Harry and Meghan should royal-up or get 9-5 jobs: Verity Lush

What is this new insanity imposed by Team Sussex and their security honchos? No photos of Meghan at Wimbledon allowed by the lowly public.
A man, believed to be a royal bodyguard, speaking to a spectator who had taken a selfie as the Duchess of Sussex watches the Serena Williams match on court one during day four of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, WimbledonA man, believed to be a royal bodyguard, speaking to a spectator who had taken a selfie as the Duchess of Sussex watches the Serena Williams match on court one during day four of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon
A man, believed to be a royal bodyguard, speaking to a spectator who had taken a selfie as the Duchess of Sussex watches the Serena Williams match on court one during day four of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon

No photos of anyone at Wimbledon allowed in fact, as one poor bloke trying to take a selfie with Serena Williams in the background soon found out.

Mortifying to stop someone taking your photo only to find out they had zero interest in you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A bit like turning around to shoot a filthy look at someone who’s wolf-whistling at you, only to find out they hadn’t even seen you.

When Kate Middleton turned up to watch the tennis, not an eye was batted when people snapped pics on their phones. Nor did Kate sit surrounded by a sea of empty seats at the instigation of the Head Honchos.

If anything, Meghan drew even more attention to herself by doing so, which was probably why they then filled the seats before making her any more of a sitting target.

I have said it before recently, and I shall say it again. If the Sussexes are not up for the quid pro quo of us paying their wages, then go get jobs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harry is swiftly falling from the pedestal upon which the British public have balanced him since birth. The cheeky chappy, the instigator of the Invictus Games, has changed.

Either leave the royal life behind – scampering off with an American divorcee is nothing new – or royal-up and face the public music.

Diana courted the press to her advantage but yes, they hounded her. It’s a fine balance and the paparazzi are now far more controlled than they were a couple of decades ago.

I certainly didn’t notice the Sussex reticence when they were lapping up the country’s joy in their upcoming nuptials – while we were simultaneously footing the bill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It’s time this pair made their minds up. By all means live a private life – Kate and William seem to manage – but balance it with fulfilling the duties that your employers, The Public, pay you for.

Otherwise, perhaps a 9-5 job beckons?

I’ve no idea how we managed to store up so many things

There is little as therapeutic as having a massive clear out. 

This past week, I have attacked the house from top to bottom. Fifteen bin liners of clothes, shoes, bags, bedding and towels have been filled, dragged downstairs, loaded into the car, and then unloaded into the charity shop. 

I can feel an almost physical lightening of my shoulders for having gotten shot of it. Deeply satisfying. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Next I attacked the kitchen cupboards, desks, drawers and so on. All paperwork has been sifted through, bags sorted for shredding, and everything organised.

I also managed to go through my books (many) and filled two empty book banks with them.

We don’t need to hold on to ‘stuff’ if we have memories

Clearing your home out makes it relatively easy to appreciate why and how some folk become hoarders.

The temptation to think ‘I may need that’, and simply hang on to stuff is hard to resist. So many memories are attached to particular objects.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I found myself getting sentimental about a particular saucepan that had belonged to my grandad.

It held all sorts of memories, decades after it held the milk he used to simmer in it to make me hot drinks as a child. The saucepan has now gone. I had clung onto it purely for sentiment and nostalgia.

However, we can keep the memories even if we get rid of the object – life is about more than ‘stuff’.