Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Make Under-the-Radar Visit to Camp Pendleton in San Diego

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are preparing for Veterans Day.

On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s organization Archewell shared news that the two “spent the morning with veteran and active duty service members and their loved ones at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.”

The couple regularly mark Veterans Day and Remembrance Day (a memorial day observed in Commonwealth nations since the end of the First World War in 1919).

During their visit to San Diego, Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, stopped by Operation Bigs — a first-of-its-kind mentoring program dedicated to children of military families, including active duty, veteran, and Gold Star families.

Those who attended ahead of Veterans Day, which falls on Saturday, discussed how the mentorship offered through Operation Bigs has supported their goals and ambitions, as well as the community’s.

According to the Archewell website, the program was founded in 2004, and it helps to connect “young people and families to mentors who can relate to the shared experiences and challenges faced by having a parent or parents in the military when they are on deployment and after they have returned.”

Since its launch, Operation Bigs has helped more than 3,000 children of Navy and Marine Corps members and has expanded to over 30 affiliates throughout the nation.

The Duke of Sussex’s military ties go back decades.

The same year that Operation Bigs was founded, Prince Harry passed his Regular Commissions Board (RCB), the qualification necessary to train at Sandhurst, the royal family’s website states.

His time in the Army lasted for 10 years, during which he became Captain and completed two tours of Afghanistan.

“Prince Harry is very proud to serve his country on operations alongside his fellow soldiers and to do the job he has been trained for,” Clarence House said in February 2008.

In their 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry opened up about his life in the military, saying that decade “gave me the lived experience that other members of my family wouldn’t have had.”

“Two tours in Afghanistan, flying Apache helicopters on a military base, means that you grow up pretty fast. Jeez, I went to war twice,” he added in episode three.

In the same episode, he and Meghan visited McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey in honor of Veterans Day 2021.

Prince Harry Makes Surprise Visit to Pearl Harbor on Veterans Day: ‘He Was Very Respectful’
“I’m watching my husband over there — you see how much joy it brings him to be back on a base, and he immediately goes back into military banter,” Meghan said.

Source: https://people.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.

Legal Disclaimer

Meghan-Markle.Org is an unofficial fan site dedicated to Meghan Markle. We do not know nor are we authorized by her, her family or her representatives. This was built by the fans and it is for the fans. This a non-profit website and we do not receive cash donations. It was built and is maintained to promote awareness and interest about Meghan and her work and activities. All material is here for fan/entertainment purposes only. All images or other content is copyrighted to their respective owners and being used under fair copyright law 107.

Related Posts