In this file photo taken on March 11, 2019 Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2R) and Britain鈥檚 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R), react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette (2L), at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London. 鈥� Hailed as a breath of fresh air in a stuffy institution, Prince Harry鈥檚 wife Meghan is set to test the limits of the British monarchy鈥檚 desire to modernise when their first baby arrives this month. Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP
LONDON 鈥� Hailed as a breath of fresh air in a stuffy institution, Prince Harry鈥檚 wife Meghan is set to test the limits of the British monarchy鈥檚 desire to modernize when their first baby arrives this month.
Meghan鈥檚 new-age ideals and US glitz have already raised eyebrows during her pregnancy. How she intends to bring up the baby, who will be seventh in line to the throne, will only increase the scrutiny.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Meghan had already broken with royal tradition by appointing her own delivery team without 鈥渢he men in suits鈥� 鈥� a reference to gynecologists working in the Royal Household.
The royal family rarely issues statements reacting to media reports but, in a sign of potential battles to come, it denied a recent story in Vanity Fair that Meghan wanted to bring the baby up gender-neutral.
The magazine had quoted a source close to Meghan as saying that the couple 鈥渉ave already planned a gender-neutral nursery鈥� and this seems to be in line with Meghan鈥檚 ideas about how to raise children鈥�.
A spokesman for Kensington Palace, the couple鈥檚 London residence, called the story 鈥渢otally false鈥�.
Ever since the pregnancy was announced, the couple has been preparing their future home at Frogmore Cottage on Queen Elizabeth II鈥檚 estate in Windsor with a 拢3 million (3.5 million euros, $4.0 million) renovation.
The Duchess of Sussex wants to use vegan paint infused with eucalyptus oil to decorate the nursery for the new arrival, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
Meghan, who grew up in California and is a long-time advocate of holistic treatments, was recently spotted visiting an upmarket boutique that offers homoeopathic treatments for new mothers, the tabloid reported.
Baby-shower criticism
Other signs of her influence include her reportedly convincing her husband to eat less meat, joining in her vegan diet during the week.
The former US television actress and lifestyle blogger is close to her mother Doria Ragland, describing her as a yoga-teaching free spirit.
Meghan鈥檚 arrival in the royal family was greeted with optimism that her star power and modern culture savvy would help make the institution relevant in the era of social media and celebrity mania.
But the monarchy must walk a fine line, also remaining true to its core purpose of serving the British public, both officially and symbolically.
This tension flared when the 37-year-old flew to New York for an extravagant three-day baby shower with celebrity friends including Amal Clooney, reportedly costing 拢300,000 (347,500 euros; $391,450) and leading to a barrage of criticism.
鈥淭he absolutely number one rule is don鈥檛 rub the British people鈥檚 noses in your wealth,鈥� said journalist Piers Morgan, a frequent critic of the duchess.
The palace was also accused of hypocrisy by Twitter users after sending out a tweet the next day reading 鈥�73 percent of the poorest families cannot always afford to feed their children during the school holidays.鈥�
鈥淐ould you ask the Duchess of Excess to contribute some of her wardrobe allowance,鈥� said the most liked response, posted by user 鈥淥K鈥�.
The Queen was also said to be unimpressed by Meghan鈥檚 demands to borrow a tiara from the Royal Collection for her wedding, telling Harry that 鈥渟he gets what tiara she鈥檚 given by me鈥�, reported the Daily Mail.
The monarch has now 鈥渂anned鈥� Meghan from accessing the collection to 鈥渕aintain order, hierarchy, and precedence鈥� within the family, said the paper.
鈥楢 normal, natural birth鈥�
The tension has been exemplified in the reported rift between Meghan and her more traditional sister-in-law Kate, the wife of Harry鈥檚 older brother Prince William.
Meghan will not follow in Kate鈥檚 footsteps and give birth in the exclusive Lindo Wing of St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital in central London, opting for somewhere 鈥渕ore private鈥�, according to The Sun.
鈥淪he just wants a normal, natural birth and to bond with her baby, without being primped and blow-dried to within an inch of her life just for the pictures,鈥� a source told the paper.
Kate received praise, and criticism, after appearing on the steps of the hospital looking fully recovered, just hours after giving birth to her third baby Prince Louis in April last year. /kga