Why Meghan Markle Is Skipping Tonight's Primetime Emmys Despite Her Netflix Series Being Nominated Elsewhere

LOS ANGELES — Meghan Markle was absent from the red carpet at the Peacock Theater on Monday night as Hollywood gathered for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, even though her Netflix lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan," carries its own Emmy nomination this year, one that will be decided at a separate ceremony next month.

The show is nominated for Outstanding Lifestyle Series, a category that falls under the Daytime Emmy Awards rather than Monday's Primetime ceremony. "With Love, Meghan" is competing against "Different Breed," "George to the Rescue," "The Motherhood" and "The Wizard of Paws," with the winner set to be announced at the Daytime Emmy ceremony on October 30. It remains unclear whether Meghan plans to attend that event.

Meghan celebrated the nomination when it was first announced in July, thanking the show's team in a post on Instagram. "A huge congratulations to the amazing crew, producers, and team who worked on 'With Love, Meghan' on @netflix," she wrote. "We are nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Series!"

Her absence from Monday's Primetime ceremony comes amid a broader shift in the Sussexes' living arrangements. Prince Harry and Meghan recently relocated to the United Kingdom after spending six years based in the United States, and over the weekend, Meghan offered a glimpse into the family's new life in the English countryside, sharing clips on social media of her children biking and fishing outdoors.

A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex described the move to the United Kingdom as a short-term arrangement rather than a permanent relocation, in a statement given to The New York Times. "On the heels of a wonderful trip with family and friends this summer, Harry and Meghan have decided to spend an extended period in the U.K. this autumn," the representative said. "They are excited to have their children spend more time in the country that's such an important part of their family's story."

Separately, speculation has continued to swirl around whether Meghan might return to acting during her time in the UK, with some reports floating the possibility of a role in the third season of "The Gentlemen." Series star Theo James addressed those rumors directly in comments to Town & Country, dismissing them as premature. "A lot of hot air," James said of the speculation. "At the moment, we're just trying to get as many eyes on season two, and then season three will happen soon. But in terms of story, we have the overarching ambition of where we're going to go. We're going to expand the world, go to different countries. But in terms of the minutiae, I mean, it's still very much up in the air."

Meghan's absence stood in contrast to a starry turnout at Monday's ceremony, hosted for the first time by "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Mariska Hargitay, who became the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. Hargitay entered the night on a high note of her own, having picked up two wins the previous weekend at the Creative Arts Emmys for her documentary "My Mom Jayne."

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcast live on NBC and Peacock from downtown Los Angeles, doubled as a milestone night for the network, which is marking its 100th anniversary this year. The ceremony also served as a farewell of sorts for several major series wrapping up their runs, including "Hacks," "Euphoria" and "Stranger Things." HBO Max entered the night with significant momentum, led by "The Pitt," this year's most-nominated drama series with 25 total nominations, and "Hacks," which set a record with 24 nominations for a single comedy season.

Early winners on the night included Jean Smart for "Hacks," Kate O'Flynn for "Widow's Bay," Matthew Rhys for "The Beast in Me," Allison Janney for "The Diplomat" and Rhea Seehorn for "Pluribus." Rhys later returned to the stage a second time, winning outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for "Widow's Bay" just after his win in the limited series category, making him the first male performer to win two lead-actor Emmys in the same year. Accepting the award, Rhys credited the "depraved and twisted mind" of "Widow's Bay" creator Katie Dippold for his success, drawing laughs from the audience as his partner, actress Keri Russell, cheered him on from her seat.

"The Pitt" star Noah Wyle also took home an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. "This is overwhelming," Wyle said upon accepting the award.

The evening also included a tribute to actor and Parkinson's disease advocate Michael J. Fox, who received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his decades of advocacy work through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Fox used part of his acceptance speech to detail the foundation's efforts to eventually "eradicate" Parkinson's disease, while thanking his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, along with their children, parents and siblings.

For Meghan, Monday's ceremony marked a rare instance of sitting out a major industry awards show tied to her own production work, though her nomination for "With Love, Meghan" ensures she will likely remain part of the broader Emmy conversation heading into the Daytime ceremony next month, even as questions about her next creative projects, including any potential return to acting, remain unresolved.