After Thanksgiving, Prince Harry will head back to Toronto, where he’s due to make a keynote speech at the Ontario Real Estate Association Power House. As I said yesterday, there’s a vibe that this is absolutely a paid appearance. Harry and Meghan still do that every so often, give paid speeches for various conferences and elite gatherings. They earn some extra money and tons of celebrities, politicians and public figures do the same. But when it’s Harry, of course the Salt Island lunatic asylum has to scream and cry about it. So why are they “mad” about this one? Because, you see, Harry knows nothing about real estate, having lived in “grace and favour” homes much of his life. Nevermind that his British home was the centerpiece of a years-long controversy (which they’re still mad about) or that he now has a mortgage on a lovely Montecito estate.
Prince Harry will be the keynote speaker at a £270-a-head conference for estate agents in Canada despite spending most of his life living in grace-and-favour homes. The Duke of Sussex will address 450 property professionals about ‘service and leadership’ at the Ontario Real Estate Association (Orea) Power House in Toronto. Organisers of the event at the city’s Hilton hotel on December 1 described Harry as a ‘humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist and military combat veteran’.
Harry bought his first property in Montecito, California, for $15million (£11million) in 2020, after stepping down as a senior royal and moving to the US with Meghan. Last October, the Daily Mail revealed the couple had bought a home in Portugal – with royal experts claiming this could be the first part of a global property empire. The Sussexes previously lived in royal homes in the UK including Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, which was leased. They paid £2.4million to cover the refurbishment and rental of the Grade II-listed Crown Estate property in Windsor Home Park.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, former editor of The International Who’s Who, told the Daily Mail that it was an unusual event for Harry to speak at. He said: ‘It seems ironic that Prince Harry is appearing at a real estate conference talking about ‘service and leadership’. His service as a working royal lasted only 20 months once he married Meghan. He betrayed Queen Elizabeth II, whom he called his ‘Commander-in-Chief’, by trashing the monarchy in destructive interviews and in an ill-judged memoir.’
On ‘leadership’, Mr Fitzwilliams pointed out that the Charity Commission was critical of the way his Lesotho charity Sentebale was run when he was a patron. He added: ‘He is a member of the board of Africa Parks which has admitted abuses but he has remained silent about this.’
Mr Fitzwilliams also said: ‘Invictus is remarkable to be sure, but he otherwise seems to be drifting in Meghan’s wake as she desperately attempts to be a Hollywood A-lister with a brand that sells.’
He told how Harry ‘could undoubtedly make some money on the speakers’ circuit, but it is surely rather aimless, like his brief appearances in Meghan’s videos’. He continued: ‘it is ridiculous that he is appearing at a real estate power conference but will not, we are told, be talking about real estate. He lived in grace and favour homes as a member of the Royal Family. There is the Sussexes’ home in Montecito and reportedly a property in Portugal. He certainly has no expertise on the subject. Harry looks at ease when he is having fun with the kids at, for example, the WellChild Awards. However the speakers’ circuit is a refuge for the superannuated, who are usually past their prime – and if he does this regularly, many might think his best future is behind him.’
Ah, yes. What does he know about real estate, except for his years-long real estate adventures? What does he know about leadership, except for his years in active military service and years of heading charities and foundations? These people are just mad all the time. But it’s curious to me that they’re throwing this kind of fussy tantrum over such a nothingburger faux-controversy? We’ve known for years that Harry & Meghan give paid speeches and they’re keynote-speakers-for-hire. Why this speech, why right now? Is it because William has to organize photo-ops to prove that he can read? Is it because Kate still can’t make a speech after fourteen years of princessing?
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
