Inside Meghan Markle's lavish New York baby shower
She’s about to give birth to the newest member of the royal family and Meghan Markle’s friends have made sure her baby shower is fit for royalty.
The 37-year-old pregnant former Suits star was pictured outside The Mark hotel in New York on Tuesday, as she made her way to the Met Breuer museum.
Hours earlier, party planners were seen preparing the venue for Meghan’s lavish baby shower, which is expected to take place on Tuesday evening.
Tall trees, bundles of flowers and a $550 flat-packed crib were pictured being wheeled into the event.
After spending an hour at the museum, Meghan was then snapped returning to the hotel with her friend, Abigail Spencer, presumably to get ready for her big night.
The royal stepped out wearing black Hatch Maternity trousers, a three-quarter sleeve grey wool jacket and carried a CH Caroline Herrera bag.
Surrounded by waiting fans and photographers, Meghan also wore cat-eye Le Specs sunglasses.
The baby shower will reportedly include about 20 guests, including Meghan’s close friend and stylist, Jessica Mulroney and actresses Priyanka Chopra and Abigail Spencer. It’s not known if her pals, tennis star Serena Williams and former chat show host Oprah will be in attendance.
Meghan Markle reportedly touched down in the Big Apple on Friday to spend a few days with girlfriends ahead of the arrival of her first child.
The Duchess of Sussex, who is in her third trimester, was spotted having lunch over the weekend at Ladurée in SoHo.
An eyewitness told Us Weekly Meghan and her friend “were having a lovely time, laughing and talking with each other.”
The Duchess’ best friend and stylist, Jessica Mulroney, is also in NYC for the celebration and has been coordinating everything, according to the New York Post.
This marks Meghan’s first trip to New York since her wedding in May last year. Prince Harry has not been spotted in the city. Harper’s Bazaar reports that she will be in town for five days.
“The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves,” a source close to the Duchess told the magazine, noting that the trip was planned months ago.
“This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born, so it’s nice to share precious moments.”
Meghan’s friends have gone on the offensive recently, defending her against an onslaught of negative comments from her father, Thomas Markle and half-sister, Samantha Markle.
Even George Clooney jumped in to slam the way she has been vilified, comparing the media’s treatment of her to the way Princess Diana was treated.
“She’s a woman who is seven months pregnant and she has been pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that Diana was, and it’s history repeating itself,” he recently told reporters. “We’ve seen how that ends.”
Meghan and Prince Harry, 34, will welcome their first child together in the spring. It’s not known if there is a baby shower planned in the U.K.
The Duchess’ secret visit to NYC comes before an announced three-day trip to Morocco that she will take with her husband next week, to cast light on girls’ education and the empowerment of young people.
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