Meghan Markle Steps Out in Santa Barbara amid Royal Book Controversy Wearing Bracelet from King Charles

Prince Harry and Meghan have not commented since the release of the book ‘Endgame,’ which has caused controversy for the royal family

Meghan Markle is out and about wearing a special accessory.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, was spotted on Monday in Santa Barbara, near where she lives with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. She was dressed casually in sneakers and a baseball cap with her hair braided down her back, accessorizing with a diamond tennis bracelet that was reportedly a gift from her father-in-law, King Charles.

Meghan debuted the bracelet as she arrived at the Cliveden House Hotel the night before her royal wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, sparking speculation that it was a wedding present from then-Prince Charles to his new daughter-in-law, who he walked down the aisle during the nuptials.

She also wore the accessory just days after her wedding for her first engagement as a member of the royal family alongside Charles and Queen Camilla (then known as the Duchess of Cornwall). The bracelet made another appearance during Meghan and Harry’s first major royal tour in the fall of 2018 during a stop in Fiji.

Meghan and Prince Harry, 39, have not issued a comment since the release of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame. The book made headlines after a Dutch translation of the text reportedly identified King Charles and Kate Middleton as the two royals who allegedly made remarks about how dark the skin color of Meghan and Harry’s child would be.

According to the Times in the U.K., the Dutch version of the book reportedly included a claim that Charles, 75, was one of the participants in a conversation. A second, unclear, reference suggested that Kate, 41, was also involved in conversations.

In Endgame, Scobie writes about the private written correspondence between Charles and Meghan addressing the Duchess of Sussex’s concerns about unconscious racial bias in the royal family following Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. During their sitdown with Oprah, they alleged that there were “concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie’s] skin might be when he’s born.” When Oprah asked who made that comment, Meghan declined to answer, saying the revelation would be too damaging. While the English version of Endgame doesn’t go so far as to name the individuals allegedly involved in those conversations, the Dutch version reportedly does.

Charles and Kate’s names first became public following Endgame’s publication in the Netherlands last week in what has been described by both publishers and Scobie as an “error.” It’s unclear if the Dutch translation was incorrect or if the translation had been based on an earlier draft.

Buckingham Palace said on Thursday that aides are “considering all options” over the assertions (hinting that there could be legal action), but has not made any further comment. Kensington Palace, where Princess Kate has her office, declined to comment.

A source close to the Sussexes told PEOPLE that suggestions Meghan or her team provided the letter to Scobie are entirely false.

Amid the controversy, members of the royal family have carried on with their scheduled outings.

Princess Kate and Prince William ignored questions from reporters about the book when they stepped out to attend the Royal Variety Performance on Nov. 30.

As seen in a video captured by PEOPLE’s Simon Perry at the event, reporters yelled, “Your Royal Highness, have you got a comment about Omid Scobie’s book?” and “Did you watch the Piers Morgan show last night, Your Royal Highnesses?,” referencing the latest episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, where the subject was discussed.

King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate stepped out together on Tuesday evening to host the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. The foursome posed for a group photo ahead of the event in the 1844 Room, with Kate and Camilla glittering in tiaras for the white-tie event.

Despite the ongoing rift between Harry and his brother William, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have kept in touch with King Charles — and reached out to the monarch to wish him a happy birthday when he turned 75 last month.

“With Harry, there’s a reluctant acceptance that this is just who his father is. He would rather have that in his life than to cut it off completely. Hence, when they talk it is often [Harry] reaching out,” Scobie tells PEOPLE. “And I was surprised to learn that even Meghan has some sort of correspondence with Charles, sending over photos of the children, although they’re not directly to him. So there is a willingness there.”