Royal Rift?

[Joan Marie]

Time for another episode from "Ripped from the Headlines" the game where we ask the cards about a current event.

Today I asked my Lenormand: Will the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's recent resignation (I'm calling it "Suxsit") from royal duties cause a permanent family rift?

And I drew this:

Ring - Whip (rod) - Garden - Storks - Stars

Reading left to right,

Ring could stand for the agreement they broke and the Whip the discord it caused, but the Garden, which I think is the larger society, sees the change (Storks) as a positive thing (stars) and that may very well play a role in influencing the family to come to terms.

I drew 3 more cards as a clarifier and got
Birds-Fish-Book

Which tells me that the big worry (Birds) is the Money (Fish) and the uncertainty (Book) of how that will impact the family.

Personally, I think Harry and Meghan will have no trouble, but the royals may be in for a reckoning on their budget at the loss of 3 major players. Money may have a much bigger role in how this is shaking out than any personal concerns.

That was my quick and dirty reading of the situation.

[Diana]

Time for another episode from "Ripped from the Headlines" the game where we ask the cards about a current event.

Today I asked my Lenormand: Will the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's recent resignation (I'm calling it "Suxsit") from royal duties cause a permanent family rift?

And I drew this:

Ring - Whip (rod) - Garden - Storks - Stars

Reading left to right,

Ring could stand for the agreement they broke and the Whip the discord it caused, but the Garden, which I think is the larger society, sees the change (Storks) as a positive thing (stars) and that may very well play a role in influencing the family to come to terms.

I drew 3 more cards as a clarifier and got
Birds-Fish-Book

Which tells me that the big worry (Birds) is the Money (Fish) and the uncertainty (Book) of how that will impact the family.

Personally, I think Harry and Meghan will have no trouble, but the royals may be in for a reckoning on their budget at the loss of 3 major players. Money may have a much bigger role in how this is shaking out than any personal concerns.

That was my quick and dirty reading of the situation.

Great topic Joan Marie. It's the news of the day. And I've been longing for that lad to break off from his ridiculous family and his awful position that he has been assigned in it. Now he has the support of someone he loves and he can do it. He would never have had the strength to do nor the means otherwise. I think none of us who watched his mother's funeral will remember that young boy obliged to walk behind his mother's coffin in the public procession. My heart just broke for him. I thought "this is not right".

So as a newcomer to the Lenormand, here are my observations based on the LWB in the Friar's Delight.

The Storks also mean relocation. Would this not mean perhaps then that the fact that Megan Markle has already left for Canada to be with your son that she left there, and also that they are planning to spend half of their time in Canada or the US, indicate that this is the smartest thing they could do ? The Stars are there to confirm this. To leave some distance between the family that is now split. (I suspect they'll end up moving permanently. I don't see them them carting their kid around the world every six months once he's at school.) The Stars would also indicate that they will be welcome wherever they go. Which to me would mean that there will be a permanent rift, but the distance will smooth out the really harsh edges.

I agree that there are going to be a lot of financial problems. The birds in the LWB are also gossip. There's going to be a lot a criticism by them from the tabloids. That they're using the taxpayer's money. That they're wanting their cake and also to eat it. They've just renovated for nearly three million pounds I think the house they were given. The tabloids have already picked up on it and are starting the rumblings.

Those two are really between a rock and a hard place. I wouldn't like to be in their shoes.

[Joan Marie]

What I like most about this whole story is it's like a reverse fairy tale where the commoner rescues the Prince and helps him escape from the castle.

Totally agree on your interpretations too. Those last 3 cards do lend to gossip about money, but where does the book fit in? Since my question was about the family I was trying to keep it in that space. However, this family lives in public so it is hard to separate the two. But I saw the book as being the mystery, the unanswered questions about what happens to the money and I think, as happens in a lot of families, money could be their undoing if they don't get it sorted. (The non-royalist public has always complained about how much they all cost, so I don't see that as anything new. And since they are keen to get off the royal/tax-funded teet, (Suxsit!) that should please most people, eventually.) No, I see the money issues being more within the family and being forced to face their waning relevance as an institution which is being underlined by all of this.

You are correct that the Storks also mean relocation and that would seem to fit in this story, and the stars saying they are happy in their relocation, but again, the question was about the family rift so I was looking for keywords to help me answer that question. Since the relocation actually is a big part of the rift, I'm not sure how it smooths it out.

Your interpretation does hold water though for sure.

As I said, my reading was quick and dirty.

[Diana]

But couldn't the book be the influence of the media, i.e. the tabloids ? And others to a certain extent but mostly the tabloids. And also how the BBC handles this - they who are so pompous and still stuck in the British Empire mentality ? The media could play a huge role in what happens.

[Joan Marie]

So are you saying the family's personal relationships could be negatively shaped by the media? Maybe.

I saw that public sentiment (Garden) in support of the Duke & Duchess (Storks + Stars) may influence them to resolve things.
The 3 clarifier cards show why that may be difficult, but in the end public pressure will force reconciliation. I think the problem will prove to be less personal and more about practical matters.

Everything you are saying is true, but what I wonder is, is that how the cards are answering the specific question I asked.

[Diana]

So are you saying the family's personal relationships could be negatively shaped by the media? Maybe.

I would think the future of the monarchy depends on the media. Therefore the personal relationships and how they solve them now are key to the future. The House of Windsor has never been so fragile. They're still not on the way out yet. William's son may still become king. But what kind of King? A King with a small purse ? How they divide up their spoils now will be watched closely by the public. The public will lap up every bit of gossip they can.

[Diana]

Everything you are saying is true, but what I wonder is, is that how the cards are answering the specific question I asked.

I don't know. I'm drowning for the moment in Lenormand. And don't have water wings.

[Aoife]

Oh dear, I know bugger all about Lenormand... but I'll not let that stop me from pontificating.
In fact, it was only a few days ago that I relented and ordered a deck and book - yet to be delivered. So what follows is drawn from the floor sweepings from various internet sites and a lifetime's experience as a British *subject*

Before diving in I have to say that I'm surprised... yet not in the least surprised... by all the hoo-ha. History weighs heavy in this situation - long past and recent. There's a lot of outdated drivel spoken about the British character and we're a 50:50 divided country about so many issues including whether we want to continue to be a constitutional monarchy after the Queen's death. It wouldn't surprise me though if this situation presages an increase in popularity for the monarchy, representing a kinda national security blanket.

There's no doubt that Harry held a special place in the affections of a significant proportion of the population... but they're fickle, and it only takes a couple of miss-steps for the mood to change. I believe that money will be the 'stone in the shoe' where the public is concerned, but I suspect it runs much deeper, into parts of the national psyche that few understand. I do believe that Harry and Meghan have to be seen as representing something entirely different from that of a young couple wanting to carve out their own future. Yet there's merit in reports that seeing the writing on the wall about a 'slimmed down' monarchy, they made a preemptive bid for the best deal they could get.

So... correct me if I'm wrong, but I've read that a 'central' card is important - kinda influencing and influenced by adjoining cards?
so, just looking at Garden and Fish...
Garden - emblematic of society... the tension between public and private 'space'... issues of false friends, fairweather friends, new alliances and friendships... loneliness and isolation... rejection...
Fish - affluence... money... liquidity and flow

I really don't think money - as in, how much money might come from the royal 'purse' is the issue... that could be easily divvied up. The issue is commerce, trade, filthy lucre. The royals have had their fingers burned about this before. I think this is the stumbling block in terms of 'you're either in, or you're out'. The notion of part-time royal; part-time entrepreneur will likely meet with much opposition. There would be a lot of anxiety about the sources of commercial money... how 'clean' it was. Already there's rumblings among the public about the 'tackiness' of flogging 'sussex royal*'' tea towels. [*sussex royal is a potato]

Random thoughts...
Money, or rather, making money is not something Harry has ever had to think about. This makes him different from almost every other person.
Both Harry and Meghan are emotionally damaged. This makes them the same as almost every other person.
Duty is the royal currency. Harry had banked a lot. Meghan is increasingly portrayed as showing dereliction of duty. If a deal can't be reached for Harry to continue to demonstrate duty to the crown in some way, he's likely to feel adrift.... a 'fish' out of water.
Harry can never have been sure whether his friends were for real, or just attracted to who rather than what he was. Although his experience in the army might have given him a sense of genuine camaraderie. He might be wondering how many of his friends might drift away. I wonder how 'savvy' he is, how able to spot a grifter. I suspect Meghan is both cleverer and more astute than him.

In conclusion, I have no idea how this will pan out. Part of me thinks the marriage will not last - possibly, Meghan will tire of him. I'll pull some tarot cards in the next few days.

[Joan Marie]

I had developed a habit of doing exactly what you say, using the middle card as a kind of "central" idea and in this case, as you said, Society (the Garden) would be split between happy for them (Stork and stars) and horrified (Ring and whip).

But the question was about the family itself. Reports would have us think that the Fam was blindsided by the announcement and not at all "amused."
So what I was wondering is, whatever happens, will they be able to come together and support each other as a family or will this spell an irreparable split.

I took the decision to do a left to right reading for this one, mostly because I am currently reading a book on lenormand and am at the part about reading left to right...so I decided to try out my new water wings.

And what I saw is, roughly, though things are starting out a bit rough, the family will side with the kinder and more understanding public sentiment and will be swayed toward acceptance, however, my extra 3 cards indicated this may be for more practical reasons (money and maintaing position) than out of heartfelt familial ties.

It seems to me that this move is putting the whole monarchy into crisis again. (Yes, I said again, I watched The Crown dammit!) And they are going to have to shore up support and that means picking a side.

And if I may add as someone who grew up American, I cannot imagine the adjustments in thinking Meghan had to make to join that circus. Conversely, I think for Harry, adjusting to the lifestyle of a wealthy American would be super easy. I find it hard to imagine anyone preferring to live in a 900 room palace/fortress when they could live in a luxury Malibu beach house, in a place where socks are optional and breakfast is served all day and there are no baked beans in it. (Apologies to lovers of the Full English)

Anyway, while Aoife and Diana's interpretations are compelling, I am, so far, sticking with my original one. I'm very interested to see how this plays out. I saw a video of the Queen driving today. She looked pissed (in the American sense of "angry" not the English sense of "drunk") I think she's more determined than ever to outlive them all.

[Diana]

On Netflix, I'm watching the series The Windsors. It's a comedy about the British Royal Family and it's very funny if one watches it in the right spirit.

In the episode I was watching last night, Kate and William decide that it would be better to abolish the monarchy so they get David Cameron to organise a referendum (he agrees because he says people seem to like referendums) and they lead the campaign to abolish it. And they win so monarchy is abolished.

It takes a few episodes to get into the swing of things but it's really very funny sometimes. Especially in light of recent events and the scandal with Epstein/Andrew and the hullabaloo about Harry and Megan. If they need to "make money" they should go into the cannabis business in Canada - they could trademark a strand called "Royal Sussex" and open up a franchise to sell it along with their tea towels and cups and pyjamas and mugs. May not go down well in French Canada, but some of the Anglos should lap it up.

[Joan Marie]

So this was in the Guardian today:

The Queen has given her reluctant blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to split their time between the UK and Canada, making it clear that though she had wanted the couple to remain as full-time working royals, she supported their decision.

After a historic summit of senior royals at Sandringham, details over exactly how Harry and Meghan will carve out the new “progressive” roles they seek remained unclear. The Queen has, however, agreed to a “period of transition” and stressed the couple remain “a valued part of my family”.

But there were “complex matters” still to resolve, and “more work to be done” as she said she wants final decisions to be reached in the coming days.

So, it looks like the Queen would like to present a strong family bond and support Harry and Meghan's decision, albeit reluctantly.

But can you imagine describing your grandson as "a valued member of my family"?
That just sounds oddly distant to me.

But, it looks like they are playing nice and don't want any indications of a rift.

Although I hear the new nickname for Meghan around Buckingham Palace is "Yoko"