Oh, that title: Royal Executive Editor at Yahoo Life. Highfalutin and presumptuous.
The headline of the Royal Executive Editor's latest article shows that he cares only about his agenda and does not want to provide accurate information. This is not a surprise as the writer lied about his age and provided a fake Ralph Waldo Emerson quote for his book,
https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2020/08/finding-freedom-not-even-fine-whine.html
This editor is also known for changing his story about the Duchess of Sussex and the People magazine article that interviewed five friends about the letter to her father. On Good Morning America, he claimed Meghan did not know that her friends were interviewed by the magazine. In a later interview, he said he was aware that Meghan knew her friends had spoken to a People Magazine reporter.
It would have been better for the REE to have been upfront and honest, but one can assume it was not the narrative that he had been given.
The REE's article is titled "Zara and Mike Tindall regularly cash in on their royal status -- so why aren't the usual critics outraged?"
The only people who are outraged are your "fans."
Now, of course, the REE is aware of the difference between Zara and Mike and "the various business of a certain royal couple in California."
He is referring to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Has the California couple murmured something about Cousin Zara in the Royal Executive Editor's 41-year-old ears? If this is the case, the Duke of Sussex should know the difference.
One couple is not royal. The other couple is royal. But these facts do not suit the narrative the REE wants to tell the world -- those who read his weekly articles. As is already known, facts sometimes get in the REE's way
He writes: "Cashing in on royal status is usually a trigger to dedicated royalists and media outlets, many of whom have spent two years complaining about the various business antics of a certain royal couple in California, so I find it peculiar that this recent news about the Tindalls’ various royal cash-ins come and go without even a sound from the most sensitive of columnists."
The REE knows the answer to why there is no criticism of Zara and Mike. The late Princess Margaret provided the answer when she said: "My children are not royal; they just happen to have the Queen for their aunt."
Zara is not royal; she just happens to have the King for her uncle.
Princess Margaret's former husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones received the title Earl of Snowdon shortly before Margaret gave birth to their first child, David, in November 1961. David was styled as Viscount Linley until his father's death.
The 2nd Earl of Snowdon and his younger sister, Lady Sarah Chatto are children of a princess, and grandchildren of King George VI. They are not royal. Lord Snowdon is a peer of the realm and Lady Sarah has the rank and title of the daughter of an earl.
Lord Snowdon has run a successful bespoke design business, Linley, since 1985. With his second cousin, Patrick, the Earl of Lichfield, David opened Deals, a chain of "upmarket burger bars" in 1988. The chain was sold ten years later.
[A noted society photographer, Lord Lichfield was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's nephew.]
David's father, Tony, was a successful photographer when he met Princess Margaret. Although he did accompany his wife on some of her engagements, he knew he had to keep working as well. He was hired as a photographer by The Times, and he conceived the Snowdon Aviary at London Zoo.
https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/news/zsl-london-zoo-unwraps-snowdon-aviary
Lord Snowdon called the late Queen "Aunt Lilibet." Zara Tindall calls the present King "Uncle Charles."
Where is the REE's hypocritical outrage against Lord Snowdon, who has been in business since 1985, and has made a comfortable income from his design skills?
Zara is a successful equestrian. As a member of Team GB, she won a Silver Medal in the team three-day eventing competition at the London Olympics. Both of her parents, HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips were Olympians, as well.
Her achievements come from talent and challenging work, and not from her royal "connections."
Zara Tindall and her older brother, Peter Phillips, are not royal. They are grandchildren of the sovereign in the female line which means they take their rank from their father, not their mother. This fact is something a Royal Executive Editor should know.
Yes, Zara has royal connections (family). The REE also has royal connections (not family.)
Zara's husband, Mike Tindall, is a former member of England's Rugby Team that won the 2003 World Cup, He played rugby for Bath and Gloucester between 2000-2011. He received his MBE in 2003 for services to rugby. Zara received a MBE in the 2007 New Year's Honours List for services to Equestrianism. In August 2006, she won the Gold Medal in the three-day eventing competition at the World Equestrian Games. She also helped Team GB win the Silver Medal in the team competition.
REE must not know a lot about successful athletes because it is common knowledge that prominent and successful athletes can make millions through endorsements even after their athletic careers are over. He may be shocked by this.
The Princess Royal's home, Gatcombe Park, hosts the Festival of British Evening in early August. Gatcombe Park is privately owned by the Princess Royal. Both of her children have homes on the estate.
https://www.britisheventinglife.com/gatcombes-magic/
Before I started writing this post, I pulled Zara Tindall's clip files. I have 2 files (1981-2009) and (2010+). There have been numerous articles on her sponsorship deals. Being an equestrian and running an equestrian business is expensive. These deals help cover these costs, as well as develop an investment plan. She gets the deals because she is a successful equestrian. She cannot capitalize on her title because she does not have one.
In November 1973, Mark Phillips and Princess Anne were interviewed before their wedding. Newspapers reported that Mark might get an earldom. He denied this in the interview, stating that he had not been offered a peerage and did not want one.
Zara and Mike get these deals because companies see them as good investments because of their successes as athletes, not because Zara is the niece of the king.
The REE has overlooked this and one other important fact. Harry and Meghan are using their titles with Netflix, Spotify, and Better Up. This has caused concern and criticism at the Palace and in the press.
When Prince Edward (now the Earl of Wessex) headed Ardent Productions, he used the name Edward Windsor in the credits.
Before his older brother, Prince William of Gloucester was killed in an aviation accident in August 1972, Prince Richard of Gloucester was a professional architect. He received his degree from Cambridge, wrote two books, and was employed by a London architecture firm. He did not use his title but was known professionally as Richard Gloucester.
As the younger son of the Duke of Gloucester, Richard was not expected to be a full-time royal. William's death brought profound changes to Richard and his new wife, Birgitte's lives. He was now the heir to his father's dukedom, and as his father was ill, Richard and Birgitte were fast-tracked into full-time working royals.
Due to decisions made in the late 1990s by the Way Ahead Group, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the daughters of the Duke of York, would not be working royals. They were also expected to have jobs. Beatrice is the Vice President, Partnerships & Strategy at Afiniti. Her younger sister, Eugenie, is a director at Hauser & Wirth's London gallery.
Neither princess uses their titles in their job. They are known as Beatrice York and Eugenie York on their firms' websites and on their personnel LinkedIn pages.
Lady Rose Gilman, the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, has worked as an art assistant in films and TV. She is listed in the credits as Rose Windsor.
There are Peers of the realm who also do not use their titles in their careers. Harry's uncle, Earl Spencer has authored several books. Lord Spencer uses Charles Spencer as his pen name. The present Earl of Harewood, a great-grandson of George V, worked in film production when he was the heir, with the courtesy title Viscount Lascelles. He was credited as David Lascelles, not as Lord Lascelles.
A recent book by Lord Harewood, A Hare-Marked Moon: From Bhutan to Yorkshire: The Story of an English Stupa, lists David Lascelles as the author.
The late film producer Lord Brabourne was credited as John Brabourne.
The 8th Marquess of Exeter lives in Oregon. He is professionally known as Michael Cecil.
The American-born 5th Earl of Wharncliffe lives in Maine. He is known as Richard Wortley and does not officially use the triple-barreled surname Montagu-Stuart-Wortley,
I do not advocate or support an Act of Parliament that would strip Harry of his title. The last time Parliament passed such an act was in 1917 with the Titles Deprivation, which removed four peerages from three British princes and an Austrian national who supported and fought for Germany during the first world war.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2012/04/titles-deprivation-act-of-1917.html
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not working royals and are committed to helping others through the Archewell Foundation. To do this, they must have deals that will provide them with enough money to afford a big house in Montecito and support the causes that are most important to them.
There are who say that Sussexes snagged the Netflix and Spotify deals because of their titles. This is my observation and not a criticism.
My suggestion would be to not use the titles professionally but follow what Uncle Edward did when he worked in the entertainment business. Harry and Meghan could use Windsor (Mountbatten-Windor is a mouthful - and a longer name to type) or Sussex as a professional surname. This change would bring an end to the criticism that they are capitalizing on their royal titles.
It would also show that the couple is serious about separating their business commitments from their position within the Royal Family, which is the son and daughter-in-law of King Charles III.
If Queen Elizabeth II's death certificate includes a surname (Windsor), Harry and Meghan can use a surname in their careers.
Several years ago, I authored an article on working royals for BBC History Extra.
If you liked this article, perhaps you can buy me a coffee or a margarita!
1 comment:
Thank you, Marlene - your explanation of the UK royal family is precise. Hopefully, the magazine stenographers will read and understand when and where to use titles. Unfortunately, the Sussex duo depend on their titles as their handle for creating an income. Unlike for example Zara Tindell who has independent skills, the Sussex duo do not have even one skill between them.
Could you discuss why, for example, the Russian family who recently had a baby boy in Moscow still uses their titles which were lost over a century ago? This question covers all countries that no longer have a monarchy.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
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