The Red Sea International Film Festival recently held its highly anticipated Women in Cinema gala, which saw the attendance of A-list celebrities such as Michelle Williams, Sharon Stone, Zoe Saldana, Diane Kruger, Mai Win, Catherine Martin, Michelle Rodriguez, Naomi Campbell, and Garrett Hedlund, among others.

The festival commenced with the world premiere of the Saudi fantasy romance film H.W.J.N., directed by Yasser al-Yassiri, at its opening night gala.

Baz Luhrmann, Will Smith, Johnny Depp, Mai Win, Michelle Williams, Sharon Stone, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Diane Kruger, Freda Pinto, Joel Kinnaman, Paz Vega, Ranveer Singh, and many more prominent figures from the film industry also graced the gala event.

The Red Sea International Film Festival is scheduled to run from November 30th to December 9th, offering a multi-day extravaganza for film enthusiasts, filmmakers, and the global film industry.

Interestingly, there were rumors that Meghan Markle was almost on the guest list for this star-studded event.

However, negotiations between the WME CEO and the film festival organizers failed, resulting in her exclusion.

It is worth noting that both Meghan and Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME, are known to have ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Occurring in Saudi Arabia, where Ari Emanuel has extensive connections, the festival primarily attracts Hollywood celebrities who may not necessarily seek to connect with Meghan Markle, irrespective of her relationship with the Crown Prince.

According to an insider, Meghan had expressed a desire to flee to Saudi Arabia to attend the event, possibly to escape the negative reactions surrounding her and Omid Scobie’s book, “Endgame.”

However, her plans were thwarted due to the failed negotiations.

It is important to mention that in 2019, Ari Emanuel returned a $400 million investment from Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The deal was intended to finance Endeavour’s growth and contribute to the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy through the agency’s involvement in sports, events, and production.

This decision came months after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which sparked international outrage.

In 2018, Code Pink, a social justice organization, staged protests at WME’s Beverly Hills offices, targeting Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The demonstrations were in response to Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen, which has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis.

WME’s offices were specifically chosen due to the pending deal between its parent company, Endeavour, and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle made headlines in 2018 when she was spotted wearing a pair of earrings gifted to her by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

She wore these earrings on two separate occasions – during a state dinner hosted by Fiji President Gioji Konroti and at the birthday party of the Prince of Wales.

The origin of the earrings initially piqued the curiosity of royal watchers, as Kensington Palace did not disclose the identity of the gift giver.

It later emerged that the jewels were a wedding present from Prince Mohammed, leading to controversy in light of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi shortly before the start of the Sussex’s first joint royal tour.

In conclusion, the Red Sea International Film Festival chose not to extend an invitation to Meghan Markle for its Women in Cinema gala, seemingly due to her connection with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Despite her desire to attend the star-studded event, negotiations between the WME CEO and the festival organizers fell through.