Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Officially Moved to Windsor Ahead of Royal Baby’s Birth
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Officially Moved to Windsor Ahead of Royal Baby’s Birth

Welcome home, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry!

The royal couple have officially moved out of their Kensington Palace home and into their new cottage in Windsor, PEOPLE confirms.

Meghan and Harry, who are expecting their first child in a matter of days, are now set up in Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage, close to the house where their evening wedding reception was held and where their engagement photos were taken. Windsor, located about 25 miles west of London, is a “special place” for the couple, their spokesman says — and was, of course, the setting for their wedding last May.

Plans for the move were originally announced in November, just one month after Meghan announced her pregnancy.

Harry and Meghan have lived in Kensington Palace’s Nottingham Cottage since their engagement, but the two-bedroom home was never likely to be a long-term residence — especially once they had children.

With all the pressures that come with bringing a baby into the world, the parents-to-be are resolved to build a sanctuary for their little family. “This is a very happy time for Meghan and Harry,” says a source. “This baby has brought them even closer.”

The cottage was in need of major renovations, as it was initially divided into five units as home to the palace staff. As a new family residence, “it would need considerable, lengthy refurbishment,” a royal source told PEOPLE. Windsor, meanwhile, “has more space for children” and “has a special place in their hearts,” the source added.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have their London home at Kensington Palace — at Apartment 1a, which has around 20 rooms. It had been suggested that Harry and Meghan might have the neighboring Apartment 1, but one of the Queen’s cousins lives there.

It was recently announced that Harry and Meghan have official split royal households from William and Kate. The Sussexes and the Cambridges have broken up their joint “court” at Kensington Palace by creating two separate offices, the palace announced.

“This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for The Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a statement from the palace reads.

With William one day set to be the Prince of Wales — and all that entails as heir to his father Prince Charles — Harry and Meghan will want to forge their own path, so it’s a natural time to split up, insiders believe.

Their new home at Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage is rich with history – and a connection to another American who married into the British royal family.

Wallis Simpson – the American-born socialite who wed King Edward VIII, forcing him to give up the throne after less than a year because his family (and parliament) wouldn’t accept Simpson, the woman he loved (who was twice divorced) as Queen – is buried next to her husband near the cottage in the Royal Burial Ground.

Simpson and Edward are buried behind the mausoleum that entombs Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Three of Queen Victoria’s children – Princess Helena, Prince Arthur and Princess Louise – are also interred there, along with many other members of the royal family. In the adjacent Frogmore gardens is the mausoleum of Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.

Meghan and Harry also have some new royal neighbors: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip! Nearby Windsor Castle is one of the monarch’s primary residences.

Source: https://people.com/

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A Hashtag in Meghan Markle’s Honor Has Helped Raise Charitable Donations All Over the World
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A Hashtag in Meghan Markle’s Honor Has Helped Raise Charitable Donations All Over the World

Sometimes, social media can be used for good. While Meghan Markle has been on the receiving end of some horrendous online abuse since becoming a duchess, it seems that some kind-hearted folk have decided to pay it forward in her honor instead.

Royal commentator Omid Scobie revealed that several charities that Meghan is involved with have been receiving donations in honor of Meghan and Harry’s baby. Scobie tweeted, “Proof that social media can be a positive place. Charities including @themayhew @Camfed and @WellChild have been receiving donations from Duchess Meghan fans around the world who started the hashtag #GlobalSussexBabyShower to celebrate Baby Sussex’s impending arrival. Very cool.”

As Meghan has faced quite so much abuse online and in the press since she married Prince Harry, it’s heartening to know that social media can actual have a positive impact, too.

Back in March 2019, Meghan took part in a panel for International Women’s Day at King’s College London. The duchess revealed that she tries to avoid social media saying (via ITV News), “I don’t read anything, it’s much safer that way, but equally that’s just my own personal preference, because I think positive or negative, it can all sort of just feel like noise to a certain extent these days.” But hopefully, the donations made in honor of #GlobalSussexBabyShower will show Meghan that she has a lot of supporters worldwide, too.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/

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Inside Harry and Meghan’s Split from William and Kate to Start Their Own Royal Household
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Inside Harry and Meghan’s Split from William and Kate to Start Their Own Royal Household

After months of speculation, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace announced the full plans for Prince Harry and Prince William to go their separate ways and create separate households on Thursday, March 14.

The move will see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex break away from the Cambridges to create an entirely new office of communications staff and courtiers at Buckingham Palace, with former Hillary Clinton campaign advisor Sara Latham taking on the role as press secretary.

Staff who previously worked for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have chosen to remain at Kensington Palace, focusing their efforts wholly on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as William continues to prepare for his eventual role as king.

Among those staying at the previously joint court are former head of communications Jason Knauf, who has been promoted as senior advisor to guide the Cambridges on their charitable initiatives, and Christian Jones, who joined the team in December 2018 as Knauf’s deputy and will now lead the entire communications operation.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace revealed that the Queen, supported by Prince Charles, agreed to the creation of a new household for Harry and Meghan, allowing the couple to break away and continue with their philanthropic endeavors. “This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for the Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage,” says a Buckingham Palace spokesperson. Continue reading Inside Harry and Meghan’s Split from William and Kate to Start Their Own Royal Household

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How Meghan Markle Is Continuing Her ‘Passion’ for Supporting Girls in Education
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How Meghan Markle Is Continuing Her ‘Passion’ for Supporting Girls in Education

When Meghan Markle steps onto the stage Friday for a public discussion on girls’ education, she will be continuing a fight she has championed for many years around the world.

Angie Murimirwa, executive director of Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED)this link opens in a new tab, will be among those joining Meghan on a panel discussion for International Women’s Day — along with musician and activist Annie Lennox, model and activist Adwoa Aboah and former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard.

“[Meghan’s] a long-standing supporter for women’s rights, for equality and for equal opportunities, and it is really exciting that she is doing this along with other women who are in the space of education on International Women’s Day,” Murimirwa tells PEOPLE.

“I’m really excited that she’s carrying forward this passion here in Europe.” Continue reading How Meghan Markle Is Continuing Her ‘Passion’ for Supporting Girls in Education

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How Duchess Meghan Won Morocco’s Heart Just Weeks Before Her Due Date
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How Duchess Meghan Won Morocco’s Heart Just Weeks Before Her Due Date

Climbing into a helicopter to fly deep into Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, you would be forgiven for forgetting that Duchess Meghan is over seven months pregnant. In fact, given how busy recent months have been for the new royal, it would be tough for anyone to object if she wanted to sit out the early-morning expedition—especially after flying in from London less than 48 hours earlier.

But the February 24 trip was a chance to visit a charity championing a cause close to her heart—universal education opportunities for women—and there was no way she was going to miss it. With Prince Harry’s help, she carefully sat down in the cabin and placed noise-isolating headphones over her head. Ready for takeoff.

“Her energy is boundless,” British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly, who escorted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their three-day visit to the country, tells BAZAAR.com. “Here’s a woman jumping into a helicopter to fly 1,400 meters [almost 4,600 feet] high, still smiling and ready to do it all, ready to push the issues that matter.”

Adds a friend of the duchess, who notes that she’s “feeling so great” in her final trimester, “That’s ‘Super Meg’ for you—giving it her all. Her energy levels have never failed to impress me.”

From gender equality and universal education opportunities to social entrepreneurship and female empowerment, the visit’s three-day itinerary shone a spotlight on the issues most important to the duchess. Prince Harry, already established as a humanitarian force of his own, often let Meghan take the lead during their nine Moroccan engagements, leaning in to her ear periodically to see if his wife was feeling “okay” along the way. She always was.

After their helicopter dropped them off in the small town of Asni, Meghan spoke to executives from Education For All, a charity that provides education opportunities to girls from rural parts of Morocco, about the importance of universal literacy. “It’s important that every girl has access to further and higher education,” she said. Meghan, conscious of a potential language barrier, even prepared questions in a French to ask the 12- to 18-year-old students who live at the boarding house. Continue reading How Duchess Meghan Won Morocco’s Heart Just Weeks Before Her Due Date

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Inside Meghan Markle’s ‘Beautiful’ Baby Shower Serena Williams Hosted in New York City
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Inside Meghan Markle’s ‘Beautiful’ Baby Shower Serena Williams Hosted in New York City

Meghan Markle spent her final full day in New York City attending the spectacular baby shower her friend Serena Williams hosted for her in the penthouse suite of the Upper East Side’s five-star Mark Hotel.

A Royal insider shared with ELLE.com that “the shower was a chance for Meg to share excitement of the baby with her closest friends, some of which she hadn’t seen for some time. It was a beautiful gathering filled with love and celebration—she couldn’t stop smiling.”

While Meghan has adjusted to life behind Palace walls, she relishes the time with her nearest and dearest, many of whom live on the other side of the Atlantic in the U.S. or Canada.

Williams took special care planning the perfect party for Meghan: “Serena had made sure all the little things she liked were there: her favorite foods, flowers and music. Everything was so thoughtful and tastefully done,” the source said. Continue reading Inside Meghan Markle’s ‘Beautiful’ Baby Shower Serena Williams Hosted in New York City

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Duchess Meghan Makes Surprise Visit to NYC for a Girls’ Trip
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Duchess Meghan Makes Surprise Visit to NYC for a Girls’ Trip

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.”

Just a day before traveling, the duchess spent a quiet Valentine’s Day with Prince Harry at their Kensington Palace home—a world away from what she once described as the perfect Valentine’s in NYC.

In a February 2016 post on her lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan wrote, “This Valentine’s Day I will be with friends, running amok through the streets of New York, likely imbibing some cocktail that’s oddly pink, and jumping over icy mounds in my new shoes through the salted snowy streets of the West Village.”

Later this week, Meghan will be taking her last flight until after the birth. She’s headed to Morocco with her husband for an official two-day visit to North Africa arranged by the British government.

Says a Palace spokesman of the February 23–25 trip, “The Duke and Duchess are looking forward to the visit which will highlight the vital roles that girls’ education and youth empowerment are playing in, and shaping, modern Morocco.”

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com

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Duchess of Sussex visit leads to first international donations for sex workers charity
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Duchess of Sussex visit leads to first international donations for sex workers charity

Until recently the Bristol-based project One25 had been a little-known charity quietly trying to improve the lives of vulnerable sex workers.

But now, following a visit by the Duchess of Sussex, it has found fame across the world, even receiving its first ever donations from overseas.

In an example of what is being called ‘the Meghan effect’ the charity has been sent hundreds of pounds from donors in the US, New Zealand and Jamaica. Donations have also come in from Switzerland and Canada.

Photographs of the Duchess touring the project – and writing messages of support for the sex workers on bananas included in food parcels for them – were seen around the world, leading to One25’s website receiving a surge in visits, with thousands more logging on to read about their work.

As a result of media coverage of the Duchess’s visit others also sent in items for distribution to sex-workers operating on the street, such as umbrellas, socks and gloves

Anna Smith, the charity’s chief executive, said: “The upsurge in interest in our work as a result of Meghan’s visit has been incredible. We’ve had our first donations from overseas. There’s been lots of interest from America, but also from other countries.” Continue reading Duchess of Sussex visit leads to first international donations for sex workers charity

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Honor Veterans at Surprise Judging Panel
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Honor Veterans at Surprise Judging Panel

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry helped honor a courageous group of heroes.

The couple took part in a panel on Wednesday for the Endeavour Awards at Kensington Palace.

The awards, set up by the Royal Foundation overseen by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, recognize serving and former service members who have used athletics or adventure to challenge themselves as part of their recovery and rehabilitation.

The Sussexes’ role had been previously unannounced. The ceremony is likely to be held in the coming weeks.

Last year, Meghan also helped in the judging — and, on February 1, joined Harry at the special awards evening to hand out one of them. “I’m truly privileged to be here,” she said in a short speech before giving the prize. That evening, which was their first night out in an official capacity since they’d announced their engagement, came as Harry’s brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Kate, were away on their week-long tour of Sweden and Norway.

The awards align with other royally backed initiatives to help veterans, including Harry’s Invictus Games.

Former Army captain Prince Harry “really becomes himself when he’s around veterans,” David Wiseman, who heads much of the military support work done by the Royal Foundation and its Endeavour Awards, previously told PEOPLE. “He can speak openly. He understands he comes from a position of privilege, and he’s not ashamed of that. He understands it’s his duty to use that to have a positive impact. He had a vision for the Invictus Games, and when he’s got a vision, he’s a driver — he drives people toward that vision.”

He added, “Meghan’s incredibly passionate. They’re an incredible match.”

Source: https://people.com/

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The Queen Will Give Her Role at the National Theatre to Meghan Markle
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The Queen Will Give Her Role at the National Theatre to Meghan Markle

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will begin the new year with an away day to the north west of England, Kensington Palace said on Monday. After taking a short break to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, the couple is back in London and will resume work with a visit to the town of Birkenhead, Merseyside.

According to the itinerary released this afternoon by Kensington Palace, Harry and Meghan will meet veterans and unveil a plaque in the town’s Hamilton Square before visiting an organization that supports vulnerable women and the Hive, Wirral Youth Zone where they will take part in workshops.

As Vanity Fair revealed last year, Meghan, who is feeling well during the third trimester of her pregnancy, has asked aides to fill her diary right up to her due date and the couple is likely to carry out many more engagements over the coming months. Last year, Meghan and Harry clocked up an impressive 289 engagements in the U.K. and overseas, and plans are being drawn up for a tour to Canada and the U.S. this autumn. Continue reading The Queen Will Give Her Role at the National Theatre to Meghan Markle

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Meghan Markle in 2018: Why the Duchess of Success Is Just Getting Started
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Meghan Markle in 2018: Why the Duchess of Success Is Just Getting Started

Ms. Markle is looking forward to hitting the ground running,” were the famous words uttered by a Kensington Palace spokesman to a room full of journalists, including this one, during a briefing just over a year ago.

After months of speculation about Meghan’s potential as a member of the royal family, a November 28, 2017 press conference in Buckingham Palace, just a day after her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, offered a glimpse of what was to come.

Having already used the small platform she created while on Suits to spread the word of women’s rights in India and female empowerment for the UN, it was clear Meghan had big plans for her life as a duchess. But even those with the highest of expectations didn’t imagine she would be closing out 2018 with 105 royal engagements under her belt, a four-country tour completed, and a New York Times bestseller. Hit the ground running indeed.

In all honesty, Meghan needn’t have lifted a finger to leave so many impressed this year. Her May wedding to Prince Harry carried powerful cultural meaning, with its sensitive mix of African-American worship tradition and Windsor custom showing us the monarchy was more open to change than we once believed. And to those watching around the world? I’d like to think their marriage has helped further shape how people perceive interracial relationships. Continue reading Meghan Markle in 2018: Why the Duchess of Success Is Just Getting Started

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Why 2018 was the year of Meghan Markle
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Why 2018 was the year of Meghan Markle

She started the year as Meghan Markle but is ending it as The Duchess of Sussex and soon-to-be mother to the seventh in line to the throne. It has been a whirlwind 12 months for the former actress whose arrival into the royal family has captivated the world.

From Brixton to Bondi Beach, Nottingham to Nuku’alofa, crowds have cheered, chanted and even cried after meeting Meghan, who officially took her place in the history books when she married Prince Harry in May.

For the second year running her name was the most searched on google.co.uk, while “Royal Wedding” and “Royal Baby” topped the charts for news event trends.

It would be difficult to think of another person who has generated such global interest throughout the whole of 2018, and Meghan’s star is not showing any signs of fading as she prepares for a future in the spotlight.

Continue reading Why 2018 was the year of Meghan Markle

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Photos: December 25 – Christmas Day Church Service At Sandringham
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Photos: December 25 – Christmas Day Church Service At Sandringham

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today (December 25, 2018) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined Prince William and Kate Middleton for the royal family’s annual walk to church services in the English countryside on Tuesday morning. And just like last year, Meghan, 37, and Harry, 34, walked to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene alongside William and Kate.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2018 > December 25 | Christmas Day Church Service At Sandringham

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