Thursday 14 March 2019

The Sussexes to Base Their Household Office at Buckingham Palace & Meghan's Maternity Leave

For months speculation has been rife regarding plans for Harry and Meghan's future office. With a move to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate imminent, would they continue their work under the auspices of Kensington Palace? Perhaps a Windsor base? Earlier this evening, Buckingham Palace put paid to the rumour mill on this particular topic with confirmation the Queen, with the support of Prince Charles, has agreed to the creation of a new household for the Duke and Duchess at Buckingham Palace.


The official press release reads:

'The Queen has agreed to the creation of a new household for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, following their marriage in May last year. The household, which will be created with the support of the Queen and the Prince of Wales, will be established in the spring.
The Duke of Sussex currently has his own private office, which has been supporting the Duchess since the engagement of Their Royal Highnesses in November 2017. This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for the Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage.
The Queen has given permission for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to base their Household Office at Buckingham Palace. Their Royal Highnesses will appoint new communications staff, who will form part of the Buckingham Palace communications team and report to the Queen’s Communications Secretary, Donal McCabe.
Kensington Palace will continue to support Their Royal Highnesses until that team is in place.'

The Telegraph reports:

'The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex are to formally split their households, as they and their wives go their separate ways after a lifetime of being the nation’s favourite royal double act. The brothers are to separate every logistical element of their working lives, with staff based in different palaces and key aides moved or replaced.
The decision will be seen as a clear signal as to the direction of the Sussexes working lives, as they increasingly build their own profile by speaking out on the issues closest to their hearts.
The Duchess of Sussex has until now been absorbed into the existing team at Kensington Palace, with staff enduring a significantly increased workload as a result of having four adult working members of the royal family.
While sources have previously suggested any split would see the foursome maintain their working relationship through their charitable foundation, that too is to be re-examined. Staff, led by Jason Knauf, are to begin reviewing the “charitable structures that underpin” the work of the two couples, in changes that may include the dismantling of their umbrella organisation currently called the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.'

Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter notes the move is part of future plans for Charles' reign.


A key position in Harry and Meghan's team has already been filled with the appointment of Sara Latham to head up their communication team. Latham brings an impressive set of credentials and experience to the table. In her current role at public relations firm Freuds, she has been tasked with leading the agency's changed agenda over the past several years. Latham worked in the White House in the 1990s for President Bill Clinton before moving to the UK as a government affairs adviser. She also served as a special adviser to the late culture secretary Tessa Jowell. She served as a transition official following the election of President Barack Obama and worked with Hillary Clinton on her 2016 presidential campaign. Omid Scobie reports she holds dual US/UK citizenship. Sara will report directly to the Queen's communications secretary Donal McCabe.


Certainly, this is excellent news for Harry and Meghan and bodes well for their future as they expand their roles and take on additional responsibility both at home and abroad. Their team will be helmed by an incredibly experienced person, and they will have the support of the steadfast Buckingham Palace staff behind them. As many have said on social media, it's a very visible show of support from Her Majesty and of course Prince Charles. They are both passionate and determined to build on their work and take on increasing duties; BP provides the logistical support and access to trusted advisers required to do this. As to whether or not Harry and Meghan will have their own social media accounts, apparently a definite decision hasn't been taken yet. I do imagine they will in the coming months.


The announcement coincides with news Meghan has completed all public appearances in her calendar before the arrival of Baby Sussex. Royal reporter Victoria Murphy tweeted: "And there are no more public appearances currently planned for Meghan before the arrival of baby Sussex although she will continue to work behind the scenes until closer to her due date. You also never know if another public trip might be squeezed in! (although nothing scheduled)."


The Duchess is expected to take private meetings over the coming weeks. She met with representatives from two of her patronages in recent days. I expect she wanted to speak with them before her maternity leave and discuss possible plans for the future.

12 March - Private Engagement - The Duchess of Sussex, Patron, Association of Commonwealth Universities, this afternoon received Dr Joanna Newman (Chief Executive and Secretary General).
13 March - Private Engagement - The Duchess of Sussex, Patron, the Royal National Theatre, this afternoon received Ms Lisa Burger (executive director) and Mr Rufus Norris (artistic director).

With just weeks until the arrival of Baby Sussex, Harry and Meghan will be eager to move into Frogmore Cottage before the birth. It's a hugely exciting time for the couple. I expect we'll hear some sort of official announcement over the next couple of weeks regarding the hospital Meghan will give birth at. Not long now!

110 comments:

  1. I think this is great and even better as they wont have to move or change much in the future as in years to come they will be the same Supportive level as Princess Anne, Duke of York, and the Wessexs who all work from Buckingham palace to represent the Queen and all of them eventually King Charles & King William.

    Even if we ignore the rummers of riffs between the Duchess or the Dukes depending what you read I think separating them now that there married is good idea they have different interests and different lives plus reading KP listing all 4 of there titles is so long lol.

    Cant wait to see baby Sussex!

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    1. Nicole from france15 March 2019 at 11:46

      Very sensible, Kaya , having the team together in the same place can be quite helpful to work out the agendas and so on .
      I do not really care about possible rifts , it is not because that they are royals that they can’t sometimes disagree with one another, and besides, it is quite usual , in any family , to see adult siblings living separate lives, even if they all work , say , in the family business !
      To say the truth, I had always been worried seeing Harry hanging around his brother and sister in law, driven in the same car to the Queen’s parties, visiting charities together , etc They now split because they have a job to do , the BRF is like a department store, if I may say so , a lot of different topics , each member has a department to r7n and make successful ....

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  2. Exciting changes on the horizon! The rest of your 2019 is going to be very busy, Charlotte, and I’m looking forward to following all the news on MAM and DKB. ☺️

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  3. Thanks, Charlotte! I’m curious about how decisions are made regarding which palace their offices are housed in? Was Buckingham always a likely choice?

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    1. I think this has the long long view in mind. Eventually Charles and then William will take over Buckingham Palace. Clarence House will also open up. It may be that Harry and Meghan will take over Clarence House once Charles moves to the Palace. When William moves to Buckingham that will clear out Kensington. If Harry and Meghan are more Commonwealth focused - Buckingham is where the coordination will need to be as they is more focused on State affairs. They don't choose the agenda more then they work for the Foreign Office. Just my two cents.

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    2. I agree with FloridaMoxie - M&H seem keen to do work with the Commonwealth. Hope Meghan gets some RnR before the baby comes! -op

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  4. Amazing news! Before people start taking about a rift, remember that none of Charles’ siblings live with him or work under the Clarence House umbrella. Andrew even has his own separate social media, so why shouldn’t the globally popular Sussexes? In fact, the thing that was unusual in the first place was the initial decision by Harry and William to break out on their own.

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    1. It was not clarified that they will have their own social media.

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    2. Anon 23:39 Agree 100%.:)

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  5. I made the mistake of looking on social media about this. So many toxic people.
    I wish the Sussexes and the Cambridges well.

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    1. It’s better not to read on social media about them, so many vile people out there or just few with multiple accounts and special agenda.

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  6. Fantastic for the Sussexes and about bloody time! KP has been a total failure especially for Meghan! They did absolutely nothing to defend Meghan from the vacious smear campaign perpetuated by the British media for the past 2-3 years! Given the fact that most of the KP team are staying with the Cambridges saids it all! Glad that the Sussexes are making a fdesh start and getting to choose their oan staff!

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    1. I think you are going to find yourself very disappointed with BP soon as well Tropical Girl. The way KP has handled the situation is very much in line with the BRF way and I would be very surprised if both the Queen and Charles were not consulted as to what is the best way to handle things were. My guess is that we will see them continue along a similar vein at the BP office.

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    2. Then I hope that the Sussexes' new communications secretary, who no doubt has contacts with both the US and UK media can be allowed to do a far better job!

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  7. Do all the households have to direct report to the Queen? That stuck out to me but it would make sense if all of the households do.

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    1. All the Buckingham Palace offices work together with many shared staff and report to Donal McCabe. Whilst Harry and Meghan will have their own staff, they will be part of the bigger team at Buckingham Palace, who work for the Queen, Andrew, Anne and Edward and Sophie. It's very much a cohesive effort at BP from what I've heard, and a large operation with so many royal diaries and events.

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  8. This looks like real forward-planning. This is the set-up for the reign of Charles. I imagine that when William is Prince of Wales, Kensington Palace will be his head-quarters just as Clarence House is Charles's. I can also imagine that the apartment currently occupied by the Gloucesters will become William's offices. Hope Meghan and Harry get first rate private secretaries and staff. I thought originally that Samantha C. was going to see the Sussex's through their first tour, and then it was after baby Sussex, and now it's summer. She appears to have been the great mainstay for Harry and Meghan. It's also sad that Amy P. is leaving. She always looks so cheerful at events, and it certainly appears to be a very friendly and warm relationship between her and Meghan. It's sad to see the Fab Four go their separate ways- sort of like seeing the kids go away to college, knowing that things will never be the same, but inevitable. Wish Meghan and Harry all the best in their new situation, and look forward to seeing the pair become parents! Hope they have a beautiful, healthy baby!

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  9. When Charles becomes King, William and Kate will be making a huge step forward to become the Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince William will be the heir to the throne. It is smart for the office Harry and Meghan to be relocated to Buckingham Palace, where all of the other working junior royals (Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward) maintain their offices, now in preparations for the big things to come for Prince Charles and Prince William..

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  10. When we realize that "the boys" are closing in on 40 years old, we have to let them go. They are no longer free to dash off to the polo field together or chase pints all night.

    In another grown-up moment, people have been commenting on how confident Kate seems, and I think she might also be happy that her planned family of three children are well, her beloved brother appears to be making it through depression, and her brother-in-law no longer elicits worry. Now that we know about Kate's brother, her focus on childhood mental health makes a lot of sense and makes it even more genuine. I suspect that being separate will make reunions even more fun for Will/Kate and Harry/Meghan. All of their families are growing horizontally, too. Kate has a new brother-in-law and nephew, and he comes with a brother, wife, and new baby. Her brother may become engaged. Eugenie is married and may have a baby relatively soon. Zara's family has increased, and Bea may marry.

    It's great that Harry and Meghan seem to be well valued by the Queen and Charles. Hopefully Charles will have the longevity of his parents, but someday Harry and Meghan will have to support Will and Kate, and I'm sure they will do so with great sincerity.

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  11. I wonder what their new house will be called - like announcements for Charles is Clarence House, and the Cambridges Kennsington Palace, etc. It'll be based at BP but I doubt their announcements will be headed under Buckingham Palace. Maybe Frogmore House even though it's not based there? I'm curious :)

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    1. My guess is it will go under BP. Or alternatively just something with Sussex. Those are the brands they want to build.

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  12. Wow, this is exciting news. I kind of only wonder what took so long! I think this should have been done with the news of the engagement, or wedding at the latest.

    As anon @23:39 said - and has always been my argument - none of Charles's siblings share comm/PR offices, so it made sense to me that once both Harry and William were married that they would split. It's not a sign of anything except siblings growing up and forming their own families and then needing staff to support their (and wives) work.

    I'm curious about the comment that the Royal Foundation will possibly be split. This would make sense to me as well. I wonder if the RF would become the Cambridges and the Sussexes would take over the Prince's Trust. That would be ideal, IMO, as Charles takes on more duties from QEII. I know the old rumor (5? years ago?) was that neither Harry or William wanted to take over the Prince's Trust, but I wonder if Harry's feelings may have changed with Meghan in the picture. I know it's probably just a fraction of what the Prince's Trust does, but it seems like all of the arts/theater-related work would be a great fit for Meghan.

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    1. I have always thought that while the Royal Foundation sounded like a great idea at the time, there wasn’t a lot of long term planning that went into it.

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  13. Duchess Meghan also had:

    7 March - Private Meeting - The Duchess of Sussex, Patron, Mayhew, this morning received Miss Caroline Yates (Chief Executive Officer).

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  14. Charlotte - will you be doing a thread on baby predictions? Name, birthdate, etc.?

    I am still holding out hope (by a thin thread, at this point) that Letters Patent will be issued to make baby Sussex a princess (I think it's a girl) from birth, rather than waiting for it to happen when Charles becomes king. It just seems so odd to me that NO comment has been made since announcements about the Wessex children and the Cambridge children had already been made way before this point. For the Wessexes, it was made at the marriage of E&S and for the Cambridges, it was made when Kate was just a few months pregnant. So...I guess this just means it won't happen at birth but the Sussex children will be automatically "elevated" once Charles becomes king.

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    1. Yes, we'll definitely do that before the end of the month :)

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    2. I'm not so sure they'll be "elevated" once Charles becomes King. I actually highly doubt Charles will change his grandchildren's titles once he is King...it would look at bit silly.

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    3. I was also expecting an announcement by now as to what the new baby’s title would be, the fact there hasn’t been an announcement probably mean they are going with the status quo. But my guess is that when Charles becomes king H&M will take the Wessex option and not have their child(ren) styled as HRH.

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    4. Caroline in Montana15 March 2019 at 22:00

      Whoa, Wait, What? I just assumed the baby would be prince/princess ? of Sussex?? is that not happening? did harry say he wants his children to have no titles like Annes? now im confused:) im so bumed if baby gets no title:(

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    5. Caroline, according to the 1917 Letters Patent (the things that regulate royal titles) the only people who use HRH and prince/princess are:
      Children of the monarch (Charles, Anne, Andrew & Edward)
      Grand children on the monarch in the male line (Charles, Andrew & Edward’s)
      The eldest son of the heir to the heir (William’s eldest son)
      The Queen then changed that to include all William’s children before George was born, to reflect the change in order of succession. Otherwise if W&K’s eldest was female, and second child male. The girl would be the heir, but known as Lady.... while her little brother was known as Prince... not going to work. But nothing was mentioned about Harry’s children.

      So unless something is changed within the next week or two (new Letters Patent) Harry and Meghan’s children will not be styled as prince/princess.

      Some were expecting that HM would make a chance, but the fact that nothing was announced yet is making that look unlikely. Also the opportune moment to make provision for Harry’s children was when they released the LP’s about William’s children. The fact that Harry’s children was not mentioned makes me believe that the matter was decided then.

      If it all plays out as I described then the big question is what will happen when Charles becomes king. Since Harry’s children will then be grandchildren of the king in the male line, they would become prince/princess. My guess is at that point H&M would choose not to use those titles. But that is merely my opinion.

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    6. The baby will have a title as the offspring of a Duke. The first son will be Lord Something (one of Harry's subsidiary titles), subsequent sons will be Lord Charles or whatever and daughters will be Lady Elizabeth etc. Unless the Queen decides to make them Princes and Princesses. Anne's children were given no titles because their father refused a title.
      Sarah UK

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    7. Rachel ZA 08:07- re your last paragraph: it is my understanding that the relationship to the monarch as relates to title is established at birth of the parent--who is monarch at that time. I don't think the status changes every time the monarch changes, although the relationship does. At birth William's title was Prince as heir to the heir of the monarch, eldest son under old laws of succession, and his eldest son would automatically be titled Prince. Of course, the Queen amended this to include all his children. Harry was born a second son of the heir and his children's status will not automatically change with a change in monarch. He was born a grandson of the monarch, not a son. His relationship to the current monarch will change, however; he will be a second son of the monarch, no longer a grandson, and his children would indeed be grandchildren of the monarch, Charles- but this will not change his children's rights to title-that was established at Harry's birth.

      I think there is a confusion with Anne's children. While they did not have a right to the titles Prince and Princess because they were not grandchildren of the male line (not because Anne refused it) , they could still have had titles if their father had been given one, such as Earl (which may have been offered, but refused by Anne's husband). The situation with Princess Margaret and her husband's title is not the same.
      I don't think status automatically changes with change of monarch. However, if the Earl of Wessex becomes Duke of Edinburgh at some point via royal decree, as has been rumored, I don't see why Charles could not make Harry's children Prince, Princess. That could happen.

      Meanwhile, I believe Anon 11:54 is correct. Also, now that male primogeniture has been changed to absolute primogeniture, some of the language in the 1917 statement will be amended, most likely.

      And as I have been muddling about with titles, there has been yet another shooting. Kind of puts things in perspective.

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  15. Yes, exactly. This is a made-up feud to drive media ratings. The brothers are doing what families always do as they build separate lives.

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  16. I really see this as the Queen doing everything while she is able to prepare for the future. Who knows, should Phillip become frail, she may choose to step down to care for him. In any case she knows what it is like to deal with sudden change. Charles and William have been preparing for their time of duty. Harry’s path is different and he now has a family to consider as well. If Harry had not married, how long would he have been content to stand, smiling beside his brother at events, while teasing Kate? (I do miss the warmth the three of them use to share publicly, but defined roles will most likely bring those displays back). Soon the Cambridge’s will begin to prepare young George for his future duties and their family will change in some ways, as well. We nitpick the bodices and bows, but I believe the challenges the modern royals face are greater than we can imagine. Of course separate households and communications make sense with so much work to be done and in a few years, fewer people to do it!

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    1. I agree on all counts--except the one about the Queen stepping down. I do not think that will happen!

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    2. I agree, lynn! The Queen has always put her duty in front of anything else. And with all due respect - she would be of little use to care for Philip, she herself is not as strong as she used to be.

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  17. Thank you Charlotte for such an excellent post!

    I think it’s an excellent choice for the Duke and Duchess to bring their household under the umbrella of BP. And I do think that in time they will set up their own social media page and/or site.

    I’m sooo excited about the upcoming developments and of course the littlest development 🥰 that will be arriving soon!!

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  18. A bit off topic but am I the only one who thinks that Baby Sussex will arrive before the end of April or beginning of May? Personally I’ve long thought that the Duchess gave us a bit of a red herring with that time period. Smart move on her part!😃

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    1. I'm with you there Lauri :)

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    2. Considering the fact that she is already on maternity leave I think the baby is due sooner. If she was due in late April I think she would have worked until late March.

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    3. As i calculated from the very beginning, I always expected the baby to arrive in the first days of April, but since Meghan went on maternity leave on 11 March, my guess is now the first two weeks of April, if she won't be overdue.

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    4. I still think she has the same due date as I do, around April 18th. They announced when I was 14 weeks along, which is when most start to show. We'll see who gives birth first :-)

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    5. No, you aren't lauri. I wouldn't be surprised 5o see an end of.month announcement.

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    6. Good luck to you, an easy birth mostly! Will you have a boy or a girl? :)

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  19. Becca H in Colorado15 March 2019 at 02:12

    I'm sad that we won't likely be seeing any more of Meghan, but I looked at the calendar and realized how close we are to April, already. I really wouldn't be surprised if she's due mid-April rather than late April/early May. I guess we'll see!

    I have to say, I really don't understand the workings of the different royal family offices. Can someone enlighten me? It seems confusing and disorganized to have so many varied offices, all with their own umbrellas. I get they can't all be run by the same staff, but how is it decided who will office out of where? And isn't having one's office run in Buckingham Palace kind of a big deal? Isn't it more prestigious for Harry and Meghan than if they were to remain at Kensington Palace? And if Charles truly is going to streamline the monarchy, wouldn't it make much more sense across a whole number of levels to re-shuffle and re-organize, perhaps having one large umbrella with different branches to handle the different couples? It just all boggles my OCD brain a bit lol!

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    1. I suppose it depends on what you consider “prestigious” and how you saw Harry position at KP. If you saw it as being part of an independent office, it is a privilege that only the heir normally have. But if you saw it as being a subsidiary of his brother’s office then being at BP is definitely an upgrade. Having an office at BP will simultaneously give them more and less freedom.
      Personally I think it is not an up/down grade but just the best option in the long run.

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    2. Agree, I think Harry's position is not any different than before. They are just transitioning into as others have said the set up for the future. harry is now married, Charles will be King in the not too distant future and then William.

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  20. I am actually so happy for Harry, this is what he has longed for for a long time, his own family, a home place and running his own household, it’s what a grown man needs. They aren’t young bachelors anymore, they are I would say approaching middle age.

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  21. It's nice to see the logical progression in these decisions about the Sussex Household and the timeliness is good too. Very exciting to realize there are so few weeks left before Baby comes.

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  22. June Cleaver 2.015 March 2019 at 04:15

    Will their Twitter and IG accounts be separated? And before Baby Sussex is born?

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    1. I think we'll see separate social media later this year, not likely before Baby Sussex is born.

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  23. I think the separation fine, and totally expected. What I’m more interested in is the fact that it will be based at BP. So they’ll have complete separation from KP. I think it’s great that they have so much support from the Queens team. It’s quite obvious now that they lean on the Queen, Charles and the other family members for support. Perhaps because, as Harry mentioned, Meghan never really had a family like that. I’ve often thought it would be good for William/Kate to do that more but Kate is really close with her family. Maybe it still happens behind the scenes, but I have a feeling William has his own way of doing things...

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  24. Of all the possibilities that have been speculated about over the last couple of months this have always be my preferred option. A separate office for the Sussexes within the BP structure, like Anne, Andrew and Edward has, is the best option in the long run. As Victoria Arbiter implied, people think this has got to do with an insident between the brothers, but in the meantime the palace are planning for a much bigger insident, the succession.
    It also clears up any organizational issues of who reports to whom under the staff (and possibly the royals) as working royals H&M works for Queen, so it makes sense that they form part of her office.
    I do wish the palace would not release such “half” statements though. They have been planning it for over a year, I am sure that by now they already know how the new household will be referred to colloquially and whether they are planning to do their own social media and if they will use their own stationary. All silly little things, but things that still cause a lot of unnecessary speculation.

    On that note I suspect we might hear that while this offices falls under BP it will be houses at Kensington Palace until the renovations of BP are complete. Confusing? Yes, but the most practical solution.

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  25. Can't wait for baby Sussex, I'm so happy that Harry and Meghan get to be parents, I think it's something they've both wanted and longed for. I suspect baby number two won't be far behind!

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  26. As much as I feel that this step was inevitable, needed and eventually for the better, I feel some bitterness in it. I can't quite put my finger on the exact reason; but the situation feels a bit odd to me. Maybe I would appreciate if the press release had a little phrase in it to soften the change, like "The Dos and DoS and the DoC and DoC will stay in close touch" or so (definitely formulated better by some of the communication staff, lol). And maybe at the very beginning it was a bit hurried to present Meghan as the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation and make the Forum, because now I feel as if this whole thing kind of faded away and we will never be able to see the Royal Foundation as a real foursome thing. In no way I am saying that accepting Meghan in was wrong! Actually the opposite. We weren't able to see her given space under the umbrella, and she will probably leave it sooner than she'd have a chance to make something bigger as a part of the Royal Foundation. If that makes sense - gosh, not my day for fimding good words, sorry. So these are probably the little things that make me feel as if the things weren't going as they were initially planned and that there is some background tension or slight distortion.

    On the other hand I am thrilled that M&H will get a chance to be active and vocal and have things their own way. And I like that they have trust of HM and Charles. Speaks volumes.
    Ella

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    1. What makes you think the Duchess oS will leave the Royal Foundation sooner thant she'd have a chance to make something bigger? Splitting offices does not mean they can't create projects as a forusome imho

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    2. I agree, it would have been nice to have a press release written so it didn't seem like there is a rift. I think (as much as I loved having H and W&K together before) that they should have split households when H&M married. Instead having the four of them in the foundation while using KP, so splitting now is going to fuel the rumours even more so. But KP has never been great at heading things off before they even start, it always feels as though they are playing catch up.

      I DO hope after the baby is born that we will see happy foursomes at events again. I miss the dynamic that H, W, &K had prior to the engagement. (This is not a down on Meghan feeling, just that we can all see the dynamic has changed. I think due to so much press coverage! Remember how stressed William looked all the time after the France holiday incident? Lots of negative press for them) I think Harry has felt A Lot of pressure to change things and from the media problems, maybe after the babe is born the coverage will change to more positive ventures and everything will start afresh. I have worked with family before, and let me tell you those behind the scenes dynamics can become very stressful, even more so if you are in the public eye. So this seems to be a great move. Initially I thought it strange to have it run by BP but after more consideration, I think it will actually give them a little more freedom and shifts things to the future.

      Martha

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    3. Ella,

      I think bittersweet is the perfect word for this. It was inevitably what needed to happen and is totally in keeping with the structure of the royal family—the heir and heir after him have “independent houses” and all the rest of the family houses are grouped under the monarch at BP. All of the fuss about this being about some sort of division is just people’s love for drama—this is how the royal family works and has structured itself for a long time.

      I think what makes it bittersweet is that in so many of our minds and in the public perception in general, William and Harry have been “joined at the hip” in a way that the Queen’s children never really seemed to be. This was very much put forward as their public front from the time they were young, then with the added impact of their mother’s death and their perceived responsibility to carry on her legacy, this “oneness” was compounded.

      When William and Kate married, the three of them still very much functioned as a team—whether in joint appearances, their joint foundation, or just showing up at events in a car together—the public perceived them very much as the three musketeers. Their joy in being together was always contagious.

      I think when Harry and Meghan married, the public expected this to continue. And I think maybe they all did, too—their joint appearance at what was supposed to be the annual meeting of the royal forum, KP’s becoming the voice for both the Cambridges and the Sussexes. I think this was a case of the ideal and the reality not meeting up, and I don’t think anyone is to blame for that. Reality often intervenes into the greatest of ideas! I think people don’t like change, and we try to keep things the same as much as we can. The public created this Fab Four idea, and it seems like the four of them had a genuine desire to continue it.

      But the reality of their roles was always going to lead to this separation at some point. The Sussexes will always be working for the monarch, even when the monarch changes to Charles and then eventually William, and being under BP was the logical place for them—it would have probably been wisest for them to do this when Harry and Meghan married, or even before, when Harry was still single—it would have saved a lot of the drama and rumor that has been circulating the past few months!

      To me, the bittersweet part come because you see the end of the era of the two brothers side by side, and the reality of the changes that will come in the near future for the entire royal family as the Queen ages. The beauty is that each gets to spread his (and her!) wings within their own roles in the family, which is what does and should happen as life progresses! But change is almost always bittersweet 😁

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    4. Nicely summarized TeaKay...bittersweet is a perfect word to describe this.

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    5. TeaKay, you've articulated my feelings in a much better manner than I did in my own comment. hehe

      Martha

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    6. TeaKay and also the others, you are so articulate and I agree so much! I am "glad" that there are other people than me seeing the situation this way.
      To Anon 12:21 - I have read in several reports that the Royal Foundation will not continue in its current state, plus, they already missed the annual forum, and overall, I have not seen an effort to make the Royal Foundation work properly as a quartet. I am not judging or criticising - I am just trying to explain what made me think what i wrote and these are the best words I can find. If you think otherwise or have different information, I would love to read it!
      Ella

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  27. Charlotte, could you explain this to me better: "has agreed to the creation of a new household for the Duke and Duchess at Buckingham Palace." I don’t quite understand. It’s still an office? I thought Sussex already had one in KP?

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    1. Hello, yes of course.

      Harry and Meghan currently share an office with William and Kate at KP. Over the past year, they have decided to part ways (which was always expected when Harry married) and it's been decided Harry and Meghan will now have an office at Buckingham Palace under the auspices of the Queen's team. They will have their own communications staff there and private secretaries. It's a move with the long-term future in mind.

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  28. Thanks, Charlotte. It was going to happen, sooner or later. Looks like sooner😊.

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  29. While I’m happy for everyone getting their own households, because I think it should have been done long ago, what’s making me a bit irritated is this narrative that some people are trying to push where it’s 1.) the Sussexes are being shunned so they have to have their folks report to the Queen’s people now and Meghan is going to be put in her place or 2.) Charles and the Queen love Harry and Meghan so much look at how they’re shunning the Cambridges to be all alone at KP now because they’re evil and are trying to harm Queen Meghan.
    It’s an office move. the over analyzing of this is exhausting. The fandom is exhausting surrounding the two duchesses.

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  30. It also makes sense. Harry and Meghan are tasked with the Commonwealth. That entails a lot of work and tours. William and Kate are tasked with the road to Prince of Wales and King...

    The work, day to day activities and goals are very different and best managed 'separately'.

    And yes, good to have long-term vision.

    Getting excited for the future!

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  31. I perceive this development as part of very sensible and timely succession planning which has likely been in progress over the past number of years--along with the funeral plans. (Remember after Diana's unexpected death, the arrangements and service followed the protocols already in place for the Queen Mother.)

    Since Harry didn't have (or seem to need) 10 years to dither over his plans to marry when Meghan entered the picture, the plans already under consideration will have accelerated. And even though details are coming out "slowly," this is rapid development where the Firm is concerned.

    It is wise to have things in place well before the unwelcome events we know will come. Assuming that Prince Phillip will predecease the Queen, no one can know how that enormous loss might affect her or he ability to fulfill her duties. It's also not uncommon for one spouse to depart soon after the other in couples who have been together more than 7 decades.

    Logic suggests that Charles's reign will likely be short. Therefore, the delineation of households and supporting staff together with a centralized location in BP can only make matters simpler for all concerned. When William ascends the throne, he will very likely occupy BP quarters presently occupied by the Queen (and Charles after her). Elementary, my dears...

    The press and social media case for making feuds out of these developments seems less and less credible to anyone with any common sense.

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    1. Yes, and when William becomes King,Prince George will move to Clarance House, and Charlotte and Louis will move into offices at Buckingham Palace - thus the cycle will continue ....

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    2. Anon, 17:52 so true.

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  32. KP was not properly staffed for 4 working royals. PH had an office with a small staff, but with DOS joining I think this put a strain on operations. Although Sentebale and Invictus has a staff, coordinations would need to go through KP. Then the Queen makes PH Commonwealth Ambassador and President of the QCT which also has it’s own staff but has to be coordinated through KP. DOS has a big project with Grenfil cookbook, royal tour to Ireland and the Down Under tour all coordinated through KP. The staff that had it easy was now stressed and that’s not including the Wedding of the Year. This development was slow in coming but the Palace works that way from my observation. The Sussex house needs a lot of staff to coordinate all the patronage’s, Invictus, QCT, Sentebale, Genfil, and all the other projects they have in the pipeline. Although the Wessex, York, Princess Royal, and the Queen’s cousins work out of Buckhouse, they don’t have the many different Major projects of the Sussex’s. It took months for KP to get out thank cards, couldn’t coordinate both the Cambridge and Sussex on the same days, handle social media, or promote their causes. I wish they were working out of Windsor, but I guess the staff don’t want that commute.
    PS ... Charlotte, I don’t know how you do your work alone. Thank your support “staff” family for their help and allowing you to do what you do!!!

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  33. Tammy from California15 March 2019 at 15:21

    Well, for me, this is sad news on many levels. I wish them the best.

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    1. I am with you on that note Tammy. But I wish them the best as well. (sigh)

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  34. Angelina Bucket15 March 2019 at 16:02

    Meghan is such inspiration. I admire her work and power and her personal commitment inspired me to start my own business. Reading how hard she is working even so close to her due date really is my personal inspiration. I wish them all the best with their team.

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    1. Congratulations Angelina!!! I wish you much success in your new business!

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    2. Angelina Bucket15 March 2019 at 21:33

      Thank you Lauri. I hope it will make a change, at least a little one ;-)

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    3. What kind of business is it? If you don’t mind me asking ☺️

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    4. Angelina Bucket17 March 2019 at 21:05

      Of course not, Laurie ;-)It is a fashion label which supports mothers in and after their maternity leave. Mothers in Germany have some difficulties to return to work after having a baby and I suppose there are similar struggles in other countries.

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  35. I think a part of the problem is the way the BRF still regards a wedding as a right of passage to adulthood.
    It has always irked me how Harry was made to sit at the metaphorical children’s table, just because he was not married. (I am aware that my perception are coloured by the fact that I am Harry’s age and single and often experience the same thing with my family)

    When Harry left the army he should have become a full time working royal with his own office at BP and his own home, not a bachelors cottage.

    Coming to think of it he (and William for that matter) should have gotten their titles when they turned 21 (or 18 or 30 or whatever arbitrary age) Let’s say he never met Meghan and remained single, would he never became a Duke then?

    Obviously the addition of a wife would still mean some changes, from decorating the house to additional staff for her office. But they would be much more behind the scenes and illicit less media speculation.

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    1. You make a good point. I never even thought of that, about how the Firm almost makes marriage seem like you’ve arrived into adulthood. I guess part of the reason they do titles at marriage, and this is just my wild theory, is that they see this title as something to be passed down to your lawfully begotten children (specifically male, normally) and that wouldn’t happen until marriage. So maybe they do after marriage in case because of all of the illegitimate children the princes of yore would have.

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    2. I guess it’s just a BRF tradition to give titles at marriage. The little Swedish princes and princess got a duke and duchess title at birth.

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    3. I don't think it's a right of passage as much as it is a way of bringing someone new into the RF and dealing with titles, patronages, etc. And if Harry a big bachelor pad there would have been criticism of the cost to the taxpayer. I don't think he was lacking in comfort and we know he was a regular visitor with W&K and their frig. Lol

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    4. Great points!

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    5. If he didn’t marry Harry would still be Prince Harry. It’s not as if he doesn’t have a title already. A more high ranking non the less.
      C.

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    6. Actually, I think a royal Duke out-ranks a prince.

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  36. I find the continued use of palace terminology such as Household in referencing the business offices of working royals to be both misleading and archaic. Simply put, H&M will now have their own staff who coordinate their diaries (calendars) to the rest of we mere mortals. I do believe that the years to come will see H&M far exceeding W&K tour as a married couple. The addition of Sara Latham is fabulous. They were truly lucky to have her come on board. I seriously doubt that there will be little rumors of friction as she and Meghan speak the same language. If it comes to light that this work opportunity does not work to her advantage it will be because of the archaic working of BP and nothing else.

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  37. Random Q: Meghan and Harry won't have to do the "showing of the baby" photo call, will they? Since their child isn't a "direct" (in the immediate top 5 succession) heir to the throne? --op

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    1. I don’t think they “have” to, but if they don’t the media circus that follows will make the one around Meghan’s babyshower look like a walk in the park. The price for paparazzi photos will entice people to go to extremes.
      They could go the Swedish route by releasing their own private photo of mom an baby leaving but I don’t think that will be enough.
      With Louis KP managed to contain it to a media pen of a couple of hours (and that included a visit by George and Charlotte that added interest) so my guess is H&M will go the same route.

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    2. I think Kate was very smart to release a lot of photos of her kids, because now there's no frenzy to try to see them. We know what they look like and know there will be regular photos released. I'm not part of the frenzy but whenever something is withheld, it makes it more desirable. My instinct would be to hide little Sussex, but that's not practical. Plus Meghan plans on him/her joining them on tours.

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  38. I merely want to add that I'm thrilled for Meghan that the new head of Harry and Meghan's communications team has experience in both the US and the UK. Also, I hope that Baby Sussex doesn't arrive too soon because Harry and Meghan need to get settled in a new residence before. What a lot to undertake so close to baby's arrival!

    R

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  39. I think you’re right, Anonymous @ 21:50.

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  40. Baby! Baby! Baby! Let's go Baby Sussex!!

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  41. Does it seem to anyone else that Harry is being positioned to become head of the commonwealth after Charles?

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    1. ... That kind of crossed my mind, and then I thought WOW my imagination is running away with me.

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    2. Susan in Florida17 March 2019 at 02:13

      I don’t doubt it at all. The Sussexes could very well have had their own household right at KP. It’s a palace, no way it’s cramped with zero space for offices for them. This office move to BP tells me there are big plans for Prince Harry and it may have started with the wedding itself. I’m thinking all the beautiful Commomweath flowers in Meghan’s veil were indicative of a bigger plan for their future.

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  42. Charlotte will the Duke and Duchess have only their offices in Buckingham or will they have their apartments to sleep there as well?

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    1. According to a story in The Times, they will have their London base at BP, as do Anne, Andrew, And Edward. Their official residence will be Frogmere Cottage. Their offices will also be at BP with all new staff, not independently at Frogmere. It is a rather diplomatic maneuver; it is said they are establishing their own household, which is technically true-their residence will be at Frogmere Cottage, not KP. They will have offices separate from KP and the Cambridges but will now be under the Queen's "umbrella."

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  43. I think this is actually really good. I often think that the pressure of working together can strain even the closest family ties. The Kensington Palace instagram has become a toxic feud between "Catherine the Queen" fans (even though she's not a queen yet) and Meghan fans. All this has to cause resentment. It's similar to two households living under the same roof ... close quarters can bring out the worst in people.

    Harry and Meghan having their own residence in Frogmore Cottage and their own offices in Buckingham Palace will hopefully take the business/work aspect off the relationship with William and Kate. And then maybe all this rumored tension will dissipate.

    I also sense that both Meghan and Kate are not the sources of drama in this quartet. The energy between William and Harry just seems very off. Kate and Meghan both look like they're trying to make peace whenever the quartet are together. Of course the press wants a big feud between Kate and Meghan but I just don't think these two are in each others' spheres enough to feud.

    But you know, what makes me sadder? How distant Charles seems to have become from his siblings. How come the press is not picking up on how Andrew, Edward and Anne are rarely seen with him nowadays? Harry/Meghan/William/Kate are young. They have time to reboot their relationship if it needs rebooting. Charles is in his seventies.

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    1. It does not seem so much as a rift as it is Harry coming to grips with the fact that his role as a junior role is shifting and that domtomthe constraints of his place he can. It give Meghan everything she wants whenever she wants it.

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    2. How many grown up siblings live in the same house or on the same street?

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    3. Full disclosure — I am a mere mortal with no formal education about royals, so, please, correct me if I am wrong.

      Is it possible/probable that the powers-that-be must protect the Queen and the 2 heirs from any undue familial influence? It makes sense. No slight is intended. This separation was expected.

      I recall in The Crown that Phillip was escorted away from the Queen, had his own bedroom, etc. Also, the Queen and Margaret had a challenging relationship. Much of the drama was handled by someone else, not the Queen herself. The distance is what contributes to the ‘royal mystique’. My impression is that the Queen closes herself off from family drama. In this way, she is able to attend fully to ‘royal’ matters. Charles has already been separated from his siblings for years. No slight is intended.

      It’s all about power and access to that power.
      It is also the stuff that makes history interesting.

      Cheers!

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    4. I'm glad that Harry and Meghan finally get their own household, especially their own Communications chief. I don't think the original KP Household could manage all four individuals/two couples very well-it was too much, and they didn't do a great job with anyone, although if push came to shove, I can see them taking care of William and Kate first. The Sussexes are gearing up for a major role in The Firm and this move makes total sense to anyone who observes how The Firm does things. The move to BP aknowledges the kind of work Meghan and Harry will do, and gives them the support to do it.
      I find it hard to believe that there is any kind of feud going on between any of the Sussexes and the Cambridges, other than the usual disagreements of life and work.
      I heard one Royal Foundation official say that William and Harry go at things from completely opposite directions. That's not necessarily bad, but could lead to disagreements. That would not mean they are alienated, as tabloids suggest. From what I can see, Kate and Meghan are very complementary, and between them should do much good for the Family and their nation and the Commonwealth.
      I don't think we can make any assumptions on how "close" various members of the royal family are to each other by what we see of them in public. They all have their separate duties and patronages. We don't know what they are really like as a family, or what happens when they are not on duty. We observed one time at a polo match how well the Phillips kids and the Cambridge kids played together. That kind of iteraction doesn't happen unless the children are very familiar with each other. Charles may seem distant from his siblings, but then there is a huge age difference between Anne and Charles and their younger brothers. I don't think we can conclude they are distant because we don't see them together socially. Stuff like that goes on
      in the part of their lives labelled "private." I recall though that we have had evidence that William and Harry are close to their paternal cousins, and keep in close touch with their maternal ones. Mike Tindall has said that the cousins are close, and William and Kate have chosen from godparents from Diana's side.
      Finally, the press is being rather puerile in expecting to see the Fab Four going about things together, William and Harry acting like they're both still single, and Kate and Meghan as BFF's. To my mind, they treat the Royal Family like characters in a novel, and make up things to keep stories going that will sell papers and get clicks. As Harry has now famously said, it's their lives, and not a game, or a novel.

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    5. Charles has never been very close to his siblings. He was living away from home off at school when Andrew and Edward were born. Princess Anne doesn't seem to be close to anyone. She's rather aloof.

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  44. Charlotte are you going to run a poll for gender and name predictions of baby?

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    1. Hello,

      Yes, we'll do that by the end of the month :)

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    2. I came across this information on a CAMFED garden at the Chelsea Flower Show that sounds really innovative.
      https://camfed.org/latest-news/chelsea-flower-show-garden-2019/

      If I lived in the UK, I would most like to see examples of what people in apartments, townhomes, small houses can do to get the most out of what gardening space they have. I think there should be much more emphasis on home gardening, like the victory gardens.

      They could name the baby Allison!

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  45. I got a kick out of how gleeful Charles looked with the Clooneys, particularly Amal. Her incorporation into the Prince's Trust makes me think there was a collaboration between Meghan and Charles. I think Charles is enjoying his new daughter-in-law. Can't wait until Doria can join the mix!

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    1. If the Prince's Trust were made a fully public trust with dissociation from identity with Charles, Amal could conceivably take over the organization as CEO with a Board of Directors with Charles as Chairman, or at least a Board member. It is his baby and I doubt he will turn it completely loose. There is a similar structure with Wimbledon and the Lawn Tennis organisation with the Duke of Kent President of one and a non-royal President/ Chairman of the Board of the other, and Catherine Patron.

      Or Charles could be up to his old tricks of wooing donors with proximity to the heir. That man can smooze with the best of them. Amal will still be a valuable addition. She may be looking to ease away from her lawyer advocacy career into a quieter, home-based job. She's got those twins at home. She may be ready to see more of them. Probably a lot of Trust work can be done from her home base.

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  46. With Charles choosing an international music star as his Global Ambassador for the PT, I would imagine bringing the Clooneys in was part of a fund-raising strategy. That musician is popular and charismatic-as are theClooneys. That is not to demean Amal's legal and organisational talents. She would be a great fit. What it does tell me is that Charles has enlisted some high-power, effective PR help to promote his efforts. I think he has been the moving force behind the Trust and may be looking to the day that he wil no longer be able to continue to be as active as before. Unless Harry and Meghan take over the trust--I think he had hoped to hand it to his sons one day, I think the other choice is to go to non-royal leadership. There are royals who could handle this--Sir Timothy comes to mind, but I don't think Charles wants to totally turn loose of control.

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Welcome to Mad About Meghan! We do so look forward to reading your thoughts. Constructive, fair debate is always encouraged. Hateful, derogatory terms and insults are not welcome here. This space focuses on Harry and Meghan, not any other member of the Royal family. It's not the place to discuss politics either. Thank you for reading, we look forward to your comments :)