As Meghan Markle's due date approaches, royal admirers are becoming increasingly excited to meet the royal baby. However, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that the future parents are keeping the plans around the baby's birth private.
As for the reasoning behind the decision, the Palace stated it was a "personal" choice for the couple and that they want to "celebrate privately as a new family" before sharing the news with the world.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby," the Palace stated. "Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family."
The decision appears to be a slight break from tradition. As royal admirers will recall, the public was well aware of KateMiddleton's plans to welcome all three of her children—Prince George, PrincessCharlotte and Prince Louis—in the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in London—the same place Princess Diana and PrinceCharles welcomed Harry and Prince William. The royals then gave the public their first glimpses of the new family members on the hospital steps.
Even though the exact location of where Meghan will give birth has yet to be revealed, many have speculated that it will be in Windsor, where the couple recently moved. While there are several hospitals in the area—including The Princess Margaret Hospital, the King Edward VII Hospital and the not-too-far Frimley Park Hospital where Sophie, Countessof Wessex gave birth—there's also the option of a home birth.
Either way, it won't be long until the world gets to meet the little one. Back in January, the duchess revealed she's due in April or early May. The Palace also confirmed she's due in the spring at the time of her pregnancy announcement.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby,” the palace said in a statement.
”Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.”
After each delivery, Middleton, 37, posed and waved with their newborn outside of the infamous Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London.
The statement confirms previous reports speculating that Markle, 37, wanted to avoid the highly publicized royal baby reveals that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge previously embraced.
Reports previously claimed that Markle "shunned" Queen Elizabeth's royal obstetricians in favor of her own female-led team of doctors.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush won his defamation case on Thursday against a Sydney newspaper publisher and journalist over reports he had been accused of inappropriate behavior toward an actress.
The 67-year-old Australian had sued The Daily Telegraph's publisher and journalist Jonathon Moran over two stories and a poster published in late 2017.
Australian Federal Court Justice Michael Wigney ruled that Rush had been defamed. Wigney awarded an initial payment of 850,000 Australian dollars ($610,000) in damages, but lawyers will return to court on May 10 when the judge determines damages for economic loss and costs.
Rush's lawyer Bill McClintock told a three-week trial that ended in November that the actor might never work again because of the newspaper's reports. Rush's phone may not ring with job offers and he may never regain his confidence and desire to work, his lawyer said.
Rush outside court thanked his family for their support. "There are no winners in this case. It's been extremely distressing for everyone involved," he told reporters.
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13 DECEMBER 2000 - GEOFFREY RUSH - AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE OF INNOCENCE AT THE DENDY OPERA QUAYS - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. (Photo by Patrick Riviere/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - MARCH 18: Geoffrey Rush (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - MARCH 18: Geoffrey Rush (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)
Actor Geoffrey Rush attends 53rd Annual Writers Guild of America Awards on March 4, 2001 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Geoffrey Rush File Photo: March 2001 (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage) *** Local Caption ***
Geoffrey Rush arrives at the premiere of 'Blow.' (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)
Geoffrey Rush during Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Geoffrey Rush & Hilary Swank during Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Geoffrey Rush during 'Frida' Premiere - Los Angeles at Los Angleles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: Australian actor Geoffrey Rush with his award for global achievement at the 45th AFI awards held at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Regis Martin/Getty Images).
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: Geoffrey Rush at a press conference about Australian culture confirmed as bargaining chip in free trade agreement with the USA. At the Hyatt hotel on Collins Street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Regis Martin/Getty Images).
Geoffrey Rush during 'The Life and Death of Peter Sellers' New York City Premiere - Arrivals at Loews Tower East Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush during 'The Life and Death of Peter Sellers' New York City Premiere - Arrivals at Loews Tower East Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
Geoffrey Rush at the Loews Tower East Theater in New York City, New York (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 26: (L-R) Actors Melissa George, Geoffrey Rush and Rachel Griffiths arrives at the L'Oreal Paris 2005 AFI Awards at Central City Studios on November 26, 2005 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by David Teuma/Getty Images)
Geoffrey Rush during 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - Press Room at The Shrine in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 07: Geoffrey Rush (C) and his mother (L) attend the after show party following the L'Oreal Paris 2006 AFI Awards at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on December 7, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. The awards are the premier event on the Australian Screen Industry calendar, and are the Australian Film and Television Industry's oldest and most prestigious awards, now in their 48th year. (Photo by Simon Fergusson/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 06: Actor Geoffrey Rush poses in the awards room at the L'Oreal Paris AFI 2006 Industry Awards at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on December 6, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. Tonight's Industry Awards precede tomorrow's AFI Awards 2006, with both nights honouring the achievements of the nominees across Australian film and television. (Photo by Patrick Riviere/Getty Images)
Geoffrey Rush attends the Sydney premiere for 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' at the Hayden Orpheum Cremorne on November 3, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)
Geoffrey Rush arriving for the 2010 National Movie Awards at the Royal Festival Hall, London. (Photo by Sean Dempsey/PA Images via Getty Images)
TODAY -- Pictured: (l-r) Meredith Vieira and Geoffrey Rush appear on NBC News' 'Today' show (Photo by Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 20: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Geoffrey Rush with the crown he wore for his role as King Berenger in Exit The King. Rush has donated his costumes from the theatre productions of The Diary of a Madman and Exit the King to the Performing Arts Collection at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. 20 September 2011. (Photo by Paul Rovere/The AGE/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (R) shakes hands with actor Geoffrey Rush (2nd L) at a lunch hosted by Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce (2nd R) at Government House in Canberra on October 23, 2011. The queen is in Australia for her 16th visit to the former penal colony on what will perhaps be the 85-year-old monarch's last tour Down Under. AFP PHOTO / POOL / ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN (Photo credit should read Alex Ellinghausen/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 04: Actor Geoffrey Rush attends 'The Eye Of The Storm' New York Premiere at MOMA on September 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 05: Actor Geoffrey Rush attends TheWrap's Awards & Foreign Screening Series 'The Book Thief' at the Landmark Theater on December 5, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Buchan/Getty Images For TheWrap)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 09: Geoffrey Rush addresses the media at Hangar 416, Sydney Jetbase, Sydney Airport on December 9, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: Geoffrey Rush leaves the Federal Court on November 9, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. The three-week trial concluded today, with Justice Michael Wigney to deliver his verdict early next year. Geoffrey Rush is suing The Daily Telegraph for defamation over a series of articles that were published in late November and early December 2017 that alleged he behaved inappropriate during a 2015 stage production of King Lear. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
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He argued that the newspaper, which used a headline "King Leer," portrayed him as a pervert and sexual predator. Wigney was scathing of the newspaper's reporting.
"This was, in all the circumstances, a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the very worst kind," the judge said. "It was difficult to avoid the conclusion that it was calculated to damage."
The reports alleged inappropriate behavior toward co-star Eryn Jean Norvill by Rush while he was starring in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of "King Lear" in 2015 and 2016.
Norvill, who played Lear's daughter Cordelia in the production, did not speak to the newspaper before the articles were published, but agreed to testify for the newspaper at the trial. The 34-year-old actress testified that while she was playing dead, Rush stroked his hand across the side of her right breast and on to her hip during a preview performance.
Rush denied allegations that he deliberately touched Norvill's breast, her lower back under her shirt when they were backstage or making lewd gestures and comments toward her.
Wigney said on Thursday he did not find Norvill's evidence "credible or reliable" while he accepted Rush's testimony.
The Daily Telegraph's editor Ben English said he was reviewing the judgment.
"We are disappointed with Justice Wigney's findings, in particular his dismissal of Eryn Jean Norvill's evidence," English said in a statement. "We disagree with his criticisms of her and she has our full support."
In an unrelated allegation, "Orange Is the New Black" actress Yael Stone told The New York Times in December that Rush engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior when they starred in "The Diary of a Madman" in 2010.
The 33-year-old told the newspaper that Rush danced naked in front of her in their dressing room, used a mirror to watch her while she showered and sent her occasionally erotic texts.
In a statement, Rush said the allegations "are incorrect and in some instances have been taken completely out of context."
Rush won the best actor Oscar in 1996 for his portrayal of pianist David Helfgott in "Shine" and was nominated for roles in "Shakespeare In Love," "'Quills" and "The King's Speech." He is also famed for his portrayal of Captain Barbossa in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films.
He received his nation's highest civilian honor in 2014, the Companion of the Order of Australia, for service to the arts.
Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush has won his defamation case against the News Corp.-owned newspaper Daily Telegraph in his home country of Australia. The paper had published a story in which actress Erin Norvill accused Rush of inappropriate sexual behavior during a stage production of “King Lear” in Sydney.
Judge Michael Wigney on Thursday called the report “a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism” that relied on allegations from an accuser “prone to exaggeration and embellishment.” Norvill, speaking outside the courtroom after the verdict, said she stood by her testimony.
Wigney awarded Rush A$850,000 ($600,000) in aggravated damages. The actor is expected to receive further payments for loss of earnings at a further hearing in May.
After exiting the courtroom, Rush said he was grateful for the verdict. But, he added, “there are no winners in this case. It’s been extremely distressing for everyone involved.” Details of the case were heard by the court last October and November. At the beginning of proceedings, Rush said the period between the time the allegations surfaced and the trial had been “the worst 11 months of my life.”
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The newspaper published the allegations under the headline “King Leer” and in a second story under the headline “Star’s Bard Behaviour.” In its defense, the paper denied its stories implied that Rush was a sexual predator and a pervert, and said the stories had included Rush’s denials. The articles did not name Norvill as the accuser.
Delivering his verdict, Wigney said: “I was not ultimately persuaded that Ms. Norvill was an entirely credible witness.” He said that her testimony was not supported by the evidence of theater director Neil Armfield or of cast members Robyn Nevin and Helen Buday.
The judge said he was considering special damages for Rush based on the consideration that the actor would likely not receive any substantial offers of work for 12 months after the “vindication of his reputation.” Rush might then be paid 50% of his usual rate for the first 12 to 18 months after that, and 75% for the following 18-24 months, Wigney said.
SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) - Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush on Thursday won initial damages of A$850,000 ($609,000) after a court ruled that the Australian arm of News Corp defamed him by saying he behaved inappropriately toward a co-star in a production of King Lear.
The Federal Court, which found News Corp’s Nationwide arm and reporter Jonathon Moran’s articles in the Daily Telegraph had failed to prove their allegations were true, will determine further damages later.
“This was in all the circumstances a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the worst kind, the very worst kind,” Judge Michael Wigney said in a decision read to a packed courtroom in Sydney.
News Corp had no immediate comment.
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The court ruled that News Corp defamed Geoffrey Rush by saying he behaved inappropriately toward a co-star in a production of "King Lear."
Rush, 67, and a star of Australian theater, sued News Corp’s Sydney tabloid over a series of articles that said he was the subject of a complaint to the Sydney Theatre Company regarding the 2015 King Lear production.
Under the headline “KING LEER,” and in later articles, the paper said the actor, in the title role, had been accused by a co-star of unspecified inappropriate conduct.
Rush, who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1997 for “Shine” and has since appeared in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, said the stories implied he was a major pervert, or guilty of major depravity, and his lawyer sought “very substantial” damages.
“There are no winners in this case,” Rush told reporters outside the court. “It’s been extremely distressing for everyone involved.”
He thanked his wife and children for their support “during this harrowing time.” ($1=1.3965 Australian dollars)
Kim Kardashian West (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
This fall, Kanye West broke the news to Extra that his wife, Kim Kardashian West, hot off her stint of working with President Donald Trump to commute Alice Johnson’s sentence, was studying the law, saying, “My wife is in law school now, and it’s extremely serious to us.”
Kardashian West’s representatives then confirmed that the queen of reality TV was not, in fact, going to law school — but they neglected to tell the world what was really happening. Kardashian West is studying become a lawyer without going to law school.
As it turns out, Kim Kardashian West is in her first year of a four-year apprenticeship with a law firm in San Francisco, and she’ll be taking the California baby bar sometime this summer. If she passes, she’ll be permitted to continue with her apprenticeship. (How is this possible? California is one of a handful of states that allows people to take the bar without a college or law school degree.)
Kardashian West revealed the news in an interview with Vogue, saying that she felt a bit out of her depth in her quest to get Johnson released from prison. “The White House called me to advise to help change the system of clemency,” she says. “And I’m sitting in the Roosevelt Room with, like, a judge who had sentenced criminals and a lot of really powerful people and I just sat there, like, Oh, s—. I need to know more.”
Vogue has additional details on how Kardashian West’s studies are going:
“First year of law school,” Kim says, “you have to cover three subjects: criminal law, torts, and contracts. To me, torts is the most confusing, contracts the most boring, and crim law I can do in my sleep. Took my first test, I got a 100. Super easy for me. The reading is what really gets me. It’s so time-consuming. The concepts I grasp in two seconds.”
Kim Kardashian West is not a fan of Keeping Up with the Kontracts, but it’s nice to see that she’s following in her late father’s footsteps — Robert Kardashian of O.J. Simpson acquittal fame — with her interest in criminal law and criminal justice reform.
“I just felt like I wanted to be able to fight for people who have paid their dues to society,” she says. “I just felt like the system could be so different, and I wanted to fight to fix it, and if I knew more, I could do more.”
Congratulations to Kim Kardashian West on her decision to become a lawyer. Here’s hoping she’s able to conquer the beast that is the California bar exam.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
