Royalty Thread #8.....A Pregnant Pause

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My first baby was born in a hospital outside Windsor...in Ascot. I was the only private patient there. People...staff... kept coming to look at me.....they must have been so disappointed to find just a person.
 
mag said:
I believe Princess Anne was the first to give birth in a hospital and pretty much everyone before that was born in a palace.
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The Queen was born at 17, Bruton Street, which, while not too shabby, was most certainly not a palace.
 
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mag said:
Again though, the press can simply state that she will not be doing a photo op rather than making a comment about how it doesn’t fit with her feminist ideals.
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Can't cut and paste from this article: https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrit...on-the-steps-photo-with-royal-baby-like-kate/

The article basically states that the optics of a glamorous picture shortly after birth aren't likely what Meghan wants, given that she's a feminist.

:confused:

It's true that a female royal can do a lot to advance the rights and interests of women and girls, and hence be adhering to feminist ideals. But, the traditions, protocols and obligations of royal families are such that they are not the most welcoming place for feminists. From a fashion standpoint, to give just one example. I can't imagine a royal woman saying she won't wear fancy hats or high heels because she is a feminist.:yikes:

Kate may want some private time before introducing her newborn to the world. But I'm sure she had to negotiate to get it.
 
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^^ I think you meant Meghan where you first mention Kate, no?

As everyone knows who has closely followed the royal family over the years, HM Queen Elizabeth, behind her stern expression, stellar dignity, strong adherence to duty, and uber queenly status, she's basically a loving grandma at heart. She's also basically an English country lass who loves dogs and horses.

In her recent book, Becoming, Michelle Obama provided this further unique insight on what the Queen truly feels behind her careful composure:

Michelle talks about meeting the Queen and Prince Philip for lunch at the palace in the final year of Barack's presidency:

"After we'd touched down in a field on the palace grounds ... the Queen abruptly threw a wrench into everything [outlined by the protocol briefers] by gesturing for me to join her in the backseat of the Range Rover. I froze, trying to remember ... whether it was more polite to go along with [the Queen's command] or to insist that Barack take his proper seat by [the Queen's side]. The Queen immediately picked up on my hesitation, and was having none of it. 'Did they give you some rule about this?' she said, dismissing all the fuss with a wave of her hand. 'That's rubbish. Sit wherever you want.'"

:rofl:

Michelle also had this to say about QE-II in her book:
"Barack and I developed a special fondness for Queen Elizabeth, who reminded Barack of his no-nonsense grandmother [who helped raised him in Hawaii]. Over the course of many visits, Queen Elizabeth showed me that humanity is more important than protocol or formality."

So that said, I don't think the Queen makes any of her family members stand on too much ceremonial protocol these days. To be honest, I believe that QE-II has shown an innate skill for adapting to change, which is one of the key hallmarks of her great reign. She seems to be a direct, kind, no-nonsense woman with a generous sense of humor and a desire to see the members of her family happy, productive, and fulfilled.

And btw, after the wedding of Meghan and Harry, a biography of the Duchess of Sussex was immediately posted on the main Royal Family's official website. While it has been slightly edited to add a reference to her work on Suits, etc., it has contained from the start references to Meghan's interest in women's empowerment, and significantly this quote by Meghan, from a speech she gave at the UN in 2015:
"I am proud to be a woman and a feminist."

Check it out. Scroll to the end of the page: https://www.royal.uk/duchess-sussex

In other news, the newly launched Instagram account of the Sussexes is said to have achieved a Guiness World record for the fastest and largest accumulation of followers within an 8 hour period: over 1.2 million. Within 24 hours, their Instagram account had reached 2.2 million followers. And when I last checked some hours ago, it was at 3.3 million followers. This with only a grand total of two posts so far. :D
 
One thing I loved about Kate was her wearing dresses that clearly displayed that she still had a post-pregnancy tummy in the photos taken as she left the hospital following the birth of her babies. We don't see that from many celebrities and it is so refreshing to see a woman who looks like she really had a baby even if she has hairdressers and make up artists to disguise the fact she has been on quite the ride.
 
A pet peeve of mine the the assumption that taking time to look good after you have had a baby is somehow antifeminist. Or that a have a C Section or using drugs is somehow less “natural” and therefore not as good.

Where you have your baby, who is involved with the birth, what kind of interventions you need, are all personal choices that should, IMHO, be made with only one thing in mind, the health of the mom and the baby. Furthermore, advice should come from trained and qualified medical practitioners and friends and the general public should butt out completely.

I do not understand all the fuss around whether or not Meghan shows up for a photo op with the baby. Show up or don’t, neither is a “better” or “more feminist” choice. I am sure Meghan is horrified that the press is spinning it that way as it comes across and throwing shade on Kate and I don’t get the impression that is Meghan’s style at all.

Feminism is supposed to be about women taking control of their own lives not trying to control other women’s lives. That means that some women may make choices that you don’t agree with in the same way that some men make choices you don’t agree with.m
 
mag said:
A pet peeve of mine the the assumption that taking time to look good after you have had a baby is somehow antifeminist. Or that a have a C Section or using drugs is somehow less “natural” and therefore not as good.
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I made sure I was at least wearing concealer and mascara for photos right after my kids were born. :lol:
 
ballettmaus said:
I'm more curious to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl and what their name is going to be than what the baby looks like so that's fine with me :)
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Heh, the Danish royals don't make the names public until the christening months later. Imagine if the British royal family did that! People wouldn't know what to do :lol:

I hope everything will go well for Meghan and the baby, regardless of name, sex, or photo choices.
 
In this context (the birth of Harry & Meghan's child) what in the world does feminism have to do with it?

Royal traditions are lovely. And, appearing so that people can take a picture of the baby, IMO, in no way diminishes anyone's sexual equality.

Whatever the couple decides to do about who is where and when is their business.

There are some protocols, however, that are incumbent upon them as members of the Royal Family. I remember William went to tell the queen of the birth, gender and name before anyone else was told. I assume the same holds true for Harry.

As to pictures of the baby............man, I would get that out of the way, or they will not have a moment's peace.
 
Didn't we wait a few days for the name of at least one of Kate and William's kids?

I don't need to see the baby either (they all look pretty much alike to me :lol:) but I do like the tradition. Maybe it was more important for George because he's a direct heir to the throne ("see commoners, your future king is alive and well") and then keep that tradition for their next children, but was this done when Andrew's kids were born too? I could see Meghan and Harry doing the modern thing and putting the first photos out on their just-launched (ahem) Insta account.
 
Jenny said:
Didn't we wait a few days for the name of at least one of Kate and William's kids?

I don't need to see the baby either (they all look pretty much alike to me :lol:) but I do like the tradition. Maybe it was more important for George because he's a direct heir to the throne ("see commoners, your future king is alive and well") and then keep that tradition for their next children, but was this done when Andrew's kids were born too? I could see Meghan and Harry doing the modern thing and putting the first photos out on their just-launched (ahem) Insta account.
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I'm actually assuming this is why Meghan and Harry have launched an Instagram account. The timing seems too coincidental.
 
Jenny said:
Didn't we wait a few days for the name of at least one of Kate and William's kids?

I don't need to see the baby either (they all look pretty much alike to me :lol:) but I do like the tradition. Maybe it was more important for George because he's a direct heir to the throne ("see commoners, your future king is alive and well") and then keep that tradition for their next children, but was this done when Andrew's kids were born too? I could see Meghan and Harry doing the modern thing and putting the first photos out on their just-launched (ahem) Insta account.
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I think we waited a few days with all 3 of them. I remember discussing George and Charlotte's names with co-workers. One of them laughed at me when I said I thought Louis would be one of George's names.
 
Habs said:
I'm actually assuming this is why Meghan and Harry have launched an Instagram account. The timing seems too coincidental.
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Geesh. Here is a piece of protocol that will no be ignored:

CTV
The Queen is always the first to know – Tradition has long held that the King or Queen must be the first to know that a new royal heir has been born. When Prince George was born, William called his grandmother on a specially encrypted phone to tell her the news first. Only after that call was made did the couple call Kate's parents, William’s father Prince Charles and his brother Prince Harry.
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T&C [/QUOTE]

And,
Harry being so close to his grand mother would not insult her by not telling her first.
As for that picture leaving the hospital.....

as to pictures:
Victoria Arbiter thinks they will, if only to quell the rabid interest in unsanctioned pictures. "If I were a betting person, I would think Meghan and Harry would stop for a photograph because by standing and giving the press what they need in that photograph and in that moment, it reduces the value of any kind of paparazzi pictures," she says. "That first photograph has the potential to be incredibly valuable. Which is when you see royals take control of the narrative. And they say, 'We’ll give you this picture but in exchange you’ve got to leave us alone and respect our privacy.'"
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And, Meghan is NOT going to miss the most compelling and important photo that will ever be taken of her.
 
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aftershocks said:
In other news, the newly launched Instagram account of the Sussexes is said to have achieved a Guiness World record for the fastest and largest accumulation of followers within an 8 hour period: over 1.2 million. Within 24 hours, their Instagram account had reached 2.2 million followers. And when I last checked some hours ago, it was at 3.3 million followers. This with only a grand total of two posts so far.
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Michelle Kwan is one of the millions of @sussexroyal followers on Instagram. :) The Instagram record I referenced was actually 1.4 million followers for the Sussexes within a 5-hour period. At one point, so many people were clicking on the 'follow' button that the software automatically forced a timeout to avoid the platform crashing. :p The number of followers is currently at 4.1 million.

Meghan & Harry have posted thanks to those donating to charitable causes in honor of their soon-to-be newborn. They also suggest charities donors may wish to consider. The #GlobalSussexBabyShower campaign began on March 31 (U.K. Mother's Day) and is expected to continue through May 12 (U.S. Mother's Day). It was started by a group of Sussex fans on Twitter who were looking for something positive to do to counteract the negativity constantly directed toward Meghan by some people in the media and online.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv4Ou8nBFDE/

BTW, Samantha's real name is Yvonne, so I'm sure that's out too. Some have suggested 'Doriana' for a girl, as it's a combo of Diana and Doria. I thought one of the middle names for a girl might be 'Henrietta.' There are so many traditional royal family names to choose from, including 'Victoria, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane, Anne or Anna, Carolina, Isabella,' etc. I don't think they would saddle a daughter with the first name 'Diana,' but it could be one of the middle names.

Also possible as one of the names is Meghan's grandmother's name, 'Jeanette.' And, since lovely Daphne Dunn, Harry's 99-year-old Australian friend died this week, maybe H&M would name their baby (if it's a girl) 'Daphne' in honor of Dunn's memory. It's sad H&M won't have the chance to see Daphne on their next visit to Australia, bringing their baby along, as they'd hoped.
 
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AxelAnnie said:
And, Meghan is NOT going to miss the most compelling and import photo that will ever be taken of her.
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What would make a picture of Meghan leaving the hospital with baby and hubby "the most compelling and import photo ever taken of her." :drama:

When she was an actor, it was part of Meghan's livelihood to seek attention in order to gain notice, interest and work. Now that she's one of the most famous women in the world, and married to one of the most press-despising men in the world, Meghan seems very content to stay out of the public glare as much as possible. When she is on public engagements though, she is certainly quite comfortable and at ease with being seen, naturally.

I don't think 'feminism' will have anything to do with the Sussexes deciding to pose or not to pose for cameras outside of whatever hospital they choose. :COP: Now that it has been reported the Sussexes have finally moved to Frogmore, they will surely be making a final decision with Meghan's doctors about which hospital they will choose for the impending birth. According to reports, there are at least three hospitals near Windsor: Frimley Park Hospital (where Sophie Countess of Wessex gave birth to her two children), King Edward VII Hospital, and The Princess Margaret Hospital.

The fact that birth plans were up in the air for so long is reportedly due to the fact that so much is going on, and the Sussexes did not know exactly when they would be moving to Frogmore Cottage. If the renovations to their new home had been delayed for much longer, there was a possibility they might still be at KP when the baby decided it was time to be born. In that case, Meghan would have given birth at Lindo Wing.

Now that the Sussexes have moved, there have been a lot of media reports in the U.S. But it would be a good thing if U.S. coverage would stop showing pictures of Frogmore House and referring to it as Frogmore Cottage. NOT!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkh1mm8861M
 
On the Sussexes' Instagram, tucked away as the third picture among the set which shows Prince Harry with Prince Charles, Prince William, and David Attenborough at the recent Our Planet premiere, there's a never before released photo of Meghan and Harry in Botswana in 2017. They are assisting in strapping a tracking collar around a bull elephant:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv2HM4mBGT8/ Click to third photo

More about that photo and the Botswana trip M&H enjoyed in August 2017:
http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/
And scroll down in the above link for further for reports about the Sussexes' baby moon at Heckfield Place, a luxury hotel in Hampshire, England
https://www.heckfieldplace.com/
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a27047930/meghan-markle-prince-harry-babymoon/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heckfield_Place
https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/united-kingdom/heckfield/heckfield-place

Casual pictures of Meghan and Harry were taken as they departed Ilapothecary near KP several days ago. The pictures were not published in British newspapers, reportedly because it was felt that taking the pictures was an invasion of the Sussexes' privacy since they were not on a public engagement. However, the paps were able to sell the photos to media outlets in the U.S.

The photos seem harmless, but I understand the perception of privacy invasion, because the photos were sold for a lot of money. In any case, Meghan looks happy and content. She is wearing one of Harry's jackets, a casual t-shirt, and jeans. Around her neck is the gold "Mummy" necklace she received as a gift at her baby shower. Harry blocks his face with his arm.
http://www.meghansmirror.com/street-style/meghan-harry-visit-ilapothecary-in-london/
https://www.ilapothecary.com/
Just a normal, expectant couple out and about on a routine errand weeks before their new baby arrives. Yet they aren't a normal couple, and nothing in their lives is quite routine. They will obviously try to make things as normal as possible in raising their offspring. I think Harry is very happy to have a wife who led a commonplace, normal life growing up. Of course, Meghan's parents made sure that her education was above-average.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7QwYYAvVo report on Sussexes' move to Windsor

Now that they have moved into Frogmore Cottage, we may or may not learn anything about M&H's hospital plans. Since there are a number of hospitals in the Windsor vicinity, it will be difficult for the press to learn where the birth will take place, unless the royals release that information. Possibly, Meghan could be taken to one of any number of hospitals, give birth in a private wing, and return to Frogmore after a day or so without the public finding out right away.
 
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Girl: Alexandra or Mary if traditionally royal. Could very well be a non-royal name
Boy: Arthur or Alfred. But more likely something less traditionally royal as there are not a ton of traditional names left that are not already used in the family. The current House of Windsor has not named children for living family members.

Precedent for less traditional names would be Anne's children, born to a mother 4th in line and guaranteed to drop quickly as their uncles had children, they were allowed to have very non-traditional names. This child is born even farther down the line than Anne was at the time her children were born. Prince Louis was not given a traditional regnal name, either, likely allowed due to his place in line.

Fun fact: the name Zara was suggested to Anne by Prince Charles. One has to wonder what sort of names he would have liked for his own children were he not constrained by royal tradition.

I think that Meghan and Harry better do the Lindo Wing and the traditional photos leaving. Anything else will throw fuel on the fire of the ridiculous "she's not really pregnant" narrative. I'm not a Meghan fan and I think that is absurd.
 
My guess is that a boy will be given the name Charles, in recognition of the caring way Prince Charles has welcomed Meghan into the family. Charlotte is already taken for a girl, but Carol is another female version of the name Charles. It is really old fashioned, I know, which is why it is one of my names. LOL.
 
JasperBoy said:
My guess is that a boy will be given the name Charles, in recognition of the caring way Prince Charles has welcomed Meghan into the family. Charlotte is already taken for a girl, but Carol is another female version of the name Charles. It is really old fashioned, I know, which is why it is one of my names. LOL.
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It would be a big departure as first names of living family members have not been repeated for some time (since the Queen herself). I just don't see it happening. As a middle name, possibly, though, I suspect we'll see Phillip as a middle name before Charles. And I'm a bit surprised that it didn't show up in Louis's names. Arthur is one of Charles's middle names, FTR.

For all the shaming of Charles as a father, his names and influence showed up heavily for William's kids: George is one of his middle names and Louis--likely for Lord Mountbatten as a middle name; Charlotte is the female version of his first name; and Louis is named for his beloved Lord Mountbatten with two of his names as middle names. Interesting...

Unused names in the family tree going back through George I: Boys: John, Frederick, Alfred, Albert, Leopold, Arthur, Augustus, Ernst, Adolphus

Girls: Mary, Margaret, Augusta, Adelaide, Sophia, Maud, Victoria, Caroline, Helena, Alice

Checking middle names adds some more options including Rose, David, Alexandra.

I think Alexandra or Mary may be girl frontrunners as those are the Queen's middle names. I predicted George and Charlotte's names--including middle names for Charlotte. Louis surprised me. Harry and Meghan may surprise us, too, for the reasons stated previously.
 
JasperBoy said:
My guess is that a boy will be given the name Charles, in recognition of the caring way Prince Charles has welcomed Meghan into the family. Charlotte is already taken for a girl, but Carol is another female version of the name Charles. It is really old fashioned, I know, which is why it is one of my names. LOL.
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I thought Carol was a female version of Carl, not Charles. If it is maybe they will use it for a middle name. Carol doesn't sound very traditional to me.

PDilemma said:
For all the shaming of Charles as a father, his names and influence showed up heavily for William's kids: George is one of his middle names and Louis--likely for Lord Mountbatten as a middle name; Charlotte is the female version of his first name; and Louis is named for his beloved Lord Mountbatten with two of his names as middle names. Interesting...
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I've never seen any shaming of Charles as a father. All the shaming I've seen was for his adultery. But I do think he deserves the honor of his name being used by M&H for the way he has welcomed Meghan & her mother & I think he was a pretty involved father after Diana's death. I like a lot of the names suggested here but I don't really care what they choose.
 
I think Carol is uncommon nowadays, but it doesn't sound old-fashioned to me (which is a great combo).
 
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