Lauren Sánchez Defends Her Hosting the Met Gala After She & Jeff Bezos Were Accused of Breaking the Rules & ‘Doing Whatever’ They Want
Lauren Sánchez might be better known for her marriage to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, but the former journalist has been trying to make a name for herself over the last few years. That includes writing children’s books, and yes, her involvement in the 2026 Met Gala. Yes, Sánchez and Bezos are now the primary donors for the 2026 Met Gala and are said to be heavily involved in planning.
Sánchez spoke about her involvement with the Met Gala while on the Today Show. “It has been such a fun and meaningful experience,” she said, adding, “When Anna [Wintour] called me and said “do you want to co-chair?” and also be the sponsors of the Met I was so honored. And then she told me the theme, Fashion is Art.” Sánchez said she was immediately drawn by the theme, as well.
Related: How do Jeff Bezos’s kids feel about Lauren Sanchez?
“I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event,” Anna Wintour told CNN. “[I’m] very grateful for her incredible generosity, and she’s a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.”
And the Gala is reportedly making accommodations for Bezos and Sanchez. According to Rob Shuter, he is bringing his own security to the event, which Shuter said is “no small feat.”
“Normally, no one gets their own team inside,” a source said. “Security is handled by the museum and Vogue.” The source added, “The goal is elegance — not a swarm of agents.”
There are exceptions, of course. “Government officials” do “receive scaled-down protection.” And A-list celebrities, donning expensive or rare jewelry, can get permission to “have a guard nearby.” But their full team? That’s something only Bezos and his new wife have been allowed.
“Jeff’s security footprint is different.” The source added, “When you’re worth nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars, accommodations get made.” And well, considering he is the Met Gala’s biggest sponsor, who’s gonna say no? “Plus, he is basically paying for the party as the main sponsor, so he can do whatever he wants,” added the insider.
Bezos still owns around 9% of Amazon, the company he founded in 1994. He is the company’s largest individual shareholder, though he is no longer its CEO. He transitioned to Executive Chairman in 2021. He also owns the aerospace company Blue Origin and The Washington Post. His net worth is reportedly $223.7 billion.
Recently, there have been reports about Sánchez and Bezos that indicate the two might not be on the same wavelength, at least when it comes to partying. “Lauren’s energy is non-stop,” a source told Rob Shuter, about the couple’s holiday celebrations. “She was jumping, dancing, laughing — and Jeff was hanging on for dear life. He looked wiped.”
Shuter also reported the couple was seen shopping together in Aspen. “He’s happy, but he’s clearly worn out trying to match her,” another source said. Now, they’re both moving on to the Met Gala. And people will be paying attention to more than what they choose to wear.
