Sympathy for Harry anyone?

He observed his mother being hounded to her death by the paparazzi and did what needed doing to prevent the same thing happening to his wife.
You mean by courting publicity?
Make up your mind.

I have read ‘The Palace Papers’ by Tina Brown. I strongly believe Harry’s account of the appalling press intrusion into his life. I also believe he was sold down the river by his father in order to render Camilla acceptable to the public, who initially blamed her for Diana’s sad life, but now accept her as queen. . Nor can I expunge the memory of him as a bereaved and traumatised 12 year old boy being made to walk behind his mother’s coffin in front of the world’s ogling millions.He observed his mother being hounded to her death by the paparazzi and did what needed doing to prevent the same thing happening to his wife.

Newatthis

Why can't everyone just leave them alone. For goodness sake - he is a war hero, both he and his wife do an awful lot for charity especially military veterans who have been traumatized and maimed. Let's face it, as the 'spare' he really didn't have much of a role in the Royal family so if he chosen to lead his life the way he sees fit then let him. It would seem that no matter what he and his family do, then it's wrong. Whereas C & W can do the same thing and it's 'wondefrful'.

Can you explain how Harry is a war hero?
His regiment went to Afanistan and he served a few months there like thousands of other soldiers. I've never heard of him doing anything outstanding whilst there and he came home in one piece unlike many many others.

no, no sympathy, no hatred.. boredom hearing about them..

I think Harry has finally crossed the Rubicon and I doubt there’s any chance he’ll have any normal relationship with his father or brother again. He reminds me of the tiger who turned into butter. All this will he, will they, won’t they, won’t she, is ridiculous. He just had to accept the offer of accommodation at BP, with or without his family, not changed his mind continuously, been realistic about security (they appear to cope in every other country they visit without a fuss 🤷‍♀️), carried out his visit to court and the Invictus thing, visited his father quietly and privately without all the fanfare, shouting, screaming and wailing about the injustice of life, and all would have been well. They need to put on their big boy and girl pants - and grow up!
So, my answer to OPs question is no. Not one iota of sympathy

Harry is not a war hero. He was protected by the Regiment and the Ghurkas. This was well publicised in the media. An insult to all of our brave service personnel who actually went through it. So many of them still suffering and living on the streets. Shame on the MoD for allowing this. Shame on successive prime ministers who won't tackle this due to cost. We are, however, bountiful to the stranger who can't even speak our language or who hasn't given life or limb for this country.

Indiebee

Yet another hate-filled thread about H and M. Boring and predictable.

Yes, do pile onto me! Yes, I know I can scroll by. Yes, I know it’s your opinion and therefore valid to you. But I think Gransnet doesn’t need this level of frequent personal hate and vitriol about these two. Leave it for Mumsnet?!

IMO Your post shows more of the level of . . . personal hate and vitriol towards GN posters that is expressed on this thread.
Maybe learned from your experience on Mumsnet?

Cold

TG3465

Jaberwok

The only person in the RF who had a difficult, rather lonely upbringing was the then Prince Charles! Prince Philip in particular was very tough on this shy sensitive little boy who shook hands, and bowed to his mother. Gordonstone, although splendid for Andrew was the last school where Charles should have been sent, he was deeply unhappy and hated it. But for the support and love of his grandmother that boy would have had a desperately miserable time. Curiously the QM always appeared to be in Scotland during term.time?! Prince Harry did NOT have a difficult upbringing, any more than William did, parents divorce? along with many others, does not excuse bad behaviour. Sandhurst with two unaccademic A levels, only a Prince can do that, a mother who spoilt and encouraged bad behaviour, a father who did his best. Best of everything, money no object, grandparents who loved him, and whom he betrayed and now this drama! No sympathy at all for Harry. Plenty for the King who would love to see his grandchildren. What's wrong with arranging a family week at Balmoral? Plenty of security there, the estate is enormous. Princess Margaret had lots of faults, but she was never ever disloyal either to the crown or particularly her sister the Queen. No interviews, no books, no comment.

Yes. This. My sympathetic friend also spouts - lost his Mother young…all his Dad's fault because of Camilla……his Dad was never around when Harry needed him… All of which is regretful but I’m afraid that in his early forties his air of total petulance and grievance has worn thin with me now.

Yet his mother was happy to pack him off to boarding school at age 8 to pursue her own interests and then be the "fun mum" in the holidays

I always think that Princess Anne must have had a lonely upbringing - home schooled until she was 13 and then sent to boarding school when her younger brothers were born. Yet she has managed to carve out a life without demanding royal perks all the time.

Cold Yet his mother was happy to pack him off to boarding school at age 8 to pursue her own interests and then be the "fun mum" in the holidays.

Yes, both boys went to boarding school at 8 and after the divorce her butler Burrell said that she “only ever had the boys for two weeks every year because she gave them up”.
Diana was happy enough to go to France with her boyfriend during the school holidays before she died. Harry still suggests that the loss of his mother was a major trauma, which is obviously true in most cases. But in reality she saw very little of them.

Indiebee

Yet another hate-filled thread about H and M. Boring and predictable.

Yes, do pile onto me! Yes, I know I can scroll by. Yes, I know it’s your opinion and therefore valid to you. But I think Gransnet doesn’t need this level of frequent personal hate and vitriol about these two. Leave it for Mumsnet?!

As the OP - no hate or vitriol here. Just exasperation that it’s all gone so horribly wrong for H&M and sadness for the way the family has been fractured.

He always seemed to be happy with his place as the "spare" , he was able to certain extent to misbehave and act the clown, enjoyed life and his army life and friendships , he seemed to have a lovely relationship with both Wills and Kate, the laughter and the smiles couldn't all be for the cameras , they seemed to have genuine love for each other. Then after Meghan came on the scene it changed very quickly, it's such a pity. I would hate this to happen in my family.
As others have said she didn't like being second best, it's not in her makeup. She soon realised that she would always be in their shadow if they stayed in the UK.
I don't approve of how they went about, the whole song and dance about privacy and they have been more in public and on the media than any of them.

Indiebee

Yet another hate-filled thread about H and M. Boring and predictable.

Yes, do pile onto me! Yes, I know I can scroll by. Yes, I know it’s your opinion and therefore valid to you. But I think Gransnet doesn’t need this level of frequent personal hate and vitriol about these two. Leave it for Mumsnet?!

Please don’t tell us what to do or think. We’re discussing a subject that has been in the public domain for a very long time.
It’s not personal hate it’s opinions and relevant comments or are these things mutually exclusive to Mumsnet?

Nope. No sympathy for him at all. He's made the most of his privilege and done very nicely out of it, thank you.

I agree with others that Megan is a big part of the problem, no doubt pecking away at him. She's not got what she expected out of her marriage, but then she wasn't prepared to put in what is expected of members of the "working" royal family.

At the moment it's all very sad (particularly for the children and their elderly grandfather) but it's hard to imagine how they can remain married without significant changes.

If they separate and Harry stops behaving in such an entitled way I'm guessing that he could be accepted back into the fold. But we've seen from the behaviour of Harry's uncle Andrew that his behaviour may be too ingrained.

No hate here just justified criticism.

Yet another hate-filled thread about H and M. Boring and predictable.

Yes, do pile onto me! Yes, I know I can scroll by. Yes, I know it’s your opinion and therefore valid to you. But I think Gransnet doesn’t need this level of frequent personal hate and vitriol about these two. Leave it for Mumsnet?!

How and when did H try to make amends with his family sazzl? The offer of a room at Buck. Palace was withdrawn because he didn't let them know if was accepting the offer.

With so many lies in the book, do you really believe his account of being physically attacked? I think William would have far more than the broadcasting of him insulting Meghan to forgive his brother for; telling the world about William's circumcision, accusing the RF of being racist and M & H's attempted character assassination of Catherine, not to mention the pain and distress to their GM.

Babbamaman
That's a very derogatory term for someone with mental health issues. I expect you're one of those people who puts Be Kind all over FB to look good but this is really what you're like when anonymous.

I feel a tiny bit sorry for him because his (and Meghan's) humiliation is so public but they caused it all themselves.

BlueBelle

Yes I do feel quite sorry for him I think he’s grown up in an unenviable position, It’s well documented that the ‘Spare’ always has a difficult time and often doesn’t perform as expected (look no further than Margaret)
I think there has been a lot of nastiness in the right wing press picking up on every single thing down to practically the way he breathes This has got more marked with marrying Meghan and having the children. You only have to look at remarks on here
I think Charles and the rather saintly William have joined forces so he feels even less welcome and more pushed out
I don t think I d even bother coming over if it was me

I agree, he lost his mother at a vulnerable age and has to see his father with the woman he feels caused his mother's upset. I see a lot of the media bullying them, it's excessive I don't understand it, he seems a nice guy.

I have no time for either of them. That being said it seems a tad mean to not allow him to stay in one of the royal homes because he didn’t accept the invitation in time. But honestly, everyone would be so apprehensive around them so they don’t become a chapter in another money making book! I felt some sympathy at the beginning until they made their money by completely trashing both families!

I think your friend has a screw loose! Words fail me!

Whinge & Ginge? I sincerely wish they had followed through with their declaration to live their life away from public scrutiny, but sadly their intent seems to be the exact opposite! I think the RF have shown them the disdain they deserve and I applaud them for doing so!

Yes I have every sympathy with Harry. By his own admission he has suffered with mental health issues. Probably didn't think things through releasing his book and interviews during health problems with Philip and the Queen. He'd tried to make ammends and rekindle his relationships with his family only to be offered a room at Buckingham Palace and then the offer was withdrawn! I don't think William will ever forgive him for telling the public that he insulted Megan, and when Harry defended her he physically attacked him. Great person to have as a future King - a thug.

Slightly off tack but Doreen Lawrence’s ex husband has given an interview following the judgment of the case. He paints an interesting picture of the saintly Ms Lawrence. Quite an eye opener. Seems like she thought the Mail would pay up and slink away. Not so and good for them.
Now they’re all faced with a large bill for bringing this case. Serves them all right.

“ Michael Gillard, a veteran journalist who closely followed the trial, claimed in his blog that the claimants had been desperately trying to avoid the costly trial last December.

They turned to James Hanning, a former journalist and deputy editor of The Independent on Sunday, in the hope to open settlement talks.

Mr Hanning confirmed that he had been instructed, with the knowledge of the claimants and their legal team, to contact Stephen Wright, a former associate editor of the Daily Mail. He did so via a former senior detective known to them both.

“I acted as a backchannel,” Mr Hanning told Gillard, explaining that it had been felt that a “sideways” approach to a settlement could prove successful.

The offer was a suggestion to “talk sensibly”, he said, adding: “Any specific headings that were mentioned would have been ‘for discussion’. There was no suggestion of there being a ‘take it or leave it’ offer from the claimants.

“I was not in a position to judge how good/bad the offer to talk was likely to be, but I do believe it was put forward as a sincere way of reaching an agreement.”

Discussions were said to have become “particularly heated” on Christmas Eve, but Associated, with its reputation on the line, refused to back down.

A second informal attempt to settle also failed, which was said to have been made using a former News of The World journalist who had worked alongside Graham Johnson, a convicted phone hacker and member of the claimants’ legal research team.

Having lost the case, the seven claimants are jointly liable for any costs issued against them. They had been warned about the potential financial “consequences” as the legal costs mounted.”

Well done that Judge for forensically dismantling the wild claims of phone hacking and even burglary. Restored my faith in the judiciary anyway!

Back to Harry and the other litigants …

“The Duke of Sussex and his fellow claimants tried to settle their failed £50m privacy claim against the publisher of the Daily Mail weeks before the trial began”

Elton John, Doreen Lawrence, Hugh Grant.

Now they have a £50million bill to settle between them.

The DM refused to settle when approached by intermediaries 11 weeks before trial. The DM wanted to clear irs name.

Well done the Free Press I say!