MEGHAN Markle suffered an awkward face palm moment as she tried to kiss fashion designer Pier Paolo Piccioli last night.
The Duchess of Sussex accidentally butted heads with the newly appointed creative director of Balenciaga during a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week on Saturday.
Meghan Markle greets Pier Paolo Piccioli at the event on Saturday night[/caption]
They awkwardly failed to co-ordinate kissing each other on the cheek before an apparent head butt[/caption]
They then posed for photos[/caption]
Mum-of-two Meg, 44, went to kiss the Italian designer to congratulate him on his spring/summer 2026 womenswear design but seemingly banged her nose on his sunglasses in comical footage.
Piccioli laughed off the shared gaffe before taking the royal’s hand for a photo.
Meg thanked him and they had a brief hug – with a rep later saying she has “long admired” Piccoli’s “craftsmanship and modern elegance”.
The duchess had jetted away from her Montecito haven without Prince Harry to support Piccioli at the event.
She was also spotted embracing Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour and being kissed by Australian film director Baz Luhrmann at the glitzy event.
Meg was dressed in a white shirt, trousers and a matching oversized cape, while her hair was in a bun.
It was Meg’s first time at Paris Fashion Week and her first return to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany.
She posted a video to her Instagram – which boasts 4.2 million followers – showing her walking to the show and later shared another clip of the streets of Paris at night from her car window, before her feet up on the leather interiors.
The royal used to attend New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks when she was an actress on hit legal drama Suits.
A spokesman for the Duchess said: “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attended the Balenciaga show in Paris on Saturday night in support of Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently assumed the role of creative director for the house.
“This marks her first time back to the shows in over a decade.
“Over the years, the duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo.
“They have worked closely together collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage.
“She has long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different.
“This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.”
Meg’s outfit was a Valentino – which Piccioli left in 2024 after 25 years, having been sole creative director since 2016.
She has worn ensembles by the design giant to several events over years, including the opening of the Invictus Games in April 2022.
In February 2019, on arriving in Morocco for a three-day tour with Harry, she was also wearing a red Valentino dress.
Meghan wore the Valentino outfit at the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show[/caption]
It included an oversized cape which made her easy to pick out of the crowds[/caption]
