And off to Fiji! Before we get revved up, the Daily Mail I KNOW has a really useful article that explains a ton about what they’ve got on the docket on Days 8-10 in Fiji. Tonight — their Tuesday night; our Monday-to-Tuesday sleeptime — is being billed as their most formal event yet, so cross your fingers for some great jewels. Although as we’ll note in a second, she’s got some nice ones already today.
Meghan and Harry flew Qantas with all the reporters, and then she did a quick-change. While I know none of us ever thought Kate or Camilla or even QEII spent an entire flight in a coat-dress, gazing out the window ramrod straight for countless hours, it’s refreshing and fun to see the before-and-after. And it’s practical. They didn’t have a formal farewell in Australia because they’re coming back, so no one was there to wave her off but the press.Why NOT show up in exactly what you’re going wear to nap/watch Blockers on the in-flight screens?
Outfit #1: Meghan must really dig the Outland Denim jeans, because it’s believed she began the day in those, along with a J. Crew blouse that is a) on deep sale, and b) seems to be sold out but for in black and kind of a kicky reddish color. The shoes are new, to us at least; they’re Aquazzura mules, and if I may be honest, I think they are hideous. But I think all mules are hideous, so take that for what it’s worth. It’s okay, Meghan. We don’t have to agree all the time. (And on that tip, I hope it goes without saying that not being totally on-board with a person’s clothing choices is not the same thing as casting aspersions on them as a person or on their intelligence. To quote ourselves, from eons ago, “We don’t hate your soul; we just hate your pants.”)
Outfit #2: a formal white Zimmermann dress, a bracelet Charles gave her as a wedding gift (believed by Meghan’s Mirror to be seen on the eve of the wedding) and earrings that the Queen gave her before their day out in Chester, the Tabitha Simmons slingbacks, and a hat by Stephen Jones that is of the sort she seems to prefer: wide, round base, placed slightly to the side, with a varying degree of drama extending therefrom. Her head is lovely. Sadly the dress is, for me, a bummer. Reader, I sighed. The whole thing is certainly suitably sedate and sophisticated for an official military greeting — and they were whisked off to the Fijian president’s house afterward — but even before pregnancy, I am not sure I saw Meghan in a bodice of that sort that I thought fit her properly, and this is no exception. The closest version of this we can find (hers seems to have custom tweaks) doesn’t even look good on the shopping site, thanks to some poor chest darts. Having to be sufficiently dressy but also comfortable is a tough line to walk even when your body IS behaving predictably, but I also can’t say that pregnancy is the reason this doesn’t fit. It just… seems uninspiring in both design an execution, with loose-ish sleeves but a top too tight for her current level of mammarial inflation. She is doing her best with what she packed, but this is so dullsville that I wish she’d chucked it into the sea.
Here are some hits from social media, including our favorite logistics concept: protocol.
For the Welcome Ceremony in Albert Park there is protocol! This is ACTUAL protocol… no moving, no walking, no hate, sunglasses or umbrellas. Lots and LOTS of Fijians out on the streets to welcome the royals.
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 23, 2018
And check out THIS welcome, if also the grey and ominous clouds:
Huge crowds lining the street ahead of their ceremonial welcome at Albert Park. Over 10,000 people are expected to be out! #RoyalVisitFiji pic.twitter.com/cQeAMyWkV4
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 23, 2018
They’ve got a couple things on the docket before a State Dinner tonight, so we’ll probably roll any additional photos from all the festivities into a post sometime tomorrow, giving the photogs time to get everything uploaded while I slumber. Nighty night.
