The Sussex-Kardashian Alliance: From Jam Jars to Jeopardy
What began as a carefully orchestrated social climb appears to be unravelling spectacularly for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Over recent years, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have meticulously built bridges with America's first family of reality television, the Kardashian-Jenners, only to see their efforts potentially collapse over deleted Instagram photos from a star-studded birthday celebration.
The controversy erupted after Kris Jenner's extravagant 70th birthday party, held at Jeff Bezos's $165 million Beverly Hills mansion over the weekend. Initial social media posts from both Kris and her daughter Kim Kardashian showed candid moments with Harry and Meghan inside the James Bond-themed event, including the Duke dancing with the birthday girl and the Duchess posing with Kim. Yet these images mysteriously vanished from their Instagram accounts hours later.
A Web of Connections Unravels
The relationship between the two powerful families didn't develop overnight. The first threads appeared in May 2023 when Meghan reportedly hired Kim Kardashian's former bodyguard. Three months later, in August 2023, Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, 69, unexpectedly crossed paths with Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian at a Los Angeles charity event for This Is About Humanity, where they appeared friendly and comfortable together.
The connections deepened throughout 2024. In March, Prince Harry enjoyed a ski trip to Aspen with Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble. The following month, Meghan sent the Kardashian matriarch an exclusive first taste of her fruit preserves from her lifestyle brand. This summer, the gifts continued with bottles of her 2024 Napa Valley Rosé from her As Ever range and a deluxe hamper sent to Khloe Kardashian.
The families also share several professional connections, including using the same hairdresser, Michael Silva, who worked with both Meghan during her Suits days and created Kim's 2017 Met Gala look. They've been spotted at the same high-profile events, including Beyoncé concerts in LA and Ellen DeGeneres's vow renewal ceremony, which Kris officiated.
The Party That Changed Everything
Kris Jenner's 70th birthday celebration should have represented the pinnacle of this carefully cultivated relationship. Instead, it became the potential breaking point. According to People Magazine, the Sussexes' preferred US publication, Harry and Meghan had requested that no photographs of them inside the party be published, having ticked a 'no' box on a photo consent form.
However, this claim has been fiercely contested. A source close to Kim Kardashian expressed frustration, stating: "Kim was like 'you've already been papped outside and you were at the Baby2Baby event the same night being photographed like Meghan Trainor and Paris Hilton so what's the problem?'" The source added that Kim was "pi**ed off" about the situation.
Further complicating matters, another source told the Daily Mail that "there were no consent forms" at the event, leaving the true reason for the photo deletions shrouded in mystery. Despite the social media purge, the images have already circulated widely across other platforms and US websites.
Broader Ambitions and Business Ventures
The timing of this social rift comes as Meghan appears to be positioning herself for significant business expansion. PR experts have noted her recent appearance at a Los Angeles vegan banquet hosted by Emma Grede, the British businesswoman behind Kim Kardashian's phenomenally successful Skims range and Khloe's Good American jeans brand.
During the event, which celebrated women "owning their power" and helping "each other get s**t done," Meghan's 2024 'As Ever' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc flowed throughout the evening. Industry insiders have interpreted this collaboration, along with Meghan's recent Instagram posts showing unbranded makeup, as strong indications she may be preparing to launch her own beauty or lifestyle range.
The current photo controversy represents more than just a social media mishap—it threatens to undermine years of strategic relationship-building between the Sussexes and one of America's most influential entertainment dynasties. As both families navigate this unexpected turbulence, the future of their carefully constructed alliance hangs in the balance.
