Meghan Markle has reportedly declined an invitation to attend the upcoming Emmy Awards, effectively putting her acting career completely to rest to the dismay of fans.
According to the Sun, the Duchess of Sussex has “politely turned down” an invitation to attend the annual awards ceremony, which will take place in Los Angeles next month.
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Sources add that the Duchess’ decision to decline was “a line in the sand” as she is now choosing to focus on her life as a royal with husband Prince Harry.
“We had hoped Meghan would attend as a way of saying goodbye to her Suits fans and colleagues,” one source said. “Show executives and NBC had offered Harry and her an invitation to celebrate with the biggest stars around, meet her showbiz friends and even present an honor.”
Despite Markle’s reported decline, it doesn’t appear to be against protocol for members of the royal family to attend awards ceremonies, as Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended the BAFTAs several times, as William is a patron.
In June, Markle became the first royal to be submitted for Emmy consideration due to her role as Rachel Zane on USA’s Suits, with her name being submitted in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category.
Suits has never been nominated for an Emmy, and Markle was ultimately left off the ballot this year. The royal starred on the show for seven seasons before leaving the show during its season finale in May, with her character’s wedding airing shortly before her own nuptials.
During her engagement interview with Harry last November, Markle addressed her decision to step away from acting and explained that she views the choice as an opportunity for change.
“I don’t see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change. It’s a new chapter,” she said. “And keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years. We were very fortunate to have that sort of longevity on a series. For me, once we hit the 100 episode marker, I thought, I have ticked this box and I feel really proud of the work we’ve done there and now it’s time to work as a team with [Harry].”
While she won’t be attending the Emmys in the coming weeks, Markle will be heading to the countryside to vacation with the Queen, as she and Harry will reportedly join the monarch during her annual vacation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland for a period.
The Queen reportedly expects each member of her family to visit her at the retreat before she returns to London in October, and activities at Balmoral are expected to include summer fare like barbecues, picnics, parties and outdoor walks.
Photo Credit: Getty / Charles McQuillan
