I’ve had my suspicions before this, of course, but the evidence is starting to really pile up: the Queen adores her new granddaughter-in-law. Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, will be doing a day of events with the Queen next week. It still doesn’t sound like Prince Harry is invited – this will be a “girls’ day” for the Queen and Meghan. We knew Meg was being fast-tracked, of course, but this seems incredibly quick, given that the Queen’s schedule has so little leeway. But here’s an even bigger sign that Meghan is the Queen’s new favorite: Meghan has been invited to travel with the Queen on the Royal Train’s sleeper car.
The Duchess of Sussex is to experience a sleepover like no other when she travels overnight with the Queen to Cheshire on the Royal Train next week. The monarch has invited Meghan to accompany her for a day of engagements on Thursday and MailOnline understands that, given the distances involved, the train will set off on Wednesday, arriving at Runcorn Station on Thursday morning.
While the Queen always tends to make long distance journeys on her train overnight, it will be quite the eye-opener for her new grand-daughter-in-law. Much of the nine-carriage train currently in service dates back to 1977 when it was extensively used during the Silver Jubilee tours and while a novel experience, it is terribly dated and not entirely luxurious. Her Majesty’s personal saloon is 75ft long and fitted with secondary air suspension giving passengers an exceptionally smooth and comfortable ride.
It has a bedroom, decorated in light pastel shades, with a 3ft-wide single bed in one corner (there are no double beds on the Royal Train) made up with cotton sheets and woollen blankets. While Prince Philip’s pillows are plain, the Queen’s are trimmed with lace, with a small Royal cipher in one corner. The ceiling has subdued strip lighting and there are several reading lamps near the bed. The adjoining bathroom has a full-size bath, but the fittings are modest and functional.
The train operators make sure the carriages are not crossing any bumpy points just after 7.30am: that could make the water slop around when the Queen is taking her bath. The train’s speed is always lower than the normal maximum for any route.
Although she has enjoyed several meetings with the Queen and spent time with her at Windsor Castle, the overnight journey will be unprecedented for Meghan. It will provide the queen for a chance to spend some ‘quality time’ with Harry’s new bride, with relatively few interruptions.
So Meghan will sleep in a separate compartment and she’ll have her own bathroom, maybe? Or does she have to share with the Queen? No, I doubt the Queen shares with anyone. But it will be nice for both of them – I get the feeling that Meghan is quite chatty and she knows how to carry on conversations about many things, from royal history to dogs to anything the Queen might like to discuss. Apparently, the Queen has never even invited Prince William, Kate or Harry to travel by Royal Train overnight either. Meghan’s special. I honestly wonder if the Queen and her courtiers are still looking after Meghan’s dog while Meg and Harry are on their honeymoon.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Pacific Coast News and WENN.
The Royal Train is only for The Queen, Prince Philip and senior royals like Prince Charles. This is huge for Meghan, so happy for her.
And so soon after the wedding as well!
@ Melania:
I’m an unapologetic Meghan-Stan, so I can completely understand her being thoroughly liked by a significant portion of the royal household, including the Queen.
But, I have to say I’m starting to have questions……this does feel like a concerted effort to stamp a gigantic seal of approval on Meghan as soon as possible, and I’m starting to wonder if there might not be more politically driven reasoning behind all of it?
@Melania
It colud be but I personally believe that she likes Meghan and maybe wants her to feel well accepted because of the fact thats she had to leave her country and her job. Then I think that Meghan is a person with many interests, who knows how to talk about many topics and therefore she can get on well with the Queen.
The fact that Meghan is beloved by people and media can have a small part of influence in the decisions of the Royal Family but I think that mainly TQ likes Meghan and that she’s happy to see Harry finally happy and not alone anymore.
Of course, this is only my thought.
Maybe it’s HM’s way of telling the proud racists in her family to back off?
I think it can be both a political message and because HM genuinely enjoys her company. Between racist a-holes and her rotten family, I think it is important for HM to show that the BRF has joyfully embraced Meghan.
I tend to think the Queen just likes her because as has been reported she is friendly. HM is sending clear messages. There seem to be many of them involved here. I am not expert enough to decipher them so I am interested to read what they have to say but something is going on.
People read into things what they want to see. I see this as a way for the Queen trying to give Meghan some cover after spending so
much of the taxoayees’ Money on her second wedding, and the bad PR from her family and lack of family at the wedding. You all love Meghan, but I haven’t seen any reliable polls on her popularity and I don’t think she is as beloved by the British as people like to imagine. And I don’t think the royals are crazy about her after the way they acted at the wedding.
I also think the Queen is smacking her down for her comments about not wanting to do
Luncheons and ribbon cuttings, cause what is she doing? A luncheon and ribbon cutting.
@ Veronica T:
You haven’t seen any reliable polls? Well, let me help you with that:
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/royals-favourability-jan-2018.jpg
She has a 53% favorability and 8% unfavourability which leaves 39% indifferent.
Which are very strong numbers for a mixed race woman, still brand spanking new to the family.
You’re not alone in your dislike of her though. At least, there’s another 8% of the UK who share your thoughts on her.
So there’s that, at least.
I think it’s a combination of a lot of things:
*QEII is telling the haters that Meghan is here to stay.
*QEII admires and respects Meghan for giving up a lot to marry Harry. That is a big commitment to give up your career, your life, etc., and then to move to a new country, too. I would think the Queen, of all people, would appreciate someone who is willing to make such a big sacrifice.
*QEII likes Meghan and wants her to acclimate to royal life ASAP. As I mentioned in a previous thread, no one is getting any younger. It’s better for everyone is Meghan gets up to speed right away.
Green Girl, I think you’re correct, particularly about the Queen understanding all that Meghan has given up to marry Harry. After all, Prince Philip did the same, so I’m sure that resonates with her.
The Queen is 92….and she quickly wants to do things while she is still healthy and agile. She has attended events with Kate and Camilla and this is a window of opportunity to do so with Meghan. I am sure the diary opportunities for something like this are far and few between. When you are 92 you have no time to postpone things, every day is precious and the Queen knows this. She loves Harry dearly and wants to get to know his new wife. I don’t think it is political at all. Kate has been around the Queen for 15 years…..I doubt if Meghan will have that long to get to know the Queen so they are using the time they have now. Simple.
What did she give up?
She had already broken up with her boyfriend.
She hasn’t lived in the US for almost 10 years and has been living in Canada, which is part of the British Empire. So, she’s got to be familiar with the British monarchy — how could she not?
She’s not close to her family. Yeah, her Mom, but she hasn’t lived near her Mom in all those years.
No one ever hear of the tv show she was on, although it must’ve paid the bills.
I think Meghan knows how to play people.
So, Heidi, to paraphrase what you’re trying to saying: Meghan is more powerful, more persuasive and more influential that the Queen, and the rest of that royal crew, including Harry, are just a bunch of halfwits, ’cause, you know, they’ve all been duped.
@Heidi
I haven’t watched one episode of Suits because it isn’t my thing. I don’t like American legal dramas for the most part. I prefer the British ones. But a 7 year long show on a legit network that is also streamed on various services is not a throwaway show. We have left the 20th century as far as that is concerned.
She was able to support herself with acting and made herself comfortable and self-sufficient doing it. 80 to 90 percent of actors in the union can’t claim that and I am being generous with that number.
If she were all white I think she that might have been different. MM has game for sure but her skin color is a limitation in the entertainment industry.
Heidi, I promise you, the British Empire is no more. (And thank heaven for that).
I feel like this is an official and public seal of approval for Meghan. The Queen, in her own way, is shutting down the haters and rumors.
@Melania & LadyD I completely agree. I think TQ actually likes MM and finds her interesting and pleasant to be around. I also agree with Missy and this is TQ way of sending a message to her family and subjects that MM has her protection and will not tolerate any passive aggressive racist bull from them. If you are in good with TQ- who is going to mess with you in the family?
+1000
Well done Duchess – begin working for HM POW/the BRF and the people -gov!
A very Regal wonderful day and sleepover for both strong Royals – such a great day – cant wait for the events (and so soon the Duchess is on her way to a very important and hectic first weeks and year of marriage).
Change of subject, but I just love the lilac jacket the Queen is wearing. She always wears such gorgeous, vibrant colors.
I agree. She looks lovely.
Wait, there is a royal train?
Dog lovers stick together
Absolutely this.
Yup lol.
My point exactly
Does the Queen leave dogs behind for a guy? Asking for a dog.
Wow, Veronica, you’ve got such a hard on for Meghan. I have had to leave my 6 year old rabbit behind as I couldn’t subject him to nearly 24 hours of flight plus a month’s long quarantine, it’s bad enough that he cowers during short car rides what more a plane ride. I was prepared to buy him tickets but the airlines only accepted rabbits in the cargo and as much as I would have liked to be selfish and bring him with me, I had to make a difficult decision to leave him with a trusted, responsible and caring family. Responsible pet owners make decisions that sometimes break their hearts for the welfare of their pets.
@Veronica T, what is wrong with you ? Are you equating the love of her life with a dog? You need an intervention.SMDH.
@Veronica T is saltiness personified when it comes to Meghan. That’s clear with every post.
Honey, hundreds of people who love their pets have re-home them when they have to move, or sometimes for other reasons. My BF had to do it with her dog when she and her husband were having their first child and the dog started acting up and becoming rather dangerous to her when her belly started getting bigger.
Meghan ain’t the first to re-home a pet because she fell in love and decided to move to another country, and she isn’t going to be the last either. Frankly this whole re-homing her dog thing and trying to shade Meghan over it is one of the dumbest things I think the haters have latched onto to try and diminish her. Not as stupid as those who call Meghan Rachel, as if Meghan hates her legal first name (she doesn’t) or is the first person in the world to ever go by her middle name and not her first name. (She’s not, even within the history of the Royal Family). But it’s up there.
Asking for a dog? LOL! Either poor, left-behind Bogart is telepathic or we’ve got a dog whisperer in the house.
Yep.
So true. Meghan got the corgis’ seal of approval and I bet that was a big deal to HM.
I know it works for me. If my corgi likes a person, I know they’re legit.
Meghan seems interested and interesting. Good for her, really.
One thing I’ve noticed all these years is that the Queen comes across as a curious person who asks questions and engages in conversations with the people she meets at her events. (And if “The Crown” is to be believed, she regretted her limited formal education and engaged in efforts as an adult to expand her horizons.)
I could see her enjoying Meghan’s company in that way – Meghan has had an interesting career and also seems to be interested in all sorts of things going on in the world.
In fact of all of the younger generation, Meghan seems to be the bright bulb.
This is such a good observation. I think you hit the nail on the head. I could definitely see this as the connection.
I agree that the Queen probably finds Meghan interesting. Meghan seems like a fun and interesting person in general, but her life experiences are so different from the Queen’s and other royal family members that I can see the queen enjoying talking to her.
Duchess of Hazard, I’m I love with your pic of the dog wearing glasses. Too adorbs for words!
MM is remarkable considering there is nothing in her upbringing or background that even hinted this would be her destination. She made her life what is all on her own. I respect that and like it.
Gossip is about to get interesting I suspect.
There’s a Royal Train?! Ooo, I must google for pics. I have a good friend who works for Royal Mail in London. Yes, I think it’s just their postal service, but it sounds much fancier than Post Office.
I’m fairly critical of the Royal family, especially Prince Philip’s racist ass, and I was worried about how they would treat Meghan. This is a good sign, and I also suspect Prince Charles loves Meghan since they seem to have similar interests in the environment and Harry also seems to be his favorite.
I like Meghan, and I’m happy that she’s getting the opportunity to experience so many wonderful things.
me too 🙂
I’m shallow: I want to see what she wears for this and TotC on Saturday 😊
But yes, this is a very good “sign” of Meghan’s acceptance into the Firm.
Yes! Clothes, please.
I don’t totally understand why there is only one single bed on the train? What did they do when the Q and Phillip traveled together? Where do all their staff sleep? Maybe Meghan and the Queen will flip a coin to determine who gets the bed and who gets the sleeping bag on the floor?
The article doesn’t explain it well. The beds in the train are single beds, not doubles or bunk beds. Philip has his own bedroom and study on the train as does the Queen. But the beds are singles.
Actually the first one goes to bed and when that person is fast asleep they remove her/him to a wardrobe while the next one uses the bed and so on. They pile them on top of each other in the wardrobe, but this only applies to the Royals. Commoners like Meghan will have to sleep in a hammock which is fixed between two wagons.
No, that’s all not true, they have more than one bed on this train.
Ha! Well done.
LOL. Thanks for the chuckle Claudia Remm.
They call that hot-racking in the navy. LOL!
Haha. I was reading your post and wondering what in the world? Then the lightbulb went off. 🙂
Common sense should have made you know that it is impossible to have only one bed on such a train.
I am LMAO. This is so funny to me. Will, Kate or Harry have never been invited…but Meghan gets an invite. I don’t know why this is making my day.
The dorgis vouched for Meghan.
I think it’s very likely Liz does like Meghan and Meghan would sayyes to these kinds of invitations (as would I), but also William and Harry might be a little spoiled and not as enthused about accepting and Kate is standoffish.
That could be it as well. Growing up with this Will and Harry wouldn’t give it a second thought and Kate does have 3 kids.
I think George and Charlotte would have a blast on a sleep-over train. HM should invite them next.
The Royal grandkids must have been on HM/DOE Train in their youth – but working Duchess of Sussex is entirely a wonderful different and WORKING AND so soon after marriage, something waity avoided once married. The Lambridges -Willnot move away after the wedding, No doubt a second bed will be adjusted for the Duchess.
Ha yes, I liked that fact too Avery.
Some pics
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1078707/Inside-Queens-travelling-bedroom-mobile-home-home.html
Sadly, the link was an empty page on DM for me 😢
I just tried it and it worked for me. Not sure what the problem could be. Sorry!
Love those pics. The train doesn’t look so bad. Definitely not ultra luxury but looks like it could a fun overnight.
What a life to live !
Cute!! Yay for Meghan’
Maybe Meghan just seems more interested in learning new things about her life right away. Not sitting around and waiting, or telling everyone year after year shes really keen to begin work soon. Maybe if kate (or William) showed their interest in anything then I’m sure the queen or people around them would have embraced that.
I wonder what she calls the Queen? Granny, Elizabeth? Madge?
If I had to guess I would say she refers to her as Ma’am. Could you imagine calling the Queen granny? I couldn’t do it.
Her Majesty, Ma’am, and maybe refers to her as The Boss like Harry does when they’re talking about HM (not when talking to her!).
Assuming Meghan neither objects nor is uncomfortable, I would say Granny. I think that when someone marries in they start calling the in-law what the blood relative calls them. Diana reportedly referred to the Queen as Mama and Philip as Pa.
Not sure about that. Nobody in my family has called their in-laws the same thing as what their spouse does.
That being said, my gram will get my husband gifts for birthday/christmas and sign it ‘Love, nanny ___’ because she’s 100% claimed him as her grandson. But he calls her by her first name, I’ll call her nan. His grandmother would sign cards to us from “nanny” as well. It seems to be more one sided in our family, I guess. Older generations calling the younger ones the same as they call the spouses. I’ve never heard my mother refer to my dads mother as ‘mom’ or anything like that – same for my inlaws and their inlaws.
My in laws keep trying to get me to call them Mom and Dad. Ain’t gonna happen.
I call my husband’s parents by their first names, and we both call each other’s respective grandparents what our spouse calls them. I realized about many years into our marriage that my husband has managed to get away without calling my mother anything- to me she’s “your mom” or “somegirl’s mom” and In conversation with her he just avoids any names. It’s been over a decade now, and he’s still getting away with it…
My mother in law refers to me as her child and daughter. She’s not American. I call her Mama or an endearment that my children call her in her native language. I call my FIL the grandparent endearment from that country. However, my mother doesn’t call any of my SILs or BILs her children. They call her by her first name. Once my BIL tried to call her mother and the result was hilarious. My grandmother has a nickname from childhood and everyone calls her that. No one calls her by her first name except my grandfather.
I don’t think the Queen has one that lasted beyond immediate family. Wasn’t she Lilabet?
Maybe Meghan calls her Granny like Harry does? I don’t see any other options.
Philip calls her Lilabet and Cabbage, Charles calls her Mummy. Didn’t we learn the grandkids and/or great grand kids call her GanGan or something along those lines?
@Erinn,
I did not mean that as a general statement, I meant it for when people marry into the BRF. Sorry for not being clearer.
@notasugarhere,
Gan-Gan is usually what the BRFers call the great-grandmother going back to Queen Victoria. Kate has said that George refers to the Queen as Gan-Gan.
I’m sure in a few minutes we will hear from the anti-meghan brigade that this is nothing special that this is just Meghan getting little crumbs to prove that the Royals are fine with her being in the family and that Kate will be queen one day and that’s all that matters Megan is nothing her and her husband are just sixth line to throne . And for extra measures they will add that Megan is not a real feminist how no real feminist will marry into the Royals that Megan is anti-feminist and that she chose money and status over Being their definition version of feminism according to them
They’re so pressed about Meghan LOL
Yep! You just listed all the anti-Meghan talking points. People are getting ridiculous with the accusations. They repeat the same mess on every post!
Well you know kate is going to be consort and meghan will hate that and wont get to travel. Also the cambridge kids will take over and harry and meghan will be an after thought. 😉Did I forget anything?
Yes @Guest. You forgot that Meghan said she doesn’t want to eat lunch (misquote of M saying she wants to work & make a difference not be a “lady who lunches” comment) and said she doesn’t want to cut ribbons (never said by M) so as an ironic joke and to put her in her place the Queen is making her do both on this trip.
Think the predictable criticisms are covered now 🙂
@Lizabeth, the misquoted lunch comments get me laughing every time! Also, there’s the matter of Guy the Beagle. If he doesn’t show his face again soon, the Ass-on-Fire Feminist Brigade will claim Meghan sent him to the taxidermist, or something.
@Lizabeth that misquoted Ladies Who Lunch comment is just hilarious to me because, like Meghan, I’m a theater geek and so know exactly what Meghan was referencing when she made that comment (long before she met Harry).
“Ladies Who Lunch” is one of Stephen Sondheim’s earliest F— You songs, and pretty much describes the type of shallow women who, IMO, are probably the same ones who keep trying to shade Meghan here and other places, and seem to make it a mission to do so. Maybe that’s why they keep trying to twist what she said, because Meghan was describing THEM, however indirectly.
@Vanessa, you are absolutely right. And don’t you reckon the author knows that – stating that the Queen adores Meghan who is obviously the new favourite, several times! Where would the comments count be if people weren’t arguing about K v M, am I right? So clever.
Oh, may I add one?
The Queen is so horrified by Meghan’s complete and utter lack of comportment and breeding…..so much so, she deems it necessary to personally address her lapses.
It is clear to her that none of the current Aides is experienced enough to tackle this level of gaucheness and so she is bravely taking on the task personally, using this trip as an excuse.
Oh, Princess Diaries in real life! Liz is making Meghan walk around Windsor Castle with a book on her head.
@ Natalie
Lol…….is that really the plot of that movie? I must see it immediately then. I was put off by Anne Hathaway, but I’ll look past that now…..😁
Also Kate was only 28 when she got married and didn’t have all that actress training so of course she couldn’t do any royal engagements right away.
I’ve seen them say that this is actually a punishment for Meghan. That the Queen wants to keep a close eye on her because she’s just that awful and unsuitable to be royal.
I doubt anyone would call me a member of the anti-Meghan brigade. But personally? I see this as a simple way for both of them to get from London to Chester for their day of joint engagements. This involves a theatre engagement, Meghan comes from an acting career, why not include her?
London to Chester is at least a two hour train ride each way. It doesn’t make sense for HM to travel on the royal train and Meghan travel on a separate commuter train (extra security needed) or Meghan take a helicopter or commuter flight (again, added expense). Or to pay for security of them staying in two different places.
I hope these two do get along. The hints when Philip retired were members of the BRF were going to start joining HM on engagements. This was to make her feel less lonely because she didn’t have Philip at her side. Nice if it turns out Meghan is one of the people who will join her regularly on engagements.
These were my thoughts. I don’t think the Queen would invite Meghan if she hated her, or couldn’t stand her company, but if the queen was going to be taking the royal train, then it makes total sense for Meghan to join her – as a practical matter (rather than have to arrange separate travel) and a PR matter (can you imagine the comments if the queen took the royal train but Meghan didn’t???) This seems to be as much a matter of practicality as a sign that the Queen likes Meghan.
nah, just the president of the anti-kate club.
If in 15 years, Meghan is as unprofessional, lazy, spendthrift, and childish as Kate? Then sign me up for being a big critic. As it stands? Kate has had 15+ years being royal-adjacent to show us who she really is. All we needed was the first year or two to realize her true nature.
London to Runcorn Station is less than two hours on the train, no need for an overnight journey at all. They could easily drive up or get the 7am train and be in Cheshire before 9am. I can’t imagine the earliest appointment is before 9am. The Queen has obviously chosen to make this overnight journey with Meghan because she wants to, not because it’s the easiest or they have no choice. It’s a very nice thing she’s doing for Meghan, and a chance for them to spend time together.
I actually don’t understand the mechanics of the journey. Unless the train absolutely crawls the entire way, I’m going to assume it stops for long periods of time during the night, because there’s simply no way to make a less than 2 hour journey take a whole night.
Meggles,
Apparently the train moves very slowly so as not to disturb the queen at all. Like way slower than any normal train. That’s probably why it takes so long – it wouldn’t move quickly enough to get there in 2 hrs.
While I very much know the Queen like Meghan it would be a pretty bad PR move if the queen used this expensive ass train and Meghan used an expensive ass helicopter to get to the same place, especially after there was griping 9ver the security bill for the wedding. It would look like they’re just throwing money out the window.
I would be so frustrated being on such a slow-moving train.
@Natalie S:
Exactly!!!! I can barely stand being in even express trains or planes…..I’m the passenger constantly asking everyone if we’re near the end of the journey and eventually someone screaming. “it’s only been 10 minutes!!!🤯🤯🤯”
I really wouldn’t expect a 92 year old to take a 7am train. And it does move slowly, but not that slowly. Apparently the train stops overnight in a siding and then finishes the journey in the morning. There are special sidings all over the country, but their locations are closely guarded secrets, of course. (This seems like a massive security risk to me, but I’m not a security expert).
No one’s expecting the Queen to take a 7am train (we don’t even know when their first appointment is), just pointing out that an “overnight” train is really, really not needed to travel such a short distance. They’re taking this trip because they want to, not because they need to or because it’s the easiest or most convenient option.
It probably is the most convenient option, given the circumstances. The alternatives are, first, to drive, leaving at probably 6:30am latest, or take an early train. That’s cheap, but very tiring. Second, they could use the helicopter, which is very expensive (bad optics for some of Meghan’s first engagements). Third, they could travel the day before and stay in a hotel. That’s difficult security-wise and disruptive for an elderly person who likes her routines. The train is not necessary, but it’s not the worst choice.
Bwahahahahaha 😂😂😂😂😂 this made me ROTFALMBO
Don’t forget the she hates her dogs talking points.
I think this comes down to a Grandmother who wants her Grandson, who lost his mother when he was young, to be happy and make sure his wife is included in the family. They are not just Royals, but a family with many dynamics. After watching “ The Crown “I have discovered a new fondness for the Queen.
+1
But to explain any of this and the comparison to the older grandson – Lazy waity marriage is magnified in the difference of work ethics and welcome to The Monarchy Firm.
Duchess of Sussex, Megan Wales is all Duties/HM/POW/BRF royal work! The Duchess respects her position HRH Status – HM/The Monarchy Institution AND the people. – taking nothing for granted. Well done please continue!
Overnight?? She’s getting the royal keys early.
+100
At this rate – The Duchess of Sussex will earn HM Royal Family Order within a year!
I was actually think of that with the last photos of Kate we saw. I was wondering if it was against protocol for Meghan to receive it before Kate.
Vanessa, calm down and take a deep breath. 😁😁😁😁😁😁
The Queen’s schedule gets planned so far in advance, especially longer days like this one, so this didn’t happen on a whim. I think the Queen saw the amount of work Meghan put in during the engagement period and liked what she saw. The girl really walked off set one week, and started putting in numbers the next. I guess we should have known she was in good with Liz once she started hanging with Guy Sussex instead of one the random aides that would typically have that job lol. Poor Harry didn’t even get invited along for the day.
Pictures of them in cold cream and curlers or it didn’t happen.
Oh my goodness I’d love to see that!! Remember Michelle Obama mentioning a sleepover with the Queen as well, I imagine HM likes having people over to chat…she seems very friendly in the videos I’ve seen of her. Can’t wait for Saturday and then Queen+Meghan day!! Looking forward to all the photos
OMG I almost forgot about the sleepover with the Obamas at Buckingham. Also she have Sasha and Malia a carriage ride.
I have a feeling that the queen is a LOT less stuffy in her personal time than people might think. If she takes a liking to you, then she lets it show. I wonder if she has always been like that (and we’re only hearing about these stories now) or if she’s mellowed in recent years. It could even be a bit of column A and a bit of column B.
Yes. Wearing oversized sleepshirts and socks.
It doesn’t dawn on the haters that if the queen didn’t like Meghan she would not have given consent to the marriage. Two, Kate as a future queen should have had the royal engagements early on because her status is higher than Meghan. With the Hollywood background Meghan is familiar with working with crowds but it’s still not the same as working with the queen. But this is exciting and I’m glad for the new duchess.
side note: Trump is coming to the UK next month (sorry Britain) and of all the people he hasn’t attacked for criticizing him it’s Meghan. The queen/duchess road trip may be a signal to Bigly don’t go there with the queen’s granddaughter in law.
Kate should have held to her promise about work to “hit the ground running” instead of hitting the ground running, hiding, and being publicly lazy for 7 years. If she had shown any sign of being willing to work, we would have seen her out doing engagements with HM much sooner.
You know I’m not a big Kate fan, but she follows Willam’s lead. Much of the the blame can lay at his feet for both of their work-shy attitudes.
Harry has been pretty lazy too..he’s been in the BRF from birth…when is he going to “hit the ground running”??
I feel weird for even wondering this but is there any chance Kate struggles with mental illness? My behaviors are very similar to hers when I’m struggling with anxiety and depression. If that were the case I’d feel pretty bad for her.
I am sorry for your struggles Llamas. I have wondered if one of them has depression. She sometimes looks so messy and thrown together I wondered if it was just a chore to be bothered. She could be just lazy and uninspired but I am open to thinking something else could be going on. Idk.
nah, I think Kate care’s about herself and her family. She’s not introverted, depressed or anxious, she just doesn’t care for some of the tasks she has to do in her role…imo.
What is your excuse for her decade of not working before William finally caved and married her? She’s bone-deep lazy, which may be why William finally settled for her. He certainly didn’t want a partner who would be any effort to win or would challenge him to be committed to his role.
Her own cousin (the professor not the stripper) said KM struggles to find anything outside her immediate sphere interesting (vacations, shopping, working out, immediate Middleton family). That isn’t depression or mental illness, it is an innate lack of curiosity or caring about the world around her.
Honestly, I think Kate’s problem is the classic Stage Mother problem – the “Mama Rose” problem. Kate (and to a lesser extent Pippa) is living the life her mother Carole has wanted/really wants. If you swap out royalty for the entertainment industry (movies, tv, etc), you see the exact same thing with child actors who’ve had pushy stage mothers as you see now with Kate and Carole.
I feel that Kate never really got to find out for herself, truly, what she’s completely wanted in life. Especially not outside of William. In fact, I’m kinda torn if she really DID want him independent of what her mother wanted FOR her.
As an American, I find the whole class system in the UK to be, well. Something I’m glad I was never raised being a part of, given how seriously it’s taken over there. Carole clearly really REALLY wanted to be a part of the aristocratic set, and pushed her kids to make it in there, so she could be a part of it too. Just like stage mothers who push their kids, that’s gotta DO something to you when you grow up, in that you may have no idea who or what you are outside of your parents ambition.
Hell, I kinda half-suspect one reason Harry fell for Meghan was because, as an American, she would have little to no idea about that class system (outside of watching Downton Abby), having not grown up with it, or care about it in any serious way. She grew up figuring out what her own interests in life were for decades, independent of the prince she one day met and married.
So yeah, when I think of it in this way, I feel sorry for Kate. She probably has a lack of curiosity and motivation because she never had the encouragement or inclination to BE curious or motivated about anything besides William and getting into the aristocratic set, thanks to Carole. She’s got both now, so I guess maintaining that is the only thing she has now – also likely at Carole’s direction.
Interesting takes. Hmmm.
The idea of the stage parent is a great analogy and one I can understand. Not from experience with my own parents but in general. The child is usually passive and undermotivated.
But according to Tumblr the wedding was fake, and the Queen personally staged it to lull Meghan into a false sense of security, while she puts the final touches on her plan to expose Meghan and kick her out of the family.
Lmao, I can’t 🤣
The scary part is not the person who came up with that conspiracy theory, but the many folks who believe it…🤐
That sounds like something nutty Meghan’s half sister would cook up.
It takes a special kind of crazy to come up with THIS theory, I must say.
Never mind that the Queen denied her own blood sister a marriage, she’s going to go though the optics and waste money STAGING a fake wedding, instead of just simply saying no. Yeah, okay, sure.
The latest is that Meghan’s real dad is a Rothschild and that’s why the RF are playing along (because the RF don’t want to piss off the scary world-controlling evil Jews, right?), and that the courtiers are under strict instruction that Meghan is not allowed to be alone with Harry for a second, to stop Harry from accidentally tripping and falling into her vagina.
@Meggles, you’ve gotta be kidding! Meghan’s been unwittingly cast in the Royal Vagina Monologues. But seriously, does Samantha know that she and Meghan aren’t actually related? If not, she’ll be devastated when she hears this!
Tumblr is a scary place. I don’t know how anyone could think the televised wedding seen around the world was fake.
Look, the way these Meghan conspiracy theories are going, I’m just waiting for someone to say she isn’t American and was REALLY born in Kenya, and demanding for her to produce her long-form birth certificate.
Because apparently that’s what some people DO when it comes to smart, black/biracial people who end up on the world stage. Build up dumb ass conspiracy theories, because there is no way THOSE PEOPLE could be that smart, or well liked, or even loved, by anyone. They MUST be hiding something, or some grand conspiracy involving the Illuminati, the Rothschilds, or the New World Order MUST have put them there.
Man this sh*t is like clockwork. You could probably set a timer by it.
The conspiracy theorists love to drag us in even when we have nothing to do with it. Ok ok I will be the whistleblower We Jews have secret codes and meetings away from prying eyes and we plot. That is all we do. We plot and plan world domination because…I mean there are reasons see. Money ‘n stuff.
And it all leads back to the Rothschildren.
deleted.
It’s so amazing that the Queen is making an effort to include her. I don’t know what it is but I am so nervous for her – Meghan, that is.
I’ve been fascinated to watch Meghan work the politics of this and how much of that has flown under the radar, while the media focuses on messy buns, hugs, and the threat of feminism. She’s been building an internal reputation. Same skills Meghan used to navigate the politics of agents, producers, studios, and networks. Meghan went from the supporting lead on her first television show to the network president calling Meghan a friend.
I have watched that same thing about her and it is impressive. She has some deep skills that will one day be revealed but she knows how to work it and do it well. A woman gets a very thick hard skin from navigating the entertainment industry but a smart one learns. Meghan clearly understands getting along with HM and Charles is the smart way to go.
She’d be smart to follow Sophie’s lead on getting in good with HM, and adapt that to getting in good with Charles. I don’t think Sophie naturally had an interest in military history, horse racing, or carriage driving. By *choosing to be* interested in those things, she’s endeared herself and her kids to HM and Philip.
Yep!!
I thought that was a very smart move on Sophie’s part.
When I heard Phillip had a wine vineyard, I immediately thought of Meghan probably taking an interest in that since she likes wine and even her blog was named after her favorite one. Plus, you know, California Wine Country and all that, which I’m sure she’s been to.
Yes to all of those things. It is why I have always thought the Middleton power plays were foolish.
+1000
Bonnie Hammer paying for extra security and then attending the wedding. If Meghan can continue to develop that level of relationships and influence as part of the BRF, look out.
Very soon we will learn that Meghan is getting horse riding lessons…..under the direction of the Queen 😉.
Meghan actually DID ride horses when she was young – there are pictures of her riding one with her dad when she was a tween. I don’t know if she’s ever ridden since then, but taking it up again if she hasn’t is something I totally expect her to do.
To begin with, I know that this is not the way it works, but my fantasy is:
Meghan and Harry show so much hustle and William and Kate continue to show so little that the Queen and Chuck do a magical overpass so that Harry becomes the new heir. That’s my dream.
I’d like that too! Never say never, the order of succession is a point of law not a divine right and laws can be unmade – may be wishful thinking but they can be – if Waity and William prove themselves to be (even more) useless, who knows what could happen. Edward 8th was got rid of with convenient blame on Wallis, Disraeli invented the Empress of India title to get Victoria out of the house and prevent a revolution, William and Mary got invited to rule over better claimants and Charles 1st lost his head long before the french revolution.
Do you have a favorite book about the abdication? I always thought it was Wallis, then I had a boss who very much thought that she had been unfairly scapegoated. I’d like to read what scholars are now saying (or maybe what they’ve always been saying and what everyone else is catching up to?).
William has actually been doing a steady amount of events so far this year. I think he is finally stepping up but it’s not publicized as much. Apparently by the end of March his workload had increased by 103%. So good on him!
William has done a LOT more work than Harry ever has.
William was supposed to step up his workload in 2017, but he did fewer engagements that year than in 2016. And Harry did more engagements than William in 2017.
According to the numbers out earlier this week (or last week maybe?) William is still fifth or seventh in total engagements for the year. Charles, Anne, the Queen, and I think Andrew all beat him. Maybe Sophie and Edward too.
So he’s increasing it, but slowly.
I doubt that will happen.
I doubt it too. Not least of which because Harry has said more than once he has no desire to be King. And, despite everything, I DO think the two brothers love each other enough that William actually wouldn’t saddle Harry with having to do it.
That said, I can see at least William picking up the pace in his duties more, and relying on Harry and Meghan to help him in the job, at least until his own kids are old enough to start doing more. William at one point DID seem to at least TRY when it came to his duties, at least from the little I observed of him and the Royal Family back before he married Kate.
As for Kate, I really don’t see her stepping up and doing any more than she’s already doing now, even when her kids get older. It’s hard to teach a person new habits, and Kate doesn’t seem to have the self motivation TO do more. So when she becomes Queen Consort I don’t expect her to act differently to how she is now.
I don’t think the Queen or Charles have any such power. I might be wrong, but I think it takes an Act of Parliament to change the order of succession. You just don’t get who you like better, it undermines the whole system. Don’t forget, William has three children. You can’t really imagine that the lot would be disinherited because the other couple are more “popular”?!
No matter what H&M do, I think William and Kate would have to be caught boiling bunnies in front of their kids at breakfast to be bypassed. And that still would leave George, Charlotte, and Louis.
Nope. Not in the stars, kids, absent massive tragedy of a kind I won’t even elaborate on.
Harry has expressed, on numerous occasions, that he doesn’t envy his brother nor his nephew for their positions in succession to the throne. Harry doesn’t want to be a king, plain and simple.
So, a few days ago, I said we would see pap shots of Kate at the train station with a snack lunch the day after Meghan and HM’s big day…what the heck will she do now to get attention? Announce a 4th baby?
That would be the misstep of the century. As it is baby Louis hasn’t garnered much attention. It is only natural of course but I don’t see any positives in that course of action.
My guess is that an official family photo of the Cambridges will be released very soon.
We’re already getting PR stories about how Carole is personally planning the christening. Could revolve around that, plus the automatic PR they get for bringing the kids out for Trooping the Colour. We’ll see if HM has to reprimand William publicly again this year.
I for one cannot wait to see darling little Charlotte…Meghan who???
You’re welcome to find her darling. I find her a mini Carole and Pippa, and there’s nothing darling in that.
Meghan is the shiny new star. Yes she has lots of haters but the spotlight is on her. Anyone who partners with her now gets extra pr so maybe this has something to do with all of this. The birthday thing for Charles got a lot more press attention than it normally would with H&M there and this engagement with The Queen will with Meghan. I think TBRF is more about pr now than ever and are taking advantage of there new found attention as best they can. Just a thought.
So…,. Personally I think that Kate couldn’t think of much worse than riding in the train. I think as well that the royal family is quite upset that Kate never totally bought into following them around and acting like they were the most amazing thing in the world. She kind of snubbed them for her family. I think that stung a lot. Harry I think was desperate to work for the firm and this is working well. Problem no matter what Kate does she will be queen. The order can not be changed unless William abdicates. And I don’t think he has any attention if doing that. Good for Meghan. I am just surprised. I thought her and Harry would go their own way abit more.
We are two weeks after their wedding. A bit soon to be predicting these two won’t be doing bread-and-butter traditional things in addition to focusing on personal charity interests.
@Suze, why is it a problem that Kate will be queen consort? We have stated here time and again, that Meghan fell in love with and married Harry with full knowledge that he is 5th in line (now 6th) and that there were zero chance of him ever becoming king (and her queen consort). Harry has stated on numerous occasions that he has zero desire to become king on the UK and the realm. So, both Meghan and Harry have no interest in anything that has to do with them being king and queen consort. Which means that your post makes zero sense.
Yeah, I wish people would stop banging on about it. If Charles lives as long as his parents. Kate and Meghan will be in their sixties before either of them gets anywhere near the throne, and likely grandparents. The idea of two sixty-something grandmothers feuding and scheming over being able to be some bloke’s consort is insane. Real life is not Game of Thrones.
And I think people sort of forget, because we’re so used to Queen meaning monarch, that Kate won’t be queen in the sense that QEII is queen. QEII is The Queen. Kate will be queen consort; she won’t be ruling or have anywhere near the status and power of our queen.
Besides is being consort to the monarch really so massively more incredible than being a princess? Does Prince Phillip’s position give him a lot of luxuries and privileges that Charles’ does not? From the outside they all seem much of a muchness. Even the actual monarch doesn’t seem to have any real power.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: if Meghan truly wanted REAL power, then keeping to her original childhood dream of being President of the United State makes WAY more sense than wanting to be freakin’ Queen Consort. The only power the UK monarch has is symbolic power, along with a state paper signings and intelligence briefing. And that is the actual MONARCH. The one BORN to be either King or Queen. The one married to the monarch has way less than that.
Some people want Meghan to be jealous of Kate for some desperate reason. But everything I’ve seen them say Meghan will be jealous of makes zero sense given what Meghan is about or is interested in. Maybe if Kate ever got named as Ambassador of the World for Women’s Rights and Issues *then* Meghan might have something to be jealous about wrt Kate. But Queen Consort? Meh.
Suze is pointing out what a waste of an opportunity Kate will make of that position. She’s expressing regret that such a wet noddle will be in that position rather than someone more dynamic.
And nothing can be done about it.
I think calling Meghan “the Queen’s new favorite” is stretching things a bit, because I don’t think anyone ever knows what the Queen is thinking or feeling, but my guess is 1) she wants to make sure that Meghan is quickly accustomed to regular royal work, and that Meghan is shown the lay of the land with regard to that work, and 2) the Queen wants to make sure the country knows that Meghan is fully welcomed by her. One thing I’m willing to bet about the Queen is that whatever she “feels”, her first loyalty is to the Firm, not any member of it (new or old). I think this is her way of ensuring that Meghan fits in well and that, my dears, is the Queen’s way of working for the good of the firm. No one knows what she thinks or feels about Meghan in any way. Also, I don’t think I’m going too far in saying that this is also the Queen “co-opting” Meghan into the mold. Just the way Meghan turned up at that garden party looking very much the demure in the mold Duchess, I’m guessing we can expect more of that on this trip.
The Queen is one shrewd old bird – she knows what she’s doing.
I agree a bit with everyone. I think that it’s probably a mix of HM wanting to guide Meghan, Meghan wanting to be guided, HM wanting to guide the public into accepting Meghan, and also HM genuinely wanting to spend time with her. I really agree that HM clearly likes Meghan.
I also think The Firm knows that mistakes have been made with Kate and Will and now they want to learn from those mistakes with Meghan and Harry. Someone up thread mentioned that maybe Kate suffers from Depression. I think that after George there was a period there were she probably suffered from some postpartum and maybe she suffers with it after each pregnancy? We saw her take these extended maternity leaves with Charlotte and now Louis, and if I’m being fair, I really think that she probably came back too soon after George. Maybe now she knows not to come back until the postpartum goes away? However, that doesn’t excuse the other legitimate faults with Kate and Will. They are BOTH petulant and use the media as a pawn. They constantly come up with reasons to do the minimum and you can tell. Their heart’s just are not in it. And yes, Will has stepped it up a bit, but Kate has not and has no desire to. I also think that Kate is just terrible at the public aspects of being a Royal.
@Violet, everyone is entitled to their opinions. People can make any assumptions they want, its a gossip site. You can’t knock others for making assumptions (HM is fond of Meghan) render them “such a stretch” and then turn around and make your own assumptions as to why you “guess” is the reason why HM is doing abcd. No one knows why HM does things the way she does, and this includes you, so if others make assumptions, they are equally as good as yours or just as out there and as stretching as yours are.
The Queen respects people who understand duty. It’s part of why she gets along with Sophie. And if Meghan is showing an interest in doing the work, the Queen is going to encourage that. The Queen is after all the one who asked “but what does she do?” when Kate still hadn’t worked much after university and suddenly the Jigsaw internship happened, for a few months anyway. I agree with those who say that Kate took a lot of her cues from William in terms of not working, but she is 36 now and a mother of three, so when is she going think for herself? And if it’s not William who is dictating what she does, there is Carole hovering nearby. At some point she will need to act like an independent adult. She hasn’t so far.
There is no way when this marriage ends that Meghan can say that she was left out of things and MM’s own PR saying that she’s a worker, she also can’t say she was forced to go out on engagements too soon.
I think the Queen is playing a blinder here.
Huh?
Ha! Make that 2 “Huhs”! Dee, Meghan was doing royal engagements before she got married, so what is you’re real issue with her? That they actually got married (it was a beautiful wedding, wasn’t it?) and she seems ready and willing to work so soon afterwards? Or, that the Queen is showing interest in her development as a working royal so early in the marriage? You have the anonymity of the internet, so why not just say what you really feel–that you hope their marriage fails because you don’t like her and it bothers you that apparently the Queen does? See how easy that was? And, BTW, you do know her PR comes direct from KP now?
Gosh are you still here?
Ok sure. lol
Absolutely Dee. It’s very shrewd move whatever their mutual personal feelings.
Princessk / Oleanna/ Meggles / Magnoliarose: @Dee is referencing one of the most damaging accusations thrown at the BRF by Diana. She repeatedly claimed that they failed to take care of her, show her the ropes, support her, made her work too soon etc. We know this to be untrue, but Diana was convincing in this particular lie and it hurt the reputation of the BRF, and it is virulently persistent.
With Kate, and now with Meghan, the palace made a visible show of supporting them whatever their choices. It is a very public pushback to refute those old accusations which continue to plague the palace even where there is evidence of support. Default assumption is that the BRF is uncaring to incoming spouses based upon that accusation.
By being so public about support, help, care given to Kate, and now Meghan, the Palace is taking out a PR insurance policy in the event of a divorce or any such accusation in the future.
@LAK….I agree with some of what you say but Dee’s comment implied that H&M are heading for a divorce and the Queen is putting everything in place for this eventuality. Really?
I prefer to think that the Queen is aware of the fact that her days criss-crossing the UK on public engagements are diminishing and at her age anything can happen, so this is just another part of fast tracking Meghan. Also the PR potential of solo Meghan and the Queen on a joint engagement is not lost on BP and KP, and this may have been engineered by the ‘six month’ new adviser that the Queen has given to H&M. Those who are interested in fashion should watch the outfits of these two ladies closely, should spark some interesting discussion.
But Meghan travelling on the Royal Train is very significant.