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Diamonds are a girl's best friend: Why Meghan is buying lots of jewelry

What does a gold digger do when she (or he) worries that the money train may soon be coming to a stop?

A smart gold digger thinks about the assets she (or he) will be able to take along when headed out the door. Like jewelry.

Meghan has been spending a great deal of money on jewelry recently; she just redesigned her 18-month-old engagement ring, adding pavé diamonds plus a new, thinner band.

She also showed up at the Trooping of the Color in early June in a new eternity ring, supposedly from Prince Harry.

The Daily Mail, never adverse to an inflated figure, estimates that Meghan has worn 600,000 pounds worth of jewelry in the past 6 months, more than Kate has worn in the 8 years she has been married to Prince William.

Kate is not heading for a divorce. But Meghan probably is.

Making the jewelers bid

Enty mentioned Meghan's jewelry habit in his June 24 "Gossip Galore" podcast, available on Patreon.

"Apparently she is spending money right and left - like crazy," Enty says. "And not spending her own. And is buying really expensive things. But, to her credit, I guess - say she buys a piece of jewelry, she's making the jewelers bid. Hey, I'm going to wear this, who's going to give it to me for the best price?"

Enty continues: "It's still an expensive price. It's like someone who has just found, Hey, I can just charge everything, and there's not going to be a bill in my mailbox, and the government's going to have to pay for it."

"I've told you about the clothes, which she's getting kickbacks on, but the jewelry she's not getting kickbacks on. She's just buying that stuff up left and right."

Who is paying?

These sound to me like the actions of a woman who knows that in a divorce settlement, most people are allowed to keep their personal effects, such as jewelry.

But who is paying for the jewelry right now?  Fed-up looking Harry and his personal wealth? I'm-not-getting-involved Charles? The sovereign grant - in other words, British taxpayers?

Or is Meghan putting it all on credit and counting on having her debts covered as part of a divorce settlement?

A liquid form of wealth

Diamonds and other jewelry may not be the liquid form of wealth they were in Marilyn Monroe's day, when she sang Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend in the 1953 movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

At the time, diamonds were seen as easy to pawn or otherwise convert to cash, and valued as a way to preserve wealth for old age:

Men grow cold as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end

But square cut or pear shaped

These rocks don't lose their shape

Diamonds are a girl's best friend


This is less true now, when industrial diamond production (and the invention of cubic zirconia) means almost every middle-class woman can afford a sparkler.

What does make a piece of jewelry more valuable is its provenance - jewels worn by icons like Jackie O, Princess Diana, or Audrey Hepburn fetch high prices at auction. (Catherine the Great's jewelry is up for auction right now, for example.)

It looks to me like Meg is trying to put together a jewelry collection she can take with her in a divorce and later sell at auction, benefiting from her name value.

Perhaps the proceeds will go to the Royal Sussex Foundation - or through the Royal Sussex Foundation, to end up in Meg's pocket in the end. 

Time rolls on and youth is gone
And you can't straighten up when you bend

But stiff back or stiff knees

You stand straight at Tiffany's

Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Comments

Hikari said…
Nutty, your post comes right on the heels of me reading in Hello! this morning about Markle's new ring design.

I wonder how Harry is feeling right about now, to have the hand-designed ring he gave her only 18 months ago be 'upgraded' to her standards? I know lots of women get 'upgraded' rings as anniversary gifts, usually . . and deeper into the marriage than 11 months. But MM has to count her anniversaries in months, doesn't she, as it's increasingly likely that she's not going to see even a second anniversary with Harry. Maybe she will stretch to three years, and only if she produces another baby in the next year . . . magically, like she did with the first one.

I am assuming that the figure of 600,000 pounds does not represent the actual value of the jewelry that has been purchased by MM for her to keep. I think, as she has done with much of her clothes that were either samples or gifted to her, the value of those items is being counted, even though she didn't actually pay full retail value for them. I'm sure she has purchased some things--firl loves to spend, and will keep doing so until she's cut off.

Which is my next rhetorical question, because no one seems to be able to answer it, least of all the Royal Family that's footing her bills . . but in short, . . HOW is she able to have access to funds for any high-end jewelry?! WHY are they letting her still buy lavish items at her own discretion? I guess that's two questions, but they are interrelated. As we all saw so evidently at the TOTC, this woman is in the doghouse with the Family. Her lavish spending as well as every other behavioral faux pas is coming under intense scrutiny and the MSM is finally starting to chime in . . .and she STILL has the personal freedom to arrange bidding wars with jewelers over her patronage, and flash new baubles at the Queen's birthday parade all while she's 'on maternity leave' and out of the public eye so she can bond with her newborn? It's not exactly like she's on the couch in a sweatshirt covered in spit-up, surfing the Home Shopping Network on TV like an ordinary new mum might do . . .but irregardless of the cost of what she's buying . . .why does she have access to any amount of money at all? There's no way she's dipping into her personal account, which has been wildly over-inflated. And shouldn't a new mother getting ready to christen her firstborn (let's play along with that story for now) have other things on her mind than hoarding jewelry?

If Harry bought her these rings as gifts, then he's entitled. And he's also an idiot, but I think we knew that. For either of the Sussexes to splash out on any large luxurious items right now is the the height of tone-deafness. I already live in a republic, but if I were a British subject, I'd be seething right now that Meghantoinette and her dim prince expect me to 'eat cake' in the form of admiring her shiny new diamonds while I struggle to feed my kids.

What the hell.

Now! said…
Yeah, it's stuff like this that supports the tin-hat theories that Meg has been sent by George Soros or some other mysterious player to take down the Royal Family.

A British citizen told he can't have this or that on the NHS because of budget cuts is not going to be pleased to see Meghan buying thousands of pounds worth of jewelry with his tax money.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but Charles needs to fix this. The Queen is mostly retired and only makes appearances, and William seems unable to make an end-around around his father. All he can do is cut his own family off from the Sussexes.
abbyh said…
I'm not an expert at jewelry but when I look at her stuff, I think: Flashy. I don't think: understated. I don't think: good investment piece.

Elsewhere I read that the tiara she wore was likely a copy as one could see colors glint in ways that don't happen from real ones.

Given the financial troubles of the family, her own difficulties at independence, I don't think anyone around her has had the means to teach her quality over quantity.

As for resale, provenance is everything but will she really be able to get that much more than used by average owner (which is less than purchase price)? Maybe? Maybe not? And if she is trying to sell to pay bills (like legal bills), collectors may bargain hard. I can't see selling this on ebay or Etsy. Would a big name auction house be all that willing? But they all charge for a handling fee. And if you are looking for this as an arbitrage move, you probably aren't factoring that cost but without it, you really run the risk of being taken by a con. Or with it, coming out flat or under water.

My other thought is that things like eternity rings are nice but this close to the wedding date makes me reminds me of the very public renewing our vows by high profile couples. I think it comes off as more to convince them there is still is a future together. And, often they then start the divorce soon after the service.

Fifi LaRue said…
Markle's name will never have the provenance to command high prices for her jewelry, just because it belonged to her. I inherited a high-grade diamond ring, and had it appraised. I was told the most one can get for jewelry is 40% of its value. Art or real estate would be a better investment.
Now! said…
Good point in that the stuff we have seen isn't particularly impressive. If she is spending as wildly as Enty says - and hasn't made many public appearances recently - could there be more impressive pieces that we have not yet seen?
Now! said…
I think she thinks of herself as a Big Name, soon to become Bigger, and that her provenance could be meaningful. You may not think that, and I may not think that, but Meg almost certainly thinks that.

Given her taste in jewelry, I shudder to think of what art she might buy.

And I don't think she has enough money for real estate. Also, art and real estate wouldn't almost automatically follow her in a divorce, the way jewelry would.
Louise said…
As Hikari mentioned, I was also surprised that she would change the design of the ring so early on in the marriage, given that there was a lot in the press at the time of the engagement about how Harry had "designed" the ring together with the jeweller.

I wonder whether she discussed the change with him, or whether she just had the ring redone on her own. I recall that she was no longer wearing it towards the end of her "pregnancy", allegedly because of "weight gain", although most of us recall that she didn't seem to put on any weight during the pregnancy.

Whether she discussed this with him or whether she did it on her own, this is just so insulting to Harry. But then, it is easier to control a person by diminishing their opinion.
Bubbles said…
Hey everyone! As soon as I saw this article on DM I came here and was pleasantly surprised to see Nutty gave us a space to talk about it! Thanks Nutty, and everyone here, for the great discussion. This is my first comment, but I've been lurking since the first post. (Found you on Enty, but I've never commented there either!) I'm 33 and have always known technology, but this is the first place I can understand when they say "online community." Can't wait to read what everyone has to say and what interesting place this convo goes! And love that it stays respectful, even within disagreements. Awesome.

No insightful comments from me other than this chick is is very silly and her husband is quite dim. What a match.

Now! said…
Hi Bubbles, and welcome!
Girl with a Hat said…
I think she wants to become a fashion icon and has seen the various pieces of jewellery that belonged to the Duchess of Windsor fetch incredible prices at auction. She used to have these coffee table books about various icons like Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, etc and is trying to model herself on them but she has no idea what this entails. Proper fitting garments, for one, and impeccable manners. She also lacks the charisma necessary.
Now! said…
I agree, Mischi, and I think that with the possible exception of Jackie O, those women weren't trying to be icons - they were just living their own lives and had their own exquisite taste.

People trying to be icons, like Madonna for example, can come across forced and heavy-handed.
abbyh said…
Nutty - absolutely on target with the idea that these were women who were living and had good taste versus people who are trying but come off as too much effort.

thanks for your thoughts and the blog
Now! said…
You're welcome. It's nice to be here where everyone is interested in talking about this story.

I love CDAN, but every other comment on Meghan items is "You're insane" or "You're delusional" or something along those lines. It really adds nothing to the conversation by this point.
Now! said…
Thank you. I'm really just riffing off Enty's podcast today, which is definitely worth the 5 bucks per month.

You get one per day, they're about an hour long, and they are very useful to have in the background while doing housework or working out in the gym.
Lottie said…
I agree that she thinks she is an icon
But i would think an icon would instinctively buy 'iconic' pieces
If you are clever and going for the money, then at the very least buy a FL grade
flawless rock...go big & perfect!
Instead she has bands with diamonds and a sizable rock, really nothing exciting or original that can't be purchased from any jeweller, already made
Unfortunately for her, overestimating her own market value is the flaw in the plan

MM is so delusional that she is bordering on frightening & i think the more MM is being pushed out, the more she will unravel & become unhinged
It's already starting to play out
She won't be that easy to get rid of either...and if i were the RF I'd be hiding the all the bunnies ; )
Now even the BBC are doing an unflattering parody of her....she has become fair game
That's the problem when playing with the press in England....they play a different game than she is used to with the American press
KayeC said…
Your post makes perfect sense Nutty. However, my first thought was Harry took back his mother's diamonds and this was the closest replica she could find. Also saw where others have noticed its similarity to her ring from Trevor.....

I actually won a pair of antique bracelets at a Christie's auction that are "property of a Lord & Lady," and am always on Sotheby's as well. But I always go for antique, nothing new (has to be 1920 or before), because I am very aware (even took classes) on antique jewelry as an investment. You have to understand things like hallmarks/maker's marks, its province, and yes, who owned or has owned/worn the piece is also important. Something tells me she doesn't.

KayeC said…
Mischi and Nutty, both spot on! Trying to hard to be something your not in the age of instant 24/7 media must be exhausting! If she's a bitch, and that's who she is, why fake it? I think of Queen Letzia, who does not come off as warm and friendly, but still manages to be likable.
Now! said…
Yes, you can see from her Strong Write Twitter account that something is seriously wrong.

They also had to throw someone off Twitter the other day that was fantasizing about what might happen to the Cambridges that would make Meghan the Queen.

No evidence that it was her, but it could be a deranged fan.
Now! said…
No, details are never Meghan's speciality. She goes for very obvious brand names.

I've often said it would have been a great idea for her to seek out some young British female designers and wear their pieces for public appearances. This would help Meg create her own individual style and fulfill her stated mission to help women and girls.

It might also reinforce the image of London as a fashion capital, promoting Britain in a way that is also a part of her job.

It doesn't seem that she has the imagination, however. It's more "Audrey Hepburn wore Givenchy, now I'm wearing Givenchy!" or "Diana wore a forest green dress, now I'm wearing a forest green dress!"

A good stylist could help - Angela Kelly has been so fabulous for the Queen, and I think Camilla is also a good style example for women in her age bracket. But, as we've discussed so many times, Meg doesn't want to listen to anybody else.

Your jewelry hobby sounds fun!
Louise said…
What continues to surprise me is how ill fitting Markle's clothes are.

Granted, she is short waisted, which makes off the rack clothing difficult to wear. However, with the means available to her, she could easily have dresses made to measure and I wonder why she does not avail herself of this opportunity.... Are the dresses only on loan?
Lottie said…
No wonder the Cambridge's want her out of their sight, i don't blame them.
She has no real grasp on the power of the RF .... which makes her look all the more foolish and very naive
I seriously don't understand why (her) or her fans can't be happy with being a Duchess
After all she came from a fairly modest background, (she) they could be happy to have achieved so much in a short span of time.
But i think a true narcissist is never truly happy...it is divide and destroy mentality
I have a feeling she is upping the ante...and is in destroy stage...watch out Will and Kate!
Especially after the *snickers* TTC balcony indecent 'TURN AROUND' *giggles* ....which in all fairness if she wasn't 41 years old (no one can convince me she is otherwise....lol ) and so 'worldly' it would have been hilarious instead of most people having second hand embarrassment for her.
Although she will be remembered
'Queenie MM reigned ( in her own head )...albeit it was a short reign'
Now! said…
My guess is that the clothes may arrive at the last minute, if she seeking out items to merch.

They might be too big (the notorious Oscar de La Renta dress worn to a wedding) or too small (the summer dress worn to visit the old folks home in December.)

I'm not sure if they're on loan or not, but I doubt she'll be wearing either dress again.
Lottie said…
I would like to say i am really enjoying everyone's comments
There are some very knowledgeable and interesting people on here with
great perspectives
I also lurk at Cdan and that's where i saw 'Nutty's blog' mentioned..so i scooted over and lurked for a few weeks
And to date, I like many of the comments that i have read.


MLRoda said…
First of all thanks Nutty for this lovely blog and a place where civilized folks can come together and have a conversation. I love your blog :) I agree with you about Wallis and Audrey not trying to be icons. They were just Wallis and Audrey as simple as that sounds.

Mischi, the difference between Meghan and the Duchess of Windsor's jewels - Wallis had fabulous jewels, not little bitty ones like Meghan has. Granted she's got a set of Cartier's - earrings and bracelet that she wore on her wedding day. Diana's aquamarine ring (although I've heard that is really wasn't Diana's, just a copy from another jeweler). Diana's butterfly earrings, necklace and bracelet. If she's shopping for serious pieces of jewelry I'd like know who's paying for it. And if she doesn't wear it in public, she can't really say it was owned/worn by her. Overall, I can't recall any stunning pieces that she owns to date. Fashion icon she's not and definitely has no manners.
Mrs. F. said…
I know we are all saying that MM is going to bring down the monarchy, and I don't deny it in its most concrete sense. However, I've been noodling these days about other royal scandals, and why Edward VIII's abdication for similarly distasteful American, provoked a Constitutional crisis, but didn't "bring down the monarchy."

I know we have Diana lovers on here, and I liked her as well, but I think that if Meghan brings down the monarchy, it is only because it is on very shaky ground already. This quote from Peter Hitchens has been banging around my head recently:

"We are already living in a republic. We just don’t know it yet. Diana Spencer, perhaps the most brilliant politician of our age, destroyed the British monarchy 20 years ago.
The current Queen continues to occupy the throne solely because she has been transformed by skilled public relations into the nation’s favourite grandmother. Her survival is personal, not political. She goes through the motions of being the Sovereign, but is well aware that one false step could bring the weeping mobs out again, not weeping but snarling, and who knows how that would end?"

I think MM will be remembered as the false step that Hitchens predicted back in 2017.
Huggyo said…
An Eternity ring is traditionally given on the birth of your first child. Loving your blog Nutty.
PurplePuffin said…
You might want to correct your posting. She has changed her engagement ring (the one with diamonds), not her plain gold wedding ring. The engagement ring has a new shank on it--thin and covered with micro pave diamonds. The eternity ring now matches the shank on the engagement ring. To make changes to an engagement ring that was given with love is about as controlling as it gets. To tell your husband that the ring he gave you 18 months ago isn't your (trendy mall girl) taste, is a real insult. I bet she was really bummed with the small center stones on the engagement ring. J Lo, Beyonce, Amal Clooney, the Kardashians and any number of ball players' wives have monster diamond engagement rings and she has a "pathetic" 3 carat "speck" with a couple of "tiny" diamonds from Princess Diana to bling it up. It stinks when you have to tone down the engagement ring bling because you are now a royal (in name only, not in actions). She has shown her true self over and over again. There isn't a humble or grateful bone in her body.
ColleenS said…
This is my first time commenting, as well, and I love this blog and every single comment! I agree 100% that she is setting herself up to be "A Wallis" in every way. While Wallis wasn't a great person, I'd give my left leg for that gemmed cross charm bracelet! The only two things of Meghan's that I would want are the aquamarine (but only if it was the genuine ring from Diana's collection) or the ORIGINAL engagement ring because of the sentimentality associated with Harry being the designer (and having Diana's stones). That said, Markle will never be remembered as anything more than a thumb-ringed footnote in the royal history books.
Maddie said…
Yes changing the ring your husband designed for you is real shitty. Even if he is an idiot and agreed to her making the change it’s still shitty and I bet his feelings are hurt. Oh well. She’s a piece shit anyway.
Maddie said…
Rabbit, I got divorced about 20 years ago and I’m just a middle class lady. When I filled out the forms about my belongings (jewelry, clothes etc) my lawyer told me that jewelry was marked up on the retail end up to 180%. I was like WTF! Not that I had a bunch of jewelry but I had a few nice pieces but what a let down to know the real value.

Anyway, I don’t think this is a good investment for Markel smarkel.
Miss_Christina said…
Good God, who's holding the Sussex checkbook? This needs to be stopped, stat.

Me Me Megain is so blatantly obvious? Style icon along the lines of Wallis, Audrey, Grace and Diana? Please. No one is going to pay the kind of decent price for her hastily purchased modern claptrap that they would for any of Wallis's pieces or even Diana's jewels.

This is all such a mess. I don't know what any of them are even thinking letting this go on. I know she probably wears Harry's balls in a pocket around her neck, and the Queen is probably just tired out at this point, but whither the rest? Charles may be dithering but Camilla never struck me as being unable to state the blunt truth. William? Anne? Andrew? Somebody? Anybody? Bueller?
hardyboys said…
Did anyone see that clip where MM came out in a blue dress and the girl curtsied to her? It was one of the first curtsies I saw and I felt sick lol. Mm and this lady were looking at her wedding dress and admiring the common wealth veil. MM was so fake she couldn't act regal if she tried. She had on this really fake demure voice. And when that girl curtsied to her i wanted to vomit. I was like oh come on...but then I started reading the DM comments I would veer to them before I knew about this blog and I would read the funniest comments about MM. People would say call Dad. Alot of people said they would never ever curtsey to her. And then all the nicknames started me again Meghan Antoinette sparkles hazza farkles dorito and on and on. I think the whole rumour about the moon bump took a life of its own there. I personally think she had a baby. You cant con so many people. I'm really sitting on the fence that harry watched her zip up her moon bump day in and day out and said yes darling this charade is fine with me. But the birth certificate thing is just bona fide weird. I'm dying to know if harry will pull the plug and what will be the trigger. I do think they have her locked up in some dungeon like on GOT.
hardyboys said…
Ahhhhhh that science teacher from ferris bueller's day off. I love the way you out that. More expressions for me to use.
LadyJaneJagger said…
Even after becoming the D of S, MM's taste in jewelry has always struck me as very California college sorority girl. She has a penchant for wearing dainty rings on every finger, including her thumbs and necklaces with tiny charms at her throat. Just like everything else she does, I think her continued choice of less expensive jewelry is contrived. It’s meant to make her appear accessible, down to earth, zen... a yoga chick. However, the yoga chick wears Givenchy couture. It was only a matter of time before MM made the move to up her jewelry game. That’s what Gold Diggers do.

She also has no fashion style of her own. She is the creation of her BFF and stylist, Jessica Mulroney and Ms. Mulroney and MM have shamelessly “borrowed” (copied) the style of the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
hardyboys said…
You are so right lady Jane. Her jewellery was very dainty small very girl like what nt teenage daughters would wear. But I always found her very juvenile. Did you see her when harry introduced her and said he would have to drag up his wife ( I think she was wearing a wig that day bc her hair looked very high and poofy) she acted like a 17 year old teenager. So juvenile.
hardyboys said…
I know I'm posting alot. But everyone check out Gary gannetti on Instagram. He rips MM a new asshole every chance he gets. His post today is funny
Jne said…
agreed it’s a horrible and shows she doesn’t respect harry :(
i’ve been reading she has a shopping addiction and thats what she’s been doing while out of the public eye. but i think think 600,000 it’s kind of high for that jewelry shes been wearing. it looks very cheap and xtremely delicate, like it wouldn’t last more than a year or two. gold is very soft and bends very easily, while she is cold blooded , a thinner gold ring wouldn’t hold up
Girl with a Hat said…
Meghan wanted to emulate Diana in her engagement announcement with Prince Charles that is why she acted like the ingenue virgin bride-to-be
Girl with a Hat said…
this is what narcissists do - they copy other people. It's a surefire sign of narcissism.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
LadyJaneJagger said…
The operative word is “acted.” The demure, eyelash batting, pregnant tummy holding, doe-eyed innocence of MM, is all an act.
Anonymous said…
Oh, so very true: "To make changes to an engagement ring that was given with love is about as controlling as it gets. To tell your husband that the ring he gave you 18 months ago isn't your (trendy mall girl) taste, is a real insult." It is also evidence, IMO, that all pretense is gone. She's doing the cash grab. He's contemptuous of her. She wanted fame, money, power. He was in heat. The end is near but not near enough.
Anonymous said…
Interesting: the DM has a second article today about Frogmore & the spending. Considering the number of comments and the tone, a swath of GB appears vehemently opposed to the Sussex duo.
Anonymous said…
This one:
Revealed: How Harry and Meghan splashed out £2.4m of YOUR cash on Frogmore Cottage as they turned FIVE small homes into one with all new bathrooms, bedrooms and 'floating' kitchen floor

And three more articles since I last checked:

RICHARD KAY: Harry and Meghan's home move has racked up a huge bill - but with their reluctance to share traditional photos of their son and efforts to keep details of his birth secret, are they doing their part of deal?

Prince Archie of Riverdale! Harry and Meghan's son is transformed into a COMIC BOOK character by Archie Comics, as the iconic series debuts its own take on the royal baby's birth

MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX NEWS AND ROYAL BABY UPDATES
Two footballers, a pop star and a seven-year-old girl... but no sign of Harry and Meghan: Are these really Tatler's ten most 'powerful' Britons?

Is this normal for the DM or could this be a way to help rid the BRF of the scourge that is mm?
Amzz Naylor said…
I really enjoy the fact that we can come here and have a logical and adult conversation about what is going on. It's the highlight of my day!
I have to agree whole heartedly with the other commentors that her altering her engagement ring that Harry put a lot of thought into must have felt like a slap in the face to him. I know I would be insulted. I do not think her jewellery will command the kind of prices that she has in her head, even if she is photographed wearing them. Maybe that's why she is in the habit of wearing half a dozen rings on each hand.
Some one else above mentioned how she is so delusional she is dangerous and I am actually starting to become quite concerned with the safety of the cambridges. Her fans have this cult like adoration of her and some of the things they say regarding the safety of W&K are grotesque to say the least.
There was a video recently on YouTube (celt news I think) it was all the cold and creepy stares that she gives the Duchess of Cambridge. When I watched that I thought we are dealing with an obsessive lunatic. The clip that really got me was a line up of royals talking and meghan was speaking to someone infront of her with her rictus grin but she was blatantly searching out doc the minute she saw her that fake smile dropped from her lips and the look on her face was pure evil.
My gut just feels very off about her and her state of mind at present she is about to implode and I don't think it is going to be pretty.
Now! said…
Thank you, Purple Puffin! I have made the change.
Now! said…
I thought the most interesting thing about today's budget revelations was the news that the Gloucesters are moving out of Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace and into a smaller home in the compound, the Old Stables.

Apartment 1 got a new roof recently, supposedly to prepare it for Harry and Meghan to live in. However, when they were sent to Frogmore Cottage, the PR explanation was that the Gloucesters did not want to move.

Apparently they did indeed want to move. And somebody did not want Harry and Meghan in Apartment 1.

At any rate, I wonder who will get it now? There's been a lot of pre-engagement publicity for Beatrice and Edo. Eugenie and Jack will be starting a family soon too.
Now! said…
The British press in general is furious at Meg for the way she played them during the birth announcement.

Also, the DM knows that anger makes for clicks, and clicks is what they sell. I see the piece about the spending on Frogmore now has more than 7500 comments.
Now! said…
I think in a post-Brexit Britain anything is possible.

But I also think at time when British politicians command so little respect (Boris Johnson? Jeremy Corbyn? Nigel Farage?) a respected monarch has a role to play.

Whether that respected monarch will be Charles or William is an interesting question.
Suzette said…
I certainly understand the negative impact of MM's behavior on the royal family is far greater than on the greater citizenry, but I think it's worth stating that she's ruining things for us, too. My favorite fragrance has long been by Givenchy and now every time I pick up the bottle of Organza, I think of her - and not in a good way.

Also, I wish that only MM's rings could shown. That wonky finger of hers is weird and off-putting.
Now! said…
I've heard several people say the same thing about Givenchy!

The brand's owner LVMH must be thrilled. I wonder what their market research is telling them.

It will be interesting to see if Meg is still wearing Givenchy when she comes out of hibernation.
punkinseed said…
Hikari. Love what you said: "... But MM has to count her anniversaries in months, doesn't she, as it's increasingly likely that she's not going to see even a second anniversary with Harry."
Sort of reminds me of "Anne of 1000 Days." Queen Anne knew from the moment she gave birth to Elizabeth that her days were shortened as queen if she failed again to produce a son and heir. Markle knows her days are numbered as Harry's wife, so she is using all means necessary to stockpile wealth by what ever means necessary. Jackie O did it by buying tons of items, then returning them for cash as Onassis had her on an allowance she blew through in no time.

Meg's counting her anniversaries in months is well put. Imagine being so needy and insecure. It's like she's already entertaining the idea of having a vow renewal at year 2 if they make it that long. Sounds very crazy to a normal person, but for her it's not abnormal at all. Let's not forget: Narcissists are incapable of giving or receiving true, real love. They are experts at mirroring or acting it out, but rudderless to the real thing. It's because of this major deficit in her that if she is a real narcissist I feel so very sorry for the baby.
KnitWit said…
The one piece of jewelry that had value, provenance and a great story was her engagement ring.... and she ruined that by having it remade. Silly, greedy girl.
KayeC said…
OMG Suzette, me too!!! I use to love Givenchy....an amazing Paris fashion house....now seems more associated with nouveau riche.
Maddie said…
The DM has a story about the cost 2.4 million pounds to refurnish Frogmore Cottage. There’s over 8k comments and their not nice. Go check it out.
LadyJaneJagger said…
When I first saw the engagement ring that PH had designed for MM, my reaction was, “meh.” I didn’t think the design was unique, or very pretty. To me, it was a reflection of Harry, dull and unimaginative and it also illustrated that he didn’t know her very well. Although I don’t care for MM, the redesign of the ring, with a thinner, dainty band, is definitely more in keeping with the type of jewelry she seems to favor.
Suzette said…
Too bad MM missed the state dinner for President Trump. I would have loved to see the photo of her shaking hands with melania and her -->25 karat <-- engagement ring.
Lurking said…
What the hell is up with Harry's cuticles? https://amp.insider.com/images/5b15478e5e48ec38008b457b-960-720.jpg

She has a few very high end pieces... engagement ring, earrings that were a gift from Harry, Diana's $75K aquamarine ring... All gifted to her. But as for most everything else, when she wears it, the description will be, "Megs wore X to Y event," and may include the jeweler. Does she own the $300K Cartier bracelet she wore on her wedding day or was it lent to her? She also wore a $20K Cartier bracelet to Chuck's birthday. No mention it is hers though. Diamond studs worn at TOTC 2019... can't find anything about those. Can we assume that if she wears it, it belongs to her? Everything else she's pictured in is cheap rubbish.

Nutty... when's the last time it's confirmed she wore a piece from the Queen's collection? She may have been cut off and is scrambling to find something, anything to wear to events.
abbyh said…
I agree with KW that the redesign of the engagement ring has lowered the future value of it.

Since she was given several pieces of jewelry - I'm wondering how that would play out for her being allowed to keep because it was a gift, return it because it was a gift contingent on marriage into the BRF or allowed to keep but not allowed to sell (estate to return upon death)?

I seem to remember that PH was to receive his mother's engagement ring and PW her watch but when PW became engaged, he gave it to his brother to use for Kate. Oh, if he hadn't - things would be really really messier than they are now.
Now! said…
Well, some cynics think she's *never* worn a piece of the Queen's jewelry, that even the Queen Mary diamond bandeau she wore to her wedding was a replica. See Tumblr for lots of close-up comparison photos.

In April, the Sun published a piece suggesting that the Queen had banned Meghan from wearing any more items from the Royal Collection that Diana had worn, noting that in the past she had worn a pair of butterfly earrings and a gold bracelet that had once belonged to Diana. (Again, the cynics say these were replicas. I haven't really looked into it and have no opinion.)

After the Sun piece, there was an immediate clapback from Katie Nicholl, a Meg-friendly journalist at Vanity Fair, who insisted that Meg was welcome to wear jewels from the Royal Collection after all. Since then, Meg has only had two public appearances - Archie's debut and ToC - neither of which featured the Queen's jewelry.

As I recall, she wore some earrings in Fiji that she coyly referred to as "borrowed," and many people assumed they were borrowed from the Queen. It turns out they were on loan from a Hong Kong jeweler.
Now! said…
Agreed. Also, Harry is many things, but he is not a jewelry designer. Some men have exquisite taste (including some heterosexual men!) and could have designed a lovely ring for their partner. Harry is not one of them.
Now! said…
The weird thing is - aren't they supposed to be moving to Africa? Why did the taxpayers need to build them such a fancy home if they are moving to Africa?

Or the US, as Meghan would seem to prefer.

Also, are there any schools around Frogmore Cottage for Archie to attend? I mean Royal-type high end school. I don't see him going to state school with the plebs.
Lurking said…
@Nutty... thank you for responding.

I think the valuations ($600k to $700k) are inflated and include pieces that may not be owned by Megs. If she is squirreling away jewelry due to a pending divorce, she's going about it all wrong. The delicate bracelets won't be valued at more than their weight in gold. Perhaps she is planning a fire sale. The only piece likely to fetch anything substantial, is Diana's aquamarine ring, and that's because of Diana's name, not Megs.
Anonymous said…
I agree w/you @abbyh re the value.

Not only did the redesign lower the future value, but IMO it made clear how she values Harry's thoughtfulness and feelings. The design of the original ring was just fine, and maybe not as inspired as mm wanted, but it was definitely classic, and (much more importantly) it was designed by PH. It was a gift. It's not like it was a figural of donkeys having sex or something - it was just three nice diamonds on a plain gold band. There was no need for a redesign. IMO it's passive-aggressive merde.

Now, I know that some people receive gifts from their loved ones that are never quite what they wanted or good enough, but I believe the value of the gift is in the thoughtfulness and love behind it. Manners and protocol are part of my upbringing and the giving and accepting of gifts meant that all the best manners were on display. Anything less than gratitude and delight were going to result in a lecture series, so I may be overly conscious of how one should behave re gifts, but it's hard for me to imagine that PHs feelings weren't hurt. My guess is that this public sign of not good enough/not what I wanted has been on display at home. It really tears up a relationship.
Now! said…
Oh, I don't doubt that the Daily Mail loves to inflate numbers - and for what it's worth, the figures were in British sterling, not dollars.

Still, she's been out of the public eye for quite some time, and apparently doing some shopping.

The one bit of news Enty had that no one else has mentioned is that she was negotiating with jewelers for the best prices on - what?

Possibly something we haven't seen yet?
Now! said…
Perhaps Meghan manipulated him to the point where he believed it was his own idea to get the jewels re-set.
Sooz said…
I would think there would be schools nearby. I believe the York girls grew up in Windsor so I'd think there would be something.
Lurking said…
If there is a new piece, I doubt we will see it any time soon. Papers are having another go around regarding the 3million spent on Frogmore Cottage.

Something to consider. Is she negotiating for the jewelry itself or an agreement to represent a brand/brands? She would be smarter getting a paycheck and putting it away than purchasing jewelry.
KayeC said…
Those Fiji earrings were hideous! But to be fair, I loved the dress she had on that night....she missed the mark styling (hair, jewelry) and of course who could forget holding the 3-month bump!

From my extensive research (pre-MM) the queen does loan out her personal jewelry to other female royals for certain events. For example, the tiara that Camilla almost always wears is the Greville tiara, that was inherited by the Queen Mother and left to the Queen. The Cambridge Lovers Knot, worn by the Queen, Diana and Kate, was from the collection left to her by her grandmother, Queen Mary. (BTW Queen Mary was the ultimate jewelry buyer and changer) There are many more examples, but they are not part of the Royal or Crown collection, but the personal collection of the Queen. Also, I'm not sure I've ever seen any minor royal ladies or wives, borrowing more than tiara's for weddings.

Also, she and Prince Phillip have given jewelry as wedding presents, see Fergie's tiara and diamond parure for example. Diana was gifted all sorts of jewelry for her wedding, from kings, queens, and other leaders of all sorts of countries.

Just to be fair, when Princess Margaret died, her children were forced to sell some of her jewelry to pay estate taxes. (Including the amazing Poltimore tiara, that she bought herself) So it won't be the first time, if MM heads to Christie's with jewels obtained by a royal....
Unknown said…
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Unknown said…
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LadyJaneJagger said…
Nutty, I just re-watched PH and MM's engagement interview. When asked about the ring, MM says, "It's beautiful and he designed it, it's incredible."
Obviously, not that incredible, if you have it redesigned less than two years later.
bootsy said…
Eton is just up the road. Poshest school in England!
Louise said…
I see that Meghan's Mirror, her merchandising site, already has a replica of the new ring for sale, via Etsy.
Jdubya said…
Omg, don't go to that meghan mirror site unless you want to gag. Is this one of her own sites? Ugh. Nauseating
Jen said…
That's probably because he didn't really know her 😂 It was a good "story" and made him appear romantic. People were all Gaga over that, which distracted them from the fact that nobody even knew who she was or that they were actually dating seriously. I guarantee he never designed anything.
50 and counting said…
Looking at the balcony dynamics at the Trooping, I'd say Uncle Andy and Auntie Anne have had enough and had words with their nephew. Andy's side eye was fantastic. I feel for Andrew, Sarah who appears to be the love of his life and mother of his children was cast out for her spending and behaviours (and yes, I know the toe sucking was the final straw) and there is MM (sorry, HRH the Duchess of Sussex) acting out at every event. Andrew knows his power and influence are done when HM dies.
Louise said…
She claims that she is not related to the site Meghan's Mirror site, but I don't believe it. When her make up artist claimed to have taken tea and avocado toast with her at Kensington and posted a photo of the table setting on Instagram, the dishes were up for sale on Meghan's Mirror almost immediately.
SwishyFishy said…
I'm curious if she will be allowed to keep Diana's pieces after the divorce. I would be surprised if she was. I can't see Harry parting with them, especially if the divorce is going to be as ugly as I predict it will be. She'd like nothing more than to flaunt them in her new life and possible auction them off. Williams head would be spinning. I can't see him letting those pieces go either.
SwishyFishy said…
I'm a rock, mineral, gem fanatic. I almost became a gemologist. I've taken many a jewelry making class. Quite honestly, the jewelry I've seen it nothing special and rather cheap. It's all thin banned dainty stuff, too many stacked rings worn on one finger or on all her fingers, index finger rings, thumb rings, nothing truly of note and emoting a sense of gravitas to the wearer. Even the few rings that have stones, if memory serves the stones are from the quartz family (don't get me wrong, I love my quartz). Nothing is high end semiprecious stones, or rare and interesting stones that would give her jewelry a much needed oomph. Even Wallis Simpson knew enough to go for emeralds, diamonds and sapphires in her collection, the high end Cartier jewels that dont' really depreciate in value because they are one of a kind custom pieces or rare pieces. Meghan's jewelry is junk with a trendy name on it. She clearly has no concept of what it means to collect fine jewelry.
SwishyFishy said…
I agree Trudy. I especially get frustrated when the media releases a slew of Meghan PR articles or the random article that makes the comment about how incredibly popular they are when discussing something generalized. They are not popular, not even close and it gets worse every day. The Daily Mail is pretty much a tabloid. They HAVE GOT to be sitting on a goldmine of unreleased stuff that's been dug up, as do other publications. No one can sling mud quite like a British tabloid...so why are they all, for the most part, so damn quiet about this woman?
SwishyFishy said…
Members of the Saudi royal family have always gifted British brides with some insane diamond/sapphire pieces worth a fortune. Even Kate got something from them at her wedding. Meghan got nothing.
SwishyFishy said…
When they get divorced, do you think Meghan will mail them back to Harry in a Fed Ex envelope like she did with her last husband? ;-D
SwishyFishy said…
Gawd, Meghan is truly repugnant.
SwishyFishy said…
I've read that the site has "silent backers" and no one is saying who they are. I think the only piece of identifying evidence someone could find traced the backers to Toronto, but I can't remember what the evidence was, sorry. I think it's pretty obvious that Jessica M. is one of them. Where there's smoke, there's fire.
R_O said…
I saw some American sites comparing the renovations of William and Kate's Kensington apartment with that of Harry and Meghan's Frogmore Cottage. For one, the Kensington renovations were done before brexit. Doing renovations that costs this much at a time like this is a bit tone-deaf for them.

Also, how does Harry feel about the ring upgrade? He designed it with love and thought, which she was gushing about how incredible the ring was during the engagement interview. 2 years after, she felt it wasn't as fabulous?

With everything she's doing, it looks like she wants to bring the monarchy down. Maybe she has political ambitions in America and she plans to gain support by being the one who took the monarchy down.
Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
Nutty, I'd have believed that might have been the case during the wedding/honeymoon period, but not at this point. Have then been seen together anywhere?

Swishy, my guess is that when the get a divorce, she'll be mailing them to Sotheby's to try and make a pound or two.
Anonymous said…
I just saw another one (Yet ANOTHER bill for Frogmore Cottage: Taxpayers are paying £750,000 for security at Harry and Meghan's new home - on top of the £3million cost of refurbishing it).

My only guess for why it's not all dumped is because they can't. Too soon, a new mother, a $43 million wedding... IDK. But the articles have been increasing in number and intensity. There is no sugar-coating that headline above.
abbyh said…
Swishy, I did not know about the Saudi gifting situation as nada. How interesting on many levels. Why not? Who decided what to say and to whom? In any case, that would be less to divide in a divorce (and less assets to sell off).
abbyh said…
Who is sending these bills fixing up FC? Who was hired? and by whom? Where is the press getting the numbers?

Everything I've been reading is that no one is there.

I've been playing around with this and haven't come up with anything. I started thinking about this with the recent uptick of articles showing bad optic decisions. Any ideas?
Unknown said…
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Silli_emperors said…
Very few of the pieces worn on engagements are impressive and a couple have odd rainbow flashes in less widely used photos. Some of the impressive pieces turned out to be "on loan" from jeweler - the chandelier earrings in Fiji. Are they nice pieces as gifts, sure if your style is splashy, quantity over quality. Someone who would choose Rolex over Patek Phillipe. Provenance matters but so does timing, demand and quality. Huge haul? There's the auction fees but there's also the IRS. IRS took down Al Capone.
WoodTiger said…
Hi there,
I heard they were looking at the American International School, in Cobham. Misha Nonoo went there. It's exclusive and expensive - not very traditional.
Silli_emperors said…
@SwishyFishy Agree 10,000x. Markle could be in the room with the Grail and would choose poorly. She literally has been and so we have all this drama.
Silli_emperors said…
@Elle, agree and another poster also suggested that the Diana diamonds might have been swapped out in the ring during the upgrade "to her taste". Easy enough to disguise in the revamp with only fallout to already tarnished rep for redesigning a ring given in love 18 months ago, not, Ok it's over if the Diana diamonds removed from engagement ring. Families commonly require their heirlooms returned when unions dissolved swapping out stones if necessary.
Aquagirl said…
I honestly don’t believe these articles about how much she’s supposedly spending on jewelry. The new ring looks as if it’s from QVC, as does her supposed Eternity ring. (And BTW, the 3 rings look cheap together.) Her gold rings that she wears on almost every finger are about $200 each. She has several necklaces that are Jennifer Meyer that are about $600 each. (One was a baby shower gift.) Anything else she has are cheap knockoffs. And Diana’s aquamarine ring was not gifted to her. The butterfly earrings are not Diana’s either; again a cheap knockoff. Does anyone honestly think that at this point in the relationship she’d be allowed to buy expensive jewels? Don’t believe it for a minute.
Aquagirl said…
@Nutty: They were always supposed to move into Apt. 1. The Gloucester’s actually said (way back when) that their kids were grown & they didn’t need so much space. I’m sure W&K didn’t want them living next door for obvious reasons. I wouldn’t want them living next to me, let alone my children. So suddenly the story changed and the Gloucester’s said they were too old to move. Anyone who believes that PH & MM ‘chose’ Frogmore is gullible. They were banished.
Amanda said…
There are ways you can do a reverse traceroute of the URLS to identify where they are hosted - I might do some open source investigating and see what i can uncover. (My career is in investigating frauds which include open source, its amazing how many people don't think of covering their tracks as well as they should:)
Silli_emperors said…
@KayeC All fashion houses need steady customers and view green as gold so nouveau riche aren't discouraged. Even old money now was nouveau riche at some point in time and Salma Hayek married in to the owner's family. She is very Hollywood so nouveau riche but when she wears their garments one might not care for selection but the garments don't seem ill-fitted dragging about in the mud, too large or tight or wrong season or occasion. Who knows if they've crossed the Rubicon with MM or will keep trying because of prior commitments. No one wants to be seen in an outfit worn very poorly publicly particularly without significant discount. Think Audrey not MM, Givenchy is still amazing fashion.
MO said…
This article is very cruel. I doubt that divorce is on Meghan’s mind, who if you remember left her own home, gave up her citizenship in the U.S to marry Prince Harry. This is not the 1900s. Women today should have something to protect themselves. Regardless of how much jewelry she owns, the idea that she is buying everything she sees is ludicrous. In every tabloid news she’s being insulted and degraded in every turn. The girl probably can’t even brush her teeth without being ridiculed. How about you write about what she’s doing right for a change. She married into the Royal family. I’m sure jewelry is the last of their worries considering most of the jewelry came from different countries at one part of history if not another. Sounds to me like you need to check your facts before you write such garbage.

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