The Duchess of Sussex turns 37 today! Everything else aside, I can’t help but be reminded how much things have changed since this time last year when these two were were in Botswana and everyone was losing their mind over when an engagement would be announced. Well, we now have our answer and nearly three months after the couple married at Windsor, they turned up for a wedding in Surrey to celebrate Harry’s childhood friend.
The friend in question reportedly served as an usher at Harry’s wedding, while the Duke is believed to have plaid the part of best man, or supporter, today.
Before we turn to Meghan’s fashion and a quick update on all things Sussex, I have to say I think this is one bride definitely not afraid of the presence of royals at her wedding. This might be the most whimsical thing I’ve ever seen outside of an editorial spread:
And I admire the commitment of this veil:
Also in attendance today was Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie, with her fiance, Jack Brooksbank:
Let’s turn to Meghan. When I first saw photos from today I’ll admit I thought she was in black, and was going to dock points. I know wearing black to weddings is less of a thing these days, but a summer-time, day-time wedding? Quelle horreur. But no, the bodice of this Club Monaco dress is in fact navy, while the skirt is pleated and color-blocked with sections of pink, green and white.
Meghan’s heels are her trusty Aquazzura, while her hat is Philip Treacy and her clutch is Kayu Anna.
The couple are firmly on summer break, so this may well be the last time we see them for a few weeks. There have been contradicting reports as to what residence they are using beyond Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, but the two favored locations are in the Cotswalds or on the Windsor estate. Wherever they are, I think it’s safe to say they’re spending some time outside of London, and at some point they’ll head out to Balmoral in the Highlands where the Queen will soon be established into October.
According to Katie Nicholl, they’ve ended up in the Cotswalds, renting a farmhouse on the Great Tew Estate:
“They spend a lot of time in the Cotswolds, more than people realize. They are in the country way more than they are in London and they are enjoying a low-key and very domesticated start to married life,” says one of their friends. “Harry’s not around that much anymore. Meghan likes him to keep his diary clear at the weekends so they can be together in the countryside.”
“It’s very clear they want to be private and left alone,” says one local. “The property is in the middle of woodland and you wouldn’t know it was there. It is very remote which is why they like it. It’s like a fortress. There’s a huge security presence, you can’t get close.”
Meanwhile, royal reporter Richard Palmer, whose tweets I link to here on a regular basis, started a long thread earlier this week about reporting on Meghan. The majority of the tweets were focused on problems arising from talking about the Duchess on Twitter, however he also discussed some of the realities of reporting on her, including:
“Royal rota journalists are being kept further away from [Meghan] than we were before the wedding That means we can’t hear what she is saying. If you can’t get direct quotes from members of the royal family that often makes for dull stories. You go up afterwards and ask what she said.”
This comes on the heels of Harry sending a ball flying towards a group of reporters at the Sentebale polo match, joking he wanted them to be able to get a good shot. Nicholl noted that it rubbed some photographers the wrong way.
I would imagine that the continued interest in Meghan, combined with the ongoing behavior of the Markle family, means August has come about as just the right time. A few weeks of laying low with give everyone time to catch their breath, and then we’re in for a very busy autumn between the Sussexes’ tour and the Duchess of Cambridge’s return from maternity leave.
Speaking of William and Kate, the Cambridges apparently spent two weeks out on Mustique with the Middletons. The royal couple were spotted attending the 50th anniversary of Basil Bar solo, so one imagines that Princes George and Louis and Princes Charlotte were back at the house with their grandparents.
With that, we’re all wrapped up. Today also happens to the birthday of the Queen Mother, so I’m aiming to get a post up about her early next week. Fingers crossed that comes together!