Harry and Meghan wedding chat- the build up!

[Lorac]

It's interesting that Meghan, her mother and Harry will be spending the night before the wedding at Cliveden House in Windsor, Berkshire:

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/travel-guide/a9035896/cliveden-house/

http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/ Scroll down for details about Cliveden House

I don't believe Harry will be staying at Cliveden House. The reports I've seen state he along with Prince William will be staying at the Dorchester Collections Coworth Park hotel also in Windsor.

 

[SHARPIE]

Sounds like so much fun! I will be doing same thing as I did for William and Kate's wedding. Up while it's still dark, scones into the oven, then settle in front of our biggest tv in my jammies, remote in hand, a spread of sandwiches (on a tiered stand of course) and Devonshire cream and other goodies on the table in front of me, my best china for tea. Once the vows are exchanged, out comes the Moët & Chandon

What is everyone else doing??

That's in the evening, for the actual wedding I was thinking of staying holed up in the hotel room but that's boring and I can only get Sky news in there. (Kay Burley ) but I've found a bar which has BBC and great wifi so I'll be up there from 12pm Zante time (10am Brit time) with my iPad posting rubbish on here while slurping a few drinks.

I think Barry will join me reluctantly at least it's open air ish so he can catch some rays.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

I''m debating whether I should watch it live or sleep in and just dvr it. In the days of my youth I woke at the crack of dawn to watch Harry's late mother Diana and his dad get married. Then I did the same for his big bro years later with Kate. I just hope that the wedding comes off beautifully for Meghan and Harry and that her dad will be okay. Now I'm seeing reports of possible heart surgery for Mr. Markle. I hope that this is not true, just gossip from the media.

I love the idea of an English breakfast or tea. I'm at my parent's in Central Florida though so I sure don't feel like baking. I'll probably just pick some scones up and other goodies to celebrate the big event.

 

[Jenny]

I've read stuff online (so who knows how accurate) that she hasn't had any type of relationship with them in years and then she became a big deal actress and they started hounding her for money.

They're vultures - a crew of them has already showed up in London (accurate, there's a picture) for who knows what reason, because they're aren't invited to the wedding.

 

[Jenny]

ooo bridesmaids and page boys revealed!

Big Canadian connection here - all three of Jessica and Ben Mulroney's children are in the party!

at US Weekly saying Jessica is married to former Canadian Prime Minister Brian. Um no, she's married to his son.

 

[Lorac]

They're vultures - a crew of them has already showed up in London (accurate, there's a picture) for who knows what reason, because they're aren't invited to the wedding.

Just read the link and they are going to do some commentary for Good Morning Britain All the more reason to watch the BBC coverage then.

 

[Lara]

ooo bridesmaids and page boys revealed!

Big Canadian connection here - all three of Jessica and Ben Mulroney's children are in the party!

at US Weekly saying Jessica is married to former Canadian Prime Minister Brian. Um no, she's married to his son.

When I saw the list I wondered at the name but figured it was just a coincidence. Nope! Now I recall my mother telling me about the friendship and Jessica helping to plan the wedding.

 

[skatesindreams]

Reportedly, they also provided privacy for the couple as their relationship developed.

 

[Jenny]

When I saw the list I wondered at the name but figured it was just a coincidence. Nope! Now I recall my mother telling me about the friendship and Jessica helping to plan the wedding.

Ben is co-host of an entertainment program in Canada, well known in his own right as he's also hosted other shows including Canadian Idol, done red carpet reporting etc.

More trivia: despite being from politically opposed families, Ben and current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are also friends, having grown up both sons of Prime Ministers, and I believe attended each other's weddings.

 

[Lara]

That makes sense.

I think I had the same dentist as Ben as a child, there was a photo of the Mulroney kids IIRC!

It's a bit funny to see them referred as Master on the list since that's rarely used back home in my experience. I also wonder if it's just for this wedding or if flower girl = bridesmaid in the UK. I should ask lol but one of my coworkers isn't terribly interested.

 

[SHARPIE]

No, flower girls are different to bridesmaids. I had 4 adult bridesmaids at my wedding and two young girls (aged 4 and 6) as flower girls.

 

[Jot the Dot Dot]

Best quote: "It's really weird stuffing money into a stripper's G string when every bill has a photo of your grandmother printed on it". Prince Harry, at his bachelor party in London last night.

 

[Jenny]

Here's a cute pic of the Mulroney family.

 

[Lorac]

That makes sense.

I think I had the same dentist as Ben as a child, there was a photo of the Mulroney kids IIRC!

It's a bit funny to see them referred as Master on the list since that's rarely used back home in my experience. I also wonder if it's just for this wedding or if flower girl = bridesmaid in the UK. I should ask lol but one of my coworkers isn't terribly interested.

Over the years the usage of the term 'flower girl' for bridesmaids who are children under 10 or there abouts has become more common here in the UK. However when I was younger the only phrase used was 'bridesmaid' regardless of age the only difference being Maid or Matron of Honour who usually an adult and either best friend or sister of the bride. The Royal here are sticking to the more traditional name for bridesmaids which makes sense.

 

[Simone411]

I've been watching episodes and shows on BBC America most of this week which will lead up to the Royal Wedding. You can also watch live on the website, BBC America: Schedule

Today, they're showing episodes of Charles and Diana including the Royal Wedding. There's also an episode that begins at 2:30 P.M: Charles and Diana: The First Decade.

 

[aftershocks]

Names of bridesmaids (flower girls) and page boys released on KP Twitter:

https://www.royal.uk/bridesmaids-and-page-boys-wedding-prince-harry-and-ms-meghan-markle

Very interesting. I'm not surprised about Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Meghan's friends' daughters (Litt & Mulroney) and the Mulroney twin boys. I did not know much about Harry's goddaughters, but I knew his friend and mentor Mark Dyer's son would be in the wedding party.

I'm kind of surprised that there won't be an older young lady to help keep those very young rambunctious children in line. I was thinking that 14-year-old Lady Louise Wessex (Prince Edward's daughter) might be asked to serve as a bridesmaid to help with guiding those younger children. This is going to be very interesting, especially if all of these youngsters are going to be in the car with Meghan! Probably only a few of them will accompany Meghan in the car to the church. Meghan is excellent with children, I know, but this is her wedding day after all. If the children all have calm personalities, perhaps they will behave. I'm sure they will all be very cute and look sweet in their outfits. Maybe Jessica Mulroney and/or Mark Dyer's wife will be at Meghan's side with the children prior to the wedding party entering the church, and they could help. I would imagine that the children (or at least the very youngest) will be taken to a separate room in the church during the hour-long ceremony. Children can be understandably restless.

I'm not sure what the latest news is on who will walk Meghan down the aisle. I won't be surprised if her mother does the honors. Personally, if her father isn't healthy enough to be there, I would hope that Meghan's friend, Markus Anderson, could walk her down the aisle. He's been like an older brother to her, and they have been extremely close. That's probably why he was included to sit with Meghan in the stands and later to be in the box with Meghan and Harry at the Invictus games last September.

 

[Lorac]

Names of bridesmaids (flower girls) and page boys released on KP Twitter:

https://www.royal.uk/bridesmaids-and-page-boys-wedding-prince-harry-and-ms-meghan-markle

Very interesting. I'm not surprised about Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Meghan's friends' daughters (Litt & Mulroney) and the Mulroney twin boys. I did not know much about Harry's goddaughters, but I knew his friend and mentor Mark Dyer's son would be in the wedding party.

I'm kind of surprised that there won't be an older young lady to help keep those very young rambunctious children in line. I was thinking that 14-year-old Lady Louise Wessex (Prince Edward's daughter) might be asked to serve as a bridesmaid to help with guiding those younger children. This is going to be very interesting, especially if all of these youngsters are going to be in the car with Meghan! Probably only a few of them will accompany Meghan in the car to the church. Meghan is excellent with children, I know, but this is her wedding day after all. If the children all have calm personalities, perhaps they will behave. I'm sure they will all be very cute and look sweet in their outfits. Maybe Jessica Mulroney and/or Mark Dyer's wife will be at Meghan's side with the children prior to the wedding party entering the church, and they could help. I would imagine that the children (or at least the very youngest) will be taken to a separate room in the church during the hour-long ceremony. Children can be understandably restless.

I'm not sure what the latest news is on who will walk Meghan down the aisle. I won't be surprised if her mother does the honors. Personally, if her father isn't healthy enough to be there, I would hope that Meghan's friend, Markus Anderson, could walk her down the aisle. He's been like an older brother to her, and they have been extremely close. That's probably why he was included to sit with Meghan and to be in the box with Meghan and Harry at the Invictus games last September.

I am willing to bet that none of the bridesmaids and page boys will travel with Meghan and her Mother - in fact I have never gone to a wedding where the bridesmaids travel with the bride - they come earlier and are at the church to meet the bride when she arrives. I would suspect a couple of the Mothers will be in charge of getting the little ones ready to meet the bride when she arrives. I do agree that not having an older bridesmaid to guide them down the aisle could be disastrous so it will be interesting to see how they do that.

I am hoping that if Thomas Markel can't be there that her Mother does the honours of walking her daughter down the aisle.

 

[aftershocks]

I am willing to bet that none of the bridesmaids and page boys will travel with Meghan and her Mother - in fact I have never gone to a wedding where the bridesmaids travel with the bride - they come earlier and are at the church to meet the bride when she arrives. I would suspect a couple of the Mothers will be in charge of getting the little ones ready to meet the bride when she arrives. I do agree that not having an older bridesmaid to guide them down the aisle could be disastrous so it will be interesting to see how they do that.

I am hoping that if Thomas Markel can't be there that her Mother does the honours of walking her daughter down the aisle.

I'm basing my earlier comments upon Kensington Palace's own press release from a week ago in which they stated that Meghan's mother would travel with Meghan to Windsor Castle, where "Ms. Ragland will head onto the Chapel and Ms. Markle will be joined by some of the Bridesmaids and Page Boys before she continues her journey to the church..."

So clearly the original plan as announced is for Meghan's mother to ride with her to Windsor Castle and then her mother would depart for the church while "some of the Bridesmaids and Page Boys" will join Meghan in the car before she continues to the church. If this is still the plan, then those who will be joining Meghan may be the Litt and Mulroney youngsters. Perhaps Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Harry's godchildren will meet Meghan and the other children at the church entrance. We will soon find out. Plans may be adjusted if Meghan's mother will be walking her down the aisle.

In regard to the Mulroneys, it's been said that Meghan met Jessica on the set of Suits where Jessica was a stylist. It's also been said that Meghan's former boyfriend, Canadian chef Cory Vitiello, introduced her to some of her high society Toronto friends. Meghan and her Suits castmates used to dine at Vitiello's fashionable Harbord Room restaurant. Meghan and Vitiello began dating (2014 - 2016), and Vitiello later served as a guest chef on Meghan's Tig lifestyle website which she launched in 2014. Around that same time or perhaps a year or so earlier, Meghan met Markus Anderson of Soho House. Markus worked his way up from a waiter to top assistant to the chief executive of Soho House in London. Markus opened the Toronto branch of Soho House circa 2013. I believe it was Markus who introduced Meghan to designer Misha Nonoo at a charity event in Miami in late 2014. Nonoo was born to a prominent family in Bahrain, and she was married to and later divorced one of Prince Harry's school chums, Alexander Gilkes.

Here are the pictures from early December 2014 at the Miami charity event:
https://www.gettyimages.com/event/w...d-white-cube-gallery-soho-picture-id459864638
Above pic shows Meghan with Cory and Markus

https://www.gettyimages.com/event/w...e-cube-gallery-soho-beach-picture-id459865672
Above pic shows Markus with Misha Nonoo, Alexander Gilkes, Nick Jones (chief exec of Soho House), and other friends...

Jessica Mulroney nee Brownstein, is from a wealthy family who made their money in the retail fashion industry with a chain of shoe stores. It's likely Jessica who introduced Meghan to PM Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie (who are friendly with Prince Harry). So clearly the trajectory toward Meghan eventually meeting Prince Harry was seemingly coming together even prior to Meghan meeting Violet von Westenholz in connection with a work project for Ralph Lauren. Ms. von Westenholz grew up with Prince Harry and she's also friendly with Misha Nonoo and Markus Anderson. After the Meghan & Harry engagement interview, when von Westenholz was questioned about whether she was the matchmaker, she didn't confirm it directly. She was quoted as saying that "others were involved." I would take that to mean it may have been von Westenholz' idea for the blind date, but that other friends like Nonoo, Markus, and even Jessica would also have aided and abetted in Prince Harry and Meghan coming together for that first date. And the rest is history.

Prior to mention of von Westenholz, Nonoo and/or Markus were widely speculated to be the matchmakers:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4916724/Markus-Anderson-man-introduced-Meghan-Harry.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5...ince-harry-married-alexander-gilkes-met-gala/
https://www.express.co.uk/news/roya...Harry-who-set-up-who-is-Violet-Von-Westenholz
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/01/prince-harry-meghan-markle-matchmaker-violet-von-westenholz

 

[becca]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.me...otos-did-royals-do-enough-to-protect-him/amp/

Apparently Dad was blackmailed. The paparazzi apparently even rented house next to his.

I don’t see what the big deal is with the photos. He refused interviews. Why not want nice photos of himself.

 

[aftershocks]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.me...otos-did-royals-do-enough-to-protect-him/amp/

Apparently Dad was blackmailed. The paparazzi apparently even rented house next to his.

I don’t see what the big deal is with the photos. He refused interviews. Why not want nice photos of himself.

I mentioned the same earlier, as the article states in hindsight: the Palace should have been offering some protection to Mr. Markle, and more of an effort should have been made for Prince Harry and Mr. Markle to meet sometime ago. I seriously thought that the royals had already sent some security down to Mexico to protect Mr. Markle and to offer him some preparation for the upcoming wedding. If in fact Meghan and Harry have been talking with Mr. Markle frequently, I'm not sure why it wouldn't have occurred to them that he would need assistance and in-person guidance in the lead-up to the wedding. There's been speculation since the engagement was announced regarding Mr. Markle's health, his reclusive personality, and whether or not he would be willing and able to participate in the wedding.

The added headache of the half siblings whining, begging, mouthing off and making empty threats for months should have alerted Meghan to the urgency of making direct personal contact with her father and getting some hands-on guidance and assistance for him. It's really sad for the state of affairs that has transpired surrounding Mr. Markle. I hope he recovers and becomes healthy enough to eventually meet Prince Harry.

The below video about Windsor Castle and St. George's Chapel is informative and entertaining:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dvd-windsor-castle-a-royal-year/10869742

 

[Jenny]

I couldn't access the entire article, but I think it's pushing it to expect the Royal Family to provide that level of security etc for her extended family on the other side of the world. He is not their responsibility.

We should also not assume that Meghan has not been in close touch with him this entire time, or that he has not been fully prepared for this. After all, he was just supposed to show up and walk his daughter down the aisle.

And I hate that this is all we're talking about just three days from the wedding.

 

[Sylvia]

6 crates of fresh, Sicilian lemons for the lemon elderflower royal wedding cake were delivered yesterday to the bakery: https://www.instagram.com/p/BiyP9DIAexF/?taken-by=violetcakeslondon

More about pastry chef Claire Ptak:
https://gatherjournal.com/notebook/meet-claire-ptak-violet-cakes/
http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-fo-re-claire-ptak-royal-wedding-cake-20180323-story.html

ETA link to a New Yorker piece: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Cake Breaks with Centuries of Royal Tradition

 

[mag]

I couldn't access the entire article, but I think it's pushing it to expect the Royal Family to provide that level of security etc for her extended family on the other side of the world. He is not their responsibility.

We should also not assume that Meghan has not been in close touch with him this entire time, or that he has not been fully prepared for this. After all, he was just supposed to show up and walk his daughter down the aisle.

And I hate that this is all we're talking about just three days from the wedding.

Meghan has plenty of resources at her disposal so she could/would have done something if she was able to foresee this problem. It is not as though she is without connections or money in the US. I suspect they all though everything was fine. Quite possible Mr. Markle thought all was fine- until it wasn’t. Life happens.

 

[SHARPIE]

So the dreadful Samantha has now suffered a "broken ankle" after being in a car crash while chased by the paparazzi. If this is bollocks, which I think it is ... this is a new low designed to get to Harry.

 

[Lorac]

So the dreadful Samantha has now suffered a "broken ankle" after being in a car crash while chased by the paparazzi. If this is bollocks, which I think it is ... this is a new low designed to get to Harry.

I usually can't abide Piers Morgan but did enjoy watching the clip of him tearing into this dreadful woman. If she really is injured in the way she claims I'm sorry but she has put herself squarely in the paparazzi's sights and will do anything to claim her 15+ minutes of fame.

 

[skatefan]

Personal statement just released by Meghan Markle

'Sadly my father will not be attending our wedding. I've always cared for him and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health. I'd like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you all on Saturday.'

 

[SHARPIE]

Go Meghan!

 

[SHARPIE]

I'm half expecting her relatives to try to gatecrash the Chapel with bottles of White Lightning and a tray of chips....


(A daily mail comment, made me laugh!)

 

[Lara]

Sorry for Meghan but best to get the announcement over if he's not coming. Hopefully the attention can refocus now on the actual wedding.

 

[Skittl1321]

Best quote: "It's really weird stuffing money into a stripper's G string when every bill has a photo of your grandmother printed on it". Prince Harry, at his bachelor party in London last night.

Surely this isn't a new issue for him?
I mean he's gone to a stag party before.