Meghan Markle met Prince Charles at Harry’s birthday party at Balmoral

FFN_GG_USA_Upfront_051613_51099225

At this time last week, I thought Hillary Clinton would win in an electoral college landslide and I thought Prince Harry was single. How much can change in one week, huh? We’re less than a week into the Girlfriend Rollout of Meghan Markle, the American actress who has stolen Prince Harry’s heart. They’ve been together for months, and despite the earlier reports that this was all very new and still in its “early days,” it seems more and more like Harry is definitely and absolutely serious about Meghan. Serious to the point where she got an invite to Balmoral to meet the Prince of Wales. We had already heard that Meghan had met Harry’s dad, but the fact that he brought her to Balmoral feels really, really official.

Future in-law? Prince Harry introduced girlfriend Meghan Markle to father Prince Charles during a shooting party at the royal Balmoral estate in Scotland, sources confirm to Us Weekly. The encounter took place during Harry’s 32nd birthday bash in September, after the prince had invited his nearest and dearest to the secluded estate in Aberdeenshire for two days of country pursuits, including grouse shooting.

Sources reveal that the Prince of Wales even hosted the couple at his Birkhall residence, a grand hunting lodge on the grounds of Balmoral. (Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was in London due to previous engagements.)

“I’d call the visit a coming-out party,” a source tell Us of the Suits actress and Harry’s two-night trip, which saw them fly in from London on September 15. “It would have been the first time some of his close friends got to meet her.”

And while Markle, 35, had already met some guests — including Princess Eugenie and partner Jack Brooksbank — on previous trips to the U.K., it was the first time many of Harry’s inner circle had the opportunity to meet the American actress.

“It’s been important for Harry to introduce Meghan to the people he cares about,” adds a pal of the couple, who have been dating since June. Charles may have been the first immediate family member Markle has met, but sources tell Us that Prince William and Duchess Kate are likely be next.

“Not meeting William and Kate yet has simply been about not being in the same place at the same time,” explains an insider. “They will see each other soon.”


[From Us Weekly]

Us Weekly and the other media outlets really want us to be primed for some Meghan-versus-Duchess-Kate girl drama. They want the story to be huge when we hear that Harry has finally introduced Meghan to his sister-in-law. But the reality just seems different and less important. While the royal propaganda would have us believe that Harry and Kate are super-close, I just don’t believe they are. I doubt Harry cares about what Kate thinks about his life. Which isn’t to say that there’s no potential for drama. Kate has been “queen bee” of the Wales brothers for years, and she has a well-documented history of not being friendly with the women in Harry and William’s orbit. Meghan Markle is a sophisticated, hard-working, charitable woman who knows how to do her makeup properly and wear clothes that suit her figure. Are you kidding? Kate is probably having a nervous breakdown right now.

FFN_CHP_WILLIAM_P_712016_52109307

FFN_CHP_WILLIAM_P_712016_52109546

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

190 Responses to “Meghan Markle met Prince Charles at Harry’s birthday party at Balmoral”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. polonoscopy says:

    There is only one royal who I care about Meghan Markle meeting: Prince Phillip. For reasons that are terribly, horribly obvious.

    • Jennah says:

      “People think there’s a rigid class system here, but dukes have even been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans.” Prince Philip, 2000.

      • PHAKSI says:

        The shade thrown at Americans is funny 🙂 No offense to American Celebitches

      • tigerlily says:

        LOL….reminds me of the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey when commenting about her daughter in law’s American mother. So funny and Maggie Smith as the Dowager is priceless.

    • Hudson Girl says:

      I think she is beautiful enough to distract Phil. The thing I am praying for is some drama in this- maybe an unplanned pregnancy?

    • ravensdaughter says:

      “Oh my, but she’s an American”.

    • mbh12 says:

      TWITTER: (from @.emynash) & she (Meghan) stayed at Birkhall sept for H’s 32nd bday.”

  2. HappyMom says:

    I’d written Megan Markle off as another Koo Stark (yes, I’m old) but clearly she is a serious girlfriend.

    • LAK says:

      Meghan hasn’t made Soft porn as far as we know which rules out any comparison between her and Koo Stark.

    • Tough Cookie says:

      Koo Stark……ah, that takes me back….waaaaaaay back.

      • mbh12 says:

        Meghan pursued her career , her education, is successful , beautiful and a lovely speaker. I just watched her UN Speech and she is wonderful.

        I don’t get why the UK press tries to put an actress in a box as not worthy. She is definitely a person who worked hard to get where she is, which is more than I can say about Kate who basically spent 8 yrs during and after university partying, while the UK press lauded her as a breath of fresh air. LOL

    • Pixelated says:

      Ok, I just read this woman’s Wikipedia and I like her already. She seems smart, caring and I think she’d be a huge breath of fresh air former BRF. But maybe she’s just too different for them…. it’ll be interesting to see how this one rolls out. I doubt it will last long.

    • Sarah says:

      She takes off most of her clothes on television. I saw a still where she just had underpants on and was in an embrace with a man, no bra.

      No. He’s not going to end up with her.

      • notasugarhere says:

        You mean she’s paid to act in love scenes on television, none of which qualify her as Koo Stark?

      • Lorelai says:

        Yes, but that was part of her job.

        W&K frolic in the nude just for funsies! 🙂

  3. LiterallyaShambles says:

    I still just don’t believe this, for the simple reason that she’s not me

    • Dtab says:

      I am the same….I don’t believe it because she is not with ME, I have loved Rachel Zane for many years now.

    • PHAKSI says:

      Same 🙁 I guess I have to find another pretend boyfriend now

    • Melly says:

      @LiterallyaShambles
      It’s like you took the words right from my mouth!

    • wow says:

      @LiterallyAShamblesYep! That is my only complaint to. Lol

      That and the fact that these magazines keep giving contrasting reports. First it was she has already met Will & Kate and they love her, next it’s that she’ll probably meet them soon. Just further proof that they know nothing more than the average outside reader.

      • mbh12 says:

        I think some of them are taking bits and pieces from the original articles and embellishing with more tidbits. LOL

  4. PHAKSI says:

    If Meghan/Harry have anything to do with all these stories they need to stop. She seems like she would make a great partner for Harry but Im already so sick of reading about her. If the stories arent her doing, then I feel sorry for her

    • LAK says:

      She’s been giving interviews for her profession and endorsements and charities long before she met Harry.

      These are now being repackaged to appear new and or commentary on her alleged relationship with Harry eg the comment about being the luckiest girl in the world was lifted from an interview where she was talking about her job. Repackaged to look like a comment about Harry.

      Further, due to the number of interviews, endorsements in the public domain there is plenty for the media to pick apart or repackage.

      • PHAKSI says:

        Like Bridget said below, it must be serious for them to put up with this or she is that desparate 4 the PR. I agree with Digital Unicorn that she is doing her bit to fuel the fire

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      I think its a mix of both – she’s allowing the press to run rampant as either way she benefits from the PR exposure. I think if they had something going on its now over, hence why the press are all over it.

      And as for Chutney – she will NOT be happy about these stories of if indeed they are true. One of the reasons why Harry has been cool with Kate is that she apparently told Chelsy that the cheating comes with the package of being a Royal GF – which was mean for many reasons but mostly as there have never been any indication that Harry is like William, a serial cheater.

      • perplexed says:

        How does one even stop the press from running with the story? I don’t think she’s that powerful. Sort of famous, but not really powerful.

      • Suzanne says:

        Ummm…I’m from the other side of the Pond….IS William a serial cheater NOW? I thought Kate and William were so madly in love? Somebody clear this up for me!!!

      • Megan says:

        I think Kate should endorse this choice. If Harry married a socialite from the right family, Kate would look considerably less shiny by comparison. By marrying someone who is so completely different from her, Kate can avoid some unflattering comparisons.

        Now when it comes to workload, Kate is just going to have to get to it or live with the unflattering comparisons.

      • Bridget says:

        How does one allow the press to run rampant?

        I think it would really behoove Kate to make an effort with this girlfriend if they’re really that serious. But she probably won’t.

      • PHAKSI says:

        Perplexed, a simple denial would have done the trick. Even if she was lying, it would have saved her all this mess

      • perplexed says:

        But maybe they’re really dating. Do I think they will marry? Not really, because I do think the royal family is pretty old-fashioned. But I could see him enjoying a fling of sorts with her. Charles dated heavily in his day. I don’t see why Harry (or William before he married Kate) would be any different.

        Unless she’s super-religious or something, I don’t really see her turning down the chance to sleep with Harry either. He’s not everybody’s type, but he’s charismatic enough to get women to sleep with him for whatever reason.

    • Bridget says:

      They’ve seemingly been dating for 6 months without a peep, and even now she’s said nothing. Nothing she’s doing is implying that she’s reveling in what must be intense scrutiny. Not to mention, she’d have to be cold as ice to date someone for 6 months just for attention, and nothing about her indicates that other than what folks are projecting.

      • Nikki says:

        Ah Bridget, a sane, thoughtful comment. Good luck with that if she continues to date Harry; people seem to read schemes and plots into anything people in the limelight do!

      • Guesto says:

        @Bridget – absolutely. That they’ve kept this on the downlow for six months says the polar opposite of ‘pushy’.

        It really makes me wonder about those who, in the face of actual facts, still continue to push this anti-Meghan narrative…

      • notasugarhere says:

        +1

      • The Original Mia says:

        Thank you for the reasonable post, Bridget. I’ve lost my patience with other sites and their vitriol towards Meaghan. She’s not Cress Mess, who was obviously using Harry. I don’t know Meaghan other than from Suits, but she seems like a fine woman. And if she’s making the Ginger Prince happy (with the added bonus of shining a spotlight on the uselessness of the Cambridges), then I’m all for this relationship.

    • wow says:

      I don’t feel either she or Harry are behind this press. The press will male a story out of anything so any lady he dates will have these type of stories out about there about them.

      Plus as someone stated earlier she is a working actress with a career. She will be in the press in her own right even without the Harry attachment.

  5. HH says:

    I think any woman in Harry’s orbit is bound to have actually have friends (including the Yorks) and not care about Kate. That’s how it went with both Chelsy and Cressida. Harry seems to like lively, friendly women.

    Kate doesn’t seem to have any friends. And Pippa… well, she’s always seemed particularly close with the men of the wealthier set. Granted, this could all be due to which story and/or photos the media publishes, but when you hear about her trips, meetings, sporting events and there are all men pictured with her 9 out of 10 times. It’s odd. It lends itself to that “wisteria sisters” story.

    • Kitty says:

      Harry’s future wife can make or break the future of the monarchy.

      • mbh12 says:

        Exactly HH , I get that too. I always felt Harry’s choices were better than William’s choice in Kate. Harry’s gf have lives, friends and seemed to remain who they were in their personalities. Kate seemed cold , always in pursuit of the ring, no life, no real friends and isolated w her mom to help her plot.

  6. Mousyb says:

    It seems like Megan could give Kate a run for her money. Like you said, shes charitable, has amazing (imo – BETTER) fashion sense and is overall more down to earth. Day by day this tabloid story is seeming more real – I will definitely be following this!

    • Locke Lamora says:

      She also has an actual career she got on her own, unlike Kate, Cressida or Chelsy ( yeah, she got a law degree, but I think she’s a jewellery desinger now).

      I dont know why she would be willimg to give up that career to be a useless burden on the British people.

      • Mousyb says:

        Truth. Idk maybe I’ve giving her too much credit because I have a soft spot for Suits even though its not great television but given her seemingly genuine care for humanitarian causes I think she could be another Diana for sure and actually go out and do some good.

      • mbh12 says:

        Cressida had a charity she was part of creating as a teen and is still involved with.
        She was in her second year of University when she started dating Harry , and then she went to another Conservatory after earning her University degree , she started getting a bit of work just after graduating . I think Harry’s ladies are all women who were no t ” just sitting ” waiting for some Prince to show up.

        IMO Kate was called ” the limpet” by Harry for good reason. She had no goals except waiting for William.

      • Sarah says:

        You are seriously comparing an actress in a D list show with a lawyer? Come on!!

      • Mbh12 says:

        Harry likes women who have their own lives and pursue careers, they dont sit and wait for a guy to start their lives. Like Waity Katey did. He likes women who are in pursuit of goals,they are not sitting around being limpets, as he called Kate. Lol
        I have no problem with Meghan being an actress , she is educated and set goals for herself.
        IMO A degree in the Arts is a valuable degree.. Look at Broadway Shows , Films , Lieratary works , journalists, to me a Arts degree has value. What people have a desire to pursue as far as a degree is up to them I have no problem with someone being a lawyer or a actor or Chef , Jewelry designer, , fashion designer, etc , as long as they are respectful of themselves , not breaking any Law’s and doing what THEY love.

  7. paolanqar says:

    Is it me or she looks like a polished version of Pippa Middleton?

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      Yes minus the perma orange tan. Its the eyes and shape of face.

    • iralagi says:

      No no no. She’s definitely a lot prettier than any middleton ladies.

    • Jenna says:

      She only looks like Pippa in peoples mind because a)Pippa has all the fake bake on b) similar hair and c) connection to the royals doubt anyone would bring up Pippa if she was dating lets say Tom Cruise
      This woman isn’t tanned like Pippa she is biracial and her curls are straightened. Watch her show and she really doesnt look like Pippa.

      • bluebella says:

        She looks totally white in the picture above.

      • Hannah says:

        Omg! Can people stop with the ” she looks white” palaver? She’s not white, what’s the end game with commenting she “looks white” when you know she isn’t? It seems like people say that as if it makes her better. Mixed raced people come in all kinds of shades. I am mixed raced myself. I have been told similar stuff it really is quite annoying.
        Rant over.

      • tigerlily says:

        Hannah, I hear you! I too am biracial but have very pale skin but Native American features. So many people like to point out that I don’t “look Indian” but that I look exotic. WTF?? I am very proud of my heritage on both sides but people have a way of being so ignorant.

      • mbh12 says:

        I don’t know why people are saying she looks white, imo she doesn’t look white, She looks African American and white mixture.

        African Americans come in all shades too, many with a light complexion. I have blue eyed light complexion family members who are African American both parents. I don’t know why people are tripping trying to say she looks White.

        She’s a beautiful lady. imo

      • FrostedFlakes says:

        agreed. she doesn’t look like Pippa, they only have the same “look”. she looks more like Elizabeth Marks, the Invictus swimmer

      • bluebella says:

        Yes I’m biracial too, It’s not that I think it’s better that she is white but it does annoy me when the white genes that are used to make a biracial (I’m talking about biracial when black and white mix) is denied. All of my family is either biracial or white. We no longer have blacks in my family because they are now dead (of old age)and all the biracials have procreated with white. All the children and teenagers of my family are all 75% white 25% black. Most of them are milk bottle white with fair hair or blonde hair and no visible trace of black in them. Some have olive skin and dark hair and no black facial features -like Megan. I get annoyed when darker people especially African American women use the one drop rule to take these obviously white features and claim them as black features. I have had black women point to a blond haired, blue eyed, white skinned biracial in my family and say yes us blacks come in all shades without acknowledging that a white/olive skinned, blond/fair haired blue eyed biracial looks like that because of the whitYe genes that they have and not because of the black genes they have. Rant over. And I take it back maybe she doesn’t look totally white but please don’t deny that that olive skin, lack of Afro hair and her facial features have come about because she has an abundance of white genes in her.

    • Maria says:

      Pips is very pretty but this girl is gorgeous.

    • FrostedFlakes says:

      I saw a comment this week where someone posted that she looks more like the Invictus swimmer elizabeth marks, and I agree. People would LIKE for her to look like Pippa, and she does to a point. However I have seen photos of elizabeth marks and m markle (see similar names too) and they could pass for sisters – and lots of similarities between them as well. I think that because Marks has a serious bf and not available why Harry went after meghan

  8. Bridget says:

    There’s no way he’d intentionally subject her to this kind of scrutiny if it wasn’t serious. Good luck to them.

    Re: Harry and Kate. Even though Harry notoriously made fun of her in her clingy girlfriend days, I’ve always thought he softened that stance as time went on. Which would be pretty normal, considering the amount of time has passed and the fact that neither are in their early 20s anymore, and relationships do change especially when it becomes obvious that person isn’t going anywhere. But I think a more important factor is whether or not Harry and Will are particularly close, because William seems like a difficult person to have for a brother. I’m not suggesting that Harry is so close to Kate that he wants her approval on his girlfriends, but that they probably get on better.

    • PHAKSI says:

      This. Will is his brother. I imagine his opinion of Harry’s future wife matters more to him than what Kate thinks. I havent read anything about what Will thinks

    • notasugarhere says:

      He stated at the time of the engagement that he was “looking forward to getting to know her.” Doesn’t sound like it was a close relationship for the 10 years of dating. After the wedding, well, make the best of it she’s in the family (for now).

  9. bluhare says:

    Didn’t I read that she’d already met William and Kate and they liked her?

      • mbh12 says:

        Harry probably cares what William thinks. I think he’d be happy if she and Kate got on well, but I am NOT sure he’d be overly concerned what Kate thought. . He use to call Kate the Limpet, when she dated William.

  10. Narak says:

    I hope it works out for them, and on a side note, those are terrible pictures of the Royal family. I love the ginger kid in the foreground of the first photo and the stink-eye that Will is giving the photographer in the second.

  11. Jade says:

    I don’t believe they’ll get married but hey I’m ok if proven wrong. In fact I’m ready to watch the meltdown. I also think it doesn’t matter what Phillip thinks though that wont stop a few racist barbs from him.

  12. sushi says:

    Not believing. Since when is US Weekly the gospel of truth. Until the palace confirms, otherwise just something to make quick bucks.

    • addie says:

      Finally! Why does everyone believe this when Harry and Meghan have never been seen together, neither has acknowledged the other, all the dates when they met are different and disputed and when there are wildly different stories about when Meghan met Charles, Kate, William etc? As you say, until someone formally announces something, it’s just hearsay.

  13. Spaniard89 says:

    But the other day it was reported she had already met Kate and Will at Kensington Palace.
    The constant reporting and changing versions it’s exhausting and it’s just been a week.
    And after seeing the new pics of her at DM where she has such an obvious loving the attention smirk I’m sure she and her PR behind this. And calling the police to show up when she’s leaving so that it seems she has official state protection is pathetic. DM had put that on headlines but changed it after finding out that and that the black SUV with bodyguard types was actually from her tv show’s production.
    If she wanted to look like a milking famewhore congrars, she succeeded.

    • Jenna says:

      Meh you realise every paparazzi worth their weight would be desperate to get the first pics of her with or without Harry. You don’t think maybe she or someone close to her called the police because her house was besieged with paparazzi?
      You sound like you’re coming straight from the commentator section at the Daily Fail, the sun or some kind of trashy british tabloid. I genuinly couldn’ care less about the royal family but comments like yours that make me hope Harry marries this girl!

      • Spaniard89 says:

        Your lecture would be more convincing if you didn’t attack me just for having a different opinion. You seem like the one coming from DF comments section.

      • Hannah says:

        spaniard!
        She kept the relationship secret for 6 months yes such a fameHo! 😂I think you project what you want to see. 😜

    • Mbh12 says:

      TV shows send Cars, SUV’s to pick actors up to make sure they get to the set with no problems and are on time, It’s not unusual that Meghan had SUV’s pick her up.
      She can’t control that the DMail tried to make more of it.
      It’s good they changed the headline.

  14. Alleycat says:

    I actually think Harry and Kate are close. They seem to have genuine chemistry in the pictures we see of them and I think it’s more of a brother/sister relationship. I think it’s quite obvious they get along (they may not be bffs, but I don’t see why this site seems to think everybody hates Kate).

    I like this girl. If Harry wont date me, I’m glad it’s not a blonde socialite like Cressy that he has chosen.

    • LAK says:

      Harry is courteous to Kate in public, but he is colder towards her with each passing year.

      When she was a newly wed, Camilla, Sophie and Harry were noticeably the only royals kind to Kate in public which led to wrong headlines that Harry was flirting with Kate.

      When you watch live footage of their interactions, he is still courteous, but he is cold unlike the early days. He remains warm towards William which makes his changed behaviour to Kate much more noticeable.

      • Alleycat says:

        I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree because I see them always laughing and whispering to each other. I think in no way is it flirting but that they just genuinely get along. I know people hate kate on this site but that doesn’t have to mean her family and friends hate her as well.

      • LAK says:

        Alleycat: My comment wasn’t saying he hates her. I wouldn’t even say that he dislikes her. He is courteous that is all. Occassionally he has been known to smile or laugh with her. He also doesn’t ignore her when she talks to him unlike other members, but it’s not a warm relationship compared to where it was when she first joined the family.

      • Bridget says:

        See, this kind of stuff makes me think more and more that Kate has some serious problems behind the scenes. Because those two seemed like they got along pretty well, but Kate has gotten more and more awkward and withdrawn over the years. I genuinely think that she’s depressed and its getting worse over time. Before I get jumped on, I’m not making a commentary about her work schedule.

      • Robin says:

        How do you know what his attitude toward Kate is, or how “warm” their relationship is, simply because of the way they behave in public? Talk about a stretch.

      • notasugarhere says:

        As I said above, he basically admitted at the time of the engagement that he didn’t know her. 10 years of dating his brother, no relationship between the two of them. After the wedding W&K lived in Wales, blink of an eye in London, now in the country hours away from Harry.

        Harry is courteous to everyone, seeks to put people at ease. He looks noticeable more tense around the two of them as time goes on. The trio engagements are a lesson in body language.

    • Locke Lamora says:

      I know Kate has her issues, like lack of work and eyeliner, but she doesn’t stike me as an a-hole. And her and Harry do seem close.
      I get why she could be stressed about women around William, but I doubt she cares about Harry’s girlfriends. And as much as we call Kate boring, Cressida wasn’t exactly full of substance either. Maybe they just didn’t have anything to talk about.

      • Adi says:

        @Locke – Cressida herself may not have mattered to Kate – infact my opinion is Cress seemed even more boring & empty than Kate if thats even possible. But Kate didnt care about that – she was worried about Cressida’s sister- the supposed love of the life of William! Her sister was the girl WIlliam chased after he dumped Kate..so naturally Kate would not like Cressida possibly marrying into the family… If Kate had any work ethic, such petty things should not even bother her but then its Kate we are talking about

      • Bridget says:

        William is the supposed love of William’s life. Cressida’s sister was just another girl he chased – the big difference was that she wasn’t interested and built her image on that.

      • Adi says:

        @Bridget: Hahaha…actually I would say WIlliam is not supposed but the definite love of his own life 😉

      • mbh12 says:

        I think Cressida was busy living her life. She was in University second or third year when she started dating Harry, She was busy with her studies earning her degree, When she finished University she wanted to pursue her career. not just sit and wait . She had also created a charity, was involved in charities and had a life of her own. She was not sitting around waiting for a Prince like Kate.

        Neither Cressida, nor Chelsy were waiting for some guy to start their lives.
        I think that’s why I always liked Harry’s choices in girlfriends better than I liked Kate.

        Kate just seemed desperate , desperate to have William, desperate to wait, desperate to stop her young career goals,, desperate ,to become Royalty. Whereas Cressida and Chelsy didn’t

  15. Size Does Matter says:

    Part of me wonders if the palace is supporting this romance with the American divorcée because they don’t want noise about Harry being the preferred heir to Workshy and Waity.

  16. Alix says:

    Sigh. It’s “The Duchess of Cornwall”, not “Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall”. Using the first name before her title implies that she’s divorced or widowed. Same with “Duchess of Cambridge”. Why it’s so difficult for the American press to glom on to a few simple rules after decades of covering the royals is beyond me.

    • LAK says:

      That irritates me too, but i’ve come to accept it.

    • Susannah says:

      No one really cares here about titles or getting them right. I think the magazines just want easy identifiers like Kate Middleton even though she’s the DoC. People know Camilla as that and not the Duchess of whatever, so they call her Camilla first and then her title. Even the equivalent tabloid British press still calls Kate, Kate Middleton not Catherine or Duchess of Cambridge.

      • LAK says:

        The gripe isn’t whether or not people are using her title. It’s the fact that it is incorrectly written when it is used.

        As incorrectly written aka Kate, the duchess of cambridge, it tells the world that Kate is divorced. Ditto Camilla, duchess of cornwall.

        A better example to illustrate the irritation is Fergie whose correct title is SARAH, DUCHESS OF YORK which tells the world that she is divorced as opposed to being known as THE DUCHESS OF YORK when she was married.

        Divorced women lose the definitive ‘The’ and regain their first names and a comma before their titles.

        American publications fail their readers by insisting on using titles incorrectly.

        I understand the larger point about not confusing their readers, but the compromise is completely wrong because it changes the status of the woman they are writing about.

        In 100yrs (as an example), researching those articles, people will be very confused that Kate was divorced immediately after her wedding because of articles referring to her as Kate, duchess of cambridge. They won’t think about the magazine editors trying to keep it simple for their readership.

      • jetlagged says:

        Count me as one of those confused American readers. I confess that I find just seeing a title without a name to go with it very confusing. I just read a press release saying the “Duke of Cambridge will attend event XYZ” and I honestly had to stop and think long and hard about who that was.

        How does it work for the titled gentlemen? If Normal Bill was referred to as, “William, Duke of Cambridge” would that imply a different marital status as well?

      • Melly says:

        @Jetlagged
        If William got divorced from Kate he would still be Duke of Cambridge because he is a blood royal.

      • notasugarhere says:

        It isn’t related to royal blood. It is his title, not hers. He was granted the title, she has it by marriage.

      • Vizia says:

        I’m also confused. I remember people insisting that Diana was *not * Princess Diana, both before and after divorce, but rather Diana, Princess of Wales. Am I remembering that incorrectly?

      • LAK says:

        Vizia: that is correct. during her marriage she was THE PRINCESS OF WALES and after the divorce she became DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES. one tells you that she is married and the other tells you that she is divorced.

        The reason she was NEVER Princess Diana was because she wasn’t a Princess by birth. Only the daughter or Son of a MALE title holder are referred to by their titles THEN first name.

        To be clear, Charlotte, Beatrice and Eugenie are the daughters of a title holder as a result they are known as title + first name ie PRINCESS C, B, E

        The same principal applies to Diana and her father who was an Earl such that her title was LADY DIANA

        On marriage, women take on the female version of their husband’s title. In the process they lose their first name and are known by their husband’s title. In the event of a divorce, they retain the ex-hubby title, but they regain their first name infront of the title.

        Confusingly, if they marry a title which is lesser ranked than their own, they continue to use their own title together with their married surname. This second scenerio plays out with many titled daughters who marry below their titles including the Queen’s female cousins eg Lady Davinia Lewis ( husband MR Gary Lewis) and Lady Helen Taylor ( husband MR Timothy Taylor) or famously Princess Anne Philips and latter Lawrence ( first husband MR Mark Philips, second husband Mr Tim Lawrance)

      • Vizia says:

        Many thanks to LAK for the cogent explanation! I’d always been puzzled by that one….

    • Tough Cookie says:

      People magazine and “Princess Kate.” I cringe every time I see that.

    • Malificent says:

      Because it’s a ridiculously archaic rule that a woman’s first name should cease to publicly exist when she is married. Whether it’s a duchess or a Mrs. John Jones, it’s offensive that a woman is “relegated” to using her own first name only if she is widowed or divorced.

      • LAK says:

        I’m against name changes at all, but if we are going to continue these partriachal rules, we have to do it properly.

      • Gena says:

        “we have to do it properly”

        literally why. who gets harmed if they also use Kate’s first name?

      • bluhare says:

        I believe LAK is talking about correct usage of titles — if they have to be used. I remember an article somewhere before the wedding that said William didn’t want a royal dukedom because it made him and Kate feel old. He wanted to be Prince William and Kate be Princess William — She could not be termed Princess Catherine as she’s not a born princess. That was nixed apparently as The Princess WIlliam doesn’t work properly. Why, I do not know, but I suspect someone here can tell me!

      • PHAKSI says:

        GENA, I think LAK means that journalists at least should get the titles right. Surely we should hold their writing to a higher standard. I dont take anything Simon Perry writes anymore cos of People Magazine insisting om using princess kate

      • LAK says:

        Gina: i think you are missing my point entirely.

    • Eyes Wide Shut says:

      How the British continue to support a family just because of their bloodline is beyond a lot of us too.

  17. Emily says:

    For those who are more loyal/longtime royal watchers than me: what is protocol in these situations? Do they EVER confirm a relationship or do you have to wait until the two are engaged? I’m inclined to believe this story is true, only because there is SO MUCH information about it. The only two other potential Harry girlfriends I’ve ever heard of are Chelsy and Cressida, and I feel like those two were more or less unoffically confirmed…but does the palace or someone official ever come out and say “this person is an official girlfriend”? If this is totally fabricated (seems unlikely) or late reporting of a relationship that’s already over (as some on here have speculated) it seems almost unfair to allow the press to keep going every day without ever saying anything. But maybe their policy is if they deny one rumor they have to deny all of them, and that would be too much?

    • LAK says:

      The Palace doesn’t comment at all until the engagement. And by that, i mean the Palace arranged press conference with the happy couple announcing the engagement. And by Palace, i mean Buckingham Palace aka The Queen. All such important news comes from BP. Not other palaces.

      If they (all palaces) are forced to comment, you get a variation on ‘no comment’ eg ‘it’s our policy not to comment on private matters’ or ‘X is a private individual and nought to do with us’.

      The ONLY time the Palace commented was William and Jecca Craig when the media were running engagement stories.. The Palace, at the request of William, sent out a denial AND denied the engagement.

      The standard policy is that until the official engagement, the GF or BF is only alleged or rumoured and remains a private citizen. The Palace doesn’t confirm or deny the relationship, even where it is blatantly obvious eg Kate Middleton and William.

      Sometimes, the Palace will intervene at the request of the royal involved, but usually that’s done discreetly and behind the scenes.

      If the story breaks long after the relationship is over, the palace DEFINITELY won’t intervene or issue any statements.

      • sage says:

        IIRC, the palace denied Harry was dating a Brazilian socialite.

      • LAK says:

        The Palace has never commented on anyone Harry may or may not be dating. Harry publicly commented on Chelsy during his 21st birthday and he sued a publication recently for saying he was dating Pippa Middleton. No one else.

    • PHAKSI says:

      If I remember correctly Will never “confirmed’ his relationship with Kate. Confirmation came when a statement was released after they broke up. Harry confirmed his relationship with Chelsy during his 21st birthday interview

    • Adi says:

      @Emily- For Chelsy even if the palace may not have made any comments, Harry made plenty of comments about how ‘amazing’ she is/was and Chelsy has offlate (last year?)also commented on the media circus she faced being the royal gf.

  18. BearcatLawyer says:

    I don’t know why, but I just feel there is something off about this pairing. I am sure they have met and maybe even are dating, but the PR seems way over the top.

    • bluerunning says:

      That’s kind of the feeling I’m getting too. Not to take anything away from the relationship- I DO think they’re dating, but this just feels over the top. I can’t remember if it was this intense with Cressida (maybe it was). And some of that extra attention may be due to the fact she’s American and an actress so has previous interviews to trot out.

    • Snarky_Lurker says:

      @BearcatLawyer and @bluerunning

      I agree. The first stories earlier in the week were saying they were taking it slow and getting to know each other and now suddenly there’s talk of a proposal and she’s meeting Charles at Harry’s Balmoral Birthday Ball? I think they are definitely dealing with each other, but this whole thing seems off. I think it might be one of two things:
      A.) She is seizing her opportunity and is going to take what she can from this (I’m not judging if it is this option she has some stellar PR skills/people)
      B.) She really is the one and Harry is introducing her with guns blazing and not allowing any room in the media for pushback.

      If it’s over by spring it’s option A, if it ends with wedding bells B. Only time will tell. It sure seems off brand for the Windsors though…Wouldn’t it be amazing if it was just a casual thing and she/her people were able to turn it into this huge story though!?!

      • addie says:

        But Harry is not introducing her. He is completely silent.

      • Snarky_Lurker says:

        @addie

        I think that’s what confuses me…I can’t believe that these kinds of leaks are coming from within the royal circle. There’s just something fishy here I can’t put my finger on. It was never like this with Chelsy, and I’m one of those who believes the only reason he didn’t marry her was because she said no.

    • sage says:

      It feels like a distraction to me..

  19. Laurenlauren says:

    Someone on another blog pointed out that if you look at her Instagram on Harry’s birthday, she was posting about being in NYC and filming Suits.

    • Ripley says:

      There’s this crazy thing where a lot of people post days if not weeks later than when the photos were actually taken. It’s to protect them from the crazies or potential burglars (a la Kim Kardashian). So while she might have posted she was in NYC she could have been… well… anywhere. Movie Magic… or in this case Social Media Magic

      • Adi says:

        And now it seems that Harry has unfollowed her on instagram & dumped her..lol

      • Elaine says:

        Exactly @Ripley. I’m finding it hilarious that people are taking socal media posts as official registered documents. Timelines can be manipulated. You can follow -or unfollow-someone whilst still being in bed next to them. In this instance, I’m gonna believe print media over some Sherlock Holmesin’ on instagram posts 🙂

  20. QQ says:

    So This is Happening-Happening Huh??!!? Good on Him ( also it’s hilarious cause he’s been pinging on Brown chick radars for a WHILE, like Lipstick Alley, the Nigerian sites and such)

    • LAK says:

      Weeeeelll, Nigeria shouldn’t come as a surprise.😉

    • Elaine says:

      I know, right!? We know who might be up for some chocolate 😉 I’ll tell you, a lot of these Poshos dig Africa. And allll that implies 😉

    • Canadian Becks says:

      Really?

      I read the Nigeria comment as more to do with the ubiquitous 419 Nigerian “Dear Sir, I am a deposed Nigerian prince needing your invaluable help to transfer vast sums out of the country ….” scams. But that’s just me.

  21. Kitty says:

    The amount of media attention she is getting is overshadowing Kate! Truly shows just because she’s married to the heir doesn’t mean she will always get the attention.

  22. NeoCleo says:

    If true and they do marry, the babies will be adorable.

  23. perplexed says:

    Yeah, if I were Kate, I’d be having a nervous breakdown. This lady is gorgeous even in bad pictures. Pippa who?

    I doubt Kate cares that much, but looks do seem to be an important issue in her family, so on that level I might feel somewhat insecure. Heck, I’m not even anywhere near the royal family, have no shot with Harry due to, well, lack of everything, and I feel insecure looking at pictures of this lady.

    • Kitty says:

      Of course she would care. In 2 days Meghan has gotten all the media attention and no one is talking about Kate. Kate is the wife of the future king but honestly if Harry married Meghan or a colored female who happens to be American can you imagine the media attention they would get? That would create a shift between the heir and spare.

  24. Radley says:

    I’m starting to think this girl is turning a fling (maybe) with Harry into a full blown PR campaign. I was indifferent (as I am with most royal family crap) until I saw that she’d Instagrammed a pic of herself wearing “Harry’s” bracelet. That’s literally stuff that Taylor Swift and Gigi Hadid have pulled for their tween fans. Oh look at me casually wearing something my alleged significant other has worn. Please feel free to comment on how cute it is and spread the word! Gag.

    • JulieM says:

      Yes, don’t forget the spooning bananas! The only thing missing was the lit cigarette.

    • Bee says:

      If they are “on”, she probably thought she was being “cute”, leaving obvious clues to their togetherness right out in the open, that no one picked up on until now. The spooning banana thing though, that’s just weird and kinda thirsty, unless it’s some sort of in-joke. With the timing you can only assume it’s code for wanting everyone to know that they are shagging.

  25. Nicky says:

    I wonder if there will be a time when royal family gatherings do not include killing animals for fun. However, I do think this lady is a good girlfriend for Harry, she seems nice.

  26. ... says:

    She looks like Stacey Dash from Clueless.
    Mazeltov!

  27. Luca76 says:

    I honestly don’t think Kate wants all the attention. I think she’d be happy with less attention if that also meant she could not have to do any royal duties. The problem would be if they do get married and Meghan and Harry were philanthropists active royals and seen as doing everything Will and Harry aren’t capable or willing to do.

    • Kitty says:

      You do know it would be bad if Meghan and Harry were to get all the media attention because Harry is the “Spare” not the heir.

      • Luca76 says:

        Yes but thats not really just Kate’s problem is it? I think that would play more into the rivalry between Harry and Will.

    • Kitty says:

      @Luca what would William do? He doesn’t have the power to persuade the media and public. He would have lost as well as Kate.

    • notasugarhere says:

      As you can see from photos of this movie event, Kate Middleton loves being the center of attention – when she chooses the time and place.

  28. Canadian Becks says:

    Just an FYI, I get emails from Reitman’s, a Ladies’ clothing retailer in Canada. And I just realized yesterday that they have a “Meghan Markle Collection” they’ve been teasing as coming out soon. It was right there in my inbox and yes, it is her.

    • Guesto says:

      In what way exactly does she seem shady? Or do you just mean YOU think she’s shady and will use any old random ‘news’ site to further that opinion?

      • Adi says:

        Well thats what she seems like to me. Giving a UN speech and going out drinking with the Canadian PM’s wife does not propel her as great humanitarian to me.
        Also,Yahoo is not random but here is her own page

        http://www.imgrum.net/media/1352528972209989388_145436539

        Her mother too has spoken to the paps… But biggest shadiness so far is her posting the banana pic (lifting the pic from someone else and then being called out for plagiarism) on IG as the news was breaking… if nothing else, she loved fanning the flames.
        She has a lot of common friends with Harry and moves in same circles so its not like he went out of his comfort zone but someone for sure is making this into a huge story…as well as the usual press round of the media trashing his former gfs to make the current look more of an achiever when they are all peas in a pod

      • Lorelai says:

        Omg, did anyone actually click on the second link Adi posted? It looks like Meghan posted a pic on Instagram of Harry wearing a “Golden Girls” shirt that she gave him!?!

    • Hannah says:

      Her half sister who hasn’t spoken to her in decades or whatever is giving interviews left right and centre and this makes meghan shady how?
      FYI one of the British tabs dug out her divorce papers. She waived her right to spousal support from her ex husband, so you cant go with the usual gold digger label that you guys call any woman who gets with a powerful man.

      • Adi says:

        Its sad to read that both her folks filed for bankruptcy… she is supposed to be close to her mom??!! I understand that we are not responsible for our parents debt, but if any of my parent will go to bankruptcy and I do have the money that won’t happen for sure (unless they were drug addicts/gambler etc and losing money weirdly but still I would pay for rehab). Her net worth is report to be more then 3 millions, being that said her father/mom’s debt will be like taking a feather from a bird.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Bankruptcy seems often as legal as it is financial. It may be that she is helping them out financially (or isn’t), but going through the legal process of filing is what they have to do.

    • Patty says:

      Yeah because I’m sure her half sister is pristine flawless human being who couldn’t possibly have any ulterior motives. Sounds like they aren’t close at all and have different moms. Rolls eye. I mean damn, we don’t even know if this is official and the smear campaign has started already.

      • Hannah says:

        Yep, looks like the half sister is trying to profit from this. Only one who looks shady is her.

        Meghans mom, dad and brother that she grew up with hasnt talked. So it’s a stretch to say the family is chatty too. It seems to be this particular individual, that admits that she hasn’t talked to Megan since she was a child or something. Rolls eyes.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Her half-brother has already rebutted this, along with making a comment about his sister (Samantha) not being a very nice person.

      The older half-siblings are 16+ years older than Meghan Markle and didn’t live with her. They share a father, but don’t appear to have shared big blended family time.

  29. Elaine says:

    Does anyone else find it strange that Will and Kate *weren’t* at Harry’s Bday weekend extravaganza? Were they on tour? Or are they just not that close anymore? Because we know its not because Will is suddenly against shooting the heads off small animals for fun.

    • LAK says:

      You always hear of separate birthday celebrations where the other sibling is in Britain and not otherwise engaged, and yet doesn’t attend.

      Usually preceeded by Kate’s plans for the big day ( for Willuam or Harry) whivh may be true for Willuam, but rarely materialises for Harry.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Public events too. They knew when Harry was going to Africa in 2015, but chose to have their daughter’s christening after he left. Could have had it at a different time, chose not to. Why? Because they wanted to have the event in Diana’s childhood church 4 days from Diana’s birthdate?

  30. M says:

    How did the press first get wind of this relationship? Specifically, what tipped them off?

  31. Snowpea says:

    All I can think is…Meghan bears an astonishing resemblance to Princess Mary and Princess Kate, in that glossy, shiny brunette way. They could, with a blurring of the eyes, all be sisters!

    • bluebella says:

      Yes I see that too. If you squint they look the same except I would say Meghan is prettier.

  32. Fefe says:

    Seriously, why people find him interesting?

  33. liriel says:

    Kate is aging badly but I’d say she was and still is when properly dressed gorgeous. I like to nit-pick her because she often looks stunning. Meghan looks ok, nothing to write home about. I think they’re trying to see how she’s selling but other blondes in Harry’s life were more interesting to talk about and to look at.

    • Patty says:

      Kate is cute at best. And I don’t quite understand what Kate’s looks has to do with this story anyway……..or the other “more interesting” blondes in Harry’s life. Chelsy Davy was interesting because of her family’s shady ties to dictators, her studying law, and her give no f**** attitude; but I cannot think of any other person that Harry was linked to that has been even remotely interesting.

  34. Citresse says:

    I’ve been reading the BBC online coverage of Charles and Camilla re-middle east tour. Camilla arrived separately from Charles in Muscat. Hoping someone can answer why. I’ve read historical articles online referring to the fact Charles and Camilla live separately much of the time. I guessed it wasn’t true but now wondering as to the state of their marriage. As far as I know with regard to Diana and Charles, it never got so bad they were arriving in separate aircraft on foreign tours. Charles being an environmentalist, it’s even more bizarre they would choose to arrive separately and in addition, it cost the taxpayers more money.

    • LAK says:

      They’ve done that from the beginning. They have a separately together relationship. Camilla maintains her own residence near Charles where her family visit her without worrying about protocol.

      • Citresse says:

        Arriving separately for tours is way over the top in terms of the reasons I stated.
        Charles and Camilla shouldn’t have been allowed to marry. I read the British taxpayers fork over three million pounds a year to cover costs at Raymill house. The hypocrisy of it all, especially in terms of the COE, is unbelievable.
        The British taxpayers are really on the hook for Camilla and Charles laughs it off, I bet. Disgusting.

      • notasugarhere says:

        You mean the Church of England that was founded by the guy who wanted to dump his legal wife and marry his mistress? The guy who went on to murder or divorce 5 out of his 6 wives? Such moral high ground.

        Half of the marriages in the UK end in divorce. Banning half the population from remarrying, merely because you personally disagree with it?

        It is one thing to think they need to cover those costs themselves. It is another for you to think you have a right to control whom someone else marries.

      • Citresse says:

        It seems each generation has its own set of growing pains within the British Monarchy. Princess Margaret had to make a choice, then Charles should have been forced into a choice. I personally don’t care who they marry if they’re completely self-funded but the taxpayers remains on the hook and there’s no accountability with regard to taxpayers. It’s a giant scam.

      • notsugarhere says:

        Different eras, different acceptances of divorce from the population at large. Anne and Andrew are divorced and allowed to fulfill their royal roles. Charles is a widower who married a divorcee, not immensely shocking in 2016.

        If the Catholic Church is talking about making annulments much easier to obtain and welcoming the divorced back into Church life? CoE doesn’t have a leg to stand on if it alienates the 50 percent of the population that is divorced.

        Charles wasn’t married to the British people, he didn’t betray them. He’ll be a fine king and Camilla will be fine as Queen Consort, even if she doesn’t take that title.

    • Starlight says:

      Camilla hates flying she probably took a boat

  35. Lorelai says:

    I hope this is true not only so that Harry ends up happy, but also because we will get to see Kate implode with rage.

  36. carolind says:

    LAK, Princess Anne was never Princess Anne Philips. When she was married to Mark Philips, her correct title was The Princess Anne, Mrs Mark Philips.

  37. Starlight says:

    After watching Crown on Netflix last night I am not sure where the royal family are going long term

  38. seesittellsit says:

    She is absolutely stunning but . . . she also seems phonier than a $3 bill – right down to her boobs. Of course, Kate and Wills already have two kids to secure the throne so as Harry’s place in the line of succession recedes (and I’m betting Kate wants at least one more baby), he has more freedom to do as he likes so it will just be his problem. I can’t figure out why the Windsor boys never turn up with a dedicated doctor or something like that. Kate was better educated fluff, Diana barely got out of high school and kept being referred to as a “kindergarten teacher” when she was just an aide in a posh private nursery school and a little more than a glorified babysitter – for all their differences in educational attainments, Diana and Kate both did little but wait fervently for their respective SS HRHs to sail into harbor. They never seem to go for women of substance.

    But you can’t deny this woman is utterly gorgeous. I wonder if Kate will mind very likely being usurped in the glossies by her?

    • M says:

      “Women of substance” probably don’t have time to cater to a Royal boyfriend. They’re busy working, whereas Waity had all the time in the world (plus being supported financially by her social-climbing parents). Actors have lots of free time when they aren’t actually filming.

  39. AnotherDirtyMartini says:

    I’ve never heard of this actor until the past few days on this site.

    Question for all the people with knowledge of the Royals. In this day & age is Harry also expected to produce heirs? If that’s the case I don’t believe he’ll marry Meghan. Everyone is different but by the time I was 35, it was already too late for me regarding kids – I didn’t know that at the time.

    Just curious. And Koo Stark! Haha…I recall her. I thought she was British though. Maybe her loo-rhyming name fooled me.

  40. Starlight says:

    I notice the DM interviewed Koo Stark regarding advice – as I recall some In the higher echelons of society were not happy about that relationship succeeding with Prince Andrew and he went on to marry Fergie. I have to say Koo looks still gorgeous and I think they made a lovely couple. Koo always came across to me as genuine and she wasn’t vain or media grabbing – ok there was a bit about her past but who knows how it would have all turned out.