met up with Father of the Bride star in Montecito, California.
According to photos obtained by the Daily Mail, Markle, 42, and Williams-Paisley, 52, were spotted leaving the Italian restaurant Tre Lune on Sunday, July 21. While it’s unclear how the pair were introduced, both women are Northwestern University alumni. (Markle graduated in 2003, 10 years after Williams-Paisley earned her degree.)
Markle, who resides in Montecito with her husband, , and their kids, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, dressed casually in a white button-down shirt and jeans while Williams-Paisley donned a blue button-down dress with tennis shoes.
Markle’s lunch date with Williams-Paisley comes less than two weeks after she attended the 2024 ESPY Awards with her husband on July 11. Harry, 39, received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, an honor bestowed upon an individual with a strong connection to sports who has helped others in a way that embodies legacy. (Tillman played safety for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 to 2001 before he was killed in combat while serving as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan in 2004.)
Harry was chosen to receive the award due to his 10 years of service in the British Armed Forces and his work with the Invictus Games, a sports tournament for injured or wounded veterans and military personnel. Though Pat’s mother, , questioned the decision, Harry gave her a shout-out in his speech.
“[Pat’s mother Mary’s] advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest honors,” Harry shared with the crowd while accepting his award. “The truth is, I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel across 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality. This award belongs to them, not to me. That said, it is of great importance to me to highlight these allies, athletes and their amazing families for their achievements, their spirit and their courage at every opportunity, especially on nights like this in front of people like you.”
Speaking about the Invictus Games, Harry noted that the event “brings people together” from all over the world. “It is a collective, built from courage and mutual respect. Where athletes discover time and time again the common denominator of their humanity,” he explained. “Having survived the crucible of armed combat and forged through the challenge to rebuild bodies and mind impacted through conflict, they form a family. They exemplify the very best in all of us. There is a military expression that dates back to Roman times. … The phrase translates roughly to ‘Leave no one behind.’ … I have no doubt Pat Tillman and his comrades lived by those words.”
Markle supported her husband as he received his honor at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, but the pair opted not to walk the red carpet. They were spotted sitting together inside during the monologue, which was delivered by Markle’s friend and host .
“Prince Harry and Meghan are here, let’s give it up for them. But please, Harry and Meghan try not to breathe too much tonight because this is my night,” Williams, 42, joked. “And I don’t want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you two are taking up too much oxygen.”
