Meghan Markle Draws Criticism After Martha Stewart Reveals She Discussed King Charles Reunion at Dinner Party

LOS ANGELES — Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is facing renewed scrutiny from royal watchers after lifestyle entrepreneur Martha Stewart said the duchess discussed her recent reunion with King Charles III during a private dinner party in California.

The comments, made in an interview with People magazine, have reignited debate among royal commentators over how publicly members of the Sussex family should discuss their interactions with the British monarchy, particularly following a period of visible efforts to ease years of public tension between Meghan, Prince Harry and the royal family.

According to Stewart, the encounter took place at a social gathering shortly after Meghan had returned from a trip to the United Kingdom. "I had dinner with Meghan Markle the other night. We were both guests at a dinner party in California," Stewart told the magazine. She added that although the two did not have an extended conversation, she was aware Meghan had been discussing the visit with others present. "I didn't talk to her really more than to say a couple words, but I know she was talking about it," Stewart said.

Meghan and Harry traveled to the United Kingdom last month with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for a family gathering with King Charles and Queen Camilla. The meeting took place on July 10 at Highgrove House, the king's private residence in Gloucestershire, which has long served as a personal retreat away from official royal engagements. Buckingham Palace, in a brief statement at the time, characterized the gathering as a private family event and declined to release additional details about who attended or what was discussed.

The visit was widely seen as a significant, if cautious, step toward reconciliation between the Sussexes and the wider royal family, following years of public rifts that began after Harry and Meghan stepped back from official royal duties in 2020. Since then, the couple has spoken openly in interviews, a Netflix documentary series and Harry's memoir about strained relationships within the family, particularly with King Charles and Prince William.

Royal commentators have noted that any meetings between the Sussexes and the monarchy tend to draw intense public interest, given the history of disagreements over privacy, media access and the couple's decision to relocate to the United States. Against that backdrop, Stewart's remarks — however brief — were enough to prompt criticism from segments of royal fans and commentators online, many of whom argued that details of the Highgrove meeting should remain private, in keeping with the palace's own description of the gathering.

Critics online suggested that any public discussion of the meeting, even secondhand, ran counter to the spirit of a reunion the palace had gone out of its way to describe as private. Others defended Meghan, noting that she was not the one who made the comments public and that Stewart's remarks reflected only a passing observation at a social event rather than any detailed account from the duchess herself.

Neither Meghan nor Harry has publicly commented on Stewart's remarks. Buckingham Palace also has not issued any additional statement addressing the renewed attention to the July meeting.

The episode adds to a steady stream of headlines surrounding the Sussexes' relationship with the royal family this year, as speculation continues over whether the July gathering signals a broader thaw or remains an isolated, low-key step. Royal watchers have pointed to King Charles' ongoing health treatment, which has been a factor in prompting some family members to prioritize personal reconciliation, as one possible motivation behind the meeting. The king continues to carry out official duties alongside his medical care, according to royal officials, though the palace has offered limited detail about his treatment schedule.

Meghan, a former actress known for her role in the legal drama "Suits," has in recent years built a media and lifestyle business in the United States, including a podcast, a Netflix cooking and lifestyle series, and a home and lifestyle brand. Her ventures have kept her in the public eye independent of her royal ties, even as interest in her family's relationship with the monarchy remains high.

Stewart, a longtime television personality and businesswoman, has appeared alongside Meghan in media projects previously, including guest appearances tied to Meghan's lifestyle programming. The two are known to run in overlapping social and entertainment industry circles in the United States, which royal commentators say likely explains their appearance at the same California dinner party.

For now, the palace's description of the Highgrove meeting as private appears to be the only official word on the gathering, with neither King Charles' office nor representatives for the Sussexes offering further comment on how the reunion has been discussed since. Royal reporters say further clarity on the state of the relationship between Charles and his younger son's family is unlikely until there is another public interaction between the two sides, whether at a formal royal event or another private gathering.

Public fascination with the Sussexes' standing within the royal family shows no signs of slowing, with royal commentators noting that even minor secondhand accounts of private meetings, like Stewart's comments, are enough to generate substantial news coverage and public debate. Whether the July reunion leads to further meetings between Meghan, Harry and the royal family remains unclear, though royal watchers say any future encounters are likely to be closely watched for signs of a more lasting reconciliation.