For the second Tuesday in a row, Meghan Markle received an award—except this time, she opted to not attend the ceremony. On Tuesday, May 16, Meghan was honored in New York City at the 2023 Women of Vision Awards; she invited husband Prince Harry and mother Doria Ragland to attend the event alongside her. Afterwards, the three were involved in a two-hour car chase with paparazzi through the streets of the Big Apple, prompting the Sussexes to release a statement the following day about the matter.
Last night, Meghan’s Spotify podcast, “Archetypes,” was honored at The Gracie Awards in Beverly Hills—a stone’s throw from the home she shares in Montecito with Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Yet, despite not having to travel far for the event, Meghan was not in attendance, reports The Mirror, where she won an award as the top Entertainment Podcast Host at the awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation in the United States. The awards, the outlet reports, “celebrate and honor programming created for women, by women, and about women.”
“Meghan sent a thank you note to the Gracie Awards but didn’t attend in person,” The Mirror reports. The note read “Thank you to the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for this prestigious honor. This is a shared success for me and the team behind ‘Archetypes’—most of whom are women—and the inspiring guests who joined me each week.”
PR expert Mayah Riaz said there could be “many reasons” why Meghan didn’t attend last night during what she calls an “overwhelming time for the couple.”
“The Gracies is an important recognition for Meghan, as the focus is on achievement by women, for women, and about women in all areas of media,” Riaz said. “She would be alongside other notable women within the industry. She received the recognition for her ‘Archetypes’ podcast and the conversations she had on there.”
Kieran Elsby, a PR expert at Media PR Global, said this might point to a “less is more” approach to public appearances that Meghan might be adopting: “Celebrities and public figures often have busy schedules, and conflicts or personal circumstances may arise that prevent them from attending events,” Elsby said. “Personally, I actually think she seems to be doing fewer public appearances recently. Adopting ‘the less is more’ approach is a good media tactic, as she won’t oversaturate the news and then when she does have a big announcement or event, she will grab more headlines.”
A source speaking to Us Weekly said of Harry and Meghan “As far as staying out of sight and being scared to show their faces, that’s not going to happen. [This has] just strengthened their resolve to keep standing up for themselves and speaking out when they feel wronged.”
