At a glance
• Meghan Markle faced backlash after attending Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday without wearing a poppy while Prince Harry did
• Sources said poppies are not widely available in the US, though Meghan has worn one at past Remembrance events
• The criticism came as Prince Harry published an essay honouring veterans and reflecting on British pride and remembrance
Meghan Markle has sparked criticism after being spotted without a poppy on Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday last weekend.
Critics of the Duchess questioned why she was without one when her husband, who served two tours in Afghanistan, had one pinned to his tuxedo.
Sources close to the star, claimed that unlike in other Commonwealth countries, poppies are not widely available in the US.
The couple attended the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch’s James Bond-themed bash at Jeff Bezos’ ultra-luxurious $165 million mansion this weekend.
Fans noticed the symbol of Remembrance Weekend was missing from Meghan’s glamorous outfit, despite being spotted wearing one last year, in a video about online violence against children.
In 2023, the Duchess was spotted wearing a poppy brooch whilst visiting US Navy SEALs in San Diego, and again in 2021 at The New York Times DealBook Online summit in New York.
When questioned on why she was wearing it at the time, she said it was to “honour armed forces members”, according to Photographer Calla Kessler.
In order to purchase a poppy from the Royal British Legion’s website, it would cost £28 for postage to Montecito, California, where the couple resides.
Royal author, Tom Bower, said that attending the glitzy celebrity event last weekend would have been a “big plus” for Meghan.
The same cannot always be said of Harry. As Bower explained: “He looks fed up being paraded, one day at sports match and on another day at a celeb party.
“Clearly, he is now worried what revenge his brother might one day carry out against himself and his ambitious wife.”
This comes a week after Prince Harry wrote a Remembrance Day essay on what makes him proud to be British, highlighting “banter” and “bravery”.
He went onto beam with pride over the British “stoic spirit” of self-deprecation as well as the humour of “us Brits”.
He said the UK will “always be the country I proudly served”, despite moving to the US in 2020.
He recalled the “banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands” as “things that make us British” and “I love it.”
Whilst reminiscing on his home country, Harry reflected on the privilege of serving alongside other soldiers and expressed concern over how easy it is for veterans to be forgotten “once the uniform comes off”.
He urged audiences to remember “not only the fallen, but the living” who carry the “weight of war” and the importance of checking in on veterans, for “a cuppa...or a pint”, to listen to their stories and “remind them their service still matters”.
He called Remembrance “not simply a minute's silence” but “a call to collective responsibility”, warning of the fragility of peace in the current climate.
Harry expressed how “moved” he is each year by the strength of the children of late military heroes supported by the Scotty's Little Soldiers charity and commended the bravery and spirit at his Invictus Games competition.
Signing off, Harry said: “Remembrance isn't confined to one weekend in November.
“It's a lifelong commitment to empathy, gratitude, and action; to be kinder, more united, and braver in protecting what those before us fought to preserve.
“So, as we bow our heads this weekend, let us remember not only the fallen, but the living - those who still carry the weight of war in body and mind, and the families who bear its memory in their hearts.
“If you live near them, knock on their door. If you see them around, shake their hand.”
