The couple hit the red carpet ahead of an event honoring U.S. service members.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stunned on the red carpet of the Intrepid Air & Space Museum Salute to Freedom Gala in New York City on Wednesday night.
Meghan donned a red, V-neck Carolina Herrera gown, designed for her by creative director Wes Gordon as part of the pre-fall 2022 collection. The Duchess of Sussex wore her hair back in a slick bun, pairing the elegant look with diamond earrings, a set of bracelets and matching red pumps.
As for Harry, he sported a black tuxedo, donning his service pins from his time in the Royal British Army on his suit jacket, as well as a poppy on his lapel, a symbol of remembrance for veterans and those who served in the U.K. Meghan also had a poppy pinned on the left side of her dress.
The couple walked hand-in-hand as they made their way across the carpet before entering the event, where Harry was due to give a special presentation. In addition to paying homage to the men and women who serve our country, the event honored iHeartRadio chairman and CEO Bob Pittman, and musical artist and humanitarian Jon Bon Jovi, among others.
An eyewitness tells ET that Meghan and Harry were seated at a table with the veterans that the Duke of Sussex was honoring. Both him and Meghan were deeply engaged in conversation with the former vets, and while many people tried to gather around them, they were politely told by staff that Harry and Meghan were spending the evening engaging with the veterans.
According to the eyewitness, Harry then gave a speech and Meghan looked on adoringly, and it was clear how happy she was to be there. Right after the speech and the presentation, Harry and Meghan quickly and quietly exited. Bon Jovi was able to run over to say goodbye before they left, and the evening ended soon after.
Earlier this week, Harry called out the press, specifically for how they handled his and wife's decision to step down as senior members of the royal family.
The couple first announced their intention in January 2020 and officially stepped away from their duties as senior royals in the spring of 2021. A popular phrase used to describe their decision was "Megxit," referring to Meghan's exit from her role as a royal.
"Maybe people know this and maybe they don’t, but the term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew into mainstream media. But it began with a troll," Harry said while a panel guest at Wired's Re:Wired Conference (via Vanity Fair).
Harry further discussed misinformation online and how it can spread. "This problem did not originate on social media, and you don’t have to be online to be affected by it," he said. "I learned from an early age that the incentives of publishing are not aligned with the incentives of truth."
He went on to reference his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car accident while being chased by members of the paparazzi in Paris, France, in 1997.
"I know the story all too well. I lost my mother to this self-manufactured rabidness, and I don’t want to lose the mother of my children to the same thing," he said of Meghan, with whom he shares two kids, 2-year-old son Archie and 5-month-old daughter Lilibet.
Meghan, meanwhile, also spoke on Tuesday with Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, for a conversation titled "Minding the Gap" as part of The New York Times DealBook Online Summit. During the talk, she discussed why it's always been important to her that she speak out.
"Even before I had any sort of privilege in my life -- when my life and my lifestyle were very, very different -- I always stood up for what was right," she said.
See more in the video below.
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