As Corey discussed yesterday, rich girl Troian Bellisario married Patrick J. Adams over the weekend. Adams is perhaps best known for his co-lead role in Suits. Suits is the current cable hit (?) show which also stars Meghan Markle, who happens to be Prince Harry’s girlfriend. Adams shows up in Meghan’s Instagram sometimes, and it would make perfect sense if the two costars are friends or pretty friendly. Friendly enough for Adams to extend a wedding invitation to Meghan? Sure. But Meghan didn’t go to his wedding. And Us Weekly says it’s because she didn’t want to pull focus from the happy couple.
There was a galaxy of stars in attendance when Suits star Patrick J. Adams married Pretty Little Liars’ Troian Bellisario on Saturday, December 10, but one celebrity was conspicuously absent — the groom’s costar Meghan Markle. The 35-year-old, who plays Adams’ fiancée on the USA Network hit, was spotted heading to a yoga class in Toronto on Saturday as the couple tied the knot in a rustic outdoor ceremony in California in front of 200 family members and friends including Suits’ Sarah Rafferty, Pretty Little Liars’ Keegan Allen, Star Trek’s Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto and Scandal’s Katie Lowes and husband Adam Shapiro.
A source tells Us Weekly that Prince Harry’s girlfriend was invited to the three-day celebration but decided not to attend the wedding in order to avoid overshadowing the newlyweds. Markle, who was recently reunited with her royal beau when he visited her in Toronto, spoke to Adams about the wedding and “they both kind of agreed that maybe her coming would attract too much (of the wrong kind of) attention,” the source tells Us. “They both thought it sucked.”
A source close to the newlyweds, meanwhile, says, “Meghan had no plans to attend the wedding, and that conversation never happened.”
My first reaction when reading this story was “well, she certainly thinks highly of herself, doesn’t she?” But the thing is, she’s not wrong (if this story is correct). When I first saw that Patrick Adams had gotten married, I thought, “Huh, I wonder if Meghan Markle was there?” So of course it would have been part of the discussion about the wedding, and of course if Meghan had attended, she probably would have had to answer a lot of pointed questions from her friends and colleagues, which would have been awkward. But if the person is a really good friend, don’t you show up to their faux-hippie wedding to a rich girl?
Also: people are making comparisons to the Duchess of Cambridge, because one of Kate’s go-to excuses when she doesn’t attend friends’ weddings is that she too does not want to pull focus from the happy couples. In truth, I think Kate doesn’t do weddings anymore because A) she loathes most of Will’s friends and B) she’s literally too lazy to make a personal, social appearance at a wedding.
Meanwhile, Meghan wrote an essay for Elle UK about what it’s like to be mixed race, in and out of the industry. It’s an interesting, thoughtful read – go here.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Meghan is ridiculously pretty, and thank god she knows how to wear eyeliner better than Waity.
Her bum is nicer than Pippa’s too.
And she has real opinions. And she works.
Ahaha imagine if she becomes the queens favourite?
Plus, she would be an American princess, so the press here (including most of the internationally read entertainment press) would love her. She is interesting and has causes she is passionate about. I am sure she could do some good and sell some magazines. He would have to marry a pet rock to marry someone less interesting than Kate, if it had neon purple hair and googley eyes it would be a tie.
She would be a breath of fresh air but my God, they would tear her apart. Diana style but worse because racism + social media. Still, I am loving watching White Girl Princess dreams shatter as they scramble to attack her. So transparent. I cant wait to sip their tears of imagined rejection from my commemorative wedding mug.
And she has a great sense of style and already supports charitable causes. She would completely overshadow Kate.
She won’t. Whatever and from wherever info’s been leaking, apparently the royal family doesn’t approve of Markle at all
Gahh how awesome would it be if she took Kate aside over the holidays and discreetly offered to give her a makeup tutorial. It would be like Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club!
LOL! Fantastic reference!
BRB. Have to go watch breakfast club.
I feel that the attention was drawn either way, cause we were all speculating if she was there and why not. So that was pointless.
Also, I did not see any pictures of other celebrities, nor where there paparazzi shots from the venue, so she could have easily gone without disrupting the festivities.
Not buying the excuse….
Yeah, that’s what I thought. Instead of the news being “Meghan attended the wedding”, it’s “Meghan didn’t attend the wedding”. My take is she’s probably not that close to her costar (nothing wrong with that btw).
Neither do I, my first thought was why Gabriel Macht, Adams’ co-star wasn’t there. My second thought was that ‘Donna’ was there, as in Sarah Rafferty, whom I love. Meghan only came to mind now, when reading this article.
I think Macht was there because I follow Adams on Instagram (pre marble dating Harry) and he posted pics from the wedding including one with Macht in it.
At a point it seems like she’s shading them too.
I am SO famous (much more than you), I don’t want to attend one of your most important days dears because everyone would look at ME.
The only time this is a valid excuse is if the bride and groom say it’s an issue. Otherwise, assume they invited you on purpose. The couple probably wanted a prince at their wedding.
That said, it sounds like they aren’t that close and she can’t be bothered and I can’t hate that.
Also this from Adam’s PR people: “Meghan had no plans to attend the wedding, and that conversation never happened”.
Maybe him and Meghan are just friendly co-workers, but not friends?
@Pri I’m going to bet that’s the case. Especially since their wedding was a 3day glamping event in the wood of northern CA I’d guess only close friends and family would attend.
I would be hard pressed to go glamping for anyone but my closest friends for THREE whole days.
Let alone a coworker who may or may not be more interested in who you are dating.
Meghan and Patrick have done many interviews together over the years and have always appeared to have a genuinely close friendship in real life, so if there had been a way for her to participate in the wedding celebration without causing a spectacle, she would certainly have wanted to be there along with the rest of the SUITS cast who attended.
It is also a bigger deal when Kate ISN’T there, compared to when she is. Most of the guest at a wedding she’d be invited to have seen her before. It leads to conversation and speculation worse than if she deigned to show up. Here it seems a bit premature, especially since this wasn’t a British society wedding involving the press and photographers.
Off topic, this girl looks like so many other HW girls. Pretty without doubt but completely forgettable. She reminds me of George Michael’s girlfriend from Arrested Developmemt. Nobody seems to tell her apart.
Aww she’s not Egg.
The princess who is not Eugenie and who’s name I can’t recall is the Royal Egg.
Good thing Beatrice doesn’t read here. One thing I do have sympathy for her is when people slag her looks. She hasn’t had plastic surgery; I think orthodontia is the extent of her cosmetic enhancements, and she can’t help her face. I’m all in favor of slagging things people can change; not what they were born with though.
I’m not for slagging anyone’s looks, plastic surgery to appeal to the masses need to look at pretty shiny things is BS. Fashion is fair game though, for sure. Hairstyle too.
I just remember two princesses with excellent hats, and one was Eugenie. That name stuck out, so she’s Royal Egg by dint of that, not having a memorable name. And not vacationing all the time at her new job and therefore being in the Gossip blogs.
I hate talking about other people’s look. I don’t know who Egg is but I just wanted to point out that whenever I see this girl If I haven’t read her name and I think she’s Alicia Vikander. The same happens to me with other actresses (e.g Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Schummer are the same person to me sometimes), models and singers. I don’t know if it’s plastic surgery or what but they all look alike. My father says there are no ugly women just ugly people and I agree with him.
Rucio: i genuinely think that JLaw and Amy Schumer are very similar looking. JLaw is the taller, slimmer version of Amy. It’s uncanny.
On a different note, Beatrice was so publicly shamed for that wedding hat that i don’t think she’ll ever be adventurous again which is a pity for millinery because prior to that wedding, she wore similarly adventurous hats.
Rocio, George Michael’s girlfriend, Ann, is called Egg by his dad frequently because she’s so forgettable.
I definitely agree that there is a cookie cutter look. Judicious implants and lip filler plus skin resurfacing and a diet that would make a child weep in hunger. Or not so judicious plus butt implants.
I like the ugly people quote from your dad, I think it points out exactly how much we judge women. You rarely hear anyone say, that’s an ugly man.
@Rocio,
Cool Dad, crushin’ on him a little and i can’t even see the all important What He Looks Like Bit, imagine!
Not buying the excuse either. The location was remote and packed with celebs. If she wanted to go she would have. There were bigger celebs than her there and clearly pap free. And clearly the second source was like “nah that convo didn’t happen”.
And TBH it does seem like she thinks highly of herself. So eh have a seat Meghan.
To my knowledge, none of these “excuses” were endorsed or made by Meghan, so I don’t understand the shade being thrown at her for not attending a wedding she may not have been invited to or wanted to attend.
‘A source close to the newlyweds, meanwhile, says, “Meghan had no plans to attend the wedding, and that conversation never happened.”’
Apparently because ignoring that statement makes for better MM bashing.
Because it’s just like any “source” used in tab stories they are typically planted by a celebs people
Missing the point again. She was never going to be at the wedding. Not all of us are friends with our co-workers. By the sound of it this was a 3-day event, not something a casual co-worker would be invited to or be expected to attend.
All of this “she thinks she is the center of the universe, she loves the attention” discussion is based on the assumption that she was going to be there and cancelled.
@notsugarhere…..Apparently, people believe that “sources” are real because it gives them some kind of stage to vent their ambient anger at the world. as they please.
It can never be that celeb media makes up or spins stuff for readership, even if they’re the ones who benefit from the stories.
Cheers to Olenna and nota for seeing the facts not the forest. Exactly.
1. We don’t know that she was invited.
2. Just because you get along with co-workers at work doesn’t mean you want them at your wedding.
3. I think most people who are being honest wouldn’t invite a co-worker to their wedding unless that co-worker was also a good friend.
4. People having a fit about why she wasn’t there, are projecting their feelings onto her and that is weird to me. A few months ago she wasn’t well known at all and now that she is dating Prince Harry, everyone is insisting they know her personality and what she is like.
I like her. She seems intelligent and thoughtful and on a much more superficial level, she’s gorgeous with a body to die for. She’s 35 years old and working in that kind of industry, the fact that she’s self possessed comes across as arrogance or loving herself too much. She will never win.
I don’t get when people think she’s arrogant. She just comes across as a worldly grown-up woman to me. Are you supposed to pretend to be 14 when you’re 35?
When she posts anything on her instagram, it is instantly torn apart to see how it might be related to her personal life. Then she is attacked for acting juvenile. SMH
Tila, me too. And no she will never win. She’s already getting compared to Kate. She will always be one of those damned if you do/damned if you don’t from hereon out. I feel for her. But Harry may be worth it (love him and find him adorable and likable) and if she doesn’t read the nasty things people write online about her then she’ll be just fine.
People on here have been comparing Meghan to Kate to make Meghan look good (see the top of this comment section for an example). And from what I’ve seen, there have been many people who want Meghan to marry Harry just because she will make Kate look bad.
Kate Middleton doesn’t need any help from Meghan Markle to look bad. KM’s intrinsic laziness and selfishness handle that nicely.
@ Nota:
Not my point. Your comment is just a deflection.
My point is that fans only want Meghan to marry Harry because of how it affects Kate. They did the same thing with Cressida. Harry’s girlfriends are always linked to Kate. Fans can’t just take his girlfriends as they are without saying, “Oh good, this will hurt Kate in some way”, or saying, “She’s way better than Kate”.
Harry’s girlfriends are always compared to Kate, and while some people think they will be compared negatively what ends up happening now is fans use Kate’s terribleness and their dislike of Kate to make Harry’s girlfriends look good.
Trixie, unless you are every royal fan and royal watcher tied into one, you cannot make that kind of blanket statement and expect it to be supported.
Some people, in this thread and others, have given the reasons why they like MM. Those reasons have included her working hard, being independent, doing charity work, being well-spoken, etc. They like her for what she has already achieved and they’ve stated it. Those reasons have nothing to do with Kate Middleton.
I don’t care if he and Markle marry. If Harry marries someday, I’d like him to marry someone who works hard. That doesn’t mean I want that someone to make KM look bad. She does that well enough on her own.
Tila, I agree, too.
I think she did the right thing , and now it seems like a ploy because it’s being reported on. Imagine all the people at the wedding gathered around her trying to get the royal tea so to speak. Danged if you do…….. danged if you dont. I bet she sent a wonderful gift and let them know ahead of time….. very considerate of the bride.
I think she’s loving every moment in the spotlight. And, yes, I do think she thinks very highly of herself.
She really does sound like she’s getting ahead of herself.. Totally playing the press about being the breath of fresh air. Yeah. We saw that with Fergie and Andrew and look how they ended up.
Meghan hasn’t made any public statements about the relationship, so how is she “getting ahead of herself”? Is thinking “highly of herself” a bad thing, too? She’s an actress, a modern woman supporting herself. Without self-confidence, where would she be? The relationship may flourish or come to nothing, but so what. She’s just dating PH, not hurting anyone. Sadly, all this haughty talk sounds like “she should know her place” which, IMO, is bigoted and antiquated.
Of course she’s loving the spotlight!! She is an actress, not a librarian. (Apologies to any extroverted librarians.) And Harry gives her a HUGE spotlight! I think that’s why people are suspicious of her. Whenever Chelsey or Cressida were stalked and filmed, they looked uncomfortable. They didn’t have social media with pics of bananas and Union Jack dog coats and huge grins when the paps caught them. Meghan is thirsty for fame. Of course. It’s great for her career, regardless of what happens with Harry.
She has a really good nose job.
She was in a damned if you do, and damned if you don’t situation. She should have just gone to support her friend. No one would have known.
Good? It’s all I can see when I look at her face and I wonder how her original nose looked.
This isn’t snark on her looks btw – I find her gorgeous, nosejob and all.
So what, do celebrities not go to weddings, birthday parties etc or do they ask the people concerned first?
I imagine it isn’t an issue most of the time. I mean, surely celebs go home to visit their families, etc., or attend non-famous friends’ parties. Maybe there’s just an understanding among the people present that they shouldn’t be so tacky as to take pictures of the famous guest. Just let them relax and be themselves.
I went to an ordinary Canadian wedding once that a post-24 Elisha Cuthbert happened to be at. No one cared. Then again, without a red carpet, mob of photographers, security, entourage, etc., a celebrity is hardly noticeable or noteworthy. It’s almost like certain ingredients have to be there for the “spell” of fame to work its magic.
All I have to say is Suits needs to be over it’s sort of ridiculous now.
Ditto for Troian’s show Pretty Little Liars. Absolutely ridiculous. Although I guess they are done filming it now but the last season is yet to air
I watched a season or 2 as I was bored but no no no tp PLL I liked Suits and all the young bankers I work with loved it but even they say they have had their day. I would say now what law firm do you know of would let you walk around like that off the shoulder dresses.. lol
I would not want to be in her position. Sure, there is never been more attention on her but at the same time, the royal circle and their fans are not always very inclusive. I mean, Philip as your grandfather in law ? As a black woman, it makes my skin crawl. Constant comparison to Dolittle ? I can guarantee you that suddenly, all the people who slams Kate will defend her vs Meghan with words like “classier” being thrown around a lot.
I really do not envy her
Why does Philip make your skin crawl? No snark. Genuinely curious.
Philip has a very well documented history of making racist comments. Our press over here normally refer to him as ‘gaffe-prone’, which is putting it very kindly.
Here’s a selection of some of his comments. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-philip-turns-93-cringe-3667124.amp
Bex: i live in the UK so i’m aware of Philip’s remarks vs his actions.
Being gaffe-prone is not the same thing as being racist. He has said rude things about / to everyone and everything in an attempt at humour which merely makes him unfunny and insensitive. i do not see a racist here especially when there is no evidence.
And where racist comments are concerned, he is no Alf Garnett.
Sorry, I didn’t realise you were from the UK! For me, he’s just made one too many off-colour remarks about POC that have been dismissed as ‘innocent’ or ‘banter’. He really sets my teeth on edge.
I think he has the type of mean humour that you see in certain strata of the British that is more insensitive than hurtful intention. Hugh Grant has similar type of humour as does Prince William.
Reading through that list of quotes, he is rude to other races, nationalities, women, his own family, town architecture, machinery, national dress, skillset, languages, disabled etc. There are a few colonially influenced jokes too.
If the objection is to his insensitive humour, i’d be right there with you.
Some of those comments looked pretty bad to me. Worse than insensitive. He comes from a different generation, but, still, yikes.
If I meant a normal everyday British person who spoke like Prince Philip, I’d quickly run away from them for fear of taint by association. The only reason I can see him getting away with making those comments is because he’s a prince married to the Queen and he’s old. Being married to Queen Elizabeth of all people probably helps him out more than being old since her commitment to duty probably offsets his stupidity. Even regular old people get criticized when they talk like that. I can’t really imagine Charles, despite being Prince of Wales, getting away with talking like Philip. He’d be reamed. The only thing I can figure is that being married to Elizabeth helps Philip’s reputation.
He sticks his foot in his mouth about everything. That is Philip. When he was attacked for his comments to deaf children regarding a steel band, he had to remind people that his beloved mother was deaf and no he was not making fun of the deaf community. He was, however, making fun of the band which was playing music he didn’t like and playing it loudly.
I see others have been quicker than me ! But yeah, basically his past remarks are disgusting. And racist.
Perplexed: It’s a mean brand of deprecating humour that is present here. It skates a very thing line between humour and offence, and takes no prisoners. It depends on delivery to make it work.
In print, it always offends because it is taken at face value.
@LAK, how can you say he’s not made racist statements when he comes out with: “If you stay here much longer you’ll all be slightly-eyed!”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/8544598/Duke-of-Edinburgh-defends-slitty-eyed-gaffe.html
Even here in America I heard that one.
I am from London please don’t make it seem as making race related jokes is some kind of british eccentric thing. That isn’t the case at all. If you want to make excuses for Phillip well say he is old or something. If he was a younger man or a commoner nobody would attempt to find excuses for the things he says. Also i don’t see how him making fun of everyone who is a little bit different makes it better. Again if he wasn’t who he is, no excuses would be made.
I read the whole article. Parts made me tear up. I love that Prince Harry is dating someone that can actually form words and make an effort to write them down. Her essay was poetic and very reflective. Good for her.
I’m not saying race related jokes are a British thing nor am i saying it’s OK, i’m saying there is a mean spirited deprecating strain of humour present here that some people have. Ricky Gervaise has made a career out of it and Boris Johnson is frequently in trouble because of it.
Looking at lists of Philip’s ‘jokes’, i see every group insulted, including his own family, if one is going to object to him and label him based upon his humour, then object to all of it, not just the few points that suit.
That’s considerate of her, but my grinch’s heart suspects the unnamed source to be markle’s p.r. people.
It’s already been denied. She was never meant to be going and she wasn’t the only one of the co stars that wasn’t there. In interviews she’s always said she’s close to Gabriel and Sarah.
Thanks for that Elle article, Kaiser. It was really insightful, and makes me think that she is much, much too intelligent for the royals. Run away, Meghan (after enjoying the hot sex).
But Harry needs to marry someone intelligent. Think of the kids!
There are examples of intelligent, hard-working professionals marrying into royal families and doing good work. Why deny the Windsors the opportunity to have someone like that join their ranks?
The Windsors aren’t really like other royal families. I’m not thinking of the Windsors’ well-being, just hers. I hope she and Harry take their time and, if she joins the firm, it’s after a hell of a lot of preparation and thought.
I think there is plenty of in-fighting in some of the other families too. Spain, Japan, and Monaco aren’t exactly Beds of Roses for the married-in spouses.
Yes the Household is responsible for attacking Masako constantly, but I do not hold Akishino and Kiko innocent. Her “surprise” baby at 40 just happens to be male? Just happens to show up when public discussions about letting Aiko inherit were starting? Nope, IMO those two likely have a lot to answer for.
That’s quite the conspiracy theory. Pregnancies do happen later in life, birth control methods can fail, and babies literally have a 50% chance of being male. As for the timing, well, correlation doesn’t equal causation.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s intriguing, and possible. But those facts alone don’t add up to much, concretely. Unless you have further details? Spill!
Ravine, the timing was too convenient for me and the two of them appeared too smug for words. They were done building their family before Aiko arrived.
Added to his odd phase that started at that time, may still be there, of vainly dyeing his gray hair coal black. Just smacked of wanting to be seen as stronger, younger, better than his older brother – including producing a son.
Between the two of them, they instinctively give me the shivers. It may have been more his idea than hers. She actually snapped publicly at him in a press conference about how difficult the pregnancy had been when he said it was no big deal.
Blah. She DOES think high of herself. I mean Chris and Zachary, who are arguably bigger stars on their own, had the decency to show up, she definitely wouldn’t be the only person getting the attention there is what I mean. And really, if this story is true that is also hypocritical, because who else would leak it if not her?
Chris and Zachary and NOT dating a Prince with the prospects of becoming a Royal, a Duchess, and birthing Princes and Princesses.
She’s dating a prince, not one herself. If this was in England not California it would be a different story, but outside of gossip blogs I don’t think she’S nearly as famous as folks are assuming (she’s like a Tom Hiddleston). Americans aren’t really going to care that she could give birth to fancy kids, they’ll be interested that she might be a princess, ask what Duchess Kate is like, and then that’s it. People weren’t going to knock over the bride to get to Meghan to ask about her boyfriend.
If she had showed up, it would have been a media circus. More so because the UK tabloids would have been all over it.
It appears she was never going to attend, so this is a pointless discussion overall.
NOTA – exactly.
I actually do think it’s hilarious that Kate has gotten some mild revenge on William’s friends by clowning them — RSVP’ing and then not showing up…after all, they used to make her feel like trash.
I’m with you. i can be a bit of a grudge carrier, especially when they remain mean years later.
“Rich girl” Troian Bellisario? What’s up with that? She’s a working actress, not a socialité.
Her father is Spelling level producer of TV drama. Everything from Battlestar Gallactica to Magnum PI to Airwolf to Quantum Leap to NCIS
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0069074/
I know that. Just thought that it was rather dismissive, since she’s actually very talented and hard-working.
Yeah that bothered me too. She’s very talented in her own right.
IA. That was unnecessary.
Yeah…should be start introducing every celebrity like that? Because we’re mostly covering 1%-ers here.
It sounds like she just didn’t want to go
I heard they had a falling out years ago and aren’t close anymore. No wannabe princess vibes. Just good old I don’t really like him even though he’s my costar & onscreen lover vibe.
As others have mentioned this story has been denied, and she was never expected to go. Which is fine, not every co-worker are close enough to go to each other’s weddings. I have plenty of co-workers whose weddings I wasn’t invited to and therefor did not go to.
I thought that essay for Elle was written last year?
This is so much ado about nothing. I feel like as much as I love my gossip, folks are so starved for anything related to Meghan Markle and her relationship with Prince Harry that conflict/drama is being created from nothing and then treated as truth.
I mean, if there’s a grain of truth to her not going as to not overshadow the wedding, then it was the right call since her lack of attendance is being treated like it’s some big story. Imagine if she had, actually gone… it would be an even circus.
I really don’t like weddings, especially since I turned 32 and am unattached. I get the sad look of, don’t worry it can still happen for you and then I’m introduced to everyone’s second cousin, step son or whoever’s left over in my age group, with them saying to me, “Well you want kids don’t you, stop being so picky!”
So if I could credibly use the line, “Sorry, I can’t go to your wedding as I wouldn’t want to pull focus” I’d use it in a second!
She would have had three dull days of fending off questions “When are you and Prince Hottie getting married?” and “Is it really true that the Prince is royally… er… um… endowed?” Fun.
There are rumors that she’s not very popular but who knows whether it’s true or not.
Well, it appears Harry isn’t dating her for her popularity. They’re apparently still together. ETA: See Guesto’s comment.
Not very popular with whom?
So essentially, a story about nothing.
In other more interesting news, Meghan and Harry apparently are in London christmas-tree shopping. That should upset a few people. 😉
Until Celebitchy, I’d never heard of her! I don’t think she’s pretty yet. She’lol prob grow on me.
That was she will **
Meghan is with Harry in London, so she has bigger fish to fry than going to a three day wedding party in the middle of nowhere.
Well, I posted a link from usweekly that Meghan is with Harry in London but the comment is now missing.
So, maybe she didn’t attend the wedding cause she was already in London spending time with her boyfriend (… or she never planned to attend the wedding).
I’m still trying to figure out what the big deal about her is? What makes her so different or better than the other socialites, or models, or actresses that he usually sleeps with or dates? Is it because she’s biracial and therefore automatically seems like a breath of fresh air? (I’m black so no shade is being thrown.)
Maybe I’m biased and cynical because I work in PR, but everything she does is from the “make my brand happen” playbook. Banal and tripe lifestyle blog? Check. Show-offy Instagram page complete with pretentious staged photos and generic “thought-provoking” quotes? Check. Pre-arranged pap walks? I counted at least two. Check. Picking a cause and using it as a vehicle to market your brand. Check. For the record, she is sadly not the only one who does this. Philanthropy is the new marketing (disturbing, I know) and many celebrities use it as a way to market and position themselves.
Anyway, I find the unveiling of the relationship from a communications standpoint fascinating because it was handled so poorly. I wonder whose camp “leaked” it? I want to say Markle’s because of the amateur roll out and I don’t want to believe Kensington Palace of all places has such crappy PR directors and managers! HA!
I’m not sure why everyone here loves her. I’m with you – I see a pretty self-involved woman for a 35 year old. I get that publicity is part of her job – and this is great publicity. So good for her! But let’s not put her on a pedestal and call Chelsey and Cressida stupid and naive compared to her, as some others have done here.
I agree with every word you wrote. She may be the next princess, she may not, but she certainly knows how to promote herself and get her name in the papers.
The PR around this relationship is a shambles. If those two are going to try to make a long term relationship stick, they need to start rowing the same boat.
That said, her boldness about PR is one of the reasons I think she would make a good royal – you really can’t be a shrinking violet. But I am not convinced it would be a great thing for her. Her essay on her racial background and upbringing was very well written (and it made me want to meet both her parents) but I don’t know how well that earnest self awareness would play in the world of royals.
But we’ll see.
KP’s PR isn’t particularly good. Think hysterical letters about the tragedy of growing up in a palace (Cambridge) and of the trials and tribulations encountered when banging a prince (Harry). The timing of events and news relating to the royals often makes it seem as though the heir is throwing the spare under the bus. Even if he is, it probably should be done less obviously.
Actually, I’m with you on Meghan’s brand creation. If it weren’t for her connection to Harry, I’d just think of her as an actress keeping her career options open. As it is, I think she’s professionally a decent match for him.
She went to a catholic school, so she likely grew up with a habit of charity. It’s unlikely that anyone would have noticed, though, so by bringing in the PR pros, she gets to make a more public and possibly professionally rewarding gift.
One thing I’m wondering… why is everyone convinced that the relationship was leaked? Diana’s and Charles’ was discovered by a reporter stalking the prince, for instance. There are enough reporters around Harry to make it a real find for one of them.
Oh, and I think that the big difference between Meghan and Harry’s previous gfs is that the others were still students when they started dating. M’s a woman. All grown up from the first kiss. C & C both had to grow up during the relationship and in the public eye.
Thank you Aurora Rose, for your thoughtful input. I too believe this communications major is media savvy and the roll-out was her doing. She instagrammed photos with hints and clue dropping and the media picked up the clues and it went public.
I am a racial mix and it isn’t race for me, but PR that has me tuned in more to a thirsty actress that will do anything for publicity. Whether this relationship is a long haul success or not, the publicity will serve to boost her career.
The most curious part is the fact that neither PH or Meghan have been photographed on dates: restaurants, theater, or sporting events. In the past, PH was often photographed with his girlfriends, Chelsea and Cressida.
I think she seems smart and hardworking and well-spoken.
I do have a couple of friends in fashion who have been quick to say they do not trust her– well, here, the link they sent. They feel that since she released the banana pictures a couple of days before her clothing label was released at a Canadian store, the timing was a clear business play…. so they feel the perfect timing indicates a level of insincerity:
https://www.thestar.com/life/fashion_style/2016/11/01/suits-star-meghan-markle-launches-accessible-clothing-line-at-reitmans.html
I know I keep harping on about it, but you are all forgetting about the statement that was released. From Kensington Palace. Calling her Harry’s girlfriend. There was no leak. It was confirmed, directly from the source in an unprecedented way.
Referring to the beginning of the PR leak when her instagram photo hints and clues revealed the relationship and the media was on the trail, this occurred way before the Kensington Palace confirmation.
I don’t think it was way before, just a matter of days or a few weeks. And in any event I’m not really sure what difference it makes.
Mary, I doubt those posts had any hidden agenda. The journalist who broke the story had reliable information from somewhere else. If I remember correcty, initially, her posts were only brought up in articles as supporting evidence to lend weight & interest to the story: for example, the similarity of her and H’s beaded bracelets. But from there, some people decided to retroactively declare them ‘hints’ and ‘clues,’ like she was intentionally playing some kind of interactive branding game all along. Despite there being no evidence for (or much plausibility to) this theory.
She certainly seems to be impressed with herself. I doubt anyone would have cared if she went to the wedding.
I doubt she will have to worry about this kind of thing much longer. I’m sure another hottie will catch Harry’s eye and that will be that
Ravine, I recall the instagram photos and that was where the “leak” supposedly occurred according to the internet stories, about where it began.
Opinion based on what has been observed by what has been oft repeated on the internet. It is just an opinion.
Am agreeing with Aurora Rose: ” I work in PR, but everything she does is from the “make my brand happen” playbook. Banal and tripe lifestyle blog? Check. Show-offy Instagram page complete with pretentious staged photos and generic “thought-provoking” quotes? Check. Pre-arranged pap walks? I counted at least two. Check. Picking a cause and using it as a vehicle to market your brand. Check. For the record, she is sadly not the only one who does this. Philanthropy is the new marketing (disturbing, I know) and many celebrities use it as a way to market and position themselves.”
Agree with Aurora Rose’s sentiments posted above 🙂
Agree to disagree 🙂
My friends seem to agree with you, not me, and point out she launched her next Reitmans clothing line the same week the press learned she was dating Harry. See the link I just posted above, from the Toronto Sun. I hope for Harry’s sake my jaded friends are wrong.
From the article — “Canada’s own Reitmans may be mobbed when the second Meghan Markle capsule collection launches Thursday on the heels of romantic rumours linking the TV star to one very eligible, very red-haired prince…….. Every piece in the line rings up at less than $100. “These girls go in to the store with their hard-earned money,” she says, of the fans who made her first Reitmans dress collection this spring a virtual first-day sellout. “And I care about that. I was not a girl who grew up buying $100 candles. I was the girl who ran out of gas on her way to an audition.”
Liberty, all you seem to be saying is that your friends – who do not know her personally – have decided they don’t like her. They base that not on knowing her, but not liking the launch of the Reitman’s line. A line and launch likely scheduled before she even met Harry. A launch she didn’t show up for because of the media circus.
If she showed up, she would have been bashed as a fame whore. She doesn’t show up, she’s bashed for playing it coy.
Just like some others, they are putting their own spin on her instagram and reading what they want into it. Are we supposed to give more weight to their opinions because they are in that business? Or are we supposed to decide that they are jealous that Megan has her own line and they don’t?
Thanks everyone for the awesome responses. I was afraid of how my post would be received as she seems quite popular in these parts. It’s great that we can agree or disagree and still have a civil discussion.
graymatters: Thanks for the 411 on Kensington PR. I don’t pay super close attention to the royals so I had no idea it was so horrible!
Mary mary, it’s no accident that they haven’t been papped together yet. I’m interested to know what deals were put in place to ensure that and for how long they’ll be in place for. Harry is going all out because she was extremely shook up by just how ruthless and nasty the British press were. They don’t care about your PR resume, they go for the jugular each and every single time. You don’t get to play games with them and dictate your own terms. They decide with the narrative. She could have kept quiet and continued to date him undercover, but instead she decided that she needed to show the world how cute bananas look when they spoon. You can’t play with fire and then cry to your boyfriend when you get burned. Get a better publicist! And some media training lol.
And believe me the stuff that they wrote about her is nothing in comparison to what they could have really said. If I were her, I would think long and hard about accepting his ring. The press might be playing nice now because deals have been set into motion but once you say I do….all bets are off.
Harry is such a “boy” taking her to see Peter Pan at the London theatre today sweet