Jenna Bush Hager is weighing in on the viral Instagram dust-up involving Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Meghan Markle. During the Nov. 12 taping of TODAY With Jenna & Friends, the morning show co-anchor called out the quiet disappearance of photos featuring Meghan from Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday celebration — a blink-and-you-miss-it social media move that sparked a fresh wave of royal-meets-reality intrigue.
“What’s so strange is people knew they were there,” Bush Hager said, noting the images — which showed Meghan, 44, posing alongside members of the Kardashian-Jenner family — were posted and then swiftly removed. The moment was brief, but the internet noticed.
What Jenna Bush Hager And Guests Said About The Takedown
Entertainment reporter Rachel Smith suggested on the show that there could be a simple explanation tied to timing and optics. “At first, folks were saying online that maybe it was because Meghan wasn’t rocking the poppy like Prince Harry,” Smith explained, referencing the British remembrance emblem worn to honor members of the armed forces who have died. “Remembrance Day is in the U.K. going on right now… you can see that he’s wearing a poppy. Maybe it was taken down because she wasn’t wearing one.”
Guest co-host Leslie Bibb took a more dismissive view of the controversy, calling it “so trivial,” while Bush Hager added that she doesn’t personally ask friends to remove photos or request pre-approval for posts. “I don’t care enough,” she admitted, underscoring how the etiquette of social-media approval can vary widely among public figures and their circles.
Inside Kris Jenner’s Starry 70th — And Where Meghan & Harry Fit In
Despite the online chatter, those at the party say Meghan and Prince Harry were relaxed and in good spirits. A source told Page Six that Meghan “was glowing in a black wrap-style dress that showed off one leg,” adding that she “looked very glamorous and fit the theme perfectly.” Harry, 41, reportedly wore a tuxedo accented with a remembrance poppy for the November observance, a symbol often seen across the U.K. throughout the month.
The photos’ brief life on Instagram — and their sudden disappearance — fueled a new round of questions about where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand with America’s most famous reality-TV family. While some corners of social media jumped to conclusions, the only certainty is that the images were posted and then removed, and that the move was visible enough to get people talking.
Why The Photos May Have Been Removed, According To Reports
Beyond on-air speculation, a few familiar celebrity-news sources floated potential reasons. DeuxMoi tips suggested the poppy may have been a factor if Meghan opted not to wear one while Harry did, a nuance that could read differently in the U.S. than it does in the U.K. during Remembrance season.
Meanwhile, Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop reported that Meghan and Harry personally requested the removal of any “unapproved” images from the celebration, with a source claiming the couple “were polite but firm — nothing goes online without their sign-off.” The report also framed the decision around brand management: “They’ve built their brand on control, and they weren’t about to let a Kardashian post ruin that.”
As for the Kardashians’ side, the same report suggested the family wasn’t thrilled about being told what to do with their feeds. “Kris doesn’t like being told what to do — especially not by royals who live in Montecito,” the insider alleged, adding that the momager’s stance was essentially: if strict control is required, it won’t be happening on her guest list.
It’s important to note that none of the involved parties have publicly commented on the reason for the takedown, and the varying accounts reflect the rumor-mill nature of celebrity social media. Still, with the Kardashians’ platforms and the Sussexes’ global profile intersecting, even a routine post-and-delete becomes headline fuel.
Social Media Etiquette Meets Public-Image Strategy
Whether the missing poppy, an approval protocol, or something else entirely triggered the deletion, the moment underscores how carefully curated high-profile feeds have become. For most viewers, party photos are just party photos. For celebrity brands with overlapping audiences — and very different playbooks — a single image can carry unexpected optics across continents.
That tension was front and center in Bush Hager’s candid reaction. The TODAY host contrasted her own low-key approach to posting with the increasingly common practice of sign-offs and strict permissions in celebrity circles. Bibb’s “trivial” comment also reflected a broad fatigue toward micro-scandals that can overshadow otherwise celebratory nights.
Still, the context matters. Remembrance symbols have deep cultural significance in the U.K., and November appearances are often scrutinized for both royals and public figures. Similarly, the Kardashian-Jenner family are seasoned architects of digital conversation; what appears on their feeds — and what doesn’t — rarely happens by accident.
For now, the short-lived images from Kris Jenner’s 70th remain a curiosity, a reminder that the crossover between royal intrigue and reality TV culture can transform fleeting posts into lasting talking points. As Bush Hager put it, people noticed. And in the era of screenshots, even disappearing photos tend to stick around in the discourse long after they’re gone from the grid.
