Meghan Markle Won't Attend the Emmys With the Rest of the 'Suits' Cast

A moment of silence, please, as we reflect on the Meghan Markle red carpet Emmy's (opens in new tab) dress that never was, following the news that the Duchess of Sussex has reportedly turned down an invitation to attend this year's Emmy Awards (opens in new tab), set to take place in LA in September. We never knew you, red carpet dress, but we know you would have been truly incredible.

It’s thought that Meghan has “politely turned down” the opportunity to appear at the prestigious 70th Annual Emmy Awards ceremony—and the chance to bid a final farewell to her acting career (opens in new tab). Sources revealed to The Sun (opens in new tab) that the former actress made the decision in order to draw “a line in the sand” once and for all, between her on-screen days and her new position as royalty.

Earlier this year it was rumored that Meghan may even be up for an Emmy nomination for her final season as Rachel Zane in Suits (opens in new tab), but an insider recently revealed: “We had hoped Meghan would attend as a way of saying goodbye to her Suits fans and colleagues. Show executives and NBC had offered Harry and her an invitation to celebrate with the biggest stars around, meet her showbiz friends and even present an honor. But Meghan is not attending.”

Meghan made the tough call to leave her former acting career behind when she committed to marrying Prince Harry. The now-Duchess spoke about the choice during the couple’s engagement interview (opens in new tab) last November, when she said: “I don't see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change…For me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, "You know what? I have ticked this box and I feel really proud of the work I've done there and now it's time to, as you [Harry] said, work as a team with you.”

As disappointing as the news might be that the Emmys will be Meghan-less this year, the Duchess will have made the decision herself rather than conforming to any royal protocol. There’s no rules to state that members of the royal family can’t attend celebrity red carpet events, as Kate Middleton and Prince William can often be spotted gracing the BAFTAs red carpet, for example.

It’s clear that Meghan really is closing the chapter of her acting career and starting fresh on a new journey. Exciting but still, won't somebody please think of the dress?