Mandi Kerr | Showbiz Cheat Sheet Senior Writer

King Charles and Queen Camilla Show Their Relationship’s Changed With Parliament Opening Body Language

Mandi Kerr — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:15:00 +0000

King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s relationship has changed, and their body language at the State Opening of Parliament said it all. According to a body language expert, the two did something of a role reversal at the July 17, 2024, event in London, England.

Queen Camilla didn’t take a ‘backseat’ at the State Opening of Parliament

According to body language expert Judi James, King Charles and Queen Camilla, decked out in royal finery, hinted their relationship had changed at the opening of Parliament.

“The body language between Charles and Camilla has evolved and changed a little since his illness and that change was reflected here today,” she told Mirror.

Buckingham Palace revealed King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer in a Feb. 5, 2024, announcement, a month before Kate Middleton shared her own diagnosis. The king’s treatment, as well as the Princess of Wales’s, is ongoing.

Usually, James explained, Queen Camilla, whose birthday fell on the same day as the ceremony (she turned 77), stays in the background. However, at the opening of Parliament, that wasn’t the case.

“Camilla used to tend to take a backseat role on formal occasions, often looking riddled with signals of inner anxiety and taking her cues from her husband’s behaviour [sic] and movements,” James said.

“Now, though, she seems to have grown in terms of an air of confidence, authority, and an ability to take a lead at times. She appeared here to be quite happy to greet the crowds with her own royal waves rather than waiting for Charles to wave first, then mirroring him.”

She looked ‘calm’ next to an anxious King Charles

King Charles III and Queen Camilla | Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images

“It was Charles showing some micro signals of inner anxiety today, sucking his lips in after his first announcement and fiddling with his robes after he sat down,” James continued.

“Camilla, by contrast, was able to sit very still, looking quite calm beside him,” she continued, noting how she didn’t fidget, leaving her hands in the same position, and “projecting a calm solidity.”

Queen Camilla’s occasional glances at King Charles throughout the ceremony suggested “concern for him rather than announcing her own inner anxiety.” Furthermore, she appeared “quietly determined to ensure he doesn’t overdo things.”

The king was still in charge at the Parliament opening

While Queen Camilla might’ve checked in on her husband after he delivered his speech with a “caring, nurturing glance of concern” as he prepared to stand, but, James said, King Charles was still the one in charge.

“It was clearly still Charles in command when it came to the ceremonial choreography,” she said, noting he even signaled to the queen to move ahead of him.

“His right hand flapped a little to show Camilla she should walk down the steps first,” she added. “And as he passed her on the way out, he fondly touched her hip with one hand to remind her he was going round past her to take the lead.”

Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.

Expert Predicts Kate Middleton Won’t Make Another Public Appearance for ‘Some Time Now’ After Wimbledon

Mandi Kerr — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:35:00 +0000

It looks like Wimbledon might’ve been Kate Middleton’s last public appearance for a while. An expert says the Princess of Wales isn’t likely to make another public appearance for “some time” following the tennis tournament that’s become a fixture on the 42-year-old’s calendar. Why? Because, amid her ongoing cancer treatment, Kate’s made it to the two events this summer she wanted to attend.

Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour were ‘key’ events Kate didn’t want to miss

Kate is “unlikely” to make more appearances, Katie Nicholl, a royal expert and author, told ET following the royal mother of three’s day at Wimbledon on July 14, 2024.

She went with her and Prince William’s 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, and got a standing ovation as they took their seats in the Royal Box.

A palace source, Nicholl said, told her “there were two key engagements that she [Kate] wanted to make: Trooping the Colour, and Wimbledon. Both of which she was able to attend.”

Indeed, Kate did step out at both events. On June 15, 2024, she went to Trooping the Colour, King Charles III’s annual birthday parade. It marked her first public appearance of the year following her March 2024 cancer diagnosis announcement.

Kate rode in a carriage and stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony with Prince of Wales and their three children: Prince George, 10, Charlotte, and Prince Louis, 6. Then, almost a month later to the day, she and Charlotte went to the Wimbledon finals.

She’s returning to ‘normal family life’

“Normal family life” was the theme of the weekend. While Charlotte and Kate were at Wimbledon, George and William were in Germany watching Team England in the final game of the UEFA European Championship.

“I think, having Princess Kate and Charlotte at [Wimbledon], William and Prince George over at the football for the final; we’re seeing a bit more of normal family life,” Nicholl said.

“We know it’s been a very, very difficult few months for the family, as Kate’s gone through her shocking cancer diagnosis and clearly some pretty grueling treatment,” she continued. “But I think there’s a real sense that things are on the up for this family as they finish the summer.”

The Wales family is getting ready to ‘hunker down’ for the rest of the summer after Wimbledon

Nicholl continued, saying now that George, Charlotte, and Louis are on summer vacation from school, the royal family of five will be headed for Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk, England.

“I was speaking to a source at the palace earlier, who have confirmed that [the children] are on summer recess and they will now just stay away from the public gaze,” she said.

“They will hunker down as a family, more likely than not at Norfolk […], their countryside bolt hole.” Staying closer to home is ideal for Kate, too. She “is not able to travel at the moment while she’s undergoing this course of preventative chemotherapy. So I think that probably rules out an overseas holiday.”

However, going to Scotland for the royal family’s annual summer getaway at the Balmoral estate will probably happen.

“I think it’s likely that we will see the family go to Scotland at the invitation of the King and Queen later this summer in August,” Nicholl said. “But I think it’s going to be low-key and very much below the radar. So I don’t think we can expect to see the Princess of Wales for some time now.”

The date of Kate’s return to royal duties is unknown

At the time of writing, Kensington Palace—William and Kate’s office within the royal family—hasn’t announced a date for the future queen’s return. Previous palace updates noted Kate wouldn’t go back to work until doctors cleared her to do so.

In June, shortly before going to Trooping the Colour, Kate shared in a social media statement she had a “few” more months of preventative chemotherapy treatment left, suggesting returning to duties this summer isn’t likely.

In the meantime, Kate’s learning to deal with “uncertainty” surrounding her health as she has both “good and bad days.”

As for future updates, Nicholl said that while information on Kate’s progress can be expected “at some point,” seeing her “smiling” at Wimbledon was a good sign.

“I think when we look at the princess,” she said, “we see her looking as well as she did, smiling, healthy, radiant, and we can assume that she’s now tolerating this chemotherapy far better than she was in the early stages and that she’s doing well at the moment.”

Kate Middleton Returned to Her ‘Princess Uniform’ at Wimbledon

Mandi Kerr — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 23:30:00 +0000

Wimbledon didn’t go by without an appearance from Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales attended the final day of the two-week tennis tournament amid her ongoing cancer treatment. Highlights included a standing ovation and, of course, a dose of Kate’s fashion the public hasn’t seen due to her time out of the spotlight.

Kate’s 2024 Wimbledon outfit

On July 14, 2024, Kate—with her and Prince William’s 9-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte, in tow—headed to Wimbledon. The mother and daughter sat in the Royal Box at Centre Court to watch Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz defeat Serbia’s Novak Djokovic for the Men’s Singles title.

Kate, whose attendance at the annual London, England, tennis tournament had become the source of much speculation in the days leading up to the finals, wore a purple midi dress from designer Safiyaa for the occasion.

She accessorized with a tan bag from LK Bennett, one of her most worn brands, and coordinating slingbacks by designer Camilla Elphick.

Speaking to People about Kate’s Wimbledon look, Elphick called it something of a throwback to a tried-and-true way of dressing for the 42-year-old royal.

“It was very much Kate’s princess uniform in a shape that really works for her, and it all felt very familiar,” the British shoe designer said. “Although the earrings [from By Pariah] were a little edgier than usual, it was a really beautiful look.”

Kate highlighted ‘how important’ Wimbledon is to her by wearing purple

Wearing purple proved to be a significant move on Kate’s part. It’s one of the two official colors of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The organization, of which Kate’s patron, hosts Wimbledon. (The other’s green, which Kate wore three times to the tennis tournament in 2023.)

It’s also commonly associated with royalty. As Bethan Holt, The Daily Telegraph’s fashion director noted, it’s “the color of courage. Which could be a nod to what she is going through.”

“Kate has a history of choosing clever, whimsical themes for her Wimbledon looks,” Holt, who authored a 2021 book on Kate’s style, added. “Wearing purple underlines how important that role is to her. And why she chose this event to make her second public appearance of the year.”

The last time Kate sported a similar shade of purple came in November 2023. (Two months before she underwent abdominal surgery that would lead to her cancer diagnosis). She wore a purple pantsuit to deliver the keynote speech at the Shaping Us National Symposium.

Her style has changed in recent years

Kate Middleton and Prince William | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Fashion experts previously noted a shift in Kate’s style when she became the Princess of Wales in 2022. One even described the future queen’s choice of gown for a state dinner in the months following King Charles’s ascension as a form of “power dressing.”

Feminine styles in Kate’s wardrobe have taken a backseat to more business-like attire. Ahem, lots of pantsuits, and fewer polka dots, a print she wore often as the Duchess of Cambridge.

Now, with only two official public appearances under her belt—err, crown?—only time will tell how Kate’s health challenges of 2024 will, if at all, be reflected in her outfits when she returns to royal duties.

Meghan Markle Can’t Repeat ‘Archetypes’ on Lemonada Media Podcast: ‘Recipe for Failure’

Mandi Kerr — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:18:00 +0000

Meghan Markle has to start “fresh” with her Lemonada Media podcast after Spotify’s “Archetypes.” A PR specialist says the Duchess of Sussex, 42, has to deliver something new for listeners. Otherwise, she’ll risk repeating the “recipe for failure” with “Archetypes.” What Meghan can do to make sure her new podcast has a “chance of succeeding” ahead. Plus, two ways she’s already poised to make it different.

Meghan must consider ‘variety of factors’ with her Lemonada Media podcast

Meghan announced her partnership with Lemonada Media in February 2024. It came less than a year after she and Prince Harry’s deal with Spotify ended in June 2023.

In a statement, the former Suits star said Lemonada Media planned to re-release “Archetypes” and launch a new “dynamic podcast,” both of which were “well in the works.”

No additional details on the podcast, including the title and release date, have since been announced. The platform is expected to launch Meghan’s podcast in 2025.

So, until Meghan’s new podcast gets a name and premiere date, there’s a big question mark as to what she’ll do this time around. For starters, according to celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius, it can’t be similar to its predecessor.

“For Meghan Markle’s new podcast to see more success than ‘Archetypes,’ she and her team are going to have to bring something seriously fresh to the table,” Cornelius told Express, speaking on behalf of Speaking on behalf of Betfred.

“Archetypes,” despite featuring several celebrity guests, “lacked a solid marketing strategy” to keep listeners coming back for more.

“The success of Meghan’s new podcast will depend on a variety of factors such as the marketing, guests, and topics discussed,” she added.

Rebranding ‘Archetypes’ won’t work for Meghan

Repackaging “Archetypes” isn’t going to cut it, according to Cornelius. “Simply rebranding the same format under a different name is likely a recipe for failure,” she told the outlet.

On “Archetypes,” Meghan discussed the “labels that try to hold women back with guests, per the podcast’s official description. Think, conversations about the word “diva” or “b**ch.

“The podcast industry is booming,” she continued. “But while there’s a lot of demand for this new form of media, the main reason people tune in is because they are invested and feel connected to the host.”

Meghan, who previously received criticism for staying in host mode on “Archetypes,” emphasized connecting with listeners.

“For this new podcast to stand any chance of succeeding, Meghan will have to find a way to connect to her audience more,” she said. Another option, she suggested, is to “recruit the help of an experienced co-host to help add structure and extra personality to the show.”

New elements on Meghan’s forthcoming podcast: philanthropy and more personal anecdotes

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Andrew Esiebo/Getty Images for The Archewell Foundation

No additional details about Meghan’s new podcast have been revealed. However, she’s reportedly prepared to do a few things differently.

She’s expected to get more personal on her Lemonada Media podcast. Although, to be fair, she did occasionally share moments from her own life on “Archetypes.”

Perhaps the most memorable one came when Meghan recounted how a fire broke out in now-5-year-old Prince Archie’s room when she and Harry were on a royal tour of South Africa.

Another new element Meghan’s reportedly bringing to her new podcast is philanthropy. (It’s something she and Harry bonded over when they first met in the summer of 2016.)Some celebrities are expected to make appearances. However, it won’t be all about big-name guests.

Until Meghan’s podcast launches, she’s working on American Riviera Orchard, and her upcoming Netflix show about gardening and entertaining.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Reportedly Planning a Major First for Archie and Lili

Mandi Kerr — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 01:35:00 +0000

It’s off to the 2025 Invictus Games for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Sussex kids are reportedly gearing up for their first-ever trip to the competition with their parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, next year.

Harry and Meghan are thinking about taking Archie and Lili to the Invictus Games in Canada

According to Express, the Invictus Games 2025 Vancouver Whistler is poised to be a Sussex family affair. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are, per the outlet, considering bringing Archie, 5, and Lili, 3, to the competition. It will be held in Canada from Feb.8-16, 2025.

They’re said to be working on logistics surrounding the opening ceremony, which includes considering taking Archie and Lili with them to the “family-focused” event.

“Harry and Meghan are planning to take Archie and Lilibet to help promote a new ‘family-friendly’ Invictus Games,” a source said.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024, at BC Place Vancouver. Athletes competing in the games are encouraged to bring their families.

If Harry and Meghan do make the games a Sussex family affair, it’d certainly be meaningful. The reason is that the last time they were in Canada at the games was in 2017, when they made their first public appearance together as a couple.

Plus, Harry and Meghan have kept Archie and Lili largely out of the public eye since relocating to Montecito, California, in 2020. Save for the occasional mention, the kids’ lives remain private.

The public’s most recent glimpse of them came courtesy of Harry and Meghan’s 2021 Oprah interview and 2022 Netflix docuseries.

Harry and Meghan are ‘very involved’ in making the competition family-friendly

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Karwai Tang/WireImage

The insider also shared the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have played a big role in adding more family-friendly elements to the 2025 competition.

“The Sussexes have been very involved with the organisational [sic] elements of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler events,” they said.

“And it was very much their idea to make this a family-friendly games so that those taking part can bring their children along.”

This comes after Harry and Meghan visited Vancouver in February 2024 for the “One Year to Go” event. There, they met competitors at the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.

Harry even tried out some of the new sports that have been added to the games, such as skeleton bobsledding.

The 39-year-old also marked 10 years of the competition with a service at London, England’s St. Paul’s Cathedral in May 2024. At the time there’d been speculation Archie and Lili could join him, along with Meghan. Ultimately, however, Harry made the trip solo.

The public may get a glimpse of Archie and Lili before the 2025 Invictus Games

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Yaroslav Sabitov/PA Images via Getty Images

Apart from the games, there’s a chance Archie and Lili could make an appearance before then. Where? Possibly on their parents’ upcoming Netflix shows.

Harry and Meghan both have new programs on the way at the streamer—a polo documentary (Harry) and a gardening and cooking series (Meghan).

While the couple are said to disagree on how involved Archie and Lili should be in the projects, much, if not all, of the filming has already wrapped (via The Daily Beast).

Meghan was previously reported to be eager to put Archie and Lili in front of the camera to get them involved with her work, similar to what Kate Middleton’s done in the past with her and Prince William’s three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

Titles and release dates for Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix shows have yet to be announced. So, for now, that means waiting to see if Archie and Lili make an appearance when they premiere. And, of course, waiting until the 2025 Invictus Games get underway in February 2025.

Prince William’s Taken Over Prince Philip’s Disciplinarian Role in the Royal Family: Report

Mandi Kerr — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 13:35:00 +0000

King Charles III may head up the British royal family, lead state dinners, and get massive celebrations in his honor (Trooping the Colour), but it’s Prince William who is the disciplinarian behind closed doors. The Prince of Wales, 42, has reportedly taken to “calling the shots,” filling his late grandfather Prince Philip’s role. But that doesn’t mean William’s ready to officially be “in charge.”

William has taken over for Philip as the royal family’s ‘enforcer’

According to The Daily Beast’s report on royal family power dynamics, William’s the royal family’s “enforcer,” filling a position once held by his grandpa, Philip, husband to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“There is a sense that William has stepped into the Prince Philip role,” a source told the outlet. “Philip ruled the family with a rod of iron and you saw when he died that discipline collapsed. Now William is calling the shots when it comes to family discipline. He can be scary!”

Philip died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99. Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022, at the age of 96.

The “most notable effect” of William’s “enforcer” role is, the outlet wrote, the “absolute ban” on his estranged brother, Prince Harry, “returning in any way, shape, or form to the family fold.”

King Charles wants to see his youngest son, the Duke of Sussex, more. But William’s not letting that happen. That, the insider said, “tells you everything you need to know about who is really in charge.”

Prince William isn’t in a rush to take the throne

While William may be “in charge,” he’s not eager to take the throne. At least not in the near future. He and his wife, Kate Middleton, are said to be “distraught at the idea of his destiny being forced upon him before their children finish school.”

They are parents to Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly experienced “tremendous anxiety” when King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, thinking their lives could change much sooner than expected.

They’re settled in their lives, “quite happy” living in Windsor, England, at the “modest” four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage. William and Kate don’t want to move to the Royal Lodge—if the king succeeds in getting Prince Andrew out—or nearby Windsor Castle.

King Charles is still an ‘immensely powerful’ British royal

Just because William’s the one “calling the shots,” his father’s still very much a powerful figure in the royal family. “William’s rise does not mean the King is a lame duck,” the outlet wrote. “He is still an immensely powerful figure whose word is (sometimes literally) law, who can get anyone in the world on the phone with a click of his fingers.”

The king’s February 2024 cancer diagnosis announcement and subsequent return to public duties on April 30, 2024, “has been nothing short of miraculous, given that he is suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment for the disease, and his surging popularity figures tell their own story.”

Kate Middleton’s ‘Unprecedented’ Decision to Avoid George, Charlotte, and Louis Experiencing the Same ‘Damage’ as Prince William

Mandi Kerr — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 02:16:00 +0000

Taking photos of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis isn’t just a sweet tradition for Kate Middleton. In doing so, the Princess of Wales has, according to commentators, sidestepped the “damage” Prince William, the Prince of Wales, experienced.

Kate’s taken ‘control’ by photographing George, Charlotte, and Louis

“The Princess of Wales understands who she is, [and] the position that she’s in,” Afua Hagan, a royal commentator and journalist, said in the Kate: A Queen for the Future documentary (via OK).

“She also understands the interest in her family, especially her children, that people want to see them growing up. So she understands that the press needs these pictures.”

She’s “seen firsthand through her husband, Prince William, the damage that the press has done to his life,” Hagan continued. “And so she’s realised [sic] that if she can do something about that, if she can take control, then she should do that.”

“Kate did something which was unprecedented at the time. She decided that she was going to be the one to photograph her own children, which I think was an absolutely brilliant move.”

“She’s decided I will take them and I will deliver them to the press agencies. I’ll be the one that post[s] them on social media,” Hagan explained.

Furthermore, as royal biographer Ingrid Seward noted, by becoming the “main photographer of the family,” Kate spared George, Charlotte, and Louis the potential stress of posing for a stranger.

The Wales kids occasionally have their photo taken by a professional photographer instead of Kate

Kate Middleton, Prince Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte | Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Kate doesn’t exclusively photograph George, Charlotte, and Louis. Sometimes, she and William opt to have a professional take photos of their kids.

The future queen wasn’t behind the camera taking George’s birthday portrait when he turned 10 in July 2023. Instead, professional photographer Millie Pilkington snapped George’s photo.

The same thing happened when Louis turned 5 in April 2023. Unlike Charlotte, whose 2023 birthday photo was taken by Kate, Pilkington was again responsible for this picture. It adorably showed Louis being pushed in a wheelbarrow by his mom. (Does it get much cuter than that?)

Outside of birthday photos, the royal family of five has posed for professional photographers for holiday cards. In 2023, William, Kate, and their three kids wore white shirts in a photo taken by Josh Shinner for their official holiday card.

The photo tradition was put into question after Mother’s Day snap

The future of William and Kate’s long-held tradition of releasing photos of George, Charlotte, and Louis became unclear when, for U.K. Mother’s Day on March 10, 2024, Kensington Palace released a photo—taken by William—of Kate with the kids.

It marked Kate’s first official appearance since Christmas 2023 and her January 2024 abdominal surgery. At the time, conspiracy theories swirled online. They reached a fever pitch with the photo’s release, which quickly came under fire for being edited.

It led to a public apology from Kate and more speculation about her health and whereabouts. Finally, on March 22, 2024, she announced her cancer diagnosis.

Between the photo’s release and Kate’s announcement, there were questions about whether William and Kate would continue releasing personal photos of George, Charlotte, and Louis.

Ultimately, the couple decided to keep up the tradition, albeit with one change. William and Kate released a photo of Louis to mark his birthday on April 23, 2024, without going through major photo agencies.

Prince William’s First Words to Meghan Markle When They Met

Mandi Kerr — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 01:15:00 +0000

Prince William apparently had some very sweet words for Meghan Markle when they met. According to a royal biography, the Prince of Wales, 42, who no longer speaks to his brother and sister-in-law, didn’t start with hello. Instead, he remarked how much he’d been “looking forward” to meeting the Duchess of Sussex, 42. Ahead, what William said to Meghan when Prince Harry introduced them. Plus, how Meghan “freaked” William out when they met.

He admitted to ‘looking forward’ to meeting Meghan

In Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand revealed what William’s first words were to Meghan when the Duke of Sussex introduced them in 2016.

“I was looking forward to meeting the girl who has put that silly grin on my brother’s face,” William told his future sister-in-law (via Mirror). At the time, Harry and Meghan had already been dating for some time following back-to-back dates in London, England, in July 2016 and a trip to Botswana.

They met at William and Kate Middleton’s Kensington Palace home before the brothers left for a “shooting trip,” Harry recalled in Spare, his 2023 memoir.

At the time, the Princess of Wales, 42, was “out” with the couple’s children; Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

Meghan’s introduction to William happened after she had an unplanned meeting with Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, at the Royal Lodge, the home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, following a quick lesson on curtsying.

William ‘recoiled’ when Meghan hugged him

Harry shared more details of how Meghan and William met, admitting along the way he’d felt more “nervous” about introducing Meghan to his brother than the queen.

“The door opened and there was my big brother, a bit dressed up. Nice trousers, nice shirt, open collar,” Harry wrote.

Then came a “classic collision of cultures” when Meghan “leaned in and gave him a hug.” It “completely freaked him out,” Harry recalled, noting William immediately “recoiled.”

“Willy didn’t hug many strangers. Whereas Meg hugged most strangers,” he explained. “The moment was a classic collision of cultures, like flashlight-torch, which felt to me both fun and charming.”

“Later, however, looking back, I wondered if it was more than that,” he continued. “Maybe Willy expected Meg to curtsy? It would’ve been protocol when meeting a member of the royal family for the first time, but she didn’t know, and I didn’t tell her.”

“When meeting my grandmother, I’d made it clear—this is the queen. But when meeting my brother, it was just Willy, who loved Suits.”

Harry went on to say William quickly “got over” Meghan’s hug and that his now-wife and brother “exchanged a few warm words.”

Meghan on meeting Kate for the first time

In Harry & Meghan, the December 2022 Netflix docuseries on the couple, Meghan recalled meeting her future sister-in-law when William and Kate had dinner at Nottingham Cottage.

“When Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time—they came over for dinner—I remember I was in ripped jeans, and I was barefoot,” Meghan said. (Harry recalled noticing the difference in attire in Spare.)

“I was a hugger. I’ve always been a hugger. I didn’t realize that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits,” she continued. “I guess I’d start to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside, carried through on the inside.”

At the time, she thought the royal family had a “forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door, and you relax now. But that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me.”

Where Meghan Markle Sat With Kate and Pippa at Wimbledon in 2019 Sent a Powerful Message, Expert Says

Mandi Kerr — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:17:00 +0000

While speculation continues as to whether Kate Middleton will be at Wimbledon handing out trophies, look back to 2019. That year, the now-Princess of Wales sat courtside at the famed tennis tournament alongside her sister, Pippa Middleton, and Meghan Markle. According to a body language expert, where the Duchess of Sussex sat signaled she was “very much part of the family.”

Meghan sat in a ‘Middleton ‘sandwich’’ at Wimbledon in 2019

Almost six months to the day before she and Harry announced they were leaving royal life, Meghan joined Kate, patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts the annual tournament, and her sister, Pippa, courtside.

The three sat in the royal box at Center Court in London, England. There they watched Meghan’s friend, the now-retired Serena Williams, face off against Simona Halep in the final match. (Halep defeated Williams.)

Examining footage from the appearance, body language expert Judi James noticed how Meghan sat in between Kate and Pippa, describing it as a “Middleton ‘sandwich’” to The Sun‘s Fabulous.

At the time, rumors were already swirling about a potential feud between Meghan and Kate. The two had gone to Wimbledon together in 2018.

In the days leading up to their Wimbledon appearance, the two were seen with their children—minus 3-year-old Princess Lilibet, who was born in 2021—watching Prince Harry and Prince William’s polo match.

Sitting between Pippa and Kate Middleton made Meghan look like a special guest

The seating arrangements said a lot, according to James. “As a public signal of intent,” she explained, “it seemed to imply that Meghan had cracked the sister group to be shown as the third sister. And, therefore, very much part of the family.”

On a more practical level, “it also meant both Kate and Pippa would be seen dancing their attention on Meghan.”

Meanwhile, “in the middle seat,” Meghan “would look very much like the honoured [sic] sister-in-law, hosted by both.”

The 2019 Wimbledon Championships marked the one and only time Meghan, Kate, and Pippa made a public appearance together.

As the Duke of Sussex later revealed in his 2023 Spare memoir, Pippa’s 2017 wedding became a source of friction. The Prince and Princess of Wales, he wrote, didn’t like how he and Meghan switched seats at the reception, a claim the Sussexes denied.

Meghan’s body language hinted at ‘some awkwardness’ at Wimbledon

Meghan Markle and Pippa Middleton | Karwai Tang/Getty Images

“Pippa appeared to be able to put more ‘carefree’ effort into her chats with Meghan.” Although there were still some hints of “awkwardness.” Namely, how she “would often be photographed looking ahead” and putting a hand on her neck.

“Even during some of their chats, Meghan was seen touching her neck, implying some awkwardness. Or with one arm around her own torso in what looked like a barrier gesture,” James said.

As for Kate, she “appeared at one point to have adopted the super-polite, non-tactile pose of standing with her hands clasped behind her back as she chatted to Meghan.”

Now, five years after their Wimbledon appearance, Kate and Meghan, as well as Harry and William, don’t speak. Although Harry seemingly doesn’t want it to stay that way. He’s reportedly tried reaching out to his brother and sister-in-law in light of Kate’s cancer diagnosis, for which she has a “few” more months of preventative chemotherapy treatment.

What Princess Diana Noticed Right Away About Baby Princess Beatrice and Put in a Letter

Mandi Kerr — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 00:44:00 +0000

Princess Diana had six words to describe Princess Beatrice as a baby in a letter to her former housekeeper. What the late royal said about her now-35-year-old niece, ahead. Plus, how Diana once banned her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, from seeing their cousins.

Beatrice is the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

First up, who is Beatrice? She’s the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, the Duke and Duchess of York.

Beatrice was born on Aug. 8, 1988. Her parents, who divorced in 1996 after 10 years of marriage but have remained close, announced her arrival through a Buckingham Palace decree. Today, she’s no. 9 in the royal family’s line of succession.

Similar to Diana before her, Ferguson gave birth in a hospital before introducing newborn Beatrice to the public and making their way home.

Beatrice was born at Portland Hospital, the same place where her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, 34, was born in 1990, and where Meghan Markle gave birth to her and the Duke of Sussex’s son, 5-year-old Prince Archie, in 2019.

Diana’s comments about baby Beatrice to former housekeeper

Princess Beatrice, Sarah Ferguson, and Prince Andrew | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Diana wrote about baby Beatrice in a letter to former Spencer family housekeeper Maud Pendrey, auctioned off as a part of a collection by Julien’s Auctions.

So, what did Diana say about her niece? “The family seems to be constantly expanding, and Sarah’s baby is very sweet with extremely long fingers.”

Indeed, the royal family did expand quite a lot in the ‘80s. Diana and King Charles became parents—first to the now-Prince of Wales in 1982 and then Harry in 1984. Meanwhile, Princess Anne gave birth to her daughter, now 43-year-old Zara Tindall, in 1981.

The collection, which went to auction on June 27, 2024, also featured 14 Christmas cards, a signed photograph, and an invitation to Diana and King Charles III’s 1981 royal wedding, as well as clothes and accessories.

Of Diana’s handwritten letters, one about her pregnancy with Prince Harry sold for the most— nearly $45,000.

Diana later banned Prince William and Prince Harry from seeing their cousins

Sara Ferguson, Princess Diana, Prince Harry, and Princess Beatrice | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Years later, the vacations and playdates with cousins for young Prince William, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, were gone. Diana, per Tina Brown’s The Palace Papers, forbade her sons from seeing Beatrice and Eugenie after getting angry with their mom.

In Brown’s book, the former Vanity Fair editor claimed that Ferguson and Diana had a falling out when the now-64-year-old Duchess of York “reveal[ed] she had developed verrucae after borrowing Diana’s shoes” in her autobiography.

In turn, Diana cut off William and Harry’s contact with Beatrice and Eugenie. This, the author claimed, exemplified the late royal’s “pattern of cutting out people in the boys’ lives. Not just any people, but people they cared about—like the York sisters.”

She noted that the pattern continued “throughout their childhood” until Diana’s death in August 1997, when William and Harry were 15 and 12, respectively.

10 years after Diana’s death, Ferguson admitted she and Diana had been on the outs. “The saddest thing, at the end, we hadn’t spoken for a year,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. “Though I never knew the reason, except that once Diana got something in her head.”

Today, William and Harry maintain close relationships with their cousins. Eugenie is, to date, the only British royal to visit Harry and Meghan in Montecito, California. Meanwhile, Beatrice and Eugenie have attended royal events alongside William in recent months.