Meghan Markle appeared in great spirits as she stepped out in Montecito with Father Of The Bride actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley on Sunday.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, was pictured leaving the trendy Italian restaurant Tre Lune, a favourite among A-listers including Kourtney Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres and Sofia Richie.
Mother-of-two Meghan Markle was spotted smiling and chatting with Kimberly, wife of American country singer Brad Paisley, near her $14.5million Montecito mansion.
Kimberly, 52, and her husband are long-time residents of Montecito and are part of the same social circle, which included Ellen, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.
The actress is also heavily involved in charity initiatives, which are close to Meghan’s heart, particularly ending food poverty, so there was no doubt plenty to catch up on during their outing.
Looking typically chic, Prince Harry’s wife opted for a laidback look with a £245 white ‘Mika’ shirt from Los Angeles brand Anine Bing tucked into a pair of relaxed light-blue denim mom jeans, and even pulled her hair back with a claw clip.
Meanwhile, Kimberly kept her look casual in a blue button down dress and white trainers.
The actress has been married to country singer Brad Paisley for more than 20 years and the couple share two children.
Prince Harry took part in a Stand Up for Heroes event in 2020, which also saw a performance from the musician – where the pair perhaps crossed paths.
In 2016, Kimberly opened up about how her mother’s dementia changed her life in the memoir Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again.
It details the family’s struggle as her mother Linda developed an illness called primary progressive aphasia – and slowly lost the ability to ‘talk, write and eventually recognize people in her own family’.
Reviewers praised the moving book, which in an excerpt described how Kimberly, her father and siblings ‘educated themselves, tried to let go of shame and secrecy, made mistakes, and found unexpected humor and grace in the midst of suffering’.
The mother-of-two is best known for her role in Father of the Bride, where she starred alongside Steve Martin and Diane Keaton as lovestruck Annie – her very first big screen role.
The film proved to be a launchpad for Kimberly’s career, leading to starring roles in a number of films throughout the 1990s, including Indian Summer (1993), Coldblooded (1995), and The War at Home (1996).
From 2001 she became the co-star of According to Jim for a whopping eight years, even directing three episodes herself.
She then added appearances on show Nashville, Boston Legal and Two and a Half Men after According to Jim wrapped in 2009.
Kimberly has been married to country music star Brad Paisley since 2003 and the pair are parents to two children.
The duo are also known for their charity work. The pair have recently founded an initiative called ‘The Store’ to tackle food insecurity.
On their website, the pair explained that the inspiration for the project, which provides basic groceries for those that need them free of charge, began because they wanted to teach their children about global issues.
‘We’ve got to get them into service and get them out of their bubble, and help them understand that there are hungry people in the world,’ Kimberly said.
In 2020, The Store opened up in Nashville, only to be forced to tackle the aftermath of a tornado outbreak as well as the COVID-19 pandemic in the same year.
Their website reads: ‘The Store distinguishes itself by offering a unique shopping experience that upholds the dignity of its customers. Unlike traditional food pantries, The Store invites shoppers to choose their foods from a variety of fresh, healthy options.
‘This model ensures that families have access to meat, dairy, and fresh produce—often hard to find in traditional food assistance programs.’
As reported by PEOPLE, Brad first became smitten with his future wife ten years before he met her, when he watched her Father Of The Bride performance in 2001.
They met in 2001, and and he asked her to star in a music video of his. Before long, sparks were flying, and the couple now have two son together – William, 17, and Jasper, 15.
In 2021, Kimberly told the outlet that and and Brad ‘focus on the laughter and keeping a sense of play.’
‘A lot of married couples would rather do anything but spend the evening together,’ Brad also said. ‘That’s not the case in our house.’
Kimberly had also told PEOPLE how her husband supported her through her mother’s illness, admitting that he had ‘seen her at her worst and handled it so well’.
‘He’s just a team player and helps in the ways he can help,’ she added.
She and Meghan Markle were spotted at the A-list haunt Tre Lune, which has become one of the ultimate celebrity hotspots in recent times.
The quaint ristorante and bar, which is located in Montecito, California, has hosted a slew of stars, including Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker, Ellen DeGeneres, Sofia Richie and Scott Disick.
Meghan Markle had even celebrated her Sussex’s 42nd birthday there. The rustic food spot – which costs around $30 for a main course – is open around the clock for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Unlike some of the more exclusive celebrity hotspots, Tre Lune, which opened its doors in 2003, is open to all members of the public.
Not only does the popular restaurant serve up delicious food for its celebrity guests, but it boasts high standards of wines too, and is a yearly ‘Wine Spectator’ award winner.
The trendy restaurant is a part of the Montesano Group, originally launched by Gene Montesano who also built more of America’s favourite food spots: Lucky Brand Jeans, Lucky’s Steakhouse, Bucatini, to name a few.
The unfussy yet tasteful restaurant has a loyal client base with visitors coming back for more of the authentic Italian cuisine.
The restaurant embodies a classic Italian style, with black and white photos of vintage celebrities lining the walls, according to USA Today.
The menu is also said to highlight various regions of Italy, and each meal is accompanied with a wine pairing suggestion.
For brunch, diners can enjoy a wide-ranging menu, which features healthy twists in a true California style, but it’ll set you back approximately $20 per dish.
Known for her impressive jewellery collection, Meghan Markle wore over £53,200 of glittering accessories on Sunday, even without including the price of the huge £271,000 engagement ring on her finger.
The Duchess appeared to be wearing her Lorraine Schwartz Against Evil Eye Diamond Pave Bracelet, which is thought to ‘protect from the envy of others’.
The bracelet, costing an eye-watering £14,902.41, is crafted from 18-carat white gold, with a total of 23.66 carats blue topaz, 1.86 carats white diamonds and .06 carats black diamonds.
Amongst her other accessories included a reworn £12,800 Cartier necklace, her favourite £17,800 gold Cartier Tank watch and £5,000 Cartier Love Bracelet.
Her Cartier ‘Juste Un Clou’ Collar in Yellow Gold & Diamonds seems to be making a frequent appearance in her wardrobe, as she was seen wearing it at a Vancouver Canucks ice hockey game over the winter with Prince Harry.
Hanging below the Cartier necklace was a stunning pendant with a sweet personal touch.
The £2,039.50 Ariel Golden ‘Imperial disk’ necklace is engraved with her children’s names, Archie and Lilibet.
Meghan finished her look with another designer flourish, wearing the Chanel Ballerina Cap Toe Flats in Beige and Black Lambskin, costing £820, and RayBan sunglasses (her Aviator Classics in gold).
(Source: Daily Mail)