Meghan Markle’s every move is scrutinized, dissected, and furiously debated by a huge international community fans, haters, and tabloid journalists.
We’re sure it’s an extremely annoying way to go through life, but the Duchess of Sussex likely knew what she was signing up for when she married Prince Harry.
These days, when Meghan leaves her home or poses for a photo, she does so with the knowledge that her appearance, her attire, and her demeanor will be treated as headline news by thousands of publications worldwide.
So when she stepped out last week without her engagement ring, she was probably well aware that her bare finger would not be overlooked.
In case you missed it, the duchess joined two close friends of hers for a belated birthday lunch.
Meghan turned 42 earlier this month, and it seems her besties Kadi Lee and Cleo Wade also had August birthdays.
So the crew got together for a joint celebration, and at one point during lunch, they posed for a selfie.
Meghan doesn’t appear on social media very often these days, so the pic was promptly dissected by fans and media outlets, many of whom noted that she was not rocking her engagement bling.
But despite the alarmist takes you might see in some of the more salacious London tabloids, this is not an indication of strife within Harry and Meghan’s marriage.
A source close to the situation has assured Page Six that Meghan’s ring was absent from the pic because it was “being fixed” on the day of the celebration.
The insider didn’t offer any details, but as many Sussex fans have pointed out, Meghan has had the ring altered on several occasions.
Shortly after the birth of Prince Archie, for example, Meghan had the original yellow gold band swapped for a thinner pavé setting.
Meg-heads have been swooning over the ring ever since Harry popped the question with it in 2017.
“The ring is yellow gold, because that’s [her] favorite, and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana, and the little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewelry collection to make sure that she’s with us on this — on this crazy journey together,” the Duke of Sussex told the BBC at the time.
Meghan, of course, was overjoyed by the beauty and symbolism of the ring.
“Everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness and the inclusion of [Princess Diana’s stones] and obviously not being able to meet his mom, it’s so important to me to know that she’s a part of this with us,” she said.
In recent months, Meghan and Harry have seen a decline in their popularity that might have a short-term effect on their earning potential as media figures.
Again, the publications that have been antagonizing the couple for years are taking an alarmist view of the situation.
But the decline is almost certainly temporary, and despite rumors to the contrary, it does not appear to have had any impact on the Sussexes’ marriage.
And for those who are still concerned — we’re sure Meghan’s most prized piece of jewelry will be restored to its former glory in no time.
