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Why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry did not attend Lady Kitty Spencer's wedding

The Sussexes are close with Princess Diana's family

sussexes lady kitty spencer
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
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Lady Kitty Spencer tied the knot with businessman Michael Lewis in Rome on Saturday afternoon, and there were a number of high-profile guests in attendance, including Pixie Lott, Viscountess Emma Weymouth and Sabrina Elba.

MORE: Princess Diana's niece Kitty Spencer's Italian wedding - guests, dress and more

However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, first cousins of the bride, were not among the attendees at the high society wedding.

WATCH: Kitty and Matthew celebrated their wedding at the Villa Aldobrandini

Given the fact that the couple have two young children, Archie, two, and one-month-old Lilibet, the flight from California to Italy might understandably be too far at this stage. The couple also revealed prior to Lilibet's birth that they were taking a long parental leave, no doubt to focus on their new family of four.

READ: Princess Diana's niece Kitty Spencer's Italian wedding - guests, dress and more LIVE UPDATES

Prince Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties.

meghan markle and archie© Photo: Getty Images

The couple live in Santa Barbara with their two children

The Duke was reunited with his late mother's siblings, Charles Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes at Princess Diana's statue unveiling at Kensington Palace earlier this month. 

Lady Kitty is the eldest child of Charles Spencer, and his former wife, Victoria Aitken.

She attended Harry and Meghan's wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor in May 2018, alongside her siblings, Eliza and Louis, and their mother.

Her appearance at the royal wedding catapulted Lady Kitty to the top of almost every best-dressed list as she wore a stunning hand-painted green Dolce & Gabbana dress. Her Instagram following also skyrocketed from 37,000 to a whopping half a million overnight. 

MORE: Inside Princess Diana's niece Kitty Spencer's pre-wedding party

MORE: Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may choose to have a royal christening for baby Lilibet in Windsor

spencers royal wedding 2018© Photo: Getty Images

Lady Kitty attended Harry and Meghan's wedding with her siblings and mother

Lady Kitty reportedly had to delay her own nuptials to Michael due to the pandemic, after they got engaged in 2019.

On the topic of the future, she told Town & Country magazine in May: "I just look forward to a really happy home life; a happy marriage and happy children. And I feel very at peace that things play out the way they should."

Lady Kitty's younger sister, Lady Amelia, also announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend, Greg Mallett last year. In June, the couple revealed they would be moving from Cape Town to the UK.

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