Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week indicated that she is comfortable returning to Europe on her own terms. The Duchess of Sussex attended the Balenciaga PFW show to support the brand’s new creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli.
However, speculation went well beyond her attendance. It was her first European outing since the 2023 Invictus Games. Moreover, it happened amid the public’s interest in how the Sussexes plan to split their time between Prince Harry’s home country and where they currently reside.
Meghan Markle’s Paris trip was not what the palace had expected, says source
A former courtier told The Daily Beast that the royal circles saw Meghan Markle’s photos from Paris as more than a night out. The source claimed, “If they really plan to spend more time here, it changes everything. It puts them back in the frame, and that’s not what anyone expected.” In that, a higher European profile like that of the Sussexes could complicate the royal family’s calendar and media focus.
At the event, Markle wore a tailored white suit during the day and a black evening dress for the evening. Her presence marked chauffeured arrivals and time with fashion circles. It also followed Prince Harry’s visit to the United Kingdom in September, when he spoke of wanting to spend more time in his home country.
However, despite the royal watchers’ speculation, it is worth noting that Markle did not reject Europe as a whole. The trip can be read as a fashion engagement that generated big coverage, instead of a prelude to a formal return to the country.
The palace might read Meghan Markle’s Paris moment as a strategic move, given her profile and her ability to command attention. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to make any official announcements about the same.
Until they formally announce their plans, Markle’s presence at the Paris Fashion Week stands as a carefully staged fashion week cameo with major implications for those watching from Buckingham Palace.
