Author Claims Meghan Markle Used Her Royal Wedding to ‘Recruit’ Hollywood A-Listers
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal wedding was a star-studded affair, which had 1.9 billion people tuning in to watch the mega event. Besides family members and friends, their 2018 wedding's guest list comprised several Hollywood A-listers, even ones the couple had never met. From the cast of Suits to Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George Clooney, the wedding was attended by many celebs that, as per a royal author, Markle wanted to 'recruit.'
According to the Daily Mail, royal author Tina Brown, in her book The Palace Papers, claimed, “The celebrity guests were a portrait not of Meghan's intimate circle but of the friends she most wanted to recruit.” Allegedly, Winfrey had ‘scarcely met’ Markle before the wedding, while Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, famously told columnist Rachel Johnson, at the time, that they didn't know Markle. While Amal attended the Duchess of Sussex’s baby shower in 2019, her association with the royal family deepened when she launched the Amal Clooney Women’s Empowerment Award with the King’s Trust.
So did Markle have her eyes set on Hollywood even before her royal exit? Well, some of the attendees at the wedding have remained close friends with Markle, including the former tennis player. Williams was one of the guest stars on Markle's failed podcast Archetypes, and in recent years has been seen with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Ahead of the premiere of Markle’s Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, she also penned a supportive note on Instagram, calling her a ‘wonderful friend.’ She wrote, “I’m so excited for you to check out 'WITH LOVE, MEGHAN,' now streaming exclusively on Netflix! Join my wonderful friend @meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, as she opens up her world and shares her personal tips for the kitchen, garden, and so much more. It’s a fun and inspiring series that reminds us all how easy it is to bring a little beauty into our everyday lives, even when we least expect it. Can’t wait for you to experience it!”
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Royal experts have, however, also claimed that despite Markle's best efforts, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex struggle to make friends in the US. A source close to the former actress also told The Sun that she was struggling to ‘book guests’ for her new lifestyle show. The source claimed, “They had a real hard time, and it shows.” The guests for the first season included Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, Daniel Martin, chef Roy Choi, and more.
In the upcoming season of the lifestyle show, Markle is expected to invite more A-listers. According to Marie Claire, one of the guests will be model Chrissy Teigen. Michelin star chef José Andrés is also expected to appear on the show. However, the show is not likely to feature Harry. The Duke of Sussex only featured for a few seconds in the finale episode of the first season.