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Meghan Markle recently convened a special roundtable with young girls who are making an impact in their schools and communities.

The virtual gathering, which took place earlier this month between the Duchess of Sussex, Girls Inc. and the National Women’s Law Center, gave Meghan the opportunity to hear directly from adolescent girls about their experiences and stories, and to come together to honor and reflect on a long history of women changemakers.

“The Duchess believes girls’ voices can and should be heard, and through Archewell she focuses on providing them with the platforms, tools, and forums to help define a path forward and continue making an impact,” according to the official website for Meghan and Prince Harry’s non-profit organization, Archewell.

Meghan, who is expecting a baby girl this summer, heard from a powerful group of 13- 18-year-olds — primary girls of color — who are making a difference in their communities when it comes to education, social justice and health and wellness.

“The group spoke about everyday struggles during COVID-19, including identity loss and isolation, and larger issues of mental health, racial bias and injustice, and more. When asked what tools girls need to thrive in the year ahead, a common thread emerged: acknowledgement, support, empathy, and resources,” the site continues.

Meghan also reflected on the impact of trailblazing women throughout history, asking the girls to share which female figures have inspired them.

“Their answers included American civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, as well as Kala Bagai, one of the first South Asian women to immigrate to the United States in the early 20th century, who was known to many in her California community as ‘Mother India,’ ” according to Archewell.

Meghan and Harry previously shared the inspiration behind their foundation’s name, explaining, “Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action.’ We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”

Given the massive upheaval from both the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial justice movement, Meghan and Harry have refocused their efforts over the past year.

“Nobody could have counted on the world turning upside down,” a source previously told PEOPLE. “As many others have, they have been moved to get their voices behind supporting both the COVID-19 response and Black Lives Matter.”

Source: https://people.com/

The first two promos are out for the eagerly awaited (except possibly at Buckingham Palace) Oprah Winfrey interview with the Duke and Duchess. Watch one above and the other below.

Billed as Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special, the clips bowed during the Eye network’s 60 Minutes newsmagazine. The network will air the primetime interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at 8 p.m. Sunday, March 7.

Only Winfrey and Prince Harry speak in the promos, with Winfrey teasing bombshell revelations. “You’ve said some pretty shocking things here,” she says at one point. She also is seen asking the duo whether they were “silent or silenced” and inquiring about “a breaking point,” likely in connection to their decision to leave the U.K.

Harry references the fate of his late mother, Princess Diana.

“My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” he says. “I’m really relieved and happy to be sitting here, talking to you with my wife by my side because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been for her going through this process by herself all these years ago. Because it’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us but at least we have each other.”

Per CBS, the interview will see Winfrey speak with Markle about everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, her philanthropic work, and how she is handling life under intense public pressure.

Later, the two will be joined by Prince Harry, as they speak about their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family. The interview comes a year after the couple moved to the US and became independent from the Royal family.

Since they have relocated to California, the pair have signed lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify. The Queen recently stripped them of royal patronages after a one-year review of the so-called “Megxit” deal, in which the couple wanted to step back from public life, but still serve and retain some privileges. Reports indicate Queen Elizabeth declared that the “half-in, half-out” approach would not compatible with the established protocols for the monarchy.

The special is produced by Harpo Productions. Executive producers are Terry Wood and Tara Montgomery. Brian Piotrowicz is co-executive producer.

Source: https://deadline.com/

As was speculated, the couple — who left full-time royal work in March of last year — will no longer keep their patronages (their royal involvement with numerous U.K. charities).

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family,” the Buckingham Palace statement said.

Continued the statement, “Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”

Further, Prince Harry, 36, will lose his honorary military appointments, which will subsequently be redistributed “among working members of The Royal Family.”

Other trusts and patronages that will revert to the Queen, 94, include the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, the Royal National Theatre, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Although Prince Harry and Meghan, 39, no longer use their coveted His/Her Royal Highness titles, they will retain them — along with their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.

“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family,” the Buckingham Palace announcement said.

In their own statement about the news, Prince Harry and Meghan’s office said that the pair “remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role.”

“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal,” the statement read.

The couple’s probation period was originally not set to come to a close until March 31.

Ahead of the announcement, palace sources told PEOPLE that the challenge of keeping the royal roles stems from the couple’s commercial relationships with companies like Netflix and Spotify — partnerships that have helped them become financially independent. However, the Queen’s view is that members of the royal family can’t be “half in, half out” — that is, representing the Queen and the U.K. while also pursuing personal financial goals.

A source previously noted to PEOPLE, “It was clear to her from the start that a hybrid role is not an option.”

Despite losing his military titles — which another source told PEOPLE would upset Harry — he would still have his Invictus Games Foundation, the Paralympic-style contests for service members which also incorporates the Endeavour Fund. He also retains his personal charity Sentebale, which he set up with friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in southern Africa. Harry will additionally continue to work with WellChild, which aids sick children and their families.

Meghan will retain animal welfare charity Mayhew, and Smart Works Charity, which provides women with professional attire for career opportunities.

The news comes shortly after Harry and Meghan announced that they’re expecting their second child together.

Source: https://people.com/

Just one day after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared the happy news that they are expecting their second child, CBS announced that the Sussexes will be sitting down with Oprah Winfrey for a primetime interview, which will be broadcast on Sunday, March 7.

According to a press release put out by the network, Oprah will first speak one-on-one with Meghan and then, Harry will join the conversation, which is expected to cover everything from their marriage and philanthropic work to baby Archie and what life’s been like living in L.A.

Per CBS: “Winfrey will speak with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in a wide-ranging interview, covering everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure. Later, the two are joined by Prince Harry as they speak about their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family.”

Oprah has had close ties to the Sussexes for some time now. She was invited to the royal wedding in 2018, and has been working with Prince Harry on a forthcoming mental health-focused program for Apple TV+.

How to watch

The upcoming conversation will mark the couple’s first primetime interview since stepping away from their positions as senior working royals. Here’s how to tune in:

Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special will air on Sunday, March 7 at 8 P.M. eastern on CBS. If you don’t have cable, it will also be available to stream on Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV.

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com

A spokesperson for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced: “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”

The news was accompanied by a gorgeous black-and-white photo of the pair showing Meghan with her head in Harry’s lap as she cradles her baby bump.

The shot was that was taken remotely by photographer and friend of the couple Misan Harriman.

The Duchess is wearing a long dress by Carolina Herrera, which she also wore during her pregnancy with Archie.

Sweetly, the news echoes Princess Diana’s announcement of her pregnancy with Prince Harry, on Valentine’s Day back in 1984.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland were all informed of news before the announcement.

The baby will be eighth-in-line to the throne when he or she is born, after brother Archie in seventh place and Harry in sixth.

The Duchess of Sussex is expected to give birth in a US hospital, given that she and the Duke moved to the States in March 2020, after their decision to step back from royal life.

Details around the birth have not been confirmed and Harry and Meghan are likely to keep them private, in line with the precedent they set with their first child Archie. The tot was born on 6 May 2019 at the private Portland Hospital in London.

Source: https://www.hellomagazine.com/

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed Tuesday they are partnering with the audio streaming company with their new audio production company, Archewell Audio.

Through the partnership, the royal couple plans on creating “programming that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world” and to “spotlight diverse perspectives,” according to Spotify.

“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” the couple said in a joint statement. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

Prince Harry and Markle will host and produce podcasts through the partnership. Their first project will be a holiday special released later this month that features “stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year.”

The couple’s first complete series with Spotify will debut next year.

The Spotify partnership is the second major deal the royal couple has scored since stepping down from their royal duties in March. The couple also signed a multiyear deal with Netflix in September for similar uplifting and informative projects.

Both the couple’s Netflix and Spotify deals fall in line with their mission for their Archewell charitable foundation. Prince Harry and Markle revealed the foundation in April, stating they plan on building a multimedia educational empire through it.

Source: https://wwd.com/

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has a new title: start-up investor.

Today, Fortune announced that the duchess has invested in a small, woman-owned company called Clevr Blends. Located near Montecito, California, the business makes superfood-enhanced instant oat milk lattes and is run by cofounder and CEO Hannah Mendoza. Meghan’s new investment is the first that has been made public. And in a statement released to the outlet, she explained why she decided to help financially back the company.

“This investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business,” the duchess shared. “I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her and I believe in her company.”

Mendoza also released a statement, revealing her gratitude for the investment and the Duchess of Sussex’s support.

“Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building. I’m grateful to have found both in the Duchess of Sussex,” read the statement from Mendoza. “Her passion for what we’re creating is palpable, and I couldn’t imagine a more aligned partnership. We’re excited for the road ahead.”

There’s another certain someone who is equally excited about Meghan’s latest business venture: her friend and Montecito neighbor Oprah Winfrey, who just shared that the duchess sent her an early holiday gift involving a trio of the superfood lattes.

“On the first day of Christmas my neighbor ‘M’ sent to me…a basket of deliciousness! (Yes that M👑),” wrote Winfrey. “My new drink of choice for the morning and night. Wish I had @clevrblends sooner cause I would’ve added it to my Favorite Things list. #HappyHolidays”

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com

Meghan Markle is showing her support for a special America’s Got Talent contestant.

The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance on Wednesday’s AGT finale when she filmed a good luck message for one of the show’s finalists: Archie Williams.

“Just wanted to let you know that we’ve been so moved by your story and we’ve been cheering you on every week and it’s not just because we’re partial to the name. So, a very special message to you that I’ll probably be saying all of my life, but on this night it’s specifically for you: Archie, we are proud of you and are rooting for you, we can’t wait to see what you do. We’re in your corner, have a good night,” she said.

Meghan and Prince Harry have been “watching the series and loved him from the moment they first saw him,” a source tells PEOPLE.

Williams, who shares a name with the couple’s 1-year-old son, Archie, has become a standout contestant this season for not only his vocal talents but his powerful life story as well.

The 59-year-old was wrongly convicted of aggravated rape and attempted murder in Louisiana at age 22. At the 12-year mark of his prison sentence, he reached out to the Innocence Project with a request for the organization to exonerate him. Years later, his case was overturned due to the fingerprints found at the scene of the crime matching a serial rapist, and he was released from prison in March 2019 after being incarcerated for more than 36 years.

“I knew I was innocent, I didn’t commit a crime. But being a poor Black kid, I didn’t have the economic ability to fight the state of Louisiana,” he said during his audition.

“Days turned into weeks, into months, into years and into decades. It’s like a nightmare,” he continued.

When asked by host Terry Crews how he persevered, he said, “Freedom is of the mind. I went to prison, but I never let my mind go to prison. When you’re faced with dark times, what I would do was pray and sing. This is how I got peace.”

During his audition, Williams sang an emotional rendition of Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” that brought the judges to tears.

“Archie, I will never, ever listen to that song in the same way ever again,” judge Simon Cowell told him. “It took on a whole new meaning for me. You’re a very courageous person. This is an audition I will never forget for the whole of my life, Archie.”

During the quarterfinals, Williams performed a moving cover of Steve Wonder’s “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” receiving praise from guest judge Kelly Clarkson. In the semifinals, during which he was saved by the judges, he sang Westlife’s “Flying Without Wings.” And on Tuesday’s finals, Williams sang The Beatles classic “Blackbird,” which judge Sofia Vergara called his best performance. “I hear this song differently than I ever did before … like The Beatles wrote this song for you,” judge Heidi Klum said.

Meghan’s appearance on AGT comes just one day after she and Harry made their primetime TV debut to celebrate TIME magazine’s annual list of the world’s most influential people. They used their segment to speak about the importance of voting.

We’re six weeks out from the election, and today is Voter Registration Day,” Meghan said on Tuesday’s ABC special. “Every four years, we’re told, ‘This is the most important election of our lifetime.’ But this one is. When we vote, our values are put into action, and our voices are heard.”

In her remarks, Meghan also encouraged the public to “honor those who gave us courage this year. Like the scientists, researchers and medical professionals who are leading the fight against COVID-19. Or the countless voices who are speaking out with passion and purpose against injustice and inequality and to those silently marching in solidarity, in peaceful protest to stand for what is just and what is right.”

Source: https://people.com

The royal couple, now living in California, have signed a multiyear pact with the streamer.
The duke and duchess of Sussex are Hollywood players now.

Britain’s Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have signed a multiyear overall deal at Netflix. As reported by The New York Times, the deal will cover scripted and unscripted TV series, documentaries, feature films and kids’ programming.

The deal comes seven months after the couple announced they would “step back” as senior members of the British royal family. Their signing with Netflix echoes the deal made by former President Barack Obama and wife Michelle, whose Higher Ground Productions produced the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory for the streamer.

Shortly after that, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos said he’d be open to working with the duke and duchess: “Who wouldn’t be interested? Yes, sure,” he told the U.K.’s Press Association.

“Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience and the need for connection,” said the duke and duchess of Sussex. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope. As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens. We are pleased to work with Ted and the team at Netflix whose unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action.”

The couple already has projects in development at the streamer, including a nature docuseries and an animated series that will celebrate inspiring women.

“Harry and Meghan have inspired millions of people all around the world with their authenticity, optimism and leadership,” said Sarandos, co-CEO and chief content officer at Netflix. “We’re incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home — and are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere.”

The duke and duchess will focus on creating programming that resonates with them, including issues that are the focus of their nonprofit foundation, Archewell. They’re also committed to featuring diverse voices in front of and behind the camera and in hiring for their production company, which is staffing up.

Markle was an actress, most notably on USA’s legal drama Suits, before marrying Prince Harry. She has no plans to return to acting, though per the Times, the couple may appear onscreen in documentary projects. Harry is featured in Netflix’s recently released documentary Rising Phoenix, about the Paralympic Games, and joined with Oprah Winfrey to produce a docuseries on mental health for Apple TV+.

Following their January announcement that they would step down as senior royals, the duke and duchess entered into negotiations with the royal family under which Queen Elizabeth II gave them leave in exchange for the couple not using the titles His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness and to give up public funding. The latter stipulation set off a wave of speculation about how they would support themselves, including potentially entering the entertainment industry.

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/

Later this month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will celebrate their second wedding anniversary, but the royal couple has already been through enough together—both good times and bad—to warrant a joint biography.

Today, HarperCollins announced the acquisition of Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, by reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. (Scobie is a royal editor at T&C’s sister brand Harper’s Bazaar, while Durand contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine and Elle, which are also owned by T&C’s parent company, Hearst.)

“With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, Finding Freedom is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world,” reads a brief summary from the publisher.

While the authors promise sources that offer the inside scoop on the royal couple, it is understood that this is not an official or endorsed project by Harry or Meghan, and it doesn’t claim to have interviews with the couple, as was previously rumored.

“The aim of this book is to portray the real Harry and Meghan, a couple who continue to inspire many around the world through their humanitarian and charitable work but are often inaccurately portrayed,” Scobie and Durand said in a joint statement released with today’s announcement.

“Our mission has been motivated by a desire to tell an accurate version of their journey and finally present the truth of misreported stories that have become gospel simply because of the amount of times they have been repeated. It is thanks to our sources that we have been able to share the definitive story of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family is slated to be released this summer.

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com

The book’s two authors have had a fruitful relationship with Meghan and Harry, and have already gotten exclusive access to some of their events. Scobie, who writes for Harper’s Bazaar and is a Good Morning America correspondent, has covered Meghan for years, and was one of two journalists granted exclusive access to Meghan’s last private event as a member of the royal family in March. Durand, a contributor to Elle, attended Meghan’s private event at a London school. According to the Mail on Sunday, Meghan and Harry sat for interviews with Durand and Scobie before they announced their exit in January.

The book was reportedly set to come out in June, but its release date has been pushed to August due to the coronavirus crisis. Dey Street Books, the publisher who released Jessica Simpson’s Open Book earlier this year, hasn’t confirmed the release yet, but their website does feature a cryptic page advertising a book by the authors “Eibocs” and “Dnarud”—Scobie and Durand backwards—with a release date of August 11.

According to a source with knowledge of the deal, the book will cover the period from Meghan and Harry’s introduction to their royal exit in March, including details about her deteriorating relationship with the Markle family. It will approach those years from the perspective of the couple and cast Meghan in a more flattering light than many tabloid stories have.

Their cooperation tracks with some of their motivations from stepping back from the royal family earlier this year. In January, they released statements complaining about the royal rota system, which didn’t always allow them to choose the journalists they worked with. In a documentary last fall, Meghan said she hadn’t been able to develop a “stiff upper lip” and expressed frustration at her inability to rebut stories that she saw as unfair.

While this approach to a royal biography is far from the conventional process for the Buckingham Palace press team, it has precedent. In 1992, Queen Elizabeth was already in the middle of what she would later call her “annus horribilis” when much of her family’s dirty laundry found its way to the public in the form of a tell-all book. Princess Diana had cooperated with Andrew Morton, a tabloid veteran, on Diana: Her True Story, which documented her difficult days in the palace and the affair between Prince Charles and his future wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles.

While the bombshell announcements of the book fueled its status as a bestseller, a more subtle angle of Morton’s story resonates more than two decades after Diana’s death. The book painted a picture of a woman who had suffered personally but was motivated by concern for how her in-laws were adapting to the modern era. “She finds the monarchy claustrophobic and completely outdated with no relevance to today’s life and problems,” a friend of hers told Morton. “She feels that it is a crumbling institution and believes that the family won’t know what has hit it in a few years’ time unless it changes too.”

At a moment when Diana was attempting to negotiate her own exit from the family, the book’s publication strained her already rocky relationship with the Queen. But it also endeared her to an international audience and helped her maintain popularity despite the messiness of a royal divorce. When Vanity Fair wrote about the fallout after the book’s publication in February 1993, the story was called “Diana’s Revenge.”

Meghan and Harry’s choice to go public doesn’t seem to have as much to do with their feelings about the family’s state of affairs. When they stepped back as senior royals, Meghan and Harry were hoping they could find a more progressive role within the family, but were only able to achieve that by leaving their roles behind entirely. Participating in a book might be the most forceful way they are able to make that change without deliberately agitating their relatives.

In charting their careers outside of the royal family, the couple have reportedly taken pains to stay on the monarchy’s good side. There’s no reason to believe that Thoroughly Modern Royals will drop any information that will leave the queen fuming, though there’s a chance that their choice could backfire. But by working with Durand and Scobie, two British journalists who write for American outlets, they’re making a point about who this book is aimed at. Meghan and Harry don’t seem to be trying to set the house on fire—just looking for an opportunity to get a few things off their chests.

Source: https://www.vanityfair.com