Childhood friend set Markle up with her Prince Charming
Friends can be the best dating algorithm around, especially when you’re high profile and hopping on Tinder might be too public a search.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who were set up by Jimmy Kimmel, just welcomed their third child. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, set up by Anne Hathaway, frequently gush about each other in public.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might be the biggest of big-name setups. And now, according to E! News, we know who’s responsible for the match: Violet von Westenholz, a childhood friend of Harry ’s.
According to E!, Harry had been confiding to his friends that he was having “a really hard time finding ” the right match. That’s when von Westenholz stepped in and orchestrated an intro to Markle, whom von Westenholz knew from her public relations work with Ralph Lauren.
Markle had just one question for their mutual friend. “Was he nice?” she asked. “Because if he wasn’t kind, it didn’t seem like it would make sense.”
Meanwhile, the prince admitted that “I never even heard of her.” He didn’t watch her American TV legal drama Suits.
Kudos to von Westenholz for making a good match. It’s not easy!
Here are a few things to avoid when trying to pull off your own von Westenholz:
1.
Don’t set two people up just because they’re the only two single people you know.
Has this ever happened to you? A friend sets you up, and you spend the entire date trying to figure out: Why? Why does my friend think we’d be a good match?
Former Bachelorette Andi Dorfman has been there. “My friends set me up, but they ’re terrible at it,” she said last year. “Someone will be like, ‘Oh my friend so-and-so, you guys will be great.’ And I’ll go on a date with him and be like, ‘What were you thinking ?’
So if you, dear meddling friend, can’t think of at least one reason — a common interest or similar outlook on life — two people might enjoy each other’s company, do not attempt a setup.
2.
Before attempting a setup, confirm that both people are looking for something similar. Ideally they should both be seeking the same kind of relationship or arrangement. Do not set up a friend who’s looking for a wife with someone who wants to keep things casual. 3. But feel free to push them out of their comfort zone.
When daters are swiping on Tinder, they’re likely to stick to their tried-and-true “types.” But when a trusted friend makes an intro, daters can be more willing to overlook dealbreakers.