Duke and Duchess of Sussex, General News 2: December 2018 - February 2019

[O-H Anglophile]

If the stories about a lavish celebbies-studded baby-shower on a premium location is true (if...) then Harry and Meghan have zero understanding of what a monarchy is, how vulnerable the institution is and how important it is not to turn it into a soap opera.

Can you even imagine a Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in combination with "celebbie baby shower"? Or a Prince Willem-Alexander? He would ask: "Where is the vomit bag?"

That marriage with the Clooneys, the Winfreys and the Beckhams, that soap opera with the Markles, and now this. I really hope this is not true. This is so off-key with the rest of the nation who sees clouds and unsecurity because of Brexit. What should the families hit by closures and job losses think of all this? This is so wrong, so vulgar, so un-royal family.

If Meghan has/had a baby shower given by her friends it is nothing unusual for an expectant woman in the U.S.--it is not celebrity or soap opera. (My understanding is that baby showers were not as prevalent in Britain for anyone until more recently.)

Fact is, Meghan was a minor celebrity before she married Harry and so some of her friends are also celebrities. Is she supposed to cut her friends out of her new life?

The drama with a few of her paternal relatives is not Meghan's fault--the fault is theirs. No one should put their bad behavior on Meghan-none of us are responsible for our adult relatives.

Why is visiting friends and catching up, before the baby changes her life even more, wrong and vulgar?

 

[alvinking]

If the stories about a lavish celebbies-studded baby-shower on a premium location is true (if...) then Harry and Meghan have zero understanding of what a monarchy is, how vulnerable the institution is and how important it is not to turn it into a soap opera.

Can you even imagine a Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in combination with "celebbie baby shower"? Or a Prince Willem-Alexander? He would ask: "Where is the vomit bag?"

That marriage with the Clooneys, the Winfreys and the Beckhams, that soap opera with the Markles, and now this. I really hope this is not true. This is so off-key with the rest of the nation who sees clouds and unsecurity because of Brexit. What should the families hit by closures and job losses think of all this? This is so wrong, so vulgar, so un-royal family.

So now there is a litmus test for her friends? First their is no Winfreys, get your story straight. Oprah is not married, she is partnered with Stedman Graham.

I don't remember hearing the same venom at Eugenie's wedding. Seated in the Quire were Robin Williams, Demi Moore, Naomi Campbell to name a few. Was that Hollywood too?

On a side note, the same celebrities that make you want to throw up, are the same ones royals rely on for their fundraising activities for their charities. In these cases their money doesn't sink does it? You don't believe it, go ask the PoW about celebrities financial contribution to the Prince's Trust

 

[Ista]

So the bottom line here is that we know Meghan has been in NYC, and that she has seen at least some of her friends. Aside from that we don't know if she even had/is having a shower, or if so, which of her friends have been invited. With the exceptions noted, the rest is the most rampant speculation.

 

[jacqui24]

So the bottom line here is that we know Meghan has been in NYC, and that she has seen at least some of her friends. Aside from that we don't know if she even had/is having a shower, or if so, which of her friends have been invited. With the exceptions noted, the rest is the most rampant speculation.

At this point, everything that's being delivered to The Mark is speculated to be for Meghan or the baby shower.

And btw, on a general note, their delivery entrance is also easily accessible by road, which isn't surprising given its NYC, and the paparazzi have been taking shots of things being delivered. So much for the theory that she could've snuck out from the back entrance.

 

[Lilyflo]

If the stories about a lavish celebbies-studded baby-shower on a premium location is true (if...) then Harry and Meghan have zero understanding of what a monarchy is, how vulnerable the institution is and how important it is not to turn it into a soap opera.

Can you even imagine a Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in combination with "celebbie baby shower"? Or a Prince Willem-Alexander? He would ask: "Where is the vomit bag?"

That marriage with the Clooneys, the Winfreys and the Beckhams, that soap opera with the Markles, and now this. I really hope this is not true. This is so off-key with the rest of the nation who sees clouds and unsecurity because of Brexit. What should the families hit by closures and job losses think of all this? This is so wrong, so vulgar, so un-royal family.

If "families hit by closures & job losses" can cope with having a fabulously rich royal family indulging in very expensive hobbies, they won't bat an eyelid at Meghan's few days in NYC with her friends.

 

[Ista]

At this point, everything that's being delivered to The Mark is speculated to be for Meghan or the baby shower.

And btw, on a general note, their delivery entrance is also easily accessible by road, which isn't surprising given its NYC, and the paparazzi have been taking shots of things being delivered. So much for the theory that she could've snuck out from the back entrance.

Why oh why doesn't TRF have an eye-rolling emoji?

I don't see why any royal, from any country, should have to use back entrances when they are on a private visit, unless their security detail deems it necessary.

And, considering that this is a hotel in one of the world's largest cities, I'm sure photographing all of those deliveries is keeping the photographers busy. I wonder if they got a good shot of the 100 pounds of frozen shrimp the head chef requested? (jk)

 

[jacqui24]

And, considering that this is a hotel in one of the world's largest cities, I'm sure photographing all of those deliveries is keeping the photographers busy. I wonder if they got a good shot of the 100 pounds of frozen shrimp the head chef requested? (jk)

Don't know if it was 100lbs or shrimp, but DM did report eyewitness accounts of boxes being delivered that are labelled with the hotel chef's name and now the speculation is it's all for Meghan and her guests. Nevermind that they hotel serves hundreds. Anyways, I doubt the hotel has that many entrances. It's NYC.

And now it's being reported that, while she's in New York, she's being transported in a State Department vehicle. Yea, she's not the final decision maker on how she goes out of that hotel.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

In my opinion a monarchy needs some distance, some docorum, some sacrality even. I only wanted to mark that a celebby shrugging, in luxury indulging "baby shower" (if true..., if...) is só eh... Kardashian, I can not imagine anything more off-key than this.

The Duchess gets a baby. Where are the times that mommy knitted a woollen hat and auntie gave a Dinky Toy while visiting the mother in blessed circumstances? I can hardly believe the story in DM is true, but if true, if a celebbie-studded "baby shower" is organized on the most exclusive venue imaginable... Really, this is só wrong. It destroys everything. It completely erases the fine line which separates royalty from celebrities.

I hope that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who I really admire, use their common sense, their fine antenna, focus on their life in their beautiful cottage and connect with ordinary Britons and not raise in the Clooney-Serena-Winfrey-Beckham Stratosphere. Diana went that way with her Elton-Michael-Versace-Travolta flings and we know how it ended.

 

[soapstar]

The discussion about how reporters found out Meghan was in NY, has gone on for pages and pages and the discussion is now just going around in circles. Let’s move on from that topic, please.

 

[ACO]

Royals interact with celebrities. We watched two weddings last year full of celebrities. I am not understanding your point here. Meghan was an actress with celebrity friends. Did you really expect her to just drop them?

Meghan doesn't have to sit in a room and stare at a wall because you dislike that she existed as Meghan Markle, working actress before she became a Duchess.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

In my opinion a monarchy needs some distance, some docorum, some sacrality even. I only wanted to mark that a celebby shrugging, in luxury indulging "baby shower" (if true..., if...) is só eh... Kardashian, I can not imagine anything more off-key than this.

The Duchess gets a baby. Where are the times that mommy knitted a woollen hat and auntie gave a Dinky Toy while visiting the mother in blessed circumstances? I can hardly believe the story in DM is true, but if true, if a celebbie-studded "baby shower" is organized on the most exclusive venue imaginable... Really, this is só wrong. It destroys everything. It completely erases the fine line which separates royalty from celebrities.

I hope that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who I really admire, use their common sense, their fine antenna, focus on their life in their beautiful cottage and connect with ordinary Britons and not raise in the Clooney-Serena-Winfrey-Beckham Stratosphere. Diana went that way with her Elton-Michael-Versace-Travolta flings and we know how it ended.

A small party at a hotel is not "celebrity." Even normal middle class folks have parties at various hotel or restaurant venues. For example, my niece's bridal shower and my mother's 90th birthday party in our family over the past year. Again, a baby shower is not by any stretch of the imagination inherently indecorous, a luxury or egads "Kardashian"--if there even was a baby shower.

BTW--I do believe the only time Diana had contact with John Travolta was at the White House, where they were both guests of President and Mrs Reagan.

 

[jacqui24]

In my opinion a monarchy needs some distance, some docorum, some sacrality even. I only wanted to mark that a celebby shrugging, in luxury indulging "baby shower" (if true..., if...) is só eh... Kardashian, I can not imagine anything more off-key than this.

The Duchess gets a baby. Where are the times that mommy knitted a woollen hat and auntie gave a Dinky Toy while visiting the mother in blessed circumstances? I can hardly believe the story in DM is true, but if true, if a celebbie-studded "baby shower" is organized on the most exclusive venue imaginable... Really, this is só wrong. It destroys everything. It completely erases the fine line which separates royalty from celebrities.

I hope that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who I really admire, use their common sense, their fine antenna, focus on their life in their beautiful cottage and connect with ordinary Britons and not raise in the Clooney-Serena-Winfrey-Beckham Stratosphere. Diana went that way with her Elton-Michael-Versace-Travolta flings and we know how it ended.

I don't know if what you described as how royalty should be is realistic. The fact of matter is it's not a new thing for royalty and celebrity to rub elbows. It was only that way because the media of the day didn't necessarily report it the way they do now. So it a sense, that was a charade. The media landscape has changed. Just think back to how long it took for the media to actually report on the royal family's personal life in the old days. That's not the case today.

And I think we need to keep a more open mind these days about celebrities. Like ALL other industries, there are good and bad people. The three women that have been reported as throwing this bash include one of the all time best tennis players, a world renowned human rights lawyer, and a co-founder of the Shoebox Project. These aren't people to snicker at. Royals have had far more unsavory people as their friends from other industries.

 

[_Heather_]

Just my two cents but I think the issue here is maybe a clash of cultures. While baby showers are very common in the US, they seem to be less so in Europe, particularly among those who can afford to buy anything and everything they could possibly need or want for their baby. It seems that in those circles, a close friend or family member might give something thoughtful or sentimental but not necessarily the bottles and diapers and baby bathtubs that are the norm at most US baby showers.

I also think that many Americans and maybe it doesn't even matter if you're American or not, see these luxury hotel type showers as very ostentatious, very Kardashian-like, very Hollywood-like when most regular American baby showers involve a couple of hours, a few refreshments, and a host of very normal and necessary gifts exchanged in an aunt's living room or the private room of a local restaurant.

It just seems very much that had she had a small gathering of close friends for a very low key tea and cakes kind of thing with a few small sentimental gifts and good wishes it probably would have gone over better with the look of it than the destination, luxury hotel, State Department SUVs, spectacle it's being presented as. Whether or not it actually is that is hard to say but if it is, it all sort of smacks of a very Hollywood style rather than a very down to earth, low key, Queen keeps her cereal in tupperware like the rest of us type style.

 

[sophie25]

Just my two cents but I think the issue here is maybe a clash of cultures. While baby showers are very common in the US, they seem to be less so in Europe, particularly among those who can afford to buy anything and everything they could possibly need or want for their baby. It seems that in those circles, a close friend or family member might give something thoughtful or sentimental but not necessarily the bottles and diapers and baby bathtubs that are the norm at most US baby showers.

I also think that many Americans and maybe it doesn't even matter if you're American or not, see these luxury hotel type showers as very ostentatious, very Kardashian-like, very Hollywood-like when most regular American baby showers involve a couple of hours, a few refreshments, and a host of very normal and necessary gifts exchanged in an aunt's living room or the private room of a local restaurant.

It just seems very much that had she had a small gathering of close friends for a very low key tea and cakes kind of thing with a few small sentimental gifts and good wishes it probably would have gone over better with the look of it than the destination, luxury hotel, State Department SUVs, spectacle it's being presented as. Whether or not it actually is that is hard to say but if it is, it all sort of smacks of a very Hollywood style rather than a very down to earth, low key, Queen keeps her cereal in tupperware like the rest of us type style.

I agree with you, whatever it is, it has come across as very flashy and somewhat vulgar. It's like watching Meghan Markle the actress having a baby shower not HRH The Duchess of Sussex.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

...
It just seems very much that had she had a small gathering of close friends for a very low key tea and cakes kind of thing with a few small sentimental gifts and good wishes it probably would have gone over better with the look of it than the destination, luxury hotel, State Department SUVs, spectacle it's being presented as. Whether or not it actually is that is hard to say but if it is, it all sort of smacks of a very Hollywood style rather than a very down to earth, low key, Queen keeps her cereal in tupperware like the rest of us type style.

I agree with you, whatever it is, it has come across as very flashy and somewhat vulgar. It's like watching Meghan Markle the actress having a baby shower not HRH The Duchess of Sussex.

What exactly seems flashy or vulgar? The fact that Meghan is staying at a hotel, where some close friends might have held a baby shower for her? Good grief.

ETA: Meghan does not call the shots with the State Department.

 

[jacqui24]

Just my two cents but I think the issue here is maybe a clash of cultures. While baby showers are very common in the US, they seem to be less so in Europe, particularly among those who can afford to buy anything and everything they could possibly need or want for their baby. It seems that in those circles, a close friend or family member might give something thoughtful or sentimental but not necessarily the bottles and diapers and baby bathtubs that are the norm at most US baby showers.

I also think that many Americans and maybe it doesn't even matter if you're American or not, see these luxury hotel type showers as very ostentatious, very Kardashian-like, very Hollywood-like when most regular American baby showers involve a couple of hours, a few refreshments, and a host of very normal and necessary gifts exchanged in an aunt's living room or the private room of a local restaurant.

It just seems very much that had she had a small gathering of close friends for a very low key tea and cakes kind of thing with a few small sentimental gifts and good wishes it probably would have gone over better with the look of it than the destination, luxury hotel, State Department SUVs, spectacle it's being presented as. Whether or not it actually is that is hard to say but if it is, it all sort of smacks of a very Hollywood style rather than a very down to earth, low key, Queen keeps her cereal in tupperware like the rest of us type style.

While she wears her ultra-luxury scarves (with names like Hermes and Burberry) or her grand jewels. Reality is, royals might have moments of thriftiness or normalcy, they are by no means livings a normal person's life with a normal person's budget.

 

[JuliannaVictoria]

I agree with you, whatever it is, it has come across as very flashy and somewhat vulgar. It's like watching Meghan Markle the actress having a baby shower not HRH The Duchess of Sussex.

It may be a difference of cultures, but there is absolutely nothing wrong or vulgar with your friends throwing you a baby shower. And if said friends combined are worth billions, they are not going to give you a baby shower in their mom's or aunts living room.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

We actually don't know what is being served and what gifts, if any, are given.

In Meghan's situation, many of her long time friends live in America. Perhaps it was easier to arrange, that Meghan travelled over, instead of all of her friends traveling to UK. Added, that Meghan was always going to stay at a luxury hotel, don't all the royals do? So I don't know how a low key tea at living room was going to be arranged, when most of the guests would've travelled from another continent.

Btw, I personally hate the word 'vulgar' being used, when friends get together to celebrate a baby shower. Jmho.

 

[JuliannaVictoria]

What exactly seems flashy or vulgar? The fact that Meghan is staying at a hotel, where close friends might have held a baby shower for her? Good grief.

ETA: Meghan does not call the shots with the State Department.

Precisely, but not only the State Department but NYPD and her RPOs. She does what they say, not the other way around on this trip.

 

[jacqui24]

It may be a difference of cultures, but there is absolutely nothing wrong or vulgar with your friends throwing you a baby shower. And if said friends combined are worth billions, they are not going to give you a baby shower in their mom's or aunts living room.

Nor are they going to do it at your local restaurant considering there is a price tag on your head. There is nothing celebrity about State Department vehicle. It's very much a security issue. NOBODY wants an international incident on their hands and that's why they are involved.

 

[ACO]

Meghan's guests have arrived. It was everyone expected in addition to Gayle King.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/healt...uk&utm_medium=social_media&utm_source=twitter


Meghan shouldn't have to apologize for having wealthy friends who wound to spoil her. Not especially when she is part of a family living in palaces who wear tiaras. Let's have a little perspective. Again none of this money spent of of any of our concern -- Amal and Serena can do what they with with the money THEY worked hard for. Sheesh.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Why oh why doesn't TRF have an eye-rolling emoji?

They do! It is the classic one.

 

[DeeT]

Nice to know Duchess Meghan’s friends are able to spend some time with her. As shown yesterday, some in the media (Daily Mail, Sun) will make up all sorts of fake news. Yesterday, Royal Reporter for the Sun, had a full description from a ‘source’ of what ‘occurred’ at the shower, when it hasn’t even occurred as yet.

From more reliable sources:
The level of scrutiny the Duchess of Sussex receives is devoid of human feeling. This vilification must end.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/20/meghan-duchess-sussex-damned-hate-figure

 

[princess gertrude]

These comments are only my feelings of what I am seeing.....This shower does remind me of so many baby showers that are reported on in LA. I do not get a very royal or regal feeling in regards to Meghan's trip to NY.

 

[_Heather_]

I'm aware that she doesn't call the shots with security and the State Department. However, everyone seems to be terribly confused as to why many see this whole thing as very Hollywood, very flashy, very ostentatious...and I was trying to explain why I honestly think some people see it that way. Meghan has proven that she can be adept at low key and under the radar when she chooses to be. And I understand that everyone is going to scream that a server at the restaurant outed her and she didn't out herself. Fine. But the fact remains that the answer to why people are seeing this as flashy and celebrity-like is because this is exactly the kind of baby shower we see from celebrities and people that very much want to be in the public eye. I'm aware that we're not supposed to ever dare to compare Meghan's actions to those of any other member of the royal family because heaven forbid there be anything to learn from others but the fact remains that while it's true that the royals certainly have very wealthy circles and friends that are more than capable of financing an over the top party, they typically choose not to do so. In fact, I honestly can't recall ever hearing about a single baby shower thrown for any member of the royal family, although I do recall hearing about some personal and thoughtful gifts given after the births of some other royal children.

No one ever really believed she was going to have a baby shower with a bunch of people no one had ever heard of in Doria's sister's living room. However, it wouldn't have been impossible to have held a low key afternoon with friends if that's what she'd wanted. And that's fine, but everyone saying that this couldn't possibly come across badly should realize that it's not the norm that we typically see from members of the royal family, even those with many celebrity friends. And that even if it is Meghan and no one is ever supposed to have more than a glowingly positive opinion of her or her actions, it can and does translate a bit poorly in response to the question of whether or not this appears to be a celebrity style party.

All of that said, we have no idea if this is what it's being presented as or not. It's entirely possible that this is just a few days away to catch up with friends. But it does appear that most people believe she's in town for a baby shower and if the stories we're seeing today are to believed (and again, I really have no idea if they are or not) then cotton candy machines, $75,000 penthouse suites, etc. do appear to be a bit over the top for someone who so desperately wants privacy and to be left alone.

 

[ACO]

Kate was thrown a baby shower. It was written up and everything.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...ridge-to-receive-first-Royal-baby-shower.html

 

[jacqui24]

All of that said, we have no idea if this is what it's being presented as or not. It's entirely possible that this is just a few days away to catch up with friends. But it does appear that most people believe she's in town for a baby shower and if the stories we're seeing today are to believed (and again, I really have no idea if they are or not) then cotton candy machines, $75,000 penthouse suites, etc. do appear to be a big over the top for someone who so desperately wants privacy and to be left alone.

Actually, a baby shower in a suite is about as private as it'll get. She can't just go to a restaurant and have a baby shower. That's far more difficult to ensure her privacy. While we will now see people going in and out, we really know nothing as to what happened inside. Rest of it are all speculation, many of which has already been debunked. One of the tabloids seriously had details from inside, or at least claimed to, yesterday. When the baby shower hasn't even happened. And it's not from the online team. It's from a RR. While they do get some things right, it does tell me a lot about their sources.

As for the location, well a lot of them don't live in NYC, but it is a convenient place for people from different places to get to. Plus, it is a wonderful city with a lot of fun things and places to go. Paparazzi aside.

 

[Denville]

but why does she need a baby shower? Can't she afford things for the baby herself? why go all the way to NY when she's heavily pregnant.

 

[jacqui24]

but why does she need a baby shower? Can't she afford things for the baby herself? why go all the way to NY when she's heavily pregnant.

Because it's a good chance to celebrate with friends that's traditional in America. And she's allowed to do some things she wants to do on her private time. These days, baby showers aren't about if you can afford things. It's a chance for people to gather and do something fun together. The gifts are more gestures of kindness than anything else. It's like asking why do royals go on vacation.

 

[muriel]

Kate was thrown a baby shower. It was written up and everything.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...ridge-to-receive-first-Royal-baby-shower.html

No confirmation it actually happened, just speculation.