Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was reportedly "hugely tempted" by an invitation to the prestigious Met Gala in New York City but ultimately declined due to a clash with her son Archie's birthday. The Met Gala, known for its glitz and glamour, would have provided the Duchess with an opportunity to be seen on the red carpet alongside celebrities and influential figures, as well as a platform to help launch her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.
Royal expert and author Tom Quinn spoke to the Mirror about Meghan's decision, stating, "Meghan was hugely tempted to go to the Met Gala. She loves this kind of big, glitzy event, especially as it's held to raise money for charity, and with the launch of her new online brand, she needs all the publicity she can get."
Quinn also noted that despite no longer being a working actor, Meghan is "addicted to mixing with celebrities," which is why she and her husband, Prince Harry, reside in Montecito, California, next to A-listers like Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom. "The glamour associated with being a celebrity in the States has always been something Meghan can't do without and an event such as the Met Gala is almost too tempting to resist," Quinn added.
Instead of attending the Met Gala, Meghan chose to celebrate her son Archie's 5th birthday on May 6 at their home in a small but intimate event with Prince Harry and their daughter, Princess Lilibet. The author described Archie as "a real live-wire who loves rushing around at top speed" and explained that Meghan enjoys organizing birthdays for her children but wants them to be "very private affairs" so that Archie and Lilibet can experience "the more ordinary things in life."
Quinn revealed, "When it comes to her children's birthdays, Meghan is almost obsessed with the idea that they should be quiet, very private affairs, with simple games, a birthday cake and ice cream." He added that the guest list would likely include friends from school, Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, and one or two celebrities with children of the same age, such as actors Katie Perry and Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's absence from the Met Gala is also understandable given Prince Harry's work commitment in London on May 8, just two days after the event. He is set to attend the 10th anniversary thanksgiving service for the Invictus Games Foundation, where he will do a reading. People reported on April 29 that Meghan will not join him in the U.K.
Despite missing the Met Gala, the couple will soon be back in the public eye. They have accepted an invitation from Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff, its highest-ranking military official, to visit the country later this month. The exact dates of their May trip have not been disclosed.
In addition to their travels, Meghan and Harry are working on new projects for Netflix. Meghan, in particular, is developing a lifestyle show for the streaming company that will include cooking and gardening, complementing the launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Although details about the brand's offerings are limited, several of Meghan's famous friends have teased small-batch strawberry jam from the line.
