Meghan Markle is making a surprise visit to help a worthy cause.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, made an unexpected but stunning appearance at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 2024 Gala on Saturday, October 5.

According to the organization’s website, Meghan made a surprise visit to the event, which honors CHLA’s children and hospital pediatric professionals, including some of California’s greatest physicians, researchers, and caretakers, every two years.

The Duchess looked stunning in a red Carolina Herrera gown (which she previously wore to the Salute to Freedom gala in New York in 2021) as she walked the red carpet holding hands with Alliance of Moms founder Kelly McKee Zajfen, although her husband, Prince Harry, 40, was in the African Kingdom of Lesotho this week.

Meghan also took pictures with a family whose children are hospital patients, bending down to capture the children’s faces while conversing with them. She also took a minute to speak with their father.

Inside the rooftop event, Meghan was all smiles as she met and spoke to a group of hospital nurses, taking the time to meet with each one and take photographs with them. A staff member later took the Duchess out of the gathering through a side entrance, but she spoke with anyone who stopped her on the way.

Joy Cryer and Lisa Joyner presented the hospital event, which honored TV producer and writer Chuck Lorre, former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard, his wife Bernadette, and Aeg.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Kaley Cuoco, Colin Hanks, Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney, Sky and Mark Hoppus, Al Yankovic, and Demi Lovato all attended the event and performed.

Meghan’s unexpected presence at the event coincides with Prince Harry’s spotting in Lesotho on October 1 for a public engagement with his charity, Sentebale, aimed at addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in southern Africa.

The Duchess, meanwhile, remained at home in Montecito, Calif., while she prepared for the debut of her next Netflix program and lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, while caring for the couple’s two children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

A close source recently told PEOPLE that Meghan and Harry, 40, are seeing a change in their businesses.

“It’s clear that a twin-track approach is evolving,” a friend told PEOPLE.

Another royal insider stated, “The Duke and Duchess have finally found their stride as people, not only as a couple. The Duke looks to be concentrating on his patronage activities, while the Duchess is concentrating on her commercial endeavors.”