‘Isn’t it past your bedtime?’: Meghan jokes with little boy about staying up so late during solo trip to Children’s Hospital gala without Prince Harry before revealing resemblance to Archie and Lilibet

This is the sweet moment Meghan Markle told a young boy ‘it’s past your bedtime’ as she made a solo appearance at the LA Children’s Hospital gala.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, greeted young fans last night as she attended the event in downtown Los Angeles without her husband Prince Harry.

It is believed the Duke is still on his solo tour of South Africa, after a short trip to Britain in recent weeks, also without Meghan.

Sweet footage shows the Duchess greeting a family at last night’s event, before joking to a little boy about being up so late.

“It’s definitely bedtime,” Megan said as she addressed the child, who was being held by his mother.

She added: ‘How old are they? Oh so close to our children. Three and five.’

The Duchess turned heads when she re-wore a revealing red Carolina Herrera dress at the children’s event.

Meghan previously wore the stunning dress to a 2021 gala in New York City to celebrate the military on the eve of Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Britain.

Sweet footage shows Meghan Markle greeting a family at last night’s event before joking to a little boy about being up so late

“It’s definitely bedtime,” Megan says as she addresses the young child

The Duchess of Sussex turned heads last night when she re-wore a revealing red Carolina Herrera dress to the LA Children’s Hospital gala

Meghan with her friend Kelly McKee at last night’s event in downtown Los Angeles

Meghan and Kelly held hands as they posed for photos at the children’s event last night

Meghan poses for photos with Paul Viviano, CHLA president, at the event last night

Meghan laughs with Mr. Viviano, CHLA president, at the children’s gala on Saturday evening

Meghan, 43, spent last night greeting young fans as she attended the event in downtown Los Angeles

Markle was spotted greeting a young fan at the LA Children’s Hospital gala on Saturday night

Prince Harry will attend a Sentebale reception and panel discussion at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg on October 3

She greeted the young fans before preparing for a star-studded evening with a performance by Demi Lovato and appearances by presenters Kaley Cuoco, Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Hanks.

It comes after Harry and Meghan made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks.

The Duke has appeared at 10 solo appearances without his wife in the past 15 days as he embarks on a ‘quasi-royal tour’ of three countries including New York, London and Lesotho.

It has also been reported that Meghan had to leave a charity event she was due to attend with Prince Harry because she was ‘sick’.

And when Prince Harry was messing around with host Jimmy Fallon in New York, movie star George Clooney – a guest at his wedding in 2018 – was hosting a humanitarian awards ceremony in the Big Apple – and Harry was noticeably absent.

The Duchess attended the event on the LA Live event deck in downtown Los Angeles, while her husband, Prince Harry, spent the night of his 40th birthday walking with some friends.

Markle, 43, previously wore the stunning dress to a 2021 gala in New York City celebrating the military on the eve of Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Britain

The couple have made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks

Meghan has reportedly become frustrated with Harry’s court battles in Britain over his right to security

The last time Meghan was seen was the day before Harry’s birthday and she barely stayed at their Montecito home earlier this year as he reportedly ‘wandered around’ at a local cafe by himself.

Last year it was claimed the couple were spending extended periods apart, but this was denied by sources close to them. It was said that like any couple, they had their differences but remained strong.

But Meghan has reportedly grown frustrated with Harry’s court battles in Britain over his right to security.

It has also been reported that the couple have had a disagreement over how to raise their children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.

Harry did not want the children to be seen in public in case they were photographed, but Meghan would apparently prefer to have them attend more local events, a source told The Sun.

Prince Harry has gone solo from New York to London to Lesotho, where he has made several speaking engagements at awards ceremonies and charity panels and summits

Meghan and Harry in Colombia in August when they visited the country as representatives of their Archewell Foundation

Some now believe the new ‘solo Harry’ is the Duke’s own idea as he tries to rebuild his image.

“I hear that’s how he wanted it,” a well-placed Californian source told DailyMail. “I think he wants space.”

Others said the Duke and Duchess had different goals.

“The Duke and Duchess are now on the right track as individuals, not just as a couple,” says an insider told People.

‘The Duke seems focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess on her entrepreneurial track.

“But there will be concerted efforts around those purpose-driven work areas.”

Some say the Duke and Duchess are focusing on their own ambitions

Others now believe the new ‘solo Harry’ is the Duke’s own idea as he tries to rebuild his image

Another London insider gave a slightly different explanation, saying: ‘This definitely feels like he’s taking his game to the next level to cement his position as a serious player on the international stage.

‘He has always been desperate to be taken seriously and people I know say his fall from grace will really get to him.’

Still, the source added, “It’s a surprise that he went to Lesotho without Meghan. There may be a good reason she can’t leave the kids alone, but she’s never been to Lesotho and that amazes me – it’s like a second home [to Harry].

“He first went there as a teenager and the royal family there is like his second family.”

They are so close that Harry and Prince Seeiso, the younger brother of the king of Lesotho with whom he founded the Sentebale charity, call each other ‘brother’.

“Sentebale is such a big part of his life that you would think he would want to share it,” the source said.