UK United Kingdom Royal Family / Royal Families Drama General Thread - formerly "Prince Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals"

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they will step back as "senior" royals and work to become financially independent.

In a statement, Prince Harry and Meghan also said they plan to split their time between the UK and North America.

The BBC understands no other royal - including the Queen or Prince William - was consulted before the statement and Buckingham Palace is "disappointed".

Senior royals are understood to be "hurt" by the announcement.

In their unexpected statement on Wednesday, also posted on their Instagram page, the couple said they made the decision "after many months of reflection and internal discussions".

"We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen."

They said they plan to balance their time between the UK and North America while "continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages".

"This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity."

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said discussions with the duke and duchess on their decision to step back were "at an early stage", adding: "We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through."

The couple's announcement on Wednesday comes two months after the Duke of York withdrew from public life after a BBC interview about his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August.

Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals

No other royals were consulted before the couple's announcement, the BBC understands.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[FierceBrosnan]

King Charles, Lord of Rot.

I can't be the only one seeing it right?

 

[AssignedEva]

In fairness the portrait was commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Drapers (aka The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London - basically a weird holdover from the 1400s of what was originally a guild of cloth merchants) that collect Royal portraits.

The whole red thing is to tie into his then role as head of the Welsh guards, these guys:


I don't hate it. Charles, Camilla and HRH were apparently quite happy with the likeness. The artist is supposedly self taught (and is very trendy) and has painted other royals in the past

Part of his style is to basically "isolate" the subject by not really bothering with the background. It's not really that boundary pushing, it's pretty obviously derivative of Lucien Freud, but while I don't think it's a very nice looking painting it is at least interesting looking painting.

The Royals can very easily have beautiful Academic paintings made of them, but these days they have photographers for that and they don't have the sort of concern that "if I'm paying for a painting I want it to look nice, because I can't afford to get loads of paintings done". They've often sat for paintings in styles that were considered cutting edge or fashionable at the time, even if they were unflattering or "challenging".

 

[Rotogravure]

I quite like it. I was going to reference the abominable Lucien Freud portrait of Queen Elizabeth, but I see someone mentioned it. Charles using the red on red is an interesting choice, and I read he suggested the butterfly on the shoulder himself.

 

[neverendingmidi]

I was wandering through a antique/consignment/junk store today and saw a set of Harry&Megan wedding Funko Pops in one little corner. It was just so odd, it reminded me both of this thread and how goddamn flooded the Funko Pop market is.

 

[mold]

This does lead me to wonder. Are any of the living royals smart?

I summoned an evola by mentioning sedgwick!

 

[YHWH's Strongest Soldier]

King Charles, Lord of Rot.

I can't be the only one seeing it right?

Not the only one. The symbology in the picture is seriously fucked up and I wonder who greenlit the artist. Butterflies are traditionally seen as symbolic for change and human souls. Here, the painter is insinuating death by picturing Charles' soul leaving his body in the form of a butterfly. The blood red is also an unpleasant choice due to its association with martyrdom and sacrifice in Christianity. Similarly, the Japs connect it with the transition from a profane to a sacred place.

Edit: The similarity with Elden Ring's Malenia (rot) and Rykard (blasphemy) is also unfortunate, but I can be more understanding of nobody catching that before unveiling the painting.

 

[teriyakiburns]

I wonder who greenlit the artist

the portrait was commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Drapers (aka The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London - basically a weird holdover from the 1400s of what was originally a guild of cloth merchants) that collect Royal portraits.

 

[Flan Handler]

Not the only one. The symbology in the picture is seriously fucked up and I wonder who greenlit the artist. Butterflies are traditionally seen as symbolic for change and human souls. Here, the painter is insinuating death by picturing Charles' soul leaving his body in the form of a butterfly. The blood red is also an unpleasant choice due to its association with martyrdom and sacrifice in Christianity. Similarly, the Japs connect it with the transition from a profane to a sacred place.

Edit: The similarity with Elden Ring's Malenia (rot) and Rykard (blasphemy) is also unfortunate, but I can be more understanding of nobody catching that before unveiling the painting.

I saw someone did a much better photoshop with Vigo the Carpathian’s face over Charles’ but I couldn’t find it again.

 

[brocktherock]

The portrait is ugly, all the explanations are cope. Most people don't care about what royals do until they pop up in the news from time to time and nobody is going to remember that they have a history for bravely sitting for ugly paintings. We don't like it because it's a literal bloody hellscape that draws massive attention to his melting face and puffy death hands that everyone was saying was a sign he's going to die soon after his mother, even before public announcement of his not-ass cancer.

 

[Cheesegirl78]

I kind of like the painting. It's not a usual posed setting, sort of mysterious in a way.

 

[madethistocomment]

I think I would like the portrait infinitely more if they'd used a nice blue as the main color instead. The red just looks... sinister.

 

[Dog-O-Tron 5000v5.0]

I think I would like the portrait infinitely more if they'd used a nice blue as the main color instead. The red just looks... sinister.

They're going for the "Dark Charles" vibe to show what a badass King he is.

 

[Poorfag Resource]

 

[Hitman One]

I like the painting.

 

[Cpl. Long Dong Silver]

That painting is some Eyes Wide Shut shit. I dig it.

 

[Geraldine]

More portrait news. The Princess of Wales this time.

New Portrait of Kate Middleton Sparks Outrage on Social Media​

https://www.dailyfetched.com/new-portrait-of-kate-middleton-sparks-outrage-on-social-media-are-you-kidding-me/

... Tatler magazine’s July issue features the Princess of Wales draped in a white gown, adorned with a yellow brooch and a blue sash, which many have complained looks nothing like her.

The portrait follows the even more bizarre portrait of King Charles III last week, which featured a blood-red back “hellish” backdrop, more akin to Vlad the Impaler.

The inspiration for the Middleton portrait appears to be drawn from her past looks; however, fans are not pleased. ...

At least they didn't make her black, am I right?

 

[Otterly]

At least they didn't make her black, am I right?

Vaguely oriental. That really is dire, I mean I do t like the Charles one but you can’t deny the artist can paint very well. This looks like it was done by a teenager

 

[Breadbassket]

Artist of the painting is Hannah Uzor.



Here is some of her previous work.

 

[Geraldine]

Artist of the painting is Hannah Uzor.

Vaguely oriental.

What she thinks is white people look.
Who am I to question another artist's insights?

 

[Otterly]

What she thinks is white people look.
Who am I to question another artist's insights?

That’s dreadful. I could do better than that. She’s a professional artist?? It’s got that Ecce Homo restoration vibe on the faces