Meghan Markle heads to baby shower for Soho House’s Chief Membership Officer as she celebrates her ‘sweet girl coming soon’ alongside best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen

Meghan Markle has appeared in great spirits as she stepped out to attend a friend’s pink themed baby shower.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, appeared radiant in a photograph from the celebrations, held for Samantha Stone, the Soho House & Co. Chief Membership Officer.

In the snap, shared by Meghan’s BFF Kelly McKee Zajfen on her Instagram account, the former Suits actress couldn’t hold back her smile as she seemingly admired her friend’s baby bump.

With her hair styled into glossy waves, Meghan kept to the pink theme of the event with a £271 strapless, linen midi dress from Posse.

Sported a glamorous makeup look, the beaming Duchess was pictured between the expectant mother, dressed in a stylish pink silk gown, and Kelly, who wore a mini check frock.

Kelly – who met Prince Harry‘s wife through Meghan’s producer ex-husband Trevor Engelson – is the co-founder for the Alliance of Moms, a ‘community of philanthropists who support pregnant and parenting teens in LA’s foster care system’.

Meanwhile, Samantha appears to work at Soho House, an international private members’ club favoured by Meghan, and where the Duchess enjoyed her first date with her now husband.

Posting an image from the baby shower to Instagram, Kelly wrote: ‘I love a theme. Wear Pink she said! 

Meghan Markle (pictured with the Duke in August 2024) has showcased her fashion prowess once again as she stepped out to attend a friend’s pink themed baby shower

‘Celebrating our sweet baby girl coming oh so soon! Adore you @samanthamstone and can’t wait to meet baby Stone. She’s a lucky little girl to have a mama like you. Love, Auntie Kelly.’ 

It’s unclear if Prince Harry – who wasn’t pictured in the photograph – was also at the event. 

Meghan and Kelly first met through the Duchess’ ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, who is friends with the former model’s entertainment lawyer husband.

Kelly has previously praised Harry and Meghan for being a ‘guiding light’ following the tragic death of her late son George, who died aged just nine in July 2022 after being found ‘unresponsive’ in their family home.

The former model, who is also mother to George’s twin sister Lily, has opened up about grief on Instagram, writing in October 2022 that she was ‘not really okay’, while telling her followers: ‘The light everyday is dim. I try my best. We are all trying our best. I’m so broken.

‘I’m searching everyday to find some new way to mold the pieces back together and I’m completely aware that it may not all fit again.’

In May, she posted a heartfelt tribute to Meghan on her account, praising the Duchess of Sussex for her support and for her being such an ‘incredible friend and mother’.

‘You are always the first to say yes and support those you love. You are a fierce advocate for those who are in need,’ Kelly continued on Instagram, while sharing an image of herself and the Duchess of Sussex both wearing ‘Community Motherhood’ T-shirts in support of an Alliance of Moms campaign.

Kelly McKee Zajfen and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, at the 2024 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala in October

Harry and Meghan donated $5,000 to a GoFundMe fundraiser in the names of their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet after the Zajfen family lost George. 

Outside of their charitable pursuits, the duo also spend their downtime together, with Meghan enjoying a ski trip with Kelly and close friend Heather Dorak in March. 

The Duchess of Sussex was pictured smiling with pilates business owner Dorak and former model Zajfen on the slopes of Powder Mountain near Salt Lake City in Utah, in an Instagram post shared by the founder of Pilates Platinum.

Kelly also shared the photo in an Instagram post of her own, writing: ‘Beyond grateful for the best of friends! What a trip! Thank you doesn’t even begin to express what my heart is feeling after this trip.

‘The love of family time and adventure and belly laughs made this trip one for the books! Here’s to many more adventures with friends that feel like family and appreciating each day.’

And one month later in April, Kelly was one of the first people to receive the duchess’s American Riviera Orchard strawberry jam.

When Kelly took to Instagram to share a snap of the rustic looking product, she revealed she was ‘so proud’ of Meghan, who launched the first product from her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.

Sharing a snap of the jam which was presented in a bowl of lemon’s surrounded by flowers she wrote: ‘Ohhhhh Just a taste of what’s to come!!! So proud of you M @americanrivieraorchard.’

Alex Romain (left), chair of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, joins Meghan (centre), Kelly McKee Zajfen (second right) and Prince Harry (far right) at the tennis tournament in September 

The Duchess of Sussex sent friends the limited-edition jar ahead of the formal launch of her brand later this spring with a range of items. 

Days after Kelly gushed over Meghan’s new American Riviera Orchard jam on social media, the actress returned the favour by promoting her charity campaign. 

Sharing promotional photographs on Instagram, Kelly said of her actress friends: ‘You inspire me. You pick me up when I need it and you Love Like A Mother!’ 

The trio wore the shirts two weeks after Kelly launched her ‘love like a mother’ campaign, which aims to provide educational resources, doulas, healthcare, housing and therapy for young moms and their children.

Kelly’s charity Alliance of Moms is a non-profit supporting young mothers in the foster care system.  

In her Instagram post alongside Meghan, Kelly thanked the actresses for ‘supporting this campaign and our youth.’

‘When we speak about the people in our lives who lift us up when you need it with undeniable force of pure love I think of these two,’ she wrote. 

She added that proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts ‘support essential services, education, and advocacy so that young parents in foster care and their children can heal and thrive.’ 

Meghan Markle (left) at Powder Mountain in Utah with Heather Dorak (centre) and best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen (right), in a photo posted on Instagram by both Dorak and Zajfen in March

The duo once again proved their closeness in September when Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday weekend by attending a charity tennis tournament held in honour of Kelly’s late son George. 

The George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles for the Alliance for Children’s Rights was in remembrance of George, who died aged in July 2022.

In an Instagram post shared on the day of Harry’s birthday, former model Kelly and her family thanked the Sussexes for their support at the competition.

Alongside five photos, they wrote at the end of a long message: ‘Extra special day too…HAPPY 40th Birthday H! May this trip around the sun be the best yet.’

The pictures in the post showed the Duke and Duchess posing with the Zajfen family — with Harry wearing a T-shirt and blazer, and Meghan wearing a tan dress. 

The Zajfen family wrote on Instagram that it was an ‘incredible day – full of emotions and lots of love’ and the funds raised would ‘go directly to supporting children in foster care, ensuring they have the legal protections, resources and opportunities they deserve in honour of our beautiful son Georgie’.

Their post continued: ‘Our community showed up in a big way and I’m in awe! Get ready for days of posting images of this magical afternoon because I have so many people to thank and shout from the roof tops just how amazing you all are!

‘But first, to our presenting sponsors, the Archewell Foundation. Harry and Meghan, you have been such a guiding light for our family not just in the way you have shown up in friendship but how you have shown up through the incredible work the Archewell Foundation does every day.

‘I’m in awe of your commitment to community and to friendship. On behalf of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, we thank you. On behalf of our family, we love you.’

The tournament, which has been held for 20 years but was recently renamed in honour of George, featured a round-robin doubles competition and a lunch.

In October, Meghan continued her show of support to her best friend Kelly when they arrived at a charity event together in Los Angeles.

The pair took to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Gala for a star-studded evening featuring a performance by Demi Lovato and appearances by presenters Kaley Cuoco, Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Hanks.