Folks, royal engagements can be long. Peter and Autumn announced their engagement July 2007. They didn’t get married until May 2008. So, Royal engagement and wedding timetables can vary, not necessarily due at a short timetable.
As other posters have pointed out: this is different. Anything can happen between now and the birth of Cambridge baby #3.
I believe Harkle are already engaged, and probably they are in no hurry to make an official announcement. They could do so before Christmas, or not. The only thing the media frenzy might cause, is for Harkle to pull back even further. They are on their own timetable and probably, as Meghan told us in the VF article:
"This is our time. That's what makes it special..." They may wish to continue holding onto their undercover privacy for a little while longer.
I doubt there will be a long engagement. In fact, they may wish to enjoy Christmas together privately, and then go on another 3-week vacation in January (perhaps back to Norway or somewhere else special). They could make an official announcement around Valentine's Day, or even wait until early March. Then the Cambridge baby watch would ensue and detract a bit of attention away from Harkle (which they would probably welcome). If H&M announce in February or March of next year, it will give Meghan and her dogs time to settle in, wedding plans a chance to be further mapped-out, and the lead-up time to the actual ceremony blessfully shortened (perhaps purposefully in order to try and avoid as much media over-excitement and saturation as possible).
Well you've got to admit if the two actually do get married it could potentially spice things up for the House of Windsor. ?
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I get where you're coming from, in a good way. Meghan's nickname after all, is Nutmeg. ?
The BRF are neither a recipe, nor a Soap Opera.. thank you very much !
Laughter is the Best Medicine.
The British royal familly are larger than life, and they live their lives in a fishbowl, so there will always be aspects of larger than life drama that gets played out. The difference these days is that W&H are maintaining firm control over their scripts. There will be no 'Diana-like' media hounding. It won't be tolerated. There will be no intimate revelations of epic proportions. Both of these young men are devoted to, protective of and supportive of their partners for life.
I agree with you, wyevale. The last thing the "Firm" and the monarchy needs is spicing up. I think we had our fill of that during the 90s.
Its best if things continue to work and run on an even keel. This isn't to say that watching Harry and Meghan together in action isn't going to be a pure joy but I don't see them really deviating from the norm.
See my above comments.
Things being spiced-up by 'Nutmeg' and 'Ginger' Harry does not mean they will be deviating too far from normal royal protocol. They are in the process of making a very special private recipe cake with some delightfully spicy ingredients.
However, they won't be sharing hardly any of that cake with the public.
Much less should we expect to get our fill of any tiny morsels they may tempt us with. Their spicy new cake is mostly for them to enjoy, and for us to ponder at a mouthwatering distance.
Harkle have been constantly surprising us throughout their delicious courtship, in a good way. The difference from 90s C&D is 'true love,' maturity, and a spirit of adventure/ genuine caring passed down from Diana, which Harry & Meghan both embody.
As well, Harry & Meg will surely work with Will & Kate as a tag team in support of the Prince of Wales when he becomes King. And as we know, King Charles III is planning on launching some rule-breaking changes and new recipes of his own. He will need the strong support of not only Camilla, but of both his sons and their wives, if the modern British monarchy is to successfully transition into a new age.
Oh oops, I think I just coined a new nickname for H&M: 'Ginger & Nutmeg,' to go along with 'Harkle Sparkle.'