So, er, where’s our invite?
The venue for Meghan Markle’s baby shower is a $75,000-a-night duplex penthouse suite at New York City's Mark Hotel, and the tab for the party, which was due to kick off at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, is being picked up by Serena Williams, according to a report in British society bible Tatler.
Reports that the party happened Tuesday are now very much discredited (send us to the tower), with guests arriving at The Mark today in a swirling (and very photogenic) snowstorm.
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Among the first glamorous arrivals was Meghan’s friend Amal Clooney, resplendent in a red jumpsuit and gold heels, who is co-hosting the event with tennis ace Serena, because, well, why have just one enormously talented superstar host when you can have two.
According to Tatler, Williams, with whom Meghan was seen out for dinner last night at Ralph Lauren’s Polo restaurant on Fifth Avenue, is a frequent visitor to Jean-Georges, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, and chose the venue after researching other hotels in the area (a dirty job but, hey, someone has to do it).
The Daily Mail reported that Gayle King was also at the shower. Meghan’s best friends including stylist Jessica Mulroney (whose kids were pages at the wedding) and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer are also in attendance at the Mark, which bills itself as "the most boldly lavish" hotel in New York.
The Mail, totaling Meghan's reported expenses since arriving in New York last week, said the shower had cost $300,000.
The hotel claims its Penthouse suite “is the largest hotel penthouse suite in the USA” at 10,000 square feet. The penthouse is set out over the top two floors of The Mark Hotel and includes five bedrooms, four fireplaces, six bathrooms, two powder rooms, and two wet bars. The living room can be handily transformed into a full-sized Grand Ballroom.
Tatler and the Mail reported that guests included fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who is often credited with setting up the royal couple, publicist Celine Khavarani and NBC’s Bonnie Hammer, who gave Meghan her job on Suits.
Daniel Martin, Meghan's make-up artist, was another guest. He was wearing a hoodie with the legend, 'Thank You For Being a Friend,' a lyric from The Golden Girls theme.
Hello! magazine said the baby shower would kick off with a flower arranging lesson accompanied by a dessert table prepared by the Michelin two-starred restaurant’s eponymous head chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who will be there to meet and greet the favored guests in person.
In other news, it transpires that Meghan flew into New York on a PJ chartered by one of her pals. She might need two to get all her swag back home.
