Royal hen parties and stag dos: find out how Meghan Markle, Mike Tindall & more celebrated

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It's a rite of passage for any groom and bride-to-be, but organising a stag do or hen party when you're royalty comes with its own set of challenges including privacy of what is happening and where it's taking place. While many royals have pulled off their own covert celebrations, others – including Mike Tindall – were less successful at keeping their pre-wedding shenanigans out of the public eye. Take a look through the gallery to find out how some of the royals celebrated their stag dos and hen parties…

Meghan Markle

The Duchess of Sussex reportedly enjoyed a low-key hen party at Soho Farmhouse ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. A favourite spot of both Harry and Meghan, the luxury destination boasts a spa, two swimming pools, a lake, and cinema, where the bride-to-be and her friends could have enjoyed some pampering and relaxation ahead of the big day.

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Prince Harry

Little is known about how Prince Harry chose to celebrate his last days of single life, with the Duke replying "no comment" when asked whether he had already had his stag do during a public engagement ahead of the wedding. While there were suggestions that Verbier in the Swiss Alps or even the Scottish Highlands were the destinations for the celebrations, it appears that what happened on stag, stayed on stag!

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Princess Eugenie

Princess Eugenie reportedly enlisted her sister Princess Beatrice to organise her hen party in 2018, with Ibiza suggested as a destination for their celebrations. However, the group managed to avoid any details being leaked about what was no doubt a fun-filled event.

MORE: Everything you need to know about Lady Gabriella Windsor's royal wedding

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Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge had a low-key hen do with her close friends and sister Pippa Middleton ahead of her wedding to Prince William in 2011. When it was her sister's turn to tie the knot in 2017, Kate reportedly helped to organise a skiing break in Meribel, France, with the group travelling to their destination via a private plane.

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Prince William

Prince Harry and Guy Pelly organised Prince William's stag party with "military precision" after their previous plans were leaked to the press. The group gathered at the historic Hartland Abbey, with activities said to have included clay pigeon shooting, surfing, and drinking games.

GALLERY: Royal weddings in Windsor - from Meghan to Eugenie

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Mike Tindall

Mike Tindall recently admitted he got into hot water with the royal family after his raucous stag do in Florida in 2011, which ended up in the press. The former rugby star was pictured enjoying extended drinking sessions in bars and hotel pools with his ten friends, prompting his royal in-laws to poke fun at him just weeks before the wedding.

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Zara Tindall

Zara also travelled abroad for her own pre-wedding celebrations, with a hen party in Portugal. Princess Anne's daughter was seen wearing a pink tutu and wig as she celebrated with a group of 19 friends at the CampoReal Golf Resort and Spa.

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Prince Andrew

The Duke of York celebrated his stag do at Lord Lascelles' house in Notting Hill ahead of his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, and the celebration ended up being gatecrashed by his bride-to-be, who was on her own hen party at the same time.

MORE: The ultimate guide to choosing your wedding flowers from Pippa Middleton's florist

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Sarah Ferguson

This may be one of the most raucous royal hen parties we've heard of! For her hen do in 1986, Sarah Ferguson and a group of friends including Princess Diana dressed as police officers for a night out in London, but were reportedly quizzed by authorities outside Buckingham Palace as it is an offence to impersonate a police officer. The group ended their night by playing a trick on Prince Andrew and locking the palace gates. Writing in her autobiography, Sarah said that she confided in the Queen about her wild night out, who thankfully found the events "reasonably amusing".

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Prince Philip

Before marrying the Queen, Prince Philip enjoyed a night out with friends at The Dorchester on Park Lane for his stag do. He also had a second private dinner at the Belfry Club, where he and his guests feasted on foie gras and turtle soup.