It seems that for some celebrities, distancing themselves from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has become something of a trend. David and Victoria Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, and even their Montecito neighbors like Cameron Diaz have seemingly taken a step back from the royal couple amidst the ongoing feud within the British royal family and their expansion into lifestyle brands and Netflix specials. However, one A-list friendship that the two thought was in the clear is now facing similar challenges — but it doesn’t have anything to do with Prince Harry or Markle personally.
John Travolta, the Saturday Night Fever star who got down on the dance floor with Princess Diana back in 1985, hasn’t been responding to the Sussexes’ invitations as of late. This has left the two feeling somewhat puzzled, especially given Travolta’s well-known connection to Princess Di and the fact that he presented an award to Prince Harry earlier this year.
In January 2024, Prince Harry received the Living Legend award at the 21st annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards, with John Travolta, a pilot himself, presenting the honor. This is why Prince Harry and Markle are even more confused he hasn’t been returning their calls. “Meghan and Harry still count John as a close friend, but it’s disappointing to them that they’re not getting to see him as often as they hoped. After John presented the award to Harry at the aviation awards, they hoped they’d be able to connect with him more. They had all these plans to involve him in Meghan’s brand launch, and they’ve sent him countless dinner invites but so far, he’s been pretty unreceptive,” a source told Closer Online.
Despite the Sussexes’ efforts to connect with Travolta, the 70-year-old actor — who has reportedly begun distancing himself from Scientology — has kept a low profile. As one insider put it, “He still likes them and has never said a bad word, but at the end of the day he’s a 70-year-old man who prefers to stay at home. He’s actually a very shy and private person who prefers to spend his time with his kids and a small handful of his close friends. He almost never goes out so it’s nothing personal against Meghan and Harry, he’s politely just doing his own thing.”
Even though it is totally fair for Travolta to do his own thing, this reality of losing yet another member of their inner circle has been somewhat difficult for Prince Harry and Markle to accept. “They’re struggling not to get their feelings hurt and the irony isn’t lost on them that Tom Cruise is now throwing himself at the royals. They’d really hoped that John would be in their corner,” shared another source. “It would have been the perfect way to prove that they’re just as in with the Hollywood A-list crown as the royals are. What’s even worse is they could see him getting reeled in by William who’s clearly hell bent on one-upping them.”
So, while the Sussexes navigate the shifting tides of their inner circle, they might need to accept that Travolta’s retreat to a quieter life isn’t a personal snub but a natural progression of life.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
