Meghan Markle has been spotted mingling with stars during her surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week, marking her first visit to Europe in more than two years. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was all smiles as she left her hotel en route to the Balenciaga show in the French capital on Saturday night.
Among the highlights of the evening, Meghan was seen embracing Vogue’s global editorial director Anna Wintour and receiving a kiss from Australian film director Baz Luhrmann. The mother-of-two looked in her element, dressed in a stylish white oversized cape paired with a white button-down shirt and matching trousers. She completed her look with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, exuding effortless elegance topped with a sleek, slicked-back bun.
This event marked both her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week and her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Also attending the Balenciaga show were Anne Hathaway, who is currently filming *The Devil Wears Prada 2*, and Lauren Bezos, who recently married Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.
However, a cringe-inducing clip circulating on TikTok captured an awkward moment between Meghan and Italian fashion designer Pier Paolo Piccioli, the newly appointed creative director of Balenciaga. As Meghan went in to kiss Piccioli on the cheek to congratulate him on his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear collection, the two accidentally butted heads and nearly kissed on the lips.
Aware of the cameras, Piccioli laughed it off, grabbed Meghan’s hand, and pulled her in for a photo. Their interaction ended with a brief hug. A spokesman for the Duchess explained that Meghan has “long admired” Piccioli’s “craftsmanship and modern elegance,” suggesting that nerves may have gotten the better of her.
Ever the influencer, Meghan shared a video on Instagram of herself walking to the Balenciaga show, showcasing her white wide-legged trousers and pointed black heels. After the show, she posted another video displaying the streets of Paris at night from the car window. The Duchess playfully put her feet up on the vehicle’s leather interior.
Meghan was previously a regular attendee at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks while working as an actress on the US drama series *Suits*. Crowds gathered outside her hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal, but Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen. Meghan was flanked by security and escorted to a waiting car.
A source close to the Sussexes told the *Daily Mail*: “The couple always like to make sure that either mum or dad is at home to put the kids to bed.”
Meghan’s appearance comes shortly after her husband Prince Harry criticized “men in grey suits” at Buckingham Palace, accusing royal aides of attempting to sabotage his reconciliation with King Charles III.
Harry’s furious remarks echo the late Princess Diana’s criticism of shadowy royal courtiers, whom she also derided as “the men in grey suits” for undermining her. The Duke is reportedly frustrated by what he perceives as a deliberate campaign by unnamed Palace officials to give hostile briefings to the press and derail his efforts to mend ties with his father.
“The relationship between the Duke and His Majesty The King is a matter for the two of them and the two of them only,” a source close to Harry told *The Mail on Sunday*. “The men in grey suits should stay out of it.”
Earlier this year, Harry expressed a desire to spend more time in the UK and told his father he might visit every few months in 2026. However, the Duke insists he will never fully move back to Britain, stating he is “genuinely very happy in California.”
In response, King Charles is said to have made it clear that Harry cannot be a part-time working royal. Meanwhile, Harry maintains that there is “no move” underway for him to rejoin the institution. The monarch is eager for a relationship with his youngest son and especially with his grandchildren, Lilibet and Archie. Insiders suggest Charles may even be willing to offer the Sussexes their own pied-à-terre in the UK.
Earlier this week, Meghan’s estranged father, Thomas Markle, reassured fans he is “fine” after fears arose that he was trapped on the 19th floor of his apartment block in the Philippines following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake.
The 81-year-old said, “Please don’t worry about me, everything is okay,” after it was revealed he could not leave his home. He also thanked everyone for their concern.
The worry had been sparked by Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, who posted on social media that their father was unable to leave his flat after the earthquake struck at 10 pm local time (3 pm BST, 10 am ET) on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Meghan recently gave fans a rare glimpse inside the $14 million mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, in California.
Last Friday, she took to Instagram Stories to showcase her cozy living room in their Montecito home. The clip featured an elegant floral arrangement placed in a white stone vase adorned with the logo of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, alongside her beagle, Mia, sleeping peacefully on a cream armchair and matching cushioned footstool.
It was recently revealed that Meghan and Harry are heading to New York City this month to accept an award for their mental health advocacy. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be honored with the Project Healthy Minds Humanitarians of the Year Award, recognizing their campaigns to make the online world safer for families and young people, according to *PEOPLE* magazine.
They are expected to accept the special honor at the nonprofit organization’s World Mental Health Day Gala on October 9 in New York City, followed by another engagement the next day.
On October 10, the Montecito-based couple will attend Project Healthy Minds’ fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival. Their Archewell Foundation is co-producing conversations featuring leaders making a difference in the mental health sector.
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