Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were asked to be presenters at the Oscar Awards on Sunday, Feb. 9, in Los Angeles. The royal couple, however, refused the invitation but they were apparently in Miami, Florida recently for an exclusive event.
It's unclear exactly why Prince Harry and Meghan turned down the offer to be at the 92nd Academy Awards. This would have been a major high-profile appearance for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex since leaving the royal family, per Hello!
However, sources said that declining the invitation to be among Meghan's colleagues in Hollywood made sense as Prince Harry and Meghan would like to shun the media spotlight on themselves as royals. In their statement, the couple declared that they would like to live a private life and thrive amidst less media scrutiny.
But the Sussex royals aren't completely avoiding any public appearances. Reports revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan attended a private event hosted by JP Morgan in Miami, Florida.
According to E!, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had a subtle entrance at the said event. Meghan introduced her husband while Prince Harry gave a speech to the audience.
Another source confirmed to FOX News that Prince Harry and Meghan were indeed at 1 Hotel in South Beach. They were joined by other celebrities and VIPs like Gayle King from CBS, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the rapper Meek Mill, and the businessman Robert Frederick Smith.
Reps of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't comment on whether they earned an income from this appearance and speaking engagement. Early reports stated that Prince Harry and Meghan plan to be financially independent from the Sovereign Grant by expanding their Sussex Royal brand through talks and public appearances.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan are reportedly hunting houses in Los Angeles for their summer stay. The couple, however, have no plans to leave Canada permanently, after leaving the U.K. According to sources close to the couple, they plan on having both houses in North America, while also traveling back to London for special family events.
Prince Harry and Meghan announced in the first week of January that they were scaling back on their royal duties. Amid the attacks and negative press, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex want a more peaceful life where their every move were not scrutinized. The couple, together with their son, Archie, has been staying in Vancouver, Canada since departing London in early January.
