Throughout her pregnancy, Meghan Markle has received support and advice from Amal Clooney, who is "thrilled to see her become a mother," E! News has learned.
The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex, who is expecting her first child with husband Prince Harry, and the 41-year-old international human rights attorney, who shares 1-year-old twins with husband George Clooney, have "a lot in common and have become close" since Meghan moved to London in late 2017, a source told E! News.
"Amal has been a wealth of knowledge on so many things and helped Meghan settle in," the source said. "She's given her advice on celebrity and living in the public eye. They've enjoyed sharing stories of travel and humanitarian causes. They often bounce ideas off of each other. Meghan goes to Amal for many things and really trusts her instincts. Amal adores Meghan and is thrilled to see her become a mother. They will be living very close to one another and hope to see each other often. They have an understanding and common ground that has really helped Meghan and provided her with support."
Amal and George, 57, were among many celebs who attended Meghan and Harry's royal wedding in May 2018. In February, Amal co-hosted a lavish baby shower for Meghan in New York City.
The group has occasionally spent time together. Two months after Meghan and Harry's wedding, the royal newlyweds visited Amal and George at their Lake Como villa in Italy.
Last year, a palace source revealed to E! News that George and Harry, 34, have actually been friends for more than two years, and first connected at a private charity function in the U.K.
"When he started getting serious with Meghan, Harry introduced her to George and Amal," the palace source said, "and the couple quickly started hanging out regularly."
The first source said that "although Harry knew George before he met Meghan, it's really through Meghan and Amal's growing friendship that the two couples have become good friends."
"They've shared many laughs as they've started seeing each other more frequently through their wives," the source added. "George is so warm and charismatic. He makes everyone feel immediately comfortable and at ease. He's also a lot of fun to hang out with and always has everyone in stitches."
George has also defended Meghan publicly in response to unflattering media reports about her alleged behavior towards palace staff, her estranged father Thomas Markle and sister-in-law Kate Middleton, which have not been confirmed.
"I do want to say, they're just chasing Meghan Markle everywhere. She's been pursued and vilified," the actor told Australia's Who magazine in February. "She's a woman who is seven months pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that [Princess] Diana was, and it's history repeating itself."
In March, George said on Good Morning Britain, "I think it's a little unfair at times when—I've seen it when the press can turn on you for sort of ridiculous reasons and for almost nothing, and it seemed to me to be a little unjust since [Meghan] hadn't done anything except just happen to live her life. She's a really kind and smart and intelligent young woman."