Maxima really brought it this week, I just want you to know that.

In case you missed it earlier this week, Wills and Kate did a whole day of engagements in Manchester and she wore a great coat, and we tracked down a bunch of Meghan Markle-ish leather totes.

Elsewhere of potential interest:

We are recapping THE CROWN for Previously.TV and the first recap went up today!

In honor of Meghan Markle eventually becoming a British citizen, the New York Times recreated in part the test she will have to take. I got 100%!

At Jezebel: Queen Victoria’s Matchmaking and the Unpredictable Grandson Who Sounded a Lot Like Trump

EW asks, How does My Christmas Prince compare to A Christmas Prince? (I watched neither, because these things typically have so many logistical and factual errors that it makes me crazy. I realize this is ridiculous of me but there you go.)

I generally have complaints about Vogue’s coverage of the royals, in part because they often make factual errors and it’s obvious that some of the writers they have assigned to this beat don’t have any idea what they’re talking about. But Michelle Ruiz is always excellent (and knows what she’s talking about), and she wrote this essay this week: Let the Misogynistic Public Shaming of Meghan Markle Now Commence

We talked about this a bit last week, and I noted that it seems like Meghan Markle’s got some people in her past who are very willing to talk to the media, which sucks for her. William and Kate’s friend group is famously VERY tight-lipped (to the annoyance of royals reporters, I’m sure), and the fact that they hooked up at college means that Kate goes back with that group for a long time (at least, in terms of his friends being willing to keep quiet about them to protect HIM if not her). Meghan and Harry have a different row to hoe. [At Lainey]

Michael I of Romania died this week; The Guardian has his very, very interesting obituary.

At The Court Jeweller, a blast from the past: Jewel History: Queen and Princesses Prize Their Engagement Rings (1936)

If you’re still thinking about buying an e-book copy of The Royal We, it is currently on sale but only for a few more days, so act with haste.

And, on Ye Olde Social Media:

These are some SNAZZY PANTS:

This is a video (mouse over for the play arrow, if you don’t see it) and you…want to watch it.

 

[Photos: Dutch Press Photo/WENN.com,  Chris Radburn/PA Images/INSTARimages.com, Chris Jackson/PA Images/INSTARimages.com,  Peter Nicholls/PA Images/INSTARimages.com, REX/Shutterstock]