Podcast 80 – The Adorable Archie turns 2 & Meghan's book "The Bench"

Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you! The adorable Archie turns 2 years old. I hope he gets a BIG cake and some fun gifts like drums and trumpets – you know – all those noisy gifts you give to other people’s kids.

One present he won’t quite understand until he is much older is the book that mom Meghan has written to honour Archie’s and Harry’s loving bond. Meghan describes the book in her own words this way:

“The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born,” … “That poem became this story. Christian Robinson layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens. My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine.”

Meghan’s book is available for pre-order and within 24 hours of the announcement of its publication, the book was already making the best seller’s list.  The book is also available as an audio with Meghan narrating.

News of the book's release quickly spread around the world. The UK tabloids were at first reporting the fact of the publication in pretty neutral tones, until Piers Morgan delivered a venomous attack on Meghan’s book and on Meghan,  calling it hypocrisy for a lady who does not have a relationship with her own father to write a book about parent child relationships.  

Morgan thinks that because your relationship with you one of your parents  has broken down that this means you have nothing to say on parent and child relationships. And of course neglecting to mention that Meghan may be out of sorts with her father,  but she has a very strong relationship with her mom. 

Morgan also forgets to remind himself that one of the reasons her relationship broke down with her father Thomas,  was because he sold family stories to the likes of Piers Morgan and other tabloids. His comments also assume that our relationships with our kids mirror the relationships we have with our parents.

But here’s how nasty the UK press are. The UK Daily Mail also went so far as to accuse Meghan of ripping off British writer Corrinne Averiss' story called the Boy and the Bench. The UK newspaper printed this huge story all over their online edition,  and then do what they always do – rather than be brave enough to admit it is the newspaper coming up with this trash, the newspaper hid behind social media trolls, blaming the trolls for making the accusation. 

The British author issued a statement denying Meghan copied her story saying:  'Reading the description and published excerpt of the Duchess’s new book, this is not the same story or the same theme as The Boy on the Bench. I don’t see any similarities apart from the use of a bench - which exist in as many stories as they do parks and gardens.'

UK Royal correspondent Omid Scobie pointed out that the more the tabloids whinge and throw obsessive tantrums over the book the more it sells.

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