Meghan Markle attended a party in Montecito celebrating the second season of the Netflix show 'Beef', hosted by Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos. She wore a chartreuse-toned dress to the event and was photographed holding hands with Nicole Avant, Ted Sarandos's wife, and hugging her tightly. Multiple reports also show her with her arm around Ted Sarandos, gestures that have since become the subject of analysis and commentary.
Fashion comparisons emerged at the event, with Carey Mulligan, who stars in 'Beef', wearing a green floor-length gown. Meghan Markle and Carey Mulligan wore similarly colored dresses, drawing comparisons from attendees and observers. Most other guests at the party wore black and white attire, making the similar hues stand out, though there was no formal dress code for the event.
Meghan's exaggerated, displayed attachment rituals here look aimed at showing there is no 'beef' between her and Netflix.
Some fans questioned whether Meghan Markle disregarded the event's dress code by wearing a similar color to Carey Mulligan. A controversial removal of photographs followed the event, with four out of five photographs of Meghan Markle with Ted Sarandos and Nicole Avant removed from the Getty agency website. Netflix requested the removal of the photographs from Getty, according to a Getty spokesperson.
A post-publication request to remove pictures is highly unusual, if not unheard of, and the only remaining picture on Getty is a line-up shot of Harry, Meghan, Sarandos, and Avant. The timeline and circumstances surrounding the photographs' release and removal add to the intrigue. The photographs were taken on Friday afternoon last week in California and were approved for release by Netflix and made available to media about 24 hours later via Getty.
The way the Sarandoses continue their 'couples' posing in the lineup makes it look almost as though Meghan is photo-bombing their pose.
A delay of 24 hours in posting images is unusual and suggests Netflix was taking pains not to cause offense to guests. This careful handling contrasts sharply with the subsequent removal, raising questions about what prompted the change. Background on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Netflix partnership reveals recent tensions.
Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand As Ever ended its partnership with Netflix earlier this year. Ted Sarandos unfollowed Meghan Markle's personal account and her As Ever brand on Instagram. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry signed a contract worth over $100 million with Netflix in 2020, but her Netflix show 'With Love, Meghan' was the 1,124th most-watched show on Netflix between July and December 2025, with two million views.
As a gesture, it could give the impression of someone needily seeking extra support with camera-shyness, although that could hardly be the case for Meghan.
Body language expert analysis of Meghan Markle's interactions at the party has added another layer to the story. Judi James claimed Meghan Markle put on an 'exaggerated' show of friendship with Nicole Avant. Judi James also claimed Meghan Markle's gestures appeared aimed at showing there is no 'beef' between her and Netflix.
Online reaction and commentary regarding Meghan Markle's behavior and appearance has been critical. Online commentators claimed Meghan Markle looked 'needy' and 'desperate' to claim a friendship with Ted Sarandos and Nicole Avant. Speculation about who requested the photo removal and potential motivations is rife.
A source believed the request to remove photographs could only have come from the Sussexes, who are touchy about their public image. Several unknowns persist in this unfolding story. Why exactly Netflix requested the removal of the photographs from Getty, and whether the request came from Netflix, the Sussexes, or another party, has not been confirmed.
The current state of the relationship between Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Netflix, given the ended partnership and the party interactions, remains ambiguous. Whether Meghan Markle intentionally wore a similar color to Carey Mulligan or if it was a coincidence is also unclear. How Ted Sarandos and Nicole Avant personally view their relationship with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry following the event is unknown.
The influence of negative online reaction on the decision to remove photographs has not been fully explained.