‘Things seem to have changed’: Meghan parties without Prince Harry as marriage rumours swirl
The Duchess of Sussex has been photographed living it up at a party without her husband – and there is no denying the underlying meaning.
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I’m really restraining myself here. I really am.
The temptation to open this story with some by-the-numbers line like ‘pretty in pink’ or ‘in the pink’ is nearly too great to resist. But resist it I shall, even though these phrases perfectly sum up a new photo of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex done up in this exact princessy shade.
It’s a radiant shot full of love and warmth and human musk stick vibes, taken at a pal’s baby shower and shared by another friend on her Instagram account.
There can be no denying the underlying message that this joy-filled photo holds and that it all but confirms one thing about the Duchess of Sussex: Meghan is having a ball right now.
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What noise and hubbub and chatter about the fact that she and husband of six years Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex have not been seen together in public since September? Sep-a-ra-what now?
While much of 2024 has seen Meghan keep a lower public profile, of late things seem to have changed. Over the course of the last two months, the duchess has appeared at a series of glamorous events where she has beamed, hugged, posed, danced and sung like no one is watching aside from the ever-present lenses of the stray iPhones and, on occasion, an entire wall of photographers.
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At the same time, it has not gone unnoticed that she and Harry have traded in their former coupley, twosome mode to strike out on their own as they seemingly try to establish independent images and career trajectories.
The duke’s been off in London, New York, Lesotho and New York again on the philanthropic beat, giving speeches and doing his bit to earn his statesman P-plates.
The duchess, meanwhile, has been living her best, shiny, glowing West Coast life as she prepares for her relaunch as a lifestyle entrepreneur.
In October, the duchess wore a fire engine red, reworked Carolina Herrera gown for the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Gala. In November, she chose a black Khaite bustier and pants to help her hairdresser Kadi Lee launch a range of products in which the former actor also happens to be an investor before turning up at last week’s Paley Centre honours for Tyler Perry, giving old Hollywood glamour in a black strapless Oscar de la Renta number and with diamonds a-go-go.
On Thursday came the latest addition to this list of examples of Meghan looking high on life and good vibes thanks to a photo posted by her longtime good friend Kelly McKee Zajfen of the pair of them together alongside Soho House’s Samantha Stone and Markus Anderson.
I’m not sure we’ve seen such clear evidence of the former working duchess looking so overjoyed and ebullient in donkey’s, which is just the perfect bit of pre-Christmas pep.
I know, a woman out and about in the world having the shocking effrontery to look happy without her husband should not be something worth pointing out, except it’s been an odd-bod, weirdo few months for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by anyone’s estimation.
Harry himself mocked the noise around their union only last week, telling The New York Times’ DealBook conference last week, “Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what? It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it”.
So what do we irrefutably know? That Meghan has been out and about more of late than she was earlier in the year and she appears to have been having a right ol’ blast doing it.
(And generally looking fabulous as hell too).
If anyone is under any sort of impression that the 43-year-old could be off doing some moping in Montecito, then au contraire. The underlying message and thread running through all of this is that duchesses just wanna have fun.
Videos from the launch of Highbrow Hippie hair care range in November show her clapping and dancing as a gospel choir sang.
meghan markle with her long time friends, daniel martin (makeup artist) and serge normant (hair stylist) at highbrow hippie's product launch last night pic.twitter.com/ayBUVUX6LR
— magali 🼠(@MagaliDMathias) November 15, 2024
At the Paley Centre feting of uber producer Perry, which just happened to be on the same day that Harry was in New York for the DealBook talkfest, the duchess turned up wearing enough diamonds to start a Cartier concession stand and looked overjoyed to be helping to celebrate Perry. (He happens to be one of their daughter Princess Lilibet’s godparents).
Inside, photos showed her sharing a table with Perry, actor Kerry Washington and none other than Our Lord High Saviour Oprah Winfrey. One video showed the Duchess of Sussex, at one point in the evening, clapping and grooving with Washington.
What a night to remember! The Paley Center for Media honored the iconic @TylerPerry at the PaleyHonors in LA. Huge thanks to luminaries like Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle & more for celebrating his unparalleled impact. #PaleyHonors#TylerPerrypic.twitter.com/haHZeRHCAE
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) December 5, 2024
Thursday’s baby shower picture is the cherry pink icing on the jubilant cake.
Likewise, throughout this new-found social whirl, she has been surrounded by old friends like Soho House’s Anderson, McKee Zajfen, her longtime makeup artist Daniel Martin, her hair stylist Serge Normant and Washington, who attended a Beyoncé show with her last year.
At least, with the countdown on until Christmas, there seems to be much joy in Meghan’s world. Meanwhile, anyone else suddenly craving a musk stick?
Daniela Elser is a writer, editor and a royal commentator with more than 15 years’ experience working with a number of Australia’s leading media titles
Originally published as ‘Things seem to have changed’: Meghan parties without Prince Harry as marriage rumours swirl
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