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Meghan Markle’s Controversial Earrings: A Royal Gift from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, caused a stir when she was spotted wearing a pair of earrings given to her as a wedding present by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.
The claims surrounding these controversial earrings have been reported by royal correspondent Valentine Lowe in his new book.
The first public appearance of Meghan wearing these chandelier diamond earrings was during her whirlwind tour of Oceania with Prince Harry in October 2018, just a few months after their wedding.
The earrings were showcased during a state dinner hosted by Fiji President Juji Konro.
Paired with a thin bracelet and her wedding and engagement rings, Meghan looked stunning.
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A few weeks later, Meghan made headlines again as she sported the same earrings at the birthday party of the Prince of Wales.
This event marked the Prince’s 70th birthday celebration.
At the time, it was suggested that the earrings had been borrowed, but Kensington Palace did not disclose the identity of the giver, leading to speculation among royal enthusiasts.
It was later revealed that the earrings were indeed a wedding gift from Prince Mohammed.
However, their significance took on a controversial tone following the tragic killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, 2018, just days before the start of the Sussex’s royal tour.
Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, was murdered in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, and Crown Prince Mohammed was accused of ordering the killing.
In an interview with CBS’s program 60 Minutes in September 2019, the Crown Prince denied any involvement in the murder or prior knowledge of it.
The controversy surrounding the earrings resurfaced when it was disclosed that the staff responsible for recording royal gifts had recognized them and alerted Kensington Palace after seeing Meghan wear them in Fiji.
Despite this awareness, the aides decided not to confront the royals about the issue, fearing their reaction.
However, one aide did raise the topic with Prince Harry after noticing Meghan wearing the earrings for a second time.
According to Mr. Lowe’s book extract published by The Times, Harry was shocked that people knew the origin of the earrings.
The lawyers representing the Duke and Duchess deny that Harry was ever questioned about the earrings’ provenance.
Express.co.uk has reached out to representatives of the Duke and Duchess for comment, but no response has been received so far.
Mr. Lowe also mentioned that Meghan and Harry’s law firm, Shillings, argued in February 2021 that Meghan had no knowledge of Sheikh Mohammed’s involvement in Khashoggi’s murder.
The lawyers also disputed claims made last year that Meghan had told her staff the earrings were borrowed from a jeweler.
The firm clarified that while the earrings were indeed borrowed, it is customary for presents from heads of state to be gifts to Her Majesty the Queen, who can then choose to lend them to members of the royal family.
Despite the controversy surrounding these earrings, Meghan and Harry continue to reside at Frogmore Cottage, which was given to them by Queen Elizabeth II, even though they reportedly desired to live in living quarters at Windsor Castle.
Frogmore Cottage underwent significant renovations before the couple moved in, including the replacement of ceiling beams, rewiring of electrical systems, soundproofing, and the transformation of ten bedrooms into five.
The Sussexes finally settled into their new home in May 2019, just before the birth of their son Archie.
Despite any dissatisfaction they may have had with their royal living situation, Frogmore Cottage remains their home whenever they visit Britain.
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