I don’t really get the insistence from royal lovers or haters that the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex have to be at each other throats OR complete BFFs. It’s pretty clear – to me, at least – that they don’t really care for each other, but that they make a show of getting along for the cameras. They’re basically coworkers who make the effort while they’re on the job but they don’t hang out after work. There were so many tortured conversations about why Kate didn’t go to Meghan’s baby shower in New York, and what that all meant. Again, Kate didn’t go because she didn’t care about going. They’re not BFFs. They’re not enemies either. So excuse me if I don’t believe this for a second either:
The celebration continues! After Duchess Meghan’s A-list pals fêted her with a baby shower in New York City on February 20, her sister-in-law, Duchess Kate, will host another bash in her honor in the United Kingdom, a source tells Us Weekly.
“There is still going to be some sort of private baby-centric event for Meghan’s U.K. people, and Kate will host,” says the royal insider. “Her glam people and other relatives will be there. Not sure if it’s a total baby ‘shower,’ but you could probably call it that.”
The 37-year-old’s first soirée, held at The Mark Hotel, was a star-studded affair attended by stars such as Amal Clooney, Gayle King and Meghan’s best friend Jessica Mulroney. There were lavish flower arrangements, which were later donated to charity. And when a video of the pastel, predominantly pink decorations leaked online, many fans guessed she might be having a girl — but she reportedly told pals at the event it’s a boy!
Yeah, don’t believe it. I think Meghan probably will have a baby shower in the UK (if she hasn’t already), and maybe Kate will even go to it, but Kate’s not going to host it. Doria Ragland could host it. Or someone else, who knows. LOL, Meghan should hire Pippa Middleton to party-plan it.
As for the rumor that Meghan told her friends that she’s having a boy… I’m still hoping Polo Baby is a girl, but we’ll see soon enough.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Did any other members of the British royal family attend that event in NY? Like Camilla, Meghan’s mother-in-law? Or the cousins? Why all the focus on Kate?
Because the two women feud sells better.
mother-in-law????
My MIL and aunts-in-law threw me a baby shower, and even came down to the one my aunt threw in my home town. We’re really close, and my mom died when I was newly married.
I think she’s commenting on the fact that Camilla is technically the (step) mother in law. Which we all obviously know…..
I kinda feel like Meghan’s mother-in-law attending Meghan’s baby shower might make even bigger headlines than the Kate&Megan “feud”, what with her mother-in-law dying in 1997 and all…..
Okay, fine, step-mother-in-law but Camilla will pretty much serve as the kid’s paternal grandmother because she is here. Families do blend.
@Lightpurple – you’re fine lol. For all intents and purposes Camilla will be the grandmother, even if some people don’t like that. Camilla and Meghan seem to get along well.
Let’s not forget, for the family pic for Charles’ 70th, Camilla was the one holding Charlotte on her lap.
https://www.today.com/news/royal-family-poses-pics-prince-charles-70th-birthday-t142047
She is, de facto, the kids’ grandmother in the family.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she always intended to have 2 – one for her friends in North America and another for the RF based in London. Megs will likely host it herself or maybe Cams will.
While I don’t think they are feuding (William is another story) I don’t think they are besties – the are SIL’s who have to make the effort to get alone with each other, just like everyone else does.
I highly doubt she’s going to throw herself a baby shower and host it herself. That’s rather tacky.
And about Kate “cohosting” with Doria. I don’t like the idea, unless it’s really been the plan all along and they’ve been working on it together this whole time. I don’t like the idea of Kate being added as cohost to the baby shower that Doria has been planning all along. It feels like another one of those instances where she’s “collaborating” on something important, but we find out later that she didn’t actually do any of the work and really just showed up on the day to take credit for a successful event or project that other people did most of the work on. Like when she’s positioned as being the “top person” on a committee or project and she’s “steering” it and “making the major decisions,” but it sounds like what she actually did was just okay other people’s ideas and plans. It’s a way for her to get good publicity for working and “leading” things, but in order for Kate to get all that good publicity and credit, the person who actually did all the work had their contributions minimized
If this does happen, it wouldn’t surprise me if Kate, or one of Meg’s London friends, is helping. I would think just logistically, for planning purposes, it would be needed. It would be really hard for Doria to plan all the details from LA.
Prediction: Meghan will have a baby shower in London and Kate, Camilla, and other royals will not attend.
I got what you meant @lightpurple. There are some touchy people who refuse to accept Camilla as anything other than the “other woman”. It’s a sad thought, but she’s been in their lives longer than Diana now. Cam is the de facto (step)mother in law to baby Sussex from where I stand.
If anything, as Harry seems more warm to his father than Will, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re more involved.
Meghan’s OWN MOTHER didn’t attend.
I’m so sick of this NYC shower being held up as the measuring stick of all Meghan’s relationships. It was a bunch of girlfriends getting together for a mini vacation, free publicity, and sponsored luxury. That’s it.
Who knows if she’ll have something else in the UK, but NYC was pretty clear in what it was, and it wasn’t her Duchess life.
Well said. And thanks for saying it. I truly don’t understand why people are buying into this tabloid invented “Kate and Meghan hate each other!” tripe.
Kate probably didn’t go because it was in a different country with Meghans good friends in the United States. Didn’t Meghans mother also not attend the NYC baby shower? Who cares?
“Again, Kate didn’t go because she didn’t care about going.”
I don’t think she was invited because it was a friend shower.
Not only that, but it was her kids’ half-term. I can’t see her leaving her kids for that week, to go off to NY for 5 days of it.
I hope this is true. I’d like to see the narrative end that everyone fights with everyone all the time.
I scrolled a little too quickly and thought your post said something about “ending up in a fight”. Then I started wondering who would win between a Kate/Meghan throw-down. Kate is athletic and strong, but Meghan seems like she’s be a pretty tough opponent, those yoga moves would probably come in handy. We’ll probably never know. LOL
I’ll show myself out now.
My take is that the two women get along fine. They’re not BFFs or enemies. They’re both pragmatic and they both have been successful in getting to where they wanted to go. They like their lives and will do whatever they need to do.
I find the speculation about the sex of the baby hilarious. “this is a clue that its a girl!!! no its a boy!!!” we’ll find out one way or the other soon enough, lol. (I had the same reaction when people were so obsessed with looking for clues when Kate was pregnant…..we’ll find out when we find out.)
Anyway – I can actually see Kate hosting the “shower” or whatever it is, especially if its going to be at KP and people like Camilla or Zara are going to be invited. My real guess though is that Doria is hosting, like has always been the story, and now they are saying that Kate is hosting as well as a way to play down the feud rumors.
I agree with Kaiser though that I don’t think they are enemies and I don’t think they are BFFs. I think they are fairly different women with different life experiences who married brothers. Maybe in 5 years they will be close, but I am not surprised that 14 months after Meghan moved to England they aren’t BFFs yet.
100% agree with the BFF comment. Just think of them as regular people, not royals. How many people are BFF’s with their sister in law they just met less than 2 years ago? I think they were in two different points in life too, when they met. Now that Meghan will also have a royal baby, they may actually get a bit closer. One thing I think a lot of people will agree about Kate, she seems to have navigated the royal mommy part pretty well. I think Kate will probably host it too, as she is the youngest closest related female royal.
Also, I think the friction was more between Harry and William than Kate and Meghan, but that story isn’t as gossipy exciting as the royal girl cat fight. I kind of believe the story that William had a heart to heart about marrying Meghan that Harry didn’t like. I think that will cool or has cooled too, as I believe William was mostly concerned about Harry marrying someone who wasn’t as aware of the crap the royal family gets thrown at them when an outsider marries in. I think William internalized and knew about more of the crap Diana got thrown at her, and he was worried how Meghan would play out. In Diana’s own words she spoke a lot to William about it. I think now Harry probably realizes more why his brother was so concerned. Now that’s my more optimistic take on the royal relationships, instead of the negative comments people throw at them, and I’m sticking to it. It makes me happier to think that, and none of us will really know unless someone leaves and writes a salacious book. Until then which I hope doesn’t occur, I like happy royal endings.
I doubt Kate will host because I just don’t think the two are very close. Doria wouldn’t host because that would be very taboo. There’s an unwritten rule that no immediate family members of the mother-to-be should host because it’s considered rude to ask for gifts on behalf of a family member. I imagine the British tabs would have a field day with that.
All baby showers I attended were thrown by an immediate family member, mine by my mom, my friends by their moms, cousins by there mom, SIL by MIL, I’ve never heard this taboo, I wonder if it’s a geographical thing
I wonder if it’s a geographical thing, or a generational thing. I’m 63, and it was definitely considered gauche for an immediate family member to host a shower. My daughter really wanted me to host hers, though, so I ignored my embarrassment and did. No one acted snarky, all enjoyed themselves, so I’ve been curious ever since if it’s an outmoded no-no…
@Nikki – I do think its partly generational, and also partly financial. I “hosted” my SIL’s baby shower because my mom refused to do so (like for propriety reasons she wouldn’t be the host) but she paid for absolutely everything and did everything (I was in law school at the time, no way could I pay for the shower.) It was just my name on the invitation. but my mom has loosened up a bit over time and she co-hosted my other SIL’s wedding and baby showers. Most showers that I have been to have been hosted by family members – mother or mother in law or a close aunt etc – and I think that’s because they can get very expensive, and when you’re 25, you may not have the money to throw a shower, especially as these things are becoming bigger and bigger. Hosting 40 people is expensive, even if you try to be frugal. (I have not been to a shower with fewer than 25 people in attendance, 40-50 seems normal.) It’s insane.
I threw my sister a shower for her first. I invited all of her friends. Her mother-in-law and aunts-in law threw her a shower up north, in San Francisco, for the big family her husband has there, and the friends she and her husband have that still live up there (they both went to UC Berkley). There’s nothing wrong with it. People want to share in the joy of the new baby.
Yeah, I keep seeing the “Doria will host” comments and wondering why no one has said anything.
I’ve been thinking that too! Your friends throw you a shower and your relatives can attend was how it was back when the dinosaurs roamed😃. It was very gauche to have family members host.
I know tons of friends who have had their mothers, sisters or both throw them showers. I have literally never heard of it being taboo at all.
Rules of etiquette have relaxed a lot in many areas, but some of us are still uncomfortable with showers (baby or bridal) being hosted by the mother or sister of the honoree. I grew up in California & it was always a no-no.
An in-law can host if the shower is exclusively for the other relatives.
I don’t see why Kate would have gone to NYC. The other guests were all Meghan’s friends from Canada & the US so it’s very unlikely that Kate would have known any of them. I wouldn’t want to be stuck for 3 days partying with a bunch of someone else’s old friends that I’d met only only one at a wedding. Security requirements might be tighter for Kate than for M since Will is higher in succession.
Just wanted to add that I’m actually 32 and originally from California so idk if it’s generational or geographical, it’s just how I was raised. Maybe etiquette “rules” have relaxed a bit, I honestly don’t know. I’ve never had a shower thrown by a family member it has always been a friend or co-worker 🤷🏾♀️
But given that this is essentially terra incognita in England (yes I know it does *happen*) , they can shape it any way they want it.
No blo0dy baby gifts for a start. Actually…..just gorgeous flowery gin and dribbles of (Fevertree!) tonic, and elderflower spritzer for the mother to be.
Rude laughter and maximum tippling. Camilla and Zara are guaranteed atmosphere improvers, (‘Tell me Zara my dear, is your Mike really fabulously……physical?’ *snort*) and Cams can smoke round the back.
It could be a terrific afternoon until about 11pm!
(Then Charles and Wills will appear, faces like thunder, demanding wives! Mike will already be passed out behind a sofa having turned up early)
No, you’re right- I’m 33, live in the northeast and I was raised with the rule that blood relatives don’t throw showers. It was seen as grasping for gifts. But with upward mobility being what it was in the 80s, I don’t know many people who were raised knowing etiquette because their parents didn’t know any better. That’s when things started to really relax. I remember my mom’s college roommate getting married for a second time when I was really young and her big white wedding with bridal shower, lingerie shower, bridesmaids luncheon, and bachelorette dinner caused a bit of scandal. God, I’m glad people don’t throw lingerie showers anymore.
I think it’s a relief that things have relaxed because a lot of ‘new money’ like to use etiquette as a cudgel to embarrass people who don’t know the etiquette. Which is ironic considering the first rule of etiquette is that calling other people on their poor etiquette is the ultimate etiquette infraction.
It’s very annoying how the media is trying to pit these two women against each other while the beef is obviously between the brothers.
+1
Omid is the reporter that has an inside source in the Meghan camp & he was the one who first released the information that there would be a second baby shower in the UK. Someone in Meghan’s team clearly wanted this information to get out. After the media spectacle of the last baby shower in nyc and the fallout that followed, I’m surprised they’re going ahead with a second. It seems someone is intent on milking this for all its worth.
Ok, that makes more sense than one of the royals/royal insiders confiding to US weekly. If the royals did want something to leak, I don’t think US Weekly would be their go-to.
If this was coming from anyone in Meghan’s camp (including Omid), no WAY would they go to US Weekly. US is trash now — it wasn’t always so bad, but it was bought by the same company that owns the National Enquirer and any credibility it might have had no longer exists.
I also doubt Meghan would endorse leaking anything to the company that famously assisted Trump for years.
I don’t think anyone is calling for them to be “BFFs”. People, myself included, just think they’d be doing themselves a favor publicly and personally if they put a little effort into looking like they get along.
It’s more on William and Harry to at least pretend a fraction of the brotherly comaraderie still exists. But that doesn’t mean the women can’t do their own thing. We all think it’s wrong for Kate to follow William’s work ethic and rightly criticize her for not doing more, even if she doesn’t really want to. Because they’re not just coworkers… they’re in-laws and their job is to be part of a Royal FAMILY. If they were simply one or the other it might be different, but the fact is theirs is a unique situation.
Frankly, I find it perplexing that two couples who share a profession, are of the same age, live in the same city, are closely related, AND are catching Hell for being visibly distant (major emphasis on the last part) aren’t doing something about it. Would it be crazy if s-in-l Kate cohosted the baby shower with Doria? It would be a nice gesture, but even if they just spent a bit more time together it would help. No reasonable person expects them to be BFFs, but friendly?
I agree that it would be a good idea to make their lives easier if they apeared here and there with all smiles. As for Kate hosting, she has to live with William, so it might not be worth the effort. Now, if this were my family, we’d have a family shower, but we’re in the US, so… (women in one room ooing and awing over the baby gifts; men in the other room eating the snacks).
I’ve always wondered if Carol and Kate had Doria and Meghan over for tea before the wedding. It would have been nice since they’re some of the very few people in the world who are in that position and could give pointers.
I doubt They got together for tea because Doria wasn’t in the UK very long for the wedding. It would have been nice though.
I’ll take “this will never happen” for 100 please.
I am not buying the narrative that they are at each others’ throats either. The co-worker comparison is a good one. They can be civil but not bff’s or enemies.
I don’t think that Meghan and Kate are enemies or BFFs but are friendly and supportive of each other in general. I think that when they see each other they enjoy each others company but have their own circle of friends. And yeah, I could see Kate throwing Meghan a baby shower as sister-in-law living pretty much right next door might do. I would imagine that the guest list might include Camilla, Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie, Sophie and some of the Spencer ladies as well.
While much has been made of their differing personalities, one can learn alot from someone who’s different, who acts differently and has had a different life than you if you take the time and are willing to learn. Personally, I’m introverted and shy but my best friends tend to be extroverted, we’ve each brought our strengths and our weaknesses to our relationship which has allowed them to survive for going on 25 years.
They DO make an effort though. They are always friendly at events. More friendly than Will and Harry are to each other! But I feel like people expect them to hang out and go for tea and hold hands. As for learning a lot from someone different. That really isn’t the point. They can get along fine and not be friends. Friendships are built on mutual understanding and things in common. Other than the fact that they married men related to each other they dont have much else in common.
Doubtful.
This again. Kate and Meghan aren’t BFFs. Meghan isn’t ringing up Kate for advice. They are friendly with each other since they are both married ins and that’s it. Doria and one of Meghan’s London based friends are probably hosting the UK baby shower. Could be Eugenie or even one of the Spencers, but not Kate.
Why the use of the word “care?” I doubt Kate didn’t “care” about going to a baby shower. I don’t think she was invited. It clearly was not a family affair. Did Doria not “care?” Did Camilla not “care?” I could go on.
I assume it would be quite frowned upon for Doria to host a shower. It goes against etiquette. So maybe Doria will plan and Kate will technically host.
Huh. Either US Weekly is sourcing story ideas from Blind Gossip, or Blind Gossip really does have a royal adjacent source feeding them some info.
I can see them being cordial to each other whenever they are in each other’s presence but that is it. I don’t see it as a problem of them not being besties. I’m sure there are plenty of people who are cordial to their ink laws but not necessarily close.
I can definitely see Kate either hosting or participating in a UK baby shower for Meghan. Maybe something “low key” and not as luxurious as the NYC one, but with the Windsor/Doria, etc families.
I “hosted” a tiny celebration for my sister when she was pregnant with my niece: my mom, sister in law, cousin and aunt got together for tea, brought very simple gifts. And the one bonding activity was writing letters for my niece and binding them together in a scrapbook so that she can read them in a few years. That was it, no games, no registry, no crowds (I’m from Argentina, though, and baby showers have become increasingly more common in the last few years).
I think that Kate didn’t attend her American baby shower because that was for Meghan’s friends. I also think Kate will come to her UK baby shower and she will get her something. I don’t think they are fighting. I think boys are having issues, not these two at all. Time will tell. Also, I really like that blue jacket she is wearing here.
I can’t see this happening. Since baby showers aren’t really a “thing” in the UK–why would she throw one? I can see her attending one, but not hosting it.
A weird story all together.
They’re not coworkers though. They are literally family; in-laws don’t have to be best friends, or really even get along that well, but to pretend they’re basically just colleagues is not accurate.
So, are baby showers not tacky now? Inquiring minds want to know.
I can’t imagine Kate and Meghan as friends because they don’t seem to have anything in common outside of marrying into royalty. Meghan seems so much more worldly and intelligent. I can see her dozing off trying to converse with Kate.
This baby shower thing is definitely an American thing and it is very uncommon to have one in the UK. But one American thing that is getting more common in the UK is prom night, and I cannot understand why.
Not very subtle, using photos where M is composed and K looks weird. I see your bias here.
Ignore it……the nonsense is fuelled by loonies who live in a Manichean universe, in which Kate wears the black hat. (Referring to the commenting community rather than the management here)
As The Rosehips sang, ‘Its Not Worth Fighting For’ . You’ll not find much reasoned debate free of personal animus against her. It’s been that way for years, and there used to be re-education attempts by some, to rid one of any positive feelings Cambridge-wards! 🙄
Lol. I know it’s so obvious. Find photos of Kate in the worst possible light, ideally mid-sentence. Photos of Meghan always in great light looking composed.
Huh? Kate looks great in that top picture. Maybe you ladies are the ones reaching for offense?
If the photos of Kate were in mid grin or laugh then maybe this would be an argument but she looks fine. This is again a bunch of posters who aren’t usual posters who are looking to start something that isn’t there.
Maybe she can ask Pippa for tips on how to throw a shower? Let’s hope james doesn’t send over any marshmallows though.
Let’s hope Harry doesn’t arrive at the end to pick up meghan in “costume”
Harry got ripped in the media and actually apologized for that, which he did in his early 20s. Meanwhile the Daily Mail has locked comments and buried the article and James Middleton currently in his 30s remains the owner of a business where this happened with no explanation whatsoever. His company could get fined for this and he’s responsible. He can’t even be bothered to put out a statement that it will never happen again or that it is completely false. What’s his excuse at this point? Or are the Middletons cool with Nazi imagery?
I wonder if Harry will have a man shower? It’s a baby shower for the dad to be. Guys hang out, give baby advice, get a man basket for the future dad.
My question is where are the other royals? Kate did three engagements with the Quuen, and engagements with Camilla and with Charles and even Sophie. Meghan had an early engagement with Charles and Camilla and one with the Queen and that’s it.
How can Charles see his daughter-in-law attacked liked that and just stay out of sight?
There have been signs of Meghan being excluded. They even color coded their outfits for Meghan’s first Trooping the Colours which I thought was ridiculous.