the Duchess of Sussex was said to have officially started her maternity leave last week. Stepping away from royal duties, her attention will now be more focused on her estranged family. According to reports, Meghan is planning to invite her father, Thomas, to the UK after the birth of her child in April.
Apparently, Meghan ‘understands the pressures of the intense media scrutiny and is saddened by what her family has had to endure’, and is therefore extending an ‘olive branch’ to Thomas. News of the alleged reunion comes as a surprise, since Meghan’s family have repeatedly criticised her since she married Prince Harry last May. Her half-sister Samantha once called her ‘duch-ass’ on Twitter, labelled her ‘cold’ for ignoring their father, and was allegedly writing a book, The Diary Of Princess Pushy’s Sister.
Thomas has also been a continual source of embarrassment: he was caught staging paparazzi photographs before the wedding and, last month, leaked Meghan’s private letters to the media. But now, after months of vitriolic headlines, Meghan and her father may finally be putting their differences behind them. According to Robert Jobson, author of Charles At Seventy, Meghan will have been the driving force behind the ‘reunion’. ‘She definitely wants to take back some control,’ he told Grazia. ‘She’s clearly willing to make the first move. And of course it would be terribly embarrassing if she bans the grandfather from seeing his grandchild'.
‘The move has to come from her, otherwise there’s no way it could happen,’ he continued. ‘She will direct and the Palace will facilitate. The difficult situation has to be resolved. It’s almost the narrative of her first year as a royal bride.’ The move is uncharacteristic of the royal family, who have stayed resolutely silent during the months of headlines about Meghan’s family. As Grazia reported last month, even when Meghan finally spoke out about the criticism, she did it through her closest friends. (While talking to People magazine, Meghan’s ‘ring of steel’ debunked Thomas’s malicious rumours and revealed that she did in fact write to him after the wedding. Shockingly, Thomas responded by asking for a photo-op with Meghan.)
But perhaps the Palace is finally acting because with the birth of a royal baby comes additional protocol. According to Robert, it would be standard practice for both the baby’s maternal grandparents to be at the christening. ‘It’s right and proper that the child should be christened in the Church of England in which the Queen, Harry’s grandmother, is the supreme governor,’ he said. ‘There will undoubtedly be a picture of them at the christening at some stage – and it would be better to have both the baby’s grandparents in it, for propriety’s sake.’
According to a source, the Markles are also hoping for a reunion. ‘They realise there’s no sense in coming across as this divided family any more – they all share the same goal: to get back with Meghan. Being a unit will also help them in dealing with the horrible stress they’ve endured with the constant media scrutiny,’ added our source. ‘There’s a realisation that it’s not going away, so they should take control of the situation and manage their own image.’ But while a reunion may be on the cards, according to another well-placed source, so is a ‘reality TV show’ starring Meghan’s US family. ‘It would be a mega-earning project that would set them up for the rest of their lives. Still, how Meghan and the royal family would respond to that kind of publicity remains to be seen.
Perhaps the fallout from the US family is another reason why Buckingham Palace confirmed last week what’s long been speculated – that the Cambridges and Sussexes will be having ‘separate teams’. ‘The Queen has agreed to the creation of a new household for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,’ it said. A new communications head has been appointed for Meghan and Harry who will report directly to the Queen’s press secretary. A Palace source told Grazia, ‘It’s the start of a change of direction for both families.'
Check out Meghan Markle's pregnancy style:
Meghan Markle Pregnancy Style - Grazia
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Making a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards calls for a pretty spectacular outfit. Enter this timeless number, which has since set the bar high for one-shoulder gowns.
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Meghan visited Smart Works, which one of the four new patronages, wearing a simple maternity dress from Hatch. She paired this with a classic trench coat from Oscar de la Renta, and part-sheer printed heels by Gianvito Rossi. Understated yet elegant.
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Whilst attending a Royal Variety performance, Meghan dazzled in a sleek black skirt and monochrome top that featured a floral pattern. We love.
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During a visit to Brinsworth House (which is the Royal Variety Charity's residential nursing and care home), Meghan stepped out wearing a clean white floral dress by brand Brock Collection. To beat the chill, she threw on a long grey coat Soia and Kyo, before completing her look with a classic nude clutch and heels.
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When visiting Birkenhead with her beau Prince Harry, Meghan wore a bright purple dress under this striking red coat by fashion brand Sentaler. Her statement red shoes were from Stuart Weitzman, and we're pretty obsessed with them.
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Meghan wore a Roland Mouret sequin gown during a visit to watch a charity performance of Cirque du Soleil at Royal Albert Hall. Her sequined evening look was paired with black heels by Stuart Weitzman, and she donned a slicked back bun and bold lips.
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Drawing inspiration from her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, Meghan often to wear an affordable cream dress from H&M during a visit to Mayhew, one of her royal patronages. She covered the dress with a smart Armani coat and heels. Chic.
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Burgundy is definitely the Duchess' colour! This Club Monaco coat and her collared dress make for a match-made in heaven. And when paired with with black tights and chunky heeled boots, we have a winning winter outfit.
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For the final Armistice Day service at Westminster Abbey, Meghan wore an elegant navy skirt and boxed-style shoulder peplum top, complete with a headpiece and large poppy pin.
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Can we just take a moment for this custom Givenchy outfit? Created for her last royal engagement in New Zealand, Meghan married a classy navy sweater with a pleated maxi skirt which showcased different shades of blue.
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The Duchess has opted to wear navy on several occasions during her pregnancy, including the time she wore this Antonio Berardi dress with a pair of Aquazzura heels.
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Yes, Meghan Markle is often spotted wearing heels and princess-worthy gowns, but she's also capable of rocking a more laid-back style with ease. Take this Karen Walker blazer, J.Crew skinny jeans, and practical rain boots as proof.
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In New Zealand, Meghan wore this gorgeous plaid trench by Karen Walker. She layered it over a black dress which was sold on ASOS, proving that designer and high-street go hand-in-hand.
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For her speech at the Invictus Games closing ceremony, Meghan donned a tailored, olive green dress by the designer Antonio Berardi. She completed her look with a poppy pin.
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Meghan accompanied Harry to watch the wheelchair basketball finals at Invictus Games, and donned a casual yet chic outfit. The Duchess proved that a simple pair of skinny jeans and a wrap top are in still very much in style.
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Meghan wowed the crowd at Australian Geographic Society Awards in this flowing Oscar de la Renta gown, which she styled with slingback heels.
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Have you ever seen a Veronica Beard Cary Dress and blue suede shoes look so chic together?
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What does one wear to dinner with the King and Queen of Tonga? Only a white gown by Theia, pumps by Aquazzura and earrings by Birks, of course!
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Whilst attended the unveiling of a statue in honour of a British-Fijan soldier, Meghan chose to wear Jason Wu green mid-length dress with pointed heels and an arm cuff.
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The Duchess's eye-catching blue gown by Safiyaa, married with a pair of diamond drop earrings, is one of our favourite Meghan Markle outfits of all-time.
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White 3/4 sleeve dress + matching Stephen Jones fascinator _ straw clutch = Heaven in an outfit.
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We're obsessed with this black Emilia Wickstead dress which features dainty buttons all the way down the middle. And it looks even better when paired with this Philip Treacy fascinator, don't you think?
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A striped Martin Grant dress is the only plausible outfit to wear on the beach, right? We certainly think so.
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See, we told you that Meghan is a fan of the colour navy. Lots of her dress choices - like this two-toned number by Roksanda - feature varying shades of blue.
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Let's face it: we can't blame Meghan for her love affair with navy - she really does know how to pull the colour off, and it's complementary against her dark hair colour.
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When we first saw Meghan wearing this forest green Brandon Maxwell dress, we fell hard in love, and in all honestly, we haven't stopped thinking about it since.
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This classy white dress by Australian designer Karen Gee was the first item that Meghan was spotted in after the news of her pregnancy was confirmed.