A few weekends ago, E! News published an exclusive about Meghan Markle, and the piece was really, really obviously out of Meghan’s camp. The piece was simple enough – Meghan wants the current season of Suits to be her last on the show, and she’s preparing to walk away from her acting career – but the way the information was framed was very “Meghan is amazing, she’s Prince Harry’s Unicorn Lady.” I think it’s a good thing that Meghan has experience with celebrity/Hollywood public relations and media relations. I have high hopes that she will easily out-maneuver the Cambridges’ sad, obvious PR efforts. But maybe Meghan is still learning how to navigate things in her not-quite-royal-yet media efforts. Here’s an exclusive from People Mag which is pretty obviously from Team Markle.
Dating in the public eye can’t be easy — especially when one of you is a Toronto-based actress and the other lives at Kensington Palace — but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have found a way to make it work.
“Despite the distance, the media attention and everything else, there’s a real ease to their relationship,” a source tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “It just works. They are deeply happy.”
When Markle, 35, and Harry, 32, went public with their relationship in the fall, the Suits star suddenly found herself under the microscope on the global stage. But those who know her are not surprised the prince fell for the humanitarian, businesswoman, women’s advocate and actress.
“She is incredibly cool and down to earth,” says the source. “She has a wonderful warmth to her and a bright smile. It’s very easy to see why Harry was so drawn to her.”
Markle’s best friend echoes those sentiments.
“We should all strive to handle the ups and downs of our lives as gracefully, smartly, elegantly, positively, realistically and graciously as Meg has,” Lindsay Roth says of how Markle — who served as her maid of honor — has handled the media attention. “I may be biased, but she deserves everything in the world.”
I have no doubt that Meghan is cool and down to earth. But getting your publicist to call up People Magazine to tell them how you’re cool and down to earth makes me wonder if the opposite is true. E! News did another story too, about how Meghan is “preparing for her new life as a princess,” because Meghan Is Keen, I suppose. A source told E! News:
“It comes down to timing. Harry is ready to settle down and Meghan feels the same way. They are both in this for the long haul, they’ve known pretty much from the start. Everything has just fallen into place…She’s at a place in her life where she is ready to settle down and have children. She wasn’t necessarily there in her previous marriage. Harry and Meghan are very aligned in what they want for their future…. She knows that a future with Harry will mean refocusing some of the interests and goals she had before they met but she is ready for that… She has achieved so much in her life, she’s been a huge success and she is satisfied to be by his side while he fully faces the life he was born into. She can’t wait to start this next chapter with him.”
Usually when royal girlfriends start pushing these sort of stories in the media, that’s the death knell for the relationship. In Meghan’s case, I think it’s more likely that she’s trying out a strategy to let everyone know that she’s not beholden to royal press offices and a British society-power-structure, not to mention the British press structure. And she’s right to do that – if and when Meghan and Harry marry, it will be HUGE in the American press. An American girl marrying into the British royal family? Of course it will be huge. And Meghan is trying to ensure that she’s always supported in the American press.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News and Fame/Flynet.
Isn’t there a close connection to Lainey with Meghan? I would assume she’d lean on that and her contacts in the American press before going to the British outlets. I mean do you trust Daily Fail with anything? And I haven’t got the impression that the British press loves her the same way the American press does, she’s a foreigner to them, not an underdog who snagged the prince.
Granted, this also just sounds like an overzealous friend talking up their bestie, and if your bestie was Meghan, wouldn’t you say those things too?
Only connection with Lainey and Meghan is that both live/d in Toronto. I live in Toronto and everyone who has ever encountered her has nothing but positive things to say about her. She has been involved in charity work for years so I think she is awesome.
Not so- Meghan’s BFF is Ben Mulroney’s wife. Ben and Lainey are on etalk together. That’s probably how she gets all her scoops!
Rumour is behind the scenes Ben and Lainey don’t get along
You may want to tell Lainey that, she has always fawned over him on her site
The rumor was that Megan’s best friend is dating Lainey’s cohost.
They’re married with three kids!
Don’t believe any of this. The RF know how vicious the media, both sides of the atlantic, can be in their attempts to get a story, any story and so they will have a lot of empathy with Meghan of what she is going through and the tightrope she is presently walking. It is such a pity that the Daily Mail online is so popular around the world but to say that it is a barometer of how British people feel about Meghan is ridiculous. The fact is that the trolls seem to be attracted to stories about the RF, so there will always be a disproportionate number of professional trolls commentating on Meghan, giving a totally false impression that she is hated in Britain. True the British public was somehow expecting Harry to choose an English blue eyed blonde, so this has come as a bit of a surprise, and the divorcee bit as well, but as soon as the engagement is announced there will be overwhelming support from British people because this is 2017. The sooner they get engaged the better, and all these speculative articles will end.
True. The British public (and most countries with a monarchy) like royal weddings and babies. If they get engaged this year, married next year and get pregnant immediately no one will be talking about her acting career in 2019.
I honestly think Meghan will sell much better than Kate in the US anyway. Meghan ticks a lot of boxes for magazines and the media. She’s American, She has glamour, She’s educated, she does charity work, She’s African American and White parentage. She already has a media machine with her because of her acting job and the US Media Market will see her as a American girl who became a Princess and married not only a Prince, but Prince Harry , Diana’s son (and Charles son too of course) but Meghan imo will be on everything from Essence, to Town and Country, to People, to Variety, etc if an engagement , wedding takes place. She’s not boring and neither is Harry, I think a marriage will be a big WIN for the media, especially the US media.
Kate doesn’t really sell magazines in the US. Yes she gets reported on, she gets a few seconds of coverage on a outing on entertainment tv, but even that doesn’t happen as much as it use to. One reporter said when Kate and William went on one of their big tours last year, no one in the US news rooms cared, she said she was begging producers to include a clip in the news as a happy story and the producers said no, it’s boring.
Lainey has worked with the husband of one of Meghan’s best friends for years. His name is Ben Mulroney, he’s a producer for ETalk in Canada. Meghan’s friend is Jessica Mulroney.
Is Harry saying anything (through “sources”?)
I know what she thinks. Now I want to know what he thinks.
Not that any of this will change my life in anyway…but I need some entertainment.
She does seem smart. I mean, I know she’s an actress and knows how to position herself, but I still think I’d be quite naive about the process.
There have been many published articles speaking of how lurved up they are which have been attributed to friend’s of Harry.
Richard Palmer who has sources, said that Harry and Meghan decided they would not even begin to discuss an engagement until the one year mark, of dating, which will be in June or July according to some reports,but that doesn’t mean an engagement would be in the works, just that it’s being considered. But who really knows anything except them, really
I hope that, if they do get engaged in the next year, they avoid Diana’s birth and death dates. Ditto the Diana statue reveal date.
Camilla Tominey who broke the story of them dating apparently has better sources and she says they are looking to move into KP once reno is done on the Dolittle’s and staff can be moved from Dianna place. I put my money on her.
Again, read the Telegraph article. The reno isn’t slated for Apartment 1A, which already has a basement level. The plan was submitted by staff of Historic Royal Palaces to build a two-floor basement under the Orangery and a building next to it. For the use of Historic Royal Palaces staff and collections, which are currently occupying space at KP they had to move into when W&K stole their space at 1A.
That building plan will take several years. I highly doubt Harry and Meghan are going to wait around for 2-3 years.
We do not know what else or whom else is being moved around or when. Rumor for years has been that neither William nor Harry wanted to live in their old home, so why do people keep insisting Harry is kicking their Royal Household office staff out of 8&9?
Odds are that, if a larger space is being prepped for Harry now (which other royal reporters have debunked), it will not be 8&9, because that would take years and it has been said he doesn’t want to live there. Unless they are making HRP move into leased space off-site of KP for several years until the building is done, which makes no sense.
Eh, I like them together. Honking for Harry and Princess Sparkle! 😊
I really hope that Harry okayed this level of press speculation before Markle spoke to anyone. Otherwise, without an official engagement, this seems premature. I could see him breaking up with her and her expectations over something like this if it comes as a surprise.
This is all a bit much, no? She is swell, so keen, going to be a Princess!!! I agree with someone else that I hope Harry is in on this, cause if not, he may feel quite manipulated. I know I would.
LA girls don’t say Keen, LOL that sounds like something Kate use to say. I’m not sure I believe the wording. No one I know in LA or even the US says keen.
I’ve noticed how the press spends a fair amount of time building their current favorite up and in a few years will spend just about as much time tearing them down. I hope Meghan realizes this and doesn’t start believing her own press.
She receives a lot of positive comments on American websites but not on UK websites. Well if they marry and divorce she’ll be supported by the American press.
She seems really confident the relationship will go the distance.
But, is Ginger ok with the press releases to tabloids?
Since Ginger has been leaking himself I’d say they are on the same page.
She should be careful with such sugary PR plants. It might just backfire on her. However, to be fair, Poor Jason has spent a lot more time courting the American press than the Brits. I think she should slow down the PR push.
Or at least get a Big Gulp to quench that thirst.
Lol, she is parched.
Harry has to be ok with this or else she is sabotaging her Duchess title speaking so freely to the tabs.
Definitely parched. All the articles are the same in tone: how fabulous she is, how right she is for Harry, how happy they are, her charitable endeavors, zzzzz…
tumblr queens never say this about all the stories about them heading down the aisle which are sourced to Harry’s friends. She has shown no thirst. It’s all projection from the tumblr crowd. It’s really nice to see her friend (someone who actually knows her) speaking up on her behalf considering all the lies and misinformation spread by the tumblr brigade.
I suspect, if this came from someone in the know, it came from harry-and-meghan together. I think they’re on the same side now, each others. He would not be adverse to some positive PR for his girlfriend and their relationship.
I always thought that Carole also has People Mag connections. Some of the stories sound like it. Guess everybody plays PR games.
Not just Carole. KP/Poor Jason is using People mag all the damn to bring his message out when it comes to Kate, Will and Harry. That’s why I believe this was actually encouraged by KP. It has Poor Jason all over it.
CHRIST that’s obvious PR. I like them together and will watch that wedding from start to finish if it’s broadcast. But this is a bit much.
I have to admit I thought this was a bit much: “We should all strive to handle the ups and downs of our lives as gracefully, smartly, elegantly, positively, realistically and graciously as Meg has.”
I didn’t have a problem with the content of the statement as I do think she’s probably all of these things, but the actual wording seemed a little too much (too many words ending in -ly, maybe?).
Let’s hope your friends speak as glowingly about you. This was after all an interview of her best friend.
But why ask for privacy in the statement and then think it’s okay for her best friend giving a personal interview?
Perplexed – that quote is funny. I don’t know if I have ever spoken like that about my best friends. lol
Please STOP mischaracterizing that statement . It expressly stated that he realized there was interest in his personal life. It asked that those who are interested stop the soft bigotry and out right racism. Despite that tumblr trolls have only been more racist and sexist. Then there is her toxic bitter HALF sister ( 16 years older and raised in a different home) who seems to believe Meghan owes her something. So it’s hardly thirst that drives one to correct the record by allowing a friend to go on the record.
You need to calm down. I did not use the word “thirst” nor do I think she’s in it for the fame. But it IS obvious PR. There’s nothing wrong with it per se but yeah, it’s a LOT of statement.
“she’s been a huge success” ?! Really… Nobody knew about her until she got together with the Prince…
Yeah, that statement “huge success” is really a bit much as I really didn’t know anything about her prior to her relationship with Harry. Did she have a nose job?
This again. NO she hasn’t had a nose job BUT what if she had? BTW can we also address the she straightens her hair topic again. The ignorance that abounds is simply amazing. In a world where WOC are terminated for wearing their hair natural it’s pretty galling to continue having conversations about her nose hair or the ethnicity of her friends. Then the tumblr crowd have to find something to whinge about.
I was just curious, that’s all. Nothing else implied. Hopefully children from their union would have the advantage of her nose versus Harry’s honker. Please do not read too much into it.
So bitchy, ladies! May I present another point of view?
I am f***ing totally attracted to certain men. They want to touch my skin, and I want to let them. I love my long hair as a veil around Us – so Sexy!
White women have smaller breasts, shoulders, hips and butts. And Lips. We are still beautiful, if not made in the inches of Kim K. In my mind, this body is better to run and dart in the forests of Wales, and behind… I had implants – no thanks – I love to dance in the love of the wind.
I loved a woman from Somalia.
The coloring of her skin –
so lovely,
so nearly fragrant with sense
her beautiful head gear,
her cheekbones, nose, and lips –
So Pretty! She had 5 children and looked no more than 30 – and sending $$$ home – she looked no more than 32 – her skin so smooth – what a beautiful woman. We talked about the color of her skin and she told me how much she loved it – because it felt the touch of everything around her – delicate and strong, like an orchid. Lovely, so pretty, and such a strong and fragrantly beautiful woman, as I said, and again…
Why are flat-ass women trying to be ethnic?
and why do ethnic women ever wonder about their own unique beauty?
The fact Is
*that all men lust after nearly all of our uniquenesses –
so why do women try to copy each other…for more Male Sperm?
It’s Everywhere – Like Spring.
Maybe it was meant as she’s been a huge success in what she set out to do.
I thought that too. “A huge success”? Yes, she had the Suits role (a good one too) but it is too much to say she has been a huge success. She has done well in her career in television and that’s an accomplishment. She’s a good actress and I like her humanitarian work. But let’s not get carried away here, okay? I do hope they get married though and have a family – it would be so hugely entertaining with great pictures!
I had never heard of her or the show she’s on until she was with Harry. “Huge success ” is definitely pushing it. When I heard her called “the darling of Toronto ” that was way too much
I’ve never heard about her before her relationship with Harry and I’m a big fan of US tv. Successful seems a bit far fetch adjective to describe her. Lucky on the other hand…yes! but I don’t have any doubt that she’ll be a better duchess than Kate.
An actress getting a job in Hollywood at all is a long shot and a actress getting a regular gig on a tv show, is like hitting the lottery. Most people never work, never get a regular gig, never get known even by even a small audience…. so imo yes, in that world, she’s a SUCCESS!
The odds to make it in that industry are a million to one.
After the UK press has been running quotes from her estranged half-sister, it’s just fair to use a bit of good PR every once in a while. The Daily Mail and other UK tabloids try to stir up shit all the time. People mag is used by KP all the damn time to generate positive PR on the Trio. Keeping in mind that it was Harry who confirmed the relationship. I have no doubt that he is okay with these articles. I actually think it’s more likely KO’s doing, than Meghan’s.
I think this is it. No way Harry didn’t okay this article with quotes from her best friend. I really think it’s to try and counter all the negative press. I like them together, I think she’d be a great, modern addition to the BRF, but I think this was an article that could have waited until after they are actually engaged.
I doubt he was unaware this was coming, they likely discussed it beforehand. Given what an OTT racist, full-on-tumblr-attack has been directed at her? I don’t think Harry would be adverse to positive PR for his girlfriend and their relationship.
Totally agree with your assessment. KP used the term “deeply” in Harry’s statement confirming the relationship (“deeply disapponted that he was not able to protect her”). And this People article states that they are “deeply happy”. Americans would normally say “very happy” right?
Her best friend Lindsay would have been contacted by various media oulets long ago after the relationship was revealed in Oct, but she had always kept quiet and only spoke now. Surely a strategic move initiated or sanctioned by KP.
Well, at least the P.R. source didn’t insist on the “Darling of Toronto” cheesiness, even though the “cool girl” always reminds me the description of the cool girlfriend in Gone Girl.
I like Meghan and if they get married they will definitely be an interesting couple to follow.
@tyrantdestroyed – I thought of the cool girl Gone Girl reference too! Ha!
I’m trying to remember whether the ‘will they-won’t they’ thing was as intense with Will and Kate within their first year?
They were a lot younger, and in uni still, so I can’t remember it being so FULL on.
Meaghan seems okay, but if she is playing these sickly sweet stories, I’m giving the side eye.
Firstly, there was a media embargo on reporting on William’s life at university. A few stories got out, but nothing like the rush after he graduated.
Secondly, they didn’t publicly confirm there relationship until after 2yrs. During those 2 years, if Kate was mentioned at all, it was always as William’s friend. Meanwhile he was linked to other women, true or untrue.
After they graduated, and about a year post-graduation, media went into frenzy about an engagement. So much so that woolworths put out a line of engagement merchandise. Unfortunately for everyone, they broke up instead.
For the years she waited, there was peaks and troughs about their relationship and where it was headed, but always a constant media hum of it.
After that infamous breakup, the story shifted to what a perfect princess Kate was for William and what an asset she would be as a royal. And what a cad William would be to dump her again. Ad nauseum.
The day her engagement was announced, the headline of most newspapers was,” Waity no more!”
As always, quite right.
Grace Kelly did it better
Wouldn’t it be funny if those movie stars had the kind of media coverage that people get now? Grace Kelly slept will almost all of her (married) co-stars, yet she was able to cultivate the most perfect image.
It makes you appreciate the hard work the studio PR machines did to keep the images of their stars as pristine as possible. With the behaviors of many of those stars, it must’ve been like herding cats.
@Donna-I love reading all the old Hollywood stories-so fascinating. I wish there was miniseries about the pr machine and Hedda Hopper/Louella Parsons.
I love reading biographies of the old stars. Gedda and Louella were some powerful women. They had the dirt on everyone. It would be fascinating to learn more about them and the inner workings of the studio PR.
@HappyMom – I so did not know that about Grace Kelly! I need to read more about it.
Btw have you and @Donna been watching “Feud?” It is *excellent* and shows a lot of Hedda’s behind-the-scenes strategy in getting her stories (not to mention the studio’s machinations!).
I don’t think he would break up with her if he didn’t know about the articles, he might warn her as there is nothing personal in them. but I think he knew about them Meghan is smart and this point I think she is runing everything by Jason and Harry. It might have to do with cleaning up all the shit the British tabloids have thrown on her by letting people who know her speak about her. I don’t think she would jeopardize her relationship like this.. I hope not I like her
I think liking media attention is probably a VERY good thing if you are going to become a member of the British royal family. If you dislike attention you would be miserable. As for being very successful, true she’s not a huge star, but she’s a working actress who is a regular on a TV show. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of actresses whow would kill for that success. And I like her, she’s beautiful and does charity work. I think I’ll be happy seeing photos of her for the next 20 years.
I really don’t understand why people are saying Meghan is media-hungry and meaning it in a bad way. Maybe she is, I haven’t seen enough to suggest that yet, but if she is then I think that’s a point in her favour. Pretty much the entire point of the royals now is to be visible. When Harry marries, I want he and his wife to be all over the place being vocal about causes and drawing attention to them.
I have never trusted Harry, he’s unstable when it comes to relationships, I don’t think he has it in him to buck tradition and marry her. I hope he proves me wrong. If they get past this sickly sweet or I think they’ll be okay. He needs to take her out in public one more time before she goes back to work. Cue the pap stroll. Incidentally I think he really loves her and she him
You don’t know Harry so it’s quite ok that you don’t trust him. He seems pretty stable in his relationships from what’s been reported. He has it in him to live his life as he chooses and that includes ignoring all the trolls who diverge on DM to rag him. He doesn’t need to do anything except live as he chooses. I can’t think of another reason for them to be together other than love. Meghan has earned for herself everything Harry can give her and she is giving it up (Maybe) to live in a fish bowl with him when she could snag another rich guy and live as she chooses.
I’m biracial like her but girl acts too rich white. Like how can she visit these poor countries and then walk around Toronto carrying a $3,000 handbag. And btw, isn’t it obvious? This PR screams desperate. Girl is anxious to get that tiara. Seriously too much sugar added with her PR and I would advise them to slow it down.
As much as I want this to happen she needs to chill. Unless she got verbal confirmation from Harry that they will get married and they’re just waiting until Suits is over for her. I don’t want to see her jump the gun and give up her career then he turns around and dump her.
If this came with approval from anyone, it was approval from both Harry and Meghan. IMO they’re on the same team now, and Harry would like positive PR for his girlfriend and their relationship for a change.