Wait, did Rihanna actually just miss the Met Gala 2023?

Here's what happened…
Did Rihanna Nearly Miss The Met Gala
Christopher Polk

It's fair to say we were more than a little hyped to see Rihanna's grand entrance to the Met Gala 2023. Who would she be wearing? Would she nail the theme – as per usual? And would she treat us to another epic couples' moment with A$AP Rocky?

While we've come to expect Rihanna's entrances to err on the ~fashionably~ late side, we can usually count on her to make an appearance. Alas, for this year's Met Gala, it wasn't to be. Or was it?

Although RiRi was spotted with her son arriving at her hotel in New York while the prestigious event was already underway, we didn't actually get much of a glimpse of her on the red carpet. Naturally, fans were a little disappointed.

One person wrote, "Can’t believe I stayed up for Rihanna’s Met Gala look, just for her to not show up and them close the red carpet," while another tweeted, “Rihanna, girl I got work tomorrow pls come on,” and another added, “Rihanna when she arrives at the met gala and the carpet’s closed and all the lights are shut off.”

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However! All was not lost, as Rihanna eventually made it to the Met Gala (even if it was just the afterparty…). She was spotted (by about a thousand photographers, but still) leaving her hotel hand-in-hand with A$AP Rocky and wearing a vintage Fendi fur coat from Lagerfeld's Fall 1997 collection – originally modelled by none other than Naomi Campbell.

She then took to the red and white carpet in a Chanel camélia-adorned gown, looking every inch the Met Gala icon we know and love.

Did Rihanna Nearly Miss The Met Gala
Dimitrios Kambouris

Oh, and we got that couple moment after all…

Did Rihanna Nearly Miss The Met Gala
John Shearer

Well, it wouldn't be the first Monday of May without a RiRi-induced panic now, would it? Crisis averted!

For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.