Speaker 1: Caloroga Shark Media.
Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to the Palace Weekly. I'm your host,
Speaker 2: Mark Francis, and every Sunday we are going to take
Speaker 2: a conversational roundtable approach to all the stories that happened
Speaker 2: this week in Royal News. Take it away.
Speaker 3: It feels like just yesterday we were glued to our
Speaker 3: screens watching Harry and Megan step back from royal life. Yeah,
Speaker 3: five years, can you believe it?
Speaker 4: It's hard to believe.
Speaker 3: Well, today we're going to dive deep into a Vanity
Speaker 3: Fair article that kind of takes stock of their journey
Speaker 3: since then, and they actually talked to dozens of people
Speaker 3: who've worked with them.
Speaker 4: It's a fascinating piece. Yeah, gives you a peek behind
Speaker 4: the curtain of their California life, their businesses, you know,
Speaker 4: the charity work, and even some bumps in the road.
Speaker 3: Okay, let's unpack this right off the back. But the
Speaker 3: article jumps into their life in Montecito and paints a
Speaker 3: picture of this grand mansion fourteen point six five million dollars.
Speaker 4: Eighteen thousand square feet.
Speaker 3: What a steal. It does sound like a steal. What's
Speaker 3: really fascinating is that this luxurious estate became the base
Speaker 3: for Archwall, their ambitious blend of like philanthropy and entertainment.
Speaker 4: It's a real shift from that traditional, more formal model
Speaker 4: of royal life.
Speaker 3: So it's like a deliberate move, a physical and symbolic
Speaker 3: separation from the constraints of the monarchy.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you could definitely see it that way. It's like
Speaker 4: they're trying to build a new kind of influence. Yeah,
Speaker 4: on their own terms.
Speaker 3: Okay, that's really interesting. Now the article touches on their
Speaker 3: philanthropic work, and it seems like Harry's still dedicated to
Speaker 3: his charities, infect his Games foundation in Senta Veil, and
Speaker 3: there's a mention of him having this certain Gravi toss
Speaker 3: when he talks about his work in Africa.
Speaker 4: It makes sense, right, He's got this deep connection to Africa,
Speaker 4: both personally and through his chairar work, so his passion
Speaker 4: really shines through.
Speaker 3: Now on Megan's side, there's her forty by forty initiative, which,
Speaker 3: just to clarify for our listeners, focuses on encouraging people
Speaker 3: to dedicate forty minutes of their time to support women
Speaker 3: re entering the workforce. The article also mentions her podcast
Speaker 3: archetypes will be returning for a second season that we
Speaker 3: don't have a title or a premise just yet, right.
Speaker 3: And then of course there are the Netflix projects, A
Speaker 3: docus about Polo and a reality show called With Love Megan,
Speaker 3: which actually got delayed because of the California wildfires.
Speaker 4: It's funny you bring up those wildfires because that actually
Speaker 4: plays into one of the anecdotes that they shared about Megan. Okay,
Speaker 4: despite the disruption to the show's filming schedule, she was
Speaker 4: apparently very calm and collected, even making jokes about.
Speaker 1: The whole thing.
Speaker 3: Wow, that's pretty impressive given the circumstances. Sounds like they've
Speaker 3: been keeping dizzy on the entertainment front. Yeah, but the
Speaker 3: article also hints that their venture into the podcasting world,
Speaker 3: specifically with Spotify, wasn't exactly smooth sailing.
Speaker 4: That's putting it lightly. Apparently some of Harry's podcast ideas
Speaker 4: were well, let's just say a little.
Speaker 3: Out there, okay.
Speaker 4: To tell he reportedly suggested a podcast where he'd interview
Speaker 4: Get This sociopaths like Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump, which
Speaker 4: kind of raises the question of what's his definition of
Speaker 4: sociopath and what kind of conversation is he really envisioning
Speaker 4: having right? He also pitched a hot chocolate review show
Speaker 4: and a show where he'd solve problems from fixing flat
Speaker 4: tires to tackling global warming.
Speaker 3: A sociopath podcast and fixing flat tires. Those are some
Speaker 3: wildly different concepts. What was going on there?
Speaker 4: It does seem a bit all over the place, doesn't
Speaker 4: It Almost like a struggle to find their footing in
Speaker 4: this podcasting landscape. Clearly they want to tackle big, meaningful themes,
Speaker 4: but maybe lacked concrete ideas to make those themes come
Speaker 4: alive in a podcast format.
Speaker 3: And speaking of big personalities, wasn't there some tension with
Speaker 3: Bill Simmons? Oh?
Speaker 4: Absolutely. Bill Simmons, a Spotify executive, huge name in podcasting,
Speaker 4: reportedly had a pretty frustrating Zoom meeting with Harry Yeah,
Speaker 4: and ended up calling the couple grifters publicly. Not exactly
Speaker 4: a glowing endorsement.
Speaker 3: Ouch, that's got a sting. It sounds like they weren't
Speaker 3: exactly embracing the nitty gritty work that goes into producing
Speaker 3: a successful podcast.
Speaker 4: That's the perception. At least, It's like they wanted the
Speaker 4: benefits in the reach of podcasting, but without putting in
Speaker 4: the same effort as other celebrity podcasters.
Speaker 3: That's interesting. So amidst all this, their podcast archetypes did
Speaker 3: eventually emerge, and the article flames that the idea actually
Speaker 3: originated from a Spotify employee.
Speaker 1: It did.
Speaker 3: Yeah, the podcast dells into various stereotypes about women, you know,
Speaker 3: like Diva and Bimbo, aiming to unpack their historical context
Speaker 3: and their impact on women today. Right, so it sounds
Speaker 3: like a great concept. Did they manage to snag those
Speaker 3: A List guests they were hoping for? The article mentioned
Speaker 3: Beyonce and Megan de Sallient.
Speaker 4: Well, it seems like securing those high profile guests was
Speaker 4: a bit of a struggle actually, and even behind the
Speaker 4: scenes there were some reports of tension. He would an
Speaker 4: executive producer from Oprah's team apparently clashed with Meghan over
Speaker 4: her you know, evolving demands for the podcast.
Speaker 3: The article also mentioned some claims about Meghan's treatment of staff,
Speaker 3: warm and approachable initially, but allegedly becoming cold and undermining
Speaker 3: when things didn't go her way.
Speaker 4: You know, we have to take those claims with the
Speaker 4: grain of salt. They are coming from anonymous sources, after all,
Speaker 4: it's hard to get a completely unbiased view.
Speaker 3: Fair enough, Now, before we move on, I want to
Speaker 3: touch on Harry's personal perspective, especially as it's portrayed through
Speaker 3: his memoir Spare Spare.
Speaker 4: Was incredibly revealing, wasn't it. It offered such raw and
Speaker 4: honest insight into his inner world, you know, his experiences
Speaker 4: with trauma and those fractured relationships within the Royal family.
Speaker 3: He was incredibly candid and that definitely resonated with a
Speaker 3: lot of people. But the article also points to the
Speaker 3: potential fallout from such public disclosures, especially if Harry hopes to,
Speaker 3: you know, mend those broken bridges with.
Speaker 4: His family exactly. Spare My have been cathartic for Harry,
Speaker 4: but it also added another layer of complexity to his
Speaker 4: relationship with the Royal family.
Speaker 3: And then there are his ongoing legal battles with the
Speaker 3: British tabloid press, his fight for security in the UK,
Speaker 3: and you know, according to sources, he's not currently in
Speaker 3: contact with his family. It sounds like a very difficult
Speaker 3: and isolating situation.
Speaker 4: It highlights the immense pressure he's under juggling these legal battles,
Speaker 4: his personal life and his desire to carve out a
Speaker 4: new path for himself and his family. The article even
Speaker 4: mentions that he skipped a close friend's wedding potentially because
Speaker 4: of his security concerns in the UK.
Speaker 3: It really makes you think about the personal cost of
Speaker 3: their choices, even with all the privilege and resources they have.
Speaker 4: Absolutely, their lives might seem glamorous from the outside, but
Speaker 4: they're dealing with real human challenges just like everyone else.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a good reminder that even with their wealth
Speaker 3: and global platform, they're still navigating you know, family dynamics
Speaker 3: and public scrutiny and personal struggles.
Speaker 4: Right. Absolutely, now, shifting years a bit, I want to
Speaker 4: talk about the dynamic between Harry and Meghan themselves. Okay,
Speaker 4: a recurring theme in the article is this like palpable
Speaker 4: love they have for each other. Yeah, and multiple sources
Speaker 4: actually describe Meghan as the driving force in their partnership. Ah,
Speaker 4: It's like she's become the caregiver and facilitator, guiding your
Speaker 4: path forward.
Speaker 3: It is an interesting evolution, isn't it. Meghan, who was
Speaker 3: initially navigating the unfamiliar world of royalty, is now the
Speaker 3: one steering the ship. Right. Makes you wonder how those
Speaker 3: shifting roles might be impacting their relationship. Yeah, it does.
Speaker 3: And while the article highlights their strong connection, there's also
Speaker 3: this subtle suggestion of Harry possibly feeling isolated.
Speaker 1: M hm.
Speaker 3: You know, he's no longer in that familiar royal bubble,
Speaker 3: and he seems to be searching for his purpose outside
Speaker 3: of that context.
Speaker 4: That's such a crucial point. Imagine trying to define your
Speaker 4: place in the world when you've come from such a
Speaker 4: unique and restrictive background. Right, it's no wonder he might
Speaker 4: be grappling with those questions of identity and purpose.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it makes you think about all the assumptions we
Speaker 3: make about people based on their public image totally, especially
Speaker 3: when someone like Harry's made such a dramatic shift in
Speaker 3: his life Exactly.
Speaker 4: We tend to view public figures through a very narrow lens, right,
Speaker 4: but there's so much more happening beneath the surface.
Speaker 3: Speaking of public image, there's this interesting contradiction. The article
Speaker 3: points out their continued use of their royal titles even
Speaker 3: after stepping back from royal duties.
Speaker 4: Yeah, it definitely raises eyebrows. Their children, Archie and the
Speaker 4: Lillabete automatically became prince and princess when Charles became king,
Speaker 4: and there are even anecdotes about staff being asked to
Speaker 4: address Harry and Meghan as sir and ma'am.
Speaker 3: It's almost like they want to distance themselves from the
Speaker 3: institution of the monarchy but still maintain those privileges, and
Speaker 3: that elevated status sends a mixed message when you say, it.
Speaker 4: Does create a bit of a perception problem. As one
Speaker 4: commonator pointed out, you know, when they appear together in
Speaker 4: contexts outside of Harry's work with Invictus Games, it's not
Speaker 4: always clear what they represent right now.
Speaker 3: That's a great point. It makes those public appearances feel
Speaker 3: less impactful, like maybe there's still figuring out how to
Speaker 3: use their platform effectively.
Speaker 4: It also ties back into that criticism they receive for
Speaker 4: some of their royal tours, oh specifically those visits to
Speaker 4: Nigeria and Colombia.
Speaker 3: Right The article touches on that, highlighting this inherent conflict
Speaker 3: wanting to brave free from the constraints of the monarchy
Speaker 3: while still leveraging its symbolic power.
Speaker 4: It's a delicate balancing act and one they haven't quite
Speaker 4: mastered yet now.
Speaker 3: Beyond their global image, the article also delves into their
Speaker 3: life in Montecito. Oh, and it suggests that their relationship
Speaker 3: with the community hasn't been entirely rosy. Oh, they've actually
Speaker 3: become somewhat of local villains, with some residents blaming them
Speaker 3: for rising housing prices and increased media attention.
Speaker 4: It's a fascinating example of the unintended consequences of fame
Speaker 4: and wealthy. You know, they might have envisioned a peaceful
Speaker 4: retreat in Montecito, but their presence has clearly disrupted the
Speaker 4: community in ways they may not have anticipated.
Speaker 3: And it doesn't help that they're rarely seen interacting with locals. Yeah,
Speaker 3: they've been spotted at high profile events like Ellen DeGeneres's
Speaker 3: vow renewal, Seragoy, right, or Harry playing polo, but they
Speaker 3: seem to exist in a bit of a bubble.
Speaker 4: It feeds into that perception of them being detached from
Speaker 4: the realities of the community they now call home.
Speaker 3: Okay, before we move on, I have to ask about
Speaker 3: Megan's new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard or Aro. Okay,
Speaker 3: it sounds intriguing, but apparently it's already encountered some obstacles.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, definitely for starters, the trademark application was rejected,
Speaker 4: and there's potential conflict with another brand called Harry and David.
Speaker 3: Oh wow.
Speaker 4: And then there's the name itself, American Riviera Orchard.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: The article mentions that no one really calls Montecito the
Speaker 4: American Riviera anymore, so the brand feels a bit dated
Speaker 4: right out of the gate.
Speaker 3: It's a stark contrast to her previous success with her
Speaker 3: lifestyle blog The Tig, which really resonated with a certain audience.
Speaker 3: With ar it feels like she might have misjudged what
Speaker 3: people are looking for. Yeah, and speaking of misjudgments, there's
Speaker 3: this pretty shocking rumor. The article reveals about Megan's team
Speaker 3: exploring a book concept centered on a hypothetical divorce from Harry.
Speaker 4: Now, it's crucial to emphasize that this was simply an
Speaker 4: exploration of a potential idea. There's no indication that a
Speaker 4: divorce is imminent or even being seriously considered.
Speaker 3: Still, it's a pretty eyebrow raising detail to include, especially
Speaker 3: an article that's largely focused on their post royal life together. Yeah,
Speaker 3: it does make you wonder what's happening behind closed doors.
Speaker 4: It speaks to the constant speculations surrounding their relationship and
Speaker 4: their future. Even though they've shared so much of their
Speaker 4: lives publicly, there's still this sense of mystery that keeps
Speaker 4: people guessing.
Speaker 3: It's like we're all invested in the next chapter of
Speaker 3: their story, even if we don't fully understand what motivates them.
Speaker 4: It's the power of a good narrative, yeah, keeps us hooked,
Speaker 4: even when we're not sure where it's headed.
Speaker 3: Absolutely now. The article concludes by reflecting on their ongoing
Speaker 3: efforts to change the world, a phrase they've used repeatedly,
Speaker 3: but even those who've worked closely with them seem unsure
Speaker 3: of what that actually means in practice.
Speaker 4: It's a valid question. Are they truly committed to creating
Speaker 4: meaningful change or are they more focused on the optics
Speaker 4: of philanthropy and activism.
Speaker 3: It's easy to be cynical, especially given their lavish lifestyle
Speaker 3: and their tendency to court media attention, but I also
Speaker 3: want to believe that they're genuinely motivated by a desire
Speaker 3: to make a positive impact.
Speaker 4: It's a complex issue, and ultimately it's up to each
Speaker 4: individual to decide what they believe right. But what we
Speaker 4: can do is analyze their actions, understand the nuances of
Speaker 4: their approach, and assess whether their efforts are aligning with
Speaker 4: their stated goals.
Speaker 3: That's what we're aiming to do here, right, to provide
Speaker 3: our listeners with the information and insights they need to
Speaker 3: form their own opinions.
Speaker 4: Exactly. We're not here to pass judgment, but to encourage
Speaker 4: critical thinking and thoughtful engagement with the topic.
Speaker 3: So, five years into this post royal life, where do
Speaker 3: you think Harry and Megan stand. Are they finding their
Speaker 3: footing or are they still searching for their true place
Speaker 3: in the world.
Speaker 4: I think it's a bit of both. Okay, they're clearly
Speaker 4: forging their own path, but it's been far from a
Speaker 4: smooth journey, right. They've encountered setbacks, made missteps, and faced
Speaker 4: a relentless barrage of criticism.
Speaker 3: And yet they seem to be pushing forward undeterred.
Speaker 4: There's a resilience to them, a determination to defy expectations
Speaker 4: and create their own version of success, whatever that might
Speaker 4: look like.
Speaker 3: And whether we agree with their methods or not, there's
Speaker 3: no denying that they're keeping us all captivated. Yeah, their
Speaker 3: story is far from.
Speaker 4: Over, absolutely, and this deep dive into the vanity fair
Speaker 4: article has given us a glimpse into the intricacies of
Speaker 4: their journey, the challenges they've encountered, and the questions that
Speaker 4: still linger.
Speaker 3: They're shifting gears slightly. I want to talk about one
Speaker 3: one particular aspect of Megan's approach to creating change that
Speaker 3: the article highlights. Okay, her focus on personal connection and empathy.
Speaker 1: Huh.
Speaker 3: Several people shared stories about her reaching out to them
Speaker 3: during difficult times, offering support and solace.
Speaker 4: It's a fascinating parallel to Princess Diana.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it does make you wonder if that genuine empathy
Speaker 3: is part of what fuels her drive to change the world.
Speaker 3: As they say, Yeah, it's like she sees those individual
Speaker 3: acts of kindness as a microcosm of the larger impact
Speaker 3: she hopes to make.
Speaker 4: Right. But the article also touches on this specific anecdote
Speaker 4: that Megan often brings up about writing a letter to
Speaker 4: Procter and Gamble as a teenager complaining about a sexist
Speaker 4: soap commercial.
Speaker 3: Oh right, I remember hearing about that. Yeah, she claims
Speaker 3: her letter led them to change the ad. But do
Speaker 3: we actually know if her letter was like the catalyst
Speaker 3: for the change.
Speaker 4: Well, Procter and Gamble has been pretty evasive about confirming
Speaker 4: Meghan's direct role in the AD's revision. Ok, However, they
Speaker 4: did partner with archwell you years ago, right, so there's
Speaker 4: clearly some connection there.
Speaker 3: It seems like that story holds a lot of significance
Speaker 3: for Megan.
Speaker 1: It does.
Speaker 3: Yeah, It's almost like she sees it as a model
Speaker 3: for her aspirations, a demonstration of how even a single
Speaker 3: voice can spark change.
Speaker 4: It's a powerful narrative, Yeah, But it also raises questions
Speaker 4: about the effectiveness of such symbolic gestures and the grand
Speaker 4: scheme of things. Right, Can a letter or even a
Speaker 4: celebrity endorsement truly create lasting systemic change.
Speaker 3: It's a valid point. Maybe it's about planting seeds, shifting
Speaker 3: perspectives rather than expecting immediate, sweeping change. Yeah. But circling
Speaker 3: back to this idea of changing the world, the article
Speaker 3: quotes someone who worked closely with Harry and Meghan saying
Speaker 3: they don't seem to have a clear definition of what
Speaker 3: that actually means for them. Yeah, and that's a critique
Speaker 3: they faced repeatedly. Isn't it that their vision for change
Speaker 3: lacks focus? That they're spreading themselves too thin across various
Speaker 3: causes and ventures. Yeah, it's easy to get caught up
Speaker 3: in the world wind of opportunities when you have platform
Speaker 3: as big as theirs, Right, But I also appreciate their
Speaker 3: willingness to experiment, to try different approaches, even if they
Speaker 3: haven't quite found their sweet spot yet.
Speaker 4: I think that's a fair assessment. They're clearly passionate about
Speaker 4: making a difference, but maybe still figuring out how to
Speaker 4: channel that passion into concrete, impactful action.
Speaker 3: Okay, So, as we wrap up this deep dive into
Speaker 3: Harry and Meghan five years after their royal exit, I'm
Speaker 3: curious to hear your final takeaway. Okay, what stands out
Speaker 3: to you most from all of us?
Speaker 4: I think for me, it's this constant tension between their
Speaker 4: desire for privacy and their need for attention. They seem
Speaker 4: to crave both simultaneously, which creates this you know, push
Speaker 4: and pull dynamic that's fascinating to observe.
Speaker 3: I see that. It's like they're trying to rewrite the
Speaker 3: rules of celebrity, Yeah, but haven't quite cracked the code
Speaker 3: yet exactly.
Speaker 4: They want to control the narrative to protect their privacy,
Speaker 4: but they also need the spotlight to amplify their message
Speaker 4: and achieve their goals. It's a constant balancing act.
Speaker 3: And we haven't even touched on the impact all of
Speaker 3: this has on the people around them, you know, staff,
Speaker 3: their collaborators, even their neighbors in Montecito.
Speaker 4: That's an important point. The article does shed light on
Speaker 4: the ripple effects of their decisions and actions, both positive
Speaker 4: and negative.
Speaker 3: Right.
Speaker 4: It's a reminder that even those with the best intentions
Speaker 4: can sometimes create unintended consequences.
Speaker 3: Right, which brings us to the central question that lingers
Speaker 3: after this deep dive. Can Harry and Megan truly win?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 3: Can they achieve their goals, find fulfillment and earn the
Speaker 3: respect they crave, all while navigating the treacherous waters of
Speaker 3: fame and public scrutiny.
Speaker 4: Only time will tell, right, But one thing is certain.
Speaker 4: Their story is far from over. They're still evolving, still
Speaker 4: figuring things out, still searching for their place in the world.
Speaker 3: It's been a fascinating journey so far, and I have
Speaker 3: a feeling the next chapter will be just as captivating.
Speaker 4: I absolutely agree, and this Vanity Fair article has has
Speaker 4: given us a lot to think about as we continue
Speaker 4: to follow their story.
Speaker 3: It's been a truly insightful conversation and to our listeners,
Speaker 3: we encourage you to continue exploring this topic, forming your
Speaker 3: own opinions, and staying tuned for more deep dives into
Speaker 3: the most fascinating stories of our time.
Speaker 2: Thank you, and that is it for this edition of
Speaker 2: Palace Weekly. Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the
Speaker 2: app of your choice. I'm Mark Francis My thanks to you,
Speaker 2: John McDermott. This is Palace Weekly. Good Times