MADELEINE MCCANN’S PARENTS: THE REAL ROYAL COUPLE? By Chris Freind

CHRIS FREIND
MADELEINE MCCANN’S PARENTS: THE REAL ROYAL COUPLE?
Four years after a British girl disappeared, there are more questions than answers
Posted on 5/10/2011 at 9:21AM

April was a busy time for the Royal Couple.

Preparations had been underway for months to deal with all the publicity that was sure to come. Facebook pages were established, marketing pieces created, a book written and carefully scripted interviews arranged, as publicists and advisors worked round-the-clock for the famous British duo. No detail was too small when planning such a momentous event, as the global media once again turned its focus on two of Great Britain’s most…interesting people.

Most amazing, all of this was accomplished despite the distractions caused by the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

May 3rd marked the fourth anniversary of the disappearance of then-3-year-old Madeleine McCann, who disappeared from a resort in southern Portugal because her parents chose to leave her — and her two younger twin siblings — alone in an unlocked room while they ate and drank the night away with friends.

But when you’re Gerry and Kate McCann, you take a backseat to no one, and certainly no wedding is going to upstage your “anniversary.” And so, in typical McCann fashion, they put on another strong display of offense in the ongoing “search” — not so much for their missing daughter, but for self-promoting headlines.

Who can blame them? Playing defense is no fun, doesn’t raise money nor generate publicity. And best of all, blaming everyone but themselves for an eminently preventable tragedy allows the McCanns to ignore reality about a poor little girl’s horrible fate.

*****

For the folks needing a refresher, you read it right. The McCanns, both physicians from Rothley, Leicestershire, in England, left their three children — with a COMBINED age of seven — alone, night after night, in their ground-floor resort apartment. Despite ample financial resources, they chose not to bring a nanny and refused to utilize the resort’s babysitting services.

Instead, they deemed it safer for the children to go it on their own, entrusting Madeleine to get her siblings and herself to safety in the event of a fire — hence the alleged reason for the unlocked door. Hey, I’m all for self-reliance, but, she was 3!

The story perpetuated by the McCanns is that Madeleine was kidnapped, despite virtually no evidence to support that claim. But the tragic nature of a girl gone missing gained international attention, and the search was on. Well, at least by the people who were actually out there looking for Madeleine.

Gerry and Kate took a different approach. Rather than get bogged down in the grunt work of looking for their daughter in places she might actually be, the parents decided that becoming international globetrotting celebrities was a lot more fun. Putting blood, sweat and tears into finding a missing child is tough, but hanging out with celebs and dignitaries is, well, cool!

So they arranged a private audience with the Pope, traveled to the United States to meet with America’s top leaders, kept web diaries about Gerry’s daily jogs, and threw lavish affairs. Of course, if Madeleine really had been kidnapped, she wouldn’t be in America, at black-tie events or in the Vatican.

If only they had thought to turn the “Find Madeleine” campaign into a money-maker! Oh wait, they did. To the tune of millions. And the result? To this day, many more questions than answers.

Despite being named suspects by the Portuguese police based on evidence that raised eyebrows — inconsistencies in G and K’s stories; elite dogs, trained to identify death, providing positive responses in Madeleine’s room; reports of Madeleine’s blood found in the trunk of a car the McCanns’ rented 25 days AFTER she disappeared; more blood discovered behind a sofa in the apartment, to name just a few — the case was eventually suspended without any arrest. And for that, we can thank the British government that exerted enormous pressure on the Portuguese.

With the complicity of the British media, everyone but the parents was blamed for Madeleine’s disappearance. The Portuguese detectives bumbled the investigation, the resort’s security was too lax, leads weren’t followed up in a timely fashion. And as numerous publications discovered, anyone who dared question the McCanns’ role were slapped with libel lawsuits by England’s most powerful barristers. And don’t forget the lead Portuguese investigator who was legally banned from giving interviews and publishing his book courtesy of Team McCann (those rulings were subsequently overturned) and was sued for millions in “damages.”

Kate’s book on the affair, (in which rumors spread that she was assisted by world-famous Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling) will be released this week. In it, she blamed the resort restaurant for making a note in their reservation book that the McCanns wanted a table within sight of the room, since the children would be alone.

“[The reservation] book was by definition accessible to all staff and, albeit unintentionally, probably to guests and visitors, too…To my horror, I saw that, no doubt in all innocence, the receptionist had added that we wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently.”

Nice try, Kate. But somehow, you forgot to mention the “horror” your daughter must have felt after being abandoned by her parents night after night, left alone in an unfamiliar environment in a foreign nation. And you also conveniently left out the fact that you couldn’t see the apartment from your table anyway, due to the six-foot wall obstructing the view. Translation: the tapas were more important than your three children, two of whom, interestingly enough, weren’t “kidnapped.”

So we’re supposed to believe that a child kidnapper just happened to be dining at the resort’s restaurant that night, on the off-chance some British couple’s child-care arrangements (or lack thereof) would be recorded in the restaurant’s reservation book? Which, by the way, is usually kept behind a desk, not in public view.

Either that, or someone on the kitchen staff, waiting in the wings for one of the McCanns to return from allegedly “checking” on the children. Maybe that’s why the tapas were so late in being served!

Frankly, I’m surprised that Osama bin Laden snatching Madeleine wasn’t in the book as a potential theory. Or that evil Voldemort from Harry Potter wasn’t somehow responsible.

Which brings us back to Rowling.

After hundreds of articles stating that Rowling was helping Kate write the book, the family spokesman finally got around to stating that Rowling did not, in fact, have ANY role in the book.

As with most things McCann, the facts here are loose and the truth sketchy. But as they say, “Any publicity is good publicity!” And Team McCann rolls on, garnering headlines and raking in the dough.

*****

Perhaps most ironic is Kate’s stated reason for the book:

“My reason…is simple, to give an account of the truth.”

Rowling’s help or not, discovering the real story behind the disappearance of little Madeleine McCann will take more than wizards and magic. Too bad we don’t have one of Harry Potter’s Remembralls, though, which fans will recall is the clear orb containing smoke that turns red when detecting that the user has forgotten something.

In Gerry and Kate McCann’s case, I’m betting the Remembrall would be glowing red-hot, since it seems they have forgotten the only thing that can help Maddie.

The real truth.

http://www.freindlyfirezone.com/home/item/153-madeleine-mccann’s-parents-the-real-royal-couple?




There is a comments section.



ETA The above link does not work now the article has been removed. Surprise!! It can still be read though on link I have given further down this page at Chris Freinds own blog, The Freindly Fire Zone


ETA I have changed the link to the blog, as original article linked to this blog has been edited.

Why is it that we do not have one single journalist in this country who would write something like that?

DocMartin wrote:Why is it that we do not have one single journalist in this country who would write something like that?

terrific article.

Here in Ireland two journalists I respect Brenda Power (Irish Daily Mail) and Kathy Sheridan (Irish Times) have both written articles in the past week and they do not appear to understand why so many people disbelieve the McCanns. They seem to think the opposition is due just to outrage over their parenting style (leaving the children alone). They don't raise all the other reasons why people have doubts.

I know the Mccanns are quick to sue but I still don't understand why journalists are not writing balanced articles.

I suspect, it's because he's radical, extreme, controversial............... and appeals to the few.

Thank you for posting zodiac

Brilliant article from Chris Friend

Pity the journalists in this country haven't got the b***s to write that! Although I believe that they are under a gagging order because the case is ongoing. I think this, because no-one is allowed to speak about it. Only today, we have had the news in a paper that Martin Grimes has been told not to speak of this case by our own UK police. That tells me something is happening and that the papers have been told not to print things that might prove prejudicial to any case that might be forthcoming. Well, I can't in all honesty believe that every single journalist in this country is towing the same party line.

pauline wrote:

DocMartin wrote:Why is it that we do not have one single journalist in this country who would write something like that?

terrific article.

Here in Ireland two journalists I respect Brenda Power (Irish Daily Mail) and Kathy Sheridan (Irish Times) have both written articles in the past week and they do not appear to understand why so many people disbelieve the McCanns. They seem to think the opposition is due just to outrage over their parenting style (leaving the children alone). They don't raise all the other reasons why people have doubts.

I know the Mccanns are quick to sue but I still don't understand why journalists are not writing balanced articles.

It's as we've said many times on here, Pauline; sometimes an idea, an untruth in fact, gets hold of a group of people, or in this case, the media and half the nation, so much, that to publicly question it becomes almost unthinkable.

Hans Christian Anderson got the point in his story: 'The Emperor's New Clothes' - only a small child was bold enough to pipe up and say to all the brainless adults: 'But the Emperor hasn't got any new clothes'.

This kind of thing is not new in history.

Look back at our nation's history, for example. In 1401, they passed the Heresy Act - making it an offence punishable by death to question the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church (!). During the reign of Bloody Queen Mary [1553-58], 284 Protestants were burnt at the stake, including women, old people and teenagers, for no worse a crime than disagreeing with a handful of key Roman Catholic doctrines. They even burnt at the stake the Archbishop of Canterbury, the godly, devout Thomas Cranmer, for this 'crime'.

All but a few brave souls were mesmerised, pressurised and persecuted by those in power into being unable even to voice their doubts. Thank goodness Queen Elizabeth I came when she did!

This is the appalling state our nation and our press have gotten into over the Madeleine McCann case.

Hence that acutely embarassing article by David James in the 'Mail' this week where he practically prostrated himself in front of the McCanns and everyone else for ever having dared to entertain a single doubt about the McCanns' version of events - and called those who dared to question them 'ghouls'.

How desperately low British journalism has fallen!

candyfloss wrote:Thank you for posting zodiac

Brilliant article from Chris Friend

Pity the journalists in this country haven't got the b***s to write that! Although I believe that they are under a gagging order because the case is ongoing. I think this, because no-one is allowed to speak about it. Only today, we have had the news in a paper that Martin Grimes has been told not to speak of this case by our own UK police. That tells me something is happening and that the papers have been told not to print things that might prove prejudicial to any case that might be forthcoming. Well, I can't in all honesty believe that every single journalist in this country is towing the same party line.

If that is the case then they should not be giving space for the McCanns to publish their lies and be paid for it!

Unless they are giving the McCanns (Kate) rope to hang herself

Kate, you're going down one of these days :lol:

DocMartin wrote:Why is it that we do not have one single journalist in this country who would write something like that?

Thanks for posting zodiac!


It's quite bizarre that none of our journalists mention Goncalo Amaral's successes in court; or that three judges ruled against the McCanns and made damning declarations; and that the pair may face heavy costs as a result of losing; or the fact that they held on to GA's books against the judges rulings. I'm absolutely certain the public would be interested in reading about the other side of the McCann façade.... it wouldn't take much to make those headlines gritty and appealing.

It would certainly be more interesting than reading about Kate McCann's low libido.

This article is also on Chris's own blog Freindly Fire Zone, where he has other articles about the McCanns, you can rate it 1 to 5 stars and post your comments.................

http://www.freindlyfirezone.com/home/item/153-madeleine-mccann’s-parents-the-real-royal-couple?

The original link zodiac gave has been pulled, story still on Freindly Fire Zone though. See link above post.


Here's Anorak's take on the article being pulled................



Madeleine McCann: Has The Tide Changed Against Kate And Gerry McCann?

MADELEINE McCann: Every now and then as a journalist you spot a tide change; a dramatic turnaround in the nature and character of a familiar story.

Last night those in the know saw a very hard-hitting piece by Chris Freind (who writes the Freindly Fire column/blog) pulled by the Philly Post in as yet unexplained circumstances.

It was a piece re the McCanns and mentioned a link to one of the world’s richest people Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

The one thing J.K. Rowling is said to treasure above all else is her personal space and she DOES has the money and clout to have publishers reminded of their obligations.

It would be a great shame if one the world’s greatest ever fictional story-writers had waved a black arts cloak of invisibility to suppress a story already out in the public domain. I very much doubt it was the case and I await with interest for any explanation from the publishers.

As one of many who had the pleasure of reading the piece in the Philly Post before it was pulled I regarded it as an interesting, speculative, viewpoint and not actionable in any legal sense. Particularly as it was hosted on an American site. It made no allegations but expressed disbelief in one version of the reported events. That is, the McCann version.

Chris has never been a friend or bosom pal of the parents of missing child Madeleine McCann and along with many has always disputed the doctors’ version of events which took place on May 3, 2007 in their holiday village, the Praia da Luz complex in Portugal… four long word-filled and court-case strewn years ago.

Freind has always regarded the abduction hypothesis put forward by the Doctors Kate and Gerry McCann as not a reasonable one.

In that time the McCanns seem to have lost more friends than gained and have single-mindedly raised a fortune from public subscription, private donation (and compensatory payments from newspapers who may have over extended the available facts) for the Madeleine War Chest (funding various investigations which have, so far, led nowhere).

There comes a time when neutrality become a cloak of thorns and wherever you position yourself there is a constant and irritating stab in body parts you just can’t reach safely without hurting yourself even more. There is a time scratch the odd itch.

That’s the truth of it with the strangely enigmatic tale of the missing child of the good doctors Gerry McCann and Kate McCann (nee Healy) both now approaching 44-years-old.

Despite the ranting against negative publicity, the meeting with the Pope, the celebrity status (gone now, for ever, since the pair can only ever be single subject guests – does no other celebrity of whatever type wants to share their platform?) there is a sea change.

All through this strange case there have been pro or anti McCann camps. I regard that as more than unfortunate since the one true fact is a little girl remains missing.

But what is happening this week is yet another strange twist. Kate Healy has produced a book (rumoured to have been co-authored by J.K. Rowling; a version of events which has been vehemently denied by the Harry Potter author). The book is being serialised in the UK media and followed by all the Red Tops.

My impression is it has done absolutely nothing to help the corner being fought by the Drs McCann.

The child remains missing and, so far, in the run up to publication and actuality of the printed word, the very quiet and reserved (in public) Kate McCann is in the limelight and there is no word or sign of the once extremely strident Gerry McCann.

Already the whisperers are again active.

This time: primarily from former pro-McCann campers who are striking their tents and looking for somewhere else to pitch their ridge poles.

This time: there an impression there is more doubt than support.

In truth I have a different opinion and have so far not read a single word of Kate McCann’s book.

What I can tell you is during the very first television broadcast made by Dr Gerry McCann in May, 2007 when he told the world of the absence of his daughter and that first appeal for help (a couple of days after the events of that May night), my every instinct, years of dealing with major breaking news stories, wars and pestilence, everything combined to make me at once on guard. This was a story which would run and run.

It has to be now said we are none of us any closer to the truth of matter. There is no closure, no justice or resolution. There is only rumour, contrary versions of the truths of it and no satisfactory outcome for anyone involved…and, despite the efforts of some, we are all still involved.

Since May 3, 2007 there is not one proof positive trace of Madeleine, alive or dead.

No wishing, hoping or prayer can change that one hard cold fact.

Gone forever and as if she never was?That’s the true tragedy...

http://www.anorak.co.uk/280543/madeleine-mccann/madeleine-mccann-has-the-tide-changed-against-kate-and-gerry-mccann.html

I've had this message from Chris Freind :

The link is back up (it was the Philly Post that wanted to review, based on the UK's much stricter libel laws --- given that we are in the digital age).

http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/05/10/madeleine-mccann%E2%80%99s-parents-the-real-royal-couple/

They made a few edits (their call since its their publication), and, while I still think the story makes its point, you can also find the original on my site.

http://www.freindlyfirezone.com/home/item/153-madeleine-mccann’s-parents-the-real-royal-couple?

It is still residing firmly at Number One on the Philly Post, with quite a few comments and Facebook links. Feel free to distribute again/comment at will!

Best Regards,

Chris Freind

Thanks Get em zodiac told me about this and asked me to change the link, as the original link had the edited post.
Good to know he reads here,

Bump for those wo missed this excellent article.