Meghan Markle speaks about 'professional separation' with Prince Harry after he misses Thanksgiving event

Meghan Markle issued a statement on Thursday amid a continued ‘professional separation’ from Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex hosted a community dinner for Afghan women resettling in the US last week — with attendees also sharing stories and reading poetry. Meanwhile Prince Harry travelled to Canada and New York to promote the 2025 Invictus Games.

“This initiative — led by the partner organization Mina’s List — has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the US from Afghanistan,” explained an official statement.

The Suits alum — once a fixture in newspapers across the world — has been mostly missing from the spotlight in 2024. The Duchess of Sussex has only made a scant handful of public appearances in recent months while Prince Harry travelled solo to various countries in a bid to recreate his public image. Reports suggest that the duo have opted for a ‘professional separation’ as their work relationship remains in a “very bad state”. 

The US-based royals appear to be leading separate public lives — with many flagging ‘scheduling conflicts’ in their public image. An exclusive interview with Markle during the recent Thanksgiving dinner, for example, went up on the Marie Claire website mere minutes after the Netflix trailer for a Polo series by Prince Harry landed on YouTube. 

Archewell Foundation — created by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — had launched the Welcome Project in 2023 to support Afghan women resettling in the United States. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had previously visited the San Antonio branch of the initiative in March.

The evening included a shared meal and “encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience”. Participants were also gifted with new cookware for the upcoming holiday season.

“The Duchess expressed her deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences, underscoring her excitement for future gatherings that continue to strengthen these connections,” the statement added.