Back in February the Duchess of Sussex jetted off to New York City to celebrate the upcoming birth of her baby with a bunch of her closest friends who spared no expense in spoiling the Duchess with a lavish celebration said to have cost almost NZD $300,000.
Photographed numerous times leaving through a side entrance of the five-star hotel, The Mark, where she was staying, in documents obtained from the US State Department it’s been revealed it was Duchess Meghan who had asked her bodyguards if it was possible to make a more discreet side-entrance departure from the hotel, to try and prevent the impression that she was enjoying the attention from the press.
According The Sun, the report said: “The VIP [Meghan] explained that her intent was to change the literal optics of the departure, making it appear that she was at least attempting to sneak out of the hotel in photos rather than exiting through the main entrance and giving the potential impression that she was enjoying the media attention.”
Meghan photographed leaving the five-star hotel The Mark. (Image: Getty)
The official report also revealed that Meghan made a last minute change to the restaurant she wanted to dine at to try and avoid the press.
Originally she had hoped to ear at Flora Bar at the Metropolitan Museum, but changed her mind and due to the glass ceiling which would allow both the public and the press to see her.
Instead she opted for Café Boulud at The Surrey Hotel where she dined with close friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer.
Guests at her extravagant baby shower – which her close friend Serena Williams reportedly footed the bill for – included Serena, of course, Amal Clooney, Meghan’s longtime pal Jessica Mulroney and Misha Nonoo, who has recently been announced to be collaborating with Meghan on her upcoming clothing collection.
Meghan heads to lunch with her friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer. (Image: Getty)
While traditionally royal women don’t hold baby showers, according to a source who spoke to Vanity Fair at the time, as an American she was very excited to have a baby shower thrown for her.
“I think she’d have felt she was missing out if she didn’t have one,” a source told the publication.
“It’s been such a fun time for her, she is with her oldest friends in the city she loves and really enjoying herself.”
Royal expert Victoria Arbiter told The Sun at the time that since the royals are very wealthy, a lavish baby shower would usually be seen as inappropriate as there’s nothing they can’t go out and buy themselves.
And while some people were concerned that the Duchess may have fished out British taxpayer money to throw the extravagant celebration, thanks to the generosity of her celebrity friends, she was able to put those worries to bed.
Meghan was photographed looking stylishly comfy in a camel coat, sneakers and a black cap for her flight back to London. (Image: Getty)
Following the celebration Meghan’s makeup artist friend Daniel Martin shared an adorable photo to Instagram, which showed some on-theme cookies at the baby shower.
“Such an incredible day celebrating #babylove,” Daniel captioned the image.
Meanwhile US breakfast TV host Gayle King, who was also a guest at the baby shower shared part of the celebration included a flower arrangement activity, with the bouquets later donated to charity.
“We all made an individual vase,” Gayle told her co-hosts on CBS This Morning, following the event.
“Then Meghan, at her request, got in touch with an organisation I’ve never heard of, called Repeat Roses, and they were all donated to different charities.
“I thought it was a very sweet thing… It just speaks to who she is. She’s kind, she’s very generous. And she’s a really, really, sweet person.”
