Proving she can take comments on her appearance in good humor, pregnant Meghan Markle laughed heartily when a fan teased her, calling her "a fat lady" while the Duchess of Sussex toured an animal welfare organization recently in London.
"Very nice to meet you," said Markle in addressing the woman standing in a line with other greeters in the room.
Peggy, who must have a last name but whom Sky News did not fully identify, audibly told touring Markle, "Lovely lady [you] are. May the good Lord always bless you."
"Thank you. I appreciate that," responded Markle, to her fan's ever-lasting, "You're welcome."
Then the fan added, glancing at Markle's six-month baby bump, "And you're a fat lady."
"I'll take it," responded Markle with a gracious chuckle, before moving down the line.
Taking the comment as a compliment, Markle, 37, displayed her emotional intelligence in reading a fan's admiration, rather than overt criticism while visiting Mayhew, an animal welfare charity.
For her part, Peggy is a recipient of TheraPaws therapy dogs, who visit her at home in a residential care facility. Mayhew is one of the animal welfare charities under the TheraPaws umbrella.
Making the rounds when she spoke with Peggy and others at Mayhew, Markle described her love for dogs, especially rescues.
Before marrying Britain's Prince Harry and entering the fold of the royal family, she was forced to leave her aging dog Bogart behind in the states. But her Beagle, Guy, moved with her to Great Britain. She rescued both from shelters, she said.
Based in London, the nonprofit TheraPaws and Mayhew is one of four animal charities Markle has reportedly signed onto as pet projects, reported Sky News. The organization specializes in guiding therapy animals on visits to residential homes. But the service doesn't end there.
"Our team of volunteers take their therapy dogs into care and residential homes, hospitals, hospices and day centres across London to engage with residents, provide companionship and brighten up their day," reads the Mayhew TheraPaws website. "We specialize in visits to the elderly with dementia and to palliative care units encouraging social interaction to promote emotional and physical wellbeing."
Among the other community services, TheraPaws provides: re-homing cats and dogs, educating the public on the best care for pets, a vet clinic that provides neutering, vaccinations and emergency visits, microchipping, flea and worm treatments, nurses and of course, animal rescue.
Markle and Harry confirmed for Birkenhead, Northern England crowds on Monday that she is six months pregnant, as The Guardian reported. The baby due day is sometime in April.
A former actress in the Amazon Prime TV series Suits and a United States native, Markle married Harry last May in a grand royal wedding.
In October they announced they were expecting their first child in the spring of 2019.
However, The Guardian reported, they are uncertain of the baby's gender, preferring to be surprised. But the child will be seventh in line to the throne, as Harry is Queen Elizabeth's grandson.
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