Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are going through a major shift – and it’s led to their telling solo appearances, according to a so-called pal.

In recent weeks, Harry has been away from wife Meghan and their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet after making a string of public appearances in New York, London, as well as Southern Africa. During his travels, Meghan was barely seen, however, she did attend a star-studded gala in aid of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles at the weekend, wearing an eye-popping red gown as she posed for photographers.Several years ago, Meghan once described her and Harry as like “salt and pepper” as they always “move together”. And with this seemingly not happening in recent weeks since their tour of Colombia in August, it has led many to wonder why this might be the case.

According to a source reportedly close to the couple, the reason for the solo appearance is down to a shift in their ventures. The alleged pal told People magazine: “It’s clear that a twin-track approach is evolving.” While alleged another pal added: “The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track.”

“An entrepreneurial and enterprise focus is going to be more the Duchess’s priority and the Duke will continue to champion his not-for-profit patronages. But there will be joint efforts around those cause-driven areas of work.”

And with Meghan’s absence in recent weeks, the friend addressed her staying behind the scenes saying it far from signals a split. They added: “[It’s] as much a reflection on parenting priorities, in that one of them stays behind with the children.”

During Meghan’s outing on Saturday night, she wore a recycled eye-catching red Carolina Herrera gown as she turned up for the star-studded night at the LA Children’s Hospital charity gala. Meghan could be seen posing for photographers on the red carpet as well as chatting to pal Kelly McKee Zajfen.

The solo appearance came after Meghan had laid low for several weeks while her husband Prince Harry has been crisscrossing the world in a string of appearances promoting his own charitable endeavours. And it led to some speculation as to why Meghan had attended the event, especially without Harry.

But on her and Harry’s official website Sussex.com, Meghan’s close connection with the hospital was explained – as was the reason for her attending the charity night.

A write-up of the event on the site said: “This weekend, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex attended the biennial Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) Gala, an inspiring event dedicated to celebrating the exceptional services provided to children across LA. Invited as a special guest by CHLA’s president and CEO, Paul Viviano, The Duchess was proud to stand alongside esteemed guests in support of this vital cause.”It continued: “The Duchess has a long-standing connection with CHLA, having visited the hospital on several occasions to meet with patients and participate in the annual Make March Matter campaign. Her presence at the gala underscored her commitment to advocating for the health and well-being of children around the world.

The evening was a resounding success, reminding us all of the power of community support in improving the lives of those in need. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to CHLA and everyone involved for their dedication and generosity. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families.”