Meghan Markle did not wear a poppy to Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party because they are not widely available outside the Commonwealth, a source close to the Duchess has claimed.
Remembrance Day commemorations are occurring across the Commonwealth on Tuesday to honour the end of the First World War and the sacrifices of armed forces personnel.
The iconic poppy – either homemade or purchased through the poppy appeal – is traditionally worn on the lapel in the weeks leading up to November 11.
Members of the royal family have been taking part in commemorations across the UK in recent days, and have also worn the traditional poppy during public appearances.
However, the Duchess of Sussex opted not to wear a poppy during recent appearances, including while attending an ultra-elite Bond-themed party at Jeff Bezos’s $165 million mansion.
The gluttonous celebrations were to mark Kardashian family matriarch Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday and including over 300 celebrity guests.
Prince Harry accompanied his wife to glitzy event and dutifully wore a poppy on his tuxedo, while his wife ditched the tradition altogether.
California-based royal reporter Kinsey Schofield believes Markle’s poppy snub was “pathetic and disappointing”.
“It just shows us what the Sussexes have been reduced to, unapologetically tacky,” Ms Schofield told Sky News Australia.
“How pathetic and disappointing their priorities currently are.”
The snub has sparked outrage in Commonwealth countries amid mounting questions over Markle’s continued use of her Duchess title despite a seeming lack of connection to the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, “sources” close to Markle told the Daily Mail that Meghan was unable to “visibly honour the war dead” as poppies are not widely available in the United States.
The same source told the tabloid that Harry’s poppy was purchased from a veteran’s appeal during a recent trip to Canada.
Oddly, Markle has worn the poppy in recent years since leaving royal duties, including in a 2024 video address about online safety filmed on the Sussexes’ Montecito estate.
The Duchess of Sussex also dutifully wore a poppy brooch in 2023 as she and her veteran husband visited United States Navy SEALs in San Diego.
