Hollywood friendships can be as fleeting as a flimsy umbrella in a storm—one gust of bad press, and they disappear without a trace. A prime example is George Clooney, who was once friendly enough with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to score an enviable seat at their royal wedding. Yet today, he acts as though they barely exist.
Looking back at the 2018 royal wedding, it was a spectacle of grandeur, with a guest list packed with A-listers who, in hindsight, may have attended more for the prestige than out of genuine friendship. Clooney was front and center, flashing his signature grin, sipping champagne, and—if we're being honest—probably planning his next Nespresso commercial in his head. Even at the time, he admitted he didn’t actually know Harry or Meghan all that well, which raises the question: why was he there in the first place?
Fast forward to today, and Clooney seems eager to distance himself from the Sussex drama. While Hollywood thrives on spectacle, even the biggest stars have their limits, and George has apparently drawn his. Now immersed in the Broadway scene, where every production needs the right marketing angle, Clooney’s PR team seems to have settled on a simple approach—erase the Sussexes from the narrative. Reports from the theater world suggest that he's become highly selective about whom he acknowledges, and Meghan and Harry have been notably absent from his conversations, interviews, and guest lists. No mentions, no casual remarks, not even a wry comment about their latest misadventures. It’s almost as if he’s actively scrubbing any trace of his past association with them.
Speculation swirls that this silence is calculated. Clooney has a brand to protect—his lucrative coffee endorsements, his carefully managed political presence—and the last thing he needs is to be caught up in the never-ending saga of Meghan and Harry versus the world. He has already waded into the complexities of American politics by endorsing President Biden, a move that, as always, sparked both praise and criticism. Adding royal drama to the mix would only create another PR headache, and Clooney appears to have no interest in that.
For any journalist hoping to get a Clooney soundbite about Meghan or Harry, it’s best not to bother. Sources say that even mentioning the former royal couple in his presence is as unwelcome as a bad review on opening night. His PR team has reportedly made it clear—interviews should focus solely on his Broadway debut, not his past ties to the Sussexes. The message is unmistakable: Meghan and Harry are yesterday’s news, and George has a play to promote.
If someone as connected as Clooney has decided the Sussexes are no longer worth his time, what does that say about their standing among Hollywood’s elite? In the world of celebrity, fair-weather friendships are the norm, and it appears Meghan and Harry may have just found themselves out in the cold.
