The arrival of a baby is always a special time, but when it’s a royal baby, the stakes are a little higher.
So Duchess Meghan’s baby shower was never going to be a low-key affair, and she did not disappoint, throwing a stunning luxe event for her little bub at an upscale hotel in New York City.
Meghan flew to the US for a short stay to catch up with her American friends, including tennis star Serena Williams and lawyer Amal Clooney, who generously picked up the reported $200,00 bill for the event.
Meghan even reportedly flew home back to Britain on Amal’s private plane!
According to the Daily Mail, $43million Gulfstream G450 private jet is owned by a US company with the same name as one registered to the same Los Angeles address as two of George Clooney’s film companies.
Oh, to have friends like Amal!
Meghan’s old stylist friend Jessica Mulroney was also in attendance, as was Suits star Abigail Spencer, fashion designer Misha Nonoo, Meghan’s college friend Lindsay Roth and actress Priyanka Chopra.
According to Vanity Fair, sources close to Meghan say the shower was a chance for the Duchess to again show she is living her life on her terms and not sticking to official royal protocol.
The Duchess has spent the past few days in New York City with her American girlfriends. (Image: Getty)
Anyone else now desperate to own a camel coat? Because we are! (Image: Getty)
Amal looking stunning while leaving the baby shower. (Image: Getty)
Gayle King leaving the baby shower. (Image: Getty)
Stylist Jessica Mulroney was a event planner for the lavish do. (Image: Getty)
“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,” says a source.
“It’s been such a fun time for her, she is with her oldest friends in the city she loves and really enjoying herself.”
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Sneak peek inside the event: “Such an incredible day celebrating #babylove,” he captioned this shot.
This looks so delish! (Image: Instagram)
The florist who arranged the flowers also shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse from inside the shower – notice the beautiful orange tree in the background? (Image: @repeatroses Instagram)
The shower began with a flower-arranging session, followed by a dessert-tasting experience overseen by The Mark hotel’s head chef.
Meghan’s makeup artist friend Daniel Martin, who did her makeup for her royal wedding, posted an adorable photo of some of the on-theme cookies at the baby shower.
“Such an incredible day celebrating #babylove,” he penned.
Mr Martin, who works with Dior, recently shared a photo of a delicious meal Meghan made for him during a catch up in London.
“Thank you Meghan for being the consummate hostess this weekend and still being the #avocadotoast whisperer, YUM!” he wrote.
Ronald McDonald House was one of the charities to receive the flowers made at Meghan’s event. (Image: Repeat Roses)
Guest Gayle King, who is the best friend of Oprah, said the flower arrangements made by guests at the shower were later donated to charity.
“We all each made an individual vase,” Gayle said on US breakfast show CBS This Morning.
“Then Meghan, at her request, got in touch with an organisation I’ve never heard of with, called Repeat Roses, and they were all donated to different charities.
“I thought that was a very sweet thing… It just speaks to who she is. She’s kind, she’s very generous. And a really, really sweet person.”
The charity Repeat Roses has shared photos from inside the shower as their florist prepared for the event at the Mark Hotel before sharing a slew of shots of children from a local cancer charity with the bouquets made by Meghan and her guests.
A cancer patient at Ronald McDonald house with a bouquet of Meghan’s flowers. (Image: Repeat Roses)
What a touching gesture. (Image: Repeat Roses)
Meghan spent a total of five nights in New York City and used the time to catch up with old friends.
She is now back in the UK and will be busy getting her new home at Frogmore Cottage ready for her and Prince Harry’s arrival in a few months’ time.
