40: Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry won't be using their HRH titles; Oscar nominations and snubs

The Sussexes won’t be using their HRH titles: Minutes 0 to 5:45 (recorded Saturday) This week we have a slightly different format due to the breaking news on Saturday that the Sussexes won’t be using their HRH titles and will reimburse the Sovereign Grant for the renovations to Frogmore Cottage. We recorded an update on Saturday and open with that news. Chandra thinks this news came out on Saturday because these details needed intense negotiation behind the scenes. She says that reimbursing the palace for the renovations was probably not the Sussexes’ idea, although it’s presented that way. Intro: Minutes 5:45 to 9:15 (rest of the podcast recorded Thursday) Starting here, the rest of the podcast was recorded Thursday. We’ll be back the first week in February and the last week in February, but that’s tentative and will change if major news drops. Chandra anticipated that Harry and Meghan would lose their HRH titles, which sort-of happened as you know. I talk about the culture shock I had being married to a German guy and living in Germany, and how I can relate to Duchess Meghan. Meghan’s situation was so much worse due to the pressure from the royal family and the press. The Sandringham summit: Minutes 9:15 to 13 Harry sat down with the Queen alone first and then met with Charles and William. Chandra thinks they must have spent a lot of time working on the first statement from the Queen, which was very personable and used Harry and Meghan’s first names and the wording “my family.” The Queen is typically tone deaf, as evidenced by her response to Diana’s death. At the end of her reign people are starting to realize this about her. The Andrew debacle damaged the monarchy and changed the way that people see her. Meghan did two events in Vancouver: Minutes 13 to 14:30 When Harry was back in London, Meghan stayed in Vancouver and met with two different women’s organizations, Justice for Girls and the Downtown Eastside Women’s Center. She looked super cute in leggings and a cable knit sweater and was clearly enjoying her new casual role. Harry did his last event as a senior royal, he launched the 2021 Rugby League World Cup Mental Fitness Charter at Kensington Palace and he also announced the locale for the 2022 Invictus Games. Chandra emailed with Buzzfeed reporter about the article comparing Meghan and Kate’s headlines: Minutes 14:30 to 20:30 Before we recorded, I asked Chandra if we could talk about the Buzzfeed article comparing the headlines between Meghan and Kate. Kate has been consistency praised for minor issues like eating avocados while Meghan was nitpicked was associated and the atrocities of the avocado supply chain. It turns out that Chandra is friendly with Ellie and that she emailed her with some ideas for that article! Ellie came up with this idea for the comparison headlines back in December. It’s baffling to me the things that people use to nitpick Meghan. Oscar nominations: Minutes 20:30 to 30:45 Chandra is about halfway through Parasite, which I’ve seen too. We both love it, no spoilers! We don’t think Parasite will win best picture, but Bong Joon-ho might win best director. Chandra is worried that Joker will win best picture, but she’s ok with Joaquin Phoenix winning best actor. Quentin Tarantino might get best director because he has such a great body of work and has only won two screenplay Oscars. We both saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is a very good movie with great performances. Chandra thinks Tarantino isn’t mad about Bong Joon-ho winning best director at the Critics Choice Awards despite Tarantino’s expression. Chandra mentions a podcast called The Rewatchables, in which Tarantino talked about how Dunkirk was Christopher Nolan’s best movie. Snubs included Awkwafina, Lupita, Taron Egerton and Jennifer Lopez while Scarlett Johansson got TWO nominations! Chandra is salty about Jennifer Lopez not getting her first Oscar nomination, which she totally deserved. User feedback and questions: Minutes 30:45 to 34 Our user feedback is from Jacqueline, who said our Sussexit podcast last week was one of our best. Thank you Jackie! She also asked whether it was unique for Harry to date an independent woman like Meghan instead of an aristocrat like his previous girlfriends. Harry has a ton of money and it must have been eye-opening for him to date a woman making her way in the world. Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas both worked though. Cressida was a bohemian person trying to figure her life out. Chelsea got her law degree and then became a jewelry designer. Jackie’s point still stands that Meghan must have been a breath of fresh air to Harry. Comments of the week: Minutes 34 to 38:30 My comment of the week is from Arpeggi on the post about Gwyneth Paltrow’s $75 “This Smells like my Vagina” votive candle. Chandra’s comment of the week is from Lara K on Diplo’s GQ profile. Like Chandra, Lara also wants to shamef-k Diplo. Thanks for listening bitches!