The Duke and Duchess of Sussex – aka Harry and Meg – have returned from their surprisingly short honeymoon. Harry did a solo event on Friday, then he and Meghan attended Trooping the Colour on Saturday. Meghan is likely preparing herself and preparing her wardrobe for Thursday’s outing with the Queen, where Meghan will ride on the Royal Train with the Queen overnight, then they’ll do a series of events together during the day. Harry won’t be there to help her – if Meghan has a question about protocol, she’ll have to ask the Queen. I would be so nervous, but it seems like this is part of Buckingham Palace’s efforts to fast-track Meghan into the royal fold. It’s pretty amazing to see.
Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry are filling up their calendar with events. Many people figured that they would pencil in a royal tour of Australia to coincide with the Invictus Games, and Kensington Palace confirmed the news a few days ago, tweeting: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and New Zealand in the Autumn.” That should be fun, and it sounds like a long-ass trip too if they’re going to see all of those countries AND attend every day of the Invictus Games. They could be traveling for like three weeks straight?
Also, this has yet to be confirmed by Kensington Palace, but I think it will probably happen too: there are strong rumors that Meghan and Harry will do a short official tour/trip to Ireland in July, possibly/probably around July 13th. The reason for the trip is thought to be some Brexit-ambassadorship, where the younger royals are being sent to European allies to strengthen alliances with trade partners post-Brexit.
…Basically, Meghan and Harry are going to be working and making appearances throughout the summer and into the fall. Good.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Oh dear God, are those sausage curls?
Am I the only one who didn’t mind Kate’s sausage curls? I minded that her hair was down even when it should have been up and that she kept playing with it, but otherwise I didn’t care about them on Kate and I don’t care about them on Meghan.
No, but they are dangerously close…
What’s wrong with big curls? Am I missing something?
People used to criticize Kate for having these big curls and said such hairstyle was juvenile and unbecoming and she should just cut her hair. Also, watch for the wiglet!
Kate’s hair actually is styled much better now. Wiglet or not it suits her. There haven’t been too many hairnet buns recently either.
Is she wearing a lace wig? Does meghan wear wigs or weave? How is het hair so full and bouncy all the time? Whatever she’s doing, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
My daughter has the same hair. Naturally, it’s curly like Meghan’s, but it’s full and shiny when flat ironed. Perhaps, on the other hand, she has a perm? Michelle Obama’s hair is full and glossy and flat ironed–but not as long. Perms tend to make curlier hair thin over time. I’m curious about Meghan’s hair too.
I would have preferred a chignon with that hat.
Ugh. Same. It’s actually bugging me more than it should.
I love them. Very feminine. This is so much better than the “Trunchbull” helmet-hair chignon favored by the others.
I can’t wait for the Australian tour.
I enjoy these two so much.
I made the mistake of going on Reddit. Boy, do some of those folks DESPISE Meghan.
Isn’t the 13th July when Cheeto is going to the uk? Lords knows I would want to be in another country when he is in town too. Could be strategic though – if all royals bar the queen are out of the country working (especially the popular younger generation), Cheeto doesn’t get his big royal welcome and photo op that you know he is desperate for.
AH you’re right! Good excuse for the only American in the BRF to not have to meet the American president when he’s here. We know she’s not allowed to have a political opinion, but surely she draws the line at meeting that POS. If it were any other (less disgusting) American president I think it would be pretty much expected/assumes that the newly minted American princess would meet with him.
@Veronica T
Yeah, that’s why all of those Disney princess movies flop. The characters are irrelevant and no one is attached to them.
It might also indicate no private welcome and stay at a personally-owned property like Balmoral. Queen isn’t arriving at Balmoral until August this year. Meet-and-greet and possible overnight at Windsor.
Not a chance of them visiting Ireland on July 13th. It is the day after the Battle of the Boyne is commemorated by Loyalists is the North, a very contentious day traditionally. I would be surprised if they were sent as Brexit ambassadors to Ireland, we are not going to warm to the UK or Brexit – which will destroy our economy – just because the royals turn up.
Ha! +1
The last thing we want is another royal visit like.
This is what my people call “enjoyment” work. God, I need such a “job”. Living a luxury life and travelling the globe at taxpayers expense and shaking hands with people.
I would absolutely hate it! I don’t like making small talk and would hate being in the public eye, so I don’t envy them at all. (Maybe because I am old enough to remember what happened to Di and Fergie in the 80’s and early 90’s — once the media turned, they were vicious.)
I’d hate it too. I’m quite the introvert. I don’t like socializing. I’m literally the person at the workplace praying that there’s no one in the break room to ask, “How was your weekend?” Goodness, I really don’t understand why there always need to be any small talk. Can we just do our thing in silence and leave? lol. Recently, my husband’s old friend was having a get together where the only person I knew was the hubby and his friend. I made small talk, we played games, told the hubs I had a good night, but God did I want to leave within an hour. And now his other friend wants to have a get together to meet the new girlfriend. No thanks. Don’t get me wrong. I love going out, socializing with the friends that I have known for years, but new people, strangers, nope. I admire extroverts. I admire people who love to meet new people. My husband is that way, and I used to try really hard to be that person. Now I’m comfortable and resolved in the notion that I will never be that person and I love the introvert in me. Now having a luxurious lifestyle and traveling the world on someone else’s dime, I’d do in a heartbeat. Meeting new people? Eh, I’s good.
@Nellyy – I think that this is an awful job – you can’t ever take a day off and mooch down to the pub in your tracksuit pants and no make-up. You have to make nice with every political a-hole on the planet (yes, Cheeto, I’m looking at you); you have to endure endless dull functions and speeches; everything you say, do, wear is scrutinised to the nth degree – and mostly unfavourably… Oh, and there are probably hundreds of people out there thinking of ways to kill you to make a political statement…. Nope, nuh-uh, never – it’s a prison.
I agree. I would see it as a prison too, a golden one for sure, but still a prison. What would kill me would be the certainty that your life will always be the same for the rest of your life. You can’t change job, you can’t change the place you live. Ugh!
I couldn’t do it, either, even with the perks of wealth and getting to live in fabulous palaces. You really have to be “on” when you are greeting people and you have to be interested in every.single.event. It’s probably easier when the royals visit their respective charities, as those causes are likely near and dear to their hearts. But if you need to pay a visit to a random town or fill in for another royal at a big event, then you have to at least appear interested. I read somewhere where someone summed up royal life as “looking and pointing,” and that’s basically it.
While there are challenging aspects, there are also great opportunities in a royal role. The life of luxury that comes with it compensates for many of the challenges.
Sure it offers wonderful opportunities. But it’s really about what you want for yourself. On a personnal level, money + cottage as a wedding gift wouldn’t make for the public exposure, lost of free speech and the definite aspect of this life.
Now, add the pretty Queen Mary’s bandeau tiara (or the Strathmore) in the mix and I might change my mind 😀
It is about whom you fall in love with and what kind of bizarre job they might have. That’s how Queen Maxima once described it, a bizarre job.
Of course it’s about love but it’s also about will.
Love is not enough (I truly believe it never is, no matter the circumstances)
Many women felt in love with princes and didn’t want the job. Harry himself said it. You can love someone and yet know that the life coming with this person will never fulfill you.
Based on her background and her personnality Meghan will be excellent at her job: luckily for her and Harry she didn’t mind the challenges.
Also, I think the BRF is totally different from any other royal family. They are way more exposed and followed. I mean most of my friends have NO idea who Maxima or the Swedish RF (for exemple) are or what they look like.
You accept the proposal you also accept the job. Everyone else understands that except Kate Middleton.
Silvia of Sweden broke her foot trying to escape the paps chasing her and her daughter Madeline in NYC. Not Swedish paps in Sweden mind you, but English-language paps in NYC. Loads of tabloids (Life & Style, Enquirer types) covering the European monarchies but not in English. Plenty of media outlets covering lots of royal families in many languages, and engaging in negative practices while doing it.
Followed in English perhaps, but what happens here is nothing in comparison to what Letizia has been through for 12+ years on Spanish language forums. Each royal family is covered extensively by their population which makes the pressures on them intense.
Nota I agree with you 100%. Although the job may not be for everyone, both Kate and Meghan went into it knowing full well what it entails. The many (many!) perks make up for some of the pitfalls like not being able to mooch down to the pub, IMO.
Having said that, if they hate the job but are so desperately in love with their partners that they suck it up…well no one is stopping William or Harry from stepping aside and no longer being heir/working royal – but who wants to give up those perks and the wealth associated, right?
@Nota I never said otherwise : if you accept the proposa you accept the life and the job. See we can agree on something 🙂 .
And I will even add that I do believe that Kate and Will and Harry should work way more than what they did until now.
On other RF I defer to you. I admit I don’t follow them other than reading article on CB and GFY.
I don’t doubt that Letizia has been verbally abused on forum. It sadly happens way to often to women. One on the other reason why I would hate this life to go back to the hypothetical lighter subject of the initial post 😀
@Clare – I agree with you that if William and Harry hate the job so much, they should step aside. However, I just don’t see either of them abdicating, at least not while the Queen is alive. I think that would be a step too far for either of them.
Surely she will have been briefed in advance, and if she still has questions in the spot she can ask any of her staff, and not have to ask the Queen?
Also…sausage curls!! Lol
Wow. I’m not interested in royalty like that but I’m amazed at how they can ruin a lady. She was beautiful and had great style, now she looks like a grandma. She traded her voice and her life for what? An out of touch guy who is going to age horribly. How very Ariel of her. Oh well.
lol yes they ruined her but i think they are in love. You think Harry is going to age horribly? 🙂
I see Charles’face pulling through in some of these pics. Both boys pulled the same stunt. There was a hotness about them, then they married and became Mr Burns. This one didn’t even wait a full month!
I agree that they are in love, and I agree that Harry will probably age badly. He takes after the Spencers.
Bare shoulders, grandma style?
I live in southeast France, mind you 😀
It’s not about skin showing. That color! That fabric! That hat! This is dated af.
@babs ITA! My grandma is 80 and actually owns a Carolina Herrera from the 90s that looks just like that minus the bare shoulders. Wish I had a pic, but she still wears it and looks amazing. And yes, the Windsors age terribly.
I thought Kate had great style in her pre-duchess years. Very Carolyn Besset. Lots of neutrals, low heels, and wrap dresses. After marriage it was pastels and buttons. Never saw a button nor curl nor pastel while she was just dating. I’m sure Meg is on her way to buttons and military style skirts and lots of theme dressing. And she absolutely will touch her hair as it blows in the wind.
It’s all a part of being royal.
Babs, agree. Each day we see those pics of her I like the outfit less and less.
Babs, I am hoping the Grandma style is simply a reflection of the protocol way of dressing for these royal events that feature senior royals. Although she hardly looks like a Gramma here I get what you mean about the style change. Remember it’s a huge culture change to be thrust into the highest echelon of the English aristocrcy. We need to cut her some slack.
My grandmothers never dressed like Meghan at all (post or pre wedding) and definitely did not bare their shoulders. The color Meghan is wearing is actually back in style. It would look terrible on me because I am so pale, I don’t think she looks bad in it as she has the skin tone to pull it off. It’s the buttons on the outfit that I don’t like. Meghan is trying to figure out her style post-wedding and I really didn’t like the outfit she wore to the garden party, but it’s a far cry from “grandma style.”
If anyone has “grandma style” it’s Kate.
Yes, that horrible 80s color is back in style. We were looking for a dress for my teenage daughter and she actually liked it, I kept my opinion to myself.
“Out of touch guy who is going to age horribly”
LOL, I sniggered! Well, he’s only in his early 30’s and already showing signs of bad ageing, the skin, the hair. As for Meghan, she’s clearly the more intelligent one, and she’s actually worked/put in the effort to get where she is today, so that’s a huge difference.
Follow Letizia Meghan! Or is her style to stylish for the Brits?
Seriously, royalty heading to Ireland around the 12th of July? I know it’s not the Troubles anymore but that seems like sensitive timing…
Wow. As someone who lives in NI, to send the royal family on a tour of Ireland on the 13th July… insane. That has to be the absolute worst timing ever.
Also… why the Irish tour at all? The queen came once, but that was the first time ever, and was all part of the reconciliation and bridge building work so fair enough. Bit random to send Harry and Megs over now too, and crazy giving the timing!
American here, but familiar with the significance of the date… I winced.
Gosh, someone was brain-dead and insensitive to schedule a royal tour on this date. No doubt people will find a way of blaming this on William and Kate lol. 🙂
TBH, I think the date is probably an indication that these “rumors” are not well-sourced, or at least that if there is a visit in the works, that the details (like DATES) are still being worked out. If it’s for real, then wow, the royals are incredibly tone deaf.
Am I alone in wondering if Meghan managed a few days in Mexico to see her Papa during their relatively short honeymoon?
In her place I wouldn’t want to see him even in photos. He’s a drama queen as her half siblings.
I know he is her father, but after that stunt he pulled, I would take awhile before I visited, and yes he is like her half siblings.
No excuse is good enough for that he did to his daughter before the World.
Th media can’t make you look bad, and dealing with them is like dealing with the devil.
Honestly Meghan can’t trust him with anything personal, he will run to TMZ and thirsty vonnie and Jr.
If she had visited him I am sure it would have been on TMZ already.
LOL!
Agree, it would have leaked out.
Didn’t this happen with the Cambridges shortly after they were married too – numerous tours and events in close succession.?
Yes they did Canada a few months after their wedding, and then they had their big tour of the Solomon Islands and a few other places that winter (I think? It wouldn’t have been the fall of 2012 because Kate would have been pregnant….? Don’t make me google it people lol.)
It was 2012, likely just before she fell pregnant.
Solomon Islands was 2012, as part of the Diamond Jubilee year. Most of the royals were off around the Commonwealth doing tours.
Charles and Camilla to Canada, Australia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Isle of Man.
Harry to Bahamas, Jamaica, Belize
Sophie and Edward to multiple destinations in the Caribbean and West Indies, Gibraltar.
Duke of Gloucester to British Virgin Islands, Malta
Duke of Kent to Uganda and Falklands
Anne to Mozambique, Zambia
Andrew to India
I still say she should take a tour of UK. Not sure which part of Ireland so hopefully its a start but it would be good for Meghan to learn and see all parts of the kingdom she’s a princess of (remember Kate is “Princess of UK” on birth certificate). It’s also good for the people to go out and meet her.
Too many tours abroad, even if of the commonwealth, will get people upset that they’re always on a “paid vacation”. Especially if 80% of events are sporting, movies, galas, nature walks and tea parties.
This would be a good idea. I wonder if that was part of the thinking behind this trip with the Queen. I bet we start seeing her do a lot of day trips and such to get her more familiar with England, maybe even some short overnights.
I actually think this was the idea of her pre-wedding engagements. It’s not exactly a tour-tour in the traditional sense, but it was as much to introduce Meghan to her new home as it was to introduce the citizens to her.
I still cant figure out why they’re going to Ireland though, we are one of the only former countries ruled by the British that did not want to be part of the commonwealth. I think this has to be fake news.
I am sure they will plan one or two smaller trips for her before the big Australia/NZ/etc tour. Even with Invictus to sort of anchor it (since she went last year and so is kind of familiar with how it works) that’s going to be a big undertaking for Harry and Meghan.
So Ireland makes sense, and I still think she will go to the Netherlands with Harry this summer (isn’t he going in July?)
I think both women will do as they are instructed. I really do think that when Kate and William first married, Will (and maybe the rest of the BRF) were really concerned about a new “princess” overshadowing the rest of them (like Diana). Harry seems much less worried about that, and chose a wife that has a natural public radiance and star charisma.
Kate is clearly not comfortable in public engagements. This is her job, so I don’t have much sympathy for her — she should be doing a lot more, even if it is just glorified ribbon-cutting and carriage-riding. But I also don’t understand why they don’t play to her strengths. She seems really comfortable around her kids and playing sports. Her whole face lights up, and she looks ten years younger. Why make her attend (well, pretend to attend) art galleries and mental health conferences — she is still obviously nervous speaking in public. (On this, I do have sympathy. Many people struggle with public speaking all their lives.) Why not assign her youth sports outreach programs?
There was never any fear that Kate, without a drop of charisma, would become a sensation like Diana. Many tabloids trying to make a buck by trying, but in the end, there’s very little “there” of Kate. That wouldn’t matter if she’d get to work, royals are welcome to be boring, but she’s lazy on top of it.
The Malta Lie was just that, a lie. The royals didn’t give W&K years off from work to settle into marriage after a decade of dating. W&K went off, decided to be bone-deep lazy, and to thumb their noses at the royal role that pays their bills.
Lots of people have to do things they don’t enjoy for their jobs. Why on earth should Kate only have to do things she likes? They’ve already handed her Wimbledon, so at least all of her trips to Wimbledon to watch men’s matches (she rarely watches women’s) will count as work now.
Edward and Sophie are taking over the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, which involves a lot of youth sports activities. It is because Edward will (likely) be named Duke of Edinburgh after HM and Prince Philip pass.
@Ally, If Kate did work more often I’m pretty sure she would become more comfortable doing it. I’m not saying her basic personality would change but she would acquire needed skills. The way it is now, if she does say, give a 3-minute speech, she doesn’t give another one for 6-8 months. That gap allows any practice effect to wear off and for her anxiety to build back up again. In my experience avoidance of difficult work tasks rarely helps any of us master those tasks!
Wow Meghan looks like her mom in the first photo here. That’s the first time I’ve really noticed a resemblance before.
Not crazy about her sausage curls.
I’m a big fan of the two of them and planning to go see them but don’t see the point of it really. Charles and Camilla are in the North today and tomorrow then coming to Cork and Kerry at the end of the week. Then these two in July and then the effing pope in August whose visit alone is costing €20 million just in security. Meanwhile homelessness rates are at an all time high, Our health service is crippled etc etc. And yet we can find money for all these visits. And we just had a “Brexit” a year ago when Charles and Camilla came again.
Frankly anyone who thinks EU countries think better of the UK for having a royal visit them is seriously delusional.
Well said @April May. This idea that their presence is excitedly anticipated, welcomed and ‘politically’ useful needs to stop. If they need exposure and a bit of a media boost (and that’s what the majority of these royal visits are all about, let’s be real here), then they should fund every aspect of the trip themselves. Ditto the pope.
PREACH!
PS. By ‘they’, I meant the royals in general, not specifically M&H.
ITA, it IS delusional. Any post-Brexit trade deal need to be struck on EU-level (=with the EU 27). It’ ridiculous to expect any impact by a royal visit.
And I honestly wonder which European allies the UK still has? Is the Rep. of Ireland considered an ally? IMO the EU cares more about preventing a hard border to NI than the likes of Boris Johnson.
Most people don’t even care that they come visit, let alone have their visit have any impact on how they feel about Brexit. The people they met don’t have anything to do with negotiations or new trade deals etc etc.
Right now our relationship is definitely like the USA and Canada’s. Very very strained. Their refusal to give a damn really about the border and pay any attention to how it’ll impact the North and the peace process is really pissing people off. I’m not sure they really have any true allys ATM.
I love Meghan. Her style. Her beauty. Her class. Her overall presentation. She’s articulate. She seems intelligent. She seems to be a woman’s woman and feminist. She’s great. But, dare I say that she totally looks like Stacy Dash in these pics?????? Oh noes, Meghan!
Stacey Dash was pretty before the self hatred sucked much of the beauty and youth out of her.
Also, judging by the comments in her posts, Meghan seems to look like everyone and no one at all. Stacey, Paula, Pippa, Kate, Wallis, Harry…
If Dash’s youth has been sucked out of her it’s because she is, well, older. I hate her politics, but c’mon, the woman is still gorgeous.
It’s hilarious how so much of the family seems to be finding ways to get out of dodge around when the cheetoling will be in town. Given all of the unsavory world leaders they’ve had to meet over the years, they must really not want to come near him. 😂
LAK, pls I need your opinion on the change of guard at the Daily Mail. I read that Downiing Street is on edge because the incoming editor is a remainer and May is terrified she has lost an ally in Dacre. DM sells about 1.3m daily and has about 4m readers, yet every British paper that I’ve read attributes Brexit to DM. Is DM so powerful that it has May on edge when Sun and other media are leavers not remainers?
My first thought was Keeping Her Busy. Shopping for a trip then going on it should occupy her for a while–without UK cameras. Wonder if they will stop over to visit her father?
They’re putting her right in front of UK cameras alongside their biggest star, QEII, in just a couple of days. And tbh, they’ve been putting her in front of UK cameras at every opportunity for months now. I don’t think hiding her away has ever been part of the plan.
Her face is way fuller. She looks like Pippa to me. I dont like her hair. Its in her face and just not styled.
Just please hurry up and make some babies!
She looks a lot like her mom in these photos.
I can see the resemblance to other women as well. People with long hair tend to resemble each other in a lot of instances.
I couldnt put my finger on it, but I think I get it now. Her face. It’s not that unflattering saucer on her head that’s making her look different- she has pregnant face. Right?