If you’ve been following the ongoing saga with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aka Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (who hasn’t?) you’ll know they haven’t made a professional appearance together in more than a month. In fact, Markle recently made a Thanksgiving-related appearance without her husband and it made such a wave she released a statement about his absence.
The couple are supposedly in what’s been dubbed “professional separation,” with some going so far as to categorize said relationship as being “in a very bad state.” Royal biographer Angela Levin told GB News that the couple is having visa issues and “might not be able to stay.”
Recently, Markle hosted a small dinner for the Southern California Welcome Project, which supports “women-led programming for recently resettled Afghan women to help build more inclusive and connected communities.” Harry did not attend, and Markle shared some insight in a statement on the couple’s Archewell website.
The dinner was a meal that “encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience,” and Markle said she had “deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences.”
“The dinner was hosted at Our Place, founded by Shiza Shahid, where the participants were gifted with new cookware for the upcoming holiday season,” the statement said. In the meantime, Harry spent the previous week in Vancouver doing some Invictus Games events while Markle had a fun night out in LA with some girlfriends.
The last professional appearance we got from the couple was a joint video they did where they talked about the importance of children’s safety, which also appeared on the couple’s website. In the video, the couple shared they were at a junction with their joint work.
“We are at a crossroads,” Harry said. “The urgency to reassess and redefine our approach to protecting children has become increasingly evident. While the necessity has always been apparent, it’s now time to translate that awareness into meaningful action.”
It’s apparent that the couple wants to distance itself from the almost constant vitriolic attacks on Markle’s character that have been plaguing them over the last couple of months. They’ve continued to focus on charitable work and decided to stay above the fray and take the high road when it comes to the rumor mill.
So what are the couple’s actual Thanksgiving plans? In an interview with Marie Claire, Markle revealed she wanted to do something “pretty low-key” with her family, which includes Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
“Like any other family, you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar — fun,” she said. “Every single holiday is a new adventure.”
Markle also said she enjoys spending time with her mother Doria Ragland, who is a frequent presence in the couple’s lives considering she also lives in Los Angeles. She even reportedly has her own guesthouse on the property.
Even though she claims the get-together will be “low-key,” Markle is known for having famous names at her yearly dinner. In fact, a few years ago she even had feminist icon Gloria Steinem. If Harry and Meghan really are having trouble, maybe the Thanksgiving spirit will bring them back together.