MEGHAN Markle has hired Kim Kardashian’s party planner for her “lowkey” birthday celebrations with famous faces Oprah and the Clooneys on her guest list, reports claim.
The Duchess of Sussex reportedly wants an intimate celebration at her and Prince Harry’s £11million mansion in Santa Barbara, California.
Meghan, who will turn 40 on Wednesday, invited celebrity pals Serena Williams and Amal Clooney to her baby shower for Archie previously, with reports claiming they will be top of the guest list for the birthday bash.
She has tasked Colin Cowie, who has organised parties for Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Annisron and Tom Cruise, with setting up her special day.
A source said: “Megan wants a small gathering. About 65 people are invited, her closest friends and family. Colin was recommended to her by Oprah who always puts on fabulous parties.”
Ryan Seacrest, actress Alyssa Milano and Rehan Choudhury are just another few of his previous celebrity clients.
The party planner is used to throwing lavish events, and will have to tone down the celebrations for the Duchess’ “low key” affair – with roughly 65 people being invited.
He was recommended to mother-of-two by TV host Oprah Winfrey who is a friend of the couple after their ground-breaking interview earlier this year.
Coronavirus restrictions on gatherings have recently been lifted in California, allowing the couple to invite friends and family over to their Montecito mansion.
Meghan has turned away from a traditional seated dinner, opting for a “grazing table” at her party which will give her guests a spread of locally sourced foods and wines to choose from according to Tatler.
Prince Harry has reportedly ordered his wife a cake from Posies & Sugar, in Santa Barbara, who are specialists in creating bespoke naked cakes with floral decorations.
Her birthday bash is expected to be a low-key event compared to her extravagant $500,000 baby shower in New York before Archie’s arrival in 2019.
The guest list for her birthday has yet to be revealed, but it is expected that her mum Doria Ragland and close pal Oprah will be there.
Harry and Meghan sensationally quit as senior royals in January last year and fled to California insisting they wanted to be “financially independent”.
They then purchased an £11m Santa Barbara mansion in March, where they live with son Archie and daughter Lilibet.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also used mega-deals with Netflix and Spotify – with a combined win of £130million – to pave the way for their new lives in Los Angeles.
The pair were reportedly in discussion with the streaming giants in 2018, while Meghan and Prince Harry were still living in Kensington Palace.
However it wasn’t till January 2020 that the Sussexes announced their bombshell decision to quit the UK and start a new life abroad, away from the royal family.
It comes as royal courtiers are reportedly braced for a string of bombshell allegations in the Duke of Sussex’s book, which is due to be published next year.
