It’s been so many years, I’d forgotten how much I enjoy “sources close to Taylor Swift” briefing the media about her breakups. Granted, she did the same thing a few months ago when she and Joe Alwyn broke up, but this Matt Healy split is really giving us some vintage snake drama. By all accounts, Taylor and Matt have been done for about a week, maybe more. I genuinely believe that they were seeing each other or hooking up for months before we heard about it. The timeline is important, because back in February, Healy made racist comments on The Adam Friedland Show. Some of those comments were about Ice Spice. As soon as Swealy became a thing, Taylor suddenly had a collaboration with Ice Spice, one of the most obvious and ham-fisted PR exercises I’ve ever seen. Well, Taylor is still mad that people saw through her little PR exercise, which is why we’re getting TMZ stories like this:

Matty Healy put Taylor Swift in a pretty sticky situation recently — it involved a troubling podcast appearance he’d made — but we’ve learned that controversy is NOT the reason they’re no longer dating.

A friend connected to Matty’s band, The 1975, tells TMZ … Taylor was aware of Matty’s remarks about Ice Spice on the podcast before she started dating him. While it’s true her fans applied plenty of social media pressure over it, the friend tells us Matty and Taylor were used to the noise, and simply blocked it out.

ICYMI … Matty went on the “The Adam Friedland Show” back in February, where Nick Mullen, Friedland and Matty openly laughed and made derogatory comments about Ice Spice … even mocking her with Chinese and Hawaiian accents. Amid Matty and Taylor’s romance, the clip resurfaced online last month, along with a separate interview clip of Ice expressing her love for The 1975. BTW, all of this was brewing as Taylor and Ice prepared to release their collab, “Karma (Remix).”

Awkward timing to say the least, and although Matty ultimately apologized for offending Ice, some fans felt his mea culpa lacked sincerity. The podcast episode has since been scrubbed from several platforms.

Nevertheless … we’re told all the Swiftee angst over that is not at the root of them pulling the plug on their relationshp — and, instead, it has more to do with the fact they simply don’t have time for each other.

Everyone knows Taylor’s Eras tour is packing stadiums across the U.S., and will for a few more months — and Matty’s friend points out The 1975 is in the middle of its European tour now. We’re told they still care for each other, even though things didn’t work out romantically.

[From TMZ]

What an amazing communications strategy, to argue that Taylor and Matt didn’t break up because of his racism, they broke up because of their tour schedules. Yeah… I don’t believe it. As a lot of Swifties have noted, Taylor is not responsible for Matt Healy’s bullsh-t. But she is responsible for knowingly dating a man who has a history of racist and problematic words and behavior. Which is exactly why she threw together that Ice Spice collab in the first place – some damage control to protect her own image and try to rescue Healy’s image too. It blew up in her face and here we are. “While it’s true her fans applied plenty of social media pressure over it, the friend tells us Matty and Taylor were used to the noise, and simply blocked it out.” Absolutely none of that is true.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

Here are more photos of Katie Keen the Rugby Machine on Wednesday, where she did a haphazard event focused on rugby, men, male emotions and fatherhood. Something something Shaping Us, something something mental health, look, Kate wore her hair in a high ponytail and posed with a rugby ball. I tried to read through her statement at the event and it was just a word salad about (what else) Early Years. And rugby.

Kensington Palace must have realized that “sending Kate out to do impromptu skits using peasants as props” wasn’t getting the job done. The job being “distract from Prince Harry’s presence in London.” As I said yesterday, the current crop of palace advisors couldn’t problem-solve their way out of a wet paper bag. Speaking of, Kensington Palace announced that William and Kate have finally “offered” to donate food to a food bank. At long last.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to replace food stolen from a Welsh foodbank last week. St Thomas Church foodbank in Swansea announced it had “no food to give out” after a break-in at the weekend, but when the royal couple heard about what happened they were quick to get in touch with the church.

In a statement published on Facebook on Monday, the church said: “Over the weekend we have been broken into and all of our foodbank food has been stolen. Other items including an orange bike that had been donated for a family, our youth group tuck shop supplies and baby items have also been taken. We simply have no food to give out because every bag of food has been taken. We are here to support the most vulnerable in society and the most desperate. If you find yourself in a position where the only option is to steal food from a foodbank then please get in touch well before that. We are a forgiving bunch and would love to support you out of that situation.”

Speaking to ITV News, Reverend Steven Bunting said: “Yeh, it’s been crazy – the response. It’s been so hard to be discouraged when we’ve been surrounded by so much love and generosity. We’ve had people coming in donating £5 all the way up to the local working man’s club, the local schools and businesses, and as you said, the Prince and Princess of Wales contacted us earlier to offer their love and support as well. They would like to replace the food that was taken, they very much want to do that.”

[From The Independent]

William and Kate are famous for showing up empty-handed to food banks, baby banks, refugee centers, low-income nurseries and homeless shelters. Just this week, Kate was empty-handed at a family hub center in Windsor – she couldn’t be bothered to bring diapers or baby clothes or even a coffee cake. William and Kate have both done events where they come into contact with refugee children, kids who have fled their homes with little more than the clothes on their back… and Will and Kate still refused to bring toys or blankets or food or backpacks. So, yeah. It was nice of them to offer to replenish this foodbank’s stolen goods. I hope they get in the habit of doing that more often.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

We’ll probably never learn the extent of shenanigans when it comes to Party Pieces, the family-run business of Carole and Michael Middleton. For years, we heard about how wealthy and successful Carole and Mike were, how this catalog company selling mid-range party supplies was a “British heritage” brand worth $40 million. We heard repeatedly that Carole and Mike could afford all of these lavish holidays and a London apartment and they could fund Kate’s decade of waitying. I don’t think any of that was true. What I think is that the Middletons were in a financial crisis for years and they bankrupted a mildly successful party-supply business through mismanagement and scams. Well, now we know that the courts had to step in to sell PP for £180,000, and that the Middletons owe creditors a lot of money, money which those creditors will probably never get. They also took £220,000 in pandemic loans, which they still haven’t paid back. Well, now we’re learning more about the extent of the Middletons’ debt.

The party company run by the parents of the Duchess of Cambridge has gone into administration almost £2.6 million in the red. Party Pieces Holdings run by Michael and Carole Middleton owes the taxman £612,685, details published reveal. The company also owes £218,749 to RBS bank for a Coronavirus Business Interruption loan, £456,008 to other creditors and £1.4 million in unsecured loans, a statement published by administrators reveal.

Party Pieces has been sold in part to Teddy Tastic Bear Company Limited for £180,000, the document says, with the firm keeping on 12 employees and remaining at its current base in Ashampstead, Berkshire.

It adds that many owed cash will be out of pocket as a result of the business failure, saying: ‘Based on current estimates, it is uncertain whether there will be funds available to enable a distribution to preferential creditors. It is unlikely there will be funds available to enable a distribution to unsecured creditors.’

The report details how the pandemic began to cause the company problems saying that revenue contracted from £4.5 million to £3.2 million between 2021 and 2022, with the company making a loss of £900,000. It said: ‘Management attributed this to the Covid 19 pandemic resulting in reduced social gatherings and a reduction in discretionary spend due to the cost of living crisis. This caused constraints on the company’s cash flows.’

In early 2023 the CEO resigned and the Middletons and other members of the board tried to shore up the company and find a buyer. But the report said: ‘The company experienced increasing creditor pressure, including threats to present winding up petitions and other legal proceedings.’ In the face of the financial challenges the company approached 175 potential buyers and eventually settled on a deal for £180,000 which was for stock worth £120,000 and £60,000 for intellectual property, computers, contracts and other equipment. All 12 employees will transfer to the new company, the administrator report said.

[From The Daily Mail]

Someone who understands the British bankruptcy system can probably explain this better than me. But it sounds like the Middletons really are bankrupt and they’re going to screw over their creditors to the tune of £2.6 million? I always assumed that the only reason why Teddy Tastic Bear Company Limited agreed to purchase the insolvent Party Pieces was because the court arranged it so the buyer would not have to take on any of PP’s debt. It looks like that’s the case. It also appears that the buyer not only purchased Party Pieces, but the actual land and buildings housing PP’s operations in Berkshire. That was probably the most valuable part of the purchase. Anyway, it’s just fascinating that Carole and Mike are completely broke-ass and neither of their daughters’ rich husbands stepped in to help out. Curious.

PS… there’s more to this story, which is coming up later today. Please don’t threadjack, it’s worth the wait!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

From CB: I bought a rapid egg cooker and regret that I didn’t get one sooner! They make the perfect hardboiled eggs and because they’re steamed they’re easy to peel. My son and I are eating more eggs, which are high in protein and better than most of the junk I snack on. This Dash rapid egg cooker is the number one bestseller in egg cookers. Most colors are under $20 and it comes with accessories that help you poach eggs and make scrambled eggs too. Here are some more things Rosie and I are looking at on Amazon.

A four-in-one makeup brush for easy application and storage

From CB: I bring my makeup brushes when traveling and they take up so much space. This four-in-one makeup brush by Alleyoop has two eyeshadow brushes, a sponge and a larger brush suitable for powder or blush. It would be great for travel or keeping in your purse. This has 463 ratings, 4.5 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say it was just what they needed to streamline their makeup bag. “Love the storage pouch. Great for travel. The sponge applicator is perfect for under eye application of concealer. Very versatile.” “I absolutely love this travel makeup brush and sponge combo! It’s so convenient for when I’m on the go and need to touch up my makeup. The bristles are soft and the sponge is great for blending. Plus, it’s compact and fits perfectly in my purse.”

Create an effortless gallery wall with a set of ten frames

From CB: I recently created a gallery wall with frames I had on hand and it was tricky to lay out. This set of gallery wall frames is so affordable at under $35 for ten. You get four 4×6, four 5×7 and two 8×10 inch frames in choices of nine different wood and metal finishes. They can go on the wall or a table. People say these are well made and easy to hang. “I bought the white 10pc. I was really surprised with the quality. It is sturdy and looks well made. Planning on purchasing more!” “Perfect housewarming or wedding gift. These are beautiful and so sturdy. My dogs knock these off the shelf constantly and they have not been broken yet. The wooden style is beautiful and I will be buying more for our bedroom!” If you’re looking to pay more for higher quality frames or want frames in different finishes, this set by trusted brand Kate and Laurel is just under $100 and has an A on Fakespot.

A hydrating night cream you’ll wish you tried earlier

From CB: Face creams are so expensive and I’ve had to switch mine out to vegan brands due to an allergy. I bought this this Nourishing Night Cream from Elf and I love it! It’s moisturizing without being oily, the scent is light and pleasant and it makes my skin feel so soft. This cream is just $13 and has 4.6 stars, 468 ratings and an A on Fakespot. Most reviewers like it as much as I do. “It baffles me to this day how cheap this is. I liken this moisturizer to a high-end product because it is amazing and so cheap for the great quality you are getting. I never repurchase anything but this is my go-to.” “Moisturizes without being greasy. Soaks in well. Leaves my skin looking great. I really love this product.”

An affordable eyeliner pencil you’ll want in several colors

From Rosie: Summertime is approaching, and for me, that means it’s time to play with fun-colored eyeliners! I sometimes dabble in the more expensive ones (usually if they’re on sale on Prime Day) but my go-to affordable one is the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Eyeliner Pencil. It’s $8 and comes in 16 different colors. My favorite is Rich Amethyst. This eyeliner has more than 32,000 reviews and 4.3 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviews mention how long it lasts without smudging. “I have tried MANY eyeliners, and this is the first that I’ve worn all day and it didn’t smudge.” “I’ve never had a liner that lasted so long … I bought it in six colors!” “Love it, love it last 24 hours no smudging or smearing.”

A hanging toiletry bag for easier travel

From Rosie: If you’re traveling this summer and looking for something to organize your toiletry and make up, check out this hanging travel toiletry bag from BAGSMART. It comes in 8 colors and in a medium or large size. It has a 4.8 star rating, more than 8,800 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers rave about how spacious and convenient it is. “I ordered the medium, and it has more than enough room to consolidate all skincare, shower, and makeup items. I also love that I can hang it up.” “So nice to have everything in one bag, one place, easy to separate airline liquid products with the separate clear bag provided.” “I got the medium size and I don’t see how I would really ever fill it to capacity but I’m glad I’ll have the extra space if needed.”

A milk frother for luxurious coffee at home

From Rosie: My sister has been on a mission to turn everyone in my family onto this handheld electric milk frother. It is pretty easy to use and affordable at $9. She uses it with oat milk (you can use any milk though) and says it’s also good for mixing in matcha powder. It has more than 67,000 reviews and 4.6 stars on ReviewMeta. And just like my sister will excitedly confirm, people in reviews mention how much it’s changed their coffee-drinking experience. “Soooooo worth the money. Starbucks quality foam (if you’re not a coffee snob) at home.” “I don’t even know how I was living my life normally before I found these! Seriously, I can’t even drink coffee without one now. I never knew just how much a frother could make my coffee so much better.” “A few seconds and you get nice froth milk and some coffee, a sprinkle of cinnamon or powder chocolate and you will save $5 dollars every morning.”

Reusable magnetic water balloons for hours of summer fun

From Rosie: During a weak moment in the Spring of 2020, when we were desperate to find new ways to entertain our bored-at-home children, we caved and filled up a pack of Bunch O Balloons and had a water balloon fight in our driveway. Never. Again. It was the WORST to clean up. After coming across these reusable water balloons, I may be open to water play at home again. They’re made of a soft silicon material and recommended for kids of all ages. They have more than 400 reviews and a 4.8 on ReviewMeta. Reviewers are amazed at how much better they are than actual balloons. “Where were these when I was a kid?!?! First of all they are super easy to fill. Second, they don’t leak. Third, you reuse them over and over.” “We got these for our toddler and they are so easy to use. We even play with them in the bathtub.” “So, these things are freaking awesome. [T]hey work GREAT in the swimming pool.”

Thanks for reading and commenting on our affiliate post! If you make any purchases through these links we get a small percentage and appreciate it.

Prince Harry’s testimony in his lawsuit against the Mirror Group Newspapers ended yesterday, Wednesday, June 7th. He was on the stand for about a day and a half and he faced hours of cross-examination by MGN’s lawyers, and he was even asked some direct questions by the judge. The way this case is being reported and commented on many in the American and British media, many have gotten the impression that the case hinges solely on Harry’s word, or that Harry is responsible for providing incontrovertible proof of MGN’s phone hacking. None of that is accurate – Harry is one of several plaintiffs, and the court is already hearing for Mirror journalists and editors about their sourcing for various stories. This is far from the first legal action taken against MGN as well. Plus, as Harry noted in his testimony, MGN destroyed evidence of the paper’s criminal activity. In any case, in the final day of Harry’s testimony, he spoke about why he began to pursue legal action against MGN and other newspapers:

The Duke of Sussex has revealed that he was motivated to sue the tabloid newspapers over phone hacking in order to protect his wife. Prince Harry, 38, told the High Court he had been thinking about how he could defend Meghan without involving the Royal family’s own legal team.

“I think it was a discussion on how to somehow find a way to stop the abuse, intrusion and hate that was directed towards me and my wife,” he said. “And to see if there was any way to find a different course of action without relying on the institution’s lawyers.”

The Duke is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over 148 articles he alleges came from illegal activity, including phone hacking. As he took to the witness stand for a second consecutive day, it emerged that he had been introduced to his barrister, David Sherborne, by Sir Elton John. The Duke has suggested that it was Mr Sherborne’s idea to pursue legal action.

[From The Telegraph]

You have to remember, Harry believed that his only legal recourse was to do whatever the royal-affiliated lawyers told him to do. Those lawyers never represented Harry solo – they represented the interest of the Firm, and the Firm’s position was to never directly sue the tabloids, but to work out deals behind the scenes. Harry didn’t realize or understand that he could simply hire his own lawyer and pursue justice outside of the royal-affiliated legal team until 2019.

Anyway, even the most conservative British outlets had to admit that Harry performed well, that he didn’t lose his temper or have a breakdown on the stand. He didn’t pretend to have all the answers and he was seemingly well-prepared by his legal team. When he left the court building, fans cheered for him.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Vin Diesel blames Jason Momoa’s “overacting” for the bad reviews of Fast X. But everyone said Jason Momoa was the best part?? [Dlisted]
Jennifer Lopez is in decorator mode now that she & Ben Affleck have finally bought a new mansion, after months of searching. [LaineyGossip]
What are some of the worst tweets ever? [Pajiba]
Emily Ratajkowski: bangs, stripes, abs, it’s all happening. [Go Fug Yourself]
Michelle Yeoh came out for a Dior jewelry event. [Tom & Lorenzo]
Matt Healy made some cryptic comments about his split. [Just Jared]
The white woman who murdered Ajike Owens has not been arrested. [Jezebel]
Gisele Bundchen celebrates World Environment Day. [Egotastic]
The nostalgia people have for the 1990s, my God. [Buzzfeed]
Beyonce’s tour looks have been amazing. [RCFA]
Some family members are circling the wagons around Jim-Bob Duggar. [Starcasm]
Horoscopes for the month of June! [OMG Blog]

I worked from home before the pandemic, during the pandemic and after the pandemic. I’m not sure I could ever work in an office again or be around coworkers all day. But that’s me – I’m efficient at how I use my time. Other people are different, and I legitimately believe that there are a lot of people who enjoy parts of coming into an office and seeing coworkers face-to-face. Which is why the pandemic gave us the hybrid work model, which is something for everyone. People can work from home part of the week and come to the office for a few days. That has been a major shift in how Americans think of their work lives and their priorities. Except that bosses are still f–king mad about it – in recent years, there have been endless thinkpieces and NYT columns about how people “need” to come back to the office to work five or six days a week, that “work” isn’t work unless you’re sharing a smelly refrigerator or completing your tasks in a cubicle under fluorescent lighting. Wouldn’t you know, Martha Stewart is one of those bosses.

Martha Stewart is on a “rampage” to abolish the hybrid work model. The lifestyle icon and television personality, 81, shared her thoughts on people not working in the office five days a week and how that will ultimately lead the U.S. to “go down the drain” in a recent interview with Footwear News.

“You can’t possibly get everything done working three days a week in the office and two days remotely,” Stewart told the publication.

She then compared the productivity level of the U.S. to France, saying the latter is “not a very thriving country.”

“Should America go down the drain because people don’t want to go back to work?” the celebrity cook posed, saying she is on a “rampage” for people to get back into the office and work in person.

[From People]

Martha Stewart literally started her lifestyle empire out of her kitchen. AT HOME. She used to film her cooking and lifestyle programs at her many homes. Yes, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia had a big office and studio in New York, but Martha was still working from home!!! Anyway, never forget that Martha Stewart is a boss who believes in office culture, but only for peasants. For herself, she believes in working from home. And no, America will not “go down the drain” if people who CAN do their work at home do just that. The way these people talk is insane – “think of the poor office buildings, think of the poor bosses, America will suffer!”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instagram.

This is amazing. It’s absolutely hilarious that the palace brain trust decided to use the Princess of Wales as “counterprogramming” for Prince Harry’s court appearances in London. Remember how often the palace brain trust would speak glowingly of themselves, like they were the creme de la creme of international public relations, that they were the best image-makers in the world? And here we have yet another example of how thoroughly they’re in the trenches, how badly they miscalculated everything. They have to send poor, lazy Jazz Hands out there in a ponytail to pose for photos. Poor sausage had to work two days in a row, specifically because Harry is in town.

Kate Middleton is playing with the guys! The Princess of Wales, 41, took part in some rugby training on Wednesday morning before talking to the players about their childhoods as she highlights her ongoing campaign highlighting the importance of the early years in a person’s life. The outing combined her leadership of the Shaping Us initiative to talk about how best to nurture children with her support for the game of rugby, of which she is patron of the Rugby Football Union.

While Princess Kate has spent a lot of time with mothers and carers since launching her campaign in January, the visit to Maidenhead Rugby Club was all about hearing from men. After taking part in the rugby drills on the field while sporting a high ponytail and blue t-shirt featuring a red rose, England rugby’s logo, she went inside to talk about the impact that local sports clubs have for those who are helping to raise children.

Kate was joined by Shaping Us champion Ugo Monye, a former England rugby professional and father of two, and other professional rugby players and representatives from Maidenhead RFC. Also there was Si Trower, the founder of the mental health charity Brave Mind, which works with rugby clubs, universities and schools to provide a platform to help rugby clubs an schools to improve their approach to supporting mental health in their community.

Her visit came as her Early Years Foundation found that men are less likely than women to realize the importance of the first years of a child’s life.

[From People]

It’s about rugby! No, it’s about Early Years! No, it’s about Shaping Us! It’s about raising awareness! Of what? Something something MEN! Rugby, men, children, sports, ponytails! God help us all. I guess they can’t say “we put her hair in a high pony and told her to run around and flap her hands because we’re scared sh-tless about Prince Harry’s testimony in court.”

They got her to hug someone too. Those pants are unfortunate. Speaking of unfortunate pants, where the hell is Kate’s husband? He just disappears completely for weeks in a row and no one says anything.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

The Heritage Foundation has been trying to get their dirty fascist hands on Prince Harry’s American visa application for months now. Heritage is in active collaboration with several British newspapers, including the Telegraph and the Times, and the right-wing think-tank is seemingly doing all of this to create stories for the “niche” British publications. Heritage’s entire argument hinges on “if.” As in, they’re going on a massive fishing expedition through the American court system to release one man’s visa application simply on the argument that IF Harry lied about taking drugs, then his visa should have been rejected. Last week, Heritage was granted a court hearing over their attempts to compel the Department of Homeland Security to release Harry’s records. The hearing went down yesterday. The judge made some kind of ruling…

A federal judge has given the Department of Homeland Security until next Tuesday to decide how it will handle a conservative think tank’s request for Prince Harry’s US immigration records.

The Heritage Foundation has asked the US government via the Freedom of Information Act to see his visa application, citing his admission of past recreational drug use in his memoir. The group is questioning whether immigration officials properly granted Prince Harry’s application, since admission of past drug use can be grounds to reject a visa application.

At a hearing Tuesday in Washington, DC, federal judge Carl Nichols gave DHS until June 13 to determine whether or not it will expedite or respond to a request for the records. Several agencies within the department, including US Border Patrol, have denied the FOIA requests, but the agency’s headquarters has not yet made a determination.

In court filings, DHS has noted that the US Customs and Border Protection agency originally denied the requests from Heritage because the group did not have Prince Harry’s authorization or consent to release the information.

“A person’s visa … is confidential,” DHS attorney John Bardo said in court Tuesday.

DHS attorneys have also said that an injunction to expedite the FOIA requests is not appropriate in the case since Heritage has, among other things, not shown how they will suffer irreparable harm if the information is not quickly released.

When asked about the privacy aspect of their records request, attorney Samuel Dewey, who represents Heritage, said Prince Harry’s privacy on the issue of past drug use has been “extraordinarily diminished” given his public remarks on the subject.

“We’re only focused on the specific issue that’s drawn all the press attention: the drug use,” Dewey said. “He’s talked about, he’s written about it extensively. He has waved any privacy interest he has in his drug use. He has bragged about it (in his memoir) and sold that.”

[From CNN]

I’ll admit, I don’t really understand this “ruling.” The judge basically told DHS that they have a week to decide whether or not to release Harry’s records… and then what? If DHS comes back a week from now and says “we studied the issue and we decided no, we won’t release the records,” what then? The judge seemingly kicked it back to DHS, to do whatever they feel is necessary in this situation. Considering DHS is fighting Heritage’s FOIA request in court, I think we know their answer.

Something else to think about: when Harry applied for a visa and filled out all of these DHS forms, it was 2020. That’s when the Sussexes moved to California – late March 2020. The last year of the Trump administration. IF (Heritage’s favorite word) Harry’s visa application “should” have been rejected, surely the Trump-era DHS was to blame?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Many of us have expressed our desire to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have some kind of social media presence for their Montecito lives. I absolutely believe that Archewell should have its own dedicated Instagram, where they can highlight their foundation work, draw attention to charities and promote their commercial work. An Archewell IG would also cut out the middleman when it came to issuing statements in their own voice, which (frankly) has been needed in recent years. Meghan also mentioned last year that she was considering coming back to Instagram, and it was widely assumed that meant her own stand-alone account. Which I would also love. Brand Sussex is an elite brand, helped along with Meghan’s new representation with WME. So once again, the British media is obsessed with the idea that Meghan could come back to IG and become an elite influencer. Some highlights from this Times piece:

Meghan could make a fortune off of Instagram: Digital talent agents estimate that the duchess will be able to charge up to £300,000 per Instagram post should she decide to set up with a new social media profile, as is expected. The @sussexroyal Instagram account, from which the couple logged off, along with their royal duties, in early 2020, is still followed by 9.4 million people.

They really want Meghan to relaunch The Tig too: Its second coming is expected to straddle the lucrative territory occupied by Gwyneth Paltrow’s one per cent lifestyle and wellness empire Goop, and the headset-and-no-notes elite talking points platform TED. This new online presence, plus the not inconsiderable water under the bridge since Meghan was last active in the blogosphere, could net its founder an even more substantial audience than the @princeandprincessofwales account run for William and Kate, which has 15 million followers. While their content is not sponsored, it is technically taxpayer-funded.

How much Meghan could get paid: “I can see Meghan getting £200,000 to £300,000 per post easily,” says one broker at a leading creative partnerships agency. “There’s no set fee for this sort of thing, but brands have big budgets for people with the sort of reach she has. Agents ask for anything between £50,000 for a mention to £200,000 for a dedicated post. It’s a bit of a Wild West sometimes, people just make up numbers. But if the person is worth it, a brand will pay.”

Mega-influencer: “She’ll be in line with the best-paid mega-influencers, if not the highest-paid in the world,” says Alison Bringé of the brand performance company Launchmetrics. “The kind of virality of the content that comes from Meghan Markle is different to any other. When she wears a Stella McCartney dress, she generates $3 million for the label, where Michelle Obama generates around $300,000. A Victoria Beckham catwalk show generates something like $8 million — but that’s holding an entire fashion show, compared to a [single shot] of Meghan Markle.”

Brand ambassadorships: The duchess is likely to pick up this sort of work online, either as part of a longstanding “ambassador” contract with a brand that also takes in public appearances and billboard advertising, or as a one-off plug (known in the business as an “activation”). There are rumours abroad that she — and potentially Harry too — has already signed with a talent agency to begin working on agreements such as these.

Hiking spon-con??? Take her hiking cameo in Montecito over the coronation weekend last month: candid shots that broadcast the duchess in a J Crew jacket and Victoria Beckham sunglasses, a Cartier watch that belonged to Princess Diana and a Bentley & Skinner diamond bracelet. The jacket has now sold out, and Google searches for the jewellery brand rose by 100 per cent in the week after the pictures were released. Insiders believe the images were, if not directly arranged commercially, then offered as a blueprint for how the duchess may work with brands in future — and how much clout she can offer at the negotiating table.

The Kate Effect: You might remember when this was known as the Kate effect. There was a time when anything the Princess of Wales wore sold out regardless of price, but sources say her retail relevance now tends to be with more affordable items — more in keeping with Holly Willoughby’s sell-through. That isn’t to be sniffed at (Willoughby is still known in high street circles as “Holly Will-you-buy”), but luxury brands are now looking to Meghan as a new figure with high-end rather than mass appeal. After all, many among the masses — in the UK at least — are famously not that keen on her.

Meghan’s influence: “Meghan has an influence unlike any other,” Bringé says. “She has a proximity to her audience because they’ve followed along on this emotional journey she’s had. Unlike a celebrity, you feel like you’re part of her life and, unlike an influencer, you know she’s not trying to create content.”

[From The Times]

Do you guys think that Meghan’s hiking photos were sponsored-content or part of an arrangement with brands? No, I don’t. I think she just put on her clothes and went for a hike and the paparazzo managed to get the shots (which is what he claimed too). Now, I absolutely believe that post-Sussexit, Meghan has gotten freebies which she has worn in her rare public appearances, like the Invictus Games at The Hague or her awards show appearances. It’s also amazing that Meghan’s “brand” is high-end while Kate’s just… isn’t. No one is looking to copy Kate’s coatdresses at this point, but people want everything Meghan wears. Anyway, I absolutely want all of this for Meghan – I want her to have brand ambassadorships and her own Instagram account and all of it.

Photos courtesy of Misan Harriman/The Sussexes, Variety’s YouTube video, Archewell, The Cut.