Meghan’s Plans to Upstage Charles and Royal Family on Big Day Fail — Forced to Cancel Major Event
Meghan Markle was set to throw some major shade at King Charles and the royal family on Trooping the Color this year. Her appearance at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County's Night of Wonder gala was scheduled to happen the same day as Charles's official birthday. Sadly, the Duchess is forced to cancel her attendance, as the high-profile event has been postponed in light of the civil unrest in Los Angeles. Her well-timed public appearance, meant to steal the spotlight, now falls flat.
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As reported by Hello! magazine, Markle was the guest of honor at the Wonder Gala, where she was to be celebrated for uplifting women and underserved communities. However, with protests erupting in response to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions and the National Guard being deployed, the museum has announced it will postpone the event out of respect for the current situation.
Commenting on the postponement, Dr Lori Bettison-Varga, President and Director of the Natural History Museums, said in a statement, “As an institution ‘of, for, and with Los Angeles,’ our responsibility during challenging times is clear: to serve as a community resource focused on healing and unity, not celebration.” She added, “Los Angeles needs us to channel our energy toward supporting our neighbors and demonstrating the values that make our city and county strong.”
As per Nicki Swift, the Duchess allegedly had the perfect plan to upstage the royal family on Trooping the Color. While the royals would be busy celebrating being royalty, Markle planned to celebrate her independence from royal life in a very public way. The Duchess had been chosen as the event's honoree for her meaningful work through the Archewell Foundation and for being a voice for equity, gender empowerment, and opportunity. She was expected to make a heartfelt address alongside leading luminaries from the cultural, scientific, and philanthropic fields.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Markle has been accused of employing well-timed 'distractions' to steal the spotlight from major royal events. As per the Daily Mail, her interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast was released a day before Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 14th wedding anniversary. Similarly, on April 23, she spoke about Prince Archie’s loose tooth on the TIME 100 Summit, hours after Middleton posted a birthday post for Prince Louis, which featured him missing his front teeth.
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As for the royal family, Charles is set to break a long-standing tradition at Trooping the Color for the second time. InStyle reports that, given his battle with cancer, he will not ride on horseback in the parade. Instead, he will opt for a carriage ride alongside Queen Camilla. Following his diagnosis last year, the King also rode in a carriage, making the change seem permanent. As always, the royal family is expected to display solidarity and stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony, marking the sixth year without the Sussexes.