B. Smith, a groundbreaking model, restaurant owner and lifestyle guru, died Saturday night ... according to her husband.
Dan Gasby announced her death, saying, "It is with great sadness that my daughter Dana and I announce the passing of my wife, Barbara Elaine Smith." He says she passed peacefully at 10:50 PM Saturday at their home on Long Island after having battled Alzheimer's Disease for several years.
B. started her career in the 1960s as a model who was signed to Wilhelmina modeling agency. In 1976, she became the first black woman featured on a cover of Mademoiselle.
She went on to open 3 of her popular B. Smith restaurants in New York City, on Long Island and also in Washington, D.C.
B. landed her own cooking and lifestyle show in 1997 when "B. Smith with Style" debuted.
She and Dan married in 1992 and she became a stepmother to his daughter from a previous relationship.
B. was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2013. You might recall, Dan faced some criticism in 2018 when he went public with the fact he had a girlfriend who was living with him and helping care for his ailing wife.
Dan thanked the hospice caregivers who "helped us make B. comfortable in her final days." He added, "Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile."
According to the Telegraph, Prince Harry has an additional public engagement slated for the couple's 12-day visit (an event in Scotland promoting his sustainable travel initiative, Travalyst) and Meghan has some more under-the-radar plans in the works.
The Duchess is "expected to run her own series of private engagements" alongside her previously announced public appearances (those would be the Endeavour Fund Awards on March 5, the Mountbatten Music Festival on March 7, an International Women's Day event on March 8, and the Commonwealth Day service on March 9). The Telegraph reports that, as with the Duchess's private engagements in the past, these visits will likely be shared after the fact on social media.
Some royal watchers had hoped that Meghan might make an appearance at a British Vogue event with Salma Hayek on March 7, which seems to have a connection to the Duchess's guest-edited issue of the magazine, titled "Forces for Change."Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful announced the discussion on Instagram this week, calling it "the very first @BritishVogue #ForcesForChange event" in a caption, and promising Hayek and "a host of my dear friends" would join him for a talk. However, sources tell the Telegraph that she won't attend, noting that she's scheduled to attend the Mountbatten Music Festival alongside Harry that day.
Meghan Markle’s best friend is helping set up the next iteration of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s charitable foundation.
Bestie Jessica Mulroney — a fashion stylist whose kids were pageboys and a flower girl at Markle’s and Prince Harry’s wedding two years ago — registered the website sussexglobalcharities.com last Wednesday, the Daily Mail reported.
The website name gives a hint of how Meghan and Harry will get around the Queen’s’ decree that the couple cease calling themselves “royal.”
The pair’s previous brand name was “Sussex Royal.”
It’s not a pleasant thing to think about, but considering
the royal family’s track
record with divorce, it’s at least worth mentioning. With Prince Harry and
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex making major life decisions like exiting the royal
family as senior working royals, it’s causing some fans to question what
would happen if they split.
The couple seems more in love and happier than ever right
now. But the year is young, and since both Harry and Meghan have divorced parents,
they are statistically more likely to get divorced themselves. Plus, Meghan was
married and divorced once already.
If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did call it quits, they’d have a lot of arrangements to work out, including a mutually approved custody agreement. But one thing the royal family won’t have to worry about is Meghan getting away with any of the royal fortune — even though this couple never signed a prenup.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | VICTORIA JONES/AFP via Getty Images
Prince Harry said no to a prenup because he didn’t believe
his marriage could end
Prenups — especially ones with wild clauses — are a mainstay in Hollywood. But the royal family plays by different rules and therefore doesn’t bother with prenups most of the time.
Rumor has it that royal courtiers did urge Prince Harry to
sign a prenup before marrying Meghan, but he refused because he figured there
was no chance of getting divorced. “He’s determined that his marriage will
be a lasting one, so there’s no need for him to sign anything,” a friend of
his told
Daily Mail.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Phil Noble – Pool/Getty Images
Most royal family members don’t bother with prenuptial
agreements
It turns out the Duke of Sussex’s decision to skip the prenup
wasn’t too strange. In fact, most royals don’t bother with prenuptial
agreements because even if they did get divorced, there’s no way of their
former spouses accessing the royal fortune.
According to Forbes, the British royal family is worth
around $88 billion, with the queen’s net worth at right around $500 million
of that. But even though royal spouses enjoy the benefits of being married to
such a wealthy family, it doesn’t mean the money ever belongs to them.
For example, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex currently reside at Frogmore Cottage — though they did say they’ll be splitting their time between there and North America. If the couple divorces, they wouldn’t get to sell the property and split the profits because it never technically belonged to them in the first place.
The property is owned by the Crown Estate, which is overseen by Queen Elizabeth.
British royal family | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Prenups aren’t enforced in the United Kingdom
American royal fans might be surprised to find that
prenuptial agreements aren’t
legally binding in the United Kingdom anyway, so getting one is more of a formality
than anything. However, when a huge difference of assets exists between a couple,
it can be a wise decision to draw up paperwork that may be used during divorce
proceedings.
The royal family knows there is no way for Meghan to get a
chunk of their money if she and Prince Harry divorce. But she could be entitled
to some of Harry’s
personal fortune, which comes from his inheritance and other personal assets.
It’s all going to depend on how good her lawyer is at arguing the case.
Or, they might stay together forever, which would make this
entire speculation moot. We can only hope!
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry have officially begun their new, post-royal life. Their new schedule is a whirlwind of around-the-world appearances, speaking engagements, and planning meetings — all free from palace interference.
While the couple has been keeping quiet, for the most part, fans have started to eagerly anticipate their next move and where they could pop up next. The one constant in Meghan and Prince Harry’s life these days is their young son, Archie Harrison.
There’s no doubt that their new life has a lot of uncertainty. But, according to a recent report, their biggest priority is crystal clear.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s exit statement referenced Archie Harrison
On January 8th, Prince Harry and Meghan shocked the whole world when they announced that they would be retiring as senior royals and that they wanted to start making their own income, separate from the royal family. In their statement, the couple revealed that they intended to split their time between the United Kingdom and the United States, which would enable them to raise their son “with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born.”
In the weeks since the bombshell announcement, fans and critics have been trying to figure out what exactly led to the royal couple’s big announcement. There’s little doubt that Meghan has been under attack from critics and tabloids ever since she started dating Prince Harry, and her unhappiness likely had something to do with their decision.
However, it also seems very likely that the couple did truly want to remove their son from a life where he would be constantly scrutinized and criticized.
Archie Harrison has been sheltered from the spotlight
Archie Harrison was born in May 2018. As he is the first child for Meghan and Prince Harry, there was a great deal of excitement and anticipation surrounding his birth.
Although the public was eager to see the new royal baby, Meghan and Prince Harry were determined to keep their son well away from the media’s prying eyes. They stepped out for a quick interview in the days following his birth, but other than that, made every effort to shield their newborn from the public.
Royal baby baptisms are traditionally a huge celebration. However, Meghan and Prince Harry fought tradition and kept Archie Harrison’s baptism ceremony very private and didn’t even reveal the name of his godparents. They received a great deal of criticism for their decision, but the couple remained firm.
Many royal fans believed that Prince Harry was spearheading the move to keep Archie Harrison’s life more private, as the result of having spent his entire life in the spotlight.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are focused on being parents
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor | Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
While Prince Harry and Meghan haven’t quite established their new home base yet, and are reported to be looking at houses in Los Angeles, they are still taking the time to be devoted parents to their little one. A recent report features an interview with a royal source, who claims Meghan and Prince Harry’s lives these days include lots of one-on-one time with Archie Harrison.
The source revealed that “Archie is the priority. It’s very much still about taking care of him and putting the family first. He’s a happy kid—he loves to laugh.”
It seems likely that in their new life, Meghan and Prince Harry will ensure that Archie Harrison gets to spend some quality time with select family members such as Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mother. Through it all, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have proven that they are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that their son has a happy, well-adjusted childhood.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stunned fans last month when the couple announced they would be stepping back as senior members of the royal family. On Friday, the pair's spokesperson confirmed that, as a part of this plan, the Duke and Duchess will refrain from using the word "royal" or "Sussex Royal" brand in any capacity going forward, citing "specific UK government rules" as the reason.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use 'Sussex Royal' in any territory post-Spring 2020," the spokesperson told People magazine.
Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout with Britain's Prince Harry on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. The recently engaged couple are on a one day tour to Edinburgh, and will visit the Castle and observe the firing of the One O'clock Gun. (Andrew Milligan/Pool Photo via AP)
(Andrew Milligan/Pool Photo via AP)
But in a more lengthy post on Harry and Meghan's official website, the pair detail exactly how the transition will take place while also insisting that the Queen does not have any ownership over the term "Royal."
"While there is not any jurisdiction by The Monarchy or Cabinet Office over the use of the word 'Royal' overseas, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use 'Sussex Royal' or any iteration of the word 'Royal' in any territory (either within the UK or otherwise) when the transition occurs Spring 2020," Harry and Meghan wrote on their official website.
The "Royal" debacle is just one of several changes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched upon in their "Spring 2020 Transition" post on their website on Friday.
"We are pleased to now be able to share with you an update on many of the details agreed at a meeting of The Royal Family in January 2020, which outlines The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new roles, taking effect Spring 2020," the post reads. "We had hoped to be allowed to share these details with you sooner (to mitigate any confusion and subsequent misreporting), but the facts below should help provide some clarification around this transition and the steps for the future."
The details outlined on the website include: a previously reported review period that will take place after 12 months; the Sussexes will be financially independent; they will retain but will not use their HRH -- His or Her Royal Highness -- titles; and they won't make any "representative duties" on behalf of the Queen, but they will be allowed to maintain their patronages.
In addition, Prince Harry will still keep his place as sixth in line to the throne.
The website concluded by sharing that in Spring 2020, the Sussexes' "digital channels will be refreshed as they introduce the next exciting phase to you."
One of the biggest draws for a final season of The Clone Wars is the fact that it finishes the intended arc the series had planned out from the beginning. It was canceled in 2013, and that was probably the biggest bummer: not only were fans losing this series, but there was still a lot of stories left to tell. The main reason for the series in the first place was to show the full Clone Wars, from when they started after Attack of the Clones to when they finished with the Jedi Purge in Revenge of the Sith.
With that in mind, this final season is intended to wrap it up, nearly guaranteeing that The Clone Wars will coincide with Revenge of the Sith at some point. Executive producer and supervising director Dave Filoni won’t explicitly confirm how this will happen but does give insight into which characters to look out for.
There are no spoilers ahead, so you’re safe from here. Although, if you do want to know what happens after the Siege of Mandalore and Order 66, check out the Ahsoka novel by E.K. Johnston.
Ahsoka Tano set to faceoff against Maul on Season 7 of ‘The Clone Wars’ | Lucasfilm/Disney+
Dave Filoni is “interested” in showing what happens to Ahsoka and Rex
With that out of the way, Filoni did stress that he didn’t want to make this overlap feel repetitive. “I’ve always, always been interested in a crossover point with the films when it got right down to it at the very end,” Filoni said. “I was always interested in trying to make the audience aware of where Ahsoka was, where Captain Rex was, during sometimes critical moments that we all know from the movies. And yet maintaining the integrity of the films.”
As Filoni said at the “Ahsoka’s Untold Stories” panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2016, there are answers as to why you don’t see Ahsoka and Rex in the movies and Season 7 will reveal that.
Rex in front of the 501st Legion with their special armor to honor Ahsoka | Lucasfilm/Disney+
To do this, Filoni, of course, included them in the narrative, but more so to aid in other characters’ stories. For this, he means Ahsoka and Rex will take center since their arcs for this time period haven’t played out on screen yet.
Where does ‘The Clone Wars’ Season 7 fall in the timeline?
To rehash, Season 7 of The Clone Wars takes place after Season 6 and before Revenge of the Sith. Right now, only one episode was released so it’s tough to say how long it’ll be before fans see similar scenes from Episode III, like Windu talking about the plot to destroy the Jedi.
However, in the “Ahsoka’s Untold Stories” panel, Filoni did say that Ahsoka goes to Mandalore to fight for the planet’s freedom from Maul in the Siege of Mandalore. And this coincides with the beginning of Revenge of the Sith. That could change, but considering that arc basically ends the series, fans won’t see overlap until halfway through the season or so.
