In late February, Katharine McPhee gave birth to her first child. The child was her husband David Foster’s sixth child overall, but the baby boy is David’s first son after five (now adult) daughters. Katharine is 36 (almost 37) and David Foster is 71. They announced the birth pretty quickly but I didn’t even realize that they’ve kept quiet about the baby’s name. Well, McPhee was being interviewed on the Today Show this week and she revealed the child’s name. It’s a surprisingly good one, in my opinion.

Katharine McPhee is sharing the special meaning behind her and David Foster’s son’s name. In an interview airing Friday on Today With Hoda and Jenna, the Smash star revealed that the couple chose an “old family name.”

“OK, well, his name, we haven’t said anything, my husband hopefully won’t kill me for saying it, but his name is Rennie David Foster,” she told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager during the virtual chat. “We picked Rennie because I had actually been in labor for a while, we didn’t have a name picked out.”

McPhee shared that Foster’s sisters actually suggested the name, which holds sentimental value for the music producer.

“It was his great-grandfather’s name, his great-uncle’s name,” she explained. “So it has a long history in his family. My husband said, ‘Hi, Ren Foster,’ and so we said, ‘That’s a good name. It’s a strong name.’”

[From ET]

I love the name Rennie, I can’t help it. It’s just a good name! It fits for kids or adults. It’s a name which is not everywhere right now, but it’s still familiar enough. Rennie David Foster might be one of my favorite baby names in a long time.

Katharine also showed off her green look for St. Patrick’s Day:

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A post shared by Katharine McPhee Foster (@katharinefoster)

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

Mariale! Happy 30th Birthday! And to adulting! But… also…take your time. Is it so bad to feel like an angsty teenager? It’s good to hear from you and to know that you’ve been able to get through the year – not without its challenges but it’s the resilience I’m talking about. I look forward to the 20…

Some long-haul covid patients say their symptoms are subsiding after getting vaccines https://t.co/bILKefHBxU

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 16, 2021

OMG – I am so excited I get to write this sentence: I have good news. In this absolute nightmare we’ve been living for the last 12 months that only seems to unlock new variants of what now!, there seems to be a beam of hope. Long-haul COVID patients have actually found their symptoms decreasing after receiving the vaccine. Patients noticed their muscle pain went away, their energy returned and they finally started sleeping through the night again after they received their second dose. So people trusted in science and science came through for them. The only thing is, science didn’t expect this one and can’t explain why it’s happening.

Arianna Eisenberg endured long-haul covid-19 for eight months, a recurring nightmare of soaking sweats, crushing fatigue, insomnia, brain fog and muscle pain.

But Eisenberg’s tale has a happy ending that neither she nor current medical science can explain. Thirty-six hours after her second shot of coronavirus vaccine last month, her symptoms were gone, and they haven’t returned.

“I really felt back to myself,” the 34-year-old Brooklyn therapist said, “to a way that I didn’t think was possible when I was really sick.”

Some people who have spent months suffering from long-haul covid-19 are taking to social media to report their delight at seeing their symptoms disappear after their vaccinations, leaving experts chasing yet another puzzling clinical development surrounding the disease caused by the coronavirus.

“The only thing that we can safely assume is that an unknown proportion of people who acquire SARS-CoV-2 have long-term symptoms,” said Steven Deeks, an infectious-disease physician at the University of California at San Francisco. “We know the questions. We have no answers. Hard stop.”

Those questions include: If long-haulers are suffering from immune systems that went awry and never reset, why would vaccines — which rev up the immune system — help some of them? Are reservoirs of coronavirus hiding in the body? Are some long-haulers experiencing a placebo effect from the vaccine? Or does the disease simply take longer to run its course in some people?

Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, said that immunization is likely to reduce the chances of long-term covid-19, based on evidence that shows that vaccines help prevent the disease.

“Vaccines will generate good antibody and T-cell responses. They have been already shown to significantly reduce infection, both symptomatic and asymptomatic,” she said.

[From The Washington Post]

The rest of the article is just as interesting. Several scientists weigh in with their theories about why the vaccine is eliminating symptoms. They range from placebo effect to interactions with prior vaccines for other conditions like shingles to where the infected cells where living in the patients body. To a layman like me, all the theories sound plausible and I’d accept any of them. The only thing everyone in the article agrees on is that they don’t have the proper data to give us any answers yet. They are just starting studies to figure out the long-term effects COVID will have on those who had it. So it’s good that researchers are aware of this phenomenon now, maybe they can include it in those studies and potentially combat long-term effects with what they learn. Any suffering we can avoid from this tragic episode in history, the better. And a little hope can go a very long way.

Another reason to read the full article is because the scientists are trying to be very clinical and say that we don’t really know if this is happening because there’s no reason for it yet. So it might all be placebo and short-lived. But all the regular folk quoted are understandably excited about it.

Photo credit: Twitter and Engin Akyurt on Unsplash

I’ll admit that there’s a lot I don’t understand about TERFdom, which seems to be all over the place in the UK specifically. Instead of feminists understanding that inclusionary politics mean that all marginalized and demeaned groups can rise together, Trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists believe that feminism is a zero-sum gain and that if they support transgender women’s rights to exist, be free from marginalization and free from violence, then somehow that hurts or takes away from cisgender women. I’m not sure if JK Rowling considers herself a TERF but she absolutely uses their talking points and arguments.

Rowling has argued – repeatedly and publicly – that transphobia is fine with her, that no one should lose their job for transphobia, that she’s the one being persecuted as a transphobe and that her transphobia should have no consequences. It’s been… a lot. And much of it has been really stupid, like arguing with a transphobic wall. Throughout this nearly two-year ordeal, Rowling clearly sees herself as the victim because people tweet about her transphobia, as opposed to, you know, the transgender people who deal with very real violence and hate daily. Well… Ralph Fiennes, who starred as you know who in the Harry Potter series, has some thoughts about Rowling’s mess.

Ralph Fiennes is wading into the heated controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s stance on transgender rights. The actor, who played the villainous Lord Voldemort across four Harry Potter films, expressed sympathy for the franchise author, whose comments have received widespread criticism.

“I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her,” the actor told The Telegraph in an interview published Wednesday. “I can understand the heat of an argument, but I find this age of accusation and the need to condemn irrational. I find the level of hatred that people express about views that differ from theirs, and the violence of language towards others, disturbing.”

[From THR]

Part of me thinks that Ralph hasn’t actually been following the whole thing, or that he was briefed on the situation from Rowling herself. That’s not an excuse though – he absolutely knows better and I sincerely hope he apologizes. I’ll say it again for those in the back: Rowling isn’t the victim here. She’s actively dehumanizing transgender people and marginalizing their lived experiences and now she’s facing the consequences for her transphobia. I’m so disappointed in Ralph.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Dear Gossips,Yesterday I posted about my concerns over how the media would be covering the Atlanta shooting and, well, as soon as we hit publish on that article, the reporting and the messaging about the crime and murderer was already a disappointment.  We still right now only know the names of four…

One of the topics of conversation I thought we would get in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah was an update on their Netflix and Spotify deals. While Oprah asked about the deals, it was in a general way, no specifics. While it’s been widely assumed that they would only announce their upcoming projects when they had everything nailed down, I do think it’s odd that we haven’t really heard much about either of those deals. Like, when is the next Archewell podcast coming? When is a Netflix docu-series about menstruation and/or girls’ education in developing countries coming? Oprah didn’t ask and the vibe is that they’re still putting the pieces together of their media empire. Vanity Fair has a story with tons of quotes from industry insiders about whether Meghan and Harry’s podcasting and Netflix projects will still have the same kind of appeal as the Oprah interview.

Post-interview, are people now all the more interested in hearing from them? “All the more,” said Tina Brown, who covered the royal family both as editor of Vanity Fair and author of the definitive biography on Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. “They reached a whole new audience who now can’t wait to see what happens next.” Media analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners likewise told me, “I think this clearly shows, whatever their profile was beforehand in the U.S. and globally, it’s clearly that much larger now.”

BLM meets The Crown?? A Hollywood source who knows their way around a streaming deal had a similarly upbeat but slightly moderated take: “I think the crossover appeal—Black Lives Matter meets The Crown—is a fever pitch opportunity. I’m just not sure how they capture that magic, and not sure it’s commercially sustainable at Oprah ratings levels. That said, she is an actress, and I think they know precisely what they are doing.”

Hollywood insiders don’t actually know what’s happening with Archewell: Details for Archewell’s programming are so far scant. The multiyear Netflix deal will reportedly cover documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows, and children’s programming, but aside from an inspirational animated series for women, we don’t know what any of those will be. (The Hollywood Reporter did however reveal last week that Archewell recently hired veteran producer Ben Browning from FilmNation Entertainment.) The audio plans are even more under wraps. “Spotify is cagier on Archewell stuff than Higher Ground stuff. It’s like the f–king nuclear code over there,” said podcasting guru Nick Quah, who publishes the newsletter Hot Pod.

They’re still building their podcasting team? “The Holiday Special performed well and we’re looking forward to whatever comes next,” a Spotify spokesman told me. “They’re in the process of building their team now and looking at similar deals à la Higher Ground, [and] should be ready to announce the first series in a few months.” (Spotify’s Higher Ground portfolio so far includes The Michelle Obama Podcast, a podcast hosted by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen, and a show dedicated to Muslim voices called Tell Them, I Am.)

Insiders want them to do a personal pod: “Talk about the perfect entrée to launch a podcast series, because that’s about you personally,” said Greenfield. “I have less clarity on what this means for Netflix, but it’s very clear from a Spotify standpoint, that if they’re hosting, moderating, participating in a regular podcast series or limited series, this type of massive global promotion and visibility is great for them. This is clearly a win for Spotify.”

What Nick Quah thinks of podcasting about personal stuff: “My interpretation is that the juicy tell-all opens up an interesting initial ramp for them,” he told me over email. “I imagine there’s a ton of energy right now around people wondering the meta-question of how they will proceed to build their lives and public presence in the wake of ethering the royal family. But they occupy this really strange space within celebrity, right? You’re either known for what you’re good at (artists, musicians, actors, etc.), or you’re known for your constant engagement and visibility (influencers etc.), or sometimes both. I’m not quite sure how their distinct currency of fame, which almost feels passive and reactive, will fit within this rubric.”

[From Vanity Fair]

I genuinely lol’d at “how they will proceed to build their lives and public presence in the wake of ethering the royal family.” OMG!! I’m going to call it that now. The Sussexes ethered the Windsors. Bless them. As for all of this… yeah, I’m skeptical, in general. Netflix and Spotify clearly will stick around to see what kind of return they get on their investment. I think Meghan will likely want every “I” dotted and every “t” crossed and they’ll assemble a great team for their production company and podcasting company. But I do wish they were moving faster on all of this. Also: I’ve heard many, many rumors for months – and not just in the British tabloids – that H&M did film stuff during the past year or so, so a docu-series about themselves might not be off the table. They could frame it as a docu-series about “Building Archewell” or something.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

People Magazine has a big exclusive about Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez’s split-and-takeback. This did not surprise me in the least – Jennifer is definitely a fan of the old-school celebrity-media, and it makes perfect sense that she, Alex and their publicists would want to work with People to form a certain narrative about what’s been happening in the relationship/engagement. The one surprise in here is that it never occurred to me that J-Rod was having issues because of the pandemic. They were together for a year consistently, day after day, and they got on each other’s nerves. That actually makes a lot of sense! Of course, I also think he was banging everything with two legs and a pulse as well. Some highlights from this People story:

J-Rod is committed to giving it a chance: “Alex flew to the Dominican Republic, and Jennifer was excited to see him in person,” a source close to Lopez tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday. “They want to spend time in person to figure out their life together.”

Jennifer will do what it takes: “The past few days were upsetting and stressful,” says the Lopez source. “She and Alex have a lot of issues they hope they can work through, but they both seem willing to do whatever it takes to stay together.”

She’s wanted this to be over for a while though: “She’s been contemplating breaking up with Alex for six months,” says a Lopez friend.

The honeymoon phase faded over the last year in lockdown. “They both liked spending more time together as a family, but it was difficult to keep that special spark when they saw each other every day,” the Lopez source says of the couple, who have two children each (Lopez shares 13-year-old twins Emme and Max with ex-husband Marc Anthony, and Rodriguez shares daughters Natasha, 16, and Ella, 12 with ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis).

But the relationship really faltered when she went back to work: “Filming during COVID has been very hard for her,” says the Lopez source, adding that in addition to missing her children deeply, “not having Alex around all the time makes her stressed.” While Rodriguez visited Lopez last month, the “distance has been an issue,” adds the source. “Jennifer was very unhappy.” Similarly, a friend says Rodriguez was “in a mood” when he returned home to Miami after the trip.

They want to stay together for their kids: Though the current situation has been stressful for both stars, sources say they recognize how much they have to lose. At the top of the list is the happily blended family they’ve built over the last four years. “They’ve been trying to keep it together for the kids,” says the Lopez source.

They want to stay together for their business deals: In addition to merging their families, they also have several business ventures together — including a joint deal with wellness brand Hims & Hers and with the sunglass brand Quay — and share properties in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. “They’re tied in their business worlds so it’s not a cut and-dry breakup,” says the Lopez friend. “It’s taken a while for them to even think about untangling it all.” Adds the Lopez source: “They invested a lot into their relationship. An official split would be devastating on so many levels.”

So much to lose: “They love each other,” says the Lopez source, “and they have so much to lose if they split.”

[From People]

This story kind of bummed me out. I get the feeling that Jennifer is really, deeply unhappy with Alex but she’s forcing herself – and being manipulated by him – to do whatever she can to “make it work.” Does Alex actually share that commitment to doing whatever it takes? Doubtful. So Jennifer has to do all of the emotional labor of reconciling even though she’s the one who wanted out in the first place. It just sucks. Also: “not having Alex around all the time makes her stressed.” Because when she’s in another country, it’s harder for her to keep tabs on him. Because he’s a cheater. That’s what so much of this is about. That and they got on each other’s nerves in lockdown.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.

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One week ago exactly, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did their first joint public event since the disastrous Covid Choo Choo Tour last December, and coincidentally their first joint public event since the Sussexes’ Oprah interview. They stepped out, wearing masks, to some “mental health in schools” event which was supposed to be Kate’s solo event. During the event, William took a question from a reporter, asking if William’s family is racist. William’s response: “We’re very much not a racist family.” That went over like a lead balloon. But I should say this: minus William’s dumb statement, the idea behind being visible and being seen at an actual event was probably the right course from a PR perspective. If only Kensington Palace wasn’t Britain’s main employer of clowns and morons, William and Kate wouldn’t have continuously stepped on their own crisis management.

Now, one week later, William and Kate are trying to get a mulligan on their own chaotic mishandling of the crisis. They stepped out together for a subdued visit to the Newham Ambulance Station in London. They were there to talk to ambulance service personnel about the stress and trauma of the past pandemic year, and the mental health of first responders in general. Apparently, the London Ambulance Service has introduced initiatives (which I’m sure Will and Kate will take credit for, because they show up to places and say “mental health, yah”) to help first responders, like Wellbeing Tea Trucks, etc.

Fashion notes: from the looks of it, Kate repeated her camel-colored Massimo Dutti coat and she coordinated it with a camel-colored turtleneck sweater and a brown suede Métier London Roma purse. I’m glad they’re wearing masks, even though Kate is still obsessed with wearing kids’ masks. Hers is yet another Amaia Kids mask. Sidenote: I assume they actually have gotten the vaccine, although they have not publicized it.

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Photos courtesy of Getty.

From CB: I got the cute 3d rose earrings in the larger size in black with silver piping. They’re very cute and lightweight however they come with metal backs that weren’t snug enough for me. I replaced those with plastic backs which are perfect. I also got the set of cosmetic brushes we featured in January. They had a slight chemical smell to them which went away after I washed them. They’re so soft and high quality and I was surprised at how great they are. They don’t come with a holder, but I have something similar to this. (I also own this makeup organizer.) I was easier to do my eye makeup with the new brushes and I swear it’s blended better. The Green Gobbler drain clog dissolver really worked in my clogged bathroom sink. I used it, let it sit overnight, and all the hair that was visibly caught in my bathroom drain was completely gone. The water runs free in that sink now. Here are some more things that Hecate and I are looking at.

A pet odor eliminator that really works

From CB: Angry Orange citrus pet odor eliminator is made from actual oranges and is safe to use around pets and people. You just spray it directly on the area you want to treat. People say it quickly gets rid of unpleasant pet odors and is more effective than harsh chemicals. It has over 30,000 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. It’s said to smell great and work well. “So many other odor neutralizers can be harsh and chemically but Angry Orange did not disappoint. The citrus scent is so pleasant that I will probably use it for all our pet mistakes from here on out.” “I was skeptical about trying another product to attempt to remove urine odor caused by my aging Pug. After reading the reviews for Angry Orange I decided to try one last product. And this is the one! The one last product I need….because IT WORKS! I love the smell and how it eliminates unwanted odors.

Facial oil that brightens and smooths

This facial oil by trusted brand Palmers is just $9. It’s formulated with vitamins E and C, retinol and rosehip oil. It has over 16,000 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. Women say it works as well as more expensive brands at reducing discoloration, wrinkles and acne. Many rave about how great their skin looks after only a short time. “Not only is it providing amazing moisture for my skin, it’s working wonders on redness and the couple of age spots I’ve been fighting with for years are already looking better.” “This product is amazing! Makes your skin super soft, no sticky residue and smells great. I’ve noticed a difference in my skin in only 2 weeks using it only at night.”

A useful little cleaning set for your computer, phone and laptop

From CB: I’m a slob who eats at my desk so my keyboard is full of crumbs. Sometimes I shake it out and am astonished at how much junk is in there, and there are always crumbs you can’t reach. This leaning set by trusted brand Oxo has different tools to get into the nooks and crannies on your devices. It also comes with a microfiber cloth. There’s an all-in-one version in this listing specially designed for laptops too. Both are under $10 and are in such high demand they’re out of stock! You can get them in a few days if you order now though. They have over 5,500 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. Users say they help clean their keyboard and laptops like nothing else they’ve tried. “This was better than I hoped for. It is a nice, portable little cleaner. I have been using the small brush on the bottom, which slides out, to wipe food bits or dust off my iPad keyboard and the keyboard at work.” “I purchased these for my kids’ laptops and they are finding them to be very useful…the gadget they didn’t know they needed but are happy they now have it!”

A cute backpack for getting back out there

From Hecate: Since we are so close to being able to walk among people again, we can start accessorizing accordingly. This cute little backpack carries as much as a medium purse and can hold mid-sized electronics like iPads. It comes in 13 pretty spring colors for $21. It’s pretty popular with 4.6 stars from over 9,600 reviews and Fakespot gave it an A. Customers say the photos do it justice and that it holds a lot. “Zippers work well, the bow and everything is just as pictured, it has a front pocket, a slim pocket on each side, and the straps are adjustable.” and “Looks exactly like the picture, fits a lot, holds its shape, stays decently clean despite the light color, adjustable straps are very useful, and it has plenty of pockets.” “I bought this bag for an upcoming trip to see family, and it can fit my kindle, bullet journal, small water bottle, wallet, and still have enough room! I love the side pockets and the front pocket.” And “the inside of the purse will hold my full-size wallet, iPhone, charger, eyeglass case, sunglasses, mio, bottle of water, Chapstick and lipstick‘s!” More than one mentioned the zippers holding up which, as we all know, can be a problem for bags. Most of the customers talked about buying this for their daughters or teens but for that price, I could see keeping one of these on hand for the right outfit when I can finally hit the town again.

Adorable baby socks with messages on them

From Hecate: You know those cute socks with phrases like “if you can read these, bring me a book” or some variation? These are baby sized versions. And it makes so much sense because when they are that small, all you see is the bottom of their feet. You get four pairs for $16 with phrases like “if you can read this, bring me some milk” and “Don’t make me cry, you wuldn’t like me when I cry”. When I get new parents a practical gift off their registry, I like to add a fun gift too, just because baby gifts are fun. Plus, they’re called Twinkletoes! Over 3,500 customers rated these and ReviewMeta gave them 4.2 stars. Apparently they come ready to wrap, “I also love the fact that it came in it’s very own cute box ready for wrapping.” A few customers said everything was great, it’s just the shape of the toes were a little off, “They are cute, well made, I love the material, shape is a little weird.” But babies don’t care if the shape’s perfect, they just want warm toes!

A jade roller gift set for you or your bestie

From Hecate: We can all use a little pampering these days. This jade roller set is on sale for $21, plus Amazon is offering an extra 5% off coupon. The set comes with a roller, a gua sha, a silicone brush plus a pouch and guide. I’m recommending the set because I think it’s so pretty and would make a great gift, especially for Mother’s Day. I need some serious help with my eye bags so I’m going to get a set for myself as well. The set earned 4.6 stars from over 5,600 reviews and Fakespot gave it a B. The quality is very good for the price, “You can see at the first sight that is great quality. It doesn’t make noise, color of jade is not dim and by the weight you know it’s not plastic.” But the best part is that is actually works, “I’ve seen an improvement in my skin and a healthier looking face, it helps with sinus stuff too.” So it’s pretty, well-priced and works as well as it says it does – sounds like a perfect combo.

A ceramic Belgian waffle maker to make breakfast special

From Hecate: Waffles are a pretty big deal at Hecate Temple so I am always on the lookout for a good waffle maker. I own three, a small Dash, a larger thin waffle maker and a Belgian flip maker. This Presto ceramic flip Belgian waffle maker is on sale for $40. I really like the design on this one because it stores straight up, which takes up less space. Mine flips side to side but this one flips top to bottom, I’ve not seen that before. People love this thing, it has over 17,500 reviews and 4.5 stars according to ReviewMeta. Customers say it’s easy to use and does what it’s supposed to, “This simplistic waffle iron produces evenly cooked waffles that readily release from the iron, stores in a minimum of space, and is light-weight.” And what’s even better, easy clean up! “Perhaps one of the most practical features of this Presto is the durability of the ceramic grids and the ease of clean-up with a damp cloth once it cools. And best of all – no more messy over-flows as the well-designed reservoir around the outer edge captures any excess batter from an over-zealous pour!” Because the waffle maker is ceramic and not teflon, you don’t need oil to keep the waffles from sticking. The only downside is it takes a while for a perfect waffle so if you have a bunch of waffles to make, leave some time.

Thanks for reading and commenting on our affiliate post! As an Amazon affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you make any purchases through these links we get a small percentage and appreciate it.

Over the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that Buckingham Palace had called in a law firm to investigate whether the Duchess of Sussex had “bullied” aides in Kensington Palace. The whole “Meghan is a bully” story popped up in the week before the Sussexes’ interview with Oprah aired. It was just a really obvious character assassination with Jason Knauf and Prince William’s fingerprints all over it. They weren’t even hiding that fact. Buckingham Palace then sided with KP and announced that they would investigate, but don’t worry, they wouldn’t ask Meghan to participate in what they proudly claimed would be a completely one-sided inquiry. The fact that they hired a law firm for the inquiry is quite interesting, as is the fact that Meghan’s lawyers requested documents from Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House. I was left with the impression that BP wants this mess off their plates.

Too bad that KP can’t figure out that their own clownery blew back in their faces and that most people – outside of the nasty little royal reporter circle – don’t believe any of the “bullying” claims made against Meghan. The Sun did a big story yesterday which carried no new information, it was just a melodramatic rehash of the devastating “human toll” Meghan’s bullying had on people, you know, because she sent some emails early in the morning, or suggested that they could do their jobs better. Then, yesterday, Daily Express reporter Richard Palmer tweeted this tread:

That briefing war between the two camps in the Sussexes v Royal Family dispute continues. Former aides and the Sussexes are furious. In the middle stands the Royal Household, which wants to shut down the debate and take the heat off the “institution” by making this about family.

Most journalists naturally don’t want to see it shut down. They want to get to the bottom of it, especially after Harry and Meghan made such disparaging and unsubstantiated comments about the UK public, the monarchy, and the media. It’s hard to see how this can be forgotten.

So Gayle King and any other friends blathering on is manna from heaven, let’s be honest. Likewise briefings from those who had the misfortune to work for the Sussexes and want to see their narrative challenged.

Make no mistake, there is real anger out there among staff and former staff who believe the claims made by Harry and Meghan are outrageous. One former senior aide speaking to the Daily Express said of Meghan: “It’s despicable that she’s played the race card.”

But just to stress, don’t mistake the individuals briefing for the palace. The palace wants to put a lid on this.

[From Richard Palmer’s Twitter]

“It’s despicable that she’s played the race card.” DESPICABLE, do you hear? There is a former senior aide from Kensington Palace who, after actively sabotaging Meghan for a year and gleefully participating in a hate campaign against a pregnant, suicidal woman, thinks it’s despicable for Meghan to suggest that much of the hate she got was motivated by racism. Those same people have taken pains to say that Meghan “didn’t know her place,” that she made white women cry with her mere existence, that they wouldn’t help her when her mental health was suffering.

Also: I lol’d at “It’s hard to see how this can be forgotten.” These salty white folks are literally going to carry a GRUDGE against Meghan for speaking about the racism she experienced. They’re mad at her for talking about how they racially abused her! It’s absolutely mind-blowing to see the British media, British establishment and British public process this sh-t in real time.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.