Meghan Markle's standing in Hollywood social circles has come under renewed scrutiny after Kim Kardashian publicly addressed the deletion of photographs showing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party, an episode that unfolded against the backdrop of the United Kingdom's Remembrance Day. The incident, which surfaced again after Kim's podcast comments on Jan. 28, 2026, has reignited debate over celebrity optics, cultural sensitivity, and the limits of friendship in elite circles.
The photographs, briefly shared across Kardashian family social media accounts last November, were removed hours later after it became apparent that the images placed Prince Harry and Meghan at a lavish Hollywood celebration on a day of solemn national observance in Britain. Remembrance Day marks the annual commemoration of military sacrifice, a date closely associated with Prince Harry's own public identity as a veteran.
Kim Kardashian addressed the controversy on her sister Khloé Kardashian's podcast, Khloé in Wonderland, offering the first detailed public explanation from the family. "And then I think they realised it was Remembrance Day, and they didn't want to be seen at a party," Kim said during the episode. "And then I think they realised, like, 'Oh, this was so silly.'"
Kim expanded on the circumstances surrounding the decision to post and later remove the images, emphasizing that the move was not intended to cause offense. "Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now, and they have a really sweet relationship," she said. "We're never ones to post without permission. We are like it's not who we are... We were told it was totally cool to post, and then after it was posted, I think they realised it was Remembrance Day and didn't want to be seen at a party, even though it was already up. And then it was taken down."
The wording of Kim's explanation drew immediate attention online, particularly her emphasis on the relationship being between Meghan and Kris Jenner rather than with the Kardashian sisters themselves. Social media users seized on the distinction. One user wrote on X, "Kim also made sure to point out it is her mom's relationship with Meghan. LOL." Another commented, "Notice how they specify that she is, or was, I wouldn't be friends with her after that, friends with Kris, and not them. They do not like her." A third added, "So Kim and Khloe didn't regard Meghan Markle as their own friend. It's funny as Markle called them 'all my girls with a K'."
That phrase, "all my girls with a K," previously used by Meghan to describe the Kardashian sisters, resurfaced as commentators questioned whether the Duchess had overstated the closeness of the relationship. Kim's remarks were widely interpreted as a careful recalibration, signaling cordiality without personal attachment.
The Kardashians' rapid response reflected their well-honed approach to narrative control. By deleting the images and publicly explaining the rationale, the family moved quickly to contain reputational risk. Neither Prince Harry nor Meghan has commented publicly on the episode or Kim's remarks, leaving the explanation uncontested.
