Meghan Markle Steps Out in Strapless Black-and-White Dress for Pre-Birthday Dinner with Prince Harry

Meghan Markle made a style statement in a classic pattern during her latest outing with Prince Harry.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, joined by a friend, stepped out for dinner at Tre Lune in Montecito, California on Wednesday night.

“From what I gathered, they enjoyed their food and had a nice time,” a source tells PEOPLE.

The night out may have served as an early birthday dinner for Meghan, who turned 42 on Friday.

Meghan Markle.

Lightworkers

The Duchess of Sussex opted for a summer-ready black-and-white striped dress by POSSE. The Theo Strapless Dress “has a strapless silhouette that’s both elegant and timeless. It’s patterned with classic bone and black stripes and is designed for a close, figure-hugging fit,” according to the website. The dress, which retails for $239, is currently available for pre-order.

The Italian restaurant is known for attracting celebrities such as Kevin Costner, Kenny Loggins and Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker (who may have crossed paths with Meghan and Harry during the night out — the Blink-182 drummer posted a photo on his Instagram story from inside the restaurant on Wednesday, showing his and Kourtney’s names on a small chair mounted to the wall).

Restaurant manager Leslee Garafalo previously told the Santa Barbara Independent, “We have close to 300 chairs on the wall for our customers who love eating here and who’ve been eating here for years. We like to thank our customers, and they get a kick out of it.”

Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan moved to her home state in 2020 after stepping back as senior members of the royal family.

While Prince Harry is often seen at the beach in Montecito and Meghan has been spotted at local markets, the couple mostly keep to themselves. A friend tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, “They’re not into a big scene. They prefer smaller group hangouts at home, karaoke, that sort of thing.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

Lightworkers

The couple regularly gets pizza takeout from nearby Bettina (a favorite spot of celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Catherine Reitman), and the friend adds that Prince Harry is a “beer and steak-and-potatoes kind of dude.”

Some locals wish the couple would more fully engage with the Montecito community, which counts Oprah, Katy Perry and Jeff Bridges as residents. “Quite a lot of people are very protective of them,” says Montecito Journal columnist and resident Richard Mineards, while others are “grumbling” about a noticeable uptick in paparazzi.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2023.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

The couple are also focused on their life as parents to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

A California source tells PEOPLE exclusively that after stepping back from their royal roles, Meghan “just wants to focus on their kids and their life in Montecito.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex “are very united when it comes to family values and how to raise their kids. They are both great parents,” the source adds. “Their kids are their world.”

The couple’s “goal,” says a source, is for Archie, 4, and Lili, 2, to “have a normal life as much as possible.”

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Meghan’s birthday will likely be highlighted by family time with Prince Harry and their kids — and maybe a cake, like they had for Lili last year!

While Meghan doesn’t typically celebrate her birthday publicly, she marked her milestone 40th birthday in 2021 by announcing her 40×40 initiative, encouraging people to commit 40 minutes of their time to support women returning to work. The announcement came with the help of Melissa McCarthy over a video call — and toward the end of the clip, Prince Harry made a surprise appearance showing off his juggling skills!

Meghan was also spotted on her 37th birthday in 2018 when she joined Prince Harry at the wedding of his friend Charlie van Straubenzee.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education