Meghan Markle had staff announce her as ‘Duchess’ to journalist in private home
A journalist has revealed the surprising behind-the-scenes moments from her recent interview for a cover story with Meghan Markle - including an unexpected welcome.
Meghan Markle had a staff member announce her by her royal title ‘Duchess’ as a journalist entered a room to interview her for a Harper’s Bazaar cover story, it’s been revealed.
“We’re in a grand brownstone on the Upper East Side that belongs to one of Meghan’s friends,” reporter Kaitlyn Greenidge wrote in the story published on Wednesday about their interaction in October.
“When I enter, the house manager announces, ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,’ even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house,” Greenidge added.
One week before their Big Apple meeting, Greenidge and Meghan had a sit-down at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
They chatted at a “prime” table where they could be seen by other diners, which Greenidge said was a “calculated choice.”
Greenidge also claimed that the Sussexes’ chief communications officer sat between herself and Meghan.
Toward the end of the interview, the waiter allegedly came to the table with an “unsolicited cappuccino” that had foam featuring “a photorealistic image” of Meghan.
“Oh. I recognise this picture. That’s from our trip to South Africa,” Meghan allegedly said, referring to her and Harry’s 2019 tour of the country.
She also took a photo of the cappuccino, per Greenidge.
According to etiquette expert Myka Meier, as per the Us Weekly, “from an etiquette standpoint, using a British title either socially or professionally globally — including the US — is not unusual or improper”.
But she added: “The choice of how each member of the royal family wishes to be addressed is ultimately up to that individual.”
Meier told the Us Weekly, in Meghan’s case specifically, “her title would be the formal way of address which is likely how her team was trained to introduce her”.
She added: “It is more a matter of personal style or preference of each titled person.”
MEGHAN SHARES THE STORY BEHIND VIRAL FRONT-ROW APPEARANCE
In the same interview, Meghan also divulged the story behind her viral Paris Fashion Week debut at the Balenciaga runway show.
The 44-year-old US-based royal said that she went to the show to support her friend and designer Pierpaolo Piccioli.
“I was excited for him,” she said.
“I reached out and I said, ‘Happy to come and support you.’ We kept it a secret, and it was really fun.”
Meghan explained how she “love[s] being able” to live a life where she can sit “front row at a show” and “play in the sandbox with [her] kids.”
Meghan lives in Montecito, California, with her husband, Prince Harry, and children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.
She turned heads when she was spotted arriving at the Balenciaga show, wearing a pristine white long-sleeve button-up shirt and matching flowy trousers.
She accessorised with a dramatic white cape, black pointy-toed heels, a suede clutch with gold tone hardware and diamond stud earrings.
At the time, her spokesperson revealed that she and Piccioli had “worked closely together” over the years, “collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage,” per People magazine.
The rep added that the actress has “long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance,” saying that her appearance represented a “culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.”
Piccioli also gushed over his and Meghan’s friendship, telling The Cut that they had “been texting” ever since they met “some years ago.”
The Italian designer referred to Meghan’s appearance as a “real, rare and beautiful” surprise.
In a moment that went viral online, the Duchess was seen taking in the runway show, at one point bursting into giggles while sitting alongside her friend, Markus Anderson, who remained expressionless.
Though some speculated she was reacting to a model who tripped on the catwalk, a rep for Meghan told the Daily Mail that she was not laughing at the model.
Her October outing at Paris Fashion Week marked a first for the mother of two, who recently made a surprising return to acting.
Meghan’s winter 2025 cover shoot with the magazine featured her in a number of stunning couture ensembles — including chic ensembles by The Row, Balenciaga, Ferragamo and Dior — with a mix of jewellery by Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and independent designers.
MEGHAN OPENS UP ABOUT ‘MISTAKES’
Meghan shared that she gives herself “grace” to make mistakes while getting candid about perfection and public scrutiny.
While discussing what she’s learned from her mishaps during the Harper’s Bazaar interview, the Suits alum said, “You learn not to do it again.”
“If it all goes swimmingly, you don’t learn from it,” she explained.
“If you don’t learn anything, you’re not going to grow.”
Meghan, 44, gave an example using Archie and Lilibet, 4, stating that they are “at the age where they are constantly learning something new.”
“I watch them face things that feel completely insurmountable every day,” the Duchess of Sussex said.
“But you can remember and say, ‘I know it seems really hard right now, but trust me, that’s going to come so easily soon.’ I can give myself the same grace as a founder.”
“There’s no such thing as perfect. I, too, get to make mistakes,” she continued.
Meghan joked that where wasn’t “a lot of fun in trying to be perfect,” adding, “So why try to do that if you want to have fun?”
The As Ever founder further detailed her desire to split her time between being in the public eye and spending quality time at home with her family.
“I love being able to do both,” she said.
“I think the moment that you start making all of your personal decisions based on external judgment, then you lose your authenticity.”
The actor also shared how her “boundaries became stronger” and she found “different ways to protect” herself when she “came into the public eye.”
“Whether that’s self-preservation or it’s just growing up,” Meghan said.
The With Love, Meghan star also gushed over how Harry shields her from negative attention and “has [her] back.”
“He loves me so boldly, fully, and he also has a different perspective because he sees media that I wouldn’t,” she stated.
“No one in the world loves me more than him.
HARRY’S PASSIONATE CAMEO IN MEGHAN’S NEW TV ACT
Meghan Markle has given fans an early Christmas present in the form of the trailer for her upcoming Netflix Christmas special.
The trailer dropped on the same night Princess Catherine and Prince William attended the Royal Variety Performance, a significant annual event for the British royal family.
In the clip, the Duchess of Sussex festively skips through a field of Christmas trees to the tune of a jazz version of Jingle Bells.
“I love the holiday season,” Meghan says.
“It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love.
“Embracing traditions and making new ones.”
Meghan then plants a passionate kiss on a chuffed looking Prince Harry before showing off a delightful array of Christmassy fare.
She decorates biscuits shaped like candy canes and snowflakes before putting them on a plate for Santa with a mug of milk bearing a letter signed by Archie and Lilibet.
She also makes her lucky children’s advent calendars and cheerfully writes “’tis the seasoning” on a blackboard in the kitchen.
Tennis champ Naomi Osaka, celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, hospitality guru Will Guidara and pals Kelly McKee Zajfen and Lindsay Roth are also expected to make guest appearances.
“Being a hostess or a host – it’s about making people feel comfortable,” Meghan explains.
The trailer received a like from Kris Jenner, nearly a week after she deleted photos of Meghan and Harry taken at her 70th birthday bash sparking speculation of a feud. But it would appear that all is well after all.
MEGHAN REVEALS THANKSGIVING SECRETS
Meghan’s sweet-scented garden strolls with her family inspired a product she’s planning to drizzle over her family’s turkey this Thanksgiving.
In the latest edition of her As Ever newsletter, the Duchess of Sussex recalled taking sunny walks with Prince Archie, 6, Prince Lilibet, 4, and Harry, 41. There, they walked among the sage — which is infused into her holiday drop of Sage Honey with Honeycomb.
“Those strolls, with Archie and Lili running in tow, her husband checking on the bees, Pula chasing the ball with Mia trying to keep up — those were the sun-drenched moments that made an everyday walk something a bit more magical,” the newsletter read, per People.
“And that sage, that purple, that scent around the garden, was always there in the background.”
The newsletter introduced the new product, which they described as “aromatic and earthy, epicurean in its depth of flavour and elegant simplicity, inspired by the treats she enjoys at her home with her family.”
They added that Sage Honey is “now available for your holiday table, to beautifully dress your Thanksgiving feast — either on the bird or the vegetables,” and suggested blending it with cooking stock, Dijon mustard, spices, and lemon juice to create As Ever Sage Honey Glaze for a savory Thanksgiving turkey.
Other suggested uses included in a vinaigrette, or as a “spoonful in your tea.”
In an interview last year, the mother of two — who recently made a surprising return to acting — gave fans a peek inside the Sussex family’s Thanksgiving celebrations.
“We’re always making sure we have something fun to do,” she told Marie Claire last November.
“Like any other family you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar — fun.”
“Every single holiday is a new adventure,” she told the magazine.
Markle added that she wants her children to have the “magic” of holiday traditions including “great recipes that they end up connecting to a formative memory” for Thanksgiving.
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