The night Meghan Markle broke the internet
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The night Meghan Markle broke the internet

Photographed at London’s Fashion Awards on 10 December, a pregnant Meghan Markle was rendered beatific, but within hours the image caused the internet to enter meltdown. Pandora Sykes speaks to the photographer who captured the image and explains why the Duchess Of Sussex is one of the greatest influencers of our time.

It must be a sad month in the Kardashian-West household. Kim’s bottom, once pronounced to have broken the internet, is no longer the tumulus at the centre of cultural commentary. For there is a new controversial curve in town: the Duchess Of Sussex’s stomach.

Photographed at London’s Fashion Awards on 10 December, a pregnant Meghan Markle was rendered beatific, in a beam of light. Her smile at full wattage, with both arms encircling her prominent, pregnant belly, Markle appeared on stage in a simple black, one-shouldered gown, to present Givenchy artistic director and designer of her wedding dress Clare Waight-Keller with an award for Best British Designer. And within hours, this image had caused the internet to descend into clamorous debate. Continue reading The night Meghan Markle broke the internet

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Meghan Markle and Her Growing Belly Steal the Show at the British Fashion Awards
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Meghan Markle and Her Growing Belly Steal the Show at the British Fashion Awards

Meghan Markle was at the British Fashion Awards in London on Monday night to present Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller—the designer of her wedding gown— with the British Designer Womenswear Award. Meghan also had no choice but to make headlines with her belly at this stage in her pregnancy, and she stood in a way that showcased it in her formfitting, one-shouldered Givenchy gown.

Keller said in her speech that she “got to know Meghan on such a personal level. And to have someone like that trust you in an incredible moment in their life is something that is just the most unbelievable honor, and I can’t thank you enough because it was just the most beautiful moment. Thank you.”

Introducing Keller, Meghan acknowledged the “familiar faces” she’s gotten to know since she has lived in England. “As all of you in this room know, we have a deep connection to what we wear,” she said, as she introduced Keller. “Sometimes it’s very personal, sometimes it’s emotional. But for me, this connection is rooted in really being able to understand that it’s about supporting and empowering each other, especially women.”

Since she and Prince Harry announced the news of their new arrival in mid-October, Meghan has been seen out on many public outings, including their trip to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. But at several engagements, including a recent visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen, Meghan has dressed in a way that deliberately de-emphasized her stomach. Tonight’s Givenchy gown marks a change in strategy—or perhaps, at what’s reportedly the six-month mark of her pregnancy, a recognition that it will be impossible to hide from here on out.

Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/

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Meghan Markle holds private talks with Michelle Obama after hearing her speak on women, race and royal protocol
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Meghan Markle holds private talks with Michelle Obama after hearing her speak on women, race and royal protocol

The Duchess of Sussex has held private talks with Michelle Obama after watching her speak on female empowerment, royal protocol and the challenges facing black women in the public eye.

The Duchess, whose public work is expected to focus heavily on advocacy for women, watched Mrs Obama speak at the South Bank Centre in London on Monday night, joining an audience of 2,700 people to hear the former First Lady’s advice about life.

Afterwards, the pair met privately backstage for a convivial conversation: the first time they have spoken directly despite their shared professional interests.

The Duchess, who attended the event with staff rather than her husband the Duke, was spotted by members of the public during the evening, and is understood to have enjoyed a warm personal discussion with Mrs Obama afterwards.

The meeting is likely to have been particularly appreciated by the Duchess, who has faced a difficult few weeks in the public eye fuelled by news that the Sussexes are moving away from their in-laws at Kensington Palace.

The pair share a common interest in women’s empowerment, with their husbands already firm friends after working together to promote the Invictus Games.

The Duchess will announce her next projects for her work in the Royal Family, as well as her first charity patronages, in the new year.

Last week, Mrs Obama offered advice to the Duchess in a magazine interview, recommending that she “take some time and don’t be in a hurry to do anything”.

At the live event at the South Bank, publicising her autobiography,

Mrs Obama spoke on topics from the Queen’s alleged dismissal of royal protocol as “rubbish” to her disdain for fashion designers who “treat their staff badly”.

In an on-stage interview, Mrs Obama may inadvertently offered words of comfort to the Duchess who has faced criticism for “breaching protocol” with some of her fashion choices since joining the Royal Family.

The American speaker said of her visit to the Queen in 2016, where she was ushered into a waiting car with Her Majesty and Prince Philip: “I had all this protocol buzzing in my head …and she [the Queen] says ‘Oh it’s all rubbish, just get in’.”

Mrs Obama also offered words of wisdom to newlyweds, admitting: “When I talk to young people just starting to get married, I say: there are going to be huge chunks of time where you want to push him out the window.”

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk

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New documentary takes a closer look at Meghan Markle’s life as the Duchess of Sussex
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New documentary takes a closer look at Meghan Markle’s life as the Duchess of Sussex

Meghan Markle stepped into the spotlight as Prince Harry’s beautiful bride, and since their royal nuptials, the Duchess of Sussex has quickly adjusted into her new life, new role and new royal family.

ABC News takes an up-close look at Meghan Markle’s royal beginnings as the Duchess of Sussex in a prime-time special “Meghan’s New Life: The Real Princess Diaries,”, which airs Thursday, Nov. 22 9:00 p.m. EST on ABC Television Network.

In the first six months of her marriage, Markle has become a formidable force.

ABC royal contributor Imogen Lloyd Webber said that Queen Elizabeth II already sees Markle as a catalyst for the future.

“The Queen is incredibly smart. The Queen sees Meghan as a very, I want to say, [a] useful tool in securing and symbolizing the future of the monarchy for decades to come,” she said.

In her short time as part of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex has already proved to be a natural at getting involved with the British people.

Duncan Lacrombe, a former UK based royal editor and author of “Prince Harry: The Inside Story,” said she’s just “what the British public needed.”

“Meghan’s exactly what not only Harry needed, not only what the Royal family needed, but what the British public needed and longed for as well,” he said. Continue reading New documentary takes a closer look at Meghan Markle’s life as the Duchess of Sussex

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Duke and Duchess of Sussex given ‘long list’ of baby names by family and friends

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been given a “long list” of potential baby names suggested by friends and family.

The royal couple, who are expecting their first child in the spring, told curious children in Australia they are “going to sit down and have a look at” the options.

During a trip on the Melbourne tram, the Duke and Duchess were interrogated by schoolchildren who spent the journey of just a few minutes asking them about their plans for parenthood.

Charlie Wolf, a 12-year-old pupil from Middle Park primary school, asked if the couple had any names for their unborn baby.

The children said the Duchess replied with: “We’ve been given a long list of names from everyone, we’re going to sit down and have a look at them.” Continue reading Duke and Duchess of Sussex given ‘long list’ of baby names by family and friends

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Confirmed: The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Are Expecting A Baby!

Earlier this morning ahead of the official start of The Duke and Duchess’s first international tour as a married couple Kensington Palace announced that Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex is expecting her first child with Prince Harry in the Spring of 2019. You can read their announcement below:

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019.

Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public.

Members of the Royal Family were reportedly notified at Princess Eugenie’s wedding on Friday and are “delighted”. Meghan’s mom Doria has also been told the happy news and “…looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild”. As for Meghan’s health, it’s reported that she’s “feeling well” and has had her 12 week scan. There will also be no change in the tour schedule. The Duke and Duchess will still travel to Fiji and Tonga next week despite FCO advice that pregnant women should not travel to the region because of its moderate Zika risk. A spokesperson said “they had sought medical advice and decided to go ahead with their plans.”

Simply Meghan Markle would like to wish Their Royal Highnesses nothing but the best during this exciting time!

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Inside Harry and Meghan’s Top-Secret Weekend Trip to Amsterdam

She may now be HRH the Duchess of Sussex, but Meghan Markle is not letting her royal status stifle her social life. Over the weekend Meghan and Harry jetted to Amsterdam for the launch of Soho House’s latest venture where the couple enjoyed a weekend of lavish hospitality and V.I.P. treatment ahead of a busy week, including Meghan’s first solo engagement scheduled for Tuesday.

While no pictures of the couple have emerged (the members club has a strict no cameras policy), Vanity Fair has learned that the Sussexes stayed out until after midnight dancing to tunes by the Atlantic Soul Orchestra, the cover band who played on their wedding night.

The duke and duchess were seen drinking cocktails and chatting with fellow guests, including actor Eddie Redmayne and Douglas Booth. On Sunday, they enjoyed a Soho House “Feast”-style brunch before heading back to Kensington Palace ahead of Monday’s Coach Core Awards event at Loughborough University. Continue reading Inside Harry and Meghan’s Top-Secret Weekend Trip to Amsterdam

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Queen of the World, Episode 1

No monarch in history has seen as much of the world or its people. Now, with privileged access to the Queen, her family and her residences for more than a year, this landmark series offers a unique insight into the Queen’s role as our first global monarch.

An unprecedented and exclusive portrait of the longest-serving and most respected head of state in the world in 2018.

In this part of the documentary, Duchess Meghan talks about her wedding dress and upcoming work with the Commonwealth.


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100 days a duchess: what Meghan’s style has shown us about her new royal life

The gooey-eyed, loved-up, you-can-do-no-wrong stage of the honeymoon between the new Duchess of Sussex and the media lasted for three weeks precisely. On Saturday 9 June, for her first appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the trooping the colour celebrations, the royal formerly known as Meghan Markle wore a pale-pink Carolina Herrera dress with a wide, off-the-shoulder collar. “Some were quick to notice that she may have bent one of British royalty’s most steadfast rules,” observed Hello! magazine gravely, noting that “royal protocol usually advises that women should keep their shoulders covered”.

A few weeks later, at Wimbledon’s women’s singles final, the big news from the royal box was the daring return of the duchess’s signature “messy bun”. “Meghan Markle has been sticking to the royals’ elegant style lately … but this weekend her messy hairstyle and casual look were back,” noted Vanity Fair. As if strands of untucked hair were not enough to see the duchess branded the biggest royal rule-breaker since the Duchess of Devonshire scandalised 18th-century society with her affairs and gambling debts, it transpired that at one event she had momentarily forgotten the “duchess slant” and crossed her legs at the knee, rather than the ankle. The Daily Mail expressed concern that she would be “slammed for disrespecting the Queen”, quoting a “royal etiquette expert” who pronounced crossing the leg at the knee one of the “biggest etiquette mistakes a lady can make”. Continue reading 100 days a duchess: what Meghan’s style has shown us about her new royal life

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Just Took the Next Step by Getting a New Dog

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a new addition: a pup to share their lives, PEOPLE has confirmed.

The couple got the dog — believed to be a Labrador — in early summer, and the pooch has been joining them at their country getaway in the Cotswolds area and Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace in London, a source says.

Harry and Meghan’s new best friend will be a welcome addition to their rural walks. Dog lover Meghan, 37, had to leave one of her pets, Bogart, behind when she arrived in London from Toronto last November, when the couple got engaged. The rescue dog, a companion for Meghan’s Beagle Guy, was given to friends.

Guy, meanwhile, has been embedded into Meghan’s new royal life, and was at her feet as she sat for her hair and makeup on her wedding morning.

A spokeswoman at Kensington Palace declined to comment on the new arrival.

Harry and Meghan’s move mirrors that of his brother Prince William and Kate Middleton, who got Cocker Spaniel Lupo shortly after their wedding, settling him into life with them in Anglesey, North Wales.

It’s been an eventful summer for newlyweds Harry and Meghan, who reportedly enjoyed a quiet weekend in Lake Como, Italy, with hosts George and Amal Clooney in August, ABC News reported.

While Harry, 33, and George, 57, played basketball, Meghan lounged by the pool with Amal, 40, and helped look after the Clooneys’ 14-month-old twins, Ella and Alexander, according to the outlet. The Clooneys also reportedly held a dinner party to celebrate their guests.

Source: https://people.com/

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The Duchess of Sussex travels to Toronto

A source has confirmed to Royal Central that the Duchess of Sussex has flown into Toronto.

The Duchess was travelling without her husband as she flew into her former home on an Air Canada flight on Saturday.

Kensington Palace sent a letter to Air Canada staff beforehand asking that no one take Meghan’s picture or approach her on the flight.

Meghan still has close friends who live in the city, including the Mulroneys. All three of their children played roles in her May wedding to Prince Harry. It is likely she is visiting with them.

It is also rumoured that she will be visiting Los Angeles this summer before resuming work again in September.

Source: http://royalcentral.co.uk/

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Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Retreating from the Spotlight?

For a royal couple so much in the spotlight, it’s perhaps not surprising that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex want to duck below the radar while they’re not on duty. While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been incredibly high profile—carrying out a series of official engagements since their spring wedding and undertaking an official tour to Ireland—the newlyweds are now enjoying a well-earned rest over the summer.

The Sussexes, who were last seen in public at a charity polo match last week won’t be back on duty until September. They are on the guest list for a society wedding this weekend and will be in Balmoral next month to spend time with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. Meghan is also said to be keen to go back to Los Angeles to see her mother before September. But in between seeing family and friends, the couple will mostly be based at their country cottage, a remote hideaway in the Cotswolds where they now spend most of their time away from the media spotlight.

And it seems that’s what they both might need. For it’s not just this summer’s searing London temperatures that Harry and Meghan want to escape. (There is no air-conditioning in their three-bedroom home in Kensington Palace.) According to friends they are keen to take a break from the public eye.

“They spend a lot of time in the Cotswolds, more than people realize. They are in the country way more than they are in London and they are enjoying a low-key and very domesticated start to married life,” says one of their friends. “Harry’s not around that much anymore. Meghan likes him to keep his diary clear at the weekends so they can be together in the countryside.”

The couple love the area and are currently renting a farmhouse cottage on the Great Tew Estate, which according to locals is patrolled by armed security and surrounded by cameras.

“It’s very clear they want to be private and left alone,” says one local. “The property is in the middle of woodland and you wouldn’t know it was there. It is very remote which is why they like it. It’s like a fortress. There’s a huge security presence, you can’t get close.”

It seems that’s precisely how the royal couple wants it. After the scale of the royal wedding, which was covered by international media outlets and news broadcasters from around the world, Harry and Meghan are keen for a break from the limelight.

Harry particularly is said to be uncomfortable with the level of interest in their lives. At the Sentebale Polo Cup in Windsor last week, the couple were so keen not to be photographed at a lunch ahead of the match that a screen separating them from the adjacent media pen was erected.

“It was quite clear that they didn’t want the press anywhere near them,” says one photographer who asked not to be named. “They were photographed on the red carpet and at the end of the match, but they wanted to be left alone the rest of the time even though this was a major charity event for Harry with a big international press presence.”

When Harry did come face-to-face with the media, he sent the ball hurtling into the press pen and it nearly struck one of the many security officers patrolling the grounds. Harry apologized, joking he wanted to give the photographers a good shot, but it rubbed some photographers the wrong way. Those close to Harry, who issued an unprecedented missive to the press when he was dating Meghan pleading for them to be left alone, say he is determined to protect Meghan from too much exposure in the media.

“He worries there is too much hysteria around Meghan and he wants to row back a bit,” reveals a source.

According to the Daily Express’s royal correspondent Richard Palmer, Meghan, a former actress and a pro when it comes to working the red carpet, is becoming increasingly inaccessible.

“Royal rota journalists are being kept further away from [Meghan] than we were before the wedding That means we can’t hear what she is saying. If you can’t get direct quotes from members of the royal family that often makes for dull stories. You go up afterwards and ask what she said.”

With all the drama over the situation of Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, perhaps boring is rather appealing to the Sussexes. The couple have urged friends not to speak to the media, and Harry has clamped down on his friendship groups and urged Meghan to do the same.

“They both expect a code of silence. If you talk to the press you’re out,” says the source. “Harry didn’t used to care that much about what was written (in the press), he just said it was a load of shite, but he’s very protective of Meghan and defensive these days.”

According to royal editor Camilla Tominey, the continuing controversy over Meghan’s father has put a huge strain on the couple while the memory of Diana is never far from Harry’s thoughts: “Harry has certainly built an emotional fortress around himself and Meghan. They have both been extremely upset by Thomas Markle’s behavior and that of Meghan’s half sister, Samantha, and other relatives speaking out to the press. “If the royals value one quality in others more than anything else then it is loyalty, and the couple will feel very let down by what’s happened.”

“The princes are both very private people and have tried their best to keep the press at bay ever since their mother’s death,” she continued. “They are extremely protective of their wives and families and will do anything to avoid a repeat of the 80s and 90s when they felt that Princess Diana was hounded.”

Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/

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Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Are Going on Their First Solo Outing Together!

Royal sisters-in-law unite!

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle will step out for the first time together without their husbands, Prince William and Prince Harry, on Saturday. And they chose the perfect event for the occasion — the Ladies’ Single Final at the Wimbledon Championships.

Before the match, Meghan and Kate will meet with former female tennis champions and chat with ball girls and boys to learn more about what it’s like to participate in the iconic tournament. Then, they will take their seats in the royal box to cheer on the players, Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams, (a close friend of Meghan’s.

Meghan and Kate have attended several public events together since Meghan became engaged to Harry. The first was when Meghan joined the whole family for a Christmas Day service in 2017, and shortly after were the Fab Four’s first appearance at the Royal Foundation Forum in February and Commonwealth Day celebrations in March.

Since the royal wedding, there has also been Trooping the Colour, where Meghan and Kate waved together from the Buckingham Palace balcony, Prince Louis’s christening on Monday and the Royal Air Force centenary celebration on Tuesday of this week.
Kate and Meghan have supportive friendship, and Kate has helped show Meghan the ropes.

Last month, Meghan had another memorable outing with Queen Elizabeth, which marked the first solo joint appearance by the two royal women.

Meghan visibly charmed the Queen during their trip, which began with an overnight stay aboard the Royal Train. She also had the monarch smiling ear-to-ear at her Royal Ascot debut. Kate’s first engagement alone with the Queen wasn’t until April 2011, almost a year after her wedding.

Source: https://people.com/

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