Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is reportedly swanning around New York City with friends as she dares to enjoy a baby shower ahead of her April due date.
But while such reports may seem in-character for a pregnant woman, if the media is to be believed, the Duchess broke Royal protocol by celebrating her status as an expectant mother with a shower at the city's Mark Hotel yesterday.
In the wake of the news, numerous publications claimed Royals are not allowed baby showers — or to accept gifts.
Though Kensington Palace has in the past confirmed members of the Royal family cannot accept presents, the line is a little more blurry when it comes to baby showers.
As it stands, Meghan may not even be the first Duchess to have had one.
Back in 2013 ahead of the birth of Prince George, Kate reportedly celebrated her eldest son's arrival with a baby shower.
And, according to the Daily Telegraph, the Duchess of Cambridge had none other than the Queen's approval for the event to go ahead after her sister Pippa Middleton organised it.
So, why does the world care about Meghan's baby shower?
The media's obsession with Royal protocol
When Meghan tied the knot with Prince Harry and left her commoner status behind in the process, she also agreed to adhere to a plethora of Royal protocol that the tabloid press loves to inform us she has broken.
For example, in November 2017, the Duchess was dogged by reports she broke protocol by failing to wear pantyhose to her engagement announcement.
Last year, Vogue magazine claimed Meghan repeatedly broken the rules by wearing her hair in loose styles as opposed to "tight and polished" ones.
The Duchess also courted controversy when she wore an off-the-shoulder dress at the June 2018 Trooping the Colour ceremony.
At the time, The Sun chastised Meghan for donning such a "revealing style".
And, of course, the tabloid press never misses an opportunity to inform us that Meghan should not hold Prince Harry's hand in public.
But how much of this so-called Royal protocol is actually real?
Royal correspondent and commentator James Brookes told the ABC last year that much of the reporting on Meghan breaking Royal protocol was actually false.
He explained: "There's been a lot of talk, particularly in digital versions of the British press, of her breaking so-called 'protocol'," he said.
"A lot of it is rubbish. The 'shutting her own car door' is a good example — many times, the Royals have someone there to open their car door for them and they're straight out and into greeting people, but if there's nobody there to shut it and it's in the way, they'll close it themselves," he explained.
"Remember, they are human, after all. Meghan's putting her own stamp on her Royal role.
"[Meghan] wants to use her previous life experiences to aid that and, in honesty, that's what the Royal family needs to remain relevant.
"It's a balancing act — bring in new ideas, fresh thinking and marry it with the traditions we're used to and think of the Royal family as upholding."
Kate frequently 'breaks' the same 'Royal protocol' as Meghan
Reports of Meghan breaking the rules to have a baby shower while Kate reportedly did the same — only to escape backlash — are far from the first time Meghan has been criticised for doing something that her sister-in-law has been praised for.
At the BAFTAs earlier this month, Kate stepped out in a white one-shoulder gown that was very similar to a pale pink style Meghan wore to last year's Trooping the Colour event that was reported to have broken protocol.
But while Meghan was criticised for her choice across social media and in the press, Kate was instead commended for looking "stunning in angelic white" in the Daily Express, among other newspapers.
Such double standards — which lead to comparisons between the Duchesses not unlike those made between Diana and Sarah, Duchess of York, in the 80s — have become so frequent that Kensington Palace now reportedly spends hours each week combating racist attacks against Meghan and sexist comments about both Duchesses on social media, according to Town & Country magazine.
A glimpse at some of the rules the Royals do have to follow
While the media often gets it wrong, the Royals do have something of a list of things they either cannot or must do given their status — the public just isn't privy to it in its entirety.
We do know, however, that female members of the British Royal family are not allowed to wear items of clothing with plunging necklines.
And we know that the core members of the family — so, William, Kate, Harry and Meghan for starters — are not allowed to have their own personal social media accounts.
The Royals are also not allowed to sign autographs for fans, to ensure their signatures aren't forged.
And they must always carry a black outfit with them while travelling to make sure they are prepared for the death of a prominent figure and can dress appropriately.
This rule stems from the death of King George VI, which happened while the then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were in Kenya and she had nothing suitable to wear.
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Meghan Markle broke Royal protocol with New York baby shower. Or did she? - ABC News"
Post a Comment