The last week of celebrity extravaganza, the Met Gala (opens in new tab)!MTV VMAs (opens in new tab)! -we were able to really catch up with some of the stars we haven't seen too much of over the past year. But those who were wondering if Harry and Meghan were going to make an appearance at any or all of the parties, especially since they are now U.S. residents and arguably the two most famous people in the country, may have been disappointed to see them disappear from the festivities.

But the reason was quite lovely: it was Harry's 37th birthday, and the couple reportedly wanted to keep it low-key! Instead, they reportedly opted for a small, family-centered birthday celebration, and the carrot cake for the event was baked by 2-year-old Archie himself (with presumably considerable help from Princess Meghan). How cute

According to the Daily Mail (opens in new tab), sources close to the couple explained their thoughts on staying out of the limelight during this extravagant week:

Considering what is happening in the world, from Afghanistan to Covid they decided to keep it simple. Princess Meghan plans to make a carrot cake with Archie's help and invite Doria and a few close friends as guests." The duo's focus now is to serve, and attending a glamorous event like the MET Gala is a waste of time and energy that could be put to good use for those who are suffering and in need."

It's a plausible reason, especially after the firestorm (open in new tab) that erupted a few weeks ago when Harry attended a polo competition in a private jet amid calls to address climate change. Nor can we blame them for attending something like the Met Gala, as they will inevitably be blasted by the British press. The couple did the same thing for Meghan's 40th birthday last month, spending some quiet time away from the public eye.

But Harry received sweet blessings from Buckingham Palace:

And William and Kate celebrated Harry's 37th birthday without any of the rumored hush-hush:

Of course, the couple was not entirely absent this week, and they Time magazine's "Most Influential People" (open in new tab), with a fitting cover photo. Still, it remains to be seen if Harry and Meghan will be able to break out of their low-key mood in time to accompany Oprah to the Emmy Awards this weekend.