The Royal Foundation – Simply Meghan Markle

The Cambridges & Sussexes Launch Mental Health Texting Service ‘Shout’

It’s been a busy week for the royals, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcoming their first child, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge traveling to Wales for a day of engagements, and Prince Harry visiting the Hague to launch an Invictus Games 2020 countdown. And now, both royal couples are coming together to launch an initiative that speaks to an issue they’ve long championed: mental health awareness.

The Cambridges and Sussexes have teamed up to debut Shout, a text messaging service available 24/7 to those struggling with mental health in the U.K. The program pairs users with trained volunteers to help those in need “move from a moment of crisis to a calm state and form a plan for next steps to find longer-term support,” according to a Kensington Palace announcement.

Shout is a part of the Royal Foundation’s Heads Together initiative, a campaign established in 2016 that works with a variety of charities to break the stigma around conversations surrounding mental health issues.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a joint statement about Shout:

“We are incredibly excited to be launching this service, knowing it has the potential to reach thousands of vulnerable people every day. Over the last few months Shout has started working quietly behind the scenes. We have all been able to see the service working up close and are so excited for its future. At the heart of this service will be an incredible national volunteer community, one which needs to grow to allow us to support more people in crisis. We hope that many more of you will join us and be part of something very special.”

Prince William also appears in a launch video for the service, discussing the work that went into the launching the program. “Over the past few months, Shout has started working quietly behind the scenes,” he says. “Harry, Meghan, Catherine and I have been able to see the service working up close, and are very excited for its future.”

Shout already has a volunteer base of 1,000, but the organization hopes to increase that to 4,000 by the end of 2019. Prince William closes his message with a final call to action: “This will make a huge difference to people’s lives, and I really hope you will come and join our team.”

Source: Harpers Bazaar

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February 07 – The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Attend The Endeavour Fund Awards

Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attended The Endeavour Fund Awards at Draper’s Hall in London, England. Meghan fist attended the awards last year while engaged to Harry. The awards recognize the significant achievement of nine members of the Armed Forces Community who were injured or fell ill in service, but have gone on to use sport and adventurous challenge as part of their recovery and rehabilitation. The Endeavour Fund, led by The Duke of Sussex and The Royal Foundation, provides financial backing and guidance to programmes and charities across the UK that support thousands of service personnel and veterans reach their full potential. There are three nominees for each award that have been chosen from a long list of applicants. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chaired the judging panel which has decided the final winners, who were announced at the Endeavour Fund Awards ceremony.

Upon arrival Harry and Meghan attended the pre-ceremony reception where they met the nominees, as well as endeavour participants and key supporters of the Endeavour Fund. At the ceremony Meghan presented the award for Celebrating Excellence Award to Nathan Forster, before presenting the award Meghan said: “I’m so, so grateful to be back. Last year was my first time coming and it was such a meaningful night. Before the reception Harry and I were talking to all the nominees and in speaking to one of them he said, you know after I mentioned to him, ‘Gosh the impact you guys make is huge. It’s so much bigger than you.’ No it’s not about us, it’s the ripple effect. And, in true modesty of all the nominees; yes it is about the ripple effect. What I admired in him – and I feel is true about all the nominees – is you don’t have that ripple effect unless each of you is brave enough to make that first wave. It’s so important to remember that because what you’re doing is inspiring so many people – so thank you from all of us for being that inspiration.”

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2019 > February 07 | Attending The Endeavour Fund Awards

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Photos: November 21 – Visiting The Hubb Community Kitchen

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.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2018 > November 21 | Visiting The Hubb Community Kitchen

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Photos: November 15 – The Royal Foundation’s Annual Dinner

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.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements In 2018 > November 15 | The Royal Foundation’s Annual Dinner

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Photos & Roundup: October 21 – Royal Visit Australia – Day 6

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.

VIDEOS: Harry And Meghan Attend Reception

SMOOTH SAILING: 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.

VIDEOS: A Bear Hug For Prince Harry

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Engagements In 2018 > Invictus Games: Sydney > October 21 | Commonwealth Tour – Day 2 – Set 1
Engagements In 2018 > Invictus Games: Sydney > October 21 | Commonwealth Tour – Day 2 – Set 2

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Photos & Roundup: October 20 – Royal Visit Australia – Day 5

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.

VIDEOS: ANZAC Memorial Unveiling

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.

VIDEOS: Harry And Meghan Present Medals

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.

VIDEOS: Invictus Games: Sydney 2018 Opening Ceremony

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Engagements In 2018 > Commonwealth Tour > October 20 | Commonwealth Tour – Day 5 – Set 1
Engagements In 2018 > Commonwealth Tour > October 20 | Invictus Games: Sydney – Day 1 – Set 1
Engagements In 2018 > Commonwealth Tour > October 20 | Invictus Games: Sydney – Day 1 – Set 2

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Photos: September 24 – The Duke & Duchess Of Sussex Attend Coach Core Awards

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.

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Appearances & Engagements > Engagements In 2018 > Coach Core Awards At Loughborough University

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The Duchess of Sussex Hosts ‘Together’ Cookbook Launch

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.

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Appearances & Engagements > Engagements In 2018 > Hosting ‘Together’ Cookbook Launch

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The Duchess of Sussex Supports Cookbook Celebrating Community Kitchen

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.

For more information on Meghan’s first solo charity project visit: TheRoyalFoundation.Com | Penguin.Co.Uk

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Photos: March 08 – Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Visit Birmingham

Today, March 08, 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Millennium Point to celebrate International Women’s Day in Birmingham, England meeting the next generation of young women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The couple also visited the Nechells Wellbeing Centre to join Coach Core apprentices taking part in a training masterclass. The Coach Core apprenticeship scheme was designed by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to train young people aged 16 – 24 with limited opportunities to become sports coaches and mentors within their communities. I have added 400+ high quality photos to the gallery, enjoy!

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2018 > March 08 | Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Visit Birmingham

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Meghan Markle addresses #MeToo and Time’s Up movements: ‘There is no better time’

As soon as Meghan Markle ties the knot with Prince Harry in May, she says she will “hit the ground running” in support of women’s rights.

The royal bride-to-be made her official debut alongside Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton at their first engagement as a foursome on Monday at an event highlighting The Royal Foundation.

And the former Suits star used the opportunity to shine a light on the #MeToo movement and the Time’s Up campaign.

“I hear a lot of people speaking about girls’ empowerment and women’s empowerment — you will hear people saying they are helping women find their voices,” she said. “I fundamentally disagree with that because women don’t need to find their voices, they need to be empowered to use it and people need to be urged to listen.

“Right now with so many campaigns like MeToo and Time’s Up there’s no better time to continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered and people supporting them”

Meghan’s future sister-in-law, Kate, made headlines earlier this month for her dress choice for the annual BAFTAs (the British equivalent of the Oscars). The royal was criticized for walking the red carpet in a deep green gown with a black sash after attendees were encouraged to wear all black in support of the Time’s Up movement.

While royal family members generally steer clear of political issues, some critics took to social media to express their disappointment that the royal mom didn’t show support for the women’s movement

Kate has made a point to support women’s issues in her royal work around mental health and motherhood.

“Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience,” she said in a speech last year. “However, at times it has also been a huge challenge. Even for me who has support at home that most mothers do not.”

Meghan has been speaking out about the issue of equality since she was a young child. The future royal was inspired to change a TV commercial at the age of 11, after having seen a Procter & Gamble commercial that advertised its Ivory dishwashing soap solely to women.

The commercial for the soap struck her as unfair and insensitive when she heard, “women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.”

“I don’t think it’s right for kids to grow up thinking these things, that just mom does everything,” the then 11-year-old said during an interview with Nick News.

Source: http://ew.com

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Photos: February 28 – First Annual Royal Foundation Forum

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine and Prince William attended the First Annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme ‘Making a Difference Together’, the event will showcase the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2018 > February 28 | First Annual Royal Foundation Forum

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Meghan Markle To Join Royal Foundation Forum

As announced on the Kensington Palace Twitter Account:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle will take part in the first annual Royal Foundation Forum on Wednesday 28th February.

Under the theme ‘Making a Difference Together,’ the event will showcase the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation, including @heads_together, @WeAreInvictus and @united4wildlife.

TRH and Ms. Markle will appear on stage together to discuss why The Royal Foundation was set up, the projects they are currently working on, and their ambitions for the future.

This is exciting! This may be a sneak peak into what causes Meghan may be leaning toward supporting as well as seeing what she may bring to the existing causes already being supported by Prince William, Prince Harry, and Catherine.

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Photos: February 01 – Endeavour Fund Awards ceremony

Meghan and Prince Harry attend the Endeavour Fund Awards Ceremony at Goldsmiths Hall on February 1. The awards celebrate the achievements of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who have taken part in remarkable sporting and adventure challenges over the last year.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2018 > February 1 | Endeavour Fund Awards ceremony