MARTHA STEWART’S ACCOUNT OF WHAT MEGHAN MARKLE SAID AT A PRIVATE DINNER PARTY IS BEING DISPUTED — WITH A SOURCE CALLING IT “SIMPLY UNTRUE.”

Stewart said in a PEOPLE interview that the Duchess of Sussex “had just gotten back from the palace” and was “talking” about her recent trip to Europe

After Martha Stewart said in a PEOPLE interview that Meghan Markle “had just gotten back from the palace” and was talking about her recent trip to Europe, during which she, Prince Harry and their children reunited with King Charles, at a dinner party, a source who hosted the event is offering a different account.

“I sat next to Meghan at the dinner party, and this account of what happened is simply untrue,” the source tells PEOPLE, adding, “Meghan didn’t talk about her European vacation other than to say the family had a great time.”

“Meghan has always been a fan of Martha’s and enjoyed getting to meet her briefly at the dinner,” the source added.

Martha Stewart and Meghan Markle
Martha Stewart; Meghan Markle.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Stewart, 85, made the remarks during a new PEOPLE cover story after being asked what she’s like at a party.

“My friends call me LIFO: last in, first out,” the homemaking guru said. “I don’t like cocktail parties terribly much. I don’t like standing around. If it’s a dinner, I like to get there when people are about to sit down. And then I like to leave shortly after dessert is served. But I have a good time while I’m there.”

She continued. “I had dinner with Meghan Markle the other night. We were both guests at a dinner party in California, and she had just gotten back from the palace. I didn’t talk to her really more than to say a couple words, but I know she was talking about it.”

Meghan, 45, and Prince Harry, 41, had a rare reunion with King Charles, during which the monarch saw his California-based grandchildren, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet, for the first time in-person since 2022. However, the reunion did not take place at a palace — the group, along with Queen Camilla, reunited at Highgrove House, the sovereign’s country estate.

When asked about the Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix show With Love, Meghan, in which she shared cooking, baking, decorating, event and other tips, Stewart said, “If you’re an actress, it’s hard to then transition to a princess and then from a princess into a homemaking guru on a television show. It doesn’t sort of follow. So go from there.”

King Charles III, Charlotte Tilbury, and Martha Stewart attend the King's Trust Global Gala
King Charles and Martha Stewart in New York City on April 29, 2026.Spencer Platt/Getty