The royal fan-fiction has been off the charts this week, filling the vacuum left by the palace comms offices going radio silent. For years now, there’s been this particular thread of projection about Prince Harry and the Princess of Wales – before Harry met Meghan, I would have argued that Harry and Kate were close and that she enjoyed the optics of being the only woman with two princes. There was always going to be jealousy on Kate’s part towards anyone Harry dated or married. But Kate well and truly lost her mind when Harry fell for a beautiful, successful, biracial American actress. Harry put Meghan on a pedestal and defended her and adored her, and the contrast between that relationship and Kate and William’s marriage was too stark. Years after Harry made it perfectly clear that he will always choose Meghan, his soulmate, wife and mother of his children, the Kate-aligned “experts” are still trying to convince everyone that Harry is torn up about Kate. Ingrid Seward recently said that Meghan “disrupted” Harry’s bond with Kate. Now Tom Quinn claims that Harry’s second great loss, after the loss of his mother, was losing his friendship with Kate.

Prince Harry is feeling “torn” and regretful over losing the close bond he once shared with sister-in-law Kate Middleton, according to a royal expert. The Duke of Sussex, 39, and his wife, Meghan Markle, have reached out to the Princess of Wales, 42, following the news of her cancer diagnosis. And according to author Tom Quinn, Harry “really misses” the friendship he and Middleton once shared.

“[Harry] really misses that warm, uncomplicated relationship, and he is torn between loyalty to his wife and regret about the loss of the woman he was so close to,” Quinn told the Mirror.

“Losing Kate was Harry’s second great loss after losing his mother.”

However, Quinn claims that the Duchess of Sussex does not share her husband’s sentiment when it comes to her sister-in-law.

“Meghan doesn’t feel guilty about Kate, because she feels that Kate should’ve been the one person in the royal family to back her against every difficulty,” Quinn shared. “Apart from anything else, Meghan knew Kate was an outsider, so she just couldn’t understand why Kate always towed the royal line rather than supporting her, Meghan, the other outsider.”

“Kate’s cancer diagnosis has been a real shock for Meghan, but she can see no way to patch up the relationship simply because it has become so poisonous,” the “Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle” author continued. “She also doesn’t want people saying that she is trying to make things up with Kate just because Kate is ill,” he said, adding that the mom of two “still feels Kate was in the wrong and should apologize before they try to build bridges.”

[From The NY Post]

“Losing Kate was Harry’s second great loss after losing his mother.” GMAFB. Harry poured all of his feelings, grief and loss into a memoir already. Harry has made it perfectly clear, in his own damn words, that the loss of his mother shaped him as a person. It’s disgusting to evoke Diana’s death as somehow similarly traumatic as his choice to walk away from a brother and sister-in-law who were actively attempting to destroy his wife. They keep trying to make “Harry must miss Kate, Harry must check in on Kate” happen and he’s not biting.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Quelle surprise, we’ve got another royal sighting. For months now, we’ve wondered why Carole Middleton has been largely out of sight, only popping into view one time for what appeared to be a prearranged photo-op in a car with the Princess of Wales. That was on or around March 4th. Beyond that, it’s felt like Carole and her makeshift Middleton-communications HQ has gone silent, and there have been no other paparazzi photos of Carole or Michael Middleton anywhere. Now Richard Eden at the Daily Mail claims that Carole was seen at a Norfolk pub over the weekend… with Prince William. The assumption being that the Middletons are staying at Anmer Hall with the Wales family over the kids’ school holiday. All of this has led to Eden suggesting that the Middletons deserve an aristocratic title now.

While many men prefer a night out with their mates at the weekend, Prince William was spotted at a Norfolk pub on Saturday – with his mother-in-law. It’s a reflection of their closeness that William is more likely to be seen with Carole Middleton these days than he is with old pals such as Guy Pelly or the Van Cutsem brothers. The Prince of Wales always seems happy to have Carole staying with his family and I hear she has been doing just that during the Easter school holidays.

The Waleses will have been particularly glad to have Carole and her husband, Mike, alongside them at Anmer Hall, their retreat on the Sandringham Estate, as Catherine, 42, undergoes treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Not only can they help look after the children, George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, but they will doubtless provide personal reassurance for their daughter.

William’s ability to carry on undertaking royal duties – while his father is also fighting the disease – is testament to the support the Middletons are providing. It’s becoming clear, in fact, that Catherine’s parents are just as important to the future of the Monarchy as the Windsors themselves – and, I believe, deserve some formal recognition for their work. Their active support gave William the confidence to continue with royal engagements on his own before Easter, for example, and he will do so again when the children return to Lambrook School next week. It is said that Carole helped with the school run in January, while the princess was recovering from what was described as ‘major abdominal surgery’.

All three children are at Lambrook, in Berkshire, which is 15 minutes away from Adelaide Cottage, the family’s Windsor home – and only half an hour’s drive from Bucklebury, where the Middletons live.

William’s increasing reliance on his in-laws is a natural development. Part of Catherine’s appeal was always the strength of her family relationships, with her parents and also with siblings, Pippa Matthews, 40, and James Middleton, 36. The prince, remember, had first met Catherine just a few short years after the death of his own mother, Princess Diana. As romance blossomed in the years that followed, Carole became a mother figure to him.

As Catherine takes time out to overcome her health problems, the magnitude of the role [her parents] play has never been so clear. And that’s why I believe it’s time that Carole and Michael – she a former air hostess and he a one-time flight dispatcher – should be given titles reflecting their importance. As their friend, the tycoon Sir John Madejski, said to me a full decade ago: ‘They should be the Earl and Countess of Bucklebury, or something. They deserve it. They are great people and really good role models.’ Who could disagree with that?

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s telling, from Eden, that he doesn’t bother to mention the fact that the Middletons scammed vendors and small businesses out of millions when Party Pieces was going belly up. Eden doesn’t even mention the fact that the Middletons are too broke to pay the insolvency firm who arranged for the sale of their bankrupt business, the news of which came out just last week… while Carole was presumably boozing it up in a pub with her son-in-law. So, what to make of all of this? I’ve believed that William has spent the past four years distancing himself from Carole in particular. He is not as close to them as he once was. But I have no idea what’s going on with Kate’s recovery and whether Carole has been the one looking after her this whole time, etc. I have my theories, but this whole thing is batsh-t. As for the pub visit… pics or it didn’t happen. Can’t wait for The Sun to hire look-alikes and stage some pub photos.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted a White House state dinner last night, their fifth since 2021. Currently, Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is visiting DC with his wife. For the state dinner, Dr. Biden wore Oscar de la Renta, a go-to designer for FLOTUSes for years. The dress is giving me Laura Bush vibes, honestly.

Apparently, the vibes were kept light and pleasant – Japan and America’s relationship is quite strong, and PM Kashida even quoted JFK in his toast to his hosts. The White House served ribeye steak and “a California roll-inspired dish.” The china used was a mix of a floral set designed by Lady Bird Johnson and a china patter designed by Laura Bush.

I’m including some photos from the arrivals at the state dinner, including VP Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff; Bill and Hillary Clinton; Tim Cook and Lisa Jackson; Robert De Niro and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen; Jeff Bezos and his fiancee Lauren Sanchez. Someone said that Sanchez dressed up like she was going to the Trump White House, but I’ll defend her for a second – that’s just her style. She has tacky, showgirl, showing-up-the-Playboy-mansion style. Her dress is Rasario, btw. I love Hillary’s IDGAF caftan and VP Harris looked snazzy.

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Photos courtesy of Getty, Cover Images.

Prince William has not been seen publicly or heard from whatsoever since March 19th. That was his trip to Sheffield, where he met with local leaders, talked about homelessness and apparently made eyes at Becky English. English covered that March 19th event and she squeezed several stories out of it, including another hysterically unhinged piece about how Huevo is “bereaved” about Prince Harry’s “devastating defection.” My point is that was what William was up to during the week his wife sat alone on a bench and told the world that she has cancer. William hasn’t been seen since. Then on Wednesday, we got a missive from William on the Twitter machine. William is president of the Football Association, and he paid tribute to Rachel Daly, who plays for the Lionesses. Daly just announced her retirement from international competition (meaning, she won’t play for the Lionesses anymore).

Prince William took a tentative step on his return to public life on Wednesday with a social media post praising one of England’s leading soccer players who had announced her retirement from the sport at an international level.

William has not been seen or heard from since his wife, Kate, 42, shocked the world last month by announcing she had cancer. He is understood to have been at their country house, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate, with his family for the past three weeks, which have also been school holidays in the U.K.

In a post on Instagram and X, William paid tribute to England player Rachel Daly, 32, who announced Wednesday she was retiring from the international game. She will continue to play for the women’s team at Aston Villa, the Birmingham club which William supports.

Daly bowed out on a high, with England scoring a 2-0 victory over Ireland Tuesday night. She said: “I would love nothing more than to play for England forever, but the time has come for me to hang my boots up on the international stage.”

William’s post is likely to be interpreted as a welcome sign that he intends to return to more public facing duties next week, once his kids return to school.

[From The Daily Beast]

The countdown has begun, hasn’t it? Since Easter, every palace comms office has gone silent as the grave as all of the senior royals are recovering from cancer or on holiday. But there will be an expectation that William returns to some kind of public schedule next week, surely. Or will the school run remain too time-consuming? I can’t wait to hear some curt explanation that when William said he would return to work after the Easter holiday, he meant “June.”

Here’s the social media post – it drives me crazy that the FA president wasn’t traveling around the world to celebrate the Lionesses in recent years, when they were arguably the best team in the world. They reached their first-ever Women’s World Cup final, they won the 2022 Euros, and at one point they were on a 30-match unbeaten streak. The FA president maybe went to two of their games during that time?

Thank you for so many unforgettable performances with @Lionesses, @RachelDaly3. Plenty more goals for Villa now! W https://t.co/JXmadhxW7L

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 10, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Scarlett Johansson & Channing Tatum costar in Fly Me to the Moon, which honestly looks so adorable. I bet they have a lot of chemistry. [LaineyGossip]
Shakira appeared on Hot Ones. [OMG Blog]
The trailer for Season 4 of We’re Here. [Socialite Life]
Review of Starz’s Mary & George. [Pajiba]
A retrospective on Lily Gladstone’s awards-season style. [Go Fug Yourself]
Bear Grylls’s son Marmaduke is a giant. [Just Jared]
Anya Taylor Joy looked great in Ludovic de Saint Sernin. [RCFA]
Are people still watching NCIS?? [Seriously OMG]
Harry Hamlin has a cooking show?? [Starcasm]
Jelly Roll turned down a chance to take a photo with Sean Combs. [Hollywood Life]

Last month Lady Gaga debuted bleached eyebrows and fans commented that it was a portent of new music to come. I was a bit skeptical about the link between eyebrows and music, but Gaga later confirmed she was “working as fast as I can” on her next album. So I guess I saw the (bleached) light. Now the Little Monsters have made another prediction that I actually understand the logic behind; over the weekend Gaga was seen with a diamond ring on that finger. Conclusion? She’s engaged! Before we congratulate the Lady and her boyfriend of four years, tech CEO Michael Polansky, we should note that Gaga has made no comment directly or through her reps. But please enjoy Page Six’s reporting on the pictures snapped by papa-paparazzi:

Lady Gaga sparked engagement rumors after fans noticed a massive addition to her jewelry collection.

The “Born This Way” singer — who has been dating boyfriend Michael Polansky since 2019 — was spotted wearing a massive diamond ring on her left ring finger while walking through West Hollywood, Calif., on Sunday.

Gaga, 38, sported a long black coat for the outing, which she paired with a black shirt underneath and a pair of classic black pumps and a large tote bag from Bottega Veneta ($4,400).

She was spotted flashing a smile as the ring could be seen peeking out from under the coat.

“I don’t see enough people freaking out about gaga’s engagement ring?? LIKE HELLO??” one fan commented on X after the photos came out.

“gurll are u engaged??” another fan commented with crying emojis.

The speculation even made it onto gossip Instagram Deuxmoi.

A rep for Gaga did not immediately return our request for comment.

Back in March 2023, Radar Online reported Gaga and Polansky, who runs Facebook co-founder Sean Parker’s various charities and businesses, had called it quits over a disagreement about marriage and kids.

“They broke up a few months ago. It was amicable. They’re still friends,” a source told Radar Online at the time.

However, the couple squashed the rumors in October 2023 when they were spotted on two concert date nights in Las Vegas.

Page Six exclusively revealed Polansky’s identity in February 2020 after the pair were first spotted together in 2019.

Although they remain relatively private, Gaga once called him her “whole life” in an interview with Hollywood Reporter.

Polansky has accompanied the singer to several award shows, including the 2022 BAFTAs and the Critics Choice Awards.

Prior to their relationship, Gaga was previously engaged to “Chicago Fire” star Taylor Kinney and talent agent Christian Carino.

[From Page Six]

I have to say, I was sorry when Gaga and Taylor Kinney broke up. But mainly because I loved their meet-cute! You gotta admit, him being cast in her music video was a great story. Christian Carino screamed rebound and gave me major sleazy vibes. Michael Polansky, by contrast, has always seemed really solid, totally grounded in himself, which is a dynamic I think someone of Gaga’s magnitude needs. They work in different worlds, there’s no competition, no insecurity. He makes his fortune quietly, she makes her loudly. Plus they’ve been dating in their mid-thirties, so they know themselves better and what they want in a partner. I’m happy for Gaga! (I may or may not have sources, and those sources absolutely would not make any kind of official comment… but things are probably as they appear, wink wink.)

Lady Gaga sparks engagement rumors after being spotted with massive diamond ring https://t.co/XF3Q3ZeqDk pic.twitter.com/Ob0Y8wDgkh

— Page Six (@PageSix) April 9, 2024

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Photos credit: The Hollywood JR/PopCulture/Backgrid, IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon

One day late on this, but only because I totally forgot that April 9th was King Charles and Queen Camilla’s wedding anniversary. They celebrated 19 years of marriage on Tuesday, but obviously, they’ve been friends and lovers since their 20s, which means that really, they’ve been “together” in some form or another for fifty-something years. Through two marriages to other people, countless side chicks and sh-tty parenting, Charles and Camilla have stayed somewhat loyal to each other. So why does this pairing work and why has it worked for so long? An astrologer tried to answer that, in a special astrological analysis for their wedding anniversary:

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal romance has made headlines through the years, but what do the stars say about their love story? Charles and Camilla first met in 1970 but initially pursued marriage to Princess Diana and Andrew Parker Bowles, respectively. Both marriages ended in divorce partly as a result of Camilla and Charles’ highly publicized affair throughout the ’80s.

As the couple celebrates their wedding anniversary, PEOPLE spoke with astrologer and bestselling author Lisa Stardust, who analyzed King Charles and Queen Camilla’s natal charts to predict their overall compatibility.

Born on Nov. 14, 1948, King Charles is a Scorpio, while Queen Camilla, born on July 17, 1947, is a Cancer. Notably, they are both water signs, meaning “they possess extremely intuitive, sensitive, and creative qualities,” according to Stardust. As King Charles and Queen Camilla are both water signs, they naturally share many similarities, including interests in “art, communication and a deep understanding of each other on a personal level,” Stardust says.

However, Stardust points out “what’s truly fascinating about their astrological charts is the connection between Neptune and Venus.” Stardust notes that “Neptune is a planet that represents unconditional and never-ending care for another” and Camilla’s Neptune is aligned with Charles’ Venus, which is the planet of love, in Libra.

“This alignment signifies that they care for each other in a soulful and spiritual manner, without any judgment,” Stardust reveals. “They accept each other for who they are and provide each other with love and affection.”

Stardust notes that the couple’s astrological placements “suggest that they are a couple that is strongly attracted to each other and can easily fall in love.” King Charles’ Venus in Libra suggests that he has “a relationship-oriented personality and prefers to resolve conflicts smoothly.” Meanwhile, Queen Camilla’s Venus in Cancer “allows her to establish a deep and intimate connection with her loved one and remain loyal to them.” Stardust adds that “the combination of these placements indicates that they will always be drawn to each other, which is evident in their enduring relationship over the years.”

According to Stardust, Charles and Camilla “share a strong connection that transcends words and communication,” noting that “their past life connection is indicated by the North Node of Destiny in Camilla’s chart, which connects with King Charles’ Taurus Moon.”

“Their love at first sight is evident as her Jupiter, the planet of luck and growth, connects with his South Node of Destiny in Scorpio,” Stardust continues. “Their intuitive relationship is further cemented by the harmonization of their Mercury signs in water signs, Cancer and Scorpio.”

[From People]

I didn’t realize before now that they’re both water signs. Diana was a Cancer as well, and so is Prince William. Prince Harry is a Virgo, Meghan is a Leo, Kate is a Capricorn. No comment on all of that beyond: I will always stan a Virgo king. Like… I actually believe that Charles and Camilla have always been highly compatible from an astrological standpoint, but I find it highly selective and rather infuriating to presuppose that they were somehow destined to be together and that’s why all of this happened. Camilla would have happily stayed married to Andrew Parker Bowles, for one. But Camilla also had to watch as Charles carried on with multiple mistresses throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. The “Camilla was his one true love” is a revisionist history which suits both Charles and Camilla.

Besides the astrology part of it, why can’t it be as simple as “Camilla looks exactly like Charles’s much-loved childhood nanny” AND “Camilla has always babied Charles and soothed his childish moods and sulks.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN.

For the past few years, the Duchess of Sussex’s half-sister Samantha Grant/Markle has been trying to sue Meghan for “defamation.” Samantha based part of her case on Finding Freedom, a book which Meghan did not write. Some parts of the lawsuit were based on statements Meghan made in the Oprah interview, which were not defamatory by any stretch of the imagination. The Florida courts have repeatedly dismissed Samantha’s bullsh-t lawsuits, including one dismissal – with prejudice – just last month. You would think Samantha would just give up, especially since she’s only attempting to sue Meghan for a relatively paltry sum, and surely Samantha’s legal bills ensure that she won’t break even? It’s weird to even do a cursory investigation into what’s driving Samantha’s lawsuits, because it absolutely feels like there are several (British) people financing Samantha’s legal actions and using Samantha as a proxy to attack Meghan for the crime of… being victimized by a racist royal institution. Speaking of:

Samantha Markle’s legal team will ask the Princess of Wales for a witness statement as the estranged half-sister of Meghan attempts to continue her defamation lawsuit against the Duchess of Sussex in a Florida court.

It was earlier reported that Samantha’s lawyer, Peter Ticktin, had filed an appeal to Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell’s March ruling that Meghan’s comments during the couple’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey did not merit defamation. The suit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that it cannot simply be refiled.

Despite the request, Samantha, 59, has stressed that the Kate Middleton’s ‘cancer recovery is priority.’

‘I think it’s important everyone know that this was out there by my attorney before anyone was aware of her health challenges,’ Samantha told former GB News host Dan Wootton.

On March 18, Ticktin told Wootton during an episode of his Outspoken online talk show that he felt as though the princess would be able to provide a useful witness statement in the trial.

‘I felt that Catherine might have some very important light to shed on what had occurred because obviously something is really really wrong between these two.’

That came just four days before the princess shocked the world by disclosing that she was battling cancer. MailOnline has reached out to Kensington Palace and Samantha Markle’s legal team for comment. It wasn’t until this week when it was announced that Samantha was still battling in court to continue her lawsuit against Meghan.

Judge Honeywell said that the case should be dismissed because Samantha ‘failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation.’

‘Notice is hereby given that the Plaintiff, Samantha M. Markle, by and through her undersigned counsel, appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from the Order Granting Defendants, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Motion to Dismiss entered by the Honorable Charlene Edwards Honeywell on March 12, 2024,’ the appeal document reads.

[From The Daily Mail]

From a technical standpoint, there is no lawsuit on file for which the Princess of Wales might be compelled to give a witness statement. Samantha’s lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, nothing has been refiled and zero new (bullsh-t) claims have been made. So what’s really happening here? Why is Samantha’s lawyer arguing in court and in press that Meghan should be deposed about racist royals, and why is the lawyer going on British television and talking about wanting Kate to give a witness statement? What does any of that have to do with defamation against Samantha? Whoever is “running” Samantha has apparently put too much time and money into this operation and they’re still trying to squeeze every last drop out of this op. I brought this up before – I see this as a lower-tier version of what the Heritage Foundation is doing about Prince Harry’s visa. There are so many conspiracies afoot and it’s incredibly disturbing.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

While Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have mostly gone silent for a fortnight, the British media has been attempting to churn out some royal fantasies, mostly involving the Sussexes. Like, four years later, and the usual suspects are still talking about whether Prince Harry will visit and whether he’ll make peace with Prince William and Kate. I’ve noticed another weird side-story about how, according to royal experts, Harry is desperate to check on Kate’s health but Meghan is “stopping” him. Now another old favorite is being dusted off: Meghan “disrupted” Harry’s relationship with Kate. What?

The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle “disrupted” Prince Harry’s relationship with key royals, including his sister-in-law the Princess Kate, a royal expert has claimed. The Duke of Sussex and Princess Kate shared a close bond before Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, left their royal duties and exposed private information on the family in interviews, their Netflix documentary, and in Harry’s memoir, Spare.

A royal expert has now claimed that Meghan “disrupted” Harry’s bond with Kate, who previously had met and “approved” of his former girlfriends.

Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty magazine and author of “My Mother and I” explained to The Telegraph: “Every time he had a new girlfriend, the first person that would meet her would be Kate. And then Meghan came into the mix, and it was disruptive. It wasn’t like the other girlfriends.”

Harry and Kate’s relationship was once a close bond with Harry previously “longing for a sister” according to Seward. Yet after Harry and Meghan wed in 2018, things soured as Seward added: “I think that Meghan must have been incredibly envious and then jealous of Kate.”

[From The Daily Mirror]

“And then Meghan came into the mix, and it was disruptive. It wasn’t like the other girlfriends.” Why do we need C-word to royalsplain something which Harry already detailed in Spare? As soon as he saw Meghan on his friend’s social media, he knew Meghan was the one. THAT is what was “disruptive” to Kate and William: Harry fell deeply in love and immediately began planning to spend the rest of his life with a beautiful American woman. The “plan” was that Harry either needed to stay a bachelor forever (for Kate and William’s comfort and needs) or that he end up a chronic f–kup in love, divorced, broken and pliable to the Firm. Positioning Kate as Harry’s priority in any way is asinine, especially since we’re talking about his sister-in-law who was racist towards his wife and child! Kate found Meghan “disruptive” because Meghan was beautiful, successful, stylish and because Harry was clearly head over heels in love.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar, Backgrid, Cover Images.

How are you guys doing so far in this election year? I’m fine, mostly because I’m barely paying attention to the increasingly depressing sh-t coming out of the mainstream media. Those people want Donald Trump to win so badly because it will be “good for ratings” and they want the insanity of MAGA fascism. Meanwhile, it definitely feels like Trump’s support is dissipating, or maybe the MAGAts have just learned how to mask their bullsh-t. Anyway, we have seven months to go and y’all know that many “curveballs” are coming. We’re talking about foreign interference, lies, insurrection, treason and deepfakes. Speaking of, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation has teamed with The Future US to combat the deepfake and misinformation.

A bipartisan coalition with support from Hollywood power players and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation is working to prepare U.S. voters for a possible deepfake onslaught as the campaign year goes into high gear.

Why it matters: With federal agencies and social media companies barely talking to each other about AI-driven misinformation threats, “this is a disaster waiting to happen — no one’s doing the public inoculation,” warned Miles Taylor, chief policy officer of The Future US, which is coordinating the campaign. Taylor is a former DHS chief of staff — and author of a celebrated op-ed critique of the Trump administration from an “anonymous” insider — who wrote a tell-all book.

The big picture: Last September, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the White House, FBI and other federal officials likely violated the First Amendment by encouraging social media companies to crack down on COVID-19 misinformation. The Supreme Court, which is hearing a government appeal of that ruling, is skeptical that officials overstepped — but the case has already significantly reduced the contact between officials and big tech companies, including election-protection coordination.

Federal agencies have faced a parallel wave of litigation and pressure from Republicans, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), to cease efforts to study misinformation on social media around both election and health topics.

Driving the news: The Future US shared two prototype ads that the group is using to gin up interest among Hollywood screenwriters, ad executives and influencers for what it hopes will be a massive earned media campaign, supplemented by an initial $5 million of paid advertising in swing states. One ad shows a woman in Arizona picking up the phone on Election Day, and hearing a voice on the other end that tells her to stay away from the polls because of threats from militant groups. The AI-generated caller, impersonating a poll worker, holds a “real” conversation with the voter.

[From Axios]

According to Axios, Archewell “is also helping brainstorm new content,” hoping to inform voters (especially seniors) not to fall for AI or deepfake voter suppression tactics. The ad campaign will begin airing in swing states (Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin) later this spring. This is completely keeping with Harry and Meghan’s political energy these days, especially as they’ve been vocal for years about the proliferation of distortion and misinformation on social media. That being said, the fact that the Sussexes are part of anti-AI/deepfake campaign at the same time as the Windsors’ credibility is in the toilet for their photo manipulations… well, it’s funny. Hilarious, even.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Archewell.