Duchess Meghan Makes Surprise New York Visit for a Weekend with Girlfriends

After back to back engagements and the launch of four successful patronages, the Duchess of Sussex is taking a well-earned break—in New York!

Sources reveal to BAZAAR.com that Duchess Meghan has made a personal visit to the Big Apple to see friends ahead of the birth of Baby Sussex in less two months.

Meghan flew from London to New York on Friday, February 15, for five nights of rest, shopping, and good food with some of her closest and most loyal pals—her first time in NYC since getting married.

“The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves,” says a source close to the duchess, who notes the trip was planned months ago. "This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so it’s nice to share precious moments."

The Duchess of Sussex attends a performance of The Wider Earth at the Natural History Museum in London on February 12, 2019.

While Meghan is spending much of her days enjoying the amenities and private dining arrangements available at her five-star hotel (name respectfully withheld for security reasons), there has also been time to enjoy some of her favorite spots in the city.

Joined by stylist pal Jessica Mulroney, who was in town for Good Morning America commitments, the pair visited Ladurée in New York’s SoHo district on Saturday, February 16, for macarons and tea in one of the bakery’s private spaces.

"The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves."

Adds a source, "It’s been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed—and with a lot of new baby clothes."

Sources confirm friends are throwing Meghan a baby shower at a private location for 15 guests on Tuesday, February 19.

Just a day before traveling, the duchess spent a quiet Valentine’s Day with Prince Harry at their Kensington Palace home—a world away from what she once described as the perfect Valentine's in NYC.

Meghan Markle attends a taping of The Today Show in New York City in July 2016.

In a February 2016 post on her lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan wrote, "This Valentine’s Day I will be with friends, running amok through the streets of New York, likely imbibing some cocktail that’s oddly pink, and jumping over icy mounds in my new shoes through the salted snowy streets of the West Village."

Later this week, Meghan will be taking her last flight until after the birth. She's headed to Morocco with her husband for an official two-day visit to North Africa arranged by the British government.

Says a Palace spokesman of the February 23–25 trip, "The Duke and Duchess are looking forward to the visit which will highlight the vital roles that girls’ education and youth empowerment are playing in, and shaping, modern Morocco."

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Omid Scobie is BAZAAR.com’s Royal Editor at Large and has covered the lives and philanthropic work of the younger members of the British Royal Family for over eight years. As well as spearheading exclusive coverage of major royal milestones (including the weddings of both the Cambridges and Sussexes), Scobie has traveled extensively with Harry, Meghan, William and Kate on their engagements in the U.K. and around the world. As ABC News’s Royal Contributor, Scobie is a regular on Good Morning America and host of the network’s forthcoming podcast, The Heir Pod.

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