What to Expect from Meghan Markle’s Solo Outing with the Queen

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, will arrive in Chester Thursday morning alongside the Queen, and just weeks into her life as a royal will be at the Queen’s right-hand side for a busy day of engagements. The news that the Queen personally invited Meghan on the trip, her last away day before she heads to Balmoral for her annual summer break, is further proof of just how warmly the new Duchess of Sussex has been welcomed into the royal fold.

Sources close to the royal family said the Queen is keen to help mentor Meghan and ensure her transition from commoner to royal is as seamless as possible. “Lessons have been learned from the past and everyone is very keen that Meghan should feel included from the beginning,” a courtier said. “It feels like a team effort with many of the family making themselves available to help Meghan, and that includes the Queen.”

It is, added courtiers, all part of a master plan at the Palace that involves the Queen handing over more power and responsibilities to the younger royals she privately refers to as her “substitutes.” Kensington Palace announced last week that Prince Harry and Meghan will carry out their first overseas tour this fall, visiting Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and New Zealand.

According to Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen, the Queen is keen to establish the couple as ambassadors within the Commonwealth as quickly as possible. “The Queen got the ball rolling by giving Harry a specific role in the Commonwealth, where he is widely admired, and where Meghan is already really popular. The Commonwealth is such a vital part of her legacy. At the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting she got the commitment that Charles would be the new head of the Commonwealth, and with Harry and Meghan, she can ensure that the British monarchy has a firm place in the next generation among the Commonwealth countries. The visit to Australia will help solidify that link.”

In other words, the Queen is helping to map out sharply defined roles for Meghan and Harry, and as she did with Kate, is bringing Meghan up to speed in a welcoming way. While Kate had to wait 10 months before she was invited on an away day with the Queen—a trip to Leicester—Meghan’s invitation from Buckingham Palace has come just weeks after the royal wedding.

“People are saying it’s very soon, but it’s really down to how the royal calendar has worked out,” insisted an aide. “The visit to Chester has been in the diary for some time, and it was seen as a brilliant opportunity for the duchess to join the Queen and to see the breadth of the work the royal family does.”

While Meghan carried out an impressive number of royal engagements in the run-up to the wedding, this is the most important. Refreshed from their recent honeymoon and apparently “ready to get down to some hard work,” Meghan won’t have Harry to show her the ropes tomorrow, and despite her natural confidence, she is likely to be nervous.

Sources close to the Queen insisted that the monarch will go out of her way to be warm and welcoming. “She has a way of being very inclusive while at the same time being a brilliant and formidable mentor. Meghan should count herself very lucky,” commented a royal source. The packed itinerary will include opening the Mersey Gateway Bridge and the Storyhouse theater and library in the center of town, as well as a royal walkabout and a formal sit-down lunch at Chester City Council. The Queen loves to meet the public, and while Meghan has already mastered the art of engaging with the crowds, she will observe firsthand how efficiently the Queen works the crowds in order to stick to their timetable.

Though Meghan has become famous for her relatively casual attire at royal engagements in the past, she is expected to make a special effort tomorrow. Her favored messy bun will likely be replaced by a more formal style, while wedges and bare legs will be a no-no. The Queen has an aversion to both.

And while Meghan broke with protocol, striding out ahead of Harry when she accompanied him on engagements ahead of their wedding, she will have been briefed to walk a step behind the monarch. If she’s unsure of anything, her new private secretary, Samantha Cohen, who used to work for the Queen and knows royal etiquette better than most, will be a whisper away. Meghan might benefit from one tip: if in doubt, talk about the weather. It’s a subject Her Majesty never tires of.

Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/

Who Is Meghan?

The Duchess of Sussex, born Meghan Markle, married Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel, Windsor in May 2018. The couple’s official residence is Kensington Palace. As well as undertaking royal duties in support of The Queen, both in the UK and overseas, The Duchess devotes her time to supporting a number of charities and organisations. From a young age, The Duchess had a keen awareness of social issues and actively participated in charitable work. Aged 11 she successfully campaigned for a company to alter their television advert that had used sexist language to sell washing-up liquid. Her Royal Highness also volunteered at a soup kitchen in Skid Row, Los Angeles from the age of 13-17. She continued to volunteer at the soup kitchen when she would return home to Los Angeles until the age of 22….Continue Reading…

Charities & Patronages

The Royal Foundation
Since: May 2018 – June 2019
The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry is the Patrons’ primary charitable vehicle, and hopes to become a leading philanthropic investor, effectively using its time and resources to create lasting change in targeted areas and geographies, based on need and on the interests of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. The Foundation will seek to invest in, or partner with, organisations with proven impact, using its profile and leverage to create a multiplier effect in resources, outcomes and knowledge.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts
National Theatre
Since: January 2019
The National Theatre’s mission is to make world-class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring. And to make it for everyone. They aim to reach the widest possible audience, to be inclusive and diverse, and as national as possible. With a broad range of productions in London and across the UK. The National puts some of the nation’s leading artists on the world stage, with productions playing on Broadway and touring across the globe.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts
The Association of Commonwealth Universities
Since: January 2019
The Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first international university network, and is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes (including the UK government’s three major scholarship programmes and The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships), convene universities to address key policy challenges such as gender and equity, climate resilience, and peace and reconciliation, and promote the role of universities in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts
Smart Works
Since: January 2019
Smart Works is a UK charity that provides high quality interview clothes and interview training to unemployed women in need. Women are referred to Smart Works from organisations such as job centres, work programmes, prisons, care homes, homeless shelters and mental health charities.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts
Mayhew
Since: January 2019
Funded entirely by public donations Mayhew aims to promote animal welfare by delivering a broad range of community-based veterinary, care and education services in the UK and overseas. By recognizing that animal welfare issues and social welfare issues are linked Mayhew works to protect the bond vulnerable people, the elderly, the homeless and those suffering from mental health issues have with their animals. And by taking their educational initiatives out to the community they have a better chance of helping prevent cases of neglect, abandonment and cruelty.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts
The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust
Since: March 2019
The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust exists to champion, fund and connect young leaders around the world who are driving positive social change, serving their communities and providing hope, work and self-employment opportunities for others. As Vice-President of the Trust Meghan will highlight the Trust’s partnerships with young people across the Commonwealth, and in particular its work supporting women and girls.
Links: Official Site | Meghan’s Efforts

Projects

‘Together: Our Community Kitchen’ Cookbook
After working with the women of Hubb Community Kitchen The Duchess of Sussex suggested the idea of a charity cookbook that celebrates the power of cooking to bring people together. Supported by The Royal Foundation and published by Penguin Random House companies, ‘Together: Our Community Kitchen’ showcases over 50 recipes from women whose community was affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Since the Together cookbook has been published, it has sold 130,000 copies worldwide. The resulting funds means the kitchen has been completely refurbished and is now open seven days a week

Smart Works Charity Capsule Collection
After working quietly with Smart Works for over a year The Duchess became aware of the difficulty of matching up the perfect work attire due to a range of mismatched colors and sizing. It was revealed in July 2019 that Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw, and designer Misha Nonoo would team up together to design a capsule collection of work wear clothing for the underprivileged women trying to secure employment. They will follow the “one-for-one model” model where an item from the collection purchased is an item donated to the Smart Works Charity.

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