NEVER has a couple’s decision to move abroad for work been greeted with such hysteria. Meghan Sussex, her husband Harry and their baby son Archie are off to North America, exact destination unknown, and judging by the reaction from some quarters you’d think they’d been found consorting with a sex offender.
The couple announced their intention via Instagram (Instagram!) to "carve out a progressive new role" by 'stepping back' as senior members of the royal family and working "to become financially independent”.
The “geographic balance” provided by dividing their time between England and North America would allow them to raise their son “with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity”, they continued.
The drama! How very dare they! Buckingham Palace was caught on the hop and pushed out a terse statement which should be read through gritted teeth, just as it was written.
“We understand their desire to take a different approach – but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” it read.
Commentary on the Sussex’s Instagram post came in thick and fast.
“Diana would not be happy about this,” was one informed comment.
“The timing and placing of our queen and royal institutions in such a predicament, which they well know of, is appalling. The disrespect, mind-blowing,” another wrote.
Word on the street is that the Sussexes will up sticks and settle in Canada.
Sleb Safari has been to Canada. Three times. And is therefore over-qualified to comment on everything from the standard of living to the education system, politics, ice hockey, maple syrup and moose. Taking that into consideration, Sleb Safari would like to say that Canada is very nice indeed and the Sussexes will be happy there.
How and ever, the one thing Sleb Safari feels the couple may not have given enough thought to is the whole earning a living thing.
Look you two; Sleb Safari is going to be direct about this and you can thank it with flowers and chocolates. Financial independence is not all it’s cracked up to be. Work is hard work. You have to set the alarm AND get up, there’s always too much month at the end of your money and no-one calls you humble when you close your own car door.
Sleb Safari can see how this desire for “geographic balance” has come about. The family just spent six weeks in Canada and we all know the feeling you get when you come home to drab weather and a mountain of laundry and start saying aloud ‘wouldn’t it be amazing to live there?’
Before you can say ‘Harry, bung a dark wash on’ they’ve Googled ‘Do senior royals need a visa for Canada’, booked an Airbnb for the first month and posted an out of office on Instagram. Never has geographic balance sounded so appealing.
Peant butter and cucumber sandwich, anyone?
ACTOR Felicity Jones has made a shocking confession. It concerns sandwich toppings and you might want to sit down for this.
Felicity's "all-time favourite" sandwich is peanut butter and cucumber. Her exact preference, as told to The Strategist, is "really crunchy and nutty" peanut butter on toast, topped with slices of cucumber and another piece of toast. That is vom-tastic Felicity, it's an insult to good peanut butter and Sleb Safari implores you to cease and desist.
Competition - RSPB goodies up for grabs
THE Royal Society for the Protection of Birds NI is holding its annual Big Garden Birdwatch later this month and is giving away goodies for you and your feathered friends.
The prize consists of a bumper bird box with feeders and food plus an RSPB handbook of garden wildlife.
The annual birdwatch takes place this year from January 25-27 and getting involved is simple. All you need to do is set aside one hour on either the Saturday, Sunday or Monday to count the birds that visit your garden or local green space.
By taking part you are helping the conservation charity determine how each bird species is faring across Northern Ireland.
You can find out more and register by visiting www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
Last year’s results showed that house sparrows were the most spotted birds in Northern Ireland, followed by starlings, chaffinches, goldfinches and blue tits.
House sparrows were the most spotted in Counties Antrim, Down and Derry, while starlings topped the list in Armagh and Tyrone and the chaffinch was chief in Fermanagh.
Some of the less common birds to be spotted across the north included great spotted woodpeckers, yellowhammers, sparrowhawks, goldcrests and fieldfares.
To enter the competition to win a bumper bird box with feeders and food plus an RSPB handbook of garden wildlife answer this question correctly:
What colour is a goldfinch's face?
Email your answer to competitions@irishnews.com with Sleb Safari/Big Garden Birdwatch in the subject line. Usual Irish News rules apply and the competition closes at noon on Wednesday January 15.
