Balenciaga paid Meghan Markle $250,000 to attend their show.
Details have emerged about Meghan Markle's appearance at Paris Fashion Week last year. According to journalist Tom Bower, Meghan's attendance at the Balenciaga show cost the fashion house approximately $250,000 (20 million rubles). Bower recounts this in his book, "Betrayal: Power, Deception, and the Struggle for the Future of the Royal Family."
What's interesting is that Megan herself suggested the brand invite her to the show: "She called him [Pierpaolo Piccioli, the brand's creative director. — Ed.] herself with an offer to invite her. Nicole Kidman received millions of dollars from Chanel, so $250,000 per diem for Megan is relatively cheap," writes Tom Bower.
As a reminder, in 2022, Balenciaga found itself at the center of a scandal. The fashion house was "canceled" due to an advertising campaign that many perceived as promoting pedophilia. Following this incident, the influential fashion publication Business of Fashion revoked the Global Voices Award awarded to Demna Gvasalia, who was still Balenciaga's creative director at the time. His position is now held by Pierpaolo Piccioli, formerly of Valentino, and Gvasalia became the creative director of Gucci in 2025.
It's worth noting that Meghan Markle herself is often the subject of public criticism. For example, her unexpected appearance at a children's hospital in Los Angeles last week caused public outrage. Meghan spent only 17 minutes with the children and allegedly asked staff beforehand to explain to the children that they should address her exclusively as "Meghan, Duchess of Sussex."
There are also mixed rumors and speculations surrounding Meghan and Harry's financial situation. It was recently reported that Netflix has severed ties with Meghan's home goods company, As Ever. Following this news, Markle decided to launch paid retreats with her participation. 
As a reminder, after breaking ties with the royal family and moving from the UK to the US, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lost many major contracts. Markle's Netflix cooking show, "Love, Meghan," also suffered setbacks. The project was canceled after devastating reviews from viewers.
Photo: Arnold Jerocki, Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images for Balenciagapppiccioli, Meghan/Instagram**
