Meghan Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, have been riding high with their latest moves. The former actress has made it official: her first passion has come calling, and she has decided to answer.
PEOPLE magazine obtained photos showing Markle exiting Amazon MGM Studios in Pasadena, California. Markle was on the set of the upcoming comedy film Close Personal Friends, where she is set to make a cameo as herself alongside stars including Brie Larson, Lily Collins, and Jack Quaid.
Markle has also announced the special Christmas edition of With Love, Meghan, which will air on December 3rd.
Rubbing Elbows With The Hollywood Elite
The couple has been seen all over Hollywood, taking part in the year’s biggest charity events and parties. Prince Harry, meanwhile, has been captivating the media with a mini tour of Canada, visiting to promote the next Invictus Games, engaging with military veterans, and attending various adaptive sports training sessions.
On one highly social night, Meghan Markle, wearing a glittering black gown, and Prince Harry, in a black tuxedo, first attended the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala in West Hollywood to support their friend, tennis icon Serena Williams.
The festivities continued later that evening at Kris Jenner‘s 70th Birthday Party. Jenner’s exclusive, star-studded James Bond-themed party was hosted at Jeff Bezos‘s mansion in Beverly Hills and included the crème de la crème of entertainment and business: Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Adele, Justin Bieber, Tyler Perry, and Mark Zuckerberg, alongside Bill Gates, Martha Stewart, Chris Rock, Vin Diesel, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and the entire Kardashian-Jenner family.
The Poppy Controversy And Royal Fury
Markle’s glamorous eveningwear choices captivated millions. However, it quickly sparked debate over why she chose an outfit featuring two very different shades of black.
Moreover, what truly launched a scandal was Markle’s decision not to wear a poppy to mark Remembrance Day, a tradition honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the military.
The situation was made worse for Meghan Markle because Prince Harry, a veteran who completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, visibly wore a poppy on his tuxedo lapel.
Royal commentators and social media users were brutal, slamming Markle for being disrespectful to a long-standing tradition. One royal author wrote in an op-ed via Express: “They joined a parade of famous faces at Kris Jenner’s James Bond-themed 70th birthday party in Beverly Hills on Saturday, so with that many A-listers in one room, it would have been the perfect time to loudly and proudly wear the pin ahead of Remembrance Day, something which has deep meaning for Harry. But alas, it seems Meghan’s outfit was more important than wearing a poppy upon her chest, as her husband went it alone with the striking pin and Meghan simply opted for a plain black gown with a slit in the leg. No hint of red to be seen. If she’s the Duchess of Sussex, we expect to see a poppy on her chest, don’t we? She lived in the UK, she knows what it means to the country, she’s attended Remembrance services before.”
“It Is Tacky”: The Royal Family Chimed In
The appearance at the Kris Jenner soirée drew direct criticism from Palace insiders. A staff member of King Charles III and Prince William told the New York Post: “It is tacky. It truly shows that Harry is so far removed from the rest of the family. These people may be stars in America, but the pure ostentatiousness is at odds with what Prince William is trying to do with his life and the monarchy.”
Meghan Markle’s Disrespect For Her Title Gives Prince William Ammunition To Strip Titles
Royal sources claim that Meghan Markle’s blatant disrespect for her title and its associated duties is only giving Prince William more ammunition for his long-term plan to eventually strip both her and Prince Harry of their royal titles. The sentiment is that her non-acknowledgement of royal responsibility, as seen in the poppy controversy, reinforces William’s view that titles must reflect service.
Social media comments were equally brutal, with users calling Markle out for happily using her title of Duchess while seemingly failing to acknowledge her responsibilities and duties associated with the Royal Family’s legacy.
Meghan’s Defense Is Quickly Debunked
Markle is fighting back against the criticism via an unexpected explanation to the Daily Mail. Sources close to the Duchess claimed she was unable to find a poppy because they are “rare in the United States.”
Sources to Markle dropped the following line via Daily Mail to defend her: “Meghan was unable to visibly honour the war dead as poppies are not widely available in the States, unlike in Commonwealth countries. “
This defense was quickly and widely slammed as a lie. Commentators noted that poppy flowers grow throughout California, citing the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Chino Hills State Park, and other locations.
Furthermore, poppies are readily available for purchase at all major flower shops, on Amazon, and at Home Depot, and veterans organizations would have happily provided one to the wife of a British Army veteran. Poppy brooches are sold at Walmart, Etsy, etc…
