The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have never attended the New York fashion event

Meghan Markle was absent at the Met Gala on Monday evening, just days after King Charles and Queen Camilla met the event’s chairwoman, Anna Wintour, in New York.

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex have never attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual gala, even though they have lived in the United States since 2020.

Anna Wintour, the lead chairwoman of the Met Gala since the 1990s, is known to be a huge admirer of the British Royal Family.

She was made a Companion of Honour for her services to fashion by King Charles in February 2026 after being made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017.

In addition, Ms Wintour attended the Greater Together Reception during the State Visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the US at Christie’s last week.

The Duchess of Sussex’s absence at the Met Gala comes after her venture into fashion last month.

The mother-of-two began selling her wardrobe on the AI-powered fashion site, OneOff, on April 14 to coincide with her tour of Australia.

Both a participant and an investor in the company, Meghan has a page on the website where fans can purchase her outfits.

Meghan Markle skipped the Met Gala after Anna Wintour met King Charles and Queen Camilla in New York last week

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The duchess then receives a percentage of the funds generated by the website.

Meghan explained her decision to The Weekly in Australia, stating: “Fashion is one of the most powerful industries.

“It influences how we feel and what we project. And even if you don’t say a word, you can convey something in what you wear.

“Over the last several years, I would hear about an incorrect designer getting credit for something I wore, either via affiliate links or press, and that never seemed fair.”

Anna Wintour at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating ‘Costume Art’

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Meghan added: “Credit where credit is due. These brands and designers work so hard and take great pride in their work, and I choose them for a reason.

“Either supporting a friend, being brand loyal, or the reasons I mentioned earlier. So it’s always been important to me that the correct designer is credited.”

Last year, the Duchess of Sussex famously invited herself to Paris Fashion Week.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Meghan explained that she personally contacted Balenciaga’s creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, saying: “Happy to come and support you.”

Princess Beatrice at the Met Gala in 2018

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Mr Piccioli later told The Cut that they had been texting for years and that Meghan simply “reached out and said she’d love to come to the show”.

Members of the British Royal Family have attended the Met Gala in previous years.

Diana, Princess of Wales graced the event in 1996, wearing a navy dress by John Galliano for Dior and a pearl-and-sapphire choker.

Diana attended as the guest of her close friend Liz Tilberis, then editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and a co-chair of the event.

Princess Diana at the Met Gala in 1996

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The outing came just over three months after the princess’s divorce from then-Prince Charles.

Over two decades later, Princess Beatrice made an appearance at the 2018 gala, donning a flowing purple gown by Alberta Ferretti for the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme.

The Princess of York was living in New York at the time while working as the Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy for the software company Afiniti.