Harry and Meghan Partying During Remembrance Weekend Was Not 'Wrong,’ Claims Expert
As Harry proudly wore his poppy, Meghan’s absence of one lit up the internet.
When it comes to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, timing has always been everything. And one night out at the wrong moment is often all it takes to set off a storm. This time, the spark wasn’t a Netflix deal or a memoir, but a pair of Beverly Hills soirées the couple attended over Remembrance weekend. Their decision to mingle with Hollywood’s finest, including at Kris Jenner’s extravagant 70th birthday bash, didn’t exactly sit well with critics across the continent. Yet, as one royal commentator pointed out, the uproar might say more about public perception than the couple’s actions.
Jack Stooks, speaking on GB News, said there’s “nothing wrong” with the Sussexes enjoying themselves. “I don't feel that where they are they need to be sort of locked away and hidden out of sight,” he said, brushing off criticism that the couple had disrespected the solemnity of the weekend. “Meghan was doing nothing wrong. Harry was doing nothing wrong. I mean, Harry wasn't out, you know, on the 11th, having a massive party.”
It’s not the first time the couple’s social calendar has caused a stir. But this particular controversy hinged on something as small as a missing accessory. Harry, ever the serviceman and an ardent Brit, wore a red poppy on his dinner jacket, the traditional emblem of remembrance for those lost in war. Markle, however, went without one. And that, as expected, was enough to ignite a small firestorm.
California-based royal commentator Kinsey Schofield cut straight to the chase when weighing in on Markle’s decision to forgo the traditional red poppy. Calling the move “pathetic and disappointing,” Schofield told Sky News Australia that it reflected poorly on the Sussexes’ current priorities. “It just shows us what the Sussexes have been reduced to — unapologetically tacky,” she said. “How pathetic and disappointing their priorities currently are.”
But those in Markle’s corner tell a different story. Sources close to the Duchess told the Daily Mail that she wasn’t deliberately snubbing tradition; she simply couldn’t “visibly honour the war dead,” as poppies aren’t widely available in the United States. The same insider revealed that Harry’s poppy was actually purchased from a veterans’ appeal during a recent visit to Canada.
The explanation makes sense, though the timing invited scrutiny. What makes the criticism slightly ironic is that Markle has publicly worn the poppy on multiple occasions since stepping back from royal life. In 2024, she sported the emblem during a video address about online safety, filmed at the couple’s Montecito estate. A year earlier, she wore a poppy brooch while accompanying Harry to meet U.S. Navy SEALs in San Diego — a gesture that, at the time, earned her much praise.
Anyway, Harry and Markle's stint at Jenner's birthday party was not very welcome by several royal insiders, who termed it 'tacky.' "It truly shows that Harry is so far removed from the rest of the family. These people may be stars in America, but the pure ostentatiousness is at odds with what Prince William is trying to do with his life and the monarchy," the insider said, as reported by Page Six.
