Harry and Meghan Snub Royal Christmas as Meghan’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” Outfit Sparks Backlash

0:03 Caloroga Shark Media Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. Harry and Meghan are planning to spend Christmas with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, rather than join the royal family at Sandringham. People reports that they also plan to spend Thanksgiving with Doria. California is the likely destination, although the location of both celebrations will depend on her preference. It will be their first Christmas since returning to Britain in August and settling Archie and Lilibet into school. A source told the Sunday Times, A Palace Insider told Page Six, What he says goes, so it's better not to put themselves in any difficult position. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan are preparing for a day of charity engagements in Nottingham on Thursday, their first joint series of engagements since the move. At a food bank, Meghan plans to reconnect with some of the women from the Hub Community Kitchen, with whom she worked on a charity cookbook in 2018. Prince Harry has contributed to a planned BBC documentary about race relations in Britain, working with Baroness Doreen Lawrence.

1:24 The Telegraph reports that the sources have confirmed his involvement. although the extent of his contribution and a broadcast date are not yet clear. Baroness Lawrence has spent decades campaigning following the murder of her son Stephen, who was killed in a racially motivated knife attack in 1993. Meghan's outfit for her meeting with Malala has drawn mixed reactions online with some commenters comparing her loose brown coat and cream clothing to Obi-Wan Kenobi. She wore white wide-leg trousers reportedly by Ralph Lauren, a cream cashmere jumper by Coe, and a brown tove overcoat for the visit to Claridge's in London. One Reddit user wrote, I see that Megan decided to dress herself as Obi-Wan Kenobi for her tea at Claridge's, celebrating Halloween a little early. Another Reddit comment read, Sweet nod to Harry there with her outfit. She had the parachute from his so brave tandem jump turned into trousers, just adorable. Other critics described Meghan as wearing someone else's clothes.

2:26 You could hide a dozen Italian palazzos in those pants. Does no one see her before she leaves the house, one asked. Another wrote, with all her Hollywood connections, you would think she could get a top-notch stylist, or at least a free personal shopper at Nordstrom. In the Telegraph, William Sitwell writes, It was the trousers that did it. They broke me, shattered the metaphorical tablet upon which was carved. I shall not mention them. Since they returned to our shores at the end of August, I have tried to avoid images, news coverage, and comment on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as one might tell the kids as we pass a car crash on the motorway not to look, for it will do us no good. So I had formed a steely resolve to ignore them, and certainly not to commit thoughts to paper. But the steel melted, I'm ashamed to say, when I spotted the trousers, worn by the Duchess outside Claridge's on Wednesday, and found myself drawn like a sailor steering his ship towards the sirens. The clothing is yelling. It's a loud hailer of assembled garments.

3:24 A banner of a marauding demonstration that reads, Look at me. Which might surprise some, because when Prince Harry and Meghan returned to the UK, they specifically asked for privacy. No sooner had their missive to the press to keep their prying camera lenses away from their kids landed than Meghan was baiting them by posting photos of their children, albeit from behind, and themselves on Instagram. I dare you to publish where we're living, seemed to be the message. Yet although the British media know exactly where they are currently living and where their kids are going to school, they will not publish details. While Meghan was in London doing what she does best, albeit with no clear plan, save polishing her ego, having tea at Claridge's with Malala, the extraordinary female educational activist and Nobel laureate, exiting the front door of the chicest of upmarket London hotels, Meghan, in full view of the assembled press, flamboyantly hugged Malala, So keen she appears to be to bask in reflected glory, dressed in such a way that you could not possibly miss her, nor, as a media editor, resist publishing the photographs. Similarly, Carol Malone writes in the Express, I love the Sussexes' infinite capacity to treat us Brits like we're gullible fools. Megan, who Team Sussex insists is desperate to keep a low profile, really doesn't want to make a big show of herself, isn't insta-posting and wants to eat humble pie with the British people, made a very big show this week. She met with philanthropic Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala outside Posh Claridge's hotel. Now, who told photographers she was going to

4:55 be there, I wonder? But how fortunate they were to record the event as it polishes Megan's battered credentials as a do-gooder and a decent person and just as well she was camera-ready in her 26,000-pound outfit and a Chanel bag. Megan is donating a day's net proceeds from As Ever's jam and tea sales to the Malala Fund. She announced the partnership on Instagram, sharing photographs of the two having tea and scones at Claringe's. Megan explained, This International Day of the Girl, in partnership with Archwell Philanthropies, 100% of net proceeds from As Ever jams and teas will support Malala Fund and its vital work to ensure that every girl has access to free, safe, quality education. She finished the post with, Tea for two has never felt so good.

5:41 Shop at asever.com. Meanwhile, Megan and Charles Spencer have reportedly discussed a possible collaboration with both connected to ventures selling food and drink. The Sun reports Spencer had applied for a Spencer Farms trademark covering jam, honey, tea, marmalade and wine linked to the Althorp estate. More Palace in just a moment. Kate and Princess Charlotte surprised passengers on London's Elizabeth Line during a mother and daughter trip into the city this weekend. The Sun reports that the pair travelled with a discreet security team, taking seats in a carriage shared with commuters and other passengers. Footage posted online showed them making the journey without being bothered. One passenger told the newspaper, It was really unexpected to see the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte on the Elizabeth Line. It was really so unexpected. They described the encounter as surreal.

6:34 There's no detail about where Kate and Charlotte were heading or what they did during their day in central London. William and Kate made a surprise visit to Belfast on Friday to meet young people, finding work through William's Homewoods Initiative. Kate found herself greeting a family over a video call during her Belfast visit, then checking whether it was still morning. A woman in the crowd was speaking to her mother and sister when Kate stopped to say hello.' Hi,' she said, waving at the screen.' Nice to meet you. Sorry to interrupt your morning or afternoon.' Then she asked, what is the time now? I always lose track of time. Told it was 2.21. Kate replied, afternoon. The couple arrived in heavy rain. Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, joked that the weather wasn't playing ball. Kate also spoke to schoolchildren about her family, mentioning that George had started a new school. When a little boy asked her children's names, she replied, thank you for asking. I have George and Charlotte, and the little one is called Louis. William and Kate finished at IKEA Belfast. Kate wore a green tartan midi skirt with a white blouse, black coat, and black heels with her hair partly pinned back in loose waves. Her outfit drew praise on social media. One commenter wrote, oh, she looks so gorgeous. Another said, love her dress, scents, amazing kilt. There you have it. If you'd like to email us, our address is thepalaceintrigue at gmail.com. If you're on Spotify, leave us a comment. If you're on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen uninterrupted. Get the show for five bucks a month commercial free. And if there's a podcast or a creator in your family and they need an application to help them be a better creator, at Calaroga Media here we've come up with

8:07 a new program called Linnet. And you can check it out at linnetmedia.com. It's free through November. Give it a try. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue. Good times.