Why Duchess Meghan didn’t accompany Prince Harry on his New York trip

A month after the Sussex family returned to the United Kingdom, Prince Harry made his first visit to the United States today to take part in the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting in New York. During the conference he appeared in a packed room and took part in a public program, while Duchess Meghan stayed in England and did not accompany him on the trip.

As Harper’s Bazaar reports, the event was held during the official week of the United Nations General Assembly and was organized by its founder, former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Harry spoke at the Hilton Midtown about the Parents’ Network initiative, an Archewell Productions organization founded in 2024 to support the parents of children who lost their lives as a result of suicide, several cases of which have been linked to the influence of social media. He stressed that the network aims to turn pain into purpose and offer support to parents, as well as push for stronger laws and regulations in this area.

No detailed explanation was given for the Duchess’s absence, and her absence was not considered unusual given that the couple’s children have just started the school year in England. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are in the first weeks of school, which partly explains her staying at the family residence.