Just after Prince Harry proposed to then-Meghan Markle, he took his bride-to-be on a little tour of the United Kingdom. They went on a series of short trips to various cities around Great Britain so, I believe, Meghan would have a better idea of the people she would be representing when she married into the royal family. Plus, I think Harry just enjoyed (and still enjoys) showing her off. He always looks so pleased with how well Meghan handles public situations, and Meghan was delighted and delightful with their mini-tours. It reinforced the idea that she was going to be a very good duchess/princess.
The photos in this post are from one of those trips – in February 2018, Harry and Meghan went to Edinburgh and Meg wore a tartan coat and they met a cute pony and a good time was had by all. That was Meghan’s first official/royal visit to Scotland. Then, last summer, Meghan and Harry spent about a week with Prince Charles and Camilla at Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland, which is Charles’ Scottish home (which once belonged to the Queen Mum). Harry and Meghan are also planning to spend a short amount of time at Balmoral with the Queen in the next month, a trip which will likely fall on or around Meghan’s 38th birthday (August 4th). When Harry and Meghan travel to Scotland, they’ll no longer be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex though – they’ll be the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton. Those are their Scottish titles. So… when are they going to visit Dumbarton? No one knows.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reportedly snubbed an invitation to visit Dumbarton, despite the pair being made the Earl and Countess of the town. On his wedding day last May, the Queen made the new father the Duke of Sussex and the Earl of Dumbarton, with Meghan assuming the female titles. Prince Harry, 34, is only the third ever Earl of the small Scottish town, but despite the rare honour he and Meghan, 37, have reportedly shunned an invitation to visit their namesake area.
The peerage hadn’t been used in 300 years before the Queen handed it to Prince Harry as his wedding gift. But more than a year after it was revived, the parents to Archie have yet to head to the Scottish town, which has a population of around 20,000, despite travelling to Sussex five months after their wedding. It’s been claimed an official invitation, along with a suggested itinerary, has been sent to the couple.
The Queen’s representative in the area, Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire, Michael Gregory OBE, would be the one who would issue an invitation. A source told the Daily Record: “It’s understood that Harry and Meghan have been invited by the Lord Lieutenant but they have yet to accept it. A visit from them would no doubt give the area a boost.”
But Royal Navy rear admiral Gregory said the couple was “not due” to visit, but he didn’t rule out any future trips. With no firm dates in the diary yet, local people have said they’re “disappointed” the couple haven’t made the effort to travel to Dumbarton. Labour’s Jackie Baillie, MSP for the town, said: “It’s disappointing that Harry and Meghan have not had the chance to visit yet. The people of Dumbarton have been looking forward to welcoming Harry and Meghan to the town.” She added that couple would be allowed to stay in the historic castle, if they did decide to visit.
A palace source claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “hope” to visit Dumbarton in the next year.
I mean… it seems pretty clear that they’ll eventually visit Dumbarton and a nice time will be had by all, but sure. They’re SNUBBING the town. If and when Scotland declares independence, I bet it will be all Meghan’s fault too! And really, Meghan and Harry were pretty busy in their first year of marriage, with tours and appearances and setting up their own home and office and foundation and a million other things, in addition to Meghan growing a whole human and giving birth to Private Archie. Trust that when her maternity leave is over, she and Harry will get to it.
Photos courtesy of WENN and Backgrid.
Another day, another attack. It must really sting the press and reporters everytime they’re “gaslighting to ruin your reputation and forced to come to the press to fix it routine isn’t working” They are simultaneously making it worse for themselves but also making Harry and Meghan dig their heels in deeper. It’s hysterical.
Have William and Kate ever done a joint visit to Strathearn? I don’t believe so.
My mistake, in 2014–*three* years after their wedding.
Still yet to visit Carrickfergus, their title in NI though. 8.5 years…
Serious question … is the BRF a big thing in Scotland?
It’s not too different to the rest of the UK – there’s probably a bit more republicanism than in England but not too much.
There’s significantly more republicanism in Scotland than in England. I live not far from Dumbarton and I doubt anyone gives a monkey’s whether or not they ever come.
Sure, they’re snubbing Dumbarton. they haven’t been busy in the past year or anything.
Exactly, who knows how badly they will try to spin this. Just looking to turn nothing into something.
this got me thinking about how the Cambridges have only done 1 day visit of Cambridge in their eight years even though the city has ALWAYS has events going on throughout the year.
Also this is The Sun…..
I’m not Scottish but I doubt many Scottish people actually know/care about what their Scottish titles are.
I think the Queen would appreciate a visit after giving them the title. There are lots of royal fans in Scotland who would be delighted to see them.
William and Kate only ever did a brief visit to Strathearn in 2014 and have never been to Carrickfergus, so I guess that means they’re underappreciating the Queen?
I expect with Brexit there will be a greater push for another Scottish independence referendum, if anything.
I don’t think many people realize that the royal family is not that popular in Scotland. It’s a very divisive subject. A lot of the politicians and people are vocal anti-monarchists. Those royal visits that do occur are very contained and controlled.
I am Scottish…I know a lot of people who are monarchists… and unionists. Remember the result of the independence referendum in 2014 was NO.
The Cambridges are lazy – I’m sure the Queen would appreciate it if they did more…she’s too indulgent of her grandsons.
Burdzeye view – the 2014 referendum was hugely problematic and I am not forgetting the unionist riots right after it. There is no way this issue will be swept aside for long, considering that Scotland’s majority voted to remain in the EU.
@Maria – in what way was the ref problematic? I’m Scottish but live in London. I followed it best I could but both sides behaved badly. STV pretty much aired Braveheart weekly for months leading up to the vote. Polls keep showing that there is no appetite with the majority of the Scottish people for another vote, they want the SNP (or whoever ends up controlling the Scottish parliament) to focus on fixing the problems that they spent the last 15 years ignoring and blaming Westminster for. Its all the SNP talk about and from what I understand has sickened the populace on the subject as they are tired of hearing about it – they don’t talk about trying to fix the crime issues they caused by sacking 3,000 police officers after they went massively over budget with their car crash Police Scotland project. And I know many people who were not amused when the SNP decided to tax them more than anywhere else in the country.
IMO, the SNP are the biggest obstacle for independence in Scotland – I know people who do not support the SNP but want independence and they say that the SNP are the WRONG people driving this forward. They have become party with a toxic image and have made the issue toxic. The populace don’t trust them as they have proven that they are incompetent, look at the car crash of the Police Scotland project. If you take the SNP away from the issue then the majority support maybe there.
@digital unicorn – I did not know you were Scottish! Anyway…agree with everything you say!! I was very much no at the referendum, however since the mid brexit mess I am reconsidering this, however my biggest reservation is SNP and Nicola Sturgeon. I could not see us being a successful, independent country with the SNP steering the ship.
Harry and the maybe private jet, maybe helicopter is the bigger issue this week
I wonder how people think the Cambridges got to and from Mustique considering the fact that only private planes are allowed there? Did they swim?
HA! That’s a good one, no seriously I chuckled out loud.
This thread isn’t about the Cambridges?
Oh please just another thing theyre using to hit them over the head with. The Cambridges haven’t visited Cambridge since 2012, have never visited Carrickfergus (NI) nad haven’t been to Strathearn (Scotland) since 2014. But sure let’s rag on the people who’ve had the titles for a year for not visiting.
Keeping the flame of lame attempts to distract us from Prince Andrew alive, BP. We see you.
The media really need to stop this stupidity now … urgh it’s just sad to watch them sink to these levels in frustration all because their cash cow refuses to me milked and drained.
The most recent ridiculous hit piece I have read was about Meghan wanting the Dalai Lama at her wedding which is completely fake btw. At this point the Fail just wants Meghan skinned alive by the readership at any costs. It is highly irresponsible to stir up so much hate against someone. I truly start to worry about her,
Article by Matt Carr in Anti-Racism and UK Politics section is worth a read:
http://www.infernalmachine.co.uk/meghan-markles-vogue/#comments
I’m from near Dumbarton, it’s a heap – we were all embarrassed when they got the Dumbarton title. So, I personally am delighted they’ve not gone! Mind you, the kids from there would love it, so in that sense it’s a pity.
Stupid article. You can’t take this seriously, folks. Unless Meghan and Harry clone themselves they can’t be everywhere at once. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows this, especially since they’ve barely been married and had the titles for a year.
A third article of Harry and Meghan just TODAY? It’s a bit much…
Nah, I’m here for it.
Yup, me too. It’s summer and there is usually little gossip of interest. I doubt the D&D of Sussex will get boring anytime soon.
You’re free to read or not read any article on here.
@Gigi, many of us love the royal posts, and the more, the better. I come to CB mainly for the royal coverage. I don’t care one bit about any of the Kardashians, so I scroll right on past those posts and barely even notice they’re there most of the time. You could easily do the same with Meghan’s.
Kaiser, keep it up!
“But more than a year after it was revived, the parents to Archie have yet to head to the Scottish town, which has a population of around 20,000, despite travelling to Sussex five months after their wedding.”
Why is Archie even mentioned? It’s really telling that the tabs are pissed about not having access to baby Archie. M&H need to continue protecting Archie from the haters.
I mean….. FROGmore and DUMBarton. Were these subtle digs? I have to wonder. I mean beautiful estate and lovely village, but the names. Probably pissed he married an American. IDK
You’re really reaching here.
Dumbarton is pronounced like dum-BARTon anyway. It’s not like you’re emphasizing the “DUMB” part of it. And no one outside perhaps a child would really make that connection. It’s just a very Scottish sounding place name to anyone in the UK.
@Digital unicorn..u may live in London but ur analysis is spot on…the SNP are incompetent…I wouldn’t let them walk my dog never mind run the country. If any celebitches out there wanna take a look at their record in office in Scotland of failures google it..it’s not just the Police Scotland debacle ..it’s th NHS …education …google Govanhill.. that’s sturgeons constituency, they’ve found sex trafficking and exploitation of th community by landlords. If sturgeon had got on with the day job and not fixated on her dream of independence at ANY cost things would be completely different here.
Ah Govanhill, where primary schools have long term bed bugs issues and politicians are pretty much ignoring it. Where residents have basically said she is ignoring them and is not doing anything to tackle poor housing, squalor and crime (not that there is much of a police force now). She’s basically a slum lord politician. I loved the fact that residents put up missing posters with her face on them around the place.
The child sex trafficking story went away pretty quickly, don’t want pesky things like that tarnishing her pristine image, esp as she also admitted to having ‘conversations’ with Alex Salmond around his rape and sexual assault accusations before the gov inquiry and before it became public. Her very late ‘admissions’ of those conversations can be taken as her attempting to interfere in the inquiry, esp as he successfully sued the gov. The trial is next year so am sure his legal team will use her gov eff ups to get the case thrown out. They go way back and he put her where she is (and he will know where her bodies are buried).
Yes…the corruption is appalling….no Minutes were taken at ANY meetings with Salmond or when Michael Mathieson had conversations with Phil Gormley. Their ‘flagship’ hospital in Glasgow caused the death of a baby …due to pigeon droppings…and th latest one in Edinburgh’s opening has been delayed even though they were told 2 years ago it wasn’t fit for purpose. Their one issue party and grievance politics has soured the promise of devolution which they had the cheek to ‘celebrate’ a few weeks ago.
Independence has become a smoke screen for the SNP and her personally. She knows it will be another ‘NO’ if she ever gets another ref, entry into the EU is not guaranteed and us scots are going to be watching closely how the EU treats the UK over the divorce. Going from Westminster to Brussels is like going from the frying pan into the volcano – Junker is far worse than anything that comes from Westminster. If the EU treat the UK badly over Brexit, Scots will be even less inclined to vote for independence, esp if she wants to take us into the EU afterwards.
Independence is a screen to hide the SNP’s multiple failings and gross ineptitude. They were criticised for their failings in schools and their response was to get rid of the organisation and system that was used to highlight and report on these failings because they didn’t like what was being said about them and their ‘work’ – that tells you all you need to know about how much the really want to fix things.
Call me cynical but I believe this is another made up story. These RRS search for a topic or a scenario that might seem believable and make up a story. Just wait for a story about how the Sussexes, the so called hypocti climate change warriors are living it large at Oprah`s 50 room LA mansion that has 5 swimming pools, 3 of which are heated the year round.