Ms. Markle is looking forward to hitting the ground running,” were the famous words uttered by a Kensington Palace spokesman to a room full of journalists, including this one, during a briefing just over a year ago.
After months of speculation about Meghan’s potential as a member of the royal family, a November 28, 2017 press conference in Buckingham Palace, just a day after her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, offered a glimpse of what was to come.
Having already used the small platform she created while on Suits to spread the word of women’s rights in India and female empowerment for the UN, it was clear Meghan had big plans for her life as a duchess. But even those with the highest of expectations didn’t imagine she would be closing out 2018 with 105 royal engagements under her belt, a four-country tour completed, and a New York Times bestseller. Hit the ground running indeed.
In all honesty, Meghan needn’t have lifted a finger to leave so many impressed this year. Her May wedding to Prince Harry carried powerful cultural meaning, with its sensitive mix of African-American worship tradition and Windsor custom showing us the monarchy was more open to change than we once believed. And to those watching around the world? I’d like to think their marriage has helped further shape how people perceive interracial relationships. Continue reading Meghan Markle in 2018: Why the Duchess of Success Is Just Getting Started
Today, (December 05, 2018) The Duchess of Sussex had an unannounced engagement where she visited The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The ACU posted:
University leaders, academics, and international scholarship students came together at an ACU event on Wednesday 5 December to explore how higher education can help build a better world.
Hosted by King’s College London, the event was an opportunity to discuss the role of universities in addressing human trafficking and modern slavery, gender equality and inclusion, peace and reconciliation, and climate change and resilience.
HRH The Duchess of Sussex attended the event and took part in discussions, following her first official speech to students at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji in October 2018.
This fits perfectly with the reports that Meghan’s public work and patronages will be aimed toward helping women in developing countries by using higher education.
This morning, (November 21, 2018) Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex made a previously unannounced visit to The Hubb Community Kitchen. Meghan has been visiting the kitchen privately since January 2018. The Duchess’s visit to the kitchen today was to see how the proceeds of their cookbook Together has been helping the kitchen and local residents. Since the September release of the book it has raised 210,000 in the UK alone. With the help of those funds the women of The Hubb were able to renovate the kitchen and are able to prepare fresh meals seven days a week. During Meghan’s visit today, she toured the newly renovated kitchen and helped prepare the meals that would be sent out today before sitting down with the women to hear about their latest accomplishments and future goals.
On (November 15, 2019) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended The Royal Foundation’s Annual Dinner at the Victoria House in London, England. The dinner is in support of The Royal Foundation which revolves around four main themes of work; mental health, wildlife and conservation, young people and the armed forces community. The Duchess of Sussex became the fourth Principal Patron following her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018. The Royal Foundation is the Cambridge’s and Sussex’s main vehicle for their philanthropic causes as they 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. While we normally do not get photos from this event musician Tom Walker who performed at the event shared some of his photos with the William, Catherine, Harry, and Meghan.
The Duke and Duchess will depart on a Royal New Zealand AirForce flight for Wellington. Their Royal Highnesses will travel on the same aircraft as a number of the New Zealand Invictus Games competitors, and on arrival, will be met off the plane together by the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
From the airport, Their Royal Highnesses will attend the traditional welcome ceremony on the lawns of Government House – the residence of the Governor-General to New Zealand Dame Patsy Reddy. Their Royal Highnesses will be invited to hongi with the Governor-General’s Kuia and Kaumātua (Māori elders), before the pōwhiri, which includes a haka performed by members of the New Zealand Defence Force. The ceremony will also include a 21-gun salute, and will be attended by school children.
Their Royal Highnesses will then travel to the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. Here, they will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and will visit the newly unveiled UK War Memorial – whose design takes the form of two of the United Kingdom and New Zealand’s most iconic trees – the Royal Oak and a Pōhutakawa. This engagement will be followed by a public walkabout in the Memorial Park.
That evening, The Duke and Duchess will receive official calls from the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition at Government House, before attending a reception hosted by the Governor General celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand.
U.S.A. WINS GOLD: The last day of the Australian programme falls on the final day of the Invictus Games. After having the morning off Their Royal Highnesses spent the afternoon at the wheelchair basketball finals at the Quay Centre. Meghan cheered her native home team on to victory with the U.S. winning 29-17 over the Netherlands team. Meghan presented the medals with Harry with one competitor stealing a kiss on the cheek from Meghan.
UNTIL NEXT TIME: The Closing Ceremony that evening took place at Qudos Bank Arena. The event, at which both The Duke and Duchess will spoke, was full of celebration of the outstanding achievements and inspiring spirit of the Invictus Games competitors. You can watch the closing ceremony at the link below, you don’t want to miss Harry and Meghan’s incredible speeches, but also the performances by Grammy-nominated artist Aloe Blacc and The Kingdom Chior which performed at the couple’s wedding in May.
Although Meghan was scheduled to attend the Road Cycling event during the Invictus Games, she did not. Multiple royal correspondents on Twitter reported that a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess said:
“After a busy programme, The Duke and Duchess decided to cut back the Duchess’s schedule slightly for the next couple days, ahead of the final week and a half of the tour.”
Harry and Meghan will fly to Fraser Island together as planned, but she may not undertake many engagements in Fraser Island due to the tough terrain. Reports are also clarifying that Meghan is feeling good, just tired as she has said herself for the last few days. It seems the Palace thinks it’s wise for Meghan to pace herself over the next week and a half.
Here at Simply Meghan we wish The Duchess the best and hope she takes all the time she needs to care for herself and her baby. We’ll be sure to keep track of all the latest updates regarding Meghan’s edited schedule, you can also follow us on Twitter @meghanmarkleorg where we retweet all updates.
INVICTUS GAMES: Their Royal Highnesses attended a lunchtime Reception hosted by the Prime Minister, with Invictus Games competitors and representatives from the community in the city’s central parkland, The Domain. The reception was held at the Pavilion restaurant where Harry and Meghan chatted with guests and posed for photos.
Meghan did join Harry to watch the Invictus sailing event. The couple cheered on the competitors and Prince Harry received quite a big bear hug when one very excited Invictus competitor jumped into the boat. You can watch the video below. We just love the relationship Prince Harry has with the men and women of Invictus.
Hello everyone! Welcome to Day 5 of Royal Visit Australia! The Invictus Games are here! Itn’t it amazing to think that just last year at the Invictus Games Harry and Meghan were just making their relationship public and now a year later they are not only married but expecting a baby! My, how time does fly!
MEMORIAL SERVICE: The fifth day of Royal Visit Australia started with an embargoed engagement. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled an Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park. During their visit Harry and Meghan received a tour of the new education and interpretation facilities, viewed the The Hall of Silence, and laid a wreath together. This was a very fitting way to start the day as Prince Harry had a very extensive career in the British Army, and his experiences helped him in his creation of the Invictus Games. Prince Harry looked very dapper in the tropical dress of his regiment, the Blues and Royals, including his new gold aiguillettes. He was appointed personal aide-de-camp to the Queen at the start of the tour.
INVICTUS GAMES: The Duke and Duchess then traveled by boat to attend the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge on Cockatoo Island. The Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge is a test of skill and precision and is designed to test driving skills, navigational ability, observation and teamwork using Jaguar Land Rover vehicles. The Duke and Duchess made sure that they got to meet with competitors, their families, staff, and volunteers. Prince Harry of course had a go at the mini car driving course for children. Afterwards, The Duke and Duchess handed out the first medals of the game.
OPENING CEREMONY: To start their evening Their Royal Highnesses attended a reception before the Opening Ceremony where they mingled with guests. The Opening Ceremony was delayed for an hour as a thunderstorm rolled through. Luckily, it cleared up, and the rest of the night went on as planned with a crowd of 4,000 attendees including competitors, family and friends, and dignitaries at the Sydney Opera House. Through song, colour and tradition, the Opening Ceremony showcased personal stories of recovery, endurance and rehabilitation, bringing together the rich and diverse cultures and experiences that make up the Invictus Games family. Prince Harry once again gave an uplifting and motivating speech that you can read here.
And it’s back to Sydney for Day 4 Royal Visit Australia!
BONDI BEACH: Their Royal Highnesses visited Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. The Duke and Duchess met with a local surfing community group, known as OneWave, raising awareness for mental health and wellbeing in a fun and engaging way. Their Royal Highnesses took part in the “Fluro Friday” session, where people of all ages share their experiences of mental health issues, they also had the opportunity to interact with others enjoying yoga and surfing. Before departing, The Duke and Duchess had met with many excited members of the public gathered on the beach.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: Later that morning, Their Royal Highness visited MacArthur Girls High School and the National Rugby League’s In Harmony programme, that aims to unite and inspire young people to be advocates for cohesion and inclusion in their communities. The Duke and Duchess met with representatives and talked with students about issues including social justice and youth empowerment. It’s reported that Meghan told the girls:
You guys all remind me so much of myself when I was growing up. I went to an all girls school which was incredibly diverse as well. I think being around such empowered young women, it becomes something that you all just grasp onto to understand your world. It’s made you confident and well-spoken. You have an intention set to really do something to change the world, and you have to keep it up. It makes me so emotional. You’re doing really, really good work and I’m so happy that we’re here. We give you our full support.” The teenage girls had worked on a project to make boxes for vulnerable women, taking donated supplies to police stations and refuges. They’ve also produced a book for young children teaching them about poverty and being kind to others.”
INVICTUS ARRIVAL: Prime Minister the Honourable Scott Morrison MP, and Invictus Games competitors with The Duke climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge to officially raise the Invictus Flag, marking the arrival of the Invictus Games to Sydney. Meghan later joined Harry with calls on the Leader of the Opposition at Admiralty House, and the Prime Minister at Kirribilli House.
On Monday, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stopped by Loughborough University for the first Coach Core Awards, celebrating a program that encourages young people to become involved in sports coaching. They were total sports themselves at the event, which took place in a gymnasium, starting things off by joining in on a netball practice drill before testing their skills with a shootout and meeting program participants. The Coach Core program serves young adults from around the U.K., providing training for “apprentices” who receive mentoring and other coaching skills so they can become professionals in the field. It kicked off following the 2012 London Olympics, and is getting an extra infusion of funding this year.
The Duchess of Sussex presents the ‘Graduate of the Year’ award to Sebastian Vidal.
The Duchess of Sussex accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and her mother Doria Ragland hosted a reception at Kensington Palace in London in honor of the release of her first solo project as a member of the Royal Family. A cookbook entitled ‘Together’: Our Community Cookbook featuring recipes from a group of women from The Hubb Community Kitchen affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds from the sale of ‘Together’ to the Hubb Community Kitchen and related projects. Profits from the sales of ‘Together’ will help keep the kitchen open for up to seven days a week and to widen its reach to others in the community.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex is supporting a new charity cookbook, which 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.
Last summer, a group of women gathered in a communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London, where they could prepare fresh food for their families, friends and neighbours. As they cooked together and shared recipes, as a community they began to connect, heal and look forward. Word spread and more women joined in – this was the start of the Hubb Community Kitchen.
The proceeds from the book will support the Hubb Community Kitchen, enabling it to stay open and to thrive.
The Duchess of Sussex first visited the kitchen in January 2018 and has continued to make regular private visits. United by their passion for cooking as a way of strengthening communities, The Duchess was inspired by how the project empowers women at a grassroots level, and championed the cookbook project as a way of ensuring the kitchen can continue transforming lives and communities through cooking. Her Royal Highness has written the foreword for ‘Together’, which features the women’s own personal recipes from across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the introduction, the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen wrote: “Our kitchen has always been a place of good food, love, support and friendship. We cook the recipes we’ve grown up with; there’s no stress, and the recipes always work because they have been made so many times – it’s proper comfort food…
“Swapping family recipes and moments of laughter gave us a sense of normality and home. We named ourselves the Hubb Community Kitchen to celebrate the thing that we all feel every time we meet – hubb means love in Arabic.”
“Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.”
Baroness Gail Rebuck, Chair of Penguin Random House, said: “We were instantly caught up by the extraordinary vision for this project with the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen. Every woman who has contributed a recipe to this book has also contributed a fragment of their lives and memories. Each dish tells a story of culture, family and a sense of home.
“But most of all Together is an homage to life and friendship and we hope it will act as a symbol to all communities and encourage cooking together for life and joy.”
The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds from the sale of ‘Together’ to the Hubb Community Kitchen and related projects. Profits from the sales of ‘Together’ will help keep the kitchen open for up to seven days a week and to widen its reach to others in the community.
Today, (September 04, 2018) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended The WellChild Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, England. The WellChild Awards celebrate the inspirational qualities of the UK’s seriously ill children and young people, along with those who go that extra mile to make a difference to their lives. The Duke of Sussex has been Patron of WellChild since 2007. Tonight, the pair met with the winners of the awards and their families as well as other guests during a pre-ceremony reception. During the event Prince Harry presented the Award for Most Inspirational Child and delivered a powerful speech which you can read here. Afterwards The Duke and Duchess posed for official photos. I have added 131 high quality photos to the gallery, be sure to check them out!
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend a gala performance of the musical Hamilton in support of Sentebale at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London tonight. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale’s work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa.
This evening, (June 26, 2018) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined The Queen at Buckingham Palace for the Queens Young Leaders Awards Ceremony. The awards ceremony celebrates young people aged 18-29 from across the Commonwealth, who are taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform lives. During the event Prince Harry who was made the The Queen’s Commonwealth Youth Ambassador in April gave a speech, saying in part:
… I, together with my wife Meghan, look forward to convening young people from around The Commonwealth to hear your ideas, work with you to build platforms for you to collaborate and form partnerships, and continue to meet with many of you as we travel around in our work on behalf of The Royal Family. We look forward to meeting many of you this evening – but we also hope to see you in action in your home countries someday too…
After the awards ceremony Harry and Meghan met with a group of the Queen’s Young Leaders and supporters during a reception including those from Australia, New Zealand and Tonga which they will be visiting on their fall tour.
I have added 15 high quality photos to the gallery with more to come soon. Enjoy!
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