unique and more meaningful, focused approach they claim), like the Pole race, Invictus Games, walks around the UK.

               Including his dislike of their treatment of the British media, social media usage (the first pic of G&C), Kate’s guess spot on HuffPost when it’s William and Kate who left right and centre are issuing legal warning, lawsuits and letters, when not hiding away in Norfolk.

   2. I also think it would be becuase Harry would be considerably cheaper to host than WK and their posse.
      WHO came out with a statement saying Zika was no longer international health threat.

      1. Jenny, the virus doesn’t live in your system for years. For men, the recommendation is 6months before having sex without a condom. If partner is pregnant the recommendation is through out pregnancy. It appears to stay in the semen longer than other bodily fluids.
         Yes, they are still doing studies but the yrs statement is not accurate

         1. KMR that would make sense. If that is why the Cambridges didn’t go. Especially if Kate wants another baby. Maybe baby three isn’t too far off.

         2. Thx. Sarah. I guess I read the info incorrectly. Months, makes more sense. Still, not a pretty virus. I feel sorry for those who really are eager to have children and now are forced to live with this scary thought.
            I really thought the article I read said “years” and I remember several women I know being upset by that. Months is better than years, but still a nasty virus.

4. A thousand hahas for your take on Browne’s island promotion, KMR. I’m mortified on Harry’s behalf.

5. How much is this royal tour costing Antigua? And isn’t it one of the countries considering dropping the monarchy anyway? Seems like the prime minister has nothing more to lose (except a bit of dignity) and is getting some prime media attention in the meantime.

6. Just one day in on the tour and Jason Knauf has already lost control of the situation. LOL

   (Sorry, I should feel guilty for laughing, but I don’t. Wish they had pics of the steam rising from Jason’s well-coiffed head.)

   Lovely to see Harry interacting with the locals though. Such a natural gift he has. Will be interesting to see if the NotMyPrince movement gains strength or wanes.

   1. Notmyprince movement??

      1. Anti-colonial Twitter movement. Taken from#notmypresident. If I remember correctly it started in Barbados because the PM had announced they would drop the Queen and have a President but has pretty much dropped the movement since the original statement.

7. Personally I think he should apologize. He was highly inappropriate and disrespectful towards Harry and the Queen since he was representing her.
   I’d also say that his comment “whatever happens here stays here” about the beauty queens that was presented to Harry was so sexist. It gave the impression that these women were a gift to Harry.

   Harry is probably angry right now. And the press are enjoying this of course. Anything to bash Harry is a blessing to them.
   The day started so well and that stupid PM just ruined it…

   1. This. As a woman, I found that comment to be highly inappropriate.

      1. Just read the whole DM article…the PM promoting the women as some sort of sexual gift is far worse than promoting Meghan/Harry’s honeymoon, in my opinion. The latter is just an embarrassment for Harry, but the first is fully disrespectful to the dancers and to Harry. And I’m sure the PM is one of those guys who would laugh if a woman complained and just say “relax, it was a joke”. Ugh.

         1. I completely agree. The honeymoon thing was probably a joke that just ended up embarrassing Harry. The beauty queen comment is way worse in my book. Apparently Harry turned bright red blushing when the PM mentioned Meghan. That’s so adorable to me.

         2. Yes, I agree with all of you. What a sexist and nasty comment.
            So disrespectful to the ladies. I’m offended for them and embarrassed for Prince Harry, too. He could not have shared in this type of “joke,” I hope.

   2. I agree with all of you. As a woman I found that tacky, distasteful and dare I say sexist.

   3. It was highly inappropriate. It sexualized and objectified both women and Harry. Just distasteful.

   4. I guess I’m the only one who took that comment in a different way. When the PM said “Whatever is done here, stays here” I took that as a reference to Harry’s 2012 trip to Vegas because Vegas’ slogan is “What Happens Here, Stays Here”. So I was thinking the PM was referencing the fact that if Harry wanted to let loose like he did in Vegas (while he had girlfriend Cressida Bonas waiting back in the UK), that his antics wouldn’t get out like they did in 2012. Not the the PM was offering up women as pieces of meat.

      1. That is another way to look at it, but whichever way it was intended, his “jokes” fell flat, and were insulting and inappropriate.

8. Well to be fair Harry started this and let the floodgates open with that ridiculous statement. Tactful…. no, amusing……definitely had me chortling. When all’s said and done H. will more than likely honeymoon in Africa anyway. Meghan will probaly turn their honeymoon into some personal, philanthropical crusade that will include the Royal press pack to highlight ‘the cause’.

   Can you tell I’m feeling mighty cynical and irritated by both Harry & Meghan’s hamfisted press manoeuvres and manipulation of their situation. Richard Palmer should be absolutely ashamed of himself making that comment but sadly it sums up the mentality of the British press and almost all anyone is interested in re. This tour.

   1. +1

   2. I am with you on this one Mrs. BBV, while the comment was really inappropriate, if Harry had not issued that long winded and somewhat whiney statement to the press about his girlfriend, this would not have been said. Also, I do wish Harry would give up his membership in the blue shirt of the month club.

      1. +1 to both Mrs BBV and Boston Brahmin. Harry should have issued a concise, two/three sentence statement confirming he was in a relationship and asking the press to respect their privacy. That’s it. The essay that Jason Knauf drafted was indeed long winded and whiney. Now everyone is expecting an engagement announcement. I actually think the statement made things worse.

         1. +1 It gave the polite company like this PM the permission to talk about it because Harry chose to make it public. I don’t really feel sorry for Harry at this point. Although the statement was probably less-than-appropriate, I feel like Harry sort of brought it on himself.

            1. And the thing is the Harry knew that because of declining to talk about Chelsey, knowing the floodgates would open once the barrier went down. It still remains the most spectacular own goal. I do wonder whether he thought it would resonate with the public and therefore put pressure on the papers? Not a bit if it……it’s just made him fair game for everyone now.

         2. It seems that Jason specializes in long-winded and whiney 🙂

         3. He didn’t ask for privacy, he condemned the racist and sexist attacks made by the press. That being said, I agree the statement should have been more concise and less melodramatic. Harry opened himself to scrutiny.

            1. I think the fact that so many people think the statement was about privacy and not a plea to stop racism and sexism tells us that the statement was not worded correctly, was too long and overly emotional, and did not work in their favor.

            2. Agree KMR. And it was a wasted opportunity imo – it would’ve been great to have someone with Harry’s profile taking a straightforward public stand against these issues. Instead the thing was so sugary that what most people got from it was “he’s romantic / in love / getting engaged” or “he’s whining about privacy”.

      2. Not only blue shirt but look at those hideous tan shoes!! Ugh

   3. Personally i feel Jason should be hired for that statement.

      Harry might have felt the sentiment therein, but Jason’s lack of restraint in his press statements has proven harmful every single time.

      It has provoked a very hostile reaction from the press every single time which is the opposite of his job description.

      Three strikes and you are out.

      1. I agree. Very amateur handling. This bleeding hearts never plays with the British press. The only occasion I can think of a time where they have shown restraint and respect of late is when Michelle Dockery’s finance was known by the media to be dying of cancer but the public didnt know. They never broke ranks or printed a word about it until after he died.

      2. I agree, Herazeus. Jason’s a wonderfully emotive American (lol, nothing wrong with that), but I don’t think he understands the place of Monarchy in the UK, nor its tenuous connections to the press.

         Disney movies romanticise Monarchy (all those princesses! and their dresses!).

         -It is actually a part of a political system, yet they are not politicians.
         -They are super famous, yet not celebrities.
         -They preside over a democratice society, yet are emblematic of the exact opposite.
         -They have power, yet are not supposed to use it.

         The letter could be seen as an attempt to exercise that power. Perhaps an undercurrent of, or unexpressed fear from, the press -‘is the Monarchy going to start censoring us?’ influenced the pushback, and rise in unfavorable, or diminished press coverage.

         Jason just needs a quick lesson in a thousand-year-old Monarchy and its socio-political implications for the UK – then he’ll be fine 😉

         1. +1

         2. Absolutely.

   4. Agree completely.

9. I also took the comments as shameless promotion for the islands, inappropriate perhaps but clever and funny. I’m sure there will be plenty of reports about the comments rather than the purpose of the tour.

   1. The honeymoon comment was funny, the offering up women to Harry comment was gross and sexist. I feel for Harry, but only for the second comment.

      1. Agreed!

10. Well, now the tour will get some more press. It’s unfair to all the causes Harry was supposed to be highlighting that now because of the PM’s untactful comment all attention will be on Meghan, who is not even there. Palmer thought Harry was boring during Invictus – Palmer needs to start caring about people other than the royals and then he would have found amazing stories there that were anything but boring.

    I really enjoy Harry’s tours because I think he articulates well why he is doing charity events and really interacts with the local population and officials. I hope he’s not too discouraged by the comment, and knows that most people really appreciate his work. I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the tour.

    But, if Meghan and Harry do end up marrying, we now know where they will not honeymoon. Not that it’s any loss for Antigua – obviously plenty of people go to the Caribbean for their honeymoons and will always do so, whether the Royals visit or not.

11. Darn it! I knew this type of thing will happen. Instead of focusing on Harry’s work, it will be dubbed as the “pre-engagement” tour. Every look and comment will be tied back to Meghan. Let’s just say they’re dating and nothing materializes. Will this be th narrative for each girlfriend? Gimme a break.

    Harry is a special kind of magic. His empathy and ability to relate on a personal level is wonderful. He’s a great representative for the BRF. This now means that we will get a leak from W+K because you know Harry can’t outshine his brother.

    Thanks for the day #1 recap, KMR!

    1. I loved the way he interacted with the children at the sports events earlier in the day. The photos of him hugging the children with severe disabilities almost made my ovaries explode lol!

       1. My ovaries are dust. Just gone.

          1. +1000 😉

       2. He is great with them and in comparison today’s photos of Kate show her being so awkward with the kids and making a point not to touch them. You would think that the bachelor would be weird with kids and not the mother of two.

          1. I think it has a lot to do with their confidence levels. Harry seems to do what comes naturally. Kate always seems to be worried about her next move and looking good. She’s too nervous that she will do something wrong. Harry just does what he feels like.

    2. Yes, rhiannon. I agaree with you. I think Harry was naive in thinking that the press would not go crazy over Meghan’s trip to London. I don’t want to think badly of her, but I am wondering if she didn’t just court that PR.

       Harry always says that it’s so hard for someone in his postiion to find a woman who will put up with all the media hype and lack of privacy. Apparently, Meghan does not yet have a problem with this. Still, I wonder if she really is the one for him.

       Agree, that something “magical” will have to be leaked from Cambridge camp if Harry’s trip keeps going so well. Maybe, another baby? Then, Kate gets more time off from doing work!

       Hope you are well, rhiannon. Don’t be pushing yourself, ok?
       And, I am wondering how Cathy is. I hope nowhere near the quakes in NZ. Miss hearing from her and want to hear more about her Max sightings!

12. I really dislike the comment whoch had been made. Totally nappropriate! But dislike it even more that now media and everyone else rather focus on that comment than on the actual work.

    And I apologise if I missed smt, but is there a link to the full schedule of Harry’s tour?

13. I found Harry very tense on his arrival. At first I thought it was just the photos, but when I watched the videos he seemed really tense. I’ve never seen Harry like this before.

    About the PM. Trying to promote his country by embarrassing the guest of honour he invited to get the international media to his country? I think that was a major faux pas. Harry is officially representing HM. Would he have made a similar comment if she would have stood next to him? I doubt it. IMO that was not funny or friendly banter. He is the PM and should mind his high position and remember that he represents his country and its people and behave accordingly. I wouldn’t mind that much if he had been subtle and just said that he wants to remind everyone that his country is a wonderful honeymoon location and *winkwink to Harry. But to say they expect a new princess soon and to name her in front of 300 guests when Harry is not even engaged is embarrassing his guest, himself, his head of state and his country. And don’t get me started on the “Whatever is done here, stays here”. No matter what scandal or news got out in the UK nothing permits such an insult of an official representative of the head of state at an official event. But I also understand that Harry has no right to complain since he made things worse with his whyning from last week. I bet deep down Harry really regrets doing that statement.

    Back to Harry, I don’t know what it is, but something about him looks a little off. Maybe it’s just the embarrassment factor in the photos, but I can’t put my finger on it. I thought it looked as if he lost a lot of weight but it’s hard to say if it’s true. It’s just something I notices during the Remembrance Day engagements.
    He certainly doesn’t look like he is in a happy place right now. Whatever (or whoever) the reason might be. He seems to enjoy meeting the kids and all the other people but the moments when he is not “on” he reminds me a little of Kate and her dead eyes. I guess there is a lot going on behind the scenes right now and it isn’t pretty.

    1. Yes, I agree, Jamel. I posted elsewhere, before reading your thoughtful words, that he did not seem quite himself. Still, if Harry is off even a bit, he still is a bright light. But, I do think something is troubling him and I think he is feeling sad, too. I think the whole thing with Meghan and the media took a toll on him, but he did not handle things too effectively, I think. Oh, the things that will continue to trouble him I hope he is ready and able to hang tough.

14. Those comments by the PM are some of the tackiest I’ve ever read. I don’t blame Harry for being uncomfortable, though I’m glad he (as far as we know) didn’t handle it the way his brother probably would have by demanding a public apology.

    1. Tacky, Tacky!!! Harry is one of a kind. I wish him the best and hope he finds happiness. Kate should get the Most Improved Award…

15. Just checking this site really quick before running out of the house for a job interview…

    I just wanted to leave a quick comment to reiterate what everyone else has said. That was highly inappropriate of the PM to make that statement about Harry, especially since journalists and everyone else were told not to mention Meghan or ask questions about her. I also agree with Maya86. First the PM congratulates Harry on his relationship, then he offers Harry scantily clad women and says “what happens here, stays here?” I’m glad that harry refused to take a picture with them. That was sexist and tacky.

    Finally, I just want to say that I saw the video of Harry laying down and giving that disabled person a hug on the floor and it almost brought me to tears. That’s why people love Harry. Sorry to compare, but Kate would never have done that. That’s something Diana would have done.

    1. Oh, yes, Harry with the disabled was so thoughtful. So kind. He really is so much like his Mum. She always had love in her heart for those who seemed to need her light in more special ways, I can only imagine how very close she and Harry were. He surely misses her very much. William, too. But, Harry really is so much like her, it seems.

16. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3959346/Never-seen-childhood-photos-Prince-Harry-s-girlfriend-Meghan-Markle.html#comments

    For those who are interested… Meghan really needs to tell her family to be a little more discreet. Just saying.

    1. I saw that and wondered if they had already ordered their hats.

    2. This article is cringeworthy and embarrassing. Especially the part about how Harry hasn’t “stepped out of line because of her protective brother and nephew.” Ew.

    3. It’s not always the family’s fault.

       Firstly you assume Meghan is tight with every single member of her family.

       That may not be true especially if the only evidence of familial relations is a photo from 20yrs ago.

       Her immediate, close family members haven’t said a word or they’ve made it very clear they won’t talk or they’ve debunked some of the Meghan stories before going radio silent.

       This lot are talking when Harry made it clear media were stalking her family members, so this interview may have been given as soon as Meghan was outed and it’s only now making it to mainstream media.

       Harry asked the press to back off stalking her family, so now all obscure family members who can’t strictly be called family are being interviewed instead.

       Also, never underestimate venal family members who sell out their family members even if they have been asked to keep quiet.

       1. Well true…..every family has an Uncle Gary don’t they?

          1. Lol.

       2. Too true Herazeus! Unfortunately you can’t pick your family but it’s nice to see that none of her friends have spoken out. I do wonder though how much the “family” was paid for this exclusive?

          1. I’m suspicious that all their memories and photos are from 20yrs ago.

             Like that Middleton cousin who complained about Carole ditching them yet the only pictorial evidence of close familial relations was a photo from the early 00s.

             1. +1

       3. +100000

    4. I know, right. NDA these people already.

    5. Oh man. I actually feel sorry for her, I’m sure she had nothing to do with this. Her brother is a total ass for doing that!

       1. I know I have relatives who would go to the press for money if I was ever famous. When I was in law school I had an aunt through marriage try to get the inside scoop on me and luckily the person she spoke to said that I was smart and would go far. I had no idea that she had done this until my other aunt and godmother told my dad the story. So if this can happen to non famous me, I can easily see where some greedy relatives would sell her out.

    6. Annddd now her half sister is giving yet another interview. I saw one on YouTube, and now this one on Entertainment Tonight. The more they talk the more tacky it looks. This sibling is comparing Meghan to Princess Diana. Whether or not Meghan knows these relatives anymore, it is really tacky and embarrassing.
       P.S. in he first interview this sister gave, she said that Meghan was selfish for not helping her father financially. In this interview, she basically makes Meghan out to be a saint. So ridiculous.

       http://www.etonline.com/news/203451_meghan_markle_s_sister_reveals_her_normal_upbringing_likens_her_to_princess_diana/

       1. Which just proves the point about venal relatives who want money or fame for themselves.

          This particular sister has already been outed as a bitter betty who hasn’t seen Meghan for years.

          She flip flops in her statements about Meghan.

          1. Exactly. This sister is almost a generation older than Meghan Markle. She’s a bitter failed actress who is looking to make a buck.

             I suspect we all have relatives who would crawl out from under their rocks if we became famous. Markle having a half-sister she barely knows who says mean things about her for money? Nowhere near as bad as what they have on tape from Uncle Gary.

       2. She should start apologizing for her family immediately….oh wait that means Harry will need to apologize for his family… far from perfect….and he has well documented centuries of embarrassing family he would have to apologize to Meghan about…how embarrassing for Harry!!!

17. KMR, does your knowledge extend to logistics too?

    When Royals arrive by commercially scheduled flights, with other passengers on board, as Harry did for this tour, how are the other passengers taken care of?

    It looks, to me, as tho’ plane didn’t pull up to a regular gate but rather stopped some where on the tarmac. Harry seems to have disembarked first and the whole welcome ceremony, military parade and inspection of the guard of honour took place while the other passengers remained in their seats.

    If I were another passenger, I’d have been quite annoyed to be stuck on a plane and have my holiday delayed while waiting for all this to finish. Are passengers compensated for the inconvenience? What about those with connecting flights, how does that work? Surely this hold up and the need to secure the airport/Tarmac for the duration of the ceremony must also delay other inbound and outbound flights too.

    Random, I know but this will bug me until I find out exactly what happens.

    1. I would also be so annoyed as a passenger.

       1. I have heard that on many a flight where a Royal travels with the public the onboard bar is comped to make up for the hassle. There is a fabulous story of a flight with HM onboard where the bar was comped from a long haul destination. It ran out of drink before it landed and I think it was the last time HM travelled pleb class again. The singing kept her awake most of the way and she wasn’t too thrilled with increasingly drunken renditions of the national anthem. Might be Palace folklore but a great story if you were one of the passengers.

          1. I also wonder, did Harry change into a suit in the first class restroom?

          2. That seriously made me laugh out loud, “she wasn’t too thrilled with increasingly drunken renditions of the national anthem.”

    2. I have never been on a flight with a royal before but I was on a flight with a Minister on board before. It was quite the hassle. We had to go through an extra round of security clearance before boarding and they opened up all our bags and checked our phones.
       We also had to wait a while longer before disembarking.
       It was an annoying start to our trip for sure.

       1. Now, that sounds like one interesting flight! Thanks Mrs BBV 🙂

          Goodness Kathy, that sounds rather unpleasant. I hope the rest of your trip went well!

18. I don’t mean this in a snarky way, but what is the purpose of this tour? I know it is celebrating an anniversary of some islands’ independence, but that seems strange to be celebrating throwing off the British colonial yoke with a member of the BRF. Is it trying to keep the Queen as HOS on these islands? Why would Britain care? Is it publicity opportunity for PH? Is the cost being borne by the islands, which are not wealthy?

    I started thinking about this when I saw #not my prince was trending in some of these countries. And I also remembered how they used to make P Margaret go to a lot of independence ceremonies in the Caribbean, partly so she got a free trip to Mustique.

19. Wow. I mean, what Browne said was highly inappropriate especially in front of so many people, but damn that’s hilarious. I feel so mean laughing at that comment, especially since Harry was reportedly so embarrassed by it, but it’s just so funny because Browne is fully-throttle using Harry to promote his island as a honeymoon spot and doesn’t care if he embarrasses Harry in the process. It’s amazing. As of time of posting Browne has not apologized, and I hope he doesn’t. Own your self-promotion, buddy.

    —

    Couldn’t agree more.

20. I’m in the minority because my hat is off the PM for unabashedly promoting his home. I say he did more than Justin Trudeau for Canada!
    I feel that Royals/politicians should be used to this sort of thing. Grin and bear it and move on.
    Yes, I found it tacky but it still made me laugh and maybe next time Harry will think twice before issuing such a poor public statement.

    1. I agree with you. And if you’re going to give a public statement calling someone your girlfriend, then it’s expected.

       Whether people like it or not, Harry is a representative of the Crown and the PM’s comments and #notmyprince are representative of people’s feelings toward it.

    2. +1

    3. Justin Trudeau is the most popular Canadian PM internationally since his dad, and probably moreso because his dad wasn’t as much of a looker. I still don’t know why he wanted Will and Kate to vacation here at the taxpayers expense because they were boring and pointless and other than a few public outings of the kids it didn’t stand out in any way.

       Trudeau doesn’t really need the royal bores to promote Canada. His welcoming of Syrian refugees has gotten more attention worldwide than anything Will and Kate did during the visit. And the days he was present the crowds were larger. I hope he doesn’t bother inviting them again. It was a huge waste.

21. I suggest the PM get some class, I had to skip reading the part on all that, it just makes me cringe for Harry. Rest of the coverage was great though!
    I agree with earlier comments on Palmer. most of the time he seems professional, and his honesty can be a breath of fresh air but I mean to call harry’s meeting with a foreign leader “dull” and then focus on how far apart Harry and Meghan Markle are, emphasing it in thw title!! I get people are interested, but not that interested. Especially when people were asked not to mention her

22. My gosh, that is one rough holitour. I imagine the weather is quite miserable in dear old Blighty.

    1. Two weeks, 7 countries, 40+ engagements iirc. Not exactly a Cambridge HoliTour. Still not up to Charles numbers, but nothing to sneeze at.

       1. I heard it was 51 engagements actually. Maybe I’m wrong.

          1. I read the same thing, but there are new engagement on day 1 : he made investiture, on twitter peppermint that this type of engagement was not counted for H, but counted for W and K…

             1. As far as I am aware, Kate has never given an investiture.

          2. That was just a quick personal count I made, scanning through the list of what had been announced. It might end up being more, if they count things differently than I do.

23. https://youtu.be/LFl-qrsMQpQ

    Here is the video of Harry’s reaction when the PM is making those comments about Meghan. I have been waiting to see this video because I wanted to see how Harry reacted. I feel bad for him because he looks like he is about to cry. Harry isn’t just uncomfortable, it is like his eyes are welling up with tears. The PM crossed a line. But, on the other hand, the statement from Kensington Palace looked so official it made it seem like there was an engagement on the immediate horizon. Even here in the US the show called “The Talk” had the panelists say that looking at the official Kensington Palace stationary made them feel like Harry was about to get married.

    This whole thing was not handled properly. Jason Knauf should be fired.

    1. Harry looked irritated with the comment. As noted by others, it was unwise to issue that statement in the first place. I’m sure Harry was advised against it but pulled rank, and so it was issued. It has all the hallmarks of an angry lover, verbose rather than formal words issued with dispassion. But I’d agree, this ‘romance’ has been poorly handled by all parties if the intention was to introduce to the world a prospective partner for Harry.

    2. Maybe they aren’t together anymore, and that’s why Harry looks so discombobulated by the PM’s attempt at light hearted fun

       1. That is interesting, Ray. I also thought it was possible that harry might break up with her soon and he knows it so that may be adding to his discomfort.

          If I were dating someone and happy in my relationship and found myself in Harry’s position I probably would just shrug it off or laugh and brush it aside like it isn’t a big deal. I am surprised by Harry’s reaction.

          I know that Charles was in the Middle East when Harry issued this statement, I wonder if maybe when he got back he told Harry and/or Harry’s team that they did the wrong thing? I am not sure if Charles has that kind of relationship with Harry.

24. The PM’s comment was inappropriate but I can’t help but snicker at the whole thing. It’s becoming a giant joke and Harry is the butt of it.

    1. Yep.

25. Maybe it’s just me, but I interpreted his look differently. In the video it looked like he was biting back a type of smirk of sorts to me. Maybe, a strained smile. Like if he didn’t know if he should chuckle along or stay serious. He didn’t exactly look angry to me as other commenters suggested. just slightly embarrassed. He seemed to settle for a solemn look towards the end. Honestly, I get why he wanted to defend his GF, but what did he expect to happen afterwords? He had to have known that somebody would eventually tease/joke around with him publicly. I think he’s use to it though I seem to remember the press asking about when the engagement with his Ex would be announced and just looked at them like they were insane. He chuckled and shook his head no or something to that effect.

    1. Personally, I think Harry should have stuck to defending against the racist and sexist attacks on Meghan and left it at that. The KP statement was too long and his message got muddled and I think that’s why everyone is freaking out so much. If he had done two sentences that told everyone to stop being racist and sexist and left it at that, then it would have been better and more effective, and I don’t think there would be as much drama happening around it.

       I also didn’t see crying in the video but I didn’t see a smirk, either. I saw him searching for how to react so he bit his lip.

       1. “Personally, I think Harry should have stuck to defending against the racist and sexist attacks on Meghan and left it at that. The KP statement was too long and his message got muddled and I think that’s why everyone is freaking out so much. If he had done two sentences that told everyone to stop being racist and sexist and left it at that, then it would have been better and more effective, and I don’t think there would be as much drama happening around it.”

          Absolutely. I totally agree with this. It should have been 2-3 sentences, something simple and concise.

          I don’t think anyone should ever be subjected to racist/sexist remarks or death threats/ I also think that people circulating nude photos of Meghan on the internet is wrong, even if they were photo shopped. So I get that Harry wanted to address what was happening.

          But I personally feel that Jason Knauf (or maybe even ELF) should have convinced Harry to be a little more restrained in the statement he gave. That’s their job. As it is, the statement looks unprofessional and too emotional, particularly with a brand new relationship.

          I did feel like I saw tears welling up in Harry’s eyes, though. There is one close-up video of Harry’s eyes that made me feel like he looked panicked or upset, I definitely didn’t see him laugh.

          But no matter what, issuing this official statement has opened a huge can of worms, to the point that even a Prime Minister feels he can comment on the relationship. I just don’t think it was handled by Harry’s team the right way.

26. I don’t agree when many of you say that he brought that onto himself because of his statement. I’m not okay with victim blaming/shaming.
    Harry called out the racism and sexist that was present in many articles. And that statement made it stop. Do the press still print about his private life? Of course they do and they will. But he knew that. He just wanted them to stop printing headlines such as “dreadlocked African-American mother”, “exotic DNA”, “Straight-Outta-Compton” or the Pornhub one. Many US publications have denounced the treatment of Meghan by the UK press. Rachel Johnson, who wrote the “exotic DNA article, even had to defend herself on Twitter because she was being called racist after the statement was released. The one who wrote the Straight-Outta-Compton one, had to make her Twitter private because of the heckling.

    The headlines focusing on Markle doesn’t really surprise me. Back in 2010, William tour in Australia and NZ was kinda similar with many headlines focusing on his answers when he was asked about Kate or a future engagement.

    Now about her publicity-seeking behaviour. Maybe she should drop her acting career and move to the UK and wait by the phone to figure out when needed or not needed. Apparently that is what it takes to be a perfect Royal GF.

    More seriously though, I think Meghan would be great for the BRF but I don’t think the BRF would be great for her.

    1. Rachel Johnson wrote a follow-up piece for the DM where she defended herself and said Jason told her he hadn’t even read her “exotic DNA” article when he issued his statement.

       I think the people who were harassing the reporters on Twitter should have been banned. Harassment is not okay, no matter who it’s directed toward.

       1. But where is the difference between “Harry shouldn’t have released this statement because he brought this kind of behaviour onto himself” with reporters writing articles with racial and sexist undertones and then being called out for it? Didn’t these reporters brought that onto themselves.
          The worst part is that Harry and Meghan have done nothing wrong but apparently they should have been okay with those headlines. While these reporters who were 100% wrong are the real victims. Well I disagree.

          I also agree that the statement wasn’t well-worded but I think a simple “Yes we are dating and we want privacy” wasn’t enough. First, because the press will never let them have privacy and second, as I said earlier, it’s the racial and sexist headlines he was aiming at and that stopped after the statement.

          1. I’m fairly certain I have never said “Harry brought this on himself”. I did laugh at the blatant island promotion from the PM, but I never said Harry deserves any blowback he got from the statement, and I have been saying since the first article on Meghan that the racist treatment of her by the press and public was not okay. I’ve also defended the KP statement because it was always about the racist and sexist treatment of Meghan and never about privacy, although I have said that the statement’s point got lost because it was too long and emotional, which I stand by.

             1. @ KMR: Maya86 never stated that it was you who had said that.

    2. I dont think he brought it on himself either. He was defending his girlfriend.

27. Hi, first time poster, been reading for a while tho. Noticed the YouTube vid re: Harry’s reaction to PM’s comment was private, here’s another one. He does look awkward/uncomfortable, and I thought the PM was rather tactless too.

    http://www.themalaymailonline.com/videos/life/watch/reuters-video-antigua-pm-gives-prince-harry-awkward-honeymoon-invite

    1. Cringeworthy for sure.

28. When all this started, my stance on Meghan was skeptical, given that I don’t think a serious argument can be made that while she may not have phoned Camilla personally, she certainly didn’t mind one bit that it got out and stoked it 100%. So I thought this isn’t real.

    Then the KP statement came out and at first I thought maybe he issued it to not look like a cad over the Sarah Ann story (still a possibility). But if that were the case would it have been so effusive? Maybe because of Knauf, yes.

    But ok, it’s real, then, there is NO WAY UNDER THE SUN she and Harry haven’t had the talk about what his role–and upcoming tour–demands from her, and I’m sorry but if you love someone and if you’re compatible with them then you do your best to oblige. I don’t see evidence of that in Meghan. I understand that she can’t shut her family down but if you look at the pattern of publicity and know anything about PR, you see this is campaign, and it is nauseating to me at this point.

    Because the more I have looked into her work, the more inauthentic and self serving it all seems. That whole refugees to red carpets thing was shameless, given it occurred over a 3 day period and was photographed for a fashion magazine in February. In one photo in the mirror she is standing next to a cameraman looking as if she is waiting for him to say “Action!” while poor African children are lined up behind her as nothing more than mere props. The photo almost made me ill to my stomach. I am sorry to be on my high horse now but this to me is a truly despicable form of exploitation, not least of all because it tarnishes actual humanitarians (like Harry) who get their hands dirty. Moreover, it speaks volumes that the two organizations that she associates with are the UN which is known as being where celebrities go to rehab or boost their image and World Vision, which has been rife with governance issues to say nothing of that whole anti-gay stance they had, oh, basically yesterday. It is mail-order humanitarianism, courtesy of a signed contract with Kruger Crown, who by the way puts on a lot of these conferences where she snaps photos of herself talking to Pakistani ministers. And the Elle reprint about glass ceilings and glass slippers? No words.

    And so back to the question: what is going on with Harry? Because I see what Jamel and others mentioned upthread, which is a man who has not looked himself in a long time, who looks thin and drawn and stressed. And I can’t help but wonder if it’s because as he stands there biting back emotion while the PM humiliates him, it’s occurring to him that once again he has spent years rebuilding himself (post-Vegas) only to once again so quickly become the butt of the joke on account of a self-serving attention seeker.

    1. @green trees. i agree with you.

    2. Green Tree, I agree, i couldn’ t say better!

    3. Hi guys! I’ve been a long time reader, but I never really posted before. I just want to say that I really enjoy your blog. It’s given me entertainment during the long restless nights with a fussy baby who refuses to sleep in her bassinet!!

       Green trees, I agree with some of your points. However, I don’t think it’s completely fair to lay all the negativity and blame (for lack of a better word) at Meghan’s feet. Meghan is what she has always been: an employed actress with a social media presence and lifestyle blog. A big part of her job is self promotion and gaining publicity to increase her brand so to speak. Her charity work isn’t any different than what most celebs do. Harry knew what she does for a living, has seen what she posts on her blog and social media, and decided that it was not a deal breaker for a relationship. That’s why I think if Harry is upset with the current state of things he has no one to blame but himself. Perhaps he didn’t think all this stuff would become as big a deal as it has become, but I truly doubt it. In the interview for his 21st birthday he said he’d love to talk about Chelsy but doing so would open the floodgates. He was absolutely right in calling out the press on being racist and sexist, but his statement was poorly executed. It should have been a couple sentences with a very concise point. I think Harry gets a pass from a lot of people because he does a lot better at connecting with people on engagements than his brother and SIL, but I think he is a lot more like his brother behind the scenes than previously thought.

       1. Carter, welcome! And virtual hug on the fussy baby as I have a new little one at home too;)

          I actually agree with you wholeheartedly and don’t think we are saying two different things. In fact, I was editing my comment when it posted because I wanted to add in the point that you’re making–Harry is the one that has seen this rodeo before! So you are absolutely right. Which is what makes me think they maybe weren’t as serious as she thought they were and that this got away from him. Who knows anymore. I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t know if the KP statement is so much an indication of the seriousness of their relationship as it is an indication of the vileness of the attacks.

       2. It becomes worrisome when the PR strategy for a career involves using innocent people as props, particularly people in need. When the interactions are driven by a PR company feeding its clients through its own initiatives, as Kruger Cowne does, it looks both self-serving and inauthentic. If someone with genuine intent becomes involved with philanthropy, they don’t bang on about themselves, continually. They just do it, not for a couple of days here and there with camera crew in tow. And when the resulting article focuses more on the actor’s clothes than the actual cause, it’s a complete fraud perpetrated on both readers and in this case, Rwandan children.

          I would also call out royals in this regard too. While some feel deeply about particular causes, others most definitely do not. The charity work becomes little more than a mechanism for royals to be seen and hence justify huge amounts of public monies.

          In both cases, we must demand from ourselves a promise to discern the real from the constructed image. We should call out the inauthentic for what they are; how else to shame them to stop? Millions upon millions of folk donate their time and skills and money to charities on a regular basis. They don’t get paid, or seek to gain personally from their involvement. I think they are more worthy of admiration than those paying PR strategists to make them look ‘good’.

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