Elton John Defends Meghan Markle, Ashley Graham Shares Candid Pregnancy Snap and More!
August 21, 2019
It’s a little quieter than usual this week. Could it be that people are trying to soak up those last few days of summer? Maybe all of our favorite famous moms are busy with back-to-school preparations? Either way, we’re hearing crickets aside from a few eye-catching headlines. Have you heard about these stories?
Elton John Defends Meghan Markle
Every day, it feels like there’s a new crazy story about Meghan Markle. Could the Duchess of Sussex really be such a terrible person? Clearly, her husband, Prince Harry, loved her enough to marry her, so what is causing the media frenzy? It doesn’t help that her estranged family fed into the nastiness, but Harry has been addressing the issue of racism since before their wedding.
Meghan and Harry are known for their commitment to environmental causes, so they’ve been criticized for traveling by private jet for a getaway in Nice, France. Some even accused them of using public money to pay for their trip. Unwilling to sit by and allow the rumor mill to churn, Sir Elton John stepped in with a very clear and passionate response.
“I am deeply distressed by today’s distorted and malicious account in the press surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private stay at my home in Nice last week,” he wrote on Instagram. “After a hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity, David and I wanted the young family to have a private holiday inside the safety and tranquility of our home.”
John, who was a very close friend of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, added: “To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight. To support Prince Harry’s commitment to the environment, we ensured their flight was carbon neutral, by making the appropriate contribution to Carbon Footprint. I highly respect and applaud both Harry and Meghan’s commitment to charity and I’m calling on the press to cease these relentless and untrue assassinations on their character that are spuriously crafted on an almost daily basis.”
It’s a valiant effort, but it probably won’t change the public view. Several of Meghan’s friends, including George and Amal Clooney as well as Serena Williams, have tried to defend her in the past and it’s gone nowhere. It’s sad that, as a society, we so deeply mourned Diana’s death, but are so willing to rip her youngest child to shreds years later. Hopefully, the young family can find some peace.
Ashley Graham Shares Candid Pregnancy Snap
Some women really struggle with how their body changes during pregnancy, and society doesn’t make things any easier. We even hear stories about pregnant meteorologists getting hate mail from viewers calling them fat!
With so much body shaming going on, it’s refreshing to see someone embracing their body exactly how it is. Ashley Graham recently announced that she and her husband, Justin Ervin, are expecting their first child together. Over the weekend, she shared a nude shot on Instagram and her followers seemed to appreciate it.
The 31-year-old model proudly shared a close-up image of her torso, putting her stretch marks on full display. Not every women looks like Ashley Graham, but many applauded her for being so open about her pregnancy journey. Hopefully, more and more women will feel empowered in the face of such overwhelming pressure to look a certain way. Every body is a beautiful body.
In case you missed it… here are a few more noteworthy stories:
- Jada Pinkett Smith gets real about marriage
- Heather Locklear pleads no contest to eight misdemeanors
- Khloe Kardashian and daughter’s beach (and pig!) day
- Dwayne Johnson and Lauren Hashian tied the knot
- How Travis Scott ended up as the right partner for Kylie Jenner
