Meghan Markle ‘disappears’ from Invictus Games line-up

Meghan Markle’s much-hyped role in the Invictus Games is now shrouded in mystery amid claims she wants to sell her Montecito mansion.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could soon be leaving Montecito for Malibu. Picture: AFP

Meghan Markle’s much-hyped role in the Invictus Games is now shrouded in mystery after she disappeared from the itinerary on the event’s official website.

The official guide to the games in Germany, which start this weekend, suggested the Duchess of Sussex would “take to the stage” for the closing ceremony to host a segment about the competitors.

The Duchess dazzled spectators at last year’s event when she took to the stage to pay tribute to the competitors and their families, before introducing her husband.

The Duchess of Sussex, pictured at the 2022 Invictus Games, had been scheduled to speak the 2023 closing ceremony. Picture: Getty Images

However, there is no mention of Meghan on the detailed itinerary on the Invictus website and the schedule suggests German TV presenter Hadnet Tesfai will replace her, The Express reports.

The schedule also lists a closing speech by Prince Harry and a performance by pop star Rita Ora.

The Sussexes at the launch for the 2023 Invictus Games last year. Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage

Prince Harry, who founded the competition for injured military personnel and veterans, will give a welcome speech at the opening ceremony in Dusseldorf this weekend.

Meghan made fleeting appearances in Prince Harry’s five-part Heart of Invictus documentary, filmed during last year’s Games at The Hague.

REAL REASON MEGHAN WANTS TO ‘DITCH’ MONTECITO

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are getting set to ditch Montecito and are househunting in Malibu.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be eyeing up a $12 million-dollar plot of land in Malibu, touring the beachfront land in the celebrity enclave over weekend, TMZ reported.

Sources told the entertainment website that the couple looked at a nearly six-acre property that is still under construction but already has a guardhouse and a massive swimming pool.

The foundation is reportedly laid for a secluded 10,000-square-foot main residence, which will be gated and has a 360-degree view of Malibu’s Broad Beach.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be headed for Malibu. Picture: AFP

An award-winning architect’s plans for the home have apparently been approved, and there is already a crew in place to start on the project, according to the property’s real estate agent, Westside Estate Agency’s Brendan Brown, the New York Post reported.

The project could set the Sussexes back an eye-watering $30 million if they went ahead with the plot and new build.

TMZ reported that the controversial couple plan to sell their Montecito mansion and relocate to Malibu with their two children Archie, 4, and daughter, Lilibet, 2.

And there could be a very strategic reason why.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could soon be selling their Montecito mansion. Supplied

Malibu is under an hour from the heart of Hollywood, while Montecito takes two hours and change in notorious LA traffic.

With a string of professional failures behind them (most recently, Prince Harry's Invictus Games documentary has been branded a “flop”), Ms Markle is said to want to be at closer proximity to the entertainment business than the sedate Montecito allows.

And Malibu, with big-name residents such as Jennifer Aniston, Leonardo DiCaprio and Beyonce, is certainly a more dynamic spot.

Unlike Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland, Prince Harry didn’t appear overly thrilled to be attending the Beyonce concert. Picture: Twitter

Ms Markle was spotted on Monday attending Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour for the second time this week, sans Prince Harry who looked positively miserable at the couple’s first Beyonce gig on Sunday, where she sat in a special section with Netflix boss Ted Sarandos, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian and former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland.

Ms Markle reportedly wants to get her career back on track and leaving sedate Montecito behind could be a way to invigorate her professional life.

The Sussexes bought their nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom 18,000-square-foot mansion in Montecito for a staggering $23 million in 2020.

Meghan Markle is looking to reinvigorate her career after a string of misses. Picture: Netflix

The couple’s current estate features a tennis court, teahouse, children’s cottage, pool and rose gardens as well as a two-bed guesthouse.

The Sussexes moved into the mansion shortly after they both resigned from their positions as senior royals and moved to the United States, where they have since made quite an impression on the locals.

The pair, who wed in 2018, have been rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, and neighbours even dubbed Markle the “Princess of Montecito” last year due to her alleged diva-like behaviour in the area.

Neighbours have allegedly not been thrilled by their presence.

They are said to upset by the swarms of paparazzi photographers and helicopters flying over.

According to TMZ “most locals” say their “mere presence is driving people wild” as a result.

It is claimed complaints centre around concerns that “everyone’s privacy is being compromised” as a result of the couple’s presence.

Originally published as Meghan Markle ‘disappears’ from Invictus Games line-up