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Sigh.
Meghan Markle has been coping flak online for taking a break from the royal tour to rest because she’s pregnant.
Meghan and Prince Harry announced their pregnancy a week ago, and since then the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been busy with royal engagements throughout Australia.
A combination of jet lag and a very busy schedule would be tough on their own. Adding pregnancy to the mix must be exhausting, but Meghan has handled it all with a smile on her face.
Kensington Palace said the couple had decided to cut back Meghan’s schedule “slightly” ahead of the couple’s visit to Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand and most of us thought ‘fair enough’.
The pregnant Duchess, who is in her second trimester, took a break from royal tour engagements after a late night at the Invictus Games opening on Saturday, leaving Prince Harry to step out solo for Invictus Games events on Sunday morning.
But uh… Not everyone was understanding. With the announcement came judgement from internet users who think ‘pregnancy is not an illness’ and should not warrant time off.
When ITV royal editor Chris Ship tweeted about Meghan’s step back from tour engagements, many people shared their disapproval.
I doubt shaking a few hands and lording around Oz is gonna have a detrimental on the pregnancy. Try working in a real public sector business 6 weeks before you give birth. Give us a break from this shit please.
— Gary Jacko (@thegaryjacko) October 21, 2018
Jeez imagine she had to work for a living
— colinmack (@ColinMack68) October 21, 2018
????????????…. she makes some public events and it’s “overdoing it” Christ she wants to get into the real world of working full time having a toddler and a house to run
— Tequilashot (@JayeWestell) October 21, 2018
OMfuckingG, she’s only pregnant not ill. Through my pregnancies I worked in a factory making clothes for M&S and I slogged my guts out from 8-4.30 on a machine, and my maternity didn’t start until you were 36-37 weeks and I went back to work when my son was 8 wks…
— Strepsils (@streps61) October 21, 2018
But mums on social media were not having this, quickly coming to the defence of the Duchess.
It’s the jet lag combined with the pregnancy that’s difficult to deal with. She’s absolutely right to rest.
— Buffbill277 (@buffbill277) October 21, 2018
Not sure why people going on about privilege. How many pregnant women fly for 24 hours then go straight to exhausting engagements after touchdown with more travel inbetween? Every pregnant woman is an individual. We cannot judge. Let her rest & enjoy her pregnancy in her own way.
— Justine Skeet (@The_little_pea) October 21, 2018
Sad to read such judgemental comments. Every pregnancy is different. She is an older mum for all intents & purposes & the risks are higher. Kate Middleton missed a few engagements cos she had very badly with morning sickness. So what if she is privileged? #RoyalVisitAustralia
— charmedlion (ABK) (@charmedlion) October 21, 2018
It’s mostly men that seem to have the negative comments, you try being in the early stages of pregnancy, it’s the most exhausting, add to that all the travelling she’s doing, I couldn’t have done it and I was 10 years younger with my first!
— Tracey Matthews (@TraceyM82710383) October 21, 2018
I found it odd that men & others are complaining about a 37 year old pregnant woman (by age is high risk pregnancy) needing some rest & adjusting her schedule accordingly. Not all pregnancies are the same. I needed a lot more rest. She is also on a flipped TZ & not sleeping well.
— Kaye (@kdseekerjust) October 21, 2018
On day seven of their visit Down Under, the royal couple will travel to Queensland’s Fraser Island.
However, Meghan is expected to take a well-deserved rest after a relentless six days of engagements, so it may be a solo Prince Harry receiving a traditional Welcome to Country Smoking Ceremony from the Butchulla people before a plaque is unveiled to dedicate the popular holiday spot’s pristine rainforests to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project.
The itinerary also includes a visit to Lake McKenzie before meeting national park rangers to learn about the iconic island’s unique animal and plant life, along with its history of logging.
Later in the day, Hervey Bay paramedics Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellam will attend an official reception with the Duke and Duchess.
They’ll be recognised for their act kindness after a photo of them granting a dying woman’s wish to see the ocean one last time went viral and captured hearts around the world.
The Duke and Duchesses 16-day royal tour includes 76 engagements in four countries. They will leave Sydney tomorrow to spend four days in Fiji and Tonga, before returning for more engagements before heading to New Zealand where they will remain until October 31.
It sounds… intense. While we all love seeing the Duke and Duchess together in public, if Meghan needs to put her feet up or take a nap, she’s more than entitled to do so.
– With AAP