Prince Harry was at Buckingham Palace yesterday for two events with the Queen. It’s just another reminder that Harry has been keeping up a steady schedule since Private Archie was born several weeks ago – Harry has attended Lady Gabriella’s wedding, traveled to the Hague for the Invictus Games promotion, traveled to Rome to play polo for charity, and he’s done a handful of other events in England. I don’t think his lack of paternity leave is an issue, because as I’ve said before, the British press would have found some way to criticize him no matter what. If he had actually taken a month of paternity leave, there would be a million stories about how un-royal he is and how Meghan is to blame for… a father wanting to spend time with his baby. So now they’re basically saying that Harry has been abandoning Meghan and Archie on the reg. He can’t win. As for the events:
Prince Harry is joining forces with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. The new dad, who welcomed son Archie Harrison with Meghan Markle on May 6, made his way from his home at Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage to Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday – and he made the most of the 25-mile trip by fitting in two engagements.
The Queen and Harry, who is a Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, first met with ICC Cricket World Cup team captains ahead of their opening party on the Mall. The ICC Cricket World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, will kick off on Thursday and see the top 10 teams from around the world compete. The participating nations include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – nine of which are from the Commonwealth.
After the meeting, the Queen and Prince Harry showed off their formal wear at the third Buckingham Palace garden party of the year. Despite cloudy skies (she recently confessed that weather is always a worry at these events), Queen Elizabeth brightened up the gathering in her light pink ensemble, complete with matching wide-brimmed hat. She was also prepared for the possibility of rain, walking around with an umbrella (that perfectly complemented her outfit) just in case.
Harry has complained before about the formalwear of these kinds of palace parties, and I guess we’re saying that this is a morning suit? Sure. He probably hated it. But he enjoyed some face-time with the Queen, and that’s important, especially with people bending over backwards to embiggen Will and Kate at the expense of Harry and Meg.
Meanwhile, did you hear this story? Natalie Pinkham, a Sky Sports journalist, claims that Harry “ghosted” her after he got serious with Meghan. A source close to Pinkham told The Sun: “She is quite rightfully miffed. She has known Harry for years and was not only his drinking buddy, but his confidante. They were super close but it was purely platonic. When Harry got together with Meghan their relationship rapidly changed — it just went flat and noticeably cooled off.” She’s also mad that she wasn’t invited to his wedding, but the source also said, “Natalie feels Meghan is the sensible soulmate who will tame Harry’s wild side. Their once enjoyable cosy chats and meets at gatherings virtually came to an end and Natalie says that their relationship became regulated. Natalie thinks that it’s hard to gauge whether it was at Meghan’s own instruction or that of over-protective courtiers at Buckingham Palace that caused the change of their friendship.” I mean… this woman sounds like a casual acquaintance who didn’t even merit a wedding invite, but what do I know?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Good. Grandmama owes him some face time, since he agreed to be her wingman at the dump lunch🤢
Hahaha! “Dump Lunch” — so true.
He and the Queen seem to have a much better relationship than she and William. Remember when Harry got the Queen to participate in Harry’s “Mic Drop” video for Invictus with the Obamas? So cute!
I want to know what adjectives that QEII thinks of the Dotard. “Odious” “Scum” “Moronic” “Bore” “Gross” “Beastly” . . .??
That lunch is the ultimate litmus test of duty.
You’re right Harry can’t win if he stays at home or does a few events – William was never criticised for taking long periods of time off when his kids were born, even when he was playing at being a rescue pilot. He wasn’t even at home with Kate during the first 6 months of George’s life (which came straight from Kate’s mouth at an engagement).
As for this Natalie person, sounds like a causal hook up who was expecting an invite to the wedding and is miffed she didn’t get one.
Go take a seat Natalie.
I guess I don’t really understand why men need paternity leave. I mean I was fine with my hubby going right back to work so I could get into a routine and rest during the day with the baby. ( yes, I’m one of those awful moms who slept when the baby slept). He was hands on when he was home from work and helped in the night. Granted, when our second was born he took a week off to take care of our older child. Every family is different, but that worked for mine.
Starting a post with “I guess I don’t really understand why men need paternity leave.” and then ending it with “Every family is different, but that worked for mine.” kind of answers your own question, does it not?
I think it’s incredibly important for men to take time off with the baby. They need to bond. I’m so sick of the crap people who talk about themselves or their husbands babysitting their own freaking kids that if taking a leave and having the same kind of bonding time and experience with the kids help – that’s perfect. Studies prove that longer paternal leaves are associated with father engagement and bonding. It helps set a pattern early on and it benefits everyone involved. We need to move away from the “herp derp I’m a breadwinner I’m not chaning diapers” bs that we see in SO many families STAT.
I agree Erinn. My husband took a few weeks off, first when our son was born and in the NICU for two weeks, and then when I went back to work. They spent 4-5 weeks together and took walks, hung out and really BONDED. Our boy is 11 months now and we still try to plan mini vacations so we can spend more time with him. Paternity leave is very important.
Erinn I have to disagree. You’ve clearly never spent time with military families. My dad was there when I was born but didn’t meet my sister until she 3 months old. Guess who was closer to our dad? My first was born while my husband was on deployment. He was almost 5 months old when he finally met his dad. He is just as if not closer to his father than his sibling. Military dads already feel guilty enough about missing chunks of their kids lives. To shame them for not taking time off (not that they have a choice) is just gross.
@BabaBlacksheep, but no one is shaming military dads or dads for that matter.
The military SHOULD provide all parents with parental leave, period. Whether they choose to take that leave is up to them, but the option should be there, and there should be no penalty for people who take time off to spend it with their family and newborns. Saying that isn’t shaming.
@A are you serious right now? Are you suggesting that the military should pull service men from combat for paternity leave? Do you not understand the military or combat?
I don’t know why you’ve made this about the military.
Civilians should have access to maternity leave and paternity leave and we should move towards a family friendly culture that encourages men to be there with their kids instead of the over-emphasis we have right now on fathers being the breadwinner parent. This hurts families.
There are families who sacrifice because of the nature of their job but not all jobs require this kind of sacrifice. No one is shaming military fathers. You are in a fight no one else is having with you.
@hope maybe read the thread before commenting. Erinn was saying how important paternity leave was and I gave her a personal example of a career that makes paternity leave impossible and yet the kids all turn out fine. “A” then brought up that the military should have paternity leave (which they do now btw but if you’re deployed you can only take it when you come home which can be up to a year) without knowing anything about the military or combat situations.
@BabaBlacksheep- Thank you. I get very tired of some of the ‘should’-ness around here. In one post it went from ‘every family is different’ to everyone should be this way ‘STAT’. And thank you for your family’s service.
Well, just touching on the one line – not every baby sleeps, or sleeps on a regular basis, so you cant just sleep when the baby sleeps.
My mom came and stayed with me both times for two weeks, which was nice because I had C-sections and getting around was hard for me. But it would have been nice if my husband had been able to be home instead. I also had PPD with my first and I think having my husband around more would have been really helpful.
I had 2 c-sections as well. The first I took 8 months off and my Mom stayed with me for several months. My husband went back to work after 3 days. In all honesty my Mom was more helpful than my husband. He was great with somethings but there ‘s nothing like Mom! I cried when she had to go back home but eventually my husband and I established a routine. This is one issue that isn’t one size fits all. Every family should determine what works best for them.
@Casey – absolutely. But without paternity leave, families cant determine what works best for them.
@becks that’s bull shirt. Like I said in the thread above, many, MANY, military fathers aren’t even in the country when their children are born and they turn out just fine.
My husband went back to work after both kids. How much help was he really going to be? He did what he could but I had to get in a routine of what my days were going to be without relying ln him. And it worked for us. And despite the research people are spewing below, my boys are attached to their incredibly involved father.
Having a husband take paternity leave doesn’t mean you can’t still have other family members like your Mom helping out. Although there are exceptions, in general men play secondary roles in raising children. I’m sure some fathers feel left out post delivery, it would be nice if they have greater roles in the beginning to set the standard of two primary care takers. Especially GOP men who are pushing all women to deliver babies.
I’m super grateful my husband took paternity leave. He was my partner in making sure I was getting rest and nutrition/taking on so many household tasks solo, and he was also bonding with our children, which was equally important.
Because dads deserve to get to bond with their kids, too.
I find it hilarious they even print her opinion on Harry and Megs’ relationship. We can’t have a man who doesn’t want to jeopardize a new relationship with some one he thinks is great. Wow. Good for Harry. I hope these two prove all the haters wrong.
And I love his work ethic. I am sure Megs is an influence. She’s all about work and that just pushes Harry more. Kudos to Harry. This couple keeps making me applaud them and keep cheering them on.
Funny, royal photographer Arthur Edwards said the same thing about Harry as Pinkham in a NYT article where reporters were complaining about how H&M were planning to handle Archie’s birth. “We’d get together in a pub and we’d talk about everything, get it off our plate. It would be frank and open, and you never reported it. Now, it’s not even ‘Good morning’. Nothing.”
So, maybe Pinkham wasn’t as special as she thought. What she and Edwards have in common? Both members of the press. So maybe it was the type of coverage H&M were getting and not “Meghan’s own instruction” that was responsible for the changes in Pinkham’s relationship with Harry.
That was the first thing that jumped out at me – that she’s a reporter. He doesn’t schmooze with the press anymore, especially since they’re hell bent on slandering Meghan. She’s no different than any other reporter and is just miffed she lost an off-the-record source of information.
Girl, if he was inviting exes to his wedding and people he barely shook hands with, then maybe youre reading into something that wasn’t there.
I can understand someone who considered herself “Harry’s drinking buddy & confidant” miffed at being ghosted BUT usually when a man has found his significant other he puts aside the “drinking buddies” aspect of life. I am expecting she thought their relationship was more “super close” than it actually was.
Right? I don’t get why this Natalie person cares. Either they were platonic and not that close or they were casual hookup buddies. Either way, that doesn’t sound like the kind of relationship that warrants a wedding invite.
I think lots of Harry friends & relatives got majorly peeved over their wedding invite status. Big swathes of the outlying Windsors (the Kents, etc.) who are usually invited to everything were not invited to the wedding. I have a theory that a lot of the ill chatter about Harry and Meghan is generated by people who are still mad about it and feel like Meghan banished them.
Natalie Pinkham is also BFFs with Zara Tindall.
@Tourmaline. I feel like maybe that was a misstep on their part. They may not have wanted anything to get out to the press but whatever, let it -when it comes to the first reception and the church ceremony was an easy win.
By that, I mean the Windsors, not reporters.
HM looks lovely in pink.
She seems to wear every color well. I would love to get a peek at that “hat” closet.
I love the entire outfit. even the hat!
Relationships change for most of us when we meet our future mate. He was one of the worlds most eligible bachelors, I have no doubt the optics of a single female drinking buddy might have been discussed.
Especially considering said buddy clearly has no issues speaking to the press.
She’s actually married and has a couple of young kids so I think this is just some kind of puff piece. I will never believe a story that starts with “a source close to…”.
If I never see the word “embiggen” again it will be too soon.
HM looks great, I’d love to go to one of her garden parties. Eugenie looked beautiful but Bea’s dress was a tiered mess.
I half expected the headbands they wore to get their own post!
I am not loving this headband trend.
Why? Embiggen is perfectly cromulent word.
Simpsons humor for the win!
😀
@Enn, I’m with you on this!
I love it…it’s a wonderfully luculent word!
Okay, that’s two words I’ve learned today.
Pink umbrella, LOL Only The Queen could get away with this as an Adult. Put the reporter in the same category as P. Morgan…..go get a life and just stop, it’s a bad look…he’s wasn’t into you! PH, Megan, Princess of the UK and Master Archie are living their best life so the Brits need to just deal with it! Meghan has left a void since her maternity leave. As expected Kate is MIA, she only comes out to try upstage Meghan, otherwise LAZY!
Queenie is so consistently stylish. Loving the hat with the pink and white berries.
Right? I hope if I make it to my 90’s I’m still hitting all these parties and styling like I was back in the day.
Why are people so obsessed with Harry and Meghan? W&K were given space to be newlyweds and to start their family. Why can’t the Sussexes have the same peace?
psst…..because she’s an American, WOC, Divorcee and former actress…..oh and she’s the most interesting person in the RF……otherwise we have Kate….
Recently, comments on a certain entertainment lawyer’s website noted rubbish like H and M aren’t living together and that Frogmore had never been renovated. What planet are these people living on? I even doubt the ambassador who said that they had all-night parties at their Kensington Palace cottage.
It’s scary how fixated some people are on Harry and Meghan. The British press and internet trolls are more obsessed than the fans.
I went down this rabbit hole yesterday and regret it. The in-depth conspiracy theories and timeline on how she blackmailed him into marrying her are frightening.
Are they playing loud music all night alone? RRs have already told us all of Harry’s friends don’t like Meghan or that she won’t allow him to be touch with his old friends.
My guess is that these first few weeks have been pretty smooth, as far as the baby and Meghan’s recovery are going, so Harry feels okay working. I am all for paternity leave, but I also have said that someone like Harry or William isn’t necessarily the poster boy for “we need paternity leave!” My guess is that if Harry wanted to work less, he would.
I wonder if Harry is regretting this choice since he now can’t use paternity leave as an excuse to bail on Trump.
ALSO, I feel like there is this rash of people who weren’t invited to the wedding and are using that as evidence of Meghan controlling Harry or whatever.
What about me, huh??? I wasn’t invited!!!! Meghan wouldn’t let Harry invite me, I should run to the tabloids!!!!!
I mean, at this point its getting to be just that ridiculous.
The fact that they run to the tabloids to complain kinda explains why they were not invited to the wedding/reception. Harry friends have been selling him out probably making some money and now they are miffed they can’t continue pocketing some cash on the side.
The cricket World Cup is a pretty big deal (at least, it is in our house) and given that so many cricket-playing countries are in the Commonwealth, it makes a lot of sense that Harry should be involved along with the Queen.
Super duper big deal!!! Billions of people watch the World Cup – given India are in it! The Aussie captain, Aaron Finch shared a photo from the royal family Instagram account. It’s all the captains sitting for a photo with the Queen. He is sitting beside her and is absolutely beaming. It’s so sweet!
C’mon Aussie!!!!
I love that photo! The best caption on twitter was, “The Queen’s lucky to be in that team.” (Dare I say it, but England acquitted themselves pretty well today…Stokes is a genius!)
Certainly did! Played really well. I was pleased to see Jofra Archer take a few wickets too. He plays for my team in the Big Bash!
Can’t wait for Australia to get underway 🤞🏽
I’m laughing at the red, white and blue flattened bows on shoes. I’m with Harry, the pomp is hard to swallow.
Those are the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), that is their state dress but their regular dress is not much less formal. I imagine Harry is referring to morning dress. I get why men hate wearing it, but it really does make even the most ordinary-looking man look great.
Yes the men do look good. I’m probably just jealous and venting lol.
On Harry’s shoes or the Beefeater’s shoes?
I’m loving that Harry is doing some engagements with The Queen. They’re adorable together.
I love TQ’s hat… and umbrella…and coat…and brooch. 🙂
Prince Harry asked the Australian Captian, if he is not getting too old for the game (or words to that effect) the guy is 32, he laughed and said is career is winding down.
Very funny he said that… trying a bit of stirring I think! England would not be happy if we beat them on home soil. I would love it.
All parents should have time off with their babies to figure out what works best for them. It’s so hard to say what it will really look like until after the birth. A C-section complicates things, as does PPD, as does a baby with health issues or one that comes out super colicky or a super easy baby that neither parent can stand the thought of being away from and want to be there for all the feedings and sleep.
There’s no way to know and no one size fits all, so it ought to just be standard that parents have the time to figure it out.
Morning dress is incredibly flattering for men – no matter what their size. But on men like Harry, with wonderful figures, it is simply the best. If Harry doesn’t like it – well find another line of work (just kidding!)
ceasing contact with a casual acquaintance is not “ghosting.” i’m getting tired of hearing that word, people use it to apply to any minor relationship ending and i don’t think every single relationship deserves a discussion about why it’s ending – some just end and it’s one-sided and that’s that. you can’t demand closure from others, it’s something you find yourself.
Agree!
Young, single people hang out and flirt! Once you’re in a serious relationship, it is normal to lose touch with acquaintances of the opposite sex!
Maybe after Harry got to know Megan he realized that he had been wasting a lot of time with a bunch of losers and hangers-on and needed to do some personal pruning. Knowing Harry was obviously the biggest thing for them so now they have to go out and get a life. Pity.
I hope Harry managed to get a word with the Queen and explained that he and his family would appreciate a little more support from her end. Harry has always been there when his grandmother wanted him and he’s always charming and gracious, unlike certain others. The Queen needs to know that a sign from her would stop a lot of the bullshit.
The Queen has the same pink/clear plastic umbrella I had when I was six! Love it!
Prince Charles is trying to streamline the monarchy. To me it seems his two sons, their wives, and Prince William’s children will shoulder the most burden of carrying out official duties. There are 53 commonwealth countries that Harry is president of. Meghan already said when looking at her veil on a documentary saw the 53 countries- we will be very busy/a lot of work to do. Then look at all the charities in the UK that they have to attend. Please don’t complain he is not with the his family every waking hour. There’s a lot on all of their plates.
Yes, I remember watching a video where she said including the Commonwealth somewhere in her wedding gown was important for them. At the time I thought their future engagements/work would focus mainly on it.
Does anyone know what Harry and Meghan will be doing in terms of work for the Commonwealth? Is the goal to foster ties between the former colonies and Britain?
Kudos to Harry for being such a hands on dad!! But let’s not confuse attending garden parties and playing in polo matches, etc. With “work”.
maybe not “work” for you or i, but it’s actual work for harry – especially the garden parties, he’s said he doesn’t enjoy them.
It is actually his job. Not physically, mentally or emotionally taxing (lunch with Dotard might be though!) but it’s part of his job.
Lunch with Donald Trump is not work – it’s what I would call cruel and unusual punishment and definitely worthy of hazard pay.
But many would love it if their “work” entailed attending garden parties, film premiers, sitting in the best seats in the house at sporting events (Wimbledon), etc.
Oh I don’t dispute that the working life of a Royal is charmed, just the idea that it isn’t work at all. Lots of parts of people’s jobs are by turns boring or pleasant – that doesn’t make it less of a job.
Natalie, maybe he just wasn’t that into you?
I read this story quickly, and I thought it said Harry ghosted Natalie Portman, and they were tight at one time. I liked that story better if for no other reason than change of pace. It seems like most of Harry and Meghan’s story is made up repetitive often racist and sexist gossip anyway and honestly the same stupid story. Meghan has taken Harry from his peeps and made him boring, Meghan is too controlling, Kate’s jealous of Meghan, and so on and so on. Sure some may be somewhat true, doubt any are 100%, but it’s the same story over and over again in a slightly altered way. It’s just so blah. I want another picture of Archie.
Harry’s great, I just miss Meghan. :’-(
She’ll be back soon though 😀
Natalie Pinkham and Harry have been linked for years. Honestly it’s the only reason I’ve even heard of her.
I suspect he got serious with Meghan and realised he didn’t need any complications in his life and now she’s miffed
Queen Betty looks like a strawberry cream macaroon I need to bake. The cutest, most stylish thing at that garden party.
Harry took my breath away in the second pic (leaning on the umbrella). How about Harry as the next Bond? But he’d never do such a sexist franchise. In my book, Harry is a far better man than either his brother or his father. Harry should be the next king. It would be great to look at a ginger man we respect in an important position (American here).
Apparently Meghan made her presence known at the garden party. She arranged invites for representatives of her four patronages
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2019053073590/prince-harry-nod-meghan-markle-garden-party/%3fviewas=amp