The Queen Is Said To Be Giving Meghan And Harry An Extremely Generous Wedding Gift

The rumour: Prince Louis won’t steal Meghan’s wedding-day thunder

Where you heard it: Express
The report: First the whole world was waiting on the birth … and then the name … and now it seems the big question mark is around whether His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge will make his debut at the wedding, less than a month after making his debut to the world. The answer, according to Express’ royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, is that the youngest (though probably not the baldest) Windsor will almost certainly stay home, because, “Absolutely nothing must detract from the focus on the happy couple and this would.” To that end, Fitzwilliams says that the release of the new royal’s baby portraits will probably be delayed so that Meghan and Harry’s matrimonial moment isn’t overshadowed by a distracting chorus of oooohs and awwwws. The smell test: The royal baby staying home from a totally non-baby friendly event while his parents enjoy a few hours off of newborn duty smells downright sensible. Fitzwilliams’ assertion about baby upstaging bride are perhaps a touch much, but after what happened with Pippa’s rear the last time around … it’s better to be safe than second fiddle.

The rumour: Meghan Markle has put Harry on a pre-wedding juice cleanse

Where you heard it: The Daily Mail
The report: For months, we’ve been hearing about what Meghan is giving up by entering the royal family (free will, fun, coloured nail polish), but turns out she’s not the only one making sacrifices before the big day. Per this latest Daily Mail report, former pizza and KFC-hound Prince Harry has cut out many of his beloved snack foods in favour of a pre-wedding regimen designed by his future bride: “Meghan has completely changed Harry’s diet. She’s got him juicing and he has lost at least half a stone, which is a lot for someone as skinny as he is,” says the Mail’s unnamed source. The same article claims the Prince’s new “exclusive” gym costs £575 a month and has swapped processed foods for kale and quinoa. The smell test: Most grooms want to be at peak condition for their wedding days. And by all accounts, Meghan Markle loves green drinks like the QE2 loves her pre-lunch gin tipple. So, sure, this smells plausible (if not particularly appetizing).

The rumour: The Queen will give Harry and Meghan a very generous wedding gift

Where you heard it: The Mirror
The report: The bride and groom have asked wedding guests to make a donation to one of their favourite charities, but apparently Her Majesty is going off-the-registry. “[The] likelihood is the happy couple will be gifted with their very own stately home, because she's the Queen, she's got homes to spare and that's how she rolls,” says the Mirror’s inside source. The estate in question is called York Cottage (because of course royals refer to their castles as cottages). It’s old (check), it’s grand (check) and it’s close to Anmer Hall, the “cottage” that Wills and Kate received from granny after they tied the knot. The smell test: Given the Queen’s preference for all things fair and proper, she will almost certainly give unto one brother as she did unto the other. Very generous, yes, but keep in mind that the woman can bestow property the way most of us bestow gravy boats.

The rumour: Prince Harry and Meghan are going under cover before the wedding

Where you heard it: People
The report: In recent weeks, the world’s most dynamic duo has popped up in public on a regular basis. (How else to flaunt one’s endless collection of power coats?) But according to People, there are no public engagements on couple’s royal schedule, and the commitments they do have will be held in private. Per People: “The next time you see Meghan, she’ll be walking down the aisle.” The smell test: If they really do want to “disappear” for a while, we hear Buckingham Palace has a pretty sophisticated network of underground tunnels. But what about when Meghan wants to pop out to her favourite yoga studio? Or if Harry has a workout at his posh gym? Given the wiles of the British paparazzi and the popularity (read: value) of Meghan snaps, a total blackout seems unlikely.