RICHARD EDEN: The humiliating detail of Meghan’s red carpet appearance that shows just how much she and Harry have lost

One of the most awkward and revealing episodes since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit their royal duties in 2020 to find “freedom” — and a fortune — hit the red carpet in Los Angeles almost a year ago.

Without Prince Harry, Meghan couldn’t have looked less regal as she walked the carpet at the Power Of Women event and waited to be interviewed by a reporter from Variety magazine, like ANOTHER celebrity.

King Charles’ daughter-in-law posed for photographers like the wannabe star she once was. And then, in the most undignified moment of all, he was impatiently whisked away by another guest.

She posed for photographers like the wannabe star she once was, only to be impatiently whisked away by another guest

Last weekend, Meghan was alone again, on another red carpet in her hometown, competing for attention with some of those guests at the LA Children’s Hospital Gala.

This time, however, she suffered even more humiliation, with other guests feeling free to voice their criticism of her.

“There wasn’t much warmth from people when she arrived,” Lizzie Cundy, a British socialite and television host, told me later. “She wasn’t there long, she seemed to be there for the pictures.”

Miss Cundy, who the Duchess once befriended before meeting and then ‘ghosting’ Harry, later added of her former friend: ‘Meghan needs LA more than LA needs her. LA people feel like they’ve been played by her. Harry and Meghan were loved for being part of the royal family, but they have been bad-mouthed to the royals, who are loved in LA. It’s a shame because charity work is where she and Harry do great things.’

When Meghan was still a working royal, she would never have been subjected to such a reception or criticism.

The Duchess of Sussex was alone again, on another red carpet in her hometown, as she attended the LA Children’s Hospital Gala last weekend

After being appointed patron of the National Theater by the late Queen Elizabeth, in a bid to make the former actress feel welcome in Britain, Meghan would be a guest of honor at stage events. She entered a theater after others had taken their seats and prominent people lined up to meet her afterwards.

And while the Duchess received this supposedly chilly reception in LA, her husband was treated as warmly as ever at an awards ceremony for WellChild, one of the few charities he was able to cling to after leaving Britain. He remained patron of WellChild because it was not a royal patronage bestowed by the Monarch.

Harry seemed delighted to meet the brave children who received prizes at the event in London. Despite so often looking sullen at engagements with his wife, the Duke appeared to be back to his old light-hearted self as he joked with youngsters who had battled serious illness during the engagement at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

An old friend of Harry’s who I spoke to this week said Meghan’s solo outing in LA highlights how much they have lost by leaving royal life behind.

“Imagine the difference if they were still working royals,” the friend said. ‘Everywhere they went they were the center of attention. They would be patrons of organizations and charities, not just guests who show up.

‘I think about Harry’s work over the past few weeks with WellChild and Sentebale [the charity he helped set up in 2006 for African orphans, including those living with HIV/AIDS] will have made it clear to him how much he has lost by moving to the United States.’

One of the most telling moments in the Sussexes’ explosive 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey was one of the least talked about. Harry told the US chat show queen that they only signed their multi-million dollar contracts with media giants Netflix and Spotify because they had to pay for their security after money from Britain was cut off.

Harry has been to Lesotho and South Africa, visiting the Sentebale charity he helped set up in 2006. The joy was visible on his face

This was Harry letting it be known that he never wanted to be a media mogul; indeed he could not have been less interested. Meghan, on the other hand, seems keen to return to show business.

It helps explain why Harry appeared in the pilot episode of their podcasts for Spotify, but was notable by his absence in the series that followed.

In recent weeks the joy on Harry’s face was evident as he returned to engagements for matters closer to his heart.

Meghan’s awkward solo performance, meanwhile, was a stark reminder of what she threw away when they fled Britain.

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