A planned fundraising dinner connected to The Diana Award was abruptly cancelled in September, sparking renewed speculation about Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and the strained relationship between the Sussexes and the wider royal family.

The event was reportedly scheduled for September 18 at Raffles London at The OWO. It attracted particular attention after reports suggested that Harry and Meghan might attend, potentially making it one of Meghan Markle’s first major public appearances in the United Kingdom after the couple returned to Britain with their children in August.

However, the Sussexes subsequently denied that they had been scheduled to attend the event. A spokesperson for the couple told the Daily Express that, contrary to earlier reports, neither Harry nor Meghan was scheduled to attend the Diana Award event and emphasized that the couple had not been on the guest list.

The cancellation nevertheless created a new layer of mystery.

According to royal reporter Charlotte Griffiths, the fundraising dinner was cancelled shortly after reports about the expected attendance became public. She claimed that concerns surrounding security, publicity and the possibility of the Sussexes’ involvement may have contributed to the decision.

Those claims have not been independently established as the official reason for the cancellation.

The Diana Award occupies a particularly sensitive position because it is closely connected to the legacy of Princess Diana. Both Prince William and Prince Harry have maintained links with the organization, making its events one of the few remaining areas in which the brothers share an institutional connection.

The reported cancellation therefore generated considerable interest because of the brothers’ well-documented estrangement.

Meghan’s expected return to the UK spotlight

The controversy also came at a significant moment for Meghan.

After the Sussex family returned to the United Kingdom in late August, Meghan initially remained largely out of the public eye. Harry, meanwhile, continued attending public engagements, including events connected with the Invictus Games and other charitable causes.

Reports that Meghan might appear at a Diana-related charity event therefore attracted considerable attention.

But the couple’s spokesperson made clear that the reported September 18 appearance was not part of their confirmed schedule. That distinction is important because some online reports subsequently portrayed the situation as though Meghan had been formally removed from the event.

There is currently no reliable evidence establishing that the Royal Family personally ordered Meghan to be excluded.

Why the cancellation attracted so much attention

The timing was one of the main reasons the story became controversial.

The event was reportedly planned as a fundraising dinner connected to The Diana Award, an organization created in memory of Princess Diana. The charity recognizes young people who work to create positive change in their communities.

Reports about Harry and Meghan potentially attending were followed by the announcement that the dinner would not proceed as planned.

That sequence led to competing theories.

One theory suggested that publicity surrounding a possible Sussex appearance created security or logistical concerns. Another interpretation focused on the difficult relationship between Harry and William and the sensitivity of arranging an event connected to their mother’s legacy.

However, neither explanation has been confirmed by The Diana Award as the definitive reason for the cancellation.

The Sussexes’ position

The Sussexes’ response focused primarily on correcting the claim that they were scheduled to attend.

Rather than announcing a withdrawal, their spokesperson said that Harry and Meghan were not scheduled to attend the Raffles Hotel event in the first place.

That makes the headline claim that Meghan was simply “thrown out” of the gala difficult to substantiate.

The available reporting instead points to a more complicated sequence: reports suggested the couple might attend, the Sussexes denied that they were on the guest list, and the fundraising event was subsequently cancelled.

A continuing royal-family mystery

The episode nevertheless highlights the unusual position occupied by The Diana Award.

Both Harry and William have continued supporting their mother’s legacy through the organization, despite the brothers’ long-running tensions. William attended a Diana Award event in London in June, while Harry has also maintained a relationship with the charity.

With the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death approaching in 2027, interest in how her sons will separately or jointly commemorate her legacy is likely to remain high.

For now, the reason behind the September fundraising dinner’s cancellation remains unclear. Claims that Meghan was personally removed from the event or that members of the Royal Family ordered her exclusion should be treated as speculation unless further evidence emerges.

The confirmed part of the story is simpler: a Diana Award fundraising dinner was reportedly cancelled, the Sussexes denied that they had been scheduled to attend, and the circumstances surrounding the cancellation generated a new wave of royal speculation.