Meghan Markle celebrated her first pregnancy with a lavish baby shower back in February 2019. It was organized by tennis star Serena Williams, less than three months before welcoming Archie. The event took place in the £57,000-a-night Grand Penthouse of Manhattan’s Mark Hotel, one of the city’s most luxurious suites, featuring five bedrooms, six bathrooms, four fireplaces, two bars, and a rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park.
Meghan Markle’s baby shower was not what palace had in mind, says author
Royal biographer Tom Bower criticized the shower as reported by The Daily Mail in his 2022 book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, calling it “a launchpad for a group of friends set on financially exploiting Meghan’s status.” He noted the event “bore no resemblance to a traditional shower” and highlighted that no members of Harry or Meghan’s families attended.
“The guest list was Meghan’s latest shot at launching her own celebrity in America. She had no intention of following the Queen’s notable frugality,” he added.
Meghan reportedly faced criticism from palace officials over the “media circus” surrounding her baby shower.
According to the 2020 biography Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, a senior aide admitted that “the optics of the somewhat flashy shower did not go down well with certain individuals at the palace.”
“I think a few people who had defended her over the months felt a little disappointed. But sometimes in this role, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Ultimately, the trip was just Meghan’s friends celebrating a really exciting moment in her life,” he said.
A royal commentator told ABC News that the baby shower was “highly inappropriate,” pointing out that Kate Middleton chose not to have similar celebrations for any of her three children.
