Hollywood just witnessed a royal-level meltdown — and it all started with a birthday present gone horribly wrong. Sources close to Meghan Markle reveal that the Duchess of Sussex was “absolutely fuming” after Hollywood icon Robert De Niro publicly rejected the luxury gift she sent him for his 82nd birthday.
According to insiders, Meghan had arranged for a handcrafted royal-themed keepsake, worth several thousand dollars, to be delivered to De Niro’s Manhattan penthouse ahead of his private birthday dinner. The gift, reportedly engraved with the words “To a true legend — with admiration, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex”, was meant to be a “classy nod” from one icon to another.
But things didn’t go as planned. During the star-studded gathering, witnesses claim De Niro glanced at the gift, chuckled, and handed it straight to his assistant — saying coldly, “I don’t need royal approval to feel important.”
The remark reportedly sent a hush across the room. One guest described the moment as “icy,” saying, “You could feel everyone’s discomfort. No one knew whether to laugh or look away.”
When word reached Meghan, insiders say she was “mortified and enraged”. One friend allegedly told The Sun Online, “She was trying to be respectful, to extend a gesture of goodwill. But to have it thrown back like that? She was livid.”
De Niro, however, seems unapologetic. A source close to the actor told Page Six, “Bob doesn’t play the celebrity game. He’s not impressed by titles or PR moves — especially not from people trying to stay relevant.”
Within hours, social media exploded with hashtags like #DeNiroVsMeghan and #RoyalGiftFail, as fans took sides. Some praised De Niro for his “no-nonsense attitude,” while others accused him of being “needlessly rude” to someone who was “just showing admiration.”
Meanwhile, insiders claim Meghan’s team is now “in full spin mode”, desperate to control the damage before it overshadows her upcoming projects. Prince Harry, caught in the middle once again, is said to be urging his wife to “let it go,” but friends say she feels “deeply humiliated.”
As one Hollywood source bluntly put it, “Meghan thought she was extending an olive branch to a legend — instead, she got burned. And knowing her, she won’t forget this.”
