Meghan Markle’s best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen, 44, reveals she’s pregnant with a baby boy, three years after her 9-year-old son died from Covid
Meghan Markle’s best friend, Kelly McKee Zajfen, has announced she is expecting a baby boy three years after tragically losing her 9-year-old son to Covid.
The Alliance of Moms co-founder, 44, who has been friends with the Duchess of Sussex for more than 20 years and lives close by in California, revealed the exciting news in an Instagram post on Thursday.
‘Sometimes… just sometimes… when you let light in through the broken pieces of your heart, love grows. Baby boy coming this Spring.’
‘The path here wasn’t easy, and yet love kept showing up in the smallest signs, the quietest moments, the light that refused to fade.
‘This little soul is already so loved, a reminder that joy and grief can exist together… and that hope has a way of finding us again.’
The former model credited her daughter, Lily, 13, for taking the photograph in which Kelly is seen showing off her bump in a figure-hugging leopard-print dress.
The Alliance of Moms co-founder, 48, pictured, who has been friends with the Duchess of Sussex for more than 20 years and lives close by in California, revealed the exciting news in an Instagram post on Thursday, sharing a photo of herself hugging her bump
Kelly’s son George tragically died at the age of nine after contracting a viral illness four years ago.
Kelly, who has long praised the support she received from Meghan during her bereavement, has previously opened up about her loss, describing it in a personal essay as ‘traumatic, painful, and very vivid.’
Writing about the death last year, Kelly told People magazine: ‘It happened very quickly.
‘We had no idea when we took him into the hospital that 12 hours later, he would not make it. My 9-year-old son George died. Died of Covid and viral meningitis.
‘A healthy and vibrant boy could not fight it. We lost him. I kissed him.
‘But it was to say goodbye. It is impossible to know how to survive this type of grief. Even more impossible is the ability to find all the right tools that will help you manage each day. I definitely do not have all the answers.
At the time of George’s death, the Meghan, 44, and Prince Harry, 41, showed their support by donating $5,000 to a GoFundMe set up in George’s honour, attributing the donation to their two children, Lilibet, four, and Archie, six.
After the event, Kelly thanked the couple for their generosity, writing on Instagram: ‘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.’
The former model, who originally met Meghan, 44, through her ex-husband Trevor Engelson, credited her daughter, Lily, 13, for taking the photograph in which Kelly is seen showing off her bump in a figure-hugging leopard-print dress. Pictured with Meghan Markle in 2024
In the years since George’s tragic death, Meghan and Harry have attended several of Kelly’s charity events and initiatives in memory of the nine-year-old.
In October, the couple both attended the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament at the Los Angeles Tennis Club.
The event helped raise funds for Alliance for Children’s Rights, which provides legal services, safe housing, education, and family support for vulnerable children.
Following the event, Meghan shared a compilation of clips, including one of a friend sharing a warm embrace.
Snaps showed the Duchess posing with Kelly’s family, including daughter Lily, while another video saw the Zajfen’s all together on the court.
She also put an affectionate hand on Harry’s chest as the pair smiled for the cameras, a later shot showing Harry and Lily enjoying a hug.
The admiration between the two is apparent on both sides. Kelly recently paid tribute to Meghan with a gushing social media post about her ‘nurturing’ and ‘loving’ pal.
Speaking in an Instagram Q&A session, Kelly said the Duchess’s Instagram account was one of her favourites, adding that she was ‘endlessly inspired by her.
A second question read: ‘How did you meet Meghan M?! Love seeing you two on here and the joy you bring out in each other.’
Kelly shared a sweet response and highlighted their close friendship over many years, writing: ‘Ahh thank you! I’ve actually known her for almost 20 years? She even came to my wedding (15 years ago) and she’s been the most amazing, nurturing, fun, loving human.
‘She’s been by my side, especially since Georgie died, and I cherish our friendship very much.’
