The Royal Family #38

[NomDePlume]

Why would two people, who are paranoid about security, travelling in a dedicated security vehicle with tinted windows, from which they cannot be seen, change into a standard New York cab for everyone to see them and photograph them?

When they visited South Africa they flew over a fleet of Range Rovers to travel in, but in the good ole we-are-allowed-to-bear-arms USA, they happily hop into a cab - Harold filming on his phone to get 'evidence' of a photog for his RAVEK court case.

 

[thegirlscout]

Why would two people, who are paranoid about security, travelling in a dedicated security vehicle with tinted windows, from which they cannot be seen, change into a standard New York cab for everyone to see them and photograph them?

When they visited South Africa they flew over a fleet of Range Rovers to travel in, but in the good ole we-are-allowed-to-bear-arms USA, they happily hop into a cab - Harold filming on his phone to get 'evidence' of a photog for his RAVEK court case.

Wasn’t the SA tour when they were still part of the Royal family? To be fair, they would have to fly in certain vehicles used by the close protection officers.

 

[Lammington]

When they visited South Africa they flew over a fleet of Range Rovers to travel in, but in the good ole we-are-allowed-to-bear-arms USA, they happily hop into a cab - Harold filming on his phone to get 'evidence' of a photog for his RAVEK court case.

It has to be said, I'd be happier in a taxi in NYC than Joburg.

 

[Blurp]

Even in the 60s it was like that. Princess Caroline of Monaco (Grace Kelly’s daughter) said a few years ago that her and her siblings were closer to the Nanny than their own mother, and would get upset when the Nanny went away during the summer holidays. Grace would call the Nanny back earlier for them. The siblings didn’t even eat with their parents until they were 14!

Much the same apparently for the two Danish princes with a completely separate life, rarely seeing their parents and mostly punishment by their father.

 

[NomDePlume]

Wasn’t the SA tour when they were still part of the Royal family? To be fair, they would have to fly in certain vehicles used by the close protection officers.

My point and question still stands. Anyone who's ever travelled to South Africa would know there are no shortages of SUVs or Range Rovers, so no imports were needed for officers. There was most likely some promotional deal struck with Land Rover. I wonder whose pockets benefited from that deal?

I may be incorrect, but I doubt that any special fleet was flown over to the Caribbean tour for W&C's staff.

So, again, my question is, why would someone this paranoid about security and overly concerned with appearing important, suddenly happily hop into a cab, where he is effectively a sitting duck, unless ulterior motives are afoot. This, from the Harrold who justifies his numerous private flights because of his and his family's safety and security. Why is he suddenly in a cab? Because he wants and needs to use the Diana-style 'catastrophic car chase' to force the Court's hand in his favour. To use your deceased mother in this manner, is frankly disgusting.

 

[WatermelonSugar22]

My point and question still stands. Anyone who's ever travelled to South Africa would know there are no shortages of SUVs or Range Rovers, so no imports were needed for officers. There was most likely some promotional deal struck with Land Rover. I wonder whose pockets benefited from that deal?

I may be incorrect, but I doubt that any special fleet was flown over to the Caribbean tour for W&C's staff.

So, again, my question is, why would someone this paranoid about security and overly concerned with appearing important, suddenly happily hop into a cab, where he is effectively a sitting duck, unless ulterior motives are afoot. This, from the Harrold who justifies his numerous private flights because of his and his family's safety and security. Why is he suddenly in a cab? Because he wants and needs to use the Diana-style 'catastrophic car chase' to force the Court's hand in his favour. To use your deceased mother in this manner, is frankly disgusting.

My understanding is that the BRF have always had a deal with Land Rover, starting from early in the Queen’s reign. They frequently use it in their promo. It’s certainly not unique to the SA tour.

Is it seemly that the Royals are such a crass ad for Land Rover?

It seems this special relationship with the Royals dates back almost 70 years and the company is involved in a multi-layered financial arrangement to loan them cars.

www.dailymail.co.uk

History Of Queen Elizabeth II And Land Rovers

Let's take a look back at the storied history of Queen Elizabeth II and her use of Land Rover vehicles.

www.roverparts.com

In this Mirror article: “The manufacturer has provided vehicles for the royal family for decades, including on foreign visits.”

Meghan and Harry's tour team get Range Rover delivery amid 'security concerns'

The vehicles were drafted in for Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry after Buckingham Palace were unable to obtain suitable cars in Africa

www.mirror.co.uk

The Palace stated that there weren’t enough secure vehicles available on the SA tour so that’s why they flew some in. The Caribbean tour mostly involved flying, but there was one particularly infamous use of a Land Rover.

I gave no idea why the RF push it so hard, surely there are other British brands they could use? Or is Rover the only one fancy enough?

 

[Jjjg]

There's no way there's a 2 hour "chase" in Manhattan. These 2 looking for some attention and play a story like the UK one right before he goes back.

 

[Great_Kate]

I think the tried to outmanoeuvre the paparazzi on their own for some time. Doesn’t mean it was a chase but maybe some loops and corners to get rid of them. As far as I understand the timeline, this got more and more erratic so that one of their security vehicles got pulled over by the police. Afterwards they went into a police station and they actually put them in the cab - where they only drove for under 30min to their destination. Why they couldn’t do that in their own car I don’t know? Were the other cars sent out to distract?
Whatever went down, H&M and their office managed to make a real mess out of it. Again.

 

[Em_gardener]

I can't understand why they got into a cab either. They were in a cab with a police escort but how was that preferable to being in their own vehicle with a police escort?
They're so stupid. If they hadn't used the word catastrophic and they had just said they were followed/harassed by paparazzi they wouldn't be in this mess now. They've obviously been trying to relaunch their brand with their new pr company and it had been going reasonably well but they've messed it all up now. I wonder if their pr company approved the statement or if they did it themselves.

 

[Flowergirl14]

The comment from M&H’s spokesperson never said it was high speed (which is what the Mayor says).
I can see them being pursued by the paparazzi for around two hours but I think the spokesperson used exaggerated language such as ‘chase’ (you automatically think speed is involved), ‘catastrophic’, ‘relentless’, etc. No doubt it would have been scary for H&M and Doria, especially as in the back of their mind the Paris car crash is there.
Also, not wearing seatbelts is idiotic. Even though no one in the Paris crash were wearing seatbelts, it’s still more likely to save your life and prevent harm.

The security guard in Paris wore a seat belt, and was the only one to survive the car crash.

 

[thegirlscout]

The security guard in Paris wore a seat belt, and was the only one to survive the car crash.

The Paget report said none of the occupants were wearing seatbelts.
---

My point and question still stands. Anyone who's ever travelled to South Africa would know there are no shortages of SUVs or Range Rovers, so no imports were needed for officers. There was most likely some promotional deal struck with Land Rover. I wonder whose pockets benefited from that deal?

They don’t use common garden SUVs etc, they are bespoke vehicles. They couldn’t get enough secure cars in SA, a dangerous country, so they shipped in their own. They have done this with other tours for other members of the family.

 

[RoseintheSunshine]

Ex South African here: plenty of High Spec security cars in SA - what do you think all the people of importance, politicians, members of African royalty use: remember SA has high gun crime and the protective cars are AK47 proof

regardless of SA, I do feel quite concerned about whatever has or hasn’t happened in NYC. His mental health is evidently in pieces, he’s lost favour with everyone and appears all on his own no friends or family (regardless of how happy he claims he is), the optics look shocking with the NYPD, Mayor, Driver and now Pap Agency releasing statements contradicting events. We all know this is not going to end well

 

[Whatamadworld]

Yeah i tend to agree with others saying he is looking for issues now it seems and he's obviously not in the right headspace. God knows what his mentality is like, but he isn't able to stay quiet and live his life in California.

 

[Lammington]

I do wonder if we'll see Harry start to see and speak about the American press the way he does the UK press. If yes, they could have some struggles ahead given they've already burned their bridges in the UK. If they burn them in the US they'll be rather low on options.

 

[Boring Monday]

Yeah i tend to agree with others saying he is looking for issues now it seems and he's obviously not in the right headspace. God knows what his mentality is like, but he isn't able to stay quiet and live his life in California.

I’ve always said that Harry just has the type of personality that will never be comtent. He will always be looking over the fence and thinking the grass is greener and that he would only be happy if he could join the Army/have less press interest/have a family of his own/be out of the Royal bubble but every time he gets his if it’s not enough and off he goes looking for the next if and eyeing up the grass over the next fence.

 

[Whatamadworld]

I’ve always said that Harry just has the type of personality that will never be comtent. He will always be looking over the fence and thinking the grass is greener and that he would only be happy if he could join the Army/have less press interest/have a family of his own/be out of the Royal bubble but every time he gets his if it’s not enough and off he goes looking for the next if and eyeing up the grass over the next fence.

Yeah I'm not sure what exactly he wants at this point. He wanted to be out of the RF. He is now out of the RF and wanting privacy, but not a week or so (it seems like anyway) goes by without a story about them. Maybe that's the media's fault for reporting on their moves, but at some point they need to just live their lives without attention.

 

[Lenniel]

BBC reporting that they were staying at a friend’s house and didn’t want to compromise their security.

Harry and Meghan: What we know so far about the New York paparazzi incident

The couple's spokesperson says paparazzi pursued them for two hours - although conflicting accounts have emerged.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hannah123]

BBC reporting that they were staying at a friend’s house and didn’t want to compromise their security.

Harry and Meghan: What we know so far about the New York paparazzi incident

The couple's spokesperson says paparazzi pursued them for two hours - although conflicting accounts have emerged.

www.bbc.co.uk

Didn’t want to compromise security but drove around for 2 hours and got in a random taxi without wearing seat belts. There do such weird and confusing things. Who in their security team authorised that?

 

[Calmyourtitsdown]

I am completely gobsmacked that Harry wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, after knowing that if his mother was wearing one, she’d more likely still be here today.
I honestly can’t believe it.

 

[F1Grid]

Backgrid could clear this up by releasing the videos they have, unless they are trying to get H&M to shoot themselves in the foot

There's a vid out from TMZ of H&M's taxi blocking the route of 2 police cars with sirens on. The police cars go completely the opposite way to H&M as soon as both cars are moving, so weren't an escort for them.

I do wonder if we'll see Harry start to see and speak about the American press the way he does the UK press. If yes, they could have some struggles ahead given they've already burned their bridges in the UK. If they burn them in the US they'll be rather low on options.

He won’t dare. It took the US media a few hours to track down that taxi driver and get his side of the story. They can track down far more if Harry pokes that bear.

Meghan will also keep him on line in that too. She’s called paps in the past even if she isn’t doing it now, she knows that if that comes out she’ll look very silly.