Meghan Markle chats to kids as she makes surprise gala appearance - without Harry

The Duchess of Sussex stunned in a glamorous red dress at a star-studded gala event in Los Angeles - she'd previously sported the gown at a 2021 event she attended with husband Harry

Meghan Markle has re-worn an eye-catching dress she'd previously been seen in alongside Prince Harry - but he was nowhere to be seen this time.

The Duchess of Sussex sported the red Carolina Herrera gown for a star-studded night at the LA Children’s Hospital gala on Saturday evening.

And she was noticeably without Harry, who has also been on several trips recently without his wife. Since moving to the United States, the Duke of Sussex has usually been seen at official events with Meghan at his side and yet in recent weeks he has been without her for engagements including in New York, the UK and South Africa.

This time it was Meghan flying solo as she met with children at the event in Los Angeles, presented by Kaley Cuoco, Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Hanks. Photos from the event showed her smiling and chatting to the kids while sporting the dress she had previously worn at a 2021 gala in New York on the eve of Armistice Day in the UK and Veterans Day in the US.

Harry has attended 10 engagements without Meghan in the last couple of weeks, as she reportedly skipped one charity event she'd been expected to attend with her husband because she was unwell.

Harry was at a central London hotel at the end of September as he attended the WellChild Awards ceremony to honour some of the country's bravest children, while supporting a charity he has been a patron of for 16 years.

He then headed off to Lesotho and South Africa for his Sentebale charity with again no mention of Meghan. Dressed in a white shirt, dark blazer and slim-fitting jeans, Harry smiled as he stood with Princess of Lethoso, Senate Seeiso for a snap she posted to her Instagram page. The 22-year-old wrote: "Had a pleasure of hosting a lunch today", as she shared the image in a reel.

During his visit, Harry is believed to have met with world business leaders and philanthropists in the region to work towards fostering prosperity in Southern African communities, specifically for young people. But the lack of Meghan’s presence has led to plenty of debate and one source in California told the Daily Mail that it is the new “solo Harry” who “wants space”.

And another insider based in London told the outlet it was because he wanted to be taken more seriously. They stated: “This definitely feels like he is upping his game to cement his position as a serious player on the international stage. He's always been desperate to be taken seriously and people I know say his fall from grace will really have got to him.”

The source added: “It is a surprise that he went to Lesotho without Meghan. There may be a good reason she can't leave the kids, but she's never been to Lesotho and that surprises me – it is like a second home [to Harry]. He first went there as a teenager and the royal family there is like his second family.”