ET breaks down all the latest updates from the couple ahead of their May 19 nuptials!
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will officially be tying the knot at St. George's Chapel in...
...and each and every week, ET will be breaking down all the latest updates as they gear up for their May 19 nuptials.
BIGGEST NEWS OF THE WEEK
Meghan is doing a great job of taking care of everything that needs to be done before she says "I do" to Prince Harry. On Tuesday, the bride-to-be was baptized and confirmed into the Church of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in a private ceremony attended by her fiance and future father-in-law, Prince Charles, at the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace in London, England. Meghan previously identified as Protestant, but she went to an all-girl, private, Catholic college preparatory school in Los Angeles.
The baptism came just a few days after Meghan's friends threw her a spa-themed bridal shower at the Soho Farmhouse in London over the weekend. Meghan's close pals, Misha Nonoo, Violet von Westenholz and Millie Mackintosh, were all expected to attend, and according to the Farmhouse website, it sounds like the girls had plenty of things to do to keep them occupied. The club features 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside, with cabins, cottages, outdoor and indoor heated pools, a barn cinema, tennis courts, a spa and a sauna.
We also learned this week that pubs in England will extend their hours the weekend of Meghan and Prince Harry's nuptials! A source told ET that the Home Office confirmed that pubs will remain open until 1 a.m. on Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19. A similar extension was granted when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tied the knot in 2011.
Additionally, Meghan and Harry are inviting 2,640 members of the public into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch the arrivals of the bride and groom and their guests. "Prince Harry and Ms. Markle would like their wedding day to be shaped to allow members of the public to share in the joy and the fun of the day," a tweet from Kensington Palace read.
ROYAL RUMOR ROUND-UP
Now, time to clear up some rumors! As we reported last week, Mel B got fans all whirled up after she said during her guest appearance on The Real that all five of the Spice Girls would be attending the royal wedding. But apparently, we shouldn't get our hopes up just yet!
Mel C shared her side of the story on Tuesday, revealing that she has yet to be invited.
"I’ve met Prince Charles lots of times. I'm going to ask him where my invite is, because I haven’t got mine yet. Obviously, Mel B said she has hers," she reportedly told The Sun. “I think Mel was just kind of having a bit of a joke. There are no plans [for me] to go to the wedding at the moment."
Meanwhile, tabloid Daily Express reports that although Meghan is not yet a royal, she's already being called U.K.'s favorite princess. In a survey of 500 Brits, the Suits star received 37 percent of the vote, while Princess Diana got 21 percent of the vote and Kate Middleton received 16 percent.
OUT AND ABOUT
There's nothing we love more than seeing Meghan and Prince Harry out and about! The lovebirds made their latest public appearance in Birmingham, England, on Thursday, greeting the crowd at Millennium Point ahead of their busy day of engagements tied to International Women's Day. The two weren't shy about showing a little bit of PDA, adorably holding hands as they braved the chilly temperatures.
After conversing with the crowd, Meghan and Harry attended an event hosted by Stemettes, which aims to inspire the next generation of women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The brunette beauty ditched her coat, revealing a pretty AllSaints cashmere blend sweater (more on her latest looks below!) that perfectly complemented Harry's cozy top as they learned more about the lack of women in STEM careers.
Kensington Palace tweeted that during Meghan and Harry's visit, 90 girls were given the opportunity to learn HTML coding, as well as how to build apps and touchpads. At one point, both Meghan and Harry got to try on a pair of virtual reality goggles.
A source told ET earlier this week that Meghan hasn't been having any problems adjusting to her new, fabulous life in London. In fact, she already has a few favorite spots she visits regularly, including Nails and Brows, Little House Mayfair, Dean Street Townhouse, Berners Tavern inside the London Edition Hotel, Brown Cow pub and a local Whole Foods.
"Meghan is settling into a routine and has a few regular places she frequents to keep looking fresh and relaxed," the source told us. "Like every other woman, she wants to look her best."
RATHER REGAL LOOKS
Meghan can't get enough of her long coats! During Thursday's outing at Millennium Point, the brunette beauty stepped out in a sleek navy J. Crew wrap coat with white accents. She paired the look with black Alexander Wang cropped trousers, the aforementioned AllSaints sweater, black Manolo Blahnik heels and an Altuzarra purse.
It seems as if Meghan is also taking more hairstyle notes from Kate and has left behind her messy bun. During Thursday's appearance, her sleek, luscious brown tresses were parted to the side and slightly tousled.
SPARKLE LIKE MARKLE
We've been practicing how to do the "Duchess Slant" (more on that here) and even took Meghan's favorite Pilates class. We've also enjoyed a night in with the soon-to-be royal's drink of choice, but now we're ready to take some fashion tips from Miss Markle.
Naturally, everything that Meghan wears quickly sells out. But, the ensemble that she wore this week can be yours -- or a variation of it, at least! Meghan's $300 J. Crew coat is no longer available, but we'd still like to note that a navy trench is always a great staple piece.
Meghan is all about stylish basics, and a cowl neck sweater in a neutral shade can always class up your outfit. Her AllSaints turtleneck is currently available in black for $232. Meanwhile, those Alexander Wang cropped trousers Meghan wore may be a pit pricey, but anyone can pull off the style if they pair them with a classic pointed-toe heel (like Meghan's $625 Manolo Blahnik "BB" pumps). The simplicity and the height of the pump will elongate your bod, which is always a plus! And, if you're dying to have Meghan's Altuzarra navy half-circle bag, the cross body comes in a varieties of colors like red, black and blue suede, and ranges from $1,595 to $1,895.
Additionally, if you're still not over Meghan's belted navy Jason Wu wrap dress she wore last week, we've got you covered! The sleeveless satin number is still available online for $1,953, though cheaper versions also exist online.
SERVIN' UP SUITS
If you've been following our column every week, then you already know that we've been binge-watching Suits from the beginning, and we are happy to report that we are ALL. CAUGHT. UP! And just in time, because the USA Network show returns on March 28 at 9 p.m. ET. It's the last time we'll see Meghan in her role as Rachel Zane, as the network previously announced that she and her onscreen lover, Patrick J. Adams (Mike Ross), were leaving the legal drama at the end of it's current seventh season (which has already wrapped filming).
See a first look at some of Meghan's final Suits episodes below:
While we'll obviously miss seeing Meghan on the show, no one will miss her more than her co-stars. Abigail Spencer, who played Dana Scott, aka "Scotty," on the series, recently told People that Meghan is "one of the loveliest human beings on the planet, in the world."
"I'm just so excited that the world will get to experience her loveliness, and I really think that with her platform for charity and her fortitude, she’s going to have a great moment to change the world," she gushed. "If anyone can do it, it can be her."
"I've known her for so long. I'm just excited the world gets to meet the person I love so much," she continued. "It's just so wonderful to see her so happy and so in love."
NEXT IN LINE
Now onto Prince William and Kate Middleton!
Being eight-months pregnant doesn’t stop the Duchess of Cambridge from completing her royal duties. On March 6, Kate visited the Pegasus Primary School in Oxford, England, where she was greeted by crowds of school children. She wowed in a white JoJo Maman Bébé peacoat with a matching dress underneath and olive-hued heels.
The following day, she sported a recycled blue lace cocktail maternity dress by Seraphine -- an outfit she previously wore during an appearance in Norway with William last month -- to the new headquarters of the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. While at the event, she spoke with volunteers and students about the work they’ve done and the support they’ve received through Place2Be.
Meanwhile, William attended an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, where he made several special guests Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). On Wednesday, he had some fun at the Royal Air Force Coningsby where he saw a typhoon display and learned more about the world-class aircraft from crew who maintain and fly typhoons.
Next week, the Fab Four -- alongside Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family -- will attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate Commonwealth Day. This will mark Meghan's first public appearance with the Queen since Christmas Day. Of course, you can guarantee that we'll have all the details for you in next week's column!
For now, that's a wrap on this week's royals update. Let us know on Twitter (@desireemurphy_ and @lizcalvario) what other regal news you'd like us to cover in the future, and be sure to join us next week, right here on ETonline, for another roundup!
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