In a candid new interview, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that after much speculation, she invited herself to the Balenciaga show at this year’s Paris Fashion Week
Meghan Markle has admitted she invited herself to the Balenciaga show as part of Paris Fashion Week in early October, to support her designer friend.
In a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the Duchess of Sussex spoke about her surprise appearance at the high-profile event for the first time, after speculation swirled around whether she was a distinguished guest or if she invited herself.
On October 5, Meghan made her first trip to mainland Europe in two years, stepping out to support recently appointed designer Pierpaolo Piccioli as the brand’s creative director by attending his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear show.
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At the time of the show, a statement from Meghan’s spokesperson said the duchess was close to the designer, saying her presence was “the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship”. Now, Meghan revealed that she ‘reached out’ to Piccioli and said she was ‘happy to come and support you’ ahead of the event.
“I was excited for him,” the Duchess reflected on her Parisian night out in the new interview. “I reached out and I said, ‘Happy to come and support you’. We kept it a secret, and it was really fun.”
In the weeks after Meghan’s appearance in Paris, the Balenciaga creative director also addressed the Duchess’s surprise attendance, as he told The Cut : “Meghan and I met some years ago, and we’ve been texting ever since. She reached out and said she’d love to come to the show.” He added: “There was no strategy or big orchestration”.
The designer then added: “I didn’t tell anyone she was coming because I wanted it to stay a surprise. In fashion, real surprises are rare, and this one was beautiful”.
Ahead of Meghan’s appearance at the Fashion Week showcase, her spokesperson said: “Over the years, the duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo. They have worked closely together collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage,” adding how Meghan is “supportive” of his “new creative chapter at Balenciaga.”
In a video captured from backstage at the Balenciaga show, Meghan was left a little red faced after she attempted to lean in for a kiss with the Italian designer, only to hit her head on his sunglasses.
As she leaned in to greet Picciolo and congratulate him on his collection, she seemed to hit her nose on his dark sunglasses. However, aware that the cameras had captured their awkward embrace, Pier appeared to laugh off the disjointed encounter and pulled her in for a photo.
A body language expert revealed how the awkward clash went down, and says it was actually Piccioli who caused Meghan to accidentally butt heads with him.
Judi James told The Mirror: “It was Piccioli who created the ‘cringe’ moment for poor Meghan, getting way too close to greet and speak to her, leading to a lack of reading her non-verbal cues when they air-kissed, leading in turn to a nose-clunk when they each aimed in the wrong direction.”
