What Meghan Markle's Ex-BFF Jessica Mulroney Is Doing Today
Back in 2018, almost everyone was curious about Jessica Mulroney, the woman who not only styled Meghan Markle when she was dating Prince Harry, but who also was her best friend. Mulroney was even by Meghan's side at the royal wedding, and because of her friendship with the couple, went on to have her own life thrust into the spotlight.
At the time, Mulroney wasn't just a celebrity stylist, but a bridal consultant for the Canadian branch of Kleinfeld's, as well as a style contributor for TV shows and magazines. She became a well-known fashion influencer and hosted the Canadian wedding reality series, "I Do, Redo." "I have, like, 10 jobs. People don't know that I work so much on the back end of things ... My business is with brands," Mulroney told Harper's Bazaar.
That all came crashing down in 2020 when Mulroney entered into a feud with lifestyle blogger Sasha Exeter, after Mulroney allegedly took offense to Exeter's post about influencers not speaking out on the Black Lives Matter movement. She allegedly threatened to go to Exeters's sponsors. In response, Exeter explained on Instagram, "[Mulroney] is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power, and privilege because of the color of her skin ... [that] gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood."
While Mulroney apologized, she basically got canceled and lost a ton of work. So what has Mulroney been up to since then? Let's break down what Meghan's ex-BFF is doing today.
Jessica Mulroney is no longer friends with Meghan Markle
You probably could have guessed from the headline that Jessica Mulroney is no longer best friends with Meghan Markle. The two had once been super close after meeting around 2011 when Meghan moved to Mulroney's native Canada to film "Suits." They then were seemingly inseparable, with Meghan frequently posting about their adventures on her old blog, The Tig. Mulroney was also who Meghan reportedly turned to for both fashion advice and emotional support when she began dating Prince Harry.
While it's unclear what exactly led to their friendship's demise, many have speculated that Meghan distanced herself from Mulroney after her white privilege scandal in 2020. Meghan reportedly wasn't only embarrassed by it but thought Mulroney was benefiting too much from Meghan's fame. Mulroney initially denied there was tension though, and even came to Meghan's defense when she was getting bad press.
However, in 2021, Mulroney started to hint that she and Meghan didn't have a relationship anymore by posting cryptic quotes on Instagram about losing friends. Then in 2022, around the same time Meghan and Prince Harry's Netflix docu-series came out, Mulroney apparently threw shade their way after not being asked to participate in it. She posted, (via Page Six), "Best thing I ever did was learn how to move without the crowd." If that's not obvious enough that they're through, in September 2023, Mulroney also shared on her Instagram Story, "As loving as I am, my detachment game is strong too."
Jessica Mulroney has continued to work in fashion
Jessica Mulroney may have lost a lot of jobs after her 2020 scandal, but she's managed to continue to work in fashion. From the looks of her Instagram, she's apparently done that as a style influencer, since she often shares photos and videos of her outfits, tagging her favorite designers. She's also asked her 401K followers to help her choose her looks for certain events, and for their opinions on her clothes in the comments. Mulroney has seemingly found a way to make money off that too, considering that she's partnered with different clothing brands like Revolve and Aritzia.
Yet, Mulroney's fashion isn't just for social media, because in September 2023, she suggested that she was involved with The Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards. In a slideshow that she posted of her wearing different dresses, she wrote, "There is so much talent in this country and I thank you for always making me feel beautiful in your designs." Before that, she also shared her looks for a fashion editorial that she did in Italy, which presumably is for a publication.
Mulroney doesn't just pick out her own outfits though, because she apparently still works as a stylist too, for weddings and Hollywood events. In August 2023, she shared a reel of herself at work, writing in the caption, "As a stylist, I don't think anyone has ever dressed less stylish than me while I work. Oscar red carpet in jeans ... winning moment."
The style contributor spends time with her kids
These days, Jessica Mulroney is seemingly very into spending time with her three children. The former TV host and her husband, Ben Mulroney, share twin sons, John and Bryan, and daughter, Ivy. Mulroney often posts about her family on her Instagram, like in July 2023, when she shared that they took a family vacation to Italy. Mulroney apparently loved being away with them so much that she struggled when they returned to their normal, busy life. She admitted, "Just a mom reminiscing of time spent with her kids this summer now that they are at camp. Totally not crying at all."
You could say that Mulroney's kids got a taste of their mom's spotlight when they, too, had a big role in her former friend, Meghan Markle's 2018 royal wedding to Prince Harry. John and Bryan had served as page boys, while Ivy was a bridesmaid. Mulroney later shared how "proud" she was of them for how they handled it.
While Mulroney has recently written on Instagram, "I feel like the luckiest mom in the world," she had to learn how to balance motherhood with her career and social life. She once told Harper's Bazaar, "My social life has really taken a little beating ... I just wanna be home with the kids."
The bridal consultant gives workout tips
Jessica Mulroney also has become somewhat of a fitness guru. The bridal consultant appears to be super into exercising, frequently posting videos of her workouts on Instagram. However, she's not just showing off, since a lot of her followers are apparently interested in her fitness content. Mulroney even gives them tips on what moves target which areas of the body, but most importantly, she motivates her fans. In the caption of one of her workout posts, for example, she wrote, "It's killer but you'll see results quickly. Share it but more importantly, do it."
From the looks of Mulroney's fitness routine, she does a lot of sculpting exercises with equipment like sliders and bands. Many times, she also works out with personal trainer Paula Ryff who used to be a professional ballet dancer. While a trainer probably serves as great encouragement, Mulroney has also said that she relies on having enough protein in her diet to keep her energy up.
Nevertheless, it's not always easy for a working mother-of-three to have time for fitness, which is why Mulroney told Best Health that she usually goes for shorter workouts that make a big impact. Yet, she doesn't worry if she has to skip sometimes either. Mulroney also focuses on how exercising helps the other areas of her life, too. She explained, "Having a healthy lifestyle has given me better sleep and more energy to be at my best for my family, friends, and work."
Jessica Mulroney returned to London
When Jessica Mulroney was still friends with Meghan Markle, it seemed that every trip she made to London, England made the news. In 2018, for example, she was photographed arriving at Heathrow Airport for Meghan and Prince Harry's royal wedding. That next year, it was widely reported that Mulroney returned to the city to visit their then-new baby, Archie. While years have passed since Mulroney's travels involved the royals, she did make headlines in April 2023 for finally going back to London again.
Although it's unclear exactly why Mulroney was in London then, there was speculation that she was there to attend King Charles III coronation, because she arrived just a few days before the event. Meghan didn't attend the coronation, but her husband did. Although Mulroney presumably isn't close with Prince Harry anymore either, she could have made her own royal connections when she was friends with the couple. You could say that Mulroney even has more in common with some of the royal family now because they all seemingly feel somewhat slighted by Meghan.
Nonetheless, Mulroney wasn't spotted at the coronation, but the paparazzi did get photos of her out at several London hotspots. Mulroney also shared her own photos of her visits to tourist destinations. She later posted about the outfits that she wore there too, and made it clear in the caption that the city still holds a special place in her heart, by writing, "London I love you."
Jessica Mulroney sought treatment for her mental health
Jessica Mulroney is finally in a good place after she seemingly hit a low both professionally and personally following her 2020 scandal. As mentioned, Mulroney lost most of her jobs, as well as some friends, following her online feud with blogger Sasha Exeter. After that, Mulroney said she had to do a lot of work on her mental health to feel "happy again." In a now-deleted Instagram post, Mulroney revealed in August 2021, (via Page Six), "[I] never thought I'd have to go through intense treatment the way I did this year."
Mulroney went on to use her experience to give others hope, adding that for her that meant doing therapy and becoming sober. While it's unclear if Mulroney is still in therapy or has continued to abstain from drinking alcohol, she did give her Instagram followers a reminder to check in on their mental health in January 2022. That's because, per Daily Mail, in another now-deleted post, she shared, "The past can lead to depression, the future can lead to anxiety, so try to live in the present."
However, Mulroney didn't just start talking about her mental health because she got canceled. It was something that she had opened up about in the past since she's dealt with anxiety and panic attacks. In a 2018 post about it, she explained, "I used to be so ashamed and embarrassed ... I realized addressing it and talking about it helped in my recovery."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
The I Do, Redo host is finally returning to TV
Jessica Mulroney has suggested that she is finally returning to TV in the near future after she got fired from "Good Morning America" and Canada's CTV. Back in 2018, Mulroney joined "GMA" as a fashion contributor after wowing the world at the royal wedding. Mulroney later landed a hosting gig in her native Canada with the 2020 wedding reality show, "I Do, Redo," but lost both jobs following her online feud with Sasha Exeter.
However, in June 2023, Mulroney indicated on Instagram that she could be returning to TV in some capacity involving weddings. That's because she shared a clip of herself on "GMA" of when she surprised a bride and groom with their dream wedding. She wrote in the caption, "Finally, I'm getting back into the game ... Coming to a screen near you," even giving "GMA" host Michael Strahan a shoutout too.
Many of Mulroney's fans expressed their excitement over her coming back to TV. In the comments, one of her followers wrote, "Welcome back!!! I loved your segments and can't wait." It appears that Mulroney took note of how much her fans were into her "GMA" appearances, since in September 2023, she shared another segment that she did on the show with host Robin Roberts. While there seemingly hasn't been an official announcement as to what Mulroney is going to do on TV, fans are clearly ready to watch her on-screen again.
The former GMA correspondent is promoting her charity again
Jessica Mulroney could now be working with her charity once again. Mulroney founded The Shoebox Project for Women back in 2011 as a way for her and her sisters-in-law, Caroline, Vanessa, and Katy Mulroney, to help homeless women. They did so initially by encouraging friends to put gifts in shoeboxes for those less fortunate during the holidays. That eventually took off though, with Mulroney bringing more attention to it during the height of her fame. However, like most of Mulroney's past endeavors, her work with The Shoebox Project was impacted by her 2020 scandal.
Mulroney ended up making the decision to resign from the charity's board of directors in 2020, presumably so the foundation wouldn't be entangled with all the bad press she was getting at the time. "[Jessica] has dedicated herself to its growth and success over the years, for which we are very grateful," The Shoebox Project said in a statement (via Page Six).
However, in June 2022, Mulroney implied on Instagram that she's once more involved with The Shoebox Project, or that at the very least, she now feels she can publicly support them again. That's because she shared a post of herself attending an event for the charity, and raved about their team in the caption. She also wrote, "I can't believe it has been 10 years for the @shoeboxproject. I am so proud of what we built in a relatively short time."
The fashionista is still going strong with husband Ben Mulroney
If one thing is for sure, it's that Jessica Mulroney is still very in love with her husband Ben Mulroney and they're still going strong. Jessica made that evident in a December 2022 post on Instagram, which showed them kissing and laughing together. She captioned it, "14 years and still best friends." More recently in May 2023, Mulroney shared a video of her husband when they were stuck in traffic, teasing him in the caption. That was another strong indication that they're still very playful with each other, and find ways to keep their marriage fun.
Jessica and Ben have been together for a long time too, having met when they were just teenagers. Ben told Streets of Toronto that he knew halfway through their first date that he was going to one day marry her. While later starting a family with Jessica brought him joy, Ben emphasized the importance of alone time with her. "Having a true and real conversation with the person you love never hurts," he said.
It's also worth mentioning that while scandals often tear couples apart, Jessica's 2020 cancellation seemed to bring them closer together because Ben stood by her side. He even wrote a loving tribute to her on Instagram a year later, gushing, "No one gives me more joy or fills me with more pride or stirs in me more passion or embraces me with more love than this woman."
Jessica Mulroney appears to be over the drama
Jessica Mulroney was still making headlines in September 2023 for her falling out with her former friend Meghan Markle, which had happened several years earlier. For instance, The Mirror reported that Meghan was very worried that Mulroney would publicly speak out about their past together. However, it seems that Mulroney is actually over all the talk about her and Meghan's past friendship ending, and probably just wants to move on with her life without her.
In March 2023, for instance, she suggested in a now-deleted Instagram post about her birthday that she rather focus on the people who are in her life now. "I wanted to celebrate some of the women that have loved and stood by me unconditionally," she wrote (via Daily Mail).
Months before that in January 2023, Mulroney might have indicated that she doesn't have any ill will toward Meghan or Prince Harry when she posted a photo of herself and some friends from their 2018 wedding. She also turned off the comments on that post, which suggested that she didn't want to deal with any drama.
All in all, Mulroney has been through a lot over the past few years but has seemingly found her footing again and has rebuilt her life post-scandal. Hopefully, Mulroney can even eventually be once again known for her own achievements, and not just for the feuds she's had with other women.