Meghan Markle was seen networking at an event (Image: Getty Images)

With just days to go before Prince Harry jets off to the UK, Meghan Markle was seen letting her hair down at an exclusive event in California.

The Duchess of Sussex was spotted at a networking event on Thursday in her exclusive neighbourhood, Montecito. She attended the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel and sat front row at the event hosted by Greycroft, a venture capital firm which partners with entrepreneurs.

Meghan looked very casual wearing a cream shirt and styling her hair in loose waves. Her attendance at the event was captured by a fan who shared the snaps on Instagram. It comes amid claims Meghan is making Harry’s upcoming trip “miserable” as she decided to snub the UK visit.

Greycroft’s event saw growth investor Brian Bustamante-Nicholson deliver a speech as he said everyone in the audience had been invited because “we want to work with you as investors and entrepreneurs, and we can’t wait to build with you all.”

Sharing pictures of Meghan at the event on social media, a fan wrote: “In Business Mode: Yesterday, Meghan attended an invite only event, featuring a curated guest list of selected individuals at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel in Montecito, just a stones throw from the Sussexes home. Thanks to an amazing follower of mine for giving me the heads up.”

Meghan has recently been criticised for her decision not to join her husband as he returns to the UK for a special event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. It’s yet to be revealed why Meghan is staying in the US, but royal author Tom Quinn suggested she might be “holding grudges” against the Royal Family.

Meghan Markle won’t be returning to the UK next week ( 
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
“Meghan will be accused of being selfish by not coming to see King Charles and Kate. Everyone in the UK knows what it’s like to have a family row, but few of us take family rows to the extreme as Meghan has done,” Tom told The News International.

He added: “People are beginning to ask why can’t Meghan just grow up and accept that families fall out but that holding grudges is just selfish and immature.”

The Duchess of Sussex has made very few return trips to the UK since stepping down from the Royal Family four years ago. She joined Harry as they attended Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 and again in September that year for the monarch’s funeral. However, she decided not to join her husband as he returned to the UK in May 2023 for King Charles’ coronation.