From the moment that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry met, it was clear that they shared similar dreams and aspirations when it came to their social circle. Power players like George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham and Oprah Winfrey all flocked to their 2018 wedding, and – two years later – when they stepped down as senior royals and moved to the US, it seemed they were just as in demand among Hollywood’s A-listers. Celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz and Kerry Washington were all photographed socialising with the pair, with insiders reporting that the majority of showbiz’s elite were looking forward to welcoming the Sussexes into the fold. And the highest endorsement came in the form of US royalty, as it was largely believed that the Kardashians – who hold immense power and influence in showbiz – were eager to link up with the pair and form a strong allyship.
However, a lot can change in five years, and Harry and Meghan’s social standing – and sharp decline down the pecking order – is testament to that. Despite initially landing on US shores with quasi-royal credentials, they started to lose favour for their 'self-pitying' rhetoric – which only got louder after Harry released his 2023 memoir Spare. At the same time, cynicism grew towards the pair after they failed to deliver on lucrative deals they’d made with the likes of Spotify and produced minimal content for Netflix, with one aggrieved executive from the latter labelling them 'f**king grifters'.
As Closer has reported, the couple have taken successful steps in overturning the backlash against them over the past year – especially since dividing their professional lives and stepping out on their own accords, with Meghan focusing on her burgeoning lifestyle brand, while Harry has honed in on his philanthropic efforts and work with war veterans worldwide. However, things took a step backwards last week when Vanity Fair ran a so-called 'hit-piece' against the pair, labelling Meghan as a 'mean girl teenager' and quoting a neighbour who called them 'the most disingenuous, entitled people in the planet'. At the same time, their efforts to provide support in the wake of the LA fires also proved controversial, with some commentators calling them 'disaster tourists'. Needless to say, with so much negativity being lobbed against the Sussexes, they need influential endorsement more than ever – which is why the latest apparent snub stings so much.
According to insiders, Meghan in particular has been doing her level best to strengthen her ties to the Kardashians – who were once considered D-listers who’d turn up to the opening of an envelope, but now mix with A-listers and world leaders alike. But her attempts are proving futile, as the object of her social advancements, Kim Kardashian, has apparently gone deafeningly quiet. We’re told this is even more jarring for Meghan, as Kim had once made every attempt to ingratiate her into the fold – and it’s proving even more to the duchess just how far down the totem pole she and Harry have fallen.
'Meghan needs all the A-list friends she can get right now,' says an insider close to the 43-year-old, who – amid the chaos of the LA fire tragedy – made the decision last week to postpone the highly-anticipated launch of her new Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan, moving the release date from January until March. 'It’s obviously a pivotal time as far as her Hollywood ambitions go, but she’s finding out the hard way that these ultra famous types have extremely busy lives, and their social circles are already firmly established, so they’re a pretty closed shop when it comes to making time for new friends or outsiders. She hit on the idea of Kim and figured it wouldn’t be too hard to arrange a meet-up, but instead of jumping at the chance, Kim’s not returning Meghan’s emails or calls. The word has essentially gotten back to Meghan that she’s not keen on hanging out with the Sussexes at all, which is a huge blow.'
It’s certainly a surprising development for Meghan, considering she’s previously been on solid ground with the Kardashians. In 2023, her mum Doria Ragland, was pictured smiling next to Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian at a charity do, shortly before Meghan herself was snapped socialising with the pair at Beyoncé’s LA tour dates. Meanwhile, last year Kris was one of the lucky few to receive a sample of Meghan’s homemade jam, which she sent to 50 of her most high-profile friends to promote her new lifestyle and wellness brand, American Riviera Orchard. Kris duly thanked Meghan on Instagram – promoting the brand to her 51m online followers in the process.
As for Kim, there were even rumours that she was courting Meghan to front her SKIMS line or potentially make a cameo in the family’s eponymous reality series. But the fact that the reality superstar has apparently now gone quiet on Meghan is a reflection on just how much both sides’ social standings have changed in recent years. Kim, who was once considered cheap and tacky, is now standing proudly at the top of the social strata – and is currently flaunting her close friendship with Ivanka Trump, who’s father – Donald Trump – may be maligned by many famous names in Hollywood, but is still undoubtedly exerting unparalleled power now that’s he returned to the White House. Meanwhile, Meghan – who has not shied away in vocalising her anti-Trump feelings – has seen her own political aspirations come to naught in recent years. We’re told she’s still hoping her ties to Kris will reingratiate her into the Kardashian fold, but her thwarted attempts so far have been a tough and unimaginable blow to bear. The more she tries, the more she proves her critics right – that she and Harry, who share son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, two, seem to think they are more important than they truly are.
'Unfortunately, there’s a perception that Meghan and Harry are a couple of real try-hards,' says our source. 'A lot of people bristle at the mention of their name. As much as Kim respects her mum Kris’ choice to support them, she doesn’t want to be associated with anyone that’s controversial unless they really are a great benefit to her. As far as she can tell, there’s not much benefit to hanging out with the Sussexes.'