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Quasipooch t1_jdh9bma wrote

No kidding. ENOUGH with the entire "royal" family! They bleed red like the rest of us. Why so many Americans are fascinated with them blows my mind.

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1945BestYear t1_jdhjugx wrote

Americans need to get interested in Byzantine history. There's a thousand years of intrafamilial infighting to learn about there, and they go one better over modern royals because they usually end with somebody's eyes getting gouged out or their balls cut off or something.

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elizabeth-cooper t1_jdhqxwk wrote

Because royalty is romantic, like something out of a fairy tale.

I read Spare, and assuming it wasn't a lie from beginning to end, I did gain sympathy for Harry that I didn't have before. He lost his mother when he was 12, he grew up in the public eye, his family is dysfunctional, he was having trouble coping but nobody suggested that he get therapy until he was 30.

When he talks about wanting privacy, he means from the paparazzi and I think that's fair enough.

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compassionisthekey t1_jdhs3ci wrote

I think the South Park episode about them wanting "privacy" pretty much nails it. Most of us here are normal people who appreciate our privacy. We're not going out of our way to achieve that privacy because it's actually pretty normal and natural to do. The once-famous actors and other celebrities that I don't hear about anymore and one day I wonder "oh yeah, I wonder what happened to them?" They actually achieved privacy because it actually takes a bit of work to be ever-present in the public sphere. Harry can actually be that "oh yeah, whatever happened to him" person if he wants to be. No, it wasn't fair or easy what happened to him as a child, but given what we know goes on in the world, he's had a decent life.

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1945BestYear t1_jdiy7mk wrote

I can appreciate that there is no winning move in his situation against the British news media. He and Meghan could've gone into the Himalayas to live as goatherds, and the press would still have gone years and years about how terrible, awful people they are. Publishing a book at least pushes out your side of the story, and stops the conversation from getting monopolised.

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elizabeth-cooper t1_jdhtwc2 wrote

The paparazzi hound them when they're just trying to live their lives. Having you seen the way the paps treated Britney Spears? It should be illegal. Watch the way they surrounded her car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29IUP5RQIAY

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saga_of_a_star_world t1_jdks4em wrote

I watched that documentary about Britney Spears, and it shocked me how little agency she had in her life. And how can anyone stay sane with that level of stalking behavior from the paparazzi?

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eschuylerhamilton t1_jdjddu2 wrote

This! They bitch and moan about how they just want a quiet life while simultaneously releasing books and doing documentaries. You can’t have it both ways.

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e_crabapple t1_jdijspu wrote

His family once subjugated 1/4 of the whole world -- how dreamy!

This country's founding documents specifically mention them as examples of what not to do -- oh to live such a life...

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elizabeth-cooper t1_jdilayw wrote

Okay? Nothing to do with him. There's almost nobody in the northern hemisphere who isn't currently benefiting from their [literal or political] ancestors' colonialism and there's not a whole lot any of us can do about it.

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OneGoodRib t1_jdk3jw9 wrote

Yes clearly it's ridiculous to fantasize about being rich enough that you can only get gag gifts for Christmas because you buy whatever expensive things you want whenever you want, and to live in beautiful palaces where you never have to clean or cook for yourself but you still could if you wanted to.

How utterly ridiculous to be fascinated by these real people whose every waking personal moments are on display for the entire world to analyze.

Because some people who aren't even alive anymore did bad things that directly or indirectly benefited most of us.

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spotted-cat t1_jdk1our wrote

Tbh, as an American I’m most interested in how his father’s affair with Camilla and losing his mother impacted his life and relationships with his family. Mainly because his brother seems much more emotionally stable(?) than Harry does despite all of this if that makes sense.

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fellationelsen t1_jdidset wrote

I'm British and I fucking hate them. That said, this book was actually fascinating and entertaining. Had more fun reading that than half of the actual novels I've read. Harry is definitely my favourite royal now, and the amount of stupid criticism, from everyone from South Park to the rest of the royal family just proves how essential of a read it is.

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Affectionate_Noise36 t1_jdhidhw wrote

Harry is not royalty anymore

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Radagon_Gold t1_jdij3jk wrote

The Duke of Sussex retains his royal status and his place in the order of precedence. Just four individuals have to die before Prince Harry would become His Majesty Henry the Ninth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

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