Since quitting royal life and moving back to America, Meghan Markle hasn’t exactly been able to make the impact on the red carpet that she might have hoped for – mainly thanks to a certain pandemic and the arrival of her second child.
But now Hollywood has opened up again and Meghan has finished her maternity leave, she is ready for her comeback – and we’re told that money is no object. After seeing sister-in-law Kate Middleton steal the show at the James Bond premiere last month, Meghan is determined to get the same reaction when she attends all the big events like the Oscars and Golden Globes during next year’s awards season.
“When Meghan and Prince Harry moved to America they had expected to be invited all the A-list events and really wanted to be seen as superstars,” our insider explains.
“But obviously that all stopped because of lockdown and then Meghan got pregnant with Lilibet. But now things are kind of back to normal, Meghan really wants to go to all the big parties and events they are invited to and show that Hollywood side to her – although her charity work is what she's now known for, there's no reason she can't do both. She will employ her own team of people to make sure she looks her glamorous best and wants all the top stylists, make-up artists, designer outfits and expensive jewellery; it could end up costing up to $1million, but she believes it will be worth it.”
And Meghan – who used to be invited to less coveted events when she was an actress in US drama Suits, before she met Harry – may be wearing her own make-up range when awards season arrives next year. She has been making several visits to the estate of a beauty marketing firm executive Bill Guthy, co-founder of Guthy-Renker, along with Harry and her mum Doria. She and Harry recently used his private jet for their trip to New York and Meghan is said to be keen on having her own cosmetics line, to cement her status as the style queen of the red carpet.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relationship (slider)
1 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
2 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
3 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
4 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
5 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
6 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Marklec
'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
7 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
8 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
10 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
11 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
12 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
13 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
14 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
15 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
16 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
17 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
18 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
19 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
20 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
21 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
22 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
23 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
24 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
25 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
26 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
27 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
28 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
29 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
30 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
31 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
32 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
Kate, 39, won huge acclaim for the gold Jenny Packham she wore to the Royal Albert Hall for the No Time To Die and while Meghan thought she looked amazing, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed at the reaction she got. The 40-year-old duchess and husband Prince Harry apparently feel Meghan would have been criticised for wearing something so overtly glamorous and accused of trying to steal the show.
“It was pretty galling for Harry and Meghan to see the overwhelming reaction to Kate and her movie star dress. Meghan knows if she'd had the audacity to wear such a show-stealing outfit she’d have been destroyed for it,” the source adds.
“This just serves as more proof for them that they’re better off out of the UK and these types of London events. They’re looking forward instead to making the rounds in awards season and being where the real glitz and glamour belongs. They are constantly being accused of being hypocrites or ripped to pieces for their choices in fashion or jewellery, their modes of travel or work choices. But Meghan has her own plans for their future in Hollywood and doesn’t care what anyone says about it.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine - OUT NOW.