Kelly Rowland appears to forget meeting Meghan Markle in 2014 and  claims the Beyoncé concert in LA this summer was the ‘first time’ she crossed paths with the ‘warm’ Duchess

Kelly Rowland has gushed about her ‘warm’ new friend Meghan Markle after the couple met for the ‘first time’ at a Beyoncé concert in LA this summer.

But it appears the Destiny’s Child pop superstar, 42, has a short memory – because a photo suggests she actually met the Duchess of Sussex, also 42, less than 10 years ago.

The snap from 2014 shows the pair at New York Fashion Week with journalist, stylist and producer Joe Zee, smiling as they stand on either side of him. 

The photo appears to have been posted on Meghan’s lifestyle blog, The Tig, as well as her now-defunct Instagram account. 

She tagged the post with ‘NYFW’ and ‘grateful’, as well as tagging Kelly Rowland – meaning the Destiny’s Child star would have received a notification.

Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, 42, has described Meghan as ‘warm’ when she met the Duchess at a Beyoncé concert in LA this summer for the ‘first time’ – however the pop superstar appears to have a short memory. (pictured with Kerry Washington)

Apparently forgetting this meeting less than a decade ago, Kelly, 42, told Hello! Magazine her evening with Meghan and Kerry Washington at the Beyoncé Renaissance tour was the first time they had met.

‘It was my first time meeting her,’ the singer told the magazine, adding that the Duchess was ‘warm’ and ‘down to earth’.

Kelly said of the Duchess: ‘She was royal before she was in that family. I think that we are royalty before anything. And we have to hold ourselves in that regard as humans, as people.’

Also present in the photo from the Beyonce gig was actress Kerry Washington – who does seem to remember her earlier meetings with the Duchess.

A photo posted on Meghan’s now defunct Instagram account and on her old lifestyle blog The Tig shows her posing with Kelly Rowland and journalist, stylist and producer Joe Zee at New York Fashion Week in 2014

One photo dating back to 2013 shows Meghan posing with Kerry Washington at a party in New York City.

The event, which is believed to have been in celebration of actor Kerry appearing on the cover of Elle magazine, took place at Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria.

At that time, she was playing the starring role of Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal – a performance that saw her nominated for a Golden Globe and two Emmys.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle played the role of Rachel Zane in legal drama Suits, which she joined in 2011 for the pilot episode.

While Kerry’s performance won praise from the critics, it also struck a chord with Meghan, who praised the star in a 2016 interview.

During the chat, Meghan was asked to reveal her ‘ultimate talent crush’, to which the Suits actor responded: ‘Kerry Washington. She’s amazing.’

Responding to Meghan’s kind words two years later, during a 2018 interview ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, Kerry said: ‘That’s amazing.

‘She’s so beautiful and so talented, and I’m so very happy for her. I’m thrilled for the opportunities that lay ahead for her…I’m so happy for her because marriage rocks, so welcome to the club, girl!’

Kerry admitted that her mother had woken her up early as a small child to watch the royal wedding between the then-Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, so revealed that she ‘probably would tune in’ to the upcoming royal nuptials.

The acquaintance between the two women appears to have continued, with Kerry pledging to take part in Meghan’s 2021 scheme that she launched to celebrate her 40th birthday, 40×40.

For the scheme, Meghan asked 40 celebrities to participate in the initiative which aimed to encourage people around the world to commit to giving 40 minutes of their time to support women going back to work.

While details of how the project has progressed do not appear to have emerged, Kerry Washington was one of the high profile women signing up to take part.

The actor took to Instagram that year to send the royal her best wishes, and to discuss the project.

In her post, she wrote: ‘Happy Birthday to…beautiful…Meghan Markle.

‘On her 40th birthday, I will be joining The Duchess of Sussex by donating 40 minutes of service to grassroots organizers and organizations on the ground fighting for change. Fighting for our democracy. Fighting for our rights and our voices to be heard as we re-enter into the workforce and a new election season.

‘If you are able, please join us today and pledge 40 minutes to community service or mentorship. Together, we can contribute to a global wave of compassion and positive change.’