Meghan attends ATX Television Festival for Suits table read

Meghan attends ATX Television Festival for Suits table read

Today, June 11, Meghan Markle made an appearance at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas for a Suits panel where the cast did a table read of the pilot script to commemorate the upcoming 100th episode of Suits.

After the table read of the pilot script, the cast did a short Q&A. I’ve transcribed Meghan’s answers below to the three questions she answered.

On if the table read brought back memories of shooting the pilot: “Well, it’s funny, I was saying, we had that group email the other day and I was saying, um, we had all lived in the same corporate housing, so on top of working together we were all living together which makes a whole different dynamic, I think, we just became this little family right out of the gate.”

On having a favorite Rachel/Donna scene: “Oh, I mean, Michelle Ross and Harriet Specter, it was the best, when they go to the bar and they take on these different personas and we, you know, we just sort of played around with that again recently. Um, no it’s great, all the scenes are good, and what was the one we were in the bathroom scene with the brush on my nose… Oh dear, no it’s like that little Bewitched twitch, right, where it’s like [twitches nose], like you’re nose [touches nose], that was fun.”

On season 7 reset and Rachel becoming a lawyer: “Oh, I mean, of course, I’m so, I’m so happy that, especially reading, reading the pilot again you get to see where she started, even saying, you know, talking about Harvey Specter and saying but I don’t really know him or work with him, and to watch the progression. She’s worked so hard, and I love that, as a role model, how she’s been crafted to balance it all, but yeah, now have this place at the firm where she really knows her standing and her office isn’t just because she’s a good researcher, it’s because she’s an associate. She’s really earned that spot.”

I’ve never seen Suits, so I keep being surprised by Meghan’s voice all of the two times I’ve actually heard her speak. She’s more soft-spoken than the other cast members and kind of got lost a bit when they were speaking during the Q&A – she didn’t interject as much as they did, and had to be prompted to answer that third question. I don’t know if she was purposefully trying not to say much because of the media spotlight on her because of her relationship or if that’s just her personality.

You can watch the entire script read and Q&A in the video below, and there are more photos at the Daily Mail.

Meghan wore a Club Monaco Sinthea Dress which retails for $329.00. The dress has a red French toile print on a structured bodice and pleated skirt with a sweetheart neckline and shoulder straps. The dress is very summery and looks good on Meghan, although, you know me, I dislike floral prints personally.

Photos: Suits Arabic. @Suits_AR / screengrab / Club Monaco


53 thoughts on “Meghan attends ATX Television Festival for Suits table read

  1. I like the dress on the model but I don’t quite like how it fits on Meghan. It seems to just hang down instead of flow from the waist. I like Sarah Rafferty’s look more. I haven’t seen the video but Meghan usually talks a lot in interviews. The entire cast tends to be quite lively in interviews. I’m guessing she was trying to avoid private questions and maybe the others were also trying to get the spotlight away from her.
    OT: Have you seen the photos of William at Polo? He was playing with Mia Tindall and Peter’s kids. It’s the most relaxed I have seen him in years.

    1. I really like the dress on her and the nicely subdued print (I don’t mind prints). She looks casually and appropriately cute and summery. I think the dress is not optimally showcased in the above pic because she has her arms around her colleagues, which would mar the line of the dress. It’s a win for me! It’s a pleasure to comment on someone who seems at ease with herself for a change and has some sense of unique personal style.

  2. I only watched her UN speech, but my impression is that she’s holding herself back a bit. People were criticizing her for chasing the spotlight, so it makes sense she’s trying to tone it down. I guess it’s good training for the royal life?
    Not a big fan of the dress either, I like the bodice, but the print looks weird in a pleated skirt.

  3. I imagine she deliberately doesn’t want to be accused of taking the spotlight. Pretty summer dress, not one I particularly like, but a nice choice for the event- pretty, appropriate and again shows her not trying to take the limelight.

    Have read your KMR post TO THE END ( excuse caps!).

    Look forward to a new post when Kate actually does something. Like EL I’ve seen the photos of Will with Mia and Peter’s girls and just wonder why G and C were not there. The girls were having such fun.

    1. Ask and ye shall receive Birdy. Kate has made a surprise appearance at King’s college hospital.

      I read the entire KMR blog post and I am so glad to have her back.

  4. Meghan normally holds her own in interviews & she is usually quite articulate & bubbly. I put it down to her not wanting to say too much for the media to latch onto. We all know how the media likes to take anything she does out of context & blow it out of all proportion.

    We also need to remember that this is the first time she has spoken in public in 8 months. She was fidgeting quite a bit & I put it down to nerves. It can’t be easy knowing that her every move is now being watched & scrutinised.

    I just hope all this attention doesn’t end up sucking all the life & personality out of her. This is partly what happened to Kate & it would be a shame if the same thing happened with MM.

    1. “I just hope all this attention doesn’t end up sucking all the life & personality out of her.”

      A *thousand* times this, Eve! She is under so much scrutiny, even the most self-assured woman would certainly be feeling the pressure. When I saw the snaps of her taken at the airport when she was leaving Austin my heart broke a little… some were obviously taken quite close and she looked startled and uncomfortable.

  5. She looked great in all three outfits this weekend or 24 hours in Austin. She seemed a bit nervous at first, but she was great at the reading and answered the questions in a good way. Her cast mates might have been more outgoing, but they don’t really have to watch their every word like she does. I mean the Daily Mail sent a reporter and papp solely to report on Meghan’s appearance. They have no other articles on the festival and seemed to have followed her everywhere (and even asked about Harry at the airport). She was definitely trying hard to be as low key as possible by staying at a seperate hotel more outside of Austin and arriving at the panel through a back entrance to ditch any possible press. Like someone said before this was her first real public appearance since the relationship news broke 8 months ago , she did good.

  6. She looked great. And it was so nice to see her out and about. Her more subdued demeanor really hammers home how hard she’s working to make a go of her relationship with PH. I feel for her.

    Thanks for the transcript, KMR!

  7. I think Meghan Markle was more reserved because for the past 8 months she has seen that the media latches on to everything she has said — even things she has said years ago (before Prince Harry). I mean one of the reasons she shut down The Tig was because media outlets were creating articles on every single thing she had written.

    I also agree with ALL ABOUT EVE, I hope Meghan Markle doesn’t change/lose her entire personality just to fit into The Royal Family. However, I do think she was just nervous because this was her first public appearance since it was revealed that she was dating Prince Harry, she knew people would be looking at her differently. I mean she does seem more sure of herself than Kate ever did/does.

    Meghan Markle has had a career, independence, a life before Prince Harry. I mean she didn’t know Prince Harry until she was 34-years-old. She has had a lot of time to get to know herself.

    *Superficial Note: I love all 3 of her outfits. She has an amazing sense of style, with the exception to the dress she wore at the wedding in Jamaica.

  8. I really like this dress but I have to wonder how do these actresses stay warm? I’m a bit cold-blooded so I carry a little sweater or wrap with me all summer long to combat the sub-zero air conditioning, but I always see actresses on the red carpet or at events with their bare shoulders while their male co-stars have on jackets or long-sleeve button up shirts, how do these ladies do it?? I know this might sound a bit odd but it is something I ponder with great frequency, well this and how do the royals keep their stomachs from getting upset during royal tours, yeah I know I’m weird :).

      1. I don’t know Alexandra, it’s hot and dry where I live so everywhere has air conditioning running non-stop hence the need for a light sweater or wrap.

    1. Lauri, most actresses are given free dresses by designers with the understanding that they will promote them on the red carpet or at some public event. I don’t think the designer would be too happy if the actress suddenly decided to cover up their outfit with a wrap or jacket! Actresses have to suffer for their craft in exchange for free promotion!

      I believe a similar thing happened with Meghan at the polo. It was a very cold day & she opted to wear a sleeveless dress! Unfortunately when the cold got too much for her she had to put on a jacket, but not before she had been photographed in the dress & holding an equally stylish clutch bag. It’s all about product placement!

      1. Ugh, I’d be a cold, cranky ole bitty without my coverup 🙂 Thank goodness I wasn’t bitten by the acting bug lol!

      2. I’m feeling very naive as I hadn’t even considered this before, but it makes perfect sense! Thank you for pointing this out.

    2. Lauri, that’s what assistants and LIWs are for. The assistants / LIW stand off camera holding a wrap or cardigan or jacket. Actress or royal walks the red carpet and once out of sight of the cameras, wear the wrap, cardigan, jacket.

      There is a deal in place that the actress is photographed on the red carpet showcasing the dress. After that, even if they wear the wrap, cardigan or jacket it’s not a big deal to the designer as long as the actress has fulfilled their red carpet obligations.

      Obviously royals aren’t beholden to designers, but the execution is similar. There is a reason the LIW is holding a bulky bag.

      As for why they do not get sick, every effort is made to create conditions that prevent sickness including making sure they do not eat things that risk upseting their health. As an example, the Queen doesn’t eat seafood on tour to avoid upset tummies and or poisoning. Further she doesn’t eat garlic or anything particularly stinky to avoid having stinky breath. If you notice, she wears gloves when meeting people. These prevent her catching any germs or nasties passed on via handshakes.

  9. I like the dress and I liked it on Meghan. It is appropriate and classy and it does not scream “look at me”. I think that is was lovely to hear Meghan talk. She has a really soft voice. Is it Megan or Meghan? I am getting confused.

  10. Don’t know if it is ok to reply to a KMR post on this site, but the comment button was not working on that one,
    I wish to extend a nod of approval and support to KMR. I am sorry that vitriol on the site has caused you such angst. You are so good at your work and have created a meaningtul site where many people support you and one another.

    I think that more middle ground is needed and agree with your post. I am not into Meghan as much so I don’t know how much I will comment here. I do hope that KMR continues. But, with the precautions from posters that you are expecting. I for one, enjoyed seeing the article in the Daily Mail of Kate visiting the hospital where so many of the stabbing victims of the terror attack are now being treated. Her visit was low key and respectful and surely helped the patients, their loved ones and the staff. All of whom, all, deserve our good thoughts and prayers.

    I hope all this hoopla has not affected you too adversely, KMR. I am sorry if any of my comments were out of line. I wish you well and hope you can continue to do what you do best.

    Also, belated sympathy to Birdy. Losing your mom must be most difficult. I hope happy memories of her will be with you and your sons.

  11. Hmm I’m not a fan of the dress. It’s the bottom part I have issue with. I don’t like the ribbing/chiffon part. Meghan is by no means has a hippy body type but the dress looks off on her bottom 1/2 which I attribute to the material. I think it would be great as a solid

  12. KMR! Glad to have you back. Completely agree with your stance on our comments.

    Meghan is growing on me. At first she seemed a little ‘lime-light hungry’ (to be honest, that could have been beefed up by the media), and she seems to have toned it down a lot. I look forward to see where she and Harry are headed in the future.

    As for this dress…this girl is beautiful and I would go buy everything at Reitmans because it looks so good on her, but this dress does not. It doesn’t give her any shape and isn’t as flattering as another choice could be. I would love to see her in a Victoria Beckham design (I have an undying love for VB. Posh Spice forever).

  13. I think that Meghan’s style is much closer to what you see other 35 year old women wear as opposed to Kate’s bizarre taste. And it has nothing to do with being conservative, because her jeggings for all causal events are never appropriate for a royal work event and you can be conservative in style without being granny style. I have a job where dressing conservative is expected and there is a lot you can do to be stylish. But then again key words… I have a job. And so does Meghan.
    I will probably beat this point forever because the lack of work ethic is obvious. Sure she finally showed up to visit a hospital but it was done after many loud comments in the blogs and twitter. KP noticed.

    And to the KMR post… I am really sorry to hear that it caused personal pain. There were a bunch of trollers who were being jerks and they were the bullies, if anyone was. I understand the need for a break though. I have to deal with conflict as part of my job so I have had to develop a thick skin when people get critical of me, but it’s still hard to hear criticism, especially when it was totally unwarranted. I don’t know if there is a way to track IP addresses from the blog, but I strongly suspect there were a few posts from the same person. The comments policy is fine and most of the posters here abide by it. At least the regular ones do. And there have been good discussions here so I hope that this can continue. Many people appreciate the work you do KMR.

    1. I so agree Nic919!! Just look at CP Mary or Leti or Maxima, they wear rather conservative outfits (excepting Leti’s leather culottes) and I don’t think anyone would accuse these ladies of dressing like grannies! Imo, it’s all in the styling, accessories and most importantly confidence and poise, Meghan seems to have that nailed down.

      I’ve found that I can wear a cheap t-shirt, cropped or rolled up jeans (not skinny) a basic black blazer with booties and accessorize it with a couple great pieces of jewelry or an interesting scarf worn as a belt and I get nothing but compliments all day long.

      I’ve started decluttering my wardrobe, trying to get it down to maybe a couple dozen key pieces and I’m finding that it’s so much easier in the morning to get dressed because my choices are limited and everything goes together. I never thought I could survive with as few clothes as I have now and I’m even thinking about downsizing even more. Now, I haven’t really downsized my jewelry boxes or my scarves because I just these items to add a bit of panache and interest to a otherwise rather boring outfit.

      I do think you’ve hit the nail on the head with the fact that Meghan has a job and has probably worked most of her adult life, it does makes a difference in how one presents oneself in that type of environment. Just knowing the correct type of outfit to wear to an event can really help increase self confidence and security in an otherwise stressful situation.

    2. Having scrolled through that glamour magazine article I’m starting to have my doubts about Meghan’s fashion sense. I only liked two of her outfits, the rest were quite unflattering or ill fitted. She’s pretty and looks nice enough but hardly some style maven.

  14. I love toile.
    I love toile on curtains and soft furnishings.

    However the silhouette is soft, summery and pretty.

  15. Question for all you MMR readers, as you all know I’m excited about Meg and Harry’s relationship and love Meghan’s style but I have to admit I’m a bit hesitant about going “all in” on them. My hesitation stems from my disenchantment with the Cambridges, we were promised so much and 6 years in they still fail to deliver. I worry that Meghan and Harry, when they do marry, will probably want to start a family asap, and then will that mean we won’t see them or at least her for a year or more? Does Harry have William’s privacy paranoia and will he try to keep Meghan and the kids on lock down? Meghan hasn’t been “around” the royal family for almost a decade the way Kate was, so will she need even more time to acclimate to the royals and all their quirks and traditions? So, my question is, does anyone else feel this way or have similar concerns?

    1. I’m also hesitant about Meghan joining the RF. I’m a big Suits fan so I have always liked Meghan’s personality and work ethic. I worry she may have to be less than what I know her to be. She may have to be less bubbly, less vocal, less active (to keep the Cambridge’s looking good) and I do worry
      there will probably be a lot of racial comments, and the media doing a Diana vs. Fergie with her and Kate. I like her and I would hate to see being less than what I have known her to be so far. Fingers crossed though that if she gets married, this works out well.

      1. Oh god that would be horrible EL! I’m sure the media and lot’s of royal watchers would pounce on comparing the two, I know I try not to but it sure is tough.

      2. As someone else up thread mentioned, I think we can look to Sophie and Edward for clues about how Harry and Meghan (or whoever Harry marries) will work out royal life/duties – in the last few years, they’ve done about half the number of engagements as Prince Charles and Camilla have. I’m not sure that will satisfy expectations, and tbh – I’m not even sure what counts as a sufficient work load for any of the younger royals. 300 engagements a year? 400? Who knows.

        As for how Harry and his spouse might raise their kids, I think that every one should have the option of being a full-time, stay-at-home parent for at least the first year of their child’s life, and I wouldn’t begrudge anyone of that – not even the royals.

        So tl;dr: I think that, if Harry and Meg were to marry, it would be OK take it easy for a bit, work on having/raising a couple of kids. I’m not really concerned about their work load, I guess.

    2. I do. I have a lot of reservations about Harry’s future wife and where our expectations should be. And this is for whomever Harry marries, not specific to Meghan.

      I don’t think Harry’s wife will publicly outwork Kate. I know lots of people who dislike Kate’s low work numbers and who like Harry hope that Harry’s wife will publicly outwork Kate just to spite her, but I don’t think that will happen. Harry, for whatever reason, does not publicly outwork William, and so I do not think Harry’s wife will publicly outwork Kate.

      I also think Harry’s wife will take about the same amount of maternity leave as Kate has, which means months of no appearances surrounding the birth of each child.

      I think Harry is just as adverse to the media covering his family as William, but without William’s “I and my child are going to be monarch” thing, which means we will see even less of Harry’s children than we do of William’s. I know people who dislike how much we see of G&C and who like Harry think Harry will be more open with his kids, but I very much don’t think he will. Not only does he dislike the media as much as William, but his children will not be monarch, will not be Prince/Princess when born, and will not be working royals in the future, so Harry has no obligation to show his children to the public. I think we will be lucky if we get a photo at their birthdays and a balcony appearance at Trooping every year.

      Harry has also said stuff about giving his kids “normal childhoods” (whatever that means), and I think on top of not showing us his kids, his wife will probably do the stay at home mom thing for a bit which means low work numbers while the kids are small. The same as Kate, really.

      I also think that Harry and his wife could pull the “we’re lower in the line of succession” and “W&K had 7 years to become full time” thing and use that as an excuse not to be full time working royals for years.

      I honestly think we need to curtail our expectations of Harry and his wife. Because right now so many people are hoping that Harry and his wife will give us everything that we’re not getting from William and Kate, but I honestly don’t think that is going to happen.

      1. MMR, I think your reading of the situation is correct. Whomever Harry marries will fall into line with whatever groove Harry has established. Currently that consists of not doing much in the way of ‘counted’ royal duties, instead spending some time on his own (very worthwhile) interests but with large chunks of time under the radar. But this does not disguise his lack of numbers. It’s been two years since he left the army and he still has not steered himself into something full-time. The argument of not outworking William is a pact where both men have each other’s backs, but doesn’t hold water when you look at how other members of the BRF function. I don’t think Harry will become a workhorse once married, for the reasons you mention, but also because both brothers are more similar than we choose to acknowledge. The significant difference is that Harry is affable and attempts to genuinely connect, and unlike William, does not so obviously express his disdain. If he marries Meghan, it is certainly not her role in life to gee up her husband to do more work; he’s not a child. I’d say the model Harry and partner will follow in terms of how often children are seen are James and Louise. Harry and family will not be beholden to do anything beyond family events as their relevance fades once George and Charlotte start to grow. So far, Harry and Meghan have proved adept in not being seen so apart from duties, that may well be the way they choose to function.

        1. Sophie’s kids not being so public wasn’t a deliberate thing. Louise was born a month premature, spent her first 6 days on earth away from her mother in a special baby unit in a different hospital whilst Sophie’s life hang in the balance.

          Louise had issues with her eyes that were being fixed over a number of years. Her earliest known eye surgery was at 18mths and the last at 10yrs old.

          Somewhere in the years of Louise’s medical issues, James was born. Also a difficult birth.

          Compared to other royal children, the Wessex children have hit their public milestones YEARS after everyone else was introduced and most of that was due to Louise’s medical issues and need to make sure everyone was ok before adding a public angle to their lives.

          We shall never know if the Wessexes would have introduced their kids sooner if Louise had been born without any issues and developed normally.

          It’s one of those things that seems like a decision was made to keep the kids hidden as part of some sort of long-term gameplan within the royal family strategies, but was really driven by Louise’s health.

          Given how events have evolved such that the royal family looks to be slimming down, it turns out to have been a good decision as far as the kids AND the Wessexes can plan for non-royal life whilst being given kudos for seemingly being prescient.

      2. Much depends on the character of the woman Harry marries. If she is young & has no independent thought of her own then I’ll easily expect her to fall in line. If it’s Meghan he marries I think things might be different.

        When a man starts dating a woman who is already in her mid-30s and is 3 years older than him, I don’t think he is necessarily looking for someone he can mold. Harry has always said that he is looking for a woman who is ready to take on the job. This shows some maturity on Harry’s part that he is willing to date a woman like Meghan without feeling intimated.

        Meghan is a mature woman who is going to be 36 this year. She has a career, is independent & has her own interests. She has also said she was raised to have a social conscience (her mom is a social worker), and she seems to have a genuine interest for women issues. I highly doubt that this kind of woman will all of a sudden become a stepford wife if she marries into the BRF. In the beginning she will act more demure than what she really is because that is what we women do in the beginning of a relationship! But once we have the men where we want them, then we can start to influence them. I think partly what attracted Harry to Meghan was her independent spirit. I can honestly see Meghan wearing the trousers in this relationship!

        Also we really can’t compare the situation between Kate & Meghan. Meghan has established a life independent of her partner. Kate met William while they were both at university & so her entire development was allowed to be molded by him & her mother. If Harry were looking for a stepford wife then dating a mature woman with an established life of her own seems like an odd choice.

        I also think that if H&M get married they will probably want to start a family straight away primarily due to Meghan’s age. But I don’t think we should begrudge a woman for wanting to take time off to start a family.

        1. K&W actually met before university – she had her sights set on him far, far earlier.

          I do agree Harry will be a lot like his brother in regarding his kids however I don’t think he would lock them away and never let people see them; I wouldn’t be surprised to see HarryKids playing with his cousins at the polo and whatnot and Harry not giving a damn about it because fun! And Harry is closer to the cousins than William is.

          Our expectations of W&K are so low; so naturally we want Harry and whoever he marries, if he does, to do better, but I do not expect that. I do expect more private work than W&K would ever do, as Harry does now, with little to no fanfare or credit, though I do think the RF will rely on Harry and Wife in the future as time goes on.

          1. I really REALLY do not see what age has to do with this? I mean, I understand your big big hopes for more workload, but I think you’re being a little too positive here.
            If Harry doesn’t outwork William, then why would Meghan ever outwork Kate? Age has nothing to do with it. I agree with MMR, we won’t see a thing of Harry’s kids (and he has the right to make decisions about that the way he, and his wife, want) and Meghan will not take on a workload comparable to the queen herself, no matter how much of a ‘mind of her own’ she has. It’s irrelevant, I my honest opinion.

    3. I believe that if Harry & his wife want to avoid heavy criticism they will both need to increase their work load. While the public are prepared to tolerate the Cambridges because they will one day be monarch, the same can’t be said for Harry & his family. As George & Charlotte get older the clamoring’s will only become louder & people will start to question whether Harry & his family are worth tax payers money. The only way he can avoid this would be for him & his wife to work hard, similar to what Anne does. If he doesn’t the public will turn their back on him & he will be treated like the Yorks. I hope Harry’s wife would be able to knock some sense into him!

      1. I agree with this sentiment. Harry and partner will need to prove their value. As you said in the post above this, Harry wants a wife who will step up to the job… but, to be blunt, he has yet to do that himself. His personal interests take him to Africa for a few weeks, and Invictus all over the globe but the British taxpayer currently gets very little value from him (and the Cambridge’s). The Royal Foundation sweeps up the credit for work done by charities comprising Heads Together, but again to be blunt, the trio bring little to the table apart from rah-rahing. Harry and William may disdain the bread-and-butter engagements around the UK, but these connect them to their fellow citizens; it is the role and they need to suck it up. If last week’s election offers a cautionary tale, it is that citizens are not to be taken for granted.

        If Harry is like William (if), he may convince Meghan that the work is easy, there’s not much of it and they can dodge anything disagreeable. It is clear, as Kate’s mentor, William chose this path, not taking his task seriously and the two of them have continued to perform poorly as well as wriggle out of as much as possible. There is a huge difference between what is considered ‘royal work’ and what those in the real world consider work. It would be a huge adjustment and not necessarily a pleasant one, despite the immense privilege. I’d hope any woman would want to marry a man, not a boy needing to be whipped into shape. Those pics from Jamaica with a sulky Harry being soothed were not impressive.

        1. Great comments. Yes, the Jamaica photos raised my first red flag. We have a hint of what the relationship is like and I don’t envy the woman who marries Harry who looks like he needs to grow up.

          I’m trying to recall whether Harry was included in the official rolling out of the slimmed down monarchy that one time on the balcony. I keep forgetting that Harry lives off public welfare as well. If indeed, he’s going to be totally supported by the taxpayers then it behooves him as it does William to step up and do the work. I think that really is the bottom line- if you take the money, you owe the work. Right now they look like moochers.

          1. Harry was included in all the talk about a slimmed down monarchy under Charles. So under Charles, Harry and spouse would be included in the working royals, but the thought that was talked about was that once William takes over Harry and spouse would not be working royals.

        2. @Jen – but don’t you think that if Harry were permitted to include Sentebale and all of the Invictus work (meetings, prep work, etc) that his numbers would be much higher? I think his numbers are kept artificially low. While I do think that Harry could definitely work more, I also think he’s in a bad position because I do think he does a lot of “private” charity work that isn’t counted or reported on. So it looks like he is doing less than he actually is…while for William, I think they make it look like he’s doing more than he actually is with his fake (IMO) job and fake bespoke courses and such.

          However, I had a thought while reading everyone’s comments about whether Harry and Meghan would be “required” to keep their numbers lower than William — the other royals that are “lower” than William and Kate (Charles’s siblings and Sophie) aren’t required to keep lower numbers than the heir to the heir, William…so maybe Harry and his wife (Meghan, please!) would be free to work as much as they want. And, I do think if Megs marries Harry, that she would want to work more than the pace set by Kate. Meghan has already said she wants to quit acting to focus more on humanitarian work so I imagine should would relish the platform she’d have as a royal.

          I agree with others who think that they would want to begin having children right away due to their ages (and Harry has said many times he’d like children/is ready for children), however – assuming her pregnancy is healthy and “normal” – I don’t see them hiding away during pregnancy or taking a long maternity leave. Diana, Sarah, Sophie (health permitting), and e.g. the Swedish royals, all worked during and post-pregnancy, so maybe/hopefully Megs would have no problem working through pregnancy and being a working mother. I would be really disappointed if she – or any royal receiving so much public money – wanted to be a stay at home parent (note I say this strictly with regard to royals who receive tax-payer money, not regular people who choose to stay home to raise children…I have no problem with stay at home moms or dads!!).

          I also don’t agree with the general sentiment that Harry is just as anti-media as William is. I don’t think Harry necessarily loves the media or anything like that, but I do think he appears more willing to work with them or accept their necessity (to get his message out) than William is. So I really don’t think he would keep his children so out of the public view as W&K do. I think Harry and Sparkles would let their children be “normal” in the sense of letting them frolic and play with Peter and Zara’s children at different events or maybe even post regular pictures of them like Madeleine of Sweden (not necessarily on FB, but, you know). I guess I just can’t imagine that Harry would suddenly out-William William once he gets married. To me, Harry is more outgoing, more relaxed, more sociable, more into hanging with other family members (Charles, the York girls, Zara) and hardworking…plus Meghan also seems outgoing and hardworking so I just can’t imagine that they would both change their personalities post-marriage. (I hope!)

          To me, William (intentionally/unconsciously) married someone who brings out his worst qualities and who doesn’t push him in any way to change or grow as a person. Meghan doesn’t seem like Kate in that way, to me. I know it’s stretching, but I partly attribute this to having a therapist for a mother. As a therapist myself, I would hope that Meghan’s mother has encouraged her to work out her issues and find ways to be curious about life and how to grow as a person.

          I’m laughing as I write all this though, because it’s pure speculation and projection based on my liking Harry – and definitely Meghan – better than William and Kate. So, I fully admit that H&M may completely disappoint me and be just as lazy and privacy-obsessed as W&K have turned out to be. Le sigh…I really hope not!

          Regarding the Jamaica pictures (again…projection, lol) but I started wondering if he was ill, not throwing a strop, because he seemed better (less petulant and more affectionate) both the day before when exiting the church holding hands, and the next day when H&M were walking on the beach, talking with other guests, and frolicking in the water together.

          Sorry this is so long!!

          1. @Gudgeon, my take is that both brothers are similar in that they enjoy the entitlements their positions hold. Harry appears to be pretty comfortable on that ride which up till now has not involved much heavy lifting. But why should UK taxpayers fund his personal interests? It makes no sense, nor is it sustainable. Harry and the rest are in service to the people, not the other way round. Furthermore, should the BRF be counting their charity excursions as work at all when millions of citizens roll up their sleeves on a daily basis, unpaid, donating time and expertise to charitable causes? If Meghan and Harry decide to make a go of it, fine, it’s their choice entirely. But if they intend replicating the slothful William and Kate, thinking that people will cheer them on, I think they will have a nasty shock coming their way.

  16. Thanks for your level-headed response MMR!! I guess it really isn’t wise to place so much expectation on any human being.

    1. I think it’s best to go into Harry’s wife with little expectations. We can have ideas of what we’d like to see in terms of work ethic and such, but we shouldn’t have too many expectations.

      Like with my comments about Meghan in this article, previously I got excited because she seemed more like the type of woman I’d pick to be a royal – more confident and supportive of the causes I care about – but if she’s naturally not the type of person who dominates a conversation (which is what I thought previously), then I need to adjust my expectations. And that’s not saying that there is anything wrong with Meghan, that’s just saying that I need to adjust my thought process.

      1. I think after the OTT way Kate was sold to the public and the sky high expectations created, we all need to approach Harry’s wife, whom ever they may be, with no expectations.

  17. I wouldn’t want Harry’s wife to work harder to spite Kate. I would want her to work harder because she wants to and enjoys it. Honestly, I can’t see Meghan ditching her charitable activities to appease some daft bimbo who can’t even fake being interested in the people around her. I reserved judgment on Meghan until I saw more from her in this environment. I like her but I think the RF will be too stifling, too restrictive for her. Unless Harry says that they’re going to do what they’ve been doing and not acquiesce to whiny little Billy and lazy Katie, I don’t see Meghan pulling the trigger on marriage. And I certainly hope she doesn’t compromise herself for a man.

    1. I totally agree with your sentiments, Meghan. The only way around any restrictions on outworking the slothful Cambs (which sounds ridiculous if you think about it) would be to put a lot of effort into private good works, without worrying about the court circular and numbers. Unfortunately, using taxpayers to finance you is the real spanner in the works and that’s where numbers really count. Harry also has the choice to live on his own income (when hell freezes over).

      The well-reasoned comments here are persuading me that Harry will maintain the status quo and that we’re not going to see more from him and any future wife than we are seeing now. He’s charming but he’s very much like his brother when it comes to entitlement. I would like him to pleasantly surprise us but am not holding my breath.

      1. I have a feeling you’re correct, Maven. As much as I like Harry he is still incredibly tone deaf and out of touch with the real world. It would be unfair to discount the work he’s done with Sentebale and Invictus, however, his sense of entitlement is very apparent. I just don’t see Meghan shutting up and putting up with that thinking. At least, not for long. Maybe she can help him see the level of his immense privilege and that he doesn’t have to stand in his brother’s shadow. I’m not British but I feel like Harry stepping up would do more to energize the public than any ugly £3,000 dress and nude court shoes does on the best day.

  18. The Express ( not sure if reliable) reports that odds makers think a Harry/Meghan engagement more likely than a new election, and that Harry is giving Meghan a Mini for her birthday. If true, I want to know where she will keep the car. If in London, that seems like a huge clue. Of course this is all pure speculation and probably fantasy.

  19. I literally just discovered this; is this ran by the same person as KMR?

    I’ll be following from now on.

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