A British MP plans to propose legislation that would strip Prince Harry and Meghan of their royal titles after the release of their Netflix docuseries.
The Duke of Sussex criticised the royal family, saying they had a “huge level of unconscious bias” and took aim at the UK press, with his wife claiming “salacious stories” were “planted” in the lead-up to their wedding.
Conservative MP Bob Seely said there is a “political issue” with the prince's comments, since he quit as a senior working royal more than two years ago.
British papers joined calls for the Sussexes to be stripped of their titles, with one calling the series “little more than a hatchet job from start to finish”.
In the US, critics were seemingly unimpressed by the first volume of three episodes, describing it as “a straightforward romance with no real royal dirt”.
Isle of Wight MP Mr Seely suggested he could bring forward a short private members' bill in the new year that, if passed, would see MPs vote on a resolution that could give the Privy Council the power to downgrade the couple's royal status.
He said: “There is a political issue.”
“As well as trashing his family and monetising his misery for public consumption, he is also attacking some important institutions in this country.”
He also questioned why Prince Harry continues to use his title of duke, while “at the same time trashes the institution of monarchy and his family”.
Employment minister Guy Opperman said the couple are “utterly irrelevant” to the progress of the UK and the royal family.
He told BBC's Question Time: “I think they are clearly a very troubled couple, which I think anybody looking at them can say is a sad state of affairs.
“That having been said, I agree that they are utterly irrelevant to this country and the progress of this country and the royal family that we all, I believe, support.”
Curtsies, 'racism' and royal formality
There were few new revelations in the first volume of three episodes, which focused on the pair's burgeoning relationship and interactions with the media.
Prince Harry claimed Meghan suffered with racism from the outset, and was not supported by his family.
“Eight days after the relationship was public I put out a statement calling out the racist undertones of articles and headlines that were written by the British press, as well as outright racism from those articles across social media,” he said.
“Some of the members of my family would say 'my wife had to go through that so why should your girlfriend be treated any differently? Why should you get special treatment? Why should she be protected?'
“And I would say 'the difference here is the race element.'”
The third episode of the documentary referred to an event in 2017 when Princess Michael of Kent wore a brooch featuring an archaic image of a black man, of a kind that has been criticised as “fetishising” slavery.
Prince Harry said: “In this family, sometimes you are part of the problem rather than part of the solution. There is a huge level of unconscious bias.
“The thing with unconscious bias, it is actually no one's fault. But once it has been pointed out, or identified within yourself, you then need to make it right. It is education. It is awareness. It is a constant work in progress for everybody, including me.”
Meghan also described her first meeting with the Prince William and Kate, saying she was surprised at the “formality” of the royal family behind closed doors.
In another scene, Prince Harry spoke about when he first introduced Meghan to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, telling her she would need to curtsy.
She said she thought he was joking and laughed as she performed an exaggerated curtsy, recalling the moment she met the monarch.
“I was like, pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. Like, was that OK? It was so intense,” she said, as the prince stared, appearing to not share the joke.
'A hatchet job'
British newspapers roundly criticised the couple for attacking the nation’s institutions.
Meghan's demonstration of her curtsy was described as “mocking” and “embarrassing” by critics.
And the Daily Express said in its editorial that the couple should “pull the plug on their Netflix show before they disgrace themselves and further hurt a nation and a family still mourning the loss of the queen”.
The paper added: “It is understood there is deep sadness in the royal family that it 'has come to this'. That regret is shared across the country.”
The Daily Mirror took a wide view of the royal feuding against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis.
It said in an editorial: “Wherever responsibility lies, the conduct is unbecoming and deeply damaging to the reputation of the monarchy.
“The royals risk losing public support if they persist with their feuding and score-settling at a time when people are having to rely on foodbanks and cannot afford to heat their homes.
“Their behaviour is not just disrespectful to the memory of the queen and an institution she served so dutifully.
“It shows a disregard for those who are facing real hardship and privation.”
The Daily Star said: “There's something strange about the decision by the publicity-shy couple to release an intimate documentary about their lives.
“It doesn't really tally with their apparent desire for privacy. But then nothing this bashful pair do really makes sense.”
And the Daily Mail described the series as “little more than a hatchet job from start to finish”.
The paper's editorial said: “What is so infuriating is that the Sussexes continue to make millions out of their royal connections while trashing the institution that sustains them.
“If they loathe the monarchy so much, why not voluntarily give up their titles? They won't because that would mean losing their meal ticket.
“In her first major speech in 1947, the soon-to-be queen declared that her whole life would be devoted to public service. How deeply sad that her grandson and his wife are dedicated only to serving themselves.”
Under the headline “Meg it stop”, The Sun also suggested the pair give up their titles to “bring this sorry soap opera to an end”.
“Harry and Meg's game is clear,” the editorial added.
“This was a docuseries made for an American audience — cementing their moneymaking potential in the US — and to hell with everything and everybody else, including the truth.”
But many critics in the US appeared unimpressed.
Variety's chief television critic, Daniel D'Addario, said that the couple had previously “shocked the world multiple times over” — both with the infamous “Megxit” and subsequent interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
“With today's release … the Sussexes surprise us yet again, with just how narrow their vision of their fame is, how pinched and unimaginative their presence on the world stage has become,” he wrote.
“They may have shed their responsibilities to the crown, but they're still in a kind of service.
“There's an air of duty about the entire enterprise of Harry & Meghan, as if they're honour-bound to keep reciting their personal story until we eventually lose interest.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex through the years — in pictures
Stephanie Bunbury, of Deadline, said: “The story so far is a straightforward romance, with the best-looking royals no longer in the business seen sitting on a couch agreeing that, guess what, they fell madly in love on their second date,” she wrote.
“None of this, however, is the royal evisceration we have been expecting.
“Presumably, the Harry Formerly Known As a Prince and his maligned wife will go into a bit more detail in next week's Volume II on what prompted them to walk away from the whole thing and set up shop in California.”
Writers for The Hollywood Reporter said that despite viewers experiencing “an intimate retelling” of Prince Harry and Meghan's “great love story” there was no “truly groundbreaking content”.
“While expectations of what the documentary might reveal were high, the audience is not enlightened about anything truly groundbreaking in the first three episodes,” a THR article read.
The couple are believed to have received more than £100 million from Spotify and streaming giant Netflix after quitting as senior working royals.
The final three episodes, which will be streamed on December 15, are expected to focus more overtly on criticism of the royal family.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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