Why elites protect Mary – and can’t wait to throw Meghan under the bus,
You know party season is in full swing when some of the world’s most recognisable royals swap regalia for a night out with friends.
In case you’ve been living under an Amazon delivery box, the week’s chatter has centred on the surprise royal guests at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s bash for reality star Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday.
Yes, it was Team Sussex in the flesh: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Hollywood’s elite glammed up for a James Bond-themed celebration, with everyone smiling for snaps with the birthday girl – well, almost everyone…
As Daily Mail revealed, things turned awkward for the Sussexes.
Harry and Meghan reportedly believed they’d signed off on a no-photo agreement, barring any images of them from inside the party being published.
But no one seemed to tell the social media–savvy Kardashian-Jenner clan.
After the party, Kim and Kris shared snaps with their royal guests to a combined audience of more than 400 million Instagram followers.
Kim’s photo showed the Skims founder in a glittering gemstone crop top and matching skirt, flaunting her signature curves, as she cosied up to the Duchess of Sussex, who opted for a demure high-neck, long-sleeved black gown.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry looked animated in the background, deep in conversation.
Kris posted a separate Instagram carousel of the festivities, including a shot of the ‘momager’ flanked by the former Suits star and the son of Britain’s king.
Reality TV royalty rubbing shoulders with the real thing.
But within hours, the images vanished from social media in what’s now dubbed ‘photo-gate’, sparking speculation they were pulled at Team Sussex’s request.
The move left royal fans and celebrity watchers baffled.
Even if Meghan and Harry hoped to keep the candid party pictures private, the cat was out of the bag as paparazzi had already snapped them en route to Bezos and Sanchez’s $165million mansion.
Reports suggest the Kardashians are far from thrilled with it all went down. The deleted snaps have allegedly ruffled feathers and ‘won’t be easily forgiven’ in Hollywood.
A source claimed Kim was particularly ‘p****d off’ about the photo drama, especially given that Meghan and Harry were already snapped at another event earlier that night.
The source added that Kim couldn’t fathom ‘the problem’ with sharing the pictures – though someone close to her denies this.
People magazine – widely seen as the Sussexes’ preferred outlet in the U.S. – initially claimed the images were pulled because the couple ticked ‘no’ on a photo consent form.
Yet a correction was swiftly issued, citing a source close to the event: ‘There were no consent forms,’ they said. The rapid reversal underscored how quickly Hollywood insiders moved to quash the pro-Sussex narrative.
All this drama brings to mind another royal photo kerfuffle halfway across the world.
In Copenhagen, Denmark’s Queen Mary quietly attended her longtime friend Caroline Fleming’s milestone 50th – a lavish ‘Out of Africa’-themed soirée on September 13.
Like the Bezos bash, this one unfolded at a lavish mansion. Caroline and her surgeon husband, Frederik Koelle, welcomed the who’s who of Danish high society to their Hellerup villa for a decadent celebration.
Guests included Danish celebrities, business heavyweights – and yes, a royal.
Like the Kardashians, Caroline – once a reality TV star on Ladies of London – carries an air of controversy thanks to personal scandals, a high-profile lifestyle and a penchant for topless shoots
Caroline’s safari-themed soirée was a lively affair, with guests embracing the theme in animal prints, feathers and leopard-inspired makeup.
Guests dined at long tables beneath a sweeping panoramic tent in the garden of Caroline’s luxury villa.
Queen Mary enjoyed a prime spot opposite the birthday girl, elegantly sidestepping the wild dress code in a chic white shirt, loose waves and understated makeup.
Like Kris, Caroline later shared an Instagram carousel reflecting on the fun and excitement of her big night.
But here’s where things diverge: none of Caroline’s photos featured her hush-hush royal guest, Queen Mary.
Mary’s attendance only came to light because she appeared in the background of other guests’ social media posts – the clearest courtesy of Danish business executive Christian Stadil.
Now, given the similar leaked-photo saga in LA, it’s striking that every image featuring Mary remains live on social media and easy to find.
The presumed reason is obvious: there were no post-party pleas by the Danish royal household to scrub the shots from Instagram.
What’s more, the Danish hosts and guests have deftly dodged questions about Mary’s presence – a stark contrast to the Bezos/Kardashian bash, where claims and counterclaims have spilled into the open, albeit through anonymous sources.
Caroline happily shared details of the lively celebration in a post-party interview – except for one key element. When asked about her royal friend’s attendance, her team swiftly shut it down. ‘We don’t comment on that,’ publicist Elisa Lykke said, as Caroline stayed silent.
She wasn’t the only one keeping mum.
Musician Sazeline Dreyer, another guest, abruptly shut down questions about the Queen’s attendance in a later interview, offering a curt ‘no comment’ and gesturing to signal she’d say no more.
Beyond the leaked photos, not a word has surfaced in the press about Mary’s attendance. Her inner circle has firmly closed ranks.
Two strikingly similar royal incidents; two starkly different responses.
On one side, Queen Mary is shielded and welcomed to enjoy herself in peace. No sources spilling afterwards, no drama about photos.
On the Hollywood end, Meghan and Harry’s alleged image-removal demand has seemingly left them out of favour with the A-list.
As the Sussexes lay deeper roots in California and distance themselves from Britain, they may need to accept that their quest for privacy clashes with Hollywood’s relentless appetite for exposure.
What’s that old saying? When in Rome…
