Queen Letizia of Spain recently demonstrated her admiration for Princess Catherine by emulating her style, a gesture that has not gone unnoticed by royal watchers.
Letizia opted for a vibrant floral dress during a solo engagement in Barcelona, reminiscent of Catherine's iconic purple ensemble at Wimbledon on July 23rd. On that occasion, Queen Letizia wore a sophisticated purple shirt dress while presiding over the annual meeting of the Cervantes Institute in Barcelona, where she was joined by the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero.
Letizia attended the directors' meeting at City Hall, showcasing a Carolina Herrera printed crepe dress in ivory and fuchsia, priced at $828, paired with a matching fuchsia satchel bag by the same designer. This public show of support for Princess Catherine is unlikely to be well received by Meghan Markle. Meghan has found herself increasingly isolated as celebrities and royals continue to show their allegiance to Princess Catherine. Tom Cruise, a long-time supporter of the royal family, has frequently taken a back seat to Princess Catherine at various events.
Cruise played a secondary role at the London premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick" and participated in the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where the late Queen Elizabeth was the star. This month, Cruise was seen in the third row of the royal box at Wimbledon for the men's finals, giving Princess Catherine a standing ovation upon her arrival. Celebrities like Julia Roberts and Benedict Cumberbatch also showed their admiration for Catherine, joining the 15,000-strong crowd in applauding her.
Hollywood stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Idris Elba, Edward Enninful, and Kate Moss have recently expressed their support for the royal family. Paltrow, who reportedly dined with the Sussexes last year, took to Instagram to show her support for Catherine after a Trooping the Colour event, commenting under an official photo of Catherine, "So happy to see you looking so happy and well." In May, a black-tie charity event for the King's Trust in New York saw attendance from Leonardo DiCaprio, Drew Barrymore, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Emily Ratajkowski, and Kate Moss, helping to raise over $2 million. Edward Enninful, who invited Meghan to guest edit British Vogue in 2019, co-chaired the event and praised King Charles, describing him as "charming and funny" in Time's 100 Most Influential People list.
Despite their initial warm welcome in the U.S., the Sussexes are experiencing a cooling relationship with Hollywood. A source told The Times, "The tide has turned. People in America have been welcoming, but they won't like the way they've treated the late Queen and now the King." Public sentiment appears to be shifting, with many either disliking the Sussexes or being indifferent to them. Idris Elba, who attended the Sussexes' wedding and DJed the reception, recently co-hosted a mini-summit on youth crime with King Charles at St. James's Palace. The event, which included Prime Minister Keir Starmer and representatives from community organizations, highlighted Elba's ongoing involvement with the King's Trust.
Other celebrities who were once closely associated with the Sussexes, such as George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan, Tom Hardy, and Priyanka Chopra, haven't been publicly seen with them recently. The Clooneys, for example, haven't been spotted with the Sussexes in some time despite their close ties. While the Sussexes have had some high-profile outings, such as attending Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, and flying via private jet to Las Vegas with Cameron Diaz and Zoe Saldana, their public appearances with Hollywood A-listers have been less frequent this year. The couple's busy schedule, including their charity work and media commitments, might be a factor in their reduced social visibility.
Meghan Markle's frustration over the growing support for Princess Catherine among celebrities and royals reflects the shifting dynamics within the royal family and their broader social circles. As Catherine continues to garner admiration and support, Meghan and Harry's relationship with Hollywood appears to be facing new challenges.
