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Red Sea International Film Snubs Meghan Markle After Link to Saudi Prince on Yacht
The annual Women in Cinema gala hosted by the Red Sea International Film took place on Friday, December 1st.
The star-studded event saw the attendance of renowned celebrities such as Michelle Williams, Sharon Stone, Zoe Saldana, Diane Kruger, Mai Win, Catherine Martin, Michelle Rodriguez, Naomi Campbell, and Garrett Hedlund.
However, one notable absence was Meghan Markle, who was not invited to the gala due to her alleged connection with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The festival commenced with the world premiere of the Saudi fantasy romance film “H.W.J.N.”
directed by Yasser al-Yassiri at the opening night gala on Thursday, November 30th.
The event was graced by the presence of prominent figures like Baz Luhrmann, Will Smith, Johnny Depp, Mai Win, Michelle Williams, Sharon Stone, Catherine Martin, Diane Kruger, Freda Pinto, Joel Kinnaman, Paz Vega, and Ranveer Singh.
Running from November 30th to December 9th, the Red Sea International Film Festival aims to bring together film lovers, filmmakers, and professionals from the global film industry.
Despite this inclusive approach, sources revealed that negotiations between Meghan Markle's agency, WME, and the film festival organizers failed, resulting in her absence from the star-studded event.
It is worth noting that both Meghan Markle and Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME, have connections with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
While this could have been an opportunity for Meghan to attend the event, the festival primarily caters to Hollywood celebrities who have no particular need to engage with her, regardless of her relationship with the Saudi prince.
As a result, she did not receive an invitation to walk the red carpet.
However, insiders claim that Meghan expressed a desire to escape negative reactions surrounding her and Omid Scobie's book, “Endgame,” by attending the event in Saudi Arabia.
This indicates her interest in seeking refuge from the criticism she has faced.
In 2019, Ari Emanuel returned a $400 million investment from Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The return came shortly after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, highlighting the contentious nature of the deal.
In 2018, Code Pink, a social justice organization, staged protests at WME's Beverly Hills offices, denouncing Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen.
The choice of WME's offices for the demonstration was due to the pending deal between its parent company, Endeavour, and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
Adding to the intrigue, Meghan Markle was seen wearing a pair of earrings in public in 2018, which were reportedly a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
She first wore them during a state dinner hosted by Fiji President Gioji Konroti, pairing them with a thin bracelet and her wedding and engagement rings.
Weeks later, she wore the same earrings to the birthday party of the Prince of Wales.
At the time, the origin of the earrings remained undisclosed, fueling speculation among royal watchers.
It later emerged that they were indeed a wedding present from Prince Mohammed, leading to controversy given the timing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.
In light of these circumstances, the Red Sea International Film Festival decided not to extend an invitation to Meghan Markle for their Women in Cinema gala.
While the festival aims to celebrate and promote the film industry, it appears that Meghan's connection to the Saudi prince hindered her participation in this star-studded event.
