If you dream of treating your guests to a festive dining table fit for a duchess, these suggestions from Meghan Markle could prove very handy.
Back when she was working on legal drama Suits, the former actress ran her website and lifestyle blog The Tig – named after Tignanello, one of her favourite wines – where she often shared snapshots of her stunning home.
In a recently resurfaced interview with Grazia from 2015, Meghan unveiled her flair for design in a series of tips for hosting the perfect Christmas with friends.
As well as confessing to always making ‘way too much’ food, she also offered advice for presenting an elegant ‘table-scape’.
If you dream of treating your guests to a festive dining table fit for a duchess, these suggestions from Meghan Markle could prove very handy. Pictured on Christmas Day in King’s Lynn in 2017
Meghan recommends ‘keeping it simple and crisp’ by using an all white tablecloth, runner and napkins.
She suggests accenting your dining table with gilded plates and napkin rings and using a ‘stylish set of cutlery’.
‘All white flowers placed in the low vases are the perfect centerpiece,’ she adds, proposing that ‘mint julep cups’ or Moscow mule mugs could function as low vases instead of drinking vessels.
Her fondness of white blooms was evident on her wedding day to Prince Harry in May last year; the duchess opted for sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, as well as Princess Diana’s favourite forget-me-nots.
Meghan suggests accenting your dining table with gilded plates and napkin rings and using a ‘stylish set of cutlery’ to set off the white table cloth. Pictured: stock image
Meghan also recommended buying silver serving trays, platters and nut bowls from flea markets or Etsy to ‘add formality to hors d’ouevres passing’. Pictured: stock image
Throughout her old Toronto home, the colour white played a predominant role in Meghan’s decor.
She shared snaps on her now closed Instagram page showing off a white couch in her living room, white dining chairs, white walls and white bedding.
In the Grazia interview, Meghan also recommends buying silver serving trays, platters and nut bowls from flea markets or Etsy to ‘add formality to hors d’ouevres passing’.
And her design inspiration doesn’t stop at the table; the former actress also shared tips for giving your hallway or living room a festive makeover.
Meghan suggests all white flowers placed in low vases are the ‘perfect centerpiece’ (left) while she suggests trimming mirrors or paintings with festive garlands (right). Pictured: stock images
Meghan’s fondness of white blooms was evident on her wedding day to Prince Harry in May last year (pictured); the duchess opted for sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, as well as Princess Diana’s favourite forget-me-nots
She suggests taking the traditional concept of garlands or magnolia branches wrapped around stair banisters or draped over mantelpieces and giving it a ‘twist’ by using them to trim ‘the outline of a mirror or beautiful piece of artwork’.
There is currently a question mark hanging over where Meghan, Prince Harry and baby Archie will spend this Christmas, after it was confirmed they will not be at Sandringham with the Queen.
Royal sources claimed the monarch was in the dark about the Sussexes’ festive plans before he called her at Buckingham Palace last month to decline her open invitation – but supports her grandson’s decision.
There is currently a question mark hanging over where Meghan, Prince Harry and baby Archie will spend this Christmas, after it was confirmed they will not be at Sandringham with the Queen. Pictured with Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton last year
However, their choice to spend Christmas apart from the Royal Family has been criticised, with some calling it a ‘snub’ to the Her Majesty.
Today a royal commentator claimed the couple spent Thanksgiving last month ‘celebrating with close family’ on a ‘long-time trip to the US’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently undertaking a six-week break from royal duties, although it has not been announced where they are spending their time.
There have been weeks of speculation that the couple would spend their first holiday as a family of three in Meghan’s hometown Los Angeles with her mother Doria Ragland (pictured)
Speaking on The HeirPod Podcast, royal correspondent Omid Scobie revealed that the Sussexes ‘celebrated Thanksgiving privately with close family’ on a ‘long time trip to the US’.
The news follows weeks of speculation that the couple would spend their first holiday as a family of three in Meghan’s hometown Los Angeles with her mother Doria Ragland.
Omid said: ‘The Sussexes are away, they’re on their break right up until Christmas. They celebrated Thanksgiving privately with close family, which is lovely.’
He went on: ‘It’s a long-time trip that they’re on, I think we are really going to see them away until Christmas as far as I’m aware, which is good for them.’
Last week royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told OK magazine that Meghan would likely do the cooking for the down-to-earth family. Pictured on a previous Thanksgiving before she met Prince Harry
Meghan, pictured last year cooking for her Hubb Community Kitchen charity cook book, reportedly loves being in the kitchen
Meghan is known to be very close to her mother Doria, who was the only member of her family to attend the royal wedding in May last year.
If the Sussexes joined her at her LA home for the holidays, it would mark the first time Meghan has taken her son back to her hometown.
Last week royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told OK magazine that Meghan would likely do the cooking for the down-to-earth family.
She said: ‘Meghan loves being in the kitchen. She’s a talented chef and takes great pleasure in bringing people together over a family meal.
‘There won’t be any staff helping her – she’ll definitely be wearing the apron.’