The clock went back last night and the sun has already set, as I write on this mild autumnal Sunday. Speaking of last night, the first of what I anticipate will be many documentaries about Harry and Meghan aired. When Harry Met Meghan: A Royal Romance began at 9 pm, perfectly clashing with gritty BBC show Gunpowder starring Jon Snow Kit Harrington. Although, I wasn't sure what to expect the royalist in me won out and I wanted to see if any new insights would be offered. There were no groundbreaking revelations (The Telegraph has dubbed it a load of nonsense), however, I found portions of it quite interesting. Katie Nicholl claims Harry had quite the crush on Meghan for two years, telling a friend who later had drinks with Nicholl: "He had a crush on Rachel Zane for two years, he told a friend his ideal girl was Meghan Markle from Suits." The show reiterates knowledge Meghan's longtime close friend Markus Anderson organised a meeting with a group of friends at Soho House on Dean Street.
It also continued to look at the media backlash she endured when the relationship became public. When Kensington Palace released the statement condemning the behaviour of the press, Prince Charles was on tour. Interestingly, according to the documentary neither he nor his office knew the statement was coming.
People who had worked with her parents during Meghan's childhood noted how close she is with them and her. The parts that shone in particular were clips and quotes shared by Meghan over the years herself. I thought this one in particular very striking - summing up the values her parents instilled in her:
The most memorable analysis came from Sunday Express royal editor Camilla Tominey, who shared her views on Meghan's possible future role in the Royal family and the role of a modern princess:
This echoes the strong views Meghan has on her involvement with philanthropic causes. For her role as UN women's advocate, she shadowed a UN intern for a week to prepare.
Unfortunately, it hasn't appeared on YouTube yet (I will certainly update the post should it become available). For those in the UK, you can view it on the Channel 4 player.
It also continued to look at the media backlash she endured when the relationship became public. When Kensington Palace released the statement condemning the behaviour of the press, Prince Charles was on tour. Interestingly, according to the documentary neither he nor his office knew the statement was coming.
People who had worked with her parents during Meghan's childhood noted how close she is with them and her. The parts that shone in particular were clips and quotes shared by Meghan over the years herself. I thought this one in particular very striking - summing up the values her parents instilled in her:
"Both my parents came from little, so they made a choice to give a lot: buying turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving, delivering meals to people in hospices, giving spare change to those asking for it."
The most memorable analysis came from Sunday Express royal editor Camilla Tominey, who shared her views on Meghan's possible future role in the Royal family and the role of a modern princess:
"If Meghan wants to be more independent, then that's no bad thing for the monarchy. Moving forward, I don't think modern working women want Princesses to be seen and not heard anymore. They want them to make a contribution to public life in a very vocal sense.
If you look back to Princess Diana, yes she was a style icon and people followed what she wore and her haircut, but people also listened to what she said on issues like aids, HIV and landmines.
Two is better than one. If they are a united front supporting each other in their own charitable aims and endeavours, trying to gain publciity for them and also trying to carve out their own path, then they will see themselves as an enormous force for good, people that can really make a difference on a humanitarian level."
This echoes the strong views Meghan has on her involvement with philanthropic causes. For her role as UN women's advocate, she shadowed a UN intern for a week to prepare.
Unfortunately, it hasn't appeared on YouTube yet (I will certainly update the post should it become available). For those in the UK, you can view it on the Channel 4 player.
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As an avid lover of Jane Austen's works, this next story certainly piqued my interest. The Sunday Express reports: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a gentleman who is in possession of both a good fortune and a young woman he intends to marry must be in need of a suitably elegant country seat. So it is fitting that Prince Harry, who has been house hunting in the Cotswolds, took Meghan Markle to see Luckington Court in Wiltshire, a manor that was used as Elizabeth Bennet’s family home in the BBC’s series of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle."
The Grade II-listed Luckington Court at Luckington, two miles from Badminton, is currently on the market for £7.5 million via Woolley & Wallis.
Adam Helliker wrote: "Luckington Court, surrounded by woodland and with five cottages, was recommended to Harry by his old chum Thomas van Straubenzee, whose Mayfair property search company, VanHan, has drawn up a shortlist of potential royal roosts. The fact that Harry took Meghan to see the house confirms that he is serious about his future with the actress, with whom he has been going out for 15 months. She is expected to move here from Toronto (with her rescue dogs, Bogart and Guy) after she films her last season of Suits next month. Yesterday Woolley & Wallis, the agents in Marlborough marketing the house, refused to elaborate on the Prince’s visit, although they did confirm that the price has been reduced from £9million to £7.75million as its owner, June Pollock, is keen to move. But another local estate agent said: "Harry and Meghan spent two hours looking at Luckington, although we understand they haven’t made an offer yet." A source close to Harry acknowledges that the Prince "loved" Luckington, which is only eight miles from Prince Charles’s home, Highgrove, but says the search is "ongoing". "They both definitely want to be in the Cotswolds, they prefer it to Norfolk [where William and Kate have a house] and they are looking at a shortlist of properties – not too big or too showy, but obviously with the need for privacy and staff accommodation."
Let's take a peek inside...
One of the eight bedrooms.
If the rumours are true and Harry and Meghan are indeed house hunting in the Cotswolds, the 'Bennett House' would make for one beautiful country residence.
I think Elizabeth and Mr Darcy would approve :)
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We leave you this timely throwback from Meghan's Instagram on Halloween last year. News of the couple's budding romance had only recently broke. Harry was visiting and Meghan showed her lighter side by sharing a snap of her carved pumpkin.
An early Happy Halloween to all celebrating! As October comes to a close, could November be the month for a certain announcement?