Meghan Markle, Prince Harry guests at Ellen DeGeneres' vow renewal

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are friends and Montecito neighbours with the talk show host.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted beaming as Portia de Rossi surprised Ellen DeGeneres with a vow renewal ceremony on her 50th birthday this week.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined other guests at the intimate celebration attended by close family friends. American singer Brandi Carlile performed with her guitar while Kris Jenner officiated the renewal for the couple who has been married for 14 years.

A video shared on the YouTube page of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" showed the moment de Rossi stepped out in a wedding gown much to the surprise of the talk show host and their guests. The camera then panned to the guests who witnessed the emotional moment.

On the left side in a white shirt with a glass in his hand is Prince Harry smiling. Meanwhile, on the right standing behind DeGeneres' mother who is dressed in a red blazer and seated, is Meghan Markle with her hand on her mouth in an act of surprise. She also beamed and cheered at the couple.

I thought I heard a familiar laugh at Portia’s birthday turned vow renewal with Ellen. Great to see Harry and Meghan joining the friends celebrating the couple. 🥂

🎥 https://t.co/hfE88UG0pa pic.twitter.com/u9Glr9ha85
— R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor (@royal_suitor) February 2, 2023

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's appearance at de Rossi's birthday and vow renewal come amid claims that Hollywood elites have shunned them because they equate to drama. Royal followers had also expected them to be at Oprah Winfrey's birthday party, but they did not appear in photos shared from the star-studded bash. Present at the event were guests like Kim Kardashian, Rita Wilson, Heidi Klum, and more celebrities.

This is also the first time the former "Suits" actress has been seen in "public" after the release of the "Harry & Meghan" series and the duke's memoir "Spare" on Dec. 8 and Jan. 10, respectively. The last time Meghan Markle stepped out in public with Prince Harry was at the Ripple of Hope gala in New York on Dec. 6. She was noticeably absent while the 38-year-old had appeared in various TV interviews to promote his book.

Meghan Markle's friendship with DeGeneres is no secret. She previously appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2021 where she performed a comedic sketch. They are also neighbours in Montecito.