Duchess Meghan made an unannounced visit to King’s College on Wednesday

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I truly believe that one of the purposes of smear campaign against the Duchess of Sussex was to get her to slow down, to get her away from the cameras for a month, and to re-establish the Cambridges at this moment in particular. There was such a mountain of bulls–t thrown Meghan’s way, but in one of Katie Nicholl’s Vanity Fair pieces, Nicholl noted the significance of the Sussexes and Cambridges separating their offices as soon as possible, especially with Kate being so keen to finally announce some new projects, and Meghan telling the palace staff that she also plans to work up until her due date. There seems to be a concern that Kate and Meghan will continue to step on each other’s newscycles. As I said, I believe that was one of the reasons for the smear campaign – a power play aimed at Meghan’s schedule.

So it’s interesting that on the same day that Duchess Kate wore Meghan-esque trousers in Cyprus, Meghan quietly stepped on Kate’s newscycle. Oh, but there’s NO competition, right? NEVER. How dare anyone suggest that there’s a game of tit-for-tat happening? Meghan made a quiet, unannounced appearance at King’s College in London for the Association of Commonwealth Universities on Thursday. The only photo from Meghan’s visit was the one the ACU released on its social media (it was retweeted by the Kensington Palace Twitter account).

The ACU’s site says the meeting was about “Building a better world through higher education.” It was a chance for Meghan and an assortment of academics and educators to “discuss the role of universities in addressing human trafficking and modern slavery, gender equality and inclusion, peace and reconciliation, and climate change and resilience.” The ACU says Meghan took part in discussions, so it wasn’t just a “listening” meeting.

This visit is especially interesting when you combine it with the news that Meghan’s first solo patronage will likely be the Campaign for Female Education. Meghan seems keen to make a big announcement in the next few weeks, or maybe she’ll be convinced to wait until January. But it definitely seems like she’s going to make education, higher education and education for girls her big priorities as a duchess.

Also: a lot of people think Meghan is pregnant with twins. I have no idea, I’m not her gyno, but if she was expecting twins, that would also explain a lot about…everything.

The Duchess Of Sussex Visits The Hubb Community Kitchen

Photo courtesy of The ACU’s Twitter, additional photos courtesy of WENN and Avalon Red.

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181 Responses to “Duchess Meghan made an unannounced visit to King’s College on Wednesday”

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  1. Lightpurple says:

    Considering how much they cost the British taxpayers, all of them should be in the news almost daily with none of this “stepping on her newscycle” stuff. It’s called “work.” It’s their job.

    • LadyMTL says:

      Hah that’s so true. I go to work every day, and so does my sister-in-law…gasp! It must mean that we’re in constant competition with one another and hate one another soooo much.

    • OriginalLala says:

      thank you! their “work” events shouldn’t be so rare that they are even “events” – they should be doing this stuff daily, considering how high on the hog they live off the backs of taxpayers

    • Lightpurple says:

      And yes, some events should generate more news coverage than others but that should be due to the importance/significance of the event, not that today is this one or that one’s newscycle.

      And the same goes for First Lady of the United States, Melanoma. At least one event a day, not an event every three months.

      • Tessy says:

        Why? It’s her husband who was elected, not her. By many accounts she didn’t want any part of it and I tend to believe it. I read a book about First Ladies, and she’s not the first one who didn’t want any part of it, seriously who can blame them.

      • Rhys says:

        I disagree with that. We hardly even know what Mr.May looks like because he is never there and NO ONE says a word about him having to play “First Man”.

      • Tina says:

        The US has a joint head of state/head of government, whereas the UK has split the roles. This means that Melania and Pence are essentially sharing the role of the Queen. Philip May is the equivalent of Mother, or if we are being very very very generous, Jill Biden.

    • Serphina says:

      Exactly!!! It’s called earning your keep and good for Meg shaking things up. Some have gotten quite comfy and it seems like entitlement. Get up and so some work!

      I don’t believe the twin story. They said the same about Kate. But that may explain the struggle to keep Megs down.

      Hardwork and caring are what has shaken Wlls and Kate. And it’s brillant to watch.

      • Famika says:

        Work Meghan, Yes .
        That’s what I think has shook Pr.William a bit, is that there is someone really hitting the ground running as a new Royal , not just talking about doing so.

    • Lily says:

      Exactly what I’m thinking! In Denmark, The Crown Prince Couple and the ‘spare’ Prince Joachim and Princess Marie all work on the same days and there’s no rumours of competition because the Danish royals have said themselves(multiple times) this is a JOB. And what’s more ridiculous is the Cambridges have had over seven years to show the public they care enough to present various charity projects. So there really is no point in getting annoyed and upset over Meghan and Harry’s work and popularity. Just do your job.

      • Becks1 says:

        And, even in the BRF – Charles and Anne do events on the same day. Sometimes Charles, Anne, Edward, Sophie and Andrew all do events on the same day!!!!!! And somehow the press survives because its just expected.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Yes it is and one the Cambridges are bad at – time for a performance review.

      Regardless of whether any of these stories are true, the Cambridges need to shut it down – they haven’t because they think its benefiting them.

      H&M don’t need to engage, the press are hanging the Cambridges out to dry as they are the ones who are looking bad. If you think Kate suddenly being more visible, engaged, repeating clothes and then copying Megs style is all a coincidence then I have a bridge to sell you. They are taking advantage of the press pile on to promote their own agenda – instead of supporting Harry and his pregnant wife. And this is why they are throwing the Sussex’s under the bus – they are allowing the press to use them in their dog whistle racist hit job.

    • Jadered says:

      I agree that they all should be out working on a daily basis like normal people do! Unfortunately none of them do, and the so called fab four despite all their hype are not even among the hardest workers in the family. I can also see why they’re being kept apart for now because royal watching has become so toxic of late that every move by the Cambridges or Sussexes will be pounced on and a million think pieces will be written. If Kate is pictured on the same day Meghan has an engagement it’s perceived as “don’t forget about me”.  If Meghan is pictured when Kate has an engagement she’s ctiticised for not knowing her place.

    • launicaangelina says:

      Yes! Exactly!

    • Roux says:

      That’s not true, since their main role is to bring attention and media coverage to events. This is pretty much their only job. It’s important that each charitable event gets maximum coverage, which it doesn’t if they’re treading on each others toes or making it about something else entirely (like themselves or petty battles). This isn’t supposed to be about making THEM look good, it’s supposed to be about raising awareness and helping people. It would be different if it were Kate and Sophie for example, doing events on the same day because Sophie doesn’t draw that much media pull but the Cambridges and Sussex’s are on an equal footing. As a taxpayer, paying for two married couples to play silly games in the media like this is infuriating.

    • sage says:

      They should all be out making appearances every day, but their egos are gigantic and they will not share the spotlight.

      • Yami says:

        I think Meghan would if given the opportunity. The Vanity Fair piece said Meghan expects to work right up to her due date.

    • CynicalCeleste says:

      Agree @LightPurple, to whom much is given, much is expected.

      This ‘competition’ nonsense is contrived to get the peoples in a tizzy. I believe Kate was in tears before the wedding over what to wear and now she and MM share the same stylist.

  2. Surely Wolfbeak says:

    I think a lot of the conjecture about her being pregnant with twins is due to the fact that she is 37, and people assume that there’s no way a shriveled up geriatric of 37 could conceive without medical intervention (or witchcraft).

    • Becks1 says:

      I also think people think that she “popped” very early, but considering that we don’t know her due date, we have no way of knowing whether she showed early or not. She also has a pretty small frame so it makes sense that she would show earlier than others.

      • KidV says:

        She’s short waisted, she’s going to carry out instead of up like a long waisted person would, such as Kate. I’m long waisted and didn’t show until my 5th month, didn’t wear maternity clothes until my 7th month, and I had a big baby.

        Twins would be cool, though.

      • Megan says:

        Little twinsies in matching outfits would be super cute, but I think they would have announced twins if that was the case.

    • Eliza says:

      Tell that to the army of 40yos with oopsy babies. Fertility goes down, it’s not canceled.

      • Kk2 says:

        Yea this is dumb. People are making the assumption that she was 12 weeks when they announced which I highly doubt. She was probably at least 16 weeks or so making her…i don’t know, past 20 weeks now? I think she’s due in March or very early April. Also when they announced and and future remarks they have referred to expecting a “child” or “little one” singular. Likewise, Kate referred to “a cousin” for her kids. Why not take that at face value? These two are pretty gushy. If they were expecting twins, I think they would have announced that.

      • minx says:

        I had my first baby at 39, second a week after I turned 47, with no fertility help. Both healthy babies.

      • polly says:

        @minx give me some of your baby dust!!!

    • Betsy says:

      Uh, no. It’s that twins are more common in older women and in some women of African American descent.

      • NJ says:

        Here to agree with@Betsy – as the body ages, it ‘dumps’ ova in preparation for menopause. As a result, multiple births happen more frequently in older women.

      • Serpentinefire says:

        My niece had twin boys and she was 38 or 39.

      • Ellie says:

        Twins are still rare for all women in the US. In the US, 4 in 100 births for African Americans are twins, compared to 3 in 100 for all races.

      • MsK says:

        Completely true: older women have twins (naturally) at higher rates for the reasons NJ says. I went through fertility treatments with both my kids (born when I was 34 and 40) and both my OBGYN and the fertility specialist told me this.

      • Princessk says:

        I hope she doesn’t have twins. Jut imagine the comments about how they must have been IVF and Meghan’s frozen eggs.

    • notasugarhere says:

      It is a popular theme among the anti-Meghan crowd, that she is having twins because of secret (against his will) invitro.

      • Ader says:

        Ahhhahahaha! Are the Royal Dish ladies still at that game? Oh man. I remember when Kate first had George. They were convinced she had faked her pregnancy, and then stole the child of some reality star who had given birth around the same time. They were convinced!

      • mazzie says:

        @ader, The Royal Dish ladies are cray as hell and Meghan makes them froth.

      • Blinkitina says:

        That makes me sad. IVF is a perfectly legitimate way to have children. I really hate it when people talk badly about the medical treatments some folks use to conceive. We don’t know the story behind this pregnancy — and we have no right to know, it’s their business.

      • Tina says:

        @nota, we both know that story is crazy. But for the benefit of the wider reading public, and as a UK woman who has been through IVF multiple times, it is literally not possible to have IVF in the UK without the explicit written consent of the male partner. There is no clinic in the country that would risk it.

      • Nic919 says:

        It goes further than in vitro though. Some suggested Kate used a surrogate. Which would lead to actual issues because of how inheritance laws are set up. Now this talk is happening about Meghan.

    • Cerceau says:

      The rumour came about because a bookmaker stopped taking bets on her being pregnant with twins due to a huge amount of money being placed on the possibility. Which would suggest that someone in their circle found out that she was expecting twins and wanted to make some cash on a sure thing.

      • Tina says:

        That sort of thing really annoys me, because it is reported just as you say, and it is just publicity, a loss leader for the bookmaker. We have no knowledge of how much has been placed, and it’s likely not very much (it’s certainly nowhere near how much has been bet on major horse races, or the winner of I’m a Celebrity).

    • Jaded says:

      Actually the chances of having twins increases in a woman’s thirties – I know a number of women in their late thirties who had twins so it could very well be.

    • Surely Wolfbeak says:

      I had two kids in my late thirties and early forties, but they weren’t twins, so I guess I’m the exception.

  3. Cantgoogleme says:

    Oh my…If this tit for tatting continues we are going to get royal press fatigue from the one upmanship.

    I don’t think there’s competitiveness on Meghan’s side. Kate was likely miffed that Meghan won’t adjust her program to suit Kate’s new agenda (keeenness, pant suits etc)

    • ds says:

      I’m already in the fatigue mode with these stories.

    • arsesds73 says:

      I don’t understand why Meghan should have to adjust her schedule around Kate’s? From what I’ve seen the press seems to like Kate over Meghan anyway, so if they do both go on engagements on the same day I am sure the press will gush over Kate. If press coverage is really that big of a deal why not just strike a deal with the RRs so that some go to Kate’s and the others to Meghan’s, why is this so difficult? Using this disgusting smear campaign to “slow” her down is disgusting, reading some of the “stories” they made actually made me sick to my stomach. It also makes me wonder if they asked Camilla to write that Hubb piece.

  4. Char says:

    Imagine twin girls named after their mothers.

    • VanessaB says:

      yesss! baby ladies diana and doria would be SO AMAZING

    • Snazzy says:

      OMG I love this idea

    • Erinn says:

      Ugh. I really don’t like when that kind of thing happens. Middle names, sure. But holy hell is that a lot of setup for any child. Because there will be comparisons as is – if they have the names it’s going to be even more common and unending. It’s just inviting comparisons and giving a child a lot to live up to from day 1.

  5. Rhys says:

    Is there a history of twins in the family for people to make such assumption?

    • LizB says:

      No family history – people are assuming IVF.

      • Mego says:

        Or a fertility drug like clomid which often leads to twins+ But it’s most likely not twins.

      • Yvette says:

        I don’t think people are assuming IVF. They are assuming twins because, evidently (according to an article I read last night on the subject) a notable majority of women in their mid to late 30’s have twins, without IVF help. It’s a weird fact someone has tracked. It surprised the heck out of me.

    • LNG says:

      Twins become significantly more likely the older you are, with the risk starting to increase at about age 35.

      • Yvette says:

        LNG, Sorry! I came down to your post after replying. Didn’t notice I said basically what you said.

  6. RBC says:

    Can’t wait to see how the Cambridge’s act when Meghan has her child and goes on maternity leave. Will they suddenly announce new projects and have a jam packed schedule of engagements? The next few months will be interesting for sure

    • ds says:

      I feel they’ll be using that time to “rest” as well from all the social activities they’re having these last few months. And then suddenly there’ll be these stories again with Meghan stepping all over their schedule.

    • rainbow says:

      Honest Question…. Why is Meghan allowed a maternity leave but Kate isn’t? And, no, it doesn’t matter if one has done more “engagements” than the other because, at the end of the day, they don’t work full time. So why were there such nasty comments about Kate’s mat leave which every mother in the UK is entitled to, working or not?

      • Tina says:

        Without wishing to comment on either of Kate or Meghan, to qualify for statutory maternity leave in the UK you must meet the following requirements (full time or part time): earn at least £116 per week; give the correct notice and proof you’re pregnant; and have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks.

  7. anniefannie says:

    I get that giving back and hitting the ground running is an earnest and innate setting for the Dutchess of Sussex but it might be wiser to take the long veiw. It’s been my experience that the value of getting a lay of the land, understanding where the possible land mines are buried is invaluable.

    • dietcokehead says:

      I disagree. People expect her to work, and she wants to work. She should be able to do her job without nasty smears in the press. If she eased herself in the way Kate did—i.e., years of “princess lessons” and “secret meetings” all the while claiming to be keen and engaged—she would get even worse coverage for being a lazy, entitled American. She’s in a crummy situation and her best bet is to just consistently do the work.

    • MarcelMarcel says:

      I understand that need to get the lay of the land however I do that by working hard, being optimistic and making new social connections. Like naturally I don’t Meghan personally however I relate to her work ethic. I guess everyone takes different approaches to getting familiar with a new situation. I do heavily relate to her deciding that she wants to work.

    • BearcatLawyer says:

      Meghan is not stupid and survived in Hollywood. She will figure out how to navigate her new role in the U.K. just fine.

      • Famika says:

        Exactly, Meghan should not lessen her work ethic to please the lazy Cambridge’s.
        Meghan has worked for two big Corporations, NBC and the NBC Universal for Suits, also involvement in The UN, this is someone who can navigate through situations. She will be fine in the Long run.

        I actually think Meghan would have more in common with Countess Sophie, than with Kate in the long run.
        I dont think Kate will ever dig in and work consistanly.

    • notasugarhere says:

      The long view is not to start out lazy like Kate. Meghan is used to working hard, their position requires them to work for charity.

    • rainbow says:

      She wants to work, so why shouldn’t she? This is their job. If she took a whole year off before doing anything, that wouldn’t look good.

  8. Becks1 says:

    I agree with an above poster that the royals should just be working. It shouldn’t be a matter of controlling the newscycle because there should just be an expectation of regular work and appearances. Kate has convinced people that seeing her a few times a month should be the norm, which I will give her credit for in a way, because by setting the bar so low, when she does more events than that people really praise her.

    • rainbow says:

      Sometimes it’s not even a few times a month! A couple of times a week should be her “working” schedule. They spend under an hour at their engagements; if she did that twice a week, it wouldn’t take her away from her mummy duties, either.

  9. Scal says:

    According to my ob your odds of having twins goes way up after you hit 35-not because of IVF but because some women’s bodies start releasing multiple eggs each cycle. Especially if one hasn’t been pregnant before.

    • sunny says:

      Also not sure how much the press would know about this in general with speculation but race also plays a factor. Certain demographics within WOC are more likely to have multiples(if conceived naturally). Black women in particular have a higher rate of conceiving twins.

      I don’t think she is carrying multiples though

      • Goldengirlslover34 says:

        So true. I found this out after I became pregnant with my twins. Doctors told me as an African American woman, this was more likely to occur. Quite a shock

    • Kk2 says:

      Sure, but odds go “way up” from super rare to pretty rare (absent fertility treatment). There are much much higher odds of having a single pregnancy. Even with fertility drugs, you are more likely to have a single pregnancy than multiples, though the risk if multiples goes up ( maybe from pretty rare to unusual?).

    • CooCooCatchoo says:

      @Scal, my mom gave birth to my twin and me at 40. I joke that she was dropping eggs like a Waffle House waitress!

  10. Iknow says:

    I made the mistake and read the Daily Mail comment section. Big mistake!!!! My
    God. The vitriol, the hate, the downright hideousness of the people. They called her stupid. Some said she has nothing behind her eyes. She is a scammer. One person actually said that isnshe so stupid that she needs to write down what she learned. What the hell is that!?!?! All of a sudden Kate is the smartest, wisest, classiest English Rose that ever sprung. The racism is real!’

    • ds says:

      yeah, they call her Sparkles. Why is that? I thought we’ve reserved that one for Pattinson

      • Lady D says:

        Her nephew owns a pot farm and announced he was naming a strain Markle-Sparkle.
        As far as the name Sparkle goes, I agree there is only one and long may he sparkle.

    • Becks1 says:

      I checked the KP IG this morning and one of the first comments on these pictures was how she looks evil. I mean…..what?

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      The Fail is well known for deleting comments that don’t fit their narrative, there are also rumours that many of the commenters are bots or paid to post sh!t. Some are real others are not.

      • grace 1 says:

        That’s pathetic — some of those posts generate thousands of comments!!!

        Don’t they have better things to do — like maybe do a better job of editing their work? (articles are often published with spelling mistakes and inconsistencies and often seem like complete gibberish : “….shares twins Sue and Bob, both 7 with ex-husband Mike.”

      • Snowflake says:

        Yes, many of my comments dont show up

    • Erinn says:

      I don’t understand why so many people do this to themselves! GUYS. DON’T CLICK.

      And if the fail is so bad, stop giving them clicks! But seriously – I avoid comment sections of EVERY site except here. It’s just not worth working yourself up over because it’s always going to be trash.

      • Lady D says:

        The comment section of the Washington Post is interesting, informative, funny and sad. It’s like this place, only with politicians instead of actors/actresses, nothing like the DM.

      • Erinn says:

        Well that sounds reasonable. I’m on board with that.

    • Princessk says:

      I have a strategy fo reading Meghan articles in DM now. Start with the worst rated and give them a positive rating, because apart from the few nutters most of them are pro Meghan.

  11. MrsBump says:

    This feels a little like the Sussex strikes back 😉 i cant blame them for trying to take back PR control after the recent negative coverage.

    Though in the grand scheme of things, it is a little pitiful that simply attending a meeting (or hosting a party like Kate yesterday ) is front page news. But if people like me didn’t click on these articles, then they wouldn’t be in the papers at all.
    Sigh.. my need to see pretty clothes is clogging up the newscycle.

    • Rosie says:

      Very true!!

      I’m not sure I like the idea of them having instagram/twitter accounts or whatever they’ve got (no idea, don’t look). Posting pictures and stories is fine but having people being able to comment sounds like a nightmare.

    • Alexandria says:

      Hahhaa mrsbump yes my first thought was Meghan be like ‘gurl it is on!’ especially after Kate put on pants and blazers. But the rational me says we don’t really know anything and they could all just be chummy and the press (DM et al) are just being stupid.

  12. Aerohead21 says:

    Look. Meghan is a commoner. She worked every day like most people do to earn an income and support herself. She’s also not down for making women look like they can’t work during pregnancy or after having a baby. So why not work? Not knocking Kate cuz HG is some nasty stuff to deal with during pregnancy and can actually make you end up in the hospital. But the average person works at least 40 hours a week with two people or more in the house maintaining such a schedule just to keep the household running. She’s probably quite aware of this and would prefer to take from Amal Clooney’s playbook than Kate’s.

    • SlightlyAnonny says:

      This. When you are used to working and like it, you work. Also the charity aspect, I think she is a genuinely charitable person and you don’t deny charitable people when they want to work. I have my causes and things that I wish I could give more to (time, money, etc.) but if I suddenly had access to a gobillion dollars, or pounds, a platform from which people would listen and act, and the time to do it? I would go hog wild. That’s what I think they didn’t count on, she genuinely likes this stuff so she’s going to do it and not let nonsensical excuses stop her.

  13. Eliza says:

    From the outside, and knowing they don’t like to stack event, it surely looks like tit-for-tat…

    Kate/Will throw RAF xmas party immediately followed by KP confirming Meghan met former FLOTUS Obama the night before

    Later that night, Kate/Will attend white tie diplomat dinner (3rd time in history photos are released) -> Meghan/Harry attended charity service memorial where both speak (both events would be known in advance so this one doesn’t surprise me)

    Next day, Kate/Will fly to Cyrus for RAF xmas party and bringing goods -> Meghan attends surprise education event with only the organization (not press) present and they release a photo [which I’m sure the press will have a hissy-fit over in 3…2…1…]

    • Lexa says:

      Honestly, though, if Kate did what Meghan did (allowing KP to release that she met with Mrs. Obama the day of one big engagement, showing up at the Carol Service for a reading, allowing a photo to be released of the meeting during the Cambridges other big engagement) people here would be saying she was trying to pull focus in a “Don’t forget about MEEEEE” way…

      • windyriver says:

        Not really. The point of royal patronage or affiliation is to bring attention to the agency or organization they’re associated with. Can’t do that without some publicity, and the (single) photo above of Meghan at the meeting was released by the organization. Same thing with the tour, which was official business on behalf of HM.

        Harry is a regular attendee at the carol service, and he and Meghan were discreet about being photographed. Kate’s family also reportedly attended BTW, and there were pictures.

        I think Meghan’s actually been pretty good about not overshadowing Kate, in general. We knew nothing about all the meetings and work that must have gone into producing the Hubb kitchen cookbook until it was completed and time for publicity. Kate wears the bright colors and big jewels and gets to look regal, while Meghan wears a lot of dark/blah colors, and understated accessories.

        It’s on Kate if she hasn’t been out there doing something and being noticed for it, there’s plenty of room for both of them.

        That said, in the wake of all the very vicious articles in the last two weeks, I do think Meghan is sending a message, but not necessarily “Look at me”, and I’m not sure it’s even directly aimed at W&K. To me, what she’s doing is letting it be known, whatever you say, I’m still out here, doing the job I’m supposed to be doing.

      • Lexa says:

        All of what you’ve said is true, WindyRiver (though Meghan seems to prefer dark neutrals in general and chooses that for herself and there were actually two photos of Meghan at this meeting posted to KP’s Instagram account). I’m not criticizing the work she’s doing or her for putting herself out there to get things done, just pointing out why some people here (myself included) occasionally get frustrated with the way Kate is sometimes covered.

      • Eliza says:

        I also note that diplomats dinner had photos which is odd, so it went both ways. Not Meghan pulling focus but Kate too.

      • rainbow says:

        If you really think Kate had any say on those Diplomatic Reception pictures and cameras inside the event, you’re crazy. It’s more likely the FCO had something to do with the media access.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Royals do stack events. On many days, 4-6 royals will have events throughout the day. They are supposed to be out there, working, showing up, and earning a fraction of the perks they get in return. If Meghan is following the examples of Anne, Sophie, the Queen, Charles? Good for her.

    • windyriver says:

      @Eliza, well, they’re both out working, so it’s a win-win overall.

      @Lexa, I agree Meghan’s natural style is understated, neutral. I suspect though she’s also played it safe in these early stages so she doesn’t outshine either Kate, or other RF members.

      Sorry to say, I think Kate deserves the coverage she’s getting. She and William made it clear for seven years people shouldn’t expect them to do much work. They dug that hole themselves. In retrospect, Kate also did herself a disservice by doing so little; she failed to acquire skills that would make her more comfortable and effective when she does make appearances. By comparison, they now have a SIL who’s honed her natural abilities with experience, and is out working right away – there’s ground to make up. That’s if W&K care, and if the working spree of recent months survives into the new year.

      And yes, I believe Kate’s current spate of publicity says “Don’t forget I’m here too!” – for many reasons already discussed. And that’s fine. She and Will are presently out doing things, events in particular that seem appropriate to their position and for their abilities. The big “initiatives” are a poor choice for both of them, since neither seem interested or passionate about anything the way H&M are, and there’s usually little follow through.

      H&M have to bring awareness to things they do, but IMO neither specifically look for the limelight, because that wouldn’t sit well with HM and Charles. The family definitely needs to be seen working, so H&M are important, but ultimately Will, then George, are the future of the monarchy. As I said, to me Meghan’s recent (low-key) publicity seems more about combating the lies and nastiness in the press, whatever the sources, rather than direct competition with W&K.

      I feel a bit sorry for William, actually; not only has he had to drag around the burden of everything related to Diana, but his father is a very effective POW, with significant accomplishments. I could see that being hard to live up to. But Will is now in his mid-30’s with 3 children of his own to raise, time to figure it out. Harry seems to have found his role. Will may still hope to go back to the way things were, but with H&M in the picture, I don’t think the way things were is gonna fly anymore.

      Sorry, I think this is in slightly the wrong place in the thread…

    • bek says:

      Hold the phone, do you honestly think these events are spur of the moment? As an events planner I can assure you this stuff is planned months in advance.

  14. Jadered says:

    When Kate went on maternity leave early on in the year she kept a really low profile which meant Meghan had most of the spotlight to herself. During the Sussexes recent tour Kate again kept a low profile. I think there has been an effort by the palace to keep both couples apart so they’re not infringing on each other’s coverage however I’m not sure how sustainable this is in the long run now that both couples are back full time.

  15. Piper says:

    This is probably more true, jealous Megs hit the ground running… because it’s no way I believe she arrived and then became a diva Still aghast The Cambridge’s were so keen to attack right after Markles desperation for airtime. The Pile On here made the Cambridge’s attack more brutal, hurtful. On whether Megs should’ve waited or jumped right into work… I can see both sides. Get your footing inside the palace and London first. But Meg is an overachiever worker. She wasn’t just an actress, she had several endeavors she worked on simulateously and she gave them all up… so to ask her to come to the royal palace and sit around on her hands like a chicken growing an egg is far fetched for her personality type. She likes to keep busy – problem is, no one wants her to keep busy lol poor thing.

    • FredsMother says:

      @Piper. That’s my read on the situation too. A normal, hard-working woman cultivates this type of work ethic overtime. It is not possible to become a lady-who-lunches simply because you got married to a prince. Meghan has been working for over 20 years now. She simply cannot stop pursuing worthwhile projects simply because Kensington Palace is miffed that she is showing them up as the lazy so-and-so that they are.

      On another (related note), I always wondered why I never saw media coverage of the other Royals’ initiatives. Why do we not see the Duchess of Cornwal’sl or the Countess of Wessex’ projects more, for example? Why do we keep seeing stories of the lazy Duchess and her lazy husband? If there are worthwhile causes being showcased by other Royals I’d like to see it in mainstream media coverage. Heh..I don’t even see coverage on Sophie here or on twitter unless am searching hashtags. We are interested in the charities and initiatives and not just the clothes and gossip, you know.

      • notasugarhere says:

        For the most part they are covered in local newspapers. Eventually that is the idea. Show up for work so often and so regularly that it is not news.

      • Polly says:

        But if they show up every day and it is no longer news, wont that impede their ability to raise awareness of a cause? Not being snarky, it’s a genuine question. By all accounts Anne, Sophie and others in the RF do hundreds of events a year but they’re rarely covered by the media, so how much value do charities get from their patronage?

      • Famika says:

        Diana showed up everyday, it was always News!

    • Tina says:

      @Polly: the benefit is not from being in the press, local or national. Most small UK charities raise funds from things like dinners, receptions, benefits. You are much more likely to get people to pay £100 for a reception or £500 per plate at a dinner if Anne or Sophie are there than if they are not.

      • CJ says:

        Absolutely Tina! I was about to comment with basically the same point.

        I work for a charity with a royal patronage and although the press is good, actually a lot of the value comes from the ability to raise funds through private (usually unreported) events. For example Charles does some public events with The Prince’s Trust, but his presence is also used sparingly and effectively for major donor cultivation and stewardship, and major donor events rarely hit the papers as that suits the donors and the royals involved.

        Press is not the golden goal for all charities – unless your charity is about swaying public opinion, the goal is press is really just to bring in more money to undertake actions for your beneficiaries, and especially for a smaller charity press coverage is actually not the best return on investment – news articles about the royals attending something won’t usually come with a direct donate button, and hiring staff to handle press and PR is a necessity but for a smaller charity could eat into budgets for operational delivery.

  16. Rulla says:

    I wonder if they’re purposely limiting access/photos to punish the media for their racism.

  17. Pineapple says:

    My gosh, I LOVE her. LOVE her so, so much. She hasn’t meant to, but, I think she has embarrassed the Cambridges. They have done SO LITTLE for so long … it must hurt to have someone step into the role who is truly KEEN to make a difference. I just LOVE her. Harry made such an excellent choice. The Cambridges are just realizing they may have played this wrong all along.

    • Betsy says:

      That’s a great theory except for the fact that I credit neither William nor Kate with the self awareness to judge their own actions wanting, 😂

      • Lady D says:

        Don’t underestimate Carole Middleton.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I think they have full awareness of it. They have always wanted the positive PR without the work behind it. Now we have someone who shows up to do the work and gets positive PR? That isn’t going to please the lazy ones.

      • Mego says:

        And Carole’s alleged connections to the tabloids.

      • Princessk says:

        William and Kate will as time goes by increasingly use their children to get good PR because apart from their kids they don’t have much going for them, they are so bland.

    • Famika says:

      I’m with you Pineapple.
      Meghan is wonderful.

      She works abd she tries.
      I think William and Kate have been half-assed for years , now they will have to step up and it bothers them because they like being lazy.

  18. Notanotherpostcard says:

    She looks so lovely, she wears pregnancy well.

    I think since she is an actress she has been through the ropes in her career and she is tough enough to take on the gossip and such. She is married to a man she adores and is about to be a first-time mom, I bet she is too happy to care what they say.

    I think Kate married the Royal Family while Meghan married Harry. It makes a difference.

    • Princessk says:

      Great point! Kate married the Royal family and Meghan married Harry.

      • Famika says:

        I think William married the Middletons and gave them priority over the Royal House as far as working.
        It’s time for William and Kate to work like the other working royals of the Royal Family.

  19. Beth says:

    I don’t know if this counts as “stepping on Kates newscycle.” Meghan is now part of the BRF, and making visits like this, and going to events are what her job actually is, so she was just doing her job. So Kate wore pants, is Meghan accused of copying Kates style when she wears dresses? I don’t have a favorite duchess, but I hope they’re good friends and don’t let the gossip ruin a friendship. Meghan looks happy and seems to be enjoying her life, and so does Kate

  20. Elisabeth says:

    I appreciate Meghan’s work ethic, but she’s not out there doing secret engagements every day of the week. In November she did eight engagements, and that includes the secret/private ones. She’s doing more than Kate did her first year of marriage, but William was also in the RAF that year.

    • Royalwatcher says:

      But if they are secret, how on earth would you know how many she has been doing during Nov. or any other time? And, yes it’s probably not every day of the week, but I do think it’s often.

      When the cookbook was released, it was reported (by media and also firsthand by the women of the Hubb Kitchen) that Meghan had made regular visits – since before marriage even – to meet with the women there. Then she was also having meetings to find a publisher and photographer, etc. so, for Meghan, I do believe that she has been working a lot behind the scenes and we just don’t know about it. I think the only reason we know about the meeting in this article is that she is going to take over patronage from the queen so they want us to see she is already learning/working for them.

      I also hate the excuse for Kate that Will was in the RAF back then. Kate wouldn’t even trouble herself to join the RAF wives/spouses(?) group! That would have been the perfect group to get involved with and ease herself into working. Kate was also seen frequently shopping in London during those early years, so no real excuse as to why she couldn’t have done some regular work as well (especially after they told us in their engagement interview that Kate was ready and willing to go, after such a long courtship of seeing what she was getting into).

    • notasugarhere says:

      What is the excuse for Kate not working while William was with SAR? That’s where that excuse always falls down. William was hiding away in SAR so Katie Keen couldn’t work?

  21. Starryfish29 says:

    This sounds like a really interesting substantive project to be getting involved with. Often the events that the British royals do seem to be a bit frivolous and their involvement to be very surface level, I would love to see them really get into the weeds with these organizations the way other European royals seem to.

  22. Mego says:

    I don’t see this as tit for tat on Meghan’s part. This was an unannounced visit. She wants to work and have a purpose and she is doing that pretty quietly if you ask me. The Cambridges are the ones who appear to be making a show of their work. Kate even gave a speech! Which is fine – good they are stepping up. I truly hope throwing Meghan under the bus wasn’t part of it.

  23. burdzeyeview says:

    Stepping on each other’s newscycles? Who makes up this crap? The royals should ALL be out at events every day – its called duty. And I knew William was petulant but I didn’t think he was vindictive – to do this to his (supposed beloved) brother and his new wife is just awful – don’t they realise the power they would have if they worked together? They should visit the Queen more often and ask about what duty to the country means. Or visit Denmark and see how being royal and having a family can work. William has always resented being in his position while happily taking the priviledges, all take and no give – it’ll come back to bite him in the arse.

    • Royalwatcher says:

      +1 The stepping on toes narrative is just plain stupid, as none of the other BRF royals care about working on the same day as their siblings (or the queen or cousins, etc.). It’s just yet another excuse for the Cambridges to be lazy. Although, I am glad that William has picked up the pace a bit and am curious to see if this lasts into the new year.

      I am just fervently hoping that the Sussexes get their own admin and PR staff so they can just go about their own business of working and increasing their patronages/charities and not have to worry competing with the Cambridges for priority with their own staffers. That to me is a huge issue, if the staff are “KP” staff, but giving first priority to the Cambridges. It annoyed me that during the tour when William would have an event the same day, he would get many more tweets and photos about his single engagement while the Sussexes full day of engagements would get fewer. The Sussexes need their own dedicated and loyal staff.

      • arsesds73 says:

        +1000 @royalwatcher, but don’t think it will happen – I don’t think the RF wants to pay for extra staff for just one couple. I think that’s the reason why despite them moving to FC, their offices will still be based at KP.

    • xo says:

      Just to play devil’s advocate. . .

      I can understand that, from William’s point of view, he is being asked to give his future & his life to a very public role that, given his personality, he probably would never have chosen for himself. He saw his mother suffer privately from the strains and demands of that life & ultimately lost her to the ruthlessness of press intrusion. I can understand that he would feel he has given quite a lot & would want some private family time while his children are still young and the Queen is still active.

      The expectation, of course, is that once the children grow & roles change, he will be very active & engaged.

      I’m not excusing him, but I do think it helps to consider the long view and where his resistance might be coming from.

      Personally, I suspect Meghan’s drive & activity level will, inevitably, be a catalyst for change. He can only resist that now to his own detriment. Growing pains, I suspect.

      • Rosie says:

        XO – that’s the way I’ve always felt. They have maybe 40 years of duty ahead of them. I really believe that Kate’s no 1 job in these early years is making sure her children are happy and stable. Yes millions of women around the world work and raise kids, but their kids aren’t going to be in the public eye for their entire life. I don’t think 7 years is too much to ask. Kate and Meghan are very different people. Meghan seems to thrive on attention whereas Kate probably needs to dig deep to be able to face crowds and make speeches. I’d need to lie down for a week after a royal event, Meghan would probably be able to run a marathon. Does that make me a bad person, no just different.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Then he can return the 50 room palace, the 10 bedroom country mansion, and the millions in taxpayer funded security for his in-laws house. Plus the millions they cost in security every year. If they don’t want to do the job, they can go support themselves until petulant Billy feels like pretending to work.

        Honestly, so many excuses. All of the royal parents work, when their kids are little, and all worked more than W&K ever have. There are 80-something royal pensioners dragging themselves around doing engagements because Bill and Katie just don’t feel like it. Enough.

      • Tina says:

        William lost his mother to a drunk driver and the fact that she was not wearing a seat belt. And he has been coddled ever since. Charles spent £5m on William, Kate and Harry last year. When compared with other “recipients” of austerity, well…he doesn’t exactly come off well.

  24. Anastasia says:

    I click on Meghan links JUST to see the belly. I am disappoint. 😉

  25. Lexistential says:

    Glad to see Meghan working and still keeping on. That’s the best response to the haters and tabloids.

    I will also be really happy when the Sussexes have their own press/ PR office set up. If Meghan is indeed having issues with courtiers who can’t handle her active work ethic and professional expectations and prioritize William and Kate over her and Harry, having their own group of employees will be a godsend. She and Harry need staff brought on from the beginning with the understanding that *they work for them*.

  26. bettyrose says:

    It seems like a fantasy life to live in London (or any vibrant, global city) and have open door access to any number of influential meetings/events and tons of resources to promote yourself as a leader. I’m glad that Meghan is who she seemed to be before the wedding, ambitious in a community-minded way. Sure, politics would have been one noble outlet for her passions, but she found a unique path and good for her. I don’t have any desire to see these women pitted against each other, but long before Meghan came onto the scene I always found it strange (or hard to identify with) that she wasn’t embracing these opportunities to be a real influencer in this world.

    • MeghanNotMarkle says:

      It’s because her whole life was spent preparing to snag a prince. She never held a real job, never didn’t anything outside of herself or William’s *ahem* needs. There’s no substance. Even when she is involved with something supposedly in her wheelhouse she shows herself as vapid and dull.

      • Mego says:

        If I read one more post praising Kate for “looking so regal/royal” I’m going to barf. Character makes you regal as opposed to looking good in bespoke outfits.

  27. Maxie says:

    I never understood what do the royals bring to such discussions? What do they have to say to be on the same level as international experts and academics?

    • Jessica says:

      They bring attention to themselves (particularly the BRF), so organizations use them to bring attention to a cause, service, or product. If we didn’t live in such a celeb-obsessed culture they would fade away.

    • Rosie says:

      Maxie that’s what I was wondering. Showing up and shining a light yes, but beyond that?? Actually bringing about change surely starts to require political input and expert knowledge. The cookbook was a beautiful thing but not easy to replicate. I’ll be interested to see what she’s planning.

      There are a range of different Royal duties. Not all of them are to do with campaigning. A lot of them are based on ceremony and tradition and don’t really warrant headline news. I think it’s right to space events of the more popular royals if one of them involved is trying to raise the profile of a charity. Otherwise with general events it shouldn’t matter if they clash, apart from the general public getting sick of them. I’m afraid over familiarity breeds contempt….with the British anyway. We have very different attitudes to the other European nations and you can’t just say that the UK royals should act more like the others.

      • Princessk says:

        Hmmm…..you do have a point. If Anne does something on the same day as Charles, that will never take news away from Charles. But if the Cambridges and the Sussexes want to promote different charities on the same day it would be more of a problem.

    • MeghanNotMarkle says:

      Meghan has a joint degree from Northwestern in international relations and theater and worked in the US embassy in Argentina for a while. She brings plenty to the table here. Can’t say so much for all the royals but she is more than competent to sit at that table and have real, productive conversation.

      • Yami says:

        Never underestimate the impact of a high profile figure emphasizing something like higher education. Meghan’s advocacy may cause some young person to pay attention to this in a way they never have before. The fact that she had to use scholarships and grants to fund her education can be really significant for a poor student. Representation is important and Meghan can really speak to people in a way the Royals never could before. Maybe it’s because I’m American, but education can translate to economic and social mobility and that’s not really something I’ve heard come out of England before.

      • Rosie says:

        Yami, sadly it’s very very different in the UK. We have the discussions but there isn’t the money allocated to reform the education system. There are a few scholarships to public schools and very few if any scholarships to university. It’s really grim at the moment. She can advocate it all she likes but unless she’s going to help raise the money it won’t help in the UK. She can’t exactly tell the British people to pay more tax and she’s not allowed to tell the government to increase funding. Our schools are going broke so that might be why she’s been attacked. Maybe the men in grey don’ t want her tackling education at this time.

  28. Sharon Lea says:

    It is great to see Meghan take on things that she has a genuine interest in. No she is not Diana, but I miss the engagements Diana took on like AIDS awareness, the anti landmines campaign. Her quote from Marianne Williamson at the rememberable carol ceremony 2 nights ago spoke volumes. She will not dim her light for anyone.

    • Jessica says:

      I would be nice if she took on FGM which is rising in the West because of immigration but I understand why her focus is girls education.

      Will & Harry do AIDSHIV awareness events all the time. They are patron of several different organizations related to it.

      • Sharon Lea says:

        I agree, it would be nice if she took on FGM, I didn’t know it was on the rise in the West. Is it considered a religious issue? If so she probably couldn’t say much.

      • Bettyrose says:

        Sharon, I see your point but what major recognized religion condones FGM? Still, she probably needs more than a year in the BRF before going full throttle on human rights.

      • Tina says:

        FGM is incredibly important, but that is 100% Camilla’s issue. That said, I would really like to see them working together on it, and I’m sure Camilla wouldn’t mind.

      • Jessica says:

        @Tina

        Camilla is over 70 and may want to start relinquishing some patronages to take over other ones in the future as Consort.

  29. Andrea says:

    I would like to get to the bottom of this Meghan fever/bashing. Is it simply jealousy/dislike from Will &Kate??

  30. Quinn says:

    These articles are starting to read like some paranoid conspiracy theory / fan fiction. I feel uncomfortable reading them. I have been reading celebitchy for a good while, and whoever believes (author included) this petty and unhinged fan fiction should take a long break from any gossip and engage with the real world. Too much engagement with gossip really can poison your mind!

    • rainbow says:

      Haha, I agree! Some of the theories are so outlandish! It’s okay to like both Duchesses, not everything has to be based on the Real Housewives of whatever!

    • notasugarhere says:

      If you are uncomfortable being here, why do you continue to be here?

  31. MeghanNotMarkle says:

    I would love to be a fly on the wall for her meetings. Given her education and background working in an embassy, she isn’t just a talking head. I’d say she has quite a bit to contribute and can hold her own.

    • rainbow says:

      She has an undergraduate degree and she worked as an intern at an embassy a long time ago. Those two things combined don’t make her smarter or on the same level as the academics. She’s there to give the org publicity & raise awareness (basically her role) hence the pics were released.

      • Serpentinefire says:

        Just like MeghanNotMarkle said with her education and background she can hold her own.

      • Tina says:

        Rainbow’s right, a person with a joint undergraduate degree in politics and whatnot isn’t the same as PhDs/lecturers/SLs/Readers/Professors.

        That said, she probably is able to hold her own in small talk. She’s not defending her viva here.

      • MeghanNotMarkle says:

        I never said any such thing, simply that she could hold her own in a professional setting like this. She’s not an airhead who got her degree because she was dating a prince.

  32. Lo says:

    Good on her but we don’t need more higher education. K-12 is where the focus should be globally.

  33. Mel says:

    This is stupid. So they’re supposed to tag team each other and if one goes out the other stays home? Shouldn’t they ALL be out doing good deeds , supporting causes and raising money to earn their keep?

  34. Kristy says:

    Love the fact Meghan has really hit the ground running and has continued to work work work. Compare Miss Princess-Lessons-Token-Jigsw-Job-Mummy-Needs-To-Hold-My-Hand, who is making a half-arsed effort to appear busy and important, and needing Mummy to feed smear stories to the Daily Fail.

    • Janet says:

      Do we really need to put one woman down to raise another woman up? This is so disturbing

    • Famika says:

      Kristy , what you said is true, Kate made half-arsed attempts to appear to work. I’m so tired of the excuses constantly made for Kate.
      Now some actually putting down Meghan for working …….
      Lol

      It’s laughable the goal posts constantly moved by some, to placate Kate’s non-work ethic.
      Lol

  35. Royalblue says:

    Bravo Meghan. I love this initiative. Although as someone originally from T&T, a member of the Commonwealth, I believe the girls are outshining the boys at secondary and tertiary levels. I want her to go further and promote more opportunities for women in politics, the board room and senior management.

    I love that she is tackling a serious and focused topic. I have no problem with waity staying in her lane waving, wearing pretty outfits and smiling and chatting with 5 year olds while Meghan works with the academics in a quiet, out of the spotlight way. I love her.

  36. liriel says:

    Ok, I finally think something IS going on, it’s not just our imagination. It’s a subtle war

    • arsesds73 says:

      Yes, but seems completely one sided at the moment. I don’t think the Sussexes will fight back, they will probably just carry on as usual and focus on their work . They didn’t do anything during the Markle saga as well, so….idk.

  37. Bettyrose says:

    Random thought but how long till we see Meghan & (unofficial) Dame Angie sharing a platform? Has it already happened? Did I miss it?

    • Famika says:

      Countess SophieWessex, the Queens daughter in law was photographed with Angelina last week at a event.

  38. Almond biscuit says:

    My university lectures taught me that if anybody tried to sell me any theory as a cure for every evil then that is likely fraud.