Meghan Markle didn’t join Prince Harry on his trip to Asia this week.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday ahead of the ISPS Sports Values Summit-Special Edition event, speaking at the summit on Wednesday. The appearance came before the 2023 Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Singapore takes place this weekend. Prince Harry established the charity Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 to help children and young people affected by poverty, inequality, and HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. Since 2010, the Polo Cup has raised over $14 million for the organization’s work, and Harry will saddle up for the match on Saturday.
While Prince Harry will continue his trip to Sentebale’s flagship fundraiser, Meghan likely stayed back in California to spend time with their kids, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2. Meghan, 42, is probably enjoying the last weeks of summer with their children, spending time at the beach or going for walks with the family’s three dogs.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son may soon be heading back to the classroom, where sources tell PEOPLE in this week’s cover story that Meghan may be seen at school pickup.
“She talks to everyone; there is no pretense,” a longtime Montecito resident says.
On Tuesday, Meghan attended Taylor Swift‘s concert at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.
Meghan, Archie and Lili recently stayed behind in California while Prince Harry attended his father King Charles‘ coronation in May. The crowning ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London took place on Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, and Harry was spotted heading to the airport shortly after the service to head back home.
Prince Harry also made two solo trips to the U.K. this year related to lawsuits he’s involved in. In March, the Duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance at London court as proceedings were underway in the case of multiple public figures suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, for illegal information gathering. He returned in June, taking the witness stand to give testimony against Mirror Group Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Express and more. Prince Harry launched the claim in 2019, alleging that his phone voicemails were hacked.
Meghan and Harry were last in the U.K. together for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. They were already in Europe for a series of events when Harry’s grandmother died at age 96.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex brought their two children to the U.K. in June 2022 as they marked Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and Lilibet’s first birthday.
The Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup has been held in Aspen, Colorado for the past two years — a short flight from Montecito, where Harry and Meghan settled in after stepping back as senior members of the royal family in 2020. The Duchess of Sussex did not attend the polo matches in Aspen in 2021 or 2022 but has supported her husband at the equestrian event in the past.
Meghan and Harry were newlyweds when the Sentebale Polo Cup was held in July 2018 in Windsor, England. Prince Harry rode to victory alongside friend Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras, and Harry and Meghan shared a kiss during the trophy ceremony.
“She’s lovely, she’s wonderful. I’m very happy for her, for Harry,” Figueras told PEOPLE at the time. “They’re both lucky to have found each other and have this new chapter of their life.”
The Argentinian polo star first met Harry at a charity match benefiting Sentebale in 2007 and later became an ambassador for the organization. Figueras joined Harry for the trip to Tokyo and Singapore and will ride against the Duke of Sussex as he captains the Singapore Polo Club Team for the Sentebale match on Saturday.
Why Meghan Markle Didn’t Join Prince Harry on His Trip to Tokyo. Why Meghan Markle Didn’t Join Prince Harry on His Trip to Tokyo