Meghan Markle paid a sweet tribute to her children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, while out partying with friends in L.A. last week sans her husband. The couple hasn’t been seen together in public in recent weeks, sparking rumors of a royal divorce on the horizon.
The Duchess of Sussex was among the guests during the star-studded launch of new haircare line Highbrow Hippie held at Gjelina restaurant on Venice’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard, on Thursday, Nov. 14. She came as one of the brand’s investors and also as a friend to the owners, colorist Kadi Lee and her business partner, Myka Harris.
The former Suits star wore a strapless black corset top paired with a straight-leg black trousers which she accessorized with a gold necklace that comes emblazoned with her children’s names. The necklace has a large round pendant by jewelry brand Logan Hollowell, which features a stunning eye-shaped silver diamond in the center surrounded by two smaller diamond studs, and a calligraphy of Archie’s name above and Lili’s name below. According to Hello!, this customized jewelry costs $1,850.
Videos shared online showed Meghan having a good time as she danced to a choir performance with the other guests, and with her glam team friends, hairstylist Serge Normant, and her makeup artist, Daniel Martin. The duchess met her colorist through Normant, who styled her hair during her wedding to Harry in May 2019. Lee has a salon in Venice that boasts a clientele of celebrities including Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt. She’s also been a close confidante of Meghan for years, and she even hosted a belated birthday for the duchess at her salon, further cementing their friendship.
Meghan reflected on Lee’s expertise in an interview with InStyle magazine and praised her for her “mastery of hair health.” She said: “…and her Highbrow Hippie collection is a perfect reflection of that. I am so proud to invest in her as a friend and as a female founder.”
The mum-of-two arrived at the soirée solo without her husband by her side. The couple is usually inseparable, but that hasn’t been the case in the past weeks, with Harry mostly seen out and about doing public service. Meanwhile, Meghan has kept a low profile doing who knows what, although royal “experts” suspect she’s busy dealing with trademark concerns for her new business venture American Riviera Orchard (ARO).
It’s said that they are doing things separately now with royal commentator Jennie Bond claiming that Meghan “doesn’t want to come back and they are going their own ways, to some extent.” Last month, the duchess also attended the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala without Harry.
A source claimed that going on separate public engagements was Harry’s idea, as he reportedly “wants space.” Meanwhile, another insider credited the solo appearances to a shift in their ventures, explaining: “The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track.” A third suggested it could be a matter of “parenting priorities, in that one of them stays behind with the children.” So while Meghan was out partying in L.A. last week, Harry could have stayed at home to watch Archie and Lilibet. This time, it may be Meghan’s turn to stay home, as her husband is in Canada to prepare for the 2025 Invictus Games.