Beyoncé Won’t Attend the Met Gala Tonight

A source close to Beyoncé Knowles and JAY-Z informed Entertainment Tonight that the A-list power couple would not be attending tonight’s annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Instead of turning heads on the Met Gala red carpet, the couple are heading to an unnamed vacation locale to unwind before heading out on their North American and European On The Run II Tour, beginning early next month.

“JAY-Z surprised her with a trip because he felt she needed to relax before her tour,” the source commented.

For the past several years, Beyoncé’s presence at the Met Gala has set the tone for the event as fashion designers the world over line up to create couture for the celebrated diva. This year, Beyoncé was supposed to wear a custom-designed gown by DUNDAS, which designer Peter Dundas and his team have spent weeks putting together. The theme of tonight’s Met Gala is “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” so one can only imagine the incredible look Beyoncé would have served on the red carpet.

Beyoncé’s presence at previous Met Galas has always made headlines. In 2016, the pop singer showed up at the event without her wedding ring, as rumors circulated that JAY-Z had been unfaithful to her. Two years before that, Beyoncé watched horrified from the corner of an elevator as her sister Solange yelled, kicked, and hit JAY-Z following the 2014 Met Gala.

Even without Beyoncé and JAY-Z in attendance this evening, the 2018 Met Gala is guaranteed to be a star-studded event complete with stunning looks and plenty of celebrity drama.