Here are more photos of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s visit to Belfast last Friday. I’m still not absolutely crazy about her outfit, but I’m still enjoying her commitment to separates, and I’m enjoying her “dress like a professional office worker” vibes. At one of the events in Belfast, Meghan and Harry met a husband and wife team who make innovative and hypoallergenic baby products. Meghan was looking at all of the products and she said, “I’m sure at some point we’ll need the whole thing.” Which has just added more fuel to the “Meg and Harry are gonna get preg really quickly” fire. But first they have to get married, and as it turns out, Meghan has invited her father:
Meghan Markle has invited her reclusive dad to her wedding — and he will beat his crippling shyness to walk her down the aisle. There were rumours 73-year-old Thomas Markle Sr. would be blanked after Meghan decided against asking half-brother Thomas Jr. and half-sister Samantha.
But a family friend told The Sun on Sunday: “Thomas Sr. is overjoyed to be beside his little girl on the day she becomes a princess — even if he has to battle his demons to get there. He’s not exactly thrilled at facing the world’s glare. He lives a reclusive life in Mexico. But nothing will stop him from having Meghan on his arm for the big day.”
Mom Doria Ragland, who divorced Thomas when Meghan was six, is also invited. Thomas Jr. missed out, and blamed a drunken bust-up with his fiancée. Samantha will be in Windsor for the May 19 wedding to Prince Harry — but as a guest of a TV channel.
Oh God, of course a TV channel is paying Samantha to do some kind of f–ked up commentary on the wedding. Poor Meghan. I hope she walks by Samantha and says into the wind, “I don’t know her.”
As for the baby-making plans, the Daily Mail’s Girl About Town had a tip about where Meghan and Harry could honeymoon:
It’s remote, barren and dangerous – yet news reaches me that Prince Harry has his heart set on a honeymoon in Namibia with Meghan Markle. Contrary to reports suggesting that he will whisk Meghan off to the Caribbean after the wedding on May 19, I hear Harry will instead turn to luxury lodge company Natural Selection to organise an adventure in the huge south-west African country. A source says Harry and Meghan have been advised to use a number of different lodges to keep people guessing about their whereabouts.
One of Natural Selection’s newest attractions is the Hoanib Valley Camp, a four-hour drive by car from the nearest town. The £500-a-night lodge is still being built – but, intriguingly, is due to be completed in May. The chances of bumping into hordes of camera-wielding tourists will be pretty remote in Namibia. It is one of the least populated places in the world, home to the highest sand dunes on the planet, and the deepest canyon in Africa. The indigenous population is the 50,000-strong Himba tribe.
I hear that Meghan’s hen party will be organised by Soho House group’s global membership director Markus Anderson. The group’s 300-year-old stately home Babington House in Somerset has emerged as a favourite to host the event.
I still believe that Harry proposed to Meghan in Zambia, despite their claim that he proposed over engagement chicken at Nottingham Cottage. It just seemed like that entire vacation in Zambia was designed for a proposal. Which makes me wonder… would he take her back to an African country for their honeymoon? Or would she rather just sit on a beach somewhere for a few weeks? While I would love to see Namibia, I’m not sure it’s the perfect honeymoon destination for two people trying to get knocked up right away.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I sitll don’t think they’re going to get pregnant right away. Not because of some outdated biological inability to get pregnant at her age. But I just don’t see them rushing to immediately have kids.
She’s not THAT old. I’m 27 and there’s about a 4% difference in the ability to get pregnant at 27 compared to 37.
They also haven’t been together that long, really. So I don’t think they’ll rush to add a baby when they’ve only been public with their relationship for months.
I agree with you. I think they’ll honeymoon somewhere they want to go, for their enjoyment. I wouldn’t be surprised if they went back to an African country for him, but I don’t peg her for that type of honeymooner! Because I know her so well, obvs!
I don’t think it’s fertility really but the chances of down syndrome and other genetic/chromosomal abnormalities increase greatly with age. She may not be too old now but if they want more than 1 child I think they would probably start right away so they’re not having their second and third into her 40s.
The risk does double in women over 40 when it comes to birth defects, but it’s from .5% to 1%. It’s the rate of miscarriage that seems to jump – but she’s still not 40. I’m going to guess they’ll wait a year or maybe two.
@Erinn, you are very right. And the percentage of women in their 30s that have babies with birth defects related to “advanced maternal age” is really small. Gosh, the way people are carrying on and on you’d think Meghan is 57 as opposed to 37. I say, they’ll have a baby when they’re good and ready. And if they want no kids, that too is fine!! I work in a Neonatal ICU and in my experience, babies that come to our facility are born to mothers of all age groups. Risk factors that can contribute to a miscarriage or birth of a premie are many, advanced maternal age is just one of them not the only factor. And IMVHO, birth defects are more attributable to genetics than to maternal age so, Meghan shouldn’t feel pressured to have babies now and right now or else “your baby is gonna have downs or whatever else….”
A woman’s biological clock isn’t an outdated notion, but a biological fact – as much as I wish it wasn’t. Nature is nature. Some women are highly fertile well into their 40’s. However, the chances of having a healthy, complication-free pregnancy decrease rapidly for a woman after the age of 35, in general. Pretending otherwise isn’t doing women any favours.
Not really, though. Again, a lot of it is based on out dated census material from the 1600-1800s. The rate of birth defects goes from .5% to 1% at 40. That’s not some kind of terrifying odds. The risk of miscarriage does definitely go up though, as well as some other issues. I’m not saying it’s a complete walk in the park – but it’s not as dire as a lot of people lead women to believe.
I’d say that diabetes risk in general starts to climb the older you get, and blood pressure can as well. It’s just that you’re dealing with a pregnancy at the same time.
Horrible things can happen to a woman who’s pregnant at 20 – there’s just some things you can’t control. I get not wanting to wait forever – and not wanting to play too much with the odds. But she’s only 36. She’ll be married before 37. I honestly doubt she’ll wait until 40 to get pregnant, I’m just saying she’ll probably wait a little while.
@mostlymeghan
I agree. It’s a biological fact that women are at a higher risk when they are over 35 and having a first pregnancy. My DIL is 42 and has had two miscarriages. They have pretty well given up on the idea which they weren’t super keen on in the first place. One of her friends had a baby at 40 and went straight into menopause, ten years earlier than the average. Meghan still has time but I doubt whether she will wait long.
I had a friend have some issues getting pregnant but finally had her first at 41. Then she easily got pregnant and had her second at 43. Women don’t automatically turn barren once they turn 40. Often the people who have issues getting pregnant were going to have those issues in their late 20s. Endometriosis often remains improperly treated and that can cause issues as well. There are stats being quoted by many who work in the area and yet many turn to the old canard as if medical science hasn’t improved since the 50s. Polio is basically non existent now and you don’t have people going “oh well, everyone is going to get it eventually”.
It’s not necessarily the conception, although that can drop precipitously. It’s the risks for problems with the fetus and the risks for gestational diabetes, clots, pre-eclampsia, hemorrhage, etc. Some of these are still pretty rare, but I didn’t like being AMA.
sorry, at 37 fertility dives off the cliff. Granted, they will have access to all of the best medicine but old eggs are just that – old. And I am speaking as a mom to my first child at 38 and second at 42. That was our time line and all (eventually, thank you western medicine!) was eventually well.
Congrats on your two children! It is great to see “older” moms!
I had my first at 39, second seven years later with no fertility help. Every woman is different.
My issue with all of this is the prolonged use of the contraceptive pill, and the damage that does. Other methods may not be such a sure way of preventing pregnancy but much safer for women’s health. The mind boggles that some women have been taking pill everyday for 20 years without a break! What does that do to the body??
@erin…. hun fertility issues and probability with age is REAL…. not some think piece you can dismiss as a outdated ageism nuance…. immature much?
What if they actually kept the modern vibe going and – GASP! – adopted? Is that totally out of the question? Not like these kids are going to be king or queen one day anyway.
@Erinn I loved your take on this because so much of the dialogue around Meghan has been how old she is and how they need to have kids right away. First of all, like you said she is not that old. And secondly, she will have access to the best doctors and treatments money can buy. Women are living longer, having kids later, having careers, having freedom etc. well into their late thirties.
Thank you.
I went to Namibia for my honeymoon! It was awesome. You do a lot of eating and getting driven around. You have early starts but apart from that it’s oretty luxe. We went to Mauritius afterwards so you can combine it with some beach time too.
Nice! I went to Tanzania for my honeymoon. We roughed it, camping for 13 days with no electricity, but it was awesome and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. As far as H&M trying for a baby on the honeymoon? I’m sure it’s fine, but I waited until returning from Africa to start trying because of the malaria pills we had to take. (I don’t know of any scientific reasoning behind that, but I was paranoid.)
Namibia is a perfect honeymoon. My husband and I didn’t honeymoon there, but we went a few times while we were seriously dating and then when we were engaged.
@AmandaPanda
I worked in Mauritius once and liked it so much a bunch of friends, and I went back. Then my husband and I went with my brother and his wife.
I am already feeling antsy, and talk of travel makes me yearn to flee the US as this mess is depressing. Hmm. I think my children would love to go to Africa this summer. I have got to leave this fetid soil and news cycle for peace of mind and to save my battered soul.
I love Africa. And not as a colonial tourist but to be there. I can’t put into words how it feels to be there. The people are lovely, and you can truly get away. There is some hidden gem small rustic but luxurious out of the way places to stay. So much to see and experience. Sigh
Gosh you should have married Harry, he feels exactly the same way that you do about Africa.
yeah, I was going to say that the deluxe safaris in Africa are the PERFECT place to get knocked up! You go out in the day, you come back to an isolated, super private, luxe resort with two-person baths, candles, petals on the beds… It isn’t a “go out and have cocktails” place, it’s a “stay in and be together” place. You don’t feel like using phones and technology, you are peaceful and its romantic as hell.
Meghan’s nephew (who she hasn’t seen in three years) and his mother (her ex-sister-in-law, who she hasn’t seen in *twenty* years) went on TV this morning to whine they haven’t been invited to the wedding.
I saw that! I wish these folks would be graceful and go away…….they have nothing to add.
But by doing that they made the case why they weren’t very understandable.
I think they will rush to try. Not because of age but because they seem to rush everything with their relationship. They’re in high gear and I doubt that will stop after the wedding.
On another note, did she wear green, white and orange to Northern Ireland? Or is it the photo flash messing with the colors?
Yes, yes she did.
I need to check my eyes because i thought the skirt was black in the last post.
Not a combo i would do for that region, but it is muted and maybe she thought the browns looked better with green, they just happen to read orange-y.
Yes she did – she dresses thoughtfully but less obviously so than Kate. And it’s perfect for the region as it represents the Irish flag and she was on the island of Ireland – albeit in Northern Ireland, does fly the Union Jack. Perhaps she was dressing to include the entire island of Ireland and more inclusive than the union jack. The orange represents Protestants/Unionists/Loyalists, while the green represents Catholic/Nationalists and the white represents the peace between the two groups (the peace we are still working on).
Except they visited Northern Ireland, so I still don’t understand why she was dressed in the colors of the Republic of Ireland.
Good Friday agreement aside, Northern Ireland is not the same country as the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is British. Union Jack and all that.
I didn’t say the Irish tricolour was the flag for Northern Ireland, but it represents the people of the island of Ireland much more comprehensively than the Union Jack as it includes both sides, symbolically.
I think that’s upto the people of NI to decide, good friday agreement and all.
We all sat down together and decided it was a good outfit. 🙂
Lol @MostlyMeghan, you’re probably American. I saw so many comments praising her for theme dressing, not realising they visited Northen Ireland!
@MostlyMegan no, the tricolour represents the Republic of Ireland. To insist on your interpretation of the flag is to offend the unionist population in Northern Ireland who do not agree with your assessment. Wherever you got that meaning to the flag need to update its description because even if that is what was intended prior to the border being put in place, it is most definitely not the case now. It was insensitive of her and its insensitive of you to be so dismissive of others attempting to educate you.
It wasnt an either the tricolour or the union flag situation. Without the burnt orange shoes, no problem. Green can represent the green fields of the island,no offence there. The tricolour is strongly associated with republicans in northern Ireland and unfortunately whether she realises it or not, it was noticed and commented upon. But by all means dismiss this comment as well, even laugh at it. I’ve only lived in Northern Ireland all my life. And am already extremely concerned about the threat to peace a hard border will cause due to bloomin brexit. Now is the time for consideration and sensitivity.
They dated about a year and a half when the engagement was announced and it will be two years together when they get married. She will be three months short of 37 at her wedding, so we are not talking about 20 year olds. Where are you from that is considered “rushing”?
“It’s remote, barren and dangerous” – huh? dog whistle much? what is that even supposed to mean?
Yeah, that’s weird. I was thinking the Himba people were shown on the documentary “Babies” (one of the babies was Himba) and they seemed pretty chill.
Which is insane. Only someone without a clue and an agenda would say that.
Nimibia is GEORGEOUS. Not a shabby choice for a honeymoon.
The woman was describing her product and then Harry asked for the price. After she revealed it to them she then joked that she could “send them one for free.” That made everyone laugh and then Harry was like “How many you got?” and then Meghan joined in, “Exactly. At some point we will need the whole thing.” So I am with others who say they clearly do want a family especially when they are openly joking about it. I just don’t think they are in a grand rush like the media is portraying it. Honeymoon baby? I think it will happen naturally for them but they will enjoy being married first. And I hope they do. I don’t think they will wait 2 years like William and Kate but I don’t think they will be conceiving on May 20 either.
Yes, I hope they have a lovely honeymoon and early married life. They will know when it’s the right time for them to begin their family.
Namibia is gorgeous! I went there as part of a three-week African safari and the scenery is spectacular. Unless, they fly between locations, the country is large and the various locations are very spread apart, they will be spending a lot of time in a SUV but that’s a wonderful way to see the country. Namibia is not really on the radar for US/UK tourists yet but since it’s a former German colony and used to be controlled by South Africa, lots of German and Dutch tourists go there. I didn’t stay any where so posh as where Harry and Meghan are likely to stay though.
I am really interested in visiting…..thanks for the info!
It is a wonderful place to visit but Meghan seems like the type of person who, when it is up to her, picks a (luxe) beach vacation where she just zones out, so I hope Harry takes her feelings into consideration and doesn’t just plan this (if this story is even true, which is a big “IF”) because it’s his dream honeymoon.
Meghan seems like she would enjoy a Middleton-style private resort on Mustique…she doesn’t strike me as someone who would enjoy spending a ton of time in an SUV on her honeymoon — but who knows! Hopefully we’ll find out eventually 🙂
ETA: this reads to me as PR for the new resort, couched in this story to draw interest. Like the Greek guy last week!
Well the rumour mill says that Meghan is paying for and planning the surprise honeymoon.
I lived in Namibia for two years. It’s neither particularly dangerous nor particularly barren. It’s very beautiful, easy to travel around, very interesting and a lovely place for a honeymoon. The article also misses out that the Himba aren’t the only indigenous people living there. There are, in fact, over 20 distinct languages spoken there. Wish people would not buy into this ‘dark continent’ trope. So effing annoying and stupid.
Wonderful comment! Thanks for your insight. There is much to see and appreciate in Africa……security and safety concerns abound internationally these days.
Thank you for your post @Rachel. I don’t know why people in the western continue to push this narrative about African countries. And it seems many that give “insight” about Africa don’t even know that Africa is a continent, but thats an argument for another thread!!
Thank you@ Rachel. So much of what is said about the continent and specific Arican countries is incorrecrt. It’s a real pity for the people who read blogs and aren’t aware of the facts.
I can’t stand it either. I have been to several of the countries, so I do tend to say Africa instead of the individual countries because that is tedious. But the countries are very different from each other depending on their history, economy, safety, demographics, population, etc. Religion plays a role in some places and less so in others.
When 45 called it what he called it I was livid.
The upside is it will keep a bunch of his ignorant followers from tainting the continent.
@Magnolia that is such a good point! If this (untrue and offensive) narrative works to keep deplorables away, then it’s fine by me! 🙂
Btw this is re: yesterday’s post but why do you dislike lace and v-necks? My body type is such that v-necks are just the most flattering neckline on me. My wedding dress was both lace and v-neck (I did not want strapless) but it was quality lace, not David’s bridal style lace. I got it from a total hole-in-the-wall in NYC’s garment district but I didn’t care; I wanted to put the $ toward the dress, and didn’t care about the whole shopping at Kleinfeld/Vera Wang/etc. that many NY brides insist upon.
🙂
I bet you looked gorgeous.
You know I find that even if I usually dislike a combination, there are always exceptions. I think I hate it because I have seen so many that were horror shows, so I just made that conclusion. Lace can be pretty but as you know some can look not so good.
It never fails that I find something I swore I would never like and love it. I think it also depends on the person and the styling.
All that to say I don’t believe anything is absolute in fashion ever.
I don’t care where the engagement occurred, that is a moot point. I just want to see the wedding.
I’ m guessing they decided to marry around the time she began getting rid of her online presence. They enjoyed keeping it a secret from plebs, and didn’t want it to look like an impulsive whirlwind romance which would really set tongues wagging. Didn’t happen with the chicken, IMO.
Ditto, Cher.
I’m betting by this time next year she is pregnant. They most likely want a family and why wait when you are advanced maternal age (the medical term!). I married at 33 and it took 5 years for us to conceive! I had no idea we would have problems. Turns out I had undiagnosed endo.
If they waited and then encountered problems…yea, no…they will try right away is my bet 🙂
yes we knowww. Its been discussed 5 million times
Nothing to do with their honeymoon destination or likely or unlikely pregnancies but random babble about how things will play out between W & K and H & M. I’m talking about their dynamic and even perhaps competing needs.
William & Kate don’t seem to be in much of a hurry to accomplish things for the sake of accomplishment. For example, William knows that if he outlives both his grandmother and father that he will ascend to the throne. Kate can, for the most part, be the SAHM I suspect she’s always wanted to be. If she did have some personal stuff (e.g., personal career success) that she wanted to accomplish, it seems she willingly suppressed those desires in exchange for the life she has now. For both of them there doesn’t seem to be a restlessness there or an urgency to acommplieh anything outward. They also seem to be introverts. Aside from this, both brothers want privacy but William has come across (so far) as the most litigious and agreesive of the two.
H & M come across as being more extroverted than W & K, which gives the impression of energetic, laid back, openness and fun. I’m sure that overtime Harry will be more overtly staunch about their collective privacy. Until that time, tho . . . layer that onto a younger brother who seems to be more and more fulfilled creating outward successes for himself probably because (a) he “has to” in order to stave off boredom and the type of escape that drinking, drugs, money and access can afford him; (b) success is addictive (Invictus Games)—success become its on drug or it’s on high; and (c) his path isn’t as clear it as is his brother’s. Add to this a wife who grew up American middle class / upper middle class (depending) but with some definite downward projection, who had to work to support herself (no real parental monetary wealth to escape into (I’m assuming), and who wasn’t necessarily groomed to be a part of a particular type or subset of the upper class. Harry, as a younger son finding his way and trying to establish his bonafides, along with Meghan, an only child turned into an independent woman who has earned her own paychecks, lived and worked outside of the parental radius, married/divorced/have had other male:female intimate relationships (I’m assuming) is a very different beast then WK. How will this Fantastic Four pairing really work out (Catherine Quinn?)? The infighting will be spectacular IMO. Who leads? Who follows? Who breaks away? Who swallows it because of duty? And for how long?
Sorry for such a long post.
No I love wordy post if they are interesting.
I agree with you. I can’t see them idle because I think it would bore them. I hate it too so I understand.
Hi Honey! I like your post, it’s always nice to “chat” about random royal thoughts swirling around in one’s head. At the Forum, when they were talking about disagreements I had a vibe that Meghan and William have butted heads before, maybe not aggressively but still standing on opposite sides of a fence. I get the impression that while Meghan is sweet, kind and funny, she isn’t one to keep silent on things she disagrees with and we all know that William doesn’t like to be second guessed or take advice from others. I also, can’t see her being fine with William teasing/bullying Harry as he is prone to do, so she’ll probably have something to say about that.
I wonder if Meghan will help temper Harry’s desire for privacy before it becomes an issue like his brothers? Seriously, they didn’t want to tell the name of their dog!! Kate finally spilled the beans to a school child. I’m certainly not advocating that either of them start laying their souls bare for public consumption but instead would be lovely for one of the younger royal couples to be a bit more open and friendly, it would certainly help foster a sense of closeness to those who pay for their lavish lifestyle.
Going forward I really hope that there won’t be a Fantastic Four but instead two couples doing their own thing, their own way, not to say that they won’t be attending some of the same events from time to time but please, please let them be individuals.
Thanks for the chance to ramble . 🙂
Ditto to what Magnolia and Lauri said — I love long posts too, as long as they’re interesting which yours was!
I do think they want a few children, so that will affect Meghan’s time a bit, but ITA with Lauri that I hope the media drops this “Fantastic Four” nonsense and that they are two couples, basically working separately and doing their own thing.
Some thoughts to add.
I don’t think Harry and Meghan will be allowed to do any more than W&K, cause they will make them look bad and that is not going to happen. Also, what gives anyone the idea the Basically Unemployed and Dim Harry wants to do more? He has been doing, what? An event a week? Every other week? And “mystique” to me about them means they get to live the life of luxury on the taxpayers’ dime without anyone finding out.
And I hope that for her sake that Meghan doesn’t butt heads with Wills. That will not work out well for her. He will turn on her like a viper. He is spoiled, entitled and truculent. He will be King, and he knows it. He is rude to his own wife frequently. Meghan should smile sweetly at William and let Harry take him on if there are issues. I know that might not be her way, but it is what she is marrying into: a spoiled family who are never told NO, never told they are wrong, never want to be corrected. Meghan correcting him or telling him he is wrong will get her nothing but trouble.
I agree with all re: Meghan & William bumping heads. I don’t see her just passively accepting things that really rankle, and she literally has no reason to look up to or defer to William at this time. Harry does it because it’s patterned behavior and Kate because . . . well, but I don’t see Meghan sliding into that. She doesn’t have that type of relationship with him and neither is she entrenched in the British class system that way. What makes it funny is that W/K/M are all 36/37, so I came see them squabbling like little cousins trying to pull rank on each other because one’s birthday falls a week or two before the other. Finally, as you all pointed out, how will Harry keep the peace with himself and Meghan AND negotiate the differences between his wife—who will probably complain about William’s petulance and his bullying—and his brother, who has always come first or at least had a major amount of older brother/future king deference?
I don’t think there’s any job more important than parenting your children. Plus for the RF I do find it necessary for privacy. The lack of it is what in the end killed their Mother. Harry has said there should always be a bit of mystique surrounding the RF so once this marriage is official we shall see. This engagement seems more HW to me than previous Royal engagements.
Did Harry really say that? Their relationship (H&M) has been very open. I think we’ve been fed so many things through the tabloids – not including the VF spread. Yes, some of them were bs, but others were true. William and Kate do the mystique thing better.
I know that some people get annoyed when this is brought up, but for most of the world, they really just are celebrities. It’s just the truth.
I understand why those in the UK might feel differently but that’s the way most people view them.
This engagement didn’t seem any more “Hollywood” to me than William & Kate’s…
I’m British. They aren’t celebs though and they shouldn’t parade themselves as celebrities. Most officials in the world view them as Royalty too. People comment on William’s privacy issues.. but you don’t see the tabloids talking about their romantic getaways, family holidays, family occasions, etc. They keep personal things to themselves.
speaking of honeymoons, it occurred to me it must be difficult to have a really private honeymoon when you must have a security detail nearby. The royals grow up with security so I understand they’re used to it and these security folks I suppose know how to be discreet. But still – a honeymoon. Security must insist on some kind of text each day — or maybe that Harry comes to the door so they can see his face at least once a day – then they can hop back in bed right ?? 🙂
Well now that I think of it, they had a romantic camping trip in Africa early in their relationship already so security must have a plan already on how not to put a damper on Harry’s romancin’
I would imagine their security would be nearby… but not near enough to intrude on their romantic holidays.
I think it is great that her father is planning to be there, despite his intense shyness (possible agoraphobia?). Her step/half/whatever “siblings” need to go away, but her parents seem to be very supportive in their own ways. I hope the crowds and scrutiny aren’t too much for him and everyone can just enjoy and celebrate the special day.
ArtHistorian, if you’re still here, are you anywhere near Aarhus? New exhibit of Queen Margrethe’s clothing there. Maybe you’re close enough to visit?