They say money can’t buy happiness, but this weekend, it certainly bought a slice of Italian paradise, a $20 million spectacle, and the kind of star-studded guest list that would make even the most seasoned Hollywood publicist break a sweat. As the golden sun dipped behind the terracotta rooftops of Venice, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, the world’s most headline-grabbing newlyweds, sealed their whirlwind romance with a wedding that was less ceremony, more coronation.
But as the confetti settled and the last flute of champagne was drained, a different kind of commentary began to swirl—not from the glossy pages of Vogue, but from the quicksilver world of TikTok, where Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel, never one to mince her words, delivered a take as sharp as a stiletto heel. In a candid video that’s already racked up millions of views, Frankel drew a line in the sand between two of the world’s most talked-about women: Lauren Sanchez and Meghan Markle. And in her eyes, there’s no contest.
“They both became famous when they came together,” Frankel mused, her trademark New York candour on full display. “He was a dork before he met Lauren. He had money, but Lauren was like, ‘Honey, I’ll show you how to spend that money.’ She bagged the elephant; she is the Meghan Markle with no rules.”
It’s a comparison that’s been bubbling under the surface ever since Bezos and Sanchez’s romance went public. Both women, after all, found love (and a new level of global fame) with men whose names alone conjure images of unimaginable wealth and privilege. Both have endured the glare of the world’s media, the whispers, the speculation, the relentless dissection of every outfit, every gesture, every rumour. Yet, as Frankel points out, there’s a crucial difference—one that goes to the heart of what it means to marry into power in the 21st century.
“Meghan Markle joined the Royal Family and had to play by the rules. This one… he makes the rules. When you are Jeff Bezos, you make the rules. So she doesn’t have to play by any rules. He is living his best life,” Frankel declared, her voice equal parts admiration and awe. “Now they both are famous, and they both have these famous friends. They are basking in it and loving it. People criticise it, but to each their own.”
It’s a sentiment that’s hard to argue with, especially after a weekend that saw Venice transformed into a billionaire’s playground. The newlyweds, trailed by a flotilla of paparazzi and a coterie of the world’s most recognisable faces, bid farewell to their luxury hotel on Sunday, the final act in a three-day extravaganza that reportedly included everything from a strict no-phone policy (lest the festivities leak to the hoi polloi) to a guest list that read like a Forbes power ranking—though only 70 of the 200 attendees were family, the rest a shimmering constellation of influencers, moguls, and A-listers.
Sanchez, 55, looked every inch the leading lady, her wedding dress a loving homage to Sophia Loren’s iconic lace gown from the 1958 film Houseboat. It was a choice that spoke volumes: classic, cinematic, unapologetically glamorous. A dress for a woman who knows exactly who she is—and, more importantly, who she’s become.
Because, as Frankel was quick to point out, neither Sanchez nor Markle were household names before their respective romances. “They had paychecks coming in, but they bloomed later in other ways. They bloomed because of a relationship. Not because of their core career, but the relationship popped off and created a career. So it goes to show that it is never too late to have your chapter.” It’s a modern fairy tale, but one with a very different set of rules for each heroine.
For Meghan, the path to global superstardom came at a price. The Suits actress turned duchess found herself thrust into a world where every move was scrutinised, every decision second-guessed, every headline a potential minefield. The Royal Family, for all its pomp and history, is a gilded cage, its inhabitants bound by centuries of protocol and expectation. There are rules—so many rules. What to wear. What to say. Who to see. Even how to wave. For Meghan, the price of admission was nothing less than her freedom.
Lauren Sanchez, by contrast, has found herself in a world where the only rules are the ones she and Bezos choose to make. There’s no centuries-old institution to appease, no courtiers whispering in the wings, no tabloids dissecting the angle of her curtsy. Instead, there’s a $500 million superyacht, a private jet, and a bank balance that makes even the Royal Family look like penny-pinchers. Bezos, the world’s third-richest man, is accountable to no one but himself—and, it seems, to the woman who has captured his heart.
It’s a dynamic that’s as intoxicating as it is unprecedented. Sanchez is not just the wife of a billionaire; she’s his equal, his co-conspirator, the woman who, as Frankel put it, “showed him how to spend that money.” Together, they are rewriting the rulebook on what it means to be rich, famous, and in love in the social media age.
But for all the glitz and glamour, there’s a steeliness to Sanchez that sets her apart. Before Bezos, she was a successful television anchor, a helicopter pilot, a woman who built her own career in a cut-throat industry. She was, by any measure, successful—but not, as Frankel notes, “relevant on a global scale.” That changed the moment she and Bezos went public. Overnight, Sanchez became a fixture in the world’s gossip columns, her every move chronicled and critiqued. Yet, unlike Meghan, she has embraced the spotlight, turning it to her advantage, playing the game on her own terms.
It’s this freedom, this lack of constraints, that Frankel believes sets Sanchez apart. “Meghan Markle could never be Lauren Sanchez,” she says, not unkindly. “She married into a family where the rules were set centuries ago. Lauren married into a world where the only rule is: there are no rules.”
Of course, not everyone is convinced. Critics have accused Sanchez of everything from gold-digging to social climbing, her every gesture dissected for signs of ambition or calculation. But if the events of this weekend are anything to go by, she couldn’t care less. As she and Bezos sailed off into the Venetian sunset, the world at their feet, the message was clear: this is a couple who answer to no one but each other.
And what of Meghan? The Duchess of Sussex, now living in California with Harry and their two children, has forged a new path—one that is, in many ways, just as radical as Sanchez’s. She has spoken out about mental health, racism, and the pressures of royal life, her every word sparking headlines and debate. She has, in her own way, rewritten the rules of what it means to be a royal in the 21st century. But for all her independence, the shadow of the monarchy looms large, its traditions and expectations impossible to escape.
It’s a tale of two women, two love stories, two very different sets of rules. One bound by history, the other by possibility. One navigating the treacherous waters of royal protocol, the other sailing free on a sea of unimaginable wealth. Both have their critics, both their admirers. But for Bethenny Frankel, there’s no doubt which story she’d rather live.
“They both have these famous friends. They are basking in it and loving it. People criticise it, but to each their own,” she concluded, her words a reminder that, in the end, happiness is a game with no fixed rules.
As the world continues to watch, one thing is certain: whether you’re a duchess or a billionaire’s bride, the spotlight never dims. But for Lauren Sanchez, at least, it seems the only rule that matters is the one she writes herself.
And as the gondolas drifted quietly through the Venetian night, carrying the newlyweds toward their next adventure, the world could only look on in awe—and, perhaps, a little envy. Because in the game of love, money, and fame, Lauren Sanchez isn’t just playing by her own rules. She’s winning.
