Meghan Markle’s Former Friend Jessica Mulroney Splits from Husband, Son of Canada’s Former Prime Minister: Report

NEED TO KNOW

• Jessica and Ben Mulroney have reportedly split after 16 years of marriage

• Jessica, a former stylist and TV personality, was once one of Meghan Markle’s closest friends, attending her royal wedding and the New York baby shower ahead of Archie’s birth

• Ben is a longtime Canadian TV and radio host and the son of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

Jessica Mulroney — once a close friend of Meghan Markle and a key figure in her 2018 royal wedding to Prince Harry — has reportedly split from her husband, Ben Mulroney, the eldest son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Sources tell Page Six that the Canadian stylist, 45, is no longer wearing her wedding ring and shared news of the separation from her husband, a radio and television host, with friends while attending a wedding solo in Toronto last month.

"They’re split. Jessica seemed sad, but also relieved to have some clarity," a source told the outlet.

Another insider added that the couple separated "some time ago."

A representative for Jessica has yet to respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The couple have been married for 16 years and share three children — all of whom had roles in Meghan's royal wedding.

Meghan and Jessica haven’t been seen publicly together in years — a notable shift from their once-close friendship.

Their reported falling-out traces back to June 2020, when Canadian lifestyle influencer Sasha Exeter publicly accused Jessica of exhibiting “textbook white privilege” and “very problematic behavior and antics” after Exeter posted a call to action in support of Black Lives Matter. Jessica initially apologized in a comment on Exeter’s video. But tensions escalated when Exeter later shared a private message from Jessica, who allegedly alluded to taking legal action for libel.

In the wake of the controversy, Jessica’s television show I Do, Redo was pulled by Canadian network CTV, and she announced she was “stepping away” from professional commitments, including regular appearances on Good Morning America.

Jessica seemingly addressed rumors that she and Meghan had grown apart amid the scandal, posting on her Instagram Stories in September 2020: "I’m going to tell this once and for all. Meghan and I are family. She is the kindest friend and has checked up on me everyday. Tabloid culture is atrocious. It creates lies and hurtful storyline. Stop feeding into it. Done."

However, Meghan and Jessica haven’t been seen together — or featured on each other’s social media, once a regular occurrence — and Jessica was notably absent from Meghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which featured several of her close friends.

It’s a stark contrast to the closeness they once shared. At Meghan’s 2018 royal wedding, Jessica’s twin sons, Brian and John — now 14 — helped carry the Duchess of Sussex’s dramatic veil down the aisle and even rode with her to St. George’s Chapel.

Their daughter Ivy, now 12, also had a memorable role: as the young bridal party passed the couple at the altar, Meghan handed her bouquet to Ivy.

At the time a longtime friend of Meghan’s, Jessica was widely regarded as her “unofficial maid of honor” at the royal wedding.

Eva Hartling, vice president of Birks at the Birks Group (Meghan’s go-to jeweler), pointed out to PEOPLE that Jessica “was dressed in blue and wearing blue sapphire earrings, so it was almost that she acted as [Meghan’s] 'something blue.' "

"The children were officially her bridesmaids, but she made sure that Jessica was sitting in that first seat closest to where Harry and Meghan were standing,” Hartling added at the time.

Jessica also attended Meghan’s star-studded baby shower in New York City while the Duchess was pregnant with her son, Prince Archie, now 6. She was photographed arriving and leaving The Mark Hotel alongside guests like Gayle King, Amal Clooney, Serena Williams and Abigail Spencer.

Meghan later said in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, "My girlfriends threw a baby shower for me, and one of the things we did was learn flower arranging."

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Meghan and Jessica were friends for years before the Duchess of Sussex met Prince Harry and frequently appeared on each other's Instagram pages, from supporting the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team to traveling abroad together.

Jessica also styled Meghan's character on Suits and reportedly helped with wardrobe choices as the Duchess of Sussex became part of the royal family.

In October 2020, Jessica appeared to reference the fallout from the controversy when she posted an Instagram photo of herself kissing Ben.

"After a few rough months, something to FINALLY celebrate," she captioned the post. "Thank you for being by my side, Benny. Thank you to our true friends for sticking by us. We could have never made it without you. Silver lining: you finally know who the a------- are. Pardon my French."

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