Meghan Markle suffered what looked like an awkward exchange with Prince Harry‘s longtime friend David Foster at the musician’s charity event in Canada last Friday.
In the viral clip, Foster appeared to completely ignore Markle as she eagerly extended her arm out to greet him on the red carpet before he swiftly walked past her to pose to the left of his much-younger wife Katharine McPhee for a group photo.
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, played the moment off expertly by quickly tucking her floating arm behind her back before leaning into her tuxedo-clad husband, 41, for a group photo with Foster, 76, and McPhee, 42.
However, all is not what it seemed as sources close to Foster have now exclusively revealed to the Daily Mail the truth behind the perceived ‘snub.’
Foster ‘wanted Harry and Meghan,’ the exclusive insider insisted, adding that the composer ‘genuinely just didn’t see’ the As Ever founder on the red carpet.
‘He’s always been a big fan of Diana and he’d never snub either of them,’ the source explained, referring to Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle suffered what looked like an awkward exchange with Prince Harry’s pal David Foster at the music mogul’s starry charity event in Canada last Friday
‘It was a genuine moment where he didn’t see them and nobody really thought much of it. It’s nothing.’
A second insider added that Foster was ‘so excited to see Harry and Meghan’ as he is ‘longtime friends’ of the couple, who also reside in Southern California’s affluent town of Montecito.
Foster’s snubbing of Markle was a complete accident, the source claimed, noting that he was likely distracted by his hosting duties.
‘As host of the evening, David had a lot going on at the moment. David was doing interviews in that moment too.’
The insider then revealed that Foster had ‘already said hi [to Meghan and Harry] before’ the now-viral red carpet moment.
‘They had already said hi before that photo moment. There were lots of hugs and David introduced Harry & Meghan to his other family there.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both Markle and Foster for comment but has yet to hear back.
The now-viral moment between Markle and Foster was also dissected by body language expert Judi James for the Daily Mail.
In the viral clip, Foster appeared to completely ignore Markle as she eagerly extended her arm out to greet him on the red carpet before he swiftly walked past her to pose to the left of his much-younger wife Katharine McPhee for a group photo
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, played the moment off expertly by quickly tucking her floating arm behind her back before leaning into her tuxedo-clad husband, 41, for a group photo with Foster, 76, and McPhee, 42
According to James, Markle was in ‘pose-alert’ as Foster and McPhee arrived on the red carpet.
‘Smiling at David Foster, she graciously extends an arm with hand palm-up to sweep them onto the red carpet and into the pose beside her, beckoning and gesturing to announce that they should step in front of her as they do so,’ James shared.
‘When Foster appears to walk past without replying to Meghan’s smile of greeting, she lowers her head and busies herself arranging her dress as an act of distraction.
‘Meghan looks happy and slightly relieved when everyone has locked into her line-up and she returns to her professional mode – although Harry rather impolitely disrupts the arrangement by leaning back to chat to the man known as his “surrogate father” behind the wives’ backs.’
At this, the Duchess ‘performed an act of realignment by pulling Harry closer and laughing for no apparent reason apart from to perhaps negate any suggestion of rebellion and a lack of manners on his behalf’.
Friday night marked the 40th anniversary of the David Foster Foundation, which the 16-time Grammy winner hosted in his hometown of Victoria, British Columbia.
He founded the organization in 1986 to provide financial support for Canadian families with children who need life-saving organ transplants and raise awareness of organ donation in Canada and the US.
Meghan and Harry were the clear guests of honor as they were notably seated next to Foster and wife McPhee inside the event’s venue.
However, all is not what it seemed as sources close to Foster have now exclusively revealed to the Daily Mail the truth behind the perceived ‘snub’
Foster ‘wanted Harry and Meghan,’ the exclusive insider insisted, adding that the composer ‘genuinely just didn’t see’ the As Ever founder on the red carpet
The red-haired royal wore a black tuxedo and bow tie while his wife was dressed in a black maxi one-shouldered gown by Canadian designer Greta Constantine.
The Suits actress dazzled in an elegant black one-shoulder gown and accessorized with Princess Diana‘s diamond and sapphire earrings.
She also owns the late Princess of Wales‘s butterfly earrings and matching cuff bracelet as well as a diamond tennis bracelet, a Cartier Tank Louis and Diana’s ‘divorce ring’, an emerald-cut aquamarine surrounded by diamonds gifted to her by close friend Lucia Flecha de Lima in 1996.
Markle has previously worn Diana’s earrings at public events and chose to sweep her hair into an updo to show off the stones on the red carpet at the charity gala.
Meghan and Harry have long been friends with Foster and McPhee, who are considered an A-list musician couple.
They were even previously pictured on a double date with Foster and McPhee.
In 2019, Foster arranged for the Duke and Duchess to stay at a close friend’s mansion on Vancouver Island.
He told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘I felt honored that I was able to help Meghan there because I’m a Canadian, and we’re a Commonwealth country – we’re the Crown’s.
‘It’s important to us, so I grew up with that kind of sentiment. I was really happy to be able to help them to find a respite just to take a little time off.’
McPhee went to school with the LA-born Duchess and told Access Hollywood in 2020 that her husband and the Duke had a ‘really, really beautiful relationship’
The mansion, a secluded waterfront estate in North Saanich, British Columbia, was owned by Mr Foster’s close friend, whose identity he refused to give away.
McPhee went to school with the LA-born Duchess and told Access Hollywood in 2020 that her husband and the Duke had a ‘really, really beautiful relationship’.
‘They’re so cute. They’re like father and son,’ she gushed. ‘We just stay in touch with them [the Sussexes].
‘But mostly, Meghan and I knew each other from childhood, but really Harry and my husband are friends. It’s really nice.’
