Hadley Hall Meares
@hadleymeares.bsky.social
Journalist focusing on history, art and culture. Bleeding heart liberal and lover of grand adventures.
In my latest for Vanity Fair the award for worst royal neighbor goes to...Princess Margaret, of course! www.vanityfair.com/story/royal-...
Princess Margaret Was a Princess. She Was Also, Apparently, a Terrible Neighbor
And her greatest pet peeve? Princess Diana.
vanityfair.com
In my latest for Vanity Fair, a history of royal engagment rings. www.vanityfair.com/story/royal-...
A History of the Most Fabulous Royal Engagement Rings, From Princess Diana’s Trendsetting Sapphire to Grace Kelly’s 10-Carat Sparkler
Royal marriages were once brokered through ambassadors and diplomats, but now, the promise of a lifetime together can come with rare gems, colorful stones, and family heirlooms galore.
vanityfair.com
In my latest "Old Hollywood Book Club" for Vanity Fair, the amazing, almost unreal life of a true American genius- Quincy Jones. www.vanityfair.com/story/quincy...
You’ll Have to Read Quincy Jones’s Autobiography to Believe It
‘Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones’ is brimming with incredible anecdotes about the polymathic music savant, from his horrifically traumatic childhood to his work with Michael Jackson and encounter...
vanityfair.com
In my latest for Vanity Fair- what it's really like to live in a royal palace (hint: not as glamorous as you might think.) www.vanityfair.com/story/what-l...
Life In a Royal Residence: The Truth About “Damp” Digs, Cheap Rent, and Nosy Palace Guards
The multibillion-dollar royal real estate portfolio is a tangled web of different residences that includes an estimated 100 grace-and-favor homes, where royal inhabitants pay favorable or symbolic ren...
vanityfair.com
Happy 65th birthday to the late Princess Diana! In my latest for Vanity Fair I take a look at Althorp, her final resting place, and ancestral home. www.vanityfair.com/story/althor...
At Althorp, Princess Diana Could Be Herself: Dancing, Cooking, Hanging With Staff. Now Her Brother Is Keeping the Estate Alive
The story behind Althorp, the 13,000-acre Spencer family estate with an awe-inspiring art collection and priceless library, that became Princess Diana’s final resting place.
vanityfair.com
Just found this out.. what a tragedy Vox. Some of my most important reporting was with Curbed....devestating for so many journalists, and what a loss for the community. www.archpaper.com/2026/02/curb...
archpaper.com
In my latest for Vanity Fair, the fate of Princess Diana's iconic jewels. www.vanityfair.com/story/what-h...
What Happened to Princess Diana’s Most Famous Jewels?
From her sapphire and diamond engagement ring to her yellow gold Cartier Tank Française, some of the late princess’s most beloved pieces have ended up with her daughters-in-law, while others haven’t b...
vanityfair.com
God willing and the creek don't rise, in June 2027 "The Mad Monk's Daughter", my biography of the amazing Maria Rasputin will be published by Flatiron! What a labor of love this has been over the years.
Audrey Hepburn wasn’t only enchanting, she was also a remarkably resilient warrior fighting for children all over the globe. In my latest Old Hollywood Book Club for Vanity Fair a look at her son’s touching memories of their marvelous mother. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
Audrey Hepburn’s Sons Recount Her Remarkably Resilient Life
Sean Hepburn Ferrer and brother Luca Dotti have feuded in the past over multiple issues related to their mother—but the books they’ve written about her agree that Hepburn was one of a kind.
vanityfair.com
I had so much fun writing about the often amusing visits English royals have made to the White House. The pictures are really fun! www.vanityfair.com/style/story/...
From Princess Diana and John Travolta to Queen Elizabeth and Eisenhower: A History of British Royals Visiting the White House
Before King Charles and Queen Camilla embark on a state visit to “celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship” between the UK and the US, learn more about the president wh...
vanityfair.com
In my latest Old Hollywood Book Club for Vanity Fair, a look at the autobiography of a personal hero of mine- Jane Fonda. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
Jane Fonda’s Dishy Memoir Proves She Walks the Walk
“The failures are what deliver us to ourselves. You don’t get real by playing it safe,” writes the Oscar winner in her fascinating 2005 autobiography. And nobody is realer than Jane Fonda.
vanityfair.com
My latest for Vanity Fair! I loved speaking with the brilliant Justine Picardie about her new book Fashioning the Crown! www.vanityfair.com/style/story/...
From the Queen’s Tweeds to Kate Middleton’s Zara, Justine Picardie Reveals the Soft Power of Royal Dressing
Picardie, author of Fashioning the Crown: A Story of Power and Couture, explores the influence and importance of the royal wardrobe in her new book.
vanityfair.com
I had an absolute blast speaking with the top realtors in Los Angeles about their favorite historic homes in the city. My latest for The Hollywood Reporter! www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/re...
The Most Historic Homes in L.A. (and No, That’s Not a Contradiction)
For all the snark about its mishmash of styles, L.A.’s classic architecture is no joke. Here, according to its top brokers, are the city’s most iconic homes (some of which are for sale).
hollywoodreporter.com
Just in time for Valentine's Day! In my latest for Vanity Fair a brief history of the most scandalous royal romances of all time. www.vanityfair.com/style/story/...
The Most Scandalous Royal Love Stories of All Time
From King Edward abdicating the throne in the name of love to the risky pursuit by King Henry VIII of Anne Boleyn, forbidden royal relationships have captured the public’s imagination for centuries.
vanityfair.com
In my latest for Vanity Fair, bad boy Robert "the Kid" Evans looks back on his legendary life. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
Robert Evans’s Legendary Memoir Captures an Epic Hollywood Rise and Fall
The man behind ‘Chinatown,’ ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ and endless anecdotes recalls his high highs and low lows with characteristic swagger in ‘The Kid Stays in the Picture,’ his peerless au...
vanityfair.com
How I loved writing the latest "Old Hollywood Book Club" for Vanity Fair- a look at the memoirs of the undisputed Queen of Inspiration- Ms. Dolly Parton. I dare you not to have a smile on your face and a song in your heart while you are reading! www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
Dolly Parton’s Divine Dogma: “You Better Get to Livin’”
The national treasure spins a heck of a yarn across her five folksy memoirs.
vanityfair.com
I loved speaking with Press Play about the evolution of MacArthur Park! Listen below! www.kcrw.com/shows/press-...
Why AI data centers are the ‘new American factory’ | KCRW
Plus, Los Angeles plans to spend $2.3 million to build an iron fence around MacArthur Park. The Hammer Museum is back with its biennial Made in LA exhibition. And celebrity gossip website TMZ turns…
kcrw.com
Hey y'all! I will be on @kcrw.com Press Play at noon PST talking about the history of MacArthur Park (the park, not the song- which rules btw).
My latest for The Hollywood Reporter! www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/li...
Stars Come Out to Support ‘All the Cool Girls Get Fired’: “We Want the Shame to Be Gone”
Laura Dern, Cindy Crawford, Monica Lewinsky, Zoey Deutch, Jurnee Smollett and Uzo Aduba were among the A-listers who joined Tory Burch to celebrate Kristina O’Neill and Laura Brown’s new book.
hollywoodreporter.com
In my latest for LAist, an important story about the first major public immigration raid in Los Angeles, and the heartbreaking terror and displacement that followed. laist.com/news/la-hist...
Public immigration sweeps in LA are not new — similar tactics were used in the 1930s
Similar tactics to today's ICE sweeps were seen in the city 100 years ago.
laist.com
In my latest “Old Hollywood Book Club” for Vanity Fair, I review two memoirs by Anjelica Huston- one chic queen. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
Glamour and Grit: Anjelica Huston’s Cultured Coolness
The Oscar winner digs into her groovy youth in swinging London, her long entanglement with Jack Nicholson, and so much more in her two essential autobiographies.
vanityfair.com
My latest for THR: The Hilton Dynasty is on the move. www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/li...
Real Estate Power Couple Barron and Tessa Hilton Move to Compass
The two are known for their innovative approach, turning open houses into major events. “This transition allows us to align with Compass’s unmatched scale, cutting-edge technology, and powerful market...
hollywoodreporter.com
Oh Maria Rasputin, you continue to inspire and surprise me! I can't wait to share your amazing story with the world! (Biography coming via Flatiron, an imprint of MacMillian, circa 2027).
Oh what a night! My latest for The Hollywood Reporter. www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/re...
The Hollywood Reporter’s Power Broker Awards Toast Winners and Unity in the Wake of L.A. Fires
The fifth annual event, presented by The Society Group, recognized the biggest names in Los Angeles real estate after a tumultuous year for the city.
hollywoodreporter.com
Oh lord after months of work the annual Hollywood Reporter Top Real Estate Agents List is finally out. Fun old Hollywood stories included! www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/the-to...
The 36 Top L.A. Real Estate Agents of 2025
It’s been a brutal year. But the town’s A-list’s most trusted Realtors — despite some having lost their own houses to the wildfires — are still notching nine-figure deals, including ones in cryptocurr...
hollywoodreporter.com
My latest for Vanity Fair- Meghan Markle, royal sorrority girl. www.vanityfair.com/style/story/...
Meghan Markle Is But One of Many Royal Sorority Girls: A Brief History
Long before the Duchess of Sussex, a Swedish and Norwegian princess, who never lived or went to college in America, became the first royal sorority girl.
vanityfair.com
In my second article of the day for Vanity Fair, Prince William and Catherine's many, many homes. www.vanityfair.com/style/story/...
Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Real Estate Portfolio
Before the Prince and Princess of Wales relocate to Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, revisit their house-hopping ways, which first started when they were students at St. Andrews University in Scotl...
vanityfair.com
In my latest "Old Hollywood Book Club" for Vanity Fair, the delightful, insightful Michael Caine. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/st...
The Bon Vivant: Michael Caine’s Pursuit of the Good Life
In four effortlessly entertaining memoirs, the Oscar winner charts his journey from a South London slum to movie stardom.
vanityfair.com
I loved speaking with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation again, this time about the toxic tabloid culture of the early 2000s, which certainly shaped my teenage years. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Cruel intentions: how toxic tabloids and celebrity culture changed the way we talk about mental health - ABC listen
If you opened up a magazine in the 2000s, you'd likely be met by countless images of celebrities on their worst days. And the conversation accompanying those images? Pretty toxic. We've come a long w...
abc.net.au
