They excluded themselves vindictively and overestimated their importance as usual and now that it's blown up in their faces once again they're lashing out because their own actions and decisions are always someone else's fault.It's yet another contradiction in their story and in their morals. They're above the rules they expect everyone else to follow. I didn't even make the connection with the photo about the grandkids and great grandkids but now that you've pointed it out it makes total sense. They felt left out and now they're lashing out. It's the same pattern that they've always followed.
The fact that the two of them are middle-aged behaving like this is really embarrassing.