Meghan Markle may have turned one year older—but she proved that she’s not lost her youthful energy when she kickstarted her birthday by enjoying a personal pajama dance party inside the kitchen of her stunning California home.
The mother of two, who celebrated her 45th birthday on Aug. 4, shared a video clip of herself on the morning of her special day, which her husband, Prince Harry, began by decorating their Montecito home with an enormous bouquet of balloons, before laying out a bagel breakfast spread.
Harry, 41, then leapt behind the camera to capture his wife’s reaction, filming a sweet clip of Meghan wearing white pajama pants, a bridal T-shirt with the words “It’s giving Mrs.” written across it, and a birthday crown as she shimmied around their kitchen island to the sounds of Stevie Wonder‘s “Happy Birthday.”
Meghan’s birthday boogie around the Sussexes’ large kitchen island elicited a groan from her husband, who could be heard exclaiming, “Oh dear,” as she continued her groove across the floor.
The Duke of Sussex then panned the camera to show off the impressive array of food he was busy preparing for her big day, offering a glimpse around their enormous kitchen, before zooming in on a pan filled with sizzling bacon, as well as a plate stacked with bagels and various toppings.
Meghan shared the clip to her Instagram Stories, along with another fun video that showed her and Harry attempting to convince their two dogs, Mamma Mia and Pula, to wear silver birthday hats.
In addition to revealing a sneak peek at her birthday celebrations, the clips also offered a look inside the couple’s palatial home, which they bought for $14.65 million in June 2020 and now share with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
The open-plan kitchen that was used as the backdrop for Meghan’s boogie features two sizable islands: a wooden design and a second blue-painted model with a pale marble countertop.
Elegant built-ins could be seen behind the As Ever brand founder’s shoulder as she danced across the space, while a rack housing dozens of aesthetic copper pots and pans could be seen dangling above the wooden island.
Hardwood floors are found throughout the space, while elegant blue-and-white painted tiles add a dash of color to the space—including behind the stove, where they serve as a centerpiece for the enormous stone backsplash.
Beyond the kitchen, the home features a large dining space, where the couple has stationed an enormous wooden table capable of hosting several of their loved ones.
Enormous bouquets of flowers could be seen placed on several of the surfaces—although it’s unclear whether these were sent to Meghan in honor of her birthday or simply part of the couple’s usual decor.
Meghan is thought to have spent her birthday with her family at the home, having previously enjoyed an early getaway with friends at an unspecified location in California.
In the early hours of the morning on Aug. 4, she took to Instagram to share two images from that trip, which took place not long after she returned from a European vacation with her husband and their kids.
The second snap then revealed the aftermath of her jump, capturing the moment the Duchess of Sussex plunged into the water, just managing to cling onto the balloons. Meghan further set the tone for the day by adding the jolly backing track “Summer Holiday” by Cliff Richard and The Shadows.
While Meghan revealed no other details about where the photos were taken, a source close to the As Ever founder told People magazine that the images were actually snapped before her big day—explaining that they were captured by a friend during an early celebration in California.
It came not long after Meghan, Harry, Archie, and Lilibet traveled to Portugal and the U.K., where they spent time with family and friends, including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The Sussexes first traveled to Portugal, where they enjoyed an array of summer activities, including trips to the beach, dinners out, and plenty of sightseeing. Then Harry flew to London by himself to take part in several events held to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.
He was later joined by his wife and children, who all traveled to the childhood home of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, where they visited her grave and spent time with her brother, Charles Spencer, and his new wife, Dr. Cat Jarman.
Meghan shared several images from their trip, including one that shows her daughter, Lilibet, 5, walking through the grounds of Princess Diana’s family estate, Althorp, holding what appeared to be a tiny handbag and a blanket.
Harry and Archie, 7, were pictured strolling just ahead of her, both carrying what seemed to be bouquets of flowers—leading many to suggest that the family was preparing to pay their respects to Diana, who is buried at the estate.
It’s understood that the family were invited to the property by Spencer, who still owns the estate and resides there with Jarman. According to People magazine, the Sussexes “may have visited Diana’s burial site, which is located on an island in the middle of the estate’s Oval Lake.”
The Sussexes have had a busy few weeks since their travels, with Meghan traveling to an event in Ojai, CA, days after their return to California, where she hosted an advance screening of the new documentary, “Cookie Queens,” which she and Harry executive produced via their company, Archewell.
Images taken at the screening show the brand founder happily posing for photos alongside several Girl Scouts—before addressing the audience that had gathered to watch the coming-of-age documentary, which is due for release on Aug. 7.
Speaking to People at the event, Meghan shared a sweet story about her own experiences as a Girl Scout, recalling a serendipitous encounter she had with one of her former troop members while dropping Lili off at school.
“Funny enough, on Lili’s first day of pre-K, one of the moms came up to me at drop-off, and I realized we were in our troop together,” she said. “It was so sweet and nostalgic.”
Harry and Meghan have shared little information about where their children are attending school, instead preferring to keep as many details about the kids’ lives under wraps, save for the small glimpses the Duchess of Sussex shares on Instagram.
In April, she opened up about the supportive community she and Harry have built up since moving to the celebrity-loved enclave, which also counts the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, and Adam Levine among its A-list residents.
“I was just so happy because we take our kids to school and have a really supported, sweet life, running around and doing the things that I think everyone maybe is part of your day to day,” she said during an appearance on Bloomberg’s “The Circuit.”
“But if you don’t think about what life would be like without those moments, it’s easy to take them for granted. So I love it. We have such a beautiful, embracing community.”
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