ROYAL SPLIT!
HOW MEGHAN DIVIDED HARRY & WILLS’ WORLD
Her outrageous baby shower
Looking every inch a Hollywood star, the Duchess of Sussex arrived in New York for her lavish baby shower in a flurry of camera flashes, A-list celebrities and wild expense.
A world away from the discretion and formality of palace life with husband Prince Harry, a glowing Meghan looked thrilled as she hit the Big Apple last week, her trademark protective hand resting on top of her bump as she smiled warmly at the waiting hordes of photographers.
While most royal mums-to-be opt for a modest afternoon tea to celebrate an impending arrival, the former Suits star went for something altogether more glitzy. And what a celebration it was, with guests including tennis legend Serena Williams, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, co-star Abigail Spencer and TV host Gayle King descending on the exclusive Mark Hotel, which h
bills itself as the city’s “most boldly lavish”.
A day earlier, dozens of roses and large orange trees were delivered to decorate the $100,000-a-night penthouse suite, with famed harpist Erin Hill also spotted entering the building.
While eyebrows were raised by the duchess’ overthe-top baby shower, which is believed to have cost an eye-watering $835,000, Woman’s Day can reveal that the former actress, 37, was unapologetic about wanting the no-expense-spared party – reportedly partly paid for by gal pal Serena.
A source close to Meghan tells us, “She loves the celebrity lifestyle that she feels she’s largely given up since marrying Harry. She also adores the Big Apple and felt it was the perfect place for a glam baby shower, so she was delighted when her friends suggested sugge it. Meghan would never have gone in for something low-key. It’s just not her. This was her chance to live her old life again for a few days and she couldn’t have been more excited.”
While her guests wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Tinseltown red carpet, commentators were quick to note the glaring absence of her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, or any other friends from her new royal circles. Our source explains that Meghan was “incensed” when Kate, 37, turned down her invite, opting instead to go skiing with Prince William.
“It’s no secret the two women don’t get on, but Meghan thought she should’ve been there to keep up appearances,” spills the source. “She sees it as a real snub, but the reality is that Meghan and Kate have very little in common, and Meghan feels far more comfortable back in the embrace of her American friends. She feels they understand her better.”
While the US-born duchess was clearly excited to be back in her homeland, over in the UK, there was an historic change afoot, with the controversial splitting of Harry, 34, and his big brother William’s households.
While the once-close pair have always shared the same team of staff and offices, it emerged last year that they’d decided to divide their courts and go their separate ways. And new reports suggest the process is well underway, with Harry and Meghan due to move out of Kensington Palace and into their Windsor home Frogmore Cottage in just a few weeks.
Although the official explanation for the split has been attributed to the brothers’ separate locations and their expanding families, courtiers say it also points to a deep rift between the brothers, who have struggled to see eye to eye since Meghan came along.
“It’s terribly sad, but it’s just getting worse,” a palace insider tells us. “The splitting of the courts is certainly an attempt to ease the tension. Both William and Kate are incredibly upset by the way Harry appears to be railroaded by his wife, who they think shows little respect for the monarchy.
“William thinks Harry has been brainwashed and he’s told his brother to his face that he’s a completely different person to the man he was even a year ago. He feels as if Meghan has singlehandedly drawn a wedge between them.”
And Meghan’s baby shower is likely to only increase tensions. Our insider adds, “Public displays of wealth and luxury just don’t sit well l with the royals. It’s hard for Harry – he wants his wife to be happy, but he’s becoming increasingly uncomfortable. He’s missing both William and Kate, and the close bond they used to share, which has now vanished as he prepares to lead a very separate life.”
The split also reflects the brothers’ different royal responsibilities, with William, , 36, set to become the Prince of Wales when his father Prince Charles eventually takes the throne.
“There’s no doubt William m and Kate will have far more public and important roles than Harry and Meghan,” explains the insider. “The Sussexes have made it clear they will be doing things their own way, while the Cambridges are committed to fulfilling their duty the way the Queen sees fit.”
Home to Harry
Meanwhile, as his wife stole the limelight in New York, onlookers couldn’t help but note that Harry looked surprisingly carefree during a visit to a youth centre in London last week.
“He has always preferred the company of kids and it must have felt good to h have such h simple, i l good d fun f as a break from the firestorm being created by his marriage lately,” reports a witness at the event. “Either he was just glad to have a week off from it all while Meghan’s in New York or, more likely, it reminded him that the most important thing of all is that t he’s about to become a dad.” d
With just eight weeks before b f Meghan h is i due d to give birth, our source says Harry is desperately hoping things will settle down when they move into their newly renovated home. He’s found the endless negative headlines very distressing and it’s led to some vicious rows with his new wife.
“Fighting with Meghan is the last thing Harry wants
to be doing so early on in their marriage. He wanted her to enjoy her baby shower, but now that it’s over, he just hopes they can both step out of the spotlight and relax for their final few weeks before becoming parents. Harry loves Meghan, but he desperately wants her to settle down and embrace royal life with him.”