PRINCE Harry reportedly told Meghan Markle to keep a baby shower for their daughter a secret after her £300k New York extravaganza two years ago sparked a fierce backlash.
Meghan, 39, is pregnant with her and 36-year-old Harry‘s second child, a sister to their two-year-old son Archie.
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
Harry reportedly feels concerned about how a baby shower for their new arrival will be perceived to the public, with many people having lost relatives during the Covid pandemic.
The duke also reportedly wants to avoid the backlash from her £300,000 New York baby shower in 2019 before the birth of Archie.
Meghan, however, reportedly gave Harry an “ultimatum” and said she deserved a baby shower after the “hell” of Megxit.
The pair have agreed to keep any party a secret, Who reported.
The source said: “[Meghan] did agree with Harry though that the details of her event shouldn’t get out.
“She figured a private but luxurious shower with just her mum and a few close friends who’ve been in her isolation bubble, in the backyard of their house with a few animals for the kids to play with, could be just what the doctor ordered.”
Meghan celebrated her pregnancy by flying to New York by private jet in 2019 to have a five-day baby shower celebration – which was slammed as “trashy.”
Meghan and her closest friends partied at The Mark hotel in Manhattan – in one of the world’s most expensive suites.
The shower was hosted by Serena Williams, Jessica Mulroney and Genevieve Hillis, who has been Meghan’s best friend since they were teens.
The couple are reportedly “clashing” over whether or not they should even throw an extravagant baby shower.
A source said: “Meghan and Harry don’t lock horns much, but they struggled to get on the same page over their little girl’s baby shower.
“Meghan argued that she deserved a party. They’ve been through hell and back escaping England with Archie and she’s starting to feel very settled with a good core group of girlfriends with kids around her.”
Oprah Winfrey – who interviewed the couple during an explosive chat earlier this year – is reportedly Meghan’s preferred godmother.
An insider told Heat: “Meghan thinks Oprah would be the perfect godmother for her daughter.
“She wants her girl to be surrounded by strong female role models, and Oprah certainly fits the bill.”
EYE-ROLLING
Buckingham Palace aides “rolled their eyes” when discussing Meghan Markle’s “common” baby shower, the author of Finding Freedom claimed.
Speaking in the Channel 4 documentary A Very Royal Baby: From Cradle to Crown, Omid Scobie claimed: “I remember speaking to a palace aide at the time who rolled their eyes.
“They were horrified that something so common was happening within the House of Windsor.”
Scobie admitted the idea of a baby shower was “as far from British tradition as you can get”.
And Ingrid Seward, a royal author, described the shower and celebration as “trashy.”
The expert said: “They walked in through the front entrance carrying these enormous bags from the most expensive shops in New York.
“Crowds gathered because they were all celebrities, there was Gayle King from CBS, Serena Williams and Amal Clooney. “
A senior aide revealed to Scobie when writing Finding Freedom: “It’s fair to say that the optics of the somewhat flashy shower did not go down well with certain individuals at the Palace.
“Meghan was often criticised for being too Hollywood, meaning too flashy. Especially for the reserved aesthetic of the monarchy.”
