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Kalaokashock Media.
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Hello and welcome to Palace Weekly. I'm your host, Mark Francis,
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and every Sunday we are going to take a conversational
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round table approach to all the stories that happened this
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week in Royal news.
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Take it away, Okay, So wow, you guys sent in
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a really interesting mix of stuff. It seems like the
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Royals are constantly in the news, but these sources you
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sent in are giving us a whole new angle.
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Right, We're going.
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To unpack how these royals are handling their public image,
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especially with social media being such a big factor these days.
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Is there even a line between genuine support and just
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like disaster tourism? And of course, how does Megan Markle
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always seem to be well at the center.
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Of it all. It's fascinating really how the navigate this
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it is.
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Let's start with Kate Middleton. Okay, The Palace Intrigue podcast
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talked about her return to the spotlight with a visit
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to the Royal Marsden Hospital.
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Yes, and that's interesting because it wasn't just any visit, No,
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not at all. This is the very same hospital where
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she had cancer treatment.
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You're right, and it just seems so deliberate it does.
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It adds another whole layer of meaning to this visit.
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And what's even more interesting is how open Kate was
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about everything.
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Oh yeah, I mean she didn't try to sugarcoat the
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difficulties of getting back to daily life after going through
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something like that exactly.
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She didn't shy away from it at all.
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No, she talked about the challenges she faced, you know,
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for herself and for families going through similar experiences.
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You know, as a dedicated royal watcher, you, of all people,
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must recognize how significant this is.
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I do. Yah. It's pretty rare actually to hear a
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royal speak so openly about these kinds of personal struggles.
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It's really Yeah, it's not common. It makes you think
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about the monarchy as a whole and how they approach
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these things.
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So did this lead to a more relatable image for them?
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You think maybe? I mean, traditionally they've maintained a very
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stoic and sort of untouchable image. But Kate's willingness to
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just be open about her experience could be paving the
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way for a more humanized approach.
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You know, I see what you're saying, and that.
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Might resonate with people especially nowadays when everyone is embracing
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vulnerability and authenticity.
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Well, speaking of vulnerability, let's move on to Harry and Megan. Okay,
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I mean they've been facing a ton of scrutiny lately,
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especially with their recent involvement in the California wildfire relief efforts.
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That's right, Pallace Intrigue really detailed their approach, like comforting victims,
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distributing supplies, Steph.
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You'd expect everyone to applaud exactly.
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But there was actually quite a mixed reaction. Actress Justine Bateman,
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you know, she went as far as to call them
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disaster tourists.
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Disaster tourists. Wow, it just seems like no matter what
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they do, they face criticism. It does so on one hand,
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you have Bateman saying they're exploiting a tragedy for publicity,
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and then you have the mayor of Pasadena praising them
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for boosting morale.
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That's right, to completely different perspectives.
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How can you reconcile that?
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I think it just boils down to how divided public
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opinion is when it comes to Harry and Megan. It's
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like every single thing they do is seen through these
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completely different lenses.
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So for some it's genuine compassion for others, it's a
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PR stunt exactly. One thing from the podcast really stood
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out to me, though, what that Apparently Harry went out
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of his way to find a doughnut for an evacuee
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who requested one.
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Oh I heard about that.
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It was a small thing, but it seems kind of significant.
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I agree, those small moments, those human interactions often speak volumes. Right,
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This wasn't about getting a good photo, It was just
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about connecting with someone who needed it.
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And then there are reports, unconfirmed though, right, that they
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went a step further and actually opened up their home
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to evacuees.
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I did hear that.
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If that's true, it really shows their commitment.
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It does, but it could also lead to more criticism,
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you know.
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Oh yeah, I.
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Can see that they're kind of stuck, aren't they.
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Yeah, accused of a PR stunter turning away people in need.
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Exactly. It highlights the careful line they have to walk.
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It does. Every single action is going to be scrutinized
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and there's always a risk.
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So how do they reconcile that?
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That's the question. How do they balance their desire to
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help with you know, managing how the public sees them.
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Okay, So this brings us to Tessa Dunlop's article right
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in The Independent. Why is Megan Markle so bad at
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being good?
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Yes? Very provocative.
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It seems like no matter what she does, she just
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faces intense scrutiny she does. Is that fair or are
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we seeing a double standard here?
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It's a good question. Dumb Lup's right. Megan seems to
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trigger these really strong reactions, whether she's speaking out or
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staying silent. Yeah, it's like she's damned if she does,
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damned if she doesn't.
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And even her involvement with the wildfires is seen as
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calculated by some. Yeah, this brings up those unique challenges
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she faces, it does.
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Is it sexism or a clash of cultures something else?
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We definitely need to unpack all of that.
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I think to really understand it, you have to look
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beyond just the surface. What I mean, Well, we need
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to consider historical context, media narratives, societal biases.
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Okay, so we're seeing a theme emerge here.
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We are both Kate and Meghan are trying to well
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find their way, but they're under this intense spotlight.
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That's true, and let's.
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Not forget Harry and Meghan's very public critique of Meta
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oh Right.
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That statement condemning their decision to abandon fact checking was powerful.
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Very powerful. They called them out directly said they were
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a prioritizing profit over people's safety.
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And they went on to talk about online safety and
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free speech.
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They did they're concerned about the potential increase in abuse
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and hate speech.
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The timing of that statement is interesting, though, isn't it.
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It came out just weeks after Meghan reactivated her Instagram.
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Oh right with comments turned off though.
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Yeah, so it shows this dilemma facing right. They want
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to engage, but how do you do that and protect
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yourself at the same time.
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That's such a relevant question for everyone these days.
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It is how do we balance the desire to connect
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with the need for self preservation when there's so much
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negativity online exactly, But the fact that they're using their
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platform to talk about this, it's pretty significant.
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I agree. They're not shying away from the conversation, even though.
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They're just drawing more attention and criticism to themselves.
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So we've got Kate dealing with being a royal but
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also being more open about her personal life, and then
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we have Harry and Meghan battling online negativity but trying
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to make a positive impact.
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That's right. It's a lot to take in, it is,
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and we're just getting started. Oh there's more, there is.
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We still need to talk about the conflicting advice that's
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out there for Megan. Okay, like should she lean into
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being a royal or try to be more relatable?
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That's such a core question about her public image.
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It is, how does she define herself? This seems like
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a good place to pause and really delve into all
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of that.
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Okay, sounds good when we come back. Okay, so we're back,
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and I'm really interested to dig into this. It seems
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like there are so many opinions about which path Meghan
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should take, you know, should she embrace being a royal
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or try to be more relatable?
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Right, Like we were saying before the break, it seems
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like they are very strong opinions on both sides.
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Exactly so pr expert Edward korm James. He was quoted
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in the Express saying.
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Oh, yeah, I saw that.
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He thinks Meghan's caught between two worlds, trying to be
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every woman and a duchess at the same time.
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It's a tough spot to be in, and his take.
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Is that she needs to just pick one path and
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stick with it.
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It makes sense, you know, having a clear image.
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So she wants to be seen as aspirational. Korm James
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thinks that she should lean all the way into the
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whole royal thing.
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The glamour, the exclusivity, right.
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No, exactly like own the fact that she's out of touch.
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Yeah, flip that you use it for good.
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But can you really control how people see you like that?
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That's the question, isn't it. Especially with the media and everything.
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So much is shaped by forces outside of your control.
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Absolutely.
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But then there's this anonymous insider also in the Express,
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claiming that Megan sees her Netflix show as a chance
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to prove everyone wrong.
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Ah, the revenge narrative.
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Yeah, that's how they're framing it, which is kind of intense.
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It does make it sound like it's more about getting
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back at her critics than you know, carefully creating a
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specific image.
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So less about conforming to expectations and more about like,
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here's who I am, deal with.
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It exactly, showcasing her talent, silencing the doubters.
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So it's embraced the royal mystique versus show them what
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you're made.
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Of, two very different paths.
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As someone who follows all of this, which approach do
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you think will actually work?
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Honestly, that's tough to say. Depends what Megan's goal is, right.
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So if she wants to be accepted by those like
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die hard or royalists.
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Then embracing her lineage using that for good, that might
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be the way to go.
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But if she's trying to connect with a wider audience.
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And challenge the norms, then maybe.
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Showing her own individuality her talent would be better to be.
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It's like she's trying to appeal to two different groups.
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Right, those who love the whole traditional image and.
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Those who want something more modern, relatable.
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And don't forget, Harry and Meghan aren't even officially working
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royals anymore.
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Which adds a whole other layer to this.
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It does. They're building their own path, but the attention
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hasn't gone away.
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It's like uncharted territory, totally no.
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Longer bound by the rules, but also no institutional support.
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A tightrope walk, you know. Thinking back to that meta statement.
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Such a bold move.
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It really started conversation.
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It shows how willing they are to use their platform,
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even if it means taking on these huge companies.
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And risking even more criticism.
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But they clearly care about these issues, which.
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Brings us back to that balance.
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You know, how do they control their story while also
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wanting to make a difference.
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That's a question for everyone these days, not just royals.
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It is wanting privacy but also wanting to have an impact.
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So what's the answer.
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There isn't an easy one, but the fact that they're
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even talking about this is a big deal.
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Wow, We've covered so much already.
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We have royal visits, wildfires, online stuff and all this pr.
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Advice and this is just the beginning.
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This is just scratching the surface.
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Really, there's more.
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Oh, there's always more when it comes to the Royals. Yeah,
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but I think what we've seen here really shows how
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complicated their image is in today's world, you know, balancing
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tradition with what people expect today, using your platform without
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becoming a target. These are questions everyone's dealing with, especially
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Harry and Meghan.
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And it makes you think about what will happen.
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Next, Right, will they be able to navigate all of
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this and actually achieve what they want to do or will.
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They keep running into these same obstacles.
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It's hard to tell, but it's going to be fascinating