On Thursday, the Duchess of Sussex walked the red carpet for Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles.
On Thursday, the
Duchess of Sussex walked the red carpet for Variety’s Power of Women event in
Los Angeles.
The celebration
honors the outlet’s Power of Women honorees, who each get a Variety cover. The
mother of two was honored last year.
The 42-year-old,
who took part in the festivities without Prince Harry, told reporters she was
"proud" to be in attendance, People magazine reported.
Meghan Markle
attended the 2023 Variety Power Of Women event at Mother Wolf Nov. 16, 2023, in
Los Angeles. (Robin L
Marshall/FilmMagic)
"I think
Meghan Markle is very good at her PR and her appearances in public at
high-profile events," True Royalty TV co-founder Nick Bullen told Fox News
Digital.
Bullen is an
award-winning documentarian who has been producing programs about the British
royal family for 20 years. He has also worked closely with the king for about a
decade.
"[Her
appearances] often seem to happen around key moments in the British royal
family’s diary or calendar," Bullen said. "Here she is just days
after the king’s 75th birthday, and she’s walking the red carpet in Hollywood.
I think she comes from a world of self-promotion, and she knows how to
self-promote. She knows when she’s going to make the front pages after her
latest Hollywood play."
The former
American actress had all eyes on her as she sported a beige off-the-shoulder
midi dress by Proenza Schouler valued at $1,400. She completed the look with a
black clutch, matching slingback heels from Aquazzura valued at $895, simple
gold accessories and a slicked-back bun.
On the carpet, she
was informed by Variety her former TV show, "Suits," had crossed 45
billion minutes streamed on Netflix and Peacock combined. Markle played Rachel
Zane in the legal drama.
"['Suits']
was great to work on. Such a great cast and crew," she told the outlet.
"We had a really fun time. I was on it for seven seasons, so quite a bit.
But it’s hard to find a show you can binge-watch that many episodes of these
days, so that could have something to do with it. But good shows are
everlasting."
During the event,
Markle posed for pictures with film producer Janet Yang and the president of
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This has sparked rumors Markle
is gearing up for a Hollywood comeback. Markle also teased that she was working
on "exciting" new projects and "can’t wait to announce
them."
"I guess it’s
something she has to give a go," he explained. "The Spotify deal has
been canceled. … [The couple’s] documentary about their life did very well for
Netflix. But how many times can you allow cameras into your life when you’re
saying you want privacy?
"So, if she’s
not returning to acting, what is the obvious next step? Producing has got to be
right up there. So, I think you can see that coming. … Production seems to be
the next turn of the wheel … and it would make sense."
Markle became the
Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince. The couple stepped back
as senior royals in 2020. At the time, they cited what they saw as the media’s
racist treatment of the duchess and a lack of support from the palace. They now
live in California with their two young children.
Bullen noted
Markle is "never coming back to the U.K." and instead will continue
to focus on carving out a life for herself in California.
"She has no
intention of being a working royal ever again," he explained. "But
she knows the power of her title. She knows the power of having a son who’s a
prince and a daughter who’s a princess. She knows the power of being the king’s
daughter-in-law.
"Why else was
she being photographed on the red carpet yesterday? Why is it that Hollywood
producers want to talk to her? It’s because she has an element of royal status.
"She may be
looking at the working life of a royal through a rearview mirror, but I think
she wears her tiara and royal status pretty heavily," Bullen added.
"She knows exactly who she is and what she can do with [her title]."
Sources previously
told Bullen Markle had ambitions of pursuing a political career. But, these
days, Hollywood might be a safer bet for the royal.
Many have
speculated Markle could return to acting, especially after she was signed by
WME in April. The talent agency is led by CEO Ari Emanuel, who has a reputation
for his aggressive deal-making skills, making him "one of Hollywood’s most
powerful figures," Page Six reported. He inspired the character Ari Gold
in HBO’s "Entourage."
Meghan Markle
lives in Montecito with husband Prince Harry and their two children, Prince
Archie and Princess Lilibet. (Jon Kopaloff/Variety)
The outlet noted
that WMC will assume representation of Archewell, the organization run by the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
While film and
television production, brand partnerships and "overall
business-building" will be explored by the duchess and her team,
"acting will not be an area of focus," Variety reported.
In August of this
year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex bought the rights to Carley Fortune's
bestselling romance novel, "Meet Me at the Lake," and have plans to
make the page-turner into a feature film.
Fortune confirmed
to Fox News Digital the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are creating the movie with
Netflix under their Archewell banner.
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