Prince Harry attended the countdown event for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham without Meghan Markle by his side. The Duchess of Sussex’s absence has since fueled renewed debate, with royal commentators offering differing theories about why she skipped the public appearance, while sources close to her continue to cite security concerns.
Expert discusses theory behind Meghan Markle’s absence at Invictus Games countdown event in Birmingham
Prince Harry took part in the Invictus Games “One Year to Go” celebrations at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), where he joined veterans in activities including wheelchair rugby, pickleball and a laser run.
Although Meghan Markle had been expected to attend earlier reports, she did not appear at the event. During a discussion about Harry’s U.K. visit, host JJ Anisiobi suggested one possible explanation for her absence. “Meghan didn’t turn up because she didn’t want to get booed by people,” he said.
Former Sky News presenter Sarah Hewson said that while security concerns have been cited by sources close to Markle, public reaction has also become part of the discussion. “There’s certainly that theory that she didn’t want a negative reception,” Hewson said.
The commentator pointed to previous royal appearances involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, including the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. “We know when she’s been here in the past, when she was here for the Platinum Jubilee, and I was outside St. Paul’s, there were certainly boos. There were cheers, but there were certainly boos for them,” Hewson said.
She also recalled the couple’s public walkabout in Windsor following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, noting that reactions from the crowd were mixed. “There were a few people in the crowd on the Long Walk in Windsor who didn’t give her the warmest of receptions after the death of the Queen,” she added. Hewson suggested that Britain remains the place where Markle is most likely to face divided public opinion. “I think this is the one country where she will be most concerned about the kind of reception she’s gonna get,” she said.
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava on Reality Tea.
