Ingrid Seward is an old-school royal watcher/commentator and biographer. Seward has access to Charles and Camilla on a regular basis, and she used to go back and forth on William and Kate. Like, she was perfectly capable of launching scathing criticisms at them years ago, but ever since Meghan came on the scene, suddenly Seward is all about embiggening Kate. Seward was the same commentator who made “Meghan’s American table manners” a thing, remember that? My point is that Seward is… a commentator with complicated loyalties, and I’m not sure what to make of her comments in the new issue of People Magazine. It’s about how Meghan is doing her delivery differently than Kate and how that’s perfectly fine. Or something.
Meghan Markle is choosing what’s right for her — and her baby. While many expected the Duchess of Sussex to follow in the footsteps of Kate Middleton and Princess Diana when it came to welcoming her child — by delivering the baby at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital and introducing the newborn to the world with a photo call outside — Meghan and Prince Harry recently announced that they’ll be keeping the exact plans private.
“People are delighted that Meghan is doing things differently,” royal author Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “She was under no pressure to do things the same.”
Instead of posing outside the hospital with their new son or daughter as Kate and Princess Diana did, Meghan and Harry announced that they will take part in a photo op with their new baby on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where they recently moved into their new home of Frogmore Cottage, in the days following the birth. Where Meghan gives birth will not be publicly shared, but it’s highly unlikely that she will chose St. Mary’s Hospital.
“It is completely understandable,” royal author Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “The Lindo Wing has become too much of a circus.”
It’s true that the Lindo Wing has become “too much of a circus.” Kate’s answer to that was to just to lean in and really create a tight schedule of bringing out the baby, posing happily and then being whisked away. I always thought that Kate’s first delivery – George – was rough and she felt like hell, but for Charlotte and Louis, she seemed so happy and pleased with how quickly everything happened. But yes, it’s still a circus and I don’t blame Meghan for not wanting to participate in it at all. I’m surprised that Ingrid Seward is also not bashing Meg for it. It really feels like the British papers would have people convinced that it’s Meghan’s DUTY to trot out her newborn as soon as he or she pops out.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.
The tabloids have tied themselves in knots. Why would Harry and Meghan be obliged to present the baby when they’re as unimportant and irrelevant as we keep being told?
Some loon left comments here a few days ago, claiming in all seriousness that the British public *owns* members of the royal family (because taxes), and so are entitled the demand to the baby whenever, wherever.
The press have also been pushing a watered down version of this as well.
I think some people have genuinely lost their marbles, obsessing over this couple and their lives.
Sussex Derangement Syndrome on Crack.
That is a typical theme from the tumblr and RD crowd, the presumed ownership of Meghan and their child. At this point, those types have shown they’re racist hand multiple times. To use Kaiser’s phrase, they’re leaning in.
I agree that Kate “leaned in.” I think for the second and third births, she probably figured – let’s just get this over with so I can get home and get some sweatpants on. With George, they waited a day to present him, and then went back into the hospital for a few minutes, and then came out and left. For Charlotte and Louis, they showed them that day and left almost immediately after. So I definitely think there was an element of “I don’t want to be at the hospital anymore, I want to go home, so let me do the whole heels and hair thing and then get out of here.” I know some have said that Kate reportedly did not like how she looked in the pictures after George’s birth, which is why she was more done up for Charlotte and Louis, but the pictures with George are some of my favorites of her.
Anyway, I imagine Ingrid Seward has picked up on some of the criticism about the RRs coverage of this. I agree that she has “complicated loyalties” and here, she probably doesn’t want to be lumped in with the ones who are acting like they have a right to Baby Sussex.
ETA – so to clarify, I think that Kate decided that showing the baby very quickly and then getting the hell out of dodge was the best way to maintain some privacy during that time. Meghan and Harry seem to be going a different route, but still with the goal of maintaining some privacy. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
I’m just feeling sad for Kate inretropect.
She just had a baby and is worried about her appearance?
All the while William has no worries.
Pretty and.
Its’ more than that.
People don’t realise that royal births create huge pressure for the hospitals as well.
The resources, the attention, the protocol e.t.c
These are not abandoned warehouses, they are functioning institutions who for half a day are somewhat upended in their process and with their patients due to the ‘royal factor’.
The royals make a quick exit, exactly because they’re aware of the hassle they bring and like many, opt to recuperate at home with the help of mid-wives.
And it’s not that unusual, my sister had both her babies at St Mary’s, (NOT the Lindo Wing 😉😉), and was out by the following morning.
Well, of course there are logistical concerns. But I think if Kate wanted to stay longer than 12 hours, she probably could.
Previous royal births like Diana didn’t stay longer either.
Why the assumption that Kate wanted to pursue that option ever?
Fergie used the Portland – which is a private hospital – so doesn’t factor here.
The security force required, the lock-down, disturbance of other patients, and the crowd all figure in whether it is NHS or private hospital. Diana stayed up to 36 hours with William and Harry. Fergie was in for several days with Beatrice, a week with Eugenie. Sophie was in for at least a week after nearly losing her life during delivery.
As I already said, private hospitals give more leeway than NHS hospitals.
Fact.
Both Portland – Fergie’s choice – and the former St Johns & Elizabeth Hospital.
And even back in the Diana days, there were complaints about the hustle and pooling of NHS resources of Royal Birth.
That these factors are taken into consideration prior, – as are ALL process of royal protocol – does not mean the royal now opt to take liberal advantage of it.
And of course, Sophie – like almost any mother, royal or not – would warrant extra hospital attention and days after difficult birth.
I was thinking that too about the RRs. Before they could just spout whatever they wanted. But now I’m seeing some really “aggressive” comments in response to their nonsense…and I’m here for it.
They weren’t ready for those Twitter comments 😂
I hope there are hurt feelings. They can be such trash sometimes with no regard for their words or platform
Gosh, would I lurrve to see a link if anyone has seen any good takedowns! 😋
@Oh No, they’re hurt feelings because some of the RR have blocked several of them. The RR don’t like when people come with receipts.
@Becks1 I just went back and looked at the pix couple with each new baby and I completely agree with you. In the George pictures she looks absolutely radiant and casual. For the other two, there is a whole different vibe and while she is more “put together” In the pix for the other two, I like the first best. Also, she always looks so much better in general with her baby weight.
It’s definitely true in retrospect in the George pictures her look is a lot more casual than with Charlotte or Louis. With George yes she had her hair blown out by her hairdresser but her makeup was lighter her dress was more casual and she had more casual wedges. With the other two much more makeup, dressier outfit and actual heels.
I remember when George was born people were saying how great it was that she wore a dress that showed that her tummy had not gone immediately flat straight after birth. I speculate that she did not like those comments and was much more rigorous about how she appeared after the next two births.
Well of course Megs had no pressure to follow Kate, Kate is the future QC (insert eye roll 🙄).
I love Megs. She really has brought some fresh air to this old archaic system. And Kate did do better with each pregnancy. I can’t wait until baby Sussex arrives – let the madness begin.
Meghan looks so pretty in the header photo.
I always wonder how the tabloids go back and explain themselves after all the lies they tell.
They don’t. They just pretend they never said what they said, as if the internet doesn’t exist, and then completely contradict themselves or lie or whatever. They have no self awareness or accountability.
She’s one of those Royal Reporters that says one thing in Britain (piss and vinegar) and another to Americans (sugar). Kate could barely support Charlotte’s head for her post delivery must copy Diana photo op.
I was just going to write that, in the English magazine she is editor of, she went bonkers about Meghan breaking protocol.
She is such a lying hag, when I look at her, just want to get an iron and press her face, where did all that loose skin come from and that wig on her head.
That’s her punishment looking at her face every day.
Still remember her saying Meghan would not know which fork or spoon to use when having dinner with the Queen.
@Peg that’s a wig? I thought she just needed a good keratin treatment.
The pettiness of the reporting about Meghan is beyond eh? She really pushed their racist, classist buttons.
Ingrid Seward is kind of awful and definitely stuck in the 80s.
Recently I read something in Hello where she said that Meghan needs to take responsibility for her dad and make everything right between them now that the baby is going to be here. It was totally tone deaf and ignorant.
She also wrote something about how it will be SO interesting to see what the baby looks like because Meghan and Harry look so different from each other. Ummm..
No!??? how ignorant!
I really hope the next royal couple or parent dont pose outside a hospital again.
It’s highly disruptive and disrespectful to people using the hospital.
I wonder if Eugenie is pregnant. She looked a bit ‘covering her middle’ in the new pics of her with the queen at church. Assuming she is the next to have a baby I’ll be curious what she and her husband choose to do.
Welp, if her and her husband don’t want all the pomp and circumstance, I’m sure mama Fergs and Randy Andy will step in for the photo op
I get serious Gypsy Rose Lee vibes from that side of the family…what those girls must have seen growing up 🙄
Yes, I think Meghan’s decision is a “win win” – both for her and her privacy as well as for other hospital patients.
Also some pretty influential people had her back recently like Beyonce, Jay and Oprah. They have a collectively massive fan base.
Richard Palmer is on Twitter want to do a summit about the negative coverage about Meghan. He realizes the RRs reputations have taken a sustained hit and I guess he wants to show the willingness to change.
I think that NY Times article ruffled a few feathers. Putting those quotes from Jan Moir, Arthur Edwards and Val Low all together looked pretty bad.
Lol, a bit late for that now. He was one of the RRs leading the sustained attack on Meghan. But now he realizes all the RRs are being lumped together and getting backlash…and now he’s sorry? Welp.
someone on twitter mentioned a Manchester football player who received racist reporting as well. He created an instagram account and now reporters want to play nice. Whether a republic or more royal members taking charge of their social media, soon RR will be a thing of the past.
@Mia. I think I know what you’re talking about. That footballer posted side-by-side comparisons of the headlines about his purchase of a car (or house) for his mom and another white footballer’s purchase for his mom. The tabloids treated the white footballer’s actions in a positive light and the black footballer’s actions in a negative light.
He brought receipts and it was glorious! I wish I could remember his name but I don’t follow Manchester.
Sadly, many of our football players are covered in a racist way. Most recently it was Ashley Young of Manchester United who was abused by his own supporters, but usually it’s Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling. The Daily Mail is particularly bad, as you might expect.
What a whimpy little rabbit, this guy follows Meghan’s haters on Twitter, guess the abusive Tweets he is getting are too much.
All the RR are upset, because people are calling them what they’re, racist and classist.
They thought they could post lies and no one would call them on it.
He was attacking a tax law professor at one point trying to say he was teaching at a trashy university. I mean that’s not how you address accusations of misogynoir. It was ridiculous.
That law professor is amazing. Keeps coming at the RRs with receipts.
richard palmer is one of the worst and has enough meghan haters he is in contact with –
Royal Reporters are trash.
It seems like what he wants is for other people to reassure him that everything they’re doing is ok.
He claims he doesn’t see racism in the coverage of Meghan (because he’s willfully ignorant of what covert racism is. If someone doesn’t say “I hate her because she’s black””, it doesn’t count in his eyes) and wants some quotes kissing his ass.
What these reporters don’t address is, just as one example, the endless pearl-clutching articles about Meghan breaking protocol when she’s doing exactly what other royal women have done. What’s different here? If it isn’t racism, then what is it?
And that’s completely ignoring “straight outta Compton”, “niggling doubt”, “interloper”…
Some of the comments on the Daily Fail are the most racist comments I have ever read in my life.
Palmer is awful. I think I stopped following him, but have to double check.
Lol hes been in so many Twitter arguments. He needs to give it a rest.
Richard Palmer can take a seat. He has been right there alongside the rest of them, trashing Meghan for months. He needs to sit this one out.
Imagine being that un-self-aware!
I’m sorry, but no. I don’t think for one second that he’s willing to change. This is he chance to get a group full of black Britons in a room and tell them what they’re feeling isn’t valid. I think he wants to explain their feelings away. That he wasn’t being racist. He was following his journalistic responsibility. He’ll then come away from the meeting and post (or write an article) about how misunderstood people were, but that he listened, and he’ll try to be better (be best!). But I think he’s vile and he’ll stay vile. Similar to Piers Morgan.
He has behaved horribly.
I really think some of the people reported him.
He called one woman on Twitter horrid names when she defended Meghan and she happen to be a lawyer. She said she reported him to one of the press complaint organizations and to the newspaper.
Some of His tweets were outing where posters worked. Several of those people reported him.
I hate that outfit on Meghan. It’s so costumey.
in that top photo meghan looks like a fresh angel popping out of an elderly woman taking her last breath.
That makes no sense
If you know about hospice care, it makes a lot of sense. I knew right away what she was talking about.
For the first time I agree with Seward. The Lindo Wing thing has become a circus and it’s cringe IMO
What not read the other article she wrote, saying the opposite of what she wrote in People.
I don’t care where, when, how she has her baby just keep showing her gorgeous outfits.
Me, either. But I would like to know gender and name. I don’t even need to see a picture right away. It’s a newborn. ::shrug::
I would have thought, for what it’s worth, that H&M are protecting their newborn (and themselves) from a Pa/White Markle onslaught in keeping the delivery and subsequent photoshoot as restricted and secure as possible. They certainly don’t need Ingrid Sewer’s support or approbation in so doing.