David Foster Addresses Viral Rumors He Snubbed Meghan Markle at Star-Studded Charity Event

David Foster is setting the record straight about viral rumors that he snubbed Meghan Markle at his charity gala over the weekend.

“As the host of the David Foster and Friends foundation event, I had already greeted our friends, the Duke and Duchess, at the entrance 10 minutes before the red carpet encounter,” Foster, 76, told People on Wednesday, August 12. “They both, graciously and selflessly, gave their time and went beyond to engage with everyone. Harry and Meghan are dear friends of mine. Anyone watching can see there was no awkward moment and certainly no snub.”

He went on, “It’s sad that certain media chose to deceive a red carpet encounter for clickbait. They turned simple ‘positioning’ to get the best photo into a hurtful lie.”

Foster spoke out following a social media discourse about an interaction between himself and Meghan, 45, at the 40th anniversary gala for his David Foster Foundation on Friday, August 8. In a video clip circulated online, Foster appears to walk right past Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, on the red carpet without acknowledging them.

Foster and his wife, Katharine McPhee, returned to the royal couple a few moments later to take pictures with them.

Meghan previously shared a behind-the-scenes look at her and Harry’s date night at the charity gala over the weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition to posing for a selfie, Meghan and Harry, 41, also posted a sweet video of themselves greeting members of a bagpipe and drum band backstage.

The duo were among numerous A-list guests at the David Foster Foundation 40th anniversary gala, along with Bill Gates, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, among others. The Times Colonist reported that the fundraiser earned more than $14.5 million in donations after four separate people made $1 million pledges.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been longtime friends of both Foster and his wife, McPhee, 42, as they have supported each other at various events over the years. Meghan and McPhee also attended the same high school.

Friday’s gala was part of a week of festivities to celebrate Foster’s charity, which he founded in 1986 to benefit children in need of life-saving organ transplants. A free concert featuring Foster and friends was held at Victoria’s Inner Harbour on Saturday, August 8.

The gala event was announced in March as a way to bring together the David Foster Foundation’s top donors with children whose lives were saved by their financial contributions.

“From elegant gala experiences and unforgettable musical performances to the beauty of the iconic Inner Harbour, every moment has been thoughtfully designed to celebrate the legacy we have built together — and the countless lives forever changed because of it,” Foster announced via the group’s website at the time.