Originally published By Michelle Tauber for People Magazine
Here are quotes from those who know and have known her longer than UK Royal Reporters.
The five close friends requested “anonymity to protect the private relationships they hold dear — set the record straight on everything from Meghan’s relationship with her dad to an up-close view of her wedding to the reality of her day-to-day life at Kensington Palace’s Nottingham Cottage.”
“There’s a false assumption that she lives in some gilded palace with staff and ladies-in-waiting and all these royal perks,” says a close confidante of the Duchess of Sussex
Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry‘s Kensington Palace home of Nottingham Cottage is “small” and “cozy” – “and doesn’t come with the staff outsiders may expect from a royal household.”
“Meg cooks for herself and Harry every single day— there’s no chef or butler,” says her close confidante, one of five members of Meghan’s inner circle who spoke to PEOPLE.
“I was with her last month, and she was going on a public engagement. Harry and I were sitting with the dogs, and we were all chatty, and she’s painting her nails,” the friend explains. “Except for her wedding, she does all her own makeup. Dresses herself, styles herself.”
“I said, ‘People think when you come out of the car that you went through some metaphorical reverse car wash. Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, and everyone’s doing all this stuff to you. They’re not picturing you sitting by the space heater doing your own hair and nails. She’s very self-service.” The friend adds
