Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent two hours shopping in a herbal ‘wellness’ centre that uses healing chants and practises ‘Numerology’
The royal couple visited Ilapothecary in Notting Hill over the weekend
WITH pregnant Meghan Markle officially on maternity leave she and Prince Harry have been able to indulge in a bit of pre-baby shopping.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted visiting the flagship Ilapothecary in Notting Hill over the weekend, just a stone’s throw away from their current home at Kensington Palace.
The royal parents-to-be are believed to have spent two-and-a-half hours at the wellbeing centre which counts Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Stella McCartney as fans.
The store advertises itself as offering “cutting-edge synergy of naturopathy, homeopathy, herbology and phyto-actives.”
As well as a range of vegan and herbal products the store offers in-house workshops including breathing classes and ‘sound healing’ through the use of chanting.
The store also promotes the practice of Numerology, “a belief in the divine and mystical relationship between a number and its symbolism, associations and inherent power.”
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The brand was founded by ‘world visionary’ Denise Leicester who worked as a qualified nurse before going on to work as a yoga teacher, sound healer, holistic bodyworker and spiritual philosopher.
The website claims she is “he only women alive to hold such an expansive knowledge of both Eastern and South American healing traditions.2
Denise is said to have named her brand ila after the Hindu Goddess of Truth.
The points out that ila is the androgyne deity that was also thought to represent speech, but not necessarily the concept of truth.
It comes as no surprise that the store was a destination for Meg who is known to have followed wellness trends for many years.
It comes after we revealed the pregnant Duchess is poised to break royal tradition by hiring her own birthing partner — known as a doula.
The 37-year-old is reported to have drafted in a specialist “hand-holder”in the form of mum-of-three Lauren Mishcon alongside a regular midwife for the big day in April.
Lauren, 40, is married to Oliver Mishcon. His grandad was head of legal firm Mishcon de Reya, which handled Princess Diana’s 1996 split from Prince Charles.
Lauren is said to have been coaching dad-to-be Prince Harry, 34, on what to say to support his wife during labour.
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It will be the first time in centuries that a doula has been employed during a royal birth.
It is believed that Meghan has shunned the Lindo Wing where Kate Middleton gave birth to her three children.
Instead, the couple have opted for a maternity unit closer to their Windsor home.
In other royal news Meghan is being urged not to damage new mums and skip the Kate Middleton tradition of posing outside the hospital after giving birth.
And a royal expert claims Harry wanted Kate and Meghan to be best friends, but they’re just too different.