Meghan steals The Crown’s thunder with return to Hollywood red carpet

The glitzy appearance is the duchess’s first in public since extracts from a new book on the royal family caused a stir

Faiza Saqib
Friday 17 November 2023 20:19 GMT
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As The Crown returns for its sixth and final season, the Duchess of Sussex is busy writing the next chapter of her own Hollywood tale.

Meghan made her red carpet return as she appeared at the Variety Power of Women event in Los Angeles on Thursday evening; an event that highlights the accomplishments of women in the film industry.

The duchess said she was “thrilled” to have returned to her on-screen roots where she and the Duke of Sussex hope to position themselves as Hollywood producers.

She told Variety that she wants to create “things that make people feel” as well as create “a sense of community”.

Speaking about what she has in store for the future, the duchess said: “We have so many exciting things on the slate. I can’t wait until we can announce them, but I’m just really proud of what we’re creating.”

“My husband is loving it too, which is really fun,” she added.

Her appearance at the event threatened to eclipse the launch of the final series of The Crown.

It was also the first time she has been seen since extracts from a new book detailing Prince Harry’s alienation from his family laid the ground for a new royal rumble.

While the sixth and final season of The Crown covers the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the subsequent fallout, Omid Scobie’s book Endgame, published on 28 November, describes new palace drama.

Meghan poses on the red carpet in Los Angeles on Thursday
Meghan poses on the red carpet in Los Angeles on Thursday (Getty)

According to the book’s synopsis, it dives deep “into the current state of the British monarchy, an unpopular king, a power-hungry heir to the throne, a Queen willing to go to dangerous lengths to preserve her image, and a prince forced to start a new life after being betrayed by his own family”.

The book claims “Queen Elizabeth II’s death ruptured the already-fractured foundations of the House of Windsor, and dismantled the protective shield around it.

“With an institution long plagued by antiquated ideas around race, class and money, the monarchy and those who prop it up are now exposed and at odds with a rapidly modernizing world.”

Omid Scobie, the author of ‘Endgame’
Omid Scobie, the author of ‘Endgame’ (Web Summit/CC BY 2.0)

Endgame further details the difficult sibling relationship between the Prince of Wales and Harry in the wake of Harry’s marriage to Meghan – something Scobie claims worsened in the hours leading up to the Queen’s death in September 2022.

Extracts that have been obtained by People Magazine, include the allegation that Harry found out his grandmother, the late Queen, had died after receiving a BBC News app alert announcing the news.

It is claimed by Scobie that, ahead of this, Harry was forced to travel alone to Balmoral after his father, King Charles, told him to leave Meghan at home.

Scobie’s book is said to aim to pull “back the curtain on an institution in turmoil to show what the monarchy must change in order to survive”.

Harry and Meghan stepped away from their royal duties in 2020. At the time Harry said there was “no other option” in a speech referring to the “powerful force” of the media.

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