Meghan Markle was seen in public for the first time since Prince Harry’s trip to visit his cancer-stricken father, King Charles.
The Duchess of Sussex drove around near her luxurious $14 million Montecito home, looking relaxed and flashing a smile.
Meghan sported a baseball cap and oversized sunglasses, sipping from a coffee mug as she drove.
This marked her first public appearance since Harry traveled to London to see his ailing father.
Harry’s visit to King Charles came after the monarch’s shocking cancer diagnosis.
He spent just 45 minutes with his father and Queen Camilla before returning home.
Charles was reportedly unhappy as he had been waiting for Harry to arrive, delaying his trip to Sandringham for some peace and quiet.
During Harry’s visit, there was no meeting with his estranged brother and future king, Prince William, or his wife, Kate Middleton, who is recovering from surgery.
Both Meghan and Harry have distanced themselves from royal life since stepping down from their senior roles.
Prince Harry arrived at Heathrow Airport and returned to LA later that day.
He traveled alone, without his two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
After the brief meeting with his son, King Charles and Queen Camilla were driven to Buckingham Palace, where a helicopter awaited to take them back to Sandringham.
The absence of Prince William from the reunion indicates that tensions between the brothers have not eased since Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from their royal duties in 2020.
Royal expert Jennie Bond believes that William has disowned Harry and that their rift may be irreparable.
Aside from dealing with his father’s health scare, William is also taking care of his wife, Kate, as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
Despite the strained relationship, expert Richard Fitzwilliams sees hope for reconciliation, considering the gravity of Charles’s cancer diagnosis and the need for family support.
The meeting between Harry and Charles was their first formal encounter since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
While Harry did attend Charles’s coronation in May last year, he did not have much interaction with the newly crowned King and Queen.
Buckingham Palace announced King Charles’s cancer treatment on Monday.
The cancer was discovered while doctors were treating him for an enlarged prostate.
He returned to his Sandringham estate to recuperate following the treatment.
During his visit to the UK, Harry stayed in a luxury hotel as he no longer has a permanent residence since being evicted from Frogmore Cottage.
Meanwhile, Meghan stayed home in Montecito with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
As Harry was in London, heavy rain and flash flood advisories affected Southern California, including the star-studded neighborhoods of Beverly Hills, Malibu, and Montecito.
The Sussexes’ $14.65 million mansion was under a flood watch warning for 28 hours, and Santa Barbara County, where their home is located, experienced significant rainfall.
The storm caused chaos in the region, posing a threat to the multi-million-dollar homes of celebrities like Harry and Meghan, George Clooney, Lady Gaga, and Halle Berry.
Despite the weather conditions, Meghan remained at home with their children while Harry made his visit to his father.
