During the extravaganza around the Duchess of Sussex’s People Magazine cover two weeks ago, I mentioned that there was another layer of messaging from Meghan to the British press: you’re not the only game “in town.” The British press clearly feel like Meghan is “theirs” to harass and abuse whenever they feel like it, and by authorizing her friends to speak to an American outlet like People, Meghan was telling the British press “I’ll opt out of your narratives whenever I feel like it.” It helps that many in the American media like her and want to carry out the “American princess” narrative too.
Anyway, that opting out thing is something of a theme. Duchess Meghan will not only opt out of British media narratives, she’ll actually get the f–k out of (British) Dodge whenever she feels like it too. Meghan apparently flew out to New York last Friday, and she’s currently on a five-day trip to the city. Her friends are throwing her a baby shower, and she’s just spending time with her girls. While People Magazine confirmed the trip, the story broke in another American outlet – Harper’s Bazaar:
After back to back engagements and the launch of four successful patronages, the Duchess of Sussex is taking a well-earned break—in New York! Sources reveal to BAZAAR.com that Duchess Meghan has made a personal visit to the Big Apple to see friends ahead of the birth of Baby Sussex in less two months. Meghan flew from London to New York on Friday, February 15, for five nights of rest, shopping, and good food with some of her closest and most loyal pals—her first time in NYC since getting married.
“The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves,” says a source close to the duchess, who notes the trip was planned months ago. “This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so it’s nice to share precious moments.”
While Meghan is spending much of her days enjoying the amenities and private dining arrangements available at her five-star hotel (name respectfully withheld for security reasons), there has also been time to enjoy some of her favorite spots in the city. Joined by stylist pal Jessica Mulroney, who was in town for Good Morning America commitments, the pair visited Ladurée in New York’s SoHo district on Saturday, February 16, for macarons and tea in one of the bakery’s private spaces.
Adds a source, “It’s been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed—and with a lot of new baby clothes.”
Sources confirm friends are throwing Meghan a baby shower at a private location for 15 guests on Tuesday, February 19.
I bet British royal reporters are FURIOUS. They can’t show it yet though – I mean, they’ll do shady headlines now, but they’ll “punish” Meghan more extensively in the days to come. It will be something about how she’s too Hollywood, too independent, too materialistic, stuff like that. There will be an air of “who does she think she is?!?” She’s a grown ass woman who wants to relax with her friends in New York for five days. She also wants to spend some time out of the royal bubble, which… good for her. Really. I feel like half of the bullsh-t coming at Meghan is from inside the bubble.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
And while the British press exact punishment, the DoS is enjoying life.
yet the British press doesn’t like when they’re call out. Several people on twitter have mentioned being block by some of the faux Royal Reporters. Someone tweeted, if they would have been fair to the Duchess instead of leading with racist, etc. stories maybe they would have gotten the scoop. The tweet ended with a GIF of New York (reality star) laughing.
Not all the British press – just one particular p̶a̶p̶e̶r̶ rag!
^^I’d say it’s multiple papers actually. There are very few royal reporters who have remained professional and refrained from jumping into the smear campaign.
Lol
But the issue is that their job is reporting on the royals. Should they refuse to comment on Meghan’s controversies and mistakes such as going to People magazine and goading her father into releasing that letter?
They should cover her father and sister in a responsible way which means including that they are estranged from their other family members.
They shouldn’t compare Meghan to Diana negatively and then freak out and say that a comparison to Diana is inappropriate because people compare Meghan to Diana sympathetically.
They should stop already with the made up royal protocol stories.
The press gave Thomas Markle an unchallenged platform to emotionally harass his daughter for months, lost it when she had her friends speak up for her, and now people apparently want to blame Meghan because Thomas exposed his own lies by selling the letter she wrote to him.
Also, the press should stop trying to put a wildly negative spin on everything Meghan does like linking the Hub cookbook to terrorism or eating avocado toast to destroying the world.
Their job is to report a story, not try to create a story or a narrative.
So many assumptions, YankeeFan. Her friends went to People, her abusive father violated her privacy by releasing the letter. But you insist it is all Meghan’s fault. Just like the tabloid hacks making up all the lies about Meghan.
Mistakes and controversies? Are you talking about the sound journalism produced by uncovering Meghan’s narcissism as revealed by her handwriting? Uncovering work promoting genocide and drought by eating avocados? Fixating on every time she dares to touch her own body? Offering her father and estranged half-sister an unchallenged platform to abuse her weekly for an international audience’s assumption?
With certain royal reporters Even the positive stuff she does has a negative slant to it. If she helped someone cross the street she’d be slammed for not helping everyone else.
Telegraph RR Camilla Tominey, known for putting a negative slant on anything Meghan, tried to get in on the baby shower act with another stupid article, which she announced on Twitter. She got one clap-back tweet which is rightfully put her in place, LOL!. The Telegraph has obviously gone to sh*t.
“The British roots behind #Meghan ‘s New York baby shower #nyc #royals”
https://twitter.com/CamillaTominey/status/1097987536125943809
Sounds like fun! 15 people at a baby shower sounds lovely and intimate.
This is the first time I’ve looked closely at the black and white shirt/skirt thing. Looks cheap and ill fitting.
This makes much more sense than the odd reports about Kate throwing her a baby shower – Brits don’t do those, well, classy ones don’t, anyway. They’re seen as very gauche.
LOL, well Pippa and Carole sure did some major promotion of their blog/products/whatever other nonsense they were shilling during those “odd” reports, so perhaps the Middletons actually aren’t as “classy” as you think by your measure.
The Middletons always monetize royal events, including W&K’s wedding, all their kids births, Harry and Meghan’s wedding.
Did you just imply that the Middletons are “classy”? Bless your heart.
Everyone monetizes royal events, hence all the tea towels, mugs and decorator plates.
Ah and is it ever so much classier when it is done by royal in-laws? The Middletons are tacky. Monetizing royal events is just one more example of it.
I don’t understand how is celebrating the birth of a child gauche and classless?
The original intent was to help a couple who couldn’t afford a lot of baby things. Considering that gauche is a bit heartless.
The Middleton’s are a very upmarket version of the Markles in my opinion.
The Markles could have feathered their nests very nicely if they had any brains at all, and knew how to move in the right circles.
but… why do we need to know this? staging pap pics and selling them to the DM, but then talk of being “hunted”.. and describing the activities in such details..
what’s with the pr games mixed messaging/signals?
You lost me.
Who is staging pictures? The story is about Meghan.
Someone was over excited and leak the details, but who cares, her friends are giving her a baby shower, good for them.
this is a celebrity gossip blog, we know how these things work. “someone got overexcited” – come on, let’s not stretch credulity. the pictures of her in new york are in the daily mail.
She will be excoriated in the British Press for having a baby shower at all. I remember reading discussion about it after the pregnancy was announced. People seemed to think it’s against royal protocol and materialistic since she cannot accept gifts and the baby doesn’t actually need gifts.
Margaritas, NO ONE says she can’t accept gifts from friends! Where did you hear that? These are PERSONAL. Not a fashion house sending you clothes. Why do people make a different set of rules for MM, oh, right…. JFC she can accept a baby blanket or a silver comb set, or whatever it is, expensive or not, from a FRIEND. Jeez, even the RF accepts discounts on cars, gets “gifted/borrows” private jets or vacation homes from friends…. why is it ONLY wrong for Meghan??
Sit down, your racism is showing.
So it’s already starting for the baby. The baby doesn’t need gifts! Really? All wealthy people should never accept gifts, I guess.
Can you believe Harry and Meghan are such bad parents that they’re already breaking royal protocol on how to raise their baby?! They will be excoriated in the press.
I’m sorry Meghan is not wearing a Burka to please you.
So you’re saying Meghan sold pictures to the dailymail, I’m speechless.
The end.
“speechless”… ok lol.
all the details about shopping at bonpoint, etc. not leaked. ok.
Hear hear. I live in NYC and you literally can’t go anywhere, especially downtown, without seeing paps falling off the backs of scooters as they hover over whatever coffee shop/bar/restaurant/boutique a celeb was last spotted in. Unless she came in disguise it would be about 15 minutes before someone IDed her, placed a call, and the vultures descended. No need to stage a thing.
We don’t NEED to know anything at all, but there seems to be this big business around finding out what is up with famous people and then reporting on it. It’s crazy, I know. I’m feeling like that is what happened here.
Seriously, what are you doing reading a gossip blog if you have to ask this sort of question?
Thank you, Manda. OP knows what the deal is. I guess it’s just more satisfying to try to blame Meghan for the “news”.
I don’t click on DM Meghan Bait, but the pics they’re running on the main page do not look like staged pap pics AT ALL. It’s Manhattan, she’s out in public, not hiding — although she took tea with JM in a private space at a bakery. I’m sure the baby shower will be private as well. What more do we expect of her and her team? This isn’t PR messaging, mixed or otherwise. Just a famous woman who can’t escape scrutiny no matter what she does.
Why would she sell pics to the Daily Mail? I truly believe that some of you are suffering from Meghan Derangement Syndrome. Not everything is a conspiracy. Meghan is simply a woman spending time with her friends. She’s allegedly been in NYC since Friday. Someone was going to eventually photograph her. Stop trying to spin everything Meghan does into something negative and sinister.
Yeah, Meghan is working with the Daily Mail… you know, the same rag that calls her very educated mother (more educated that any BRF member) ghetto, conspires with her abusive father, and has no less than 5 racist and sexist articles about her daily. Makes sense
Try again Helen, this ain’t it.
That’s just how Hollywood does PR. It only seems weird because she’s a member of the BRF and we don’t usually get this kind of thing from them. Hopefully the new strategy helps.
Helen go back to your tribe at the DM.
and tumblr
I don’t agree with @Helen, but the gossip community perpetually says that every single actress who ever gets photographed set up a “pap stroll” because she wanted publicity for some reason or another. Especially if an actress is photographed with her significant other – then she *definitely* set up a pap stroll. (The man is always innocent.)
Maybe the time to get up in arms about this misogyny was *before* it inevitably bled over to other segments of the celebrity world. Just saying.
@fanny, crying wolf and calling everything misogynistic takes away from real misogyny. Pap strolls are set up by agents. Brad Pitt for one is always criticized for his pap walks.
LOL! The pics I have seen are of the side of her head avoiding being photographed. Hardly a “pap stroll”.
This is delusional. She’s in NYC. Paps are everywhere—it would require no coordination to get these photos (that don’t show her face). And she’s been there since Friday? Good on her for staying under the radar until Monday.
Some idiot on the DM said that flying like that broke royal protocol. I called bull (seriously, a troll and a stupid one at that) and told him that this visit was really none of anyone’s business. And Helen, paparazzi watch the airport anD follow people, but you just want to hate Meghan.
I’ve been following celebrity gossip since I was 10, and we all know what a ‘staged’ pap walk looks like. I saw the pics on instagram and she’s literally walking down the stairs of the house and you can’t see her face. It’s a side view blocked by her hair, hat and coat. If you didn’t tell me it was her-I’d have no idea.
Someone at the hotel or on the staff leaked. It’s NYC it’s not hard to find someone that will do that.
LOL please. She doesn’t stage pap pics, not like the other one has (who’s done it about three times in the past 3 months). The only one you reasonably can claim was staged was that meeting with the new employee (which was conveniently timed when Philip was getting criticized for the driving incident).
Considering it took DAYS before anyone knew she was there, and there have only been one tiny set of photos, I’m pretty sure the leak came from outside her circle. Any new photos, of course, because the paps now know she’s around. And as for her itinerary, easy to guess.
Her being rushed out of a friends house, at night, covering her face and rushing to a car is a staged pap walk? Sure Jan.
Paps have been following her friends who are in NYC and staking out her friends’ homes there. At least she had a few days peace before one of the paps caught her.
Get ready for incoming!! LOL!! No one here is sane where Meghan is concerned.
Sane? You are definitely on the wrong the site if you are basing your definition of sane off the majority of commenters here who use critical thinking and common sense to form opinions, unlike the OP you’re responding to. Both of you might find a more congenial crowd at the Fail, RD, RG or Tumblr.
This might have come out as I read a story earlier from the NY papers which said “people” thought Meghan was in NYC this weekend, and one account said it was because someone saw her coat. No one had a good picture. I laughed cause of course you can tell she’s here because of her coat. Now jokes on me apparently you can.
Maybe everyone was trying to give her some restful non royal time, and it just got out, so they decided to nip it in the butt. The Sussexes are quite stealthy. Sounds like a fun trip. I’m ignoring the British gossip “royal” press, as we all should, cause they are giving an avenue to the crazy wing of her family and the crazy wing of the royal staff. It’s bordering and falling off into bullying. Good for Meghan for ignoring it and living her life well.
Omid Scobie stated he was aware of Meghan being in NYC and was going to hold off his story until Wednesday when she had already left. However, page six went public on Monday and so he released his story. Then today, knowing that the paps were aware of where she was staying, they set up press barriers to control things at the hotel.
That’s fine. No different than Cambridges going on a ski vaycay coming up. Have a great trip Megan!
Not to be a supercreep but I live in nyc and I’m so hoping she’ll end up somewhere I am! I mean I’m in no way fancy enough to rub shoulders with the kind of people that are her friends but a girl can hope, eh?
Yes!
Good for her to spend time with her friends. The British press can squawk all they like but they are really going for the pap pics as seen in the Fail. Fixated person Samantha will eventually complain on Twitter for not being invited and if she is stupid enough to try and crash like she did at KP last October she’ll have to deal with NYPD who will not be nice.
“she’ll have to deal with NYPD who will not be nice”
Oh please, PLEASE let this happen…
With the way Meghan has been treated in the press the last few months, I would not be surprised if she is not in NYC at all. She or Buckingham Palace let a “source” leak news to the press she would be visiting the US but is in fact in Toronto for a few days. When she was dating Harry, he would visit Toronto without anyone knowing and also she still has friends here
Omid Scobie is an honest reporter, he was going to keep quiet until she left, but someone else was going to drop the story, so he went ahead and published it in Harper’s Bazaar.
Maybe, he have an in with Jessica Mulroney, because he was the only one that knew she went to Canada to visit Jessica.
There are two Royal reporters you can trust, Omid and Vicky A, the rest of them are full of Puffery.
Yup, Scobie got the inside info earlier and was going to publish on Wednesday after she left NYC but Nypost broke the story. If Meghan were to work with a US publication t wouldn’t be the trashy NYpost. Apparently people on Twitter spotted her before, Omid just published because the news was already out there
She is in NYC. There are a few pap shots of her coming out of a restaurant over the weekend.
Good for her, I hope she has a nice trip. Meanwhile her douche-brother has given an interview calling Samantha a liar, so stand by for the implosion from that.
I saw the article about her brother also. Waiting for the next shoe to drop. This is probably the last time she will be able to fly safely so I say, go for it. Also waiting for the whining from Tom Sr about how she could have but didn’t visit him.
Good on her! Glad that Megan is enjoying time with her friends.
Good for her. I bet the royal reporters are already writing about how baby showers are against protocol or something like that even though Kate had one planned by Pippa (when she was a party planner or something) and it was all over the tabloids 🤷
I was just about to ask if royals were allowed to have a baby shower. It sounds so ridiculous why they wouldn’t, But I saw people making a fuss about it. What’s wrong with getting together with close friends and celebrating your baby?
@Mel – I agree, I don’t get the big deal over it, but you know people will freak out. My guess is this “shower” was more about close friends getting together and celebrating, along with some thoughtful (and probably expensive) gifts – like custom gifts – and less about giving her a diaper cake.
I’ve seen people say it’s “against protocol” because Meghan cannot accept gifts and it would be a display of materialism that the BRF would like to avoid in the current economic climate in Britain. The baby doesn’t need any gifts. I hope none are given and it’s just food and toasts to Polo Sussex health. Not sure the tabloids can tolerate her returning with a bunch of expensive designer baby baubles.
But, the royals can accept gifts from friends and family. Kate has worn significant jewelry that was gifted to her, I’m sure gifts are exchanged for bdays, we know that there are gifts exchanged at Christmas (not extravagant gifts, but still.)
Basically I’m sure in the royal family there is a difference between your BFF giving your baby a gift and you asking for a freebie from a crib company or something.
but I wont be surprised if the press fails to make that distinction when it comes to Meghan.
Ah, given the current climate in Britain, Meghan can’t ________ -I guess just fill in the blank.
breathe. live. exist.
Pick any of those Natalie S
It’s so clear but it still did surprise me a little when I realized a lot of the criticism is because people think Meghan is *inherently* unsuitable.
She doesn’t have to do anything wrong and anything she does is twisted to represent that lack of appropriateness that people project onto her.
Now she’s not perfect and she doesn’t need to be. These are just people and they have successes and failures and I would like to have fun gossiping about that. But the wide-spread vitriol is based on people resenting that she’s there at all. She’ll never please those people.
She just needs to stick with it. If people made peace with Camilla joining the BRF, they’ll be fine with Meghan.
I’ve had friends who didn’t want gifts and the shower is just games, talking, food and maybe donate to a charity. We don’t know the specifics here, as it hasn’t even happened yet. It’s supposed to be tonight. Not sure about NY but in DC we are supposed to have snow tomorrow so not sure when she will be leaving, but she might get stuck here.
@Margarita so in the current climate in Britain, absolutely no one exchanges gifts or gives a gift to mark an occasion? This is personal, and not on behalf of the British Royal family. Anything that is given to her and the baby will not be out of Britain’s coffers nor be an endorsement for freebies.
…exchanging gifts helps the economy
Gift from a company/designer etc isn’t technically allowed. (although they all find a way around that with cars/clothes etc) Gifts from your friends or parents is fine. The queen gives out gifts at christmas. Kate has had small birthday parties with friends and gotten gifts.
Already happened in a sense. There was a huge fight on Twitter yesterday between Russell Myers (who works for Daily Mirror) and Victoria Arbiter. Russell’s paper put out a story that took a quote Victoria made about Kate’s first pregnancy years ago and twisted it into a statement that Meghan’s baby shower would be “inappropriate”.
Well baby showers are not a UK tradition, they’re considered an Americanism. Many people do it nowadays, but I can imagine this can easily be used against Meghan to paint her as “gauche” or something. Especially in contrast with the royal family and their own silly traditions they cling to.
Am I the only one who has been to a shower without gifts given? I’ve been to no gift baby showers, bridal showers, and kids birthdays. The kids charity of choice is always the SPCA or something like it. I’ve bought more bags of dog food to donate than you can imagine, and it always makes me smile.
Samantha will soon be whining to anyone who will listen about not being invited to Megan’s baby shower. Thomas Markle will find a way to interject himself. Ugh.
Meanwhile, Megan is living her best life. I am happy for Megan and Harry.
I hope the male strippers are good….
They have male strippers at baby showers right?
hehehehe… was not expecting that comment
Gee, Eric, I want you to start planning baby showers for all! I have to admit, there have never been strippers at the showers I’ve attended (including mine own) but hey, who knows, eh?
Gee, Eric, I want you to start planning baby showers for all! I have to admit, there have never been strippers at the showers I’ve attended (including mine own) but hey, who knows, eh?
damn I’ve been going to the wrong baby showers. Imagine male strippers looking like Jason Momoa, Henry Cavill and Idris Elba, I’d be in heaven.
Or in labour? 😆
No. They have male strippers at wedding showers, apparently.
Good for her. Cant wait until we get the “baby showers are unroyal” articles.
Started already .
The Royal editor at The Mirror got into a fight on Twitter last night with Victoria Arbiter because they were using half a quote from her in some book to imply she had said it would be frowned upon
Victoria Arbiter gets into so many fights on twitter, it cracks me up. (or maybe I shouldnt say “fights,” but she can get snippy). Once in a while she annoys me but for the most part she is fighting the good fight. I cant imagine how tiring it is to always have to tweet things like “THERE IS NO PROTOCOL ABOUT NAIL POLISH.”
While the Duchess goes incognita (if the asshats who write the headlines are going to use Latin terminology they could at least select the right declension), I fear that Fleet Street will use her hiatus to do whatever “digging” they can to further drag her down. Because, you know, she’s not a dull Shires-y sort in grandmama’s pearls and well-polished brogues with two beagles to heel and ten generations of catastrophic inbreeding. Thomas/Yvonne Markle’s “visit Daddy” plea in three…two…
Good for her, especially so that for a baby shower in America with her actual friends, baby showers are very much not a British thing, especially so in the social circles Meghan is now in in UK, it would have been slammed as some kind of forced Americanistion of the royals if she had held it over there or as some gossip suggested got Kate to host it. Makes so much more sense to do it with her real friends & in an environment where it’ll be more genuine & comfortable so she actually enjoys it & doesn’t t have to have blowback from it.
Against my better judgment, I read the Daily Mail story about this. They actually made a dig about her nail polish and “royal tradition.” (Meghan’s nails are currently a pale pink, different from her normal dark colors which go against royal tradition.) I mean….what? (I know that her nail colors have been an issue for the DM, but that seemed to be stretching to bring it up again in an article that doesn’t need to have it mentioned.)
Anyway like I said – against my better judgment – and I realized why some of you scream about the Daily Mail. That was a bad article. They made a point of saying that KP confirmed the travel was privately funded – do they ever include that tidbit for the Cambridges when they travel? They also made a few comments about her protection officer and how KP wouldn’t release any security details. Um of course they wouldn’t. Just so many not-so-subtle digs at Meghan.
DM aside – good for her for getting away and enjoying herself a bit. I bet a big part of the reason they chose NYC is because JM is doing so much work there now; it probably would have been hard for her to get to England without someone noticing (and figuring out she was going to see Meghan). It’s also a relatively quick flight from London, right? (as these things go.) If I was Meghan and was going to get away for a week in February I think I’d want some place warm, but her week sounds nice too lol.
Lindsay Roth her college friend who is also married to a Brit and lives in London is a New Yorker so I imagine they flew over together
@Becks1, that’s how all Daily Mail articles are. Those constant little digs are their trademark. And yes, they always go out of their way to point out who is paying for royal trips and vacations and that goes for all royals. When Will and Kate go on a vacation, they make sure to point out that they bring along “their taxpayer funded protection officers”.
Well at least they’re consistent? But seriously, ugh.
Why are so many people people freaking out about this trip? Royals go on vacations all the time. I’ve seen lots of photos over the years of royal family members at airports, beaches, ski resorts, etc. The media’s coverage of Meghan is too obsessive and sensational.
I don’t see anybody freaking out. I see People, Elle, Cosmopolitan and a bunch of other magazines in my feed excited that Meghan is on a trip and participating in a private celebration, and hoping to get deets.
@MissyS. If someone freaks out, just remind them of Prince Charles and Princess Diana going on a vacation before William was born. Diana was photographed wearing a bikini (clutching pearls) pregnant.
There were over 6000 comments on this on the Daily Mail this AM, 99% negative. I won’t go back to look. Don’t want to give them clicks.
Maybe obstetric orthodoxy has changed in 20 years- but I was told not to fly in my last trimester.
Now you can fly up to 32 weeks, if you’re having a healthy pregnancy, according to some Ob-Gyn.
Every woman pregnancy is unique to them and their Drs. will advise them accordingly.
Most airlines allow up to 36 weeks I think, at least when I was pregnant a couple of years ago, but admittedly I was only looking at short haul flights. My brother’s wedding was in my 37th week and I had to miss it by a few days, ugh.
But from week 28 or so you have to have doctor’s permission.
Usually it’s the last few weeks and it’s more an airline liability thing than a medical thing. I had a trip planned at around Meghan’s stage in 2012 and the OB said you’re healthy and everything looks fine. Do a few laps of the plane and stay hydrated. I think if you were having blood pressure or blood clot issues they would stop you, but they stop you from all sorts of other stuff when you have those issues too, I don’t think it’s something specifically risky about flying.
I do think this gives us a clue about her due date. I assumed that she was due around late March, and that the April timeline was purposely given to throw people off, but if she is traveling to NYC and to Morocco she is definitely not in the last 4-6 weeks of pregnancy IMO. I’m not even saying that because of the flying itself, I just don’t think they would risk her being out of the country and going into labor. Of course its still a risk now, but more of a risk later in the pregnancy. Coupled with Charles’s trip at the end of March – April seems about right.
Me as well.
First off, the story was broken by Omid Scobie. He actually is a London-based royal reporter, just not the kind we’re used to dealing with. No dog-whistle reporting on his twitter feed. It’s like a breath of fresh air. I suggest that anyone that wants to read about her visits to her charities or see what she’s wearing follow his twitter page and not the DM.
@ Helen
Now, after the story broke you find it incredulous that paparazzi would be staked out at EVERY expensive hotel in NYC in hopes of getting pictures that they could sell to the DM. You genuinely think it’s more believable that she faked a pap stroll to then sell the pictures to the DM, so they could write horrible stories about her?!? If that’s the case then your name should be Alex Jones, not mine.
**edit – this comment was meant to go under comment #3**
I love Omid Scobie, he is a wonderful reporter. He certainly did have the exclusive scoop.
He gets Factual info from real sources, close to Meghan and he knew for awhile about the trip and never said a word until now. He is the only reporter I trust.
It is funny watching the so called Royal reporters who have been around for years with “so called sources”, now playing catch up.
The podcast that he does with Emily Andrews is also delightful!
Probably Meghan misses her friends and her country. The baby shower is a such sweet thing.
I see people on Twitter accusing her of going to New York for Botox, to hide while the surrogate delivers her baby (!!!), because she’s left Harry, etc. It’s absolutely bonkers the way their minds work.
Meghan is half African American, she will age like fine Wine.
Skin with melanin ages well.
My neighbor is 60 and has no lines or barely any , people think she’s in her mid 30’s. She looks amazing.
Oh my goodness. Craziness. I had no idea there was a surrogate conspiracy theory! Some people are just awful.
I saw people claiming she got a nose job. Because apparently there are surgeons out there who would sedate and perform elective plastic surgery on a heavily pregnant woman. And somehow she was able to recover in the 1-2 weeks since we last saw her.
Has anyone else noticed that People no longer refers to Kate as “Princess Kate”?
In the last year or so, they’ve reverted back to calling her by her maiden name in headlines. And they do that pretty consistently done that for Meghan.
I wonder why.
Some people really get a bee up their butt when royal women are referred to by their maiden name, but it’s a good way to tell them apart (look at how many Katherines there have been over time). Or maybe I’m just too American and just don’t do royal protocol after a point.
Technically to call her Princess Kate is wrong, her Correct title is Princess William of Wales, Duchess of Cambridge. Kate was not born royal so is snot a Princess in her own right.
Think of Princess Michael of Kent who never known as Princess Marie Christine.
Actually, William has not been entitled to use “of Wales” since he got married. His Title is Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and hers is Princess William, the Duchess of Cambridge. When they become prince and princess of Wales they will be able to use the “of Wales” again. Previously it was a courtesy title for Will and Harry until they got married. Just as Will and Kate’s kids are princes and princesses of Cambridge.
Because they don’t want to refer to Meghan as Princess Meghan and they can’t justify only doing it for Kate. They’ll go back to it when William becomes the Prince of Wales.
Yup.
I also heard a British reporter jokingly say during the coverage of Harry and Meghans wedding, that tabloids would probably start referring to Kate as the Future Queen or Kate the Queen in Waiting or Kate the Queen to be, when writing articles, about Kate and Meghan. Interestingly those phases did pop up in articles just after Harry and Meghan’s Wedding , but I only see it sparingly now. They seem to have gone back to Kate Middleton, again.
Yes, exactly. Calling her Princess Kate is always wrong – same way calling Diana “Princess Diana” was always wrong – even when she is Princess of Wales she wont be Princess Kate. I think People et al started doing it in an attempt to make Princess Kate stick like Princess Di, and because Americans like princesses, lol.
They stopped because they didn’t want to have to call Meghan “princess Meghan” – which again, would be incorrect- but that didn’t stop them with Kate.
And just imagine the conversation when that decision was made, all because some higher-up on staff was that resistant to calling her Princess Meghan.
They must have gotten a lot of clicks from their friends of Meghan article. Wonder if that will soften their tone towards her.
I bought the “Friends of Meghan” issue of People and noticed that Meghan is referred to as “Meghan Markle” or just “Meghan” throughout the magazine. Yet there’s a photo on another page of “Princess Kate’s younger brother James Middleton.” Not very consistent.
I’m really glad they didn’t share what hotel she’s at.
I love this. I wonder honestly how much she’s regretting her choice to marry into the royal family. It must be very hard to leave your home country and give up most of your independence, as well as be nit picked to death in the press over every little thing she does. I can almost see her and Prince Harry giving it all up and moving away from Britain one day.
And live the tax funded lifestyle? not going to happen
Harry cannot leave legally without changes being made to things like the Counselor requirements.
Plenty of other royal married-ins came from other countries (Maxima, Mary, Marie, Maria Teresa). They are all doing fine. If I were Meghan, I’d look to Letizia for advice and friendship. That woman has been torn apart by a small segment of the tabloid press for years, and she just keeps happily living her life.
What is the difference between a baby shower and begging for presents/sending round a present list?
Sorry I am old fashioned and don’t agree with them.
They’ve been around since at least Victorian times. Not old fashioned enough for you?
To have people who love you, who are happy you are happy and expecting a baby give presents to the baby? How does that get twisted into something negative in your mind?
Push presents are supposed to be the contemporary vulgar thing, right? I know Kate got some flack over supposedly getting push present jewelry from William. But personally I’m whatever about it. If someone wants to give someone else a gift, what business is it of mine?
My mom had a baby shower in the 1970s when she was pregnant with my eldest sibling. It’s a nice way of celebrating the mom-to-be and the baby.
Then apparently all of my co-workers, friends, and female relatives are all celebrities, because they all have baby showers. In my experience, the only friend who wanted the baby shower (and the gifts) after the baby was born was of Chinese descent. That was the only one related to not wanting to tempt fate.
LOL at the idea that baby showers are somehow abnormal, unacceptable, or some horrible fad that must be stamped out.
Kate accepted a freebie baby necklace gift from a jeweler, through Pippa, which is not okay. Her fans insisted the diamond eternity band was a push present from William, until the jeweler said Kate bought it herself.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands gave Maxima a gemstone ring after the birth of each of their daughters. I think the rings are in the girls’ birthstones.
I had two baby showers 30+ years ago so definitely not a “new” thing, nor am I a celebrity.
Are you from the UK, notasugarhere? Baby showers are a recent thing in the UK and still a bit controversial, especially with those who tend to look down on American culture. Personally I have nothing against it (though it’s not my thing) but I can totally see how it might be used to reflect negatively on Meghan.
I’m from a small town in Ontario and baby showers have been going on since the 60s here. Not exactly a prime location for celebrities.
It’s a tradition. It’s nice to be able to give gifts to the child of your friends and relatives. I was thrilled to give books and things to my granddaughter. I got her a book I hope she keeps and will give her child one day.
I love baby showers, I usually gift the Robert Munch books I’ll Love You Forever and the Paperbag Princess, a few cute t-shirts and Winnie the Poo stuffy. I like to give the mum to be a gift also, something frivolous such as a gift certificate for a spa treatment, a pretty mug and an assortment of teas. I’ve reached the age of going to my daughter’s friends baby showers and loving every moment of being a part of someone’s special day.
The difference is the party. Getting together with friends and enjoying a wonderful experience. I love buying tiny baby things for my friends, and love silly baby shower party games too!
I like baby showers because to me they are about celebrating a new life and the parents to be, but also about passing on advice or parenting tips. And they are about “your people” saying “we are so happy for you at this stage in your life, we want to help make it a bit easier.” I liked when people gave me things that I hadn’t expected, but that had been useful for their babies, or books that they had read their children, etc. Like anything they can be tacky and over the top at times, but I think for the most part they are fun and traditional for many families.
I do know that some cultures/religions are less into them, as it is deemed to be tempting fate like you said. But in general here in the US they are considered pretty acceptable and normal.
Thanks for your last paragraph – I would certainly want to wait until the baby had safely arrived and the mother, too, was ok.
This is a very common tradition across all socioeconomic classes in America. But I guess the traditional customs of a nation of 350 million may be too vulgar for some with such refined taste
Exactly.
So you’re saying that in your culture, there is no celebration of a new baby? No gathering at which friends and family celebrate either an impending arrival or a newly born babe? Why did the three wise men bring frankincense and myrrh to Mary and Joseph? Why do we see cultures shooting guns in the air at family celebrations marking a new son or daughter? I find it hard to believe that there’s absolutely NO rite of passage surrounding a family’s and community’s desire to acknowledge the circle of life that a new birth represents. What kind of community ignores new life????? What kind of family doesn’t give supplies to the new parents to get them started??? Why is a baby shower such a foreign concept? Baby showers, Bridal showers and Birthday parties are about 70% of American social life.
I was thinking the same thing about the birth of Jesus he was gifted with gifts his birth was celebrated. I am truly dumbfounded.
Jesus was allegedly gifted AFTER his birth. And I don’t think a one-off is the best example. 😆
Of course, I/we celebrate the arrival of a new baby just as much as anyone who has a baby shower before its birth and bring/send gifts for the baby.
I am just not keen on a “come a bring a present” party before the safe arrival. Sorry if that offends (well no actually). It is just my view.
Looking at the photos of her in NY with her bodyguard, it just hit me how isolating that kind of position must be. Imagine having to sneak in to a building just to see your old friends. Your every move has to be planned by your security team, every one of your friends needs to be vetted, and most of your social life has to take place at home or in private clubs. Never again will you be able to walk down the street freely, go spontaneously exploring or just have a coffee at your favorite place. The media and the people will always feel like they have a right to know what you’re doing, since you’re a royal and a public citizen. I hope she knew what she was getting into, and that being with Harry makes it all worth it.
This is the first time she has been photographed in a public place on personal time in a long time. This was outside the UK where she is less protected. Most days, it appears she is happily living her live freely and safely and never seen. They have plenty of privacy the vast majority of the time.
Will Daddy Dearest and Scammy Samanthy fly to NYC and skulk around the lobbies of luxury hotels on the off chance they see her? I would love to see pics of those two getting ejected from hotels by their security! I hope Meghan has a great time and has all the food she misses.
I wonder what the over/under is for how many pap photos Jessica Mulroney gets herself in.
I have no issues with Meghan. I think she’s smart and energetic and beautiful and a breath of fresh air. I think most of her family is garbage and I do think a lot of the UK tabloid coverage has been racist. But I must say the Mulroneys gross me out. This isn’t on Meghan, it’s on them, but I have to wonder if this girls trip was organized by Jessica because she’s super-thirsty. I’m mentally preparing myself for them to be all over Sweet Baby Sussex’s christening in a few months.
I cannot stand that Mulroney woman. So thirsty. I just don’t understand how she is a stylist?! Her whole look is so cheap….Who are her clients? And most importantly, how do they let that woman style them?
what i wanted to know is how did she get a job on GMA?
Birds of a feather….
Same as negative people will always say negative things😑
How much do you want to make a bet she breathed an enormous, deep sigh of relief when the plane touched down? I imagine it is such a sincere pleasure to be in the U.S. and to have a break from all the ugliness in the U.K.
Why is everyone assuming she’s being showered with onesies, silver baby spoons and nappies? In her position that would be like taking coal to Newcastle. Maybe they just want to celebrate with her as good friends, and given Meghan’s charitable work she may even just ask for donations to a children’s charity in lieu of baby gifts.
Honestly, the poor woman can’t get up in the morning without getting put down for it.
And even if she was, so what? It’s her friends money. The public has no say how her friends spends their own money. If they want to gift her solid gold baby cup it’s their business. Royals are allowed to receive private gifts from friends and family. It’s not being taken out of the taxpayers FFS.
This whole thing feels a bit off to me. I think she should be allowed to have a shower and it’s fantastic that she’s surrounded by friends and people who love her, but she managed to fly out of the UK and into the US without anyone noticing, she spent at least a day or two there before anyone spotted her and the news leaked. I really do think she could have gotten away with this being totally under the radar if that’s what she wanted. But with today’s pap walk to the museum as Abigail Spencer was coming into the Mark Hotel has got me really confused.
I lived in NYC for six years, most of that on the UES. Aside from a Karlie Kloss photoshoot I spotted and Will and Kate coming to town, I never saw paps in the neighborhood. Most of the paps seem to hang out downtown to try to catch the celebs in the West Village, Tribeca, etc.
It’s pretty obvious that one of her close friends that is invited to the shower told the press that Meghan was in NYC, and her closet’s friends aren’t going to say anything to the press without running it passed Meghan first. The “leak” was sanctioned by Meghan.
Or a hotel employee who wanted to make money? Someone from room service, hotel lobby, cleaners, anyone who she has been in contact with or who has seen her in her hotel??? Or the hotel employees have been gossiping amongst themselves and someone called the tabloids??? Hmm….someone making minimum wage at the hotel have a juicy story/tip for the media in exchange for money versus Meghan’s close friends (who has never divulged even their honeymoon destination???)
@Mae,
Lol nope. Omid Scobie had the exclusive scoop. He’s tweeting things like ‘this is the first of two baby showers with the second being across the pond after Morocco’ . He obviously has a credible source inside Meghan’s inner circle and doesn’t need to get information from some random hotel employee.. So either Omid blabbed to another RR about Meghan being in NY (unlikely) or this credible source (a close friend of Meghan invited to the shower) didn’t want to wait until Omid released his scoop and decided to tell another reporter as well to get the ball rolling and make this in to a huge paparazzi event.
Scobie has links to Meghan via her soho house director friend, so he is getting fed information from Meghan’s camp. I think they could have kept this trip/shower quiet if they wanted to. Case in point, there were never any pics or leaks while H&M were dating and flying back and forth to see each other.
I think once the news came out that she was in NYC, it became a free for all for all the tabloids and paparazzi. Also, any hotel employee could have called any number of media outlets with the tip that they have someone famous staying at their hotel. I’m sure the employees at the hotel she was staying in was gossiping about it amongst themselves and clearly someone or several someone decided to make a few bucks out of their info. If she was having her shower at a hotel, imagine all the people involved (caterers, florists, security, etc.), and also imagine who is on the guest list. It was very unlikely that none of these ppl would have kept quiet. Meghan was able to be under the radar before because nobody knew she was in NYC and nobody expected her to be and if they saw her in the streets, maybe they didn’t think it was her.
Yeah, maybe. But I think the reports from Omid have way too many intimate details about a travel schedule, what she was doing before the news breaking, the friends that are coming, etc. for a florist or hotel. These hotels and vendors (I’m guessing) cater to the rich and famous and I think are pretty discreet. I don’t know. Richard Palmer tweeted that she’s basically set up a media outpost there independent of KP, but I can’t tell if that coordination is a reaction to the news leaking, or had been in the cards all along. One of her fan sites, Meghan’s Mirror, tweeted something about this being “designed to have a public photography element to it” which has got me like ????
Meghan’s Mirror is not a fan site in the sense that a fan made it. It looks like it’s about monetizing anything associated with Meghan. They also have a Kate site WWKD.
I think some kind of arrangement was made where they would set up barriers and let the press get pictures instead in an orderly way. Similar to what Kate and William did the last time they spent Christmas with the Middletons.
I can’t wait until the divorce and she moves back to the U.S and goes into politics. I’m very into her, style and everything. The Royal family? Not so much. No one will ever be able to convince me that the marriage to Meghan was not an opportunistic way to boost their image. I know she was a player in this too, but I don’t think this is the last stop for her.
The Daily Fail has some footage of her getting into one of those oversize black SUVs and refers to it as a gov’t vehicle. Question for American readers – do US tax payers foot the bill for this? Why would a US gov’t vehicle be used for a personal visit/vacation?
Normally I question the accuracy of any claims made by the Fail, but the vehicle is the same type Trump, and various US gov’t agencies (FBI) seem to use…
So, just my opinion/general thoughts – but my guess is that she uses Secret Service vehicles (or something similar) as a security precaution, since she is still a member of the BRF and I wonder if she (or Charles) reimburses the government for their use. Or if its just considered a courtesy (like if Ivanka trump were to travel to England for a vacation, would the British government provide some sort of vehicle for her?) I also wonder if it is a SS agent driving her or her own protection officer (I know her RPO is there).
so I have no real answer for you, ha. But I remember reading something a few years ago regarding Will and Kate – I cant remember where they were going, vacation in France maybe? – and it detailed the security steps and protocols (after the fact) – like who had to be notified, who was flown in from England, that kind of thing. It seemed overly complicated but I guess that’s how these things work.
ETA never mind, I reread the article I was thinking of, actually not that complicated, lol.
@Becks1 This may be a bit of a clue:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/12/tony-blair-police-protection-costs-taxpayers-millions-report-claims
Those SUVs are common for fleets of customized vehicles owned by privately-owned security companies who specialize in personal protection for VIPs, the very wealthy and celebrities. Also, per KP and Victoria Arbiter, the trip was paid for with private funds.
https://twitter.com/victoriaarbiter/status/1097951305056759808
The sunglasses are interesting in February.
Why? I wear sunglasses year round.
So do I, 365 days a year. Not always because of sun but to protect my eyes from wind and particles blown around by wind. I wear them when it is snowing too, to keep snow out of my eyes.
So do I. In winter with the sun on the snow, it’s blinding. I also hate the wind in my eyes. I do however, take them off when talking to someone.
Also when there are a million flashbulbs from a horde of paparazzi
I’m pro sunglasses!
I wear sunglasses. It’s very cold where I live but bright and sunny.
I wish people in developing Countries would wear sunglasses from childhood, it would cut down on Cataracts that cause blindness.
Sunglasses are not only for vanity, there are worn for numerous reasons, and some are actually prescription.
The constant reach to criticize Meghan is real.
Maybe all the royals should start wearing them to all functions. Imagine Kate showing up in sunglasses in February in the UK. Would love to see the comments. I personally don’t have a problem with them. They just scream “look at me”. Especially when no one else around is wearing them. Just saying.
Meghan isn’t attending a royal event, although many royals including the Queen have worn sunglasses at official events. Meghan is on her private time and paps are invading that. As I wrote above, I wear them 365 whether anyone else does or not. Wind, snow, specks of dust, sun – my eyes are sensitive to all of them.
We may be witnessing the birth of a brand new royal protocol. The royals are not to wear sunglasses in February. That’s what Kardashians do.
Yep a new Kardashian in the making! Soon the royals will be wearing sunglasses in winter, calling the paps etc. Should be interesting.
People will track the fall of the House of Windsor to the moment Meghan wore sunglasses while walking out of her hotel.
Why can’t she just be a real royal and not wear sunglasses in February?
That was funny, Nat:)
How incredibly stupid this sounds…not surprising given your rants in the links post. Do you realize that sunlight is still a thing in most places during the winter? Would you like to have a bunch of cameras in close, cramped proximity flashing in front of your eyes without protection?
Calm down. No need to get all excited. All she had to do was not call the paps. There easy no flash bulbs no pap walks etc. And lots of people have flashes all around them and don’t wear sunglasses. In fact royalty does it all the time.
I’m quite calm Janet. I’m just amazed at how ignorant one person can be. Perhaps you should’ve taken your own advice in the other post…seemed a bit unhinged with those rants there.
Hahahahhahahahahahahahaha the comments on sunglasses. I’m trying to figure out if that was sarcasm. Omg how dare meghan wear sunglasses in February? WTF? Thanks for the laugh janet and natalie s
How does a device meant to COVER the eyes scream look at me?
Ffs @Janet, where I live in London many people wear sunglasses in the winter. My friend wears them all year round when its sunny as she has sensitive eyes.
Just the other day I saw quite a few people out and about in their winter coats with sunglasses on! Same in France and Italy, there’s nothing Kardashian about it, people have been doing this way before they came on the scene.
Stop being stupid, I’m sure your more intelligent than this, we all know you don’t like Meghan but come on!
This is the strangest comment i’ve ever seen on here. Sunglasses? Really? No one cares about sun glasses. Even then uv Rays is an all year thing. Good lord. Sunglasses……
I wear sunglasses year round. There’s this thing called UV rays that can damage your eyes all year. Oh well, guess I will just start calling myself a kardashian.
The Mark is on the upper east side, I haven’t stayed there but had a drink at their bar. This venue is extra private and pricey, very posh. Good for Megan.
If I was a guest at the hotel where she’s staying, I would be so mad at all the people at the entrance. They are literally photographing regular guests that have nothing to do with her. They should complain to management and have the paparazzi moved elsewhere.
This is New York, once they’re on the pavement, and not stopping guest from going in the hotel, there Is not much the hotel can do.
She is the cat’s mother.
This is what I think Meghan was missing from her life as a celebrity pre-Harry that she gets to bask in post-Harry… the attention. This was orchestrated by her camp for sure with her consent. Just like no one had any exclusives when she was dating Harry, this could’ve gone under the radar as well. Kate has traveled overseas, albeit for work, without anyone finding out until after the fact. I have no problem with it. Just food for thought for those that doubt that Meghan doesn’t want attention. She does. She was an actress. Being famous and adored is their goal.
Offcourse actors love attention but Idk, I mean she did manage to go under the radar the first few days she was there. Once the cat is out of the bag, what would you do? If she tried to crouch down or cover her face while coming out, people would still say something about it, that said, she should have stayed at a private residence. Like I said before, if I was a guest there and got photographed coming in and out I would be pissed.
Kate was papped going to her moms 60 something party a few weeks ago. I guess she was looking for attention and being adored there too.
Initially I disagreed with the poster who said Meghan set up a pap stroll but after watching the videos of her online with Abigail Spencer, I have changed my mind. The paps were tipped as to where she would be. Meghan and Harry managed to fly under the radar while they were dating but somehow the paparazzi just managed to know where Meghan is staying in NY. I don’t know what the game plan is but let’s watch and see. Still a fan of Meghan though.
Staff from the restaurant on Saturday called the paps, that’s how the news got out.
Those British tabloids are stuck-on-stupid. Meghan has not been married to Harry a year yet, and she suppose to not participate in some customs that are more American. If her close and dear friends wanted to give her a baby shower to help her relax and get some rest, any ignoramus who has a problem is stupid. The palace knew this was taking place and had no problem letting her attend. If the papers want to complain, then direct their displeasure with the palace not at Meghan. This was approved a few months ago they just did not tell the press. I am glad she had 3 days alone time for herself and with close friends before any press found out. Harry is not going to be king and all this huffing and puffing about his wife is stuck on stupid.
I just want to underscore what CoffeeAddict said—and it’s ok, but let’s be real—and that is Meghan wants this attention. At this point I don’t think anyone can say that her press coverage in NYC is being done without her cooperation. We lived in NYC in the West Village for five years and as someone said above, that is where you see the paparazzi lurking for celebs. HOWEVER, if you have ever seen them congregate in a massive pack (especially in front of metal barriers set up ahead of time!), then you can be sure they were tipped off. We saw loads of celebrities in everyday life (and people were chill about it, except in my head I was like, OMG THEIR SKIN IS AMAZING!) but one day, four full blocks around my apt were taken over by paps (like a parade on the sidewalk imagine), and that’s when I realized the difference between them strolling and them being tipped off. The celeb? Jennifer Aniston. As I was leaving my apt, I asked one of them what the hell was going on and he says, “Jen Aniston, should be about 5 minutes we’re told.” Tonight Meghan and her friends went to Polo Bar, and if you look at the pics, the barriers were set up. It’s not like that every night at the polo bar, even with other celebs going nearly every night. Someone close to her called, with her consent.
This doesn’t mean the British press aren’t assholes, that people arent literally deranged conspiracists about her (the surrogate WTF??), that the DM isn’t passive aggressive and hate filled. I actually think if her supporters/fans would acknowledge this about her, then it makes them way more credible on other debates about her. But at this point denying she likes this being about her just makes me think you’ve got your fingers in your ears as you storm off the playground.
I read a good theory on Twitter that it was her team which planned the photo-ops. The idea is, if she does a photo-op then the paparazzi should then leave her alone.
It a practise most royal does. For example, say Kate & Will are on holiday with the kids, they do a quick photo op – then they should then be left alone for the remainder of their holiday?
Does that make sense? Charles has been doing it for years.
Here a tweet to say what I mean: https://twitter.com/World_Royalty/status/1097997591374163970
I also did read that Meghan and her friend were in a restaurant and they had to change twice as she was easily visible for people taking photos.
Edit:// that was meant to go as a separate comment.
I think she likes this kind of attention too. I like Meghan a lot, but let’s be real here. No one chooses to uproot their life, quit their job, move to a different country and live in the royal goldfish bowl unless they want the fame and privilege.
Meghan was a TV actress who never really got her big break in Hollywood. Suddenly, after meeting Harry, she has access to couture designers, private jets, mansions and a-list celebrities falling over themselves wanting to be her friend. Suddenly she’s a megastar, the center of attention.
That doesn’t make her worse than other royal wives. They all enjoy the privileges and their social standing. Kate and the Middletons love being on top of the aristo hierarchy, that’s what they always dreamed of. Meghan on the other hand loves being a glamorous star, which is what she always wanted to be. I don’t think the whole “she just happened to fall in love with a prince”-narrative is very realistic.
Thank you!
I think she’s doing a similar thing to the Cambridges and creating a separate public image for herself so that the public doesn’t think of her as wife to the 6th in line or the wife of Prince Harry but as a public figure in her own right. The Cambridges aren’t just the third in line and wife. They are their own thing within the royal family with a distinct image that is deliberately different than Charles or the Queen.
The Cambridges try to project an image of being down to earth people in extraordinary circumstances. They’re just like us but with a few key differences which is smart up to a point because it allows the people who like them to project themselves and their lives onto the Cambridges. Problem is when they can’t keep up the act.
With the Sussexes, Meghan’s going for visible privilege. It’s too early to know if she’ll pull it off but my guess is she isn’t winging this and has received a great deal of advice on how to proceed.
I wonder why she went to downtown New York for this shindig where it was guaranteed to turn into a paparazzi zoo. I don’t think Meghan’s team itself needed to notify anyone of her plans, the places she made the bookings may have leaked the info.
But obviously A list stars are able to go under the radar by only travelling from underground garage to underground garage (hotel to restaurant, say) and using decoy SUVs. That’s how Julia Roberts or Denzel Washington manage to have a life but not get papped every.single.weekend. Lots of restaurants have that option, with private rooms and backdoors on private property that paps can’t access.
So it wasn’t important to Meghan to be private about these friend catch-ups. Maybe it’s to generate some positive press unrelated to the royal b.s. narratives. Maybe it’s to publicly say she’s living her best life thank you, and isn’t going to be cowed by racist reporters. Maybe she hopes having her famous friends show solidarity will give her some cover (and legitimize the articles they gave to People).
I think if fans of Serena Williams see her with Meghan they might pause and rethink any negative beliefs they have developed about Meghan thanks to the negative royal press. Or maybe it’s all of the above. But the publicity of this trip is not incidental- it has a purpose, and not necessarily a bad one (bad being just to be thirsty for attention- she gets that all the time at events already and doesn’t need to go to New York for it ). Unfortunately it kind of comes across as attention seeking, because everyone knows she could have avoided the paparazzi by going to a private gated residence or using the techniques above to hide more. Maybe she feels like she’s damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t and therefore is going to do whatever she feels like.
I think that the entire event could have taken place somewhere less visible. I think that she basks in the attention and is doing herself no favors with the public. It is 2019. I do not care who paid for what as it regards this event…but I do think that Harry and Meghan would earn the respect of many people if they announced they were paying for all costs they incur themselves. He is never going to be King. They have plenty of money to pay their own expenses. Think about it…if they did that…which would be the best PR in the world…no one would really have the right to say a word about anything they choose to do. So frankly, in a world where there are people starving and sleeping outside…I find the whole concept of spending exorbitant amounts of money on extravagent things mildly vomit inducing. Yes, this applies to every member of the Royal Family…I am not picking on Meghan.