Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas, is in intensive care seriously ill.

Luckygirl when speak of the royal family upbringing are you speaking only of the heir to the throne children ? William and Harry have six first cousins

Perhaps that's what happens if you make a deal with the devil by taking their money, Terribull.

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That is fair comment Annie - but I also think that the upbringing of royals is very far from the norm - it has to be because of the pressure to conform and the expectations that are placed on them. I do not see that as very conducive to a happy childhood.

They are in a weird goldfish bowl peered at by the whole world and bound by protocols that curtail their freedoms.

I would not like to have my relationships under that sort of scrutiny - I don't think any of us would.

Why do people invest so much in this young couple, and indeed in the whole royal phenomenon? As long as that brings satisfaction to the followers then that is relatively harmless, but when it is about jettisoning any hint of kindness and understanding then it is not harmless at all.

What do you know of Harry’s upbringing Luckygirl ? Surely not from newspapers

Primrose53

Breaking News

Being reported that she has finally “reached out” to her Father.

Good.

Let's hope some kindness can be shown by a daughter to a very ill father.

Luckygirl3

lemsip

Luckygirl3

what a long post from someone who 'has no axe to grind!

My axe to grind is about kindness and not being led by the media whose motivation is profit.

Yes, many of us believe in kindness too.
It seems to have been missing in Meghanland, sadly.

I feel that William too is probably scarred by his upbringing. He appears to have chosen a different way of dealing with it all. I don't think that means he has escaped unscathed.

lemsip

Luckygirl3

what a long post from someone who 'has no axe to grind!

My axe to grind is about kindness and not being led by the media whose motivation is profit.

Breaking News

Being reported that she has finally “reached out” to her Father.

Read the estrangement threads on this forum, don’t judge

merlotgran

We mustn’t forget that William had the same upbringing as Harry. Never mind ‘heir and spare syndrome’ they were privileged, indulged and not forced to go to a school they hated like Charles, who was utterly miserable.
Their mother’s death must have affected both of them, not just Harry.
Harry has milked his misfortunes to death and nothing is ever his fault. Nobody will convince me that Meghan hasn’t used all of this to her advantage.

He is weak, she is strong.

No two siblings ever have the exact same upbringing. In the case of William and Harry I would expect it to be even more different.

I think calling Harry “weak” is uncalled for. If he is, then I suspect William is also.

And yet you were happy to do business with them, paddyann?

I’ll put my knitting to one side and wish you a Happy Christmas. 🎄🤶

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Anyone can break away from their family. Sometimes the reasons are obvious, sometimes they aren't. But for Meghan and Harry to have cut themselves off from a large part of both their families does suggest that the fault might be theirs.

Allira, bizarrely, I missed the British weather when I lived abroad (in a sunny climate), the lack of seasons actually became boring and repressive.

Apportioning blame on the say-so of the media is not at all admirable.

Correct.
So why do you do it, Luckygirl?

We mustn’t forget that William had the same upbringing as Harry. Never mind ‘heir and spare syndrome’ they were privileged, indulged and not forced to go to a school they hated like Charles, who was utterly miserable.
Their mother’s death must have affected both of them, not just Harry.
Harry has milked his misfortunes to death and nothing is ever his fault. Nobody will convince me that Meghan hasn’t used all of this to her advantage.

He is weak, she is strong.

@REKA
That's not correct at all! Ruthlessly betrayed her for money and fame! Nonsense

So you haven't seen him selling her down the river in the UK channel 5 program " "Thomas Markle: My Story,"

Some are saying he treated his family cruelly - but it may be that he feels that they have done so to him over his whole upbringing and particularly after his meeting with Meghan.

As you say it may be
But more likely it may not be.

I do not know where the full truth lies
No. However, some of us may have more of an inkling of how people were treated by Meghan in fact.

He was clear that the family had treated him badly as well as the basic dysfunctional nature of the set up.

In what way, exactly?
He seemed quite happy before meeting Meghan

I did feel sorry for him when Chelsy refused to marry him but that could happen to anyone for many and varied reasons.

MarieElla

My tuppence worth is that Harry is homesick. No matter how wonderfully sunny and glamorous his life is in California, he will be missing dear old Blighty. He will be missing the Royal families' Christmas traditions. He may even be missing the weather!

He may even be missing the weather!
Having driven through absolutely atrocious conditions today, possibly not!!

Luckygirl3

what a long post from someone who 'has no axe to grind!

Meghan 'instructs aides to make contact' with estranged father after hospitalisation
Meghan Markle was said to have "instructed aides to make contact" with her father, but she has denied the claims.

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Harry left his royal duties for sound reasons. He was very unhappy and very damaged by his upbringing. He was clear that the family had treated him badly as well as the basic dysfunctional nature of the set up.

Having made the choice to put it behind him and make a new life for himself he was subjected to trial by media and painted in the blackest light, without anyone wondering what had led him to this point. The Oprah programme and his book were him trying to set the record straight - and who could blame him? I certainly do not.

If the media had not piled in on him, I doubt that programme would ever have been made. When you are under attack unjustly then it is human instinct to want to make your own point of view clear.

I hate the way people are almost wishing a marital split on him - maybe they won't be happy till it happens. Meghan does seem to be a strong personality but maybe he felt this was what he needed - someone prepared to fight his corner instead of being the also-ran. We all choose out partners for deep-seated reasons and it maybe that her strength was just what he needed.

I have no axe to grind on his or Meghan's behalf - I do not know them. What I do know is that it is very unpleasant to see the gratuitous cruelty that is heaped on them when we really do not know what has gone on behind the scenes.

Some are saying he treated his family cruelly - but it may be that he feels that they have done so to him over his whole upbringing and particularly after his meeting with Meghan.

I do not know where the full truth lies but this piling in on one side disturbs me and lacks kindness. It is sad that Charles does not see his grandchildren now, but it may be that he bears some responsibility for this situation - I would be extremely surprised if it were all one-sided.

It is much like the sad posts on the estranged thread - we none of us truly know how a family functions behind closed doors. But when it breaks down it is tragic.

Apportioning blame on the say-so of the media is not at all admirable.