When Meghan Markle stepped into her completed wedding gown she cried tears of joy. In many ways the creation of the gown has been very much in step with Meghan's journey since the engagement. Days after it was announced, the newly-engaged Meghan began meeting with designers and outlined her ideas for a gown that will almost certainly marry her signature style with tradition and earn its place in the history books. As the details fell into place during a series of meetings and fittings at a secret location throughout the spring, she was busily embracing her new life during a tour of engagements around the UK. Now, the finished piece is safely housed in Windsor Castle, where courtiers have ensured it is kept away from prying eyes. Meghan will see the dress again this week, perhaps for the final time before the wedding. In keeping with tradition, she will join Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor to view it. The enormity of that moment will not be lost on Meghan, nor will the knowledge her life is about to irrevocably change forever. In eight days she will arrive at St George's Chapel as Ms Meghan Markle and depart as an official member of the British Royal family.
When Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle arrived hand in hand at Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden it was clear they were a couple very much in love and excited for their future together. As a beaming Harry posed with his future bride, I was reminded of his words lamenting the complexities of finding 'the one' in May 2016: "If, or when, I do find a girlfriend, I will do my utmost...to ensure that me and her can get to the point where we’re actually comfortable with each other before the massive invasion that is inevitably going to happen into her privacy. To be fair, I haven’t had that many opportunities to get out there and meet people. At the moment, my focus is very much on work. But if someone slips into my life then that’s absolutely fantastic." Following the breakdown of his second serious relationship - with Cressida Bonas - it was clear the level of press intrusion and public interest in his personal life had taken a toll. Harry's first love Chelsy Davy recently admitted her time in the spotlight as the Prince's girlfriend was "full on, crazy, scary and uncomfortable".
Little did Harry know then that just two months after speaking those words he would meet the woman who would become his wife. "It was blind date for sure. I’d never even heard about her until this friend said, 'Meghan!' I was like, 'Right, give me a bit of background – what’s going on here?' I’d never watched Suits; I’d never heard of Meghan before. And I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her, and there she was, sitting there. I was like, OK, well, I’m going to have to really up my game here and make sure I’ve got a good line of chat." After a handful of dates, Harry jetted Meghan off to Botswana, where the couple explored the beautiful landscape, camped under the stars, and away from everything, got to know each other and fell in love.
With Harry undertaking duties with trips abroad on behalf of the Queen and Meghan busy with a hectic schedule filming Suits, the next hurdle was making a long-distance relationship work logistically. Meghan said: "It was just a choice, right? I think that very early on, when we realized we were going to commit to each other, we knew we had to invest the time and the energy and whatever it took to make that happen. And so yes, with the filming schedule, it was not the easiest, because it, of course, included a lot of travel back and forth." The pair enjoyed "four or five months" quality time together before their relationship was revealed to the world. Harry and Meghan credit that time as forming the foundations of their strong bond and preparing them for what was ahead.
"I tried to warn you as much as possible, but I think both of us were totally surprised by the reaction. You can have as many conversations as you want, and try and prepare as much as possible, but we were totally unprepared for what happened after that." As Harry uttered those words, his expression changed somewhat and he recalled the dreadful treatment Meghan was subjected to online and by various media outlets. In November 2016, Harry was compelled to issue a statement following the "wave of abuse" hurled at Meghan. The letter offered a glimpse into the private battles they had been fighting; "the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. Some of it has been hidden from the public - the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life".
Meghan admitted she was totally unprepared for it: "I think I can very safely say, as naive as it sounds now, having gone through this learning curve in the past year and a half, I did not have any understanding of just what it would be like. I don’t think either of us did. But even though I’d been on my show for, I guess, six years at that point, and working before that, I’ve never been part of tabloid culture. I’ve never been in pop culture to that degree and lived a relatively quiet life, even though I focused so much on my job. So that was a really stark difference out of the gate. And I think we were just hit so hard at the beginning with a lot of untruths that I made the choice to not read anything, positive or negative – it just didn’t make sense. And instead we focused all of our energies just on nurturing our relationship."
"I tried to warn you as much as possible, but I think both of us were totally surprised by the reaction. You can have as many conversations as you want, and try and prepare as much as possible, but we were totally unprepared for what happened after that." As Harry uttered those words, his expression changed somewhat and he recalled the dreadful treatment Meghan was subjected to online and by various media outlets. In November 2016, Harry was compelled to issue a statement following the "wave of abuse" hurled at Meghan. The letter offered a glimpse into the private battles they had been fighting; "the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. Some of it has been hidden from the public - the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life".
Meghan admitted she was totally unprepared for it: "I think I can very safely say, as naive as it sounds now, having gone through this learning curve in the past year and a half, I did not have any understanding of just what it would be like. I don’t think either of us did. But even though I’d been on my show for, I guess, six years at that point, and working before that, I’ve never been part of tabloid culture. I’ve never been in pop culture to that degree and lived a relatively quiet life, even though I focused so much on my job. So that was a really stark difference out of the gate. And I think we were just hit so hard at the beginning with a lot of untruths that I made the choice to not read anything, positive or negative – it just didn’t make sense. And instead we focused all of our energies just on nurturing our relationship."
And the proposal? It was an ordinary night at the couple's cosy Nottingham Cottage when Harry got down one one knee. "Can I say yes?" exclaimed Meghan before he had finished asking the question. Meghan's beautiful trilogy ring was designed by Prince Harry and crafted by the Queen's jewellers, Cleave and Company. An enormous amount of thought went into the piece from Prince Harry. The centre stone is from Botswana and the two outside diamonds are from Diana's personal collection. Meghan is not only marrying Harry, she's marrying into one of the oldest and most famous institutions in the world. She's marrying a job which comes with a lifetime of duty and responsibility. Knowing Meghan would excel at this element of royal life came as a relief to Harry: "The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect. This beautiful woman just sort of literally tripped and fell into my life; I fell into her life. And the fact that she’ll be really unbelievably good at the 'job' part of it as well is obviously a huge relief to me, because she’ll be able to deal with everything else that comes with it. But no, we’re a fantastic team, we know we are."
Meghan's social conscience was instilled in her from a young age thanks to her mother Doria Ragland. Meghan believes her awareness began during the South-Central riots, in Los Angeles, sparked by the police beating of Rodney King, in 1991, and the subsequent riots in 1992, when she was 11 years old. "'They had let us go home [from school] during the riots and there was ash everywhere.' As the ash from street fires sifted down on suburban lawns, Markle remembers, she said, 'Oh, my God, Mommy, it’s snowing!' 'No, Flower, it’s not snow,' Doria answered. 'Get in the house.'" From a young age Meghan wanted to give back, and from a young age volunteered at a nearby soup kitchen.
Meghan's feminism began at the tender age of 11:
'I had been in school watching a TV show in elementary school and, um, this commercial came on with the tag line for this dish washing liquid and the tag line said, ‘Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans’. Two boys from my class said, ‘Yeah, that’s where women belong, in the kitchen’. I remember feeling shocked and angry and also just feeling so hurt; it just wasn’t right, and something needed to be done. So, I went home and told my dad what had happened, and he encouraged me to write letters, so I did, to the most powerful people I could think of. Now my eleven year old self worked out that if I really wanted someone to hear me, well then I should write a letter to the First Lady. So off I went, scribbling away to our First Lady at the time, Hillary Clinton. I also put pen to paper and I wrote a letter to my news source at the time, Linda Ellerbee, who hosted a kids news program, and then to powerhouse attorney Gloria Allred, because even at eleven I wanted to cover all my bases.
Finally I wrote to the soap manufacturer. And a few weeks went by, and to my surprise I received letters of encouragement from Hillary Clinton, from Linda Ellerbee, and from Gloria Allred. It was amazing. The kids news show, they sent a camera crew to my home to cover the story, and it was roughly a month later when the soap manufacturer, Proctor & Gamble, changed the commercial for their ivory clear dish washing liquid. They changed it from ‘Women All Over America are Fghting Greasy Pots and Pans’ to ‘People all over America’. It was at that moment that I realized the magnitude of my actions. At the age of eleven I had created my small level of impact by standing up for equality.'
As a child growing up, Meghan struggled to find her voice and identity as a mixed-race girl, at times feeling like "an absolutely incomplete". "Navigating closed-mindedness to the tune of a dorm mate I met my first week at university who asked if my parents were still together. 'You said your mom is black and your dad is white, right?' she said. I smiled meekly, waiting for what could possibly come out of her pursed lips next. 'And they're divorced?' I nodded. 'Oh, well that makes sense.' To this day, I still don't fully understand what she meant by that, but I understood the implication. And I drew back: I was scared to open this Pandora's box of discrimination, so I sat stifled, swallowing my voice." In a piece for Elle, Meghan recounted a night she won't ever forget, when her mother was subjected to an appalling act of racism. "I was home in LA on a college break when my mom was called the 'N' word. We were leaving a concert and she wasn't pulling out of a parking space quickly enough for another driver. My skin rushed with heat as I looked to my mom. Her eyes welling with hateful tears, I could only breathe out a whisper of words, so hushed they were barely audible: 'It's OK, Mommy.' I was trying to temper the rage-filled air permeating our small silver Volvo. Los Angeles had been plagued with the racially charged Rodney King and Reginald Denny cases just years before, when riots had flooded our streets, filling the sky with ash that flaked down like apocalyptic snow; I shared my mom's heartache, but I wanted us to be safe. We drove home in deafening silence, her chocolate knuckles pale from gripping the wheel so tightly." Ellen Barry wrote: "The British tabloids have not treated her with kid gloves, featuring a drumbeat of unflattering interviews with relatives she has not invited to the wedding. But the relationship between the Royal family and the tabloids, two pillars of conservative England, was fraught with tension long before she arrived on the scene."
When Meghan turned 18, she left for Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois—becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college - and double-majored in theatre and international relations. In line with her international-relations major, Meghan worked at the US Embassy in Argentina her senior year, "so I had been in a completely different world and then suddenly jumped into this one".
More from the Chicago Tribune:
'The Tribune reached out to more than 140 of Markle’s sorority sisters, from her class and two classes before and after her, to get more insight into her college life. Most of the women did not respond to the request for comment. Some of those who politely declined to be interviewed offered that Markle “always seemed lovely,” “was always very kind,” “is a delightful person,” “is a lovely person” and “is a truly wonderful person.”
“Meg was sort of always this ethereal, sophisticated, beautiful creature who lived with us and was always willing to lend you a top,” said Liz Kores Graham, who rushed Kappa Kappa Gamma with Markle as a freshman and later lived with her in the sorority house.'
During her first year, Meghan met aspiring (and now published) author Lindsay Roth. The two have been best friends since. Roth once said: "We’re the kind of friends who can be 3,000 miles away and still be talking about or thinking the same thing, and even texting each other the same thing at the same time miles away." Meghan was Lindsay's maid of honour and gave her a very special gift before the big day. From the New York Times: "When Lindsay Roth’s maid of honor called and said that she needed to fly to Toronto, she knew Ms. Markle had something up her sleeve. The maid of honor, Meghan Markle, an actress in the television drama "Suits," had arranged for her to have a private fitting at the Kleinfeld Hudson’s Bay in Toronto. 'I felt like the most special bride,' Ms. Roth said. When Ms. Roth tried on a Zuhair Murad gown, her entourage confirmed what she already knew. 'I knew before I even saw myself in the mirror that it was 'The Dress.' The icing on the cake was an Oscar de la Renta veil of cascading flowers that completed the look. 'At the end of our wedding night I didn’t want to take the dress (and earlier, the veil) off,' said Ms. Roth. 'I’d have slept in it if I could’ve!'"
I would wager you've likely never heard the above story nor the quotes from Meghan's Northwestern classmates. For the voracious media those sorts of stories frankly lack the teeth of baseless slanderous statements made from disgruntled family members who conveniently flip-flop and alter their stories. Case in point - Meghan's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. Last November, he told The Daily Mail in no uncertain terms: "I hope Prince Harry proposes. She’s a hot commodity right now — he better get on it. I do have a sense of pride in Meghan being successful. It was just obvious from day one that she was destined to be somewhere really big. She’s always been a princess. She’s carried herself on that level from day one." Fast forward to May 2018 and one could say he's singing a rather different tune... Or more accurately, penning a letter to Prince Harry and then providing a copy of it to In Touch magazine filled with content that could be described as nothing short of a character assassination. "Meghan Markle is obviously not the one for you. This is the biggest mistake in royal wedding history," he said, telling Harry there's still time to call it off.
Meghan was passionate about acting and worked multiple jobs, waitressing and working as a calligrapher. Her big break came when she was cast as legal eagle Rachel Zane, a character which she poured her heart into. The show first aired in 2011 - the same year Meghan married her boyfriend of seven years, producer Trevor Engelson. The couple married in Jamaica. Two years later the couple parted, citing irreconcilable differences.
Rachel Zane is the "Goldilocks" of Meghan's acting career:
'Being 'ethnically ambiguous', as I was pegged in the industry, meant I could audition for virtually any role. Morphing from Latina when I was dressed in red, to African American when in mustard yellow; my closet filled with fashionable frocks to make me look as racially varied as an Eighties Benetton poster. Sadly, it didn't matter: I wasn't black enough for the black roles and I wasn't white enough for the white ones, leaving me somewhere in the middle as the ethnic chameleon who couldn't book a job.
This is precisely why Suits stole my heart. It's the Goldilocks of my acting career – where finally I was just right. The series was initially conceived as a dramedy about a NY law firm flanked by two partners, one of whom navigates this glitzy world with his fraudulent degree. Enter Rachel Zane, one of the female leads and the dream girl – beautiful and confident with an encyclopedic knowledge of the law. 'Dream girl' in Hollywood terms had always been that quintessential blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty – that was the face that launched a thousand ships, not the mixed one. But the show's producers weren't looking for someone mixed, nor someone white or black for that matter. They were simply looking for Rachel. In making a choice like that, the Suits producers helped shift the way pop culture defines beauty. The choices made in these rooms trickle into how viewers see the world, whether they're aware of it or not. Some households may never have had a black person in their house as a guest, or someone biracial. Well, now there are a lot of us on your TV and in your home with you. And with Suits, specifically, you have Rachel Zane. I couldn't be prouder of that.
At the end of season two, the producers went a step further and cast the role of Rachel's father as a dark-skinned African-American man, played by the brilliant Wendell Pierce. I remember the tweets when that first episode of the Zane family aired, they ran the gamut from: 'Why would they make her dad black? She's not black' to 'Ew, she's black? I used to think she was hot.' The latter was blocked and reported. The reaction was unexpected, but speaks of the undercurrent of racism that is so prevalent, especially within America.'
With Meghan's newfound fame came the opportunity to explore philanthropic initiatives she had long been passionate about. With women's advocacy at the forefront of her mind, she was honoured to become a United Nations women's advocate for political participation and leadership. In 2015, she delivered a powerful speech on International Women's Day: "We need to mobilise girls and women to see their value as leaders." As an ambassador for World Vision Canada she travelled to Rwanda to support their clean water initiative. While visiting a school in the Gasabo region of the country she taught students to paint with watercolours, using water from a newly installed pipeline in their community. Meghan brought the paintings back to Canada to share the student artists’ stories and raise enough money to support additional water projects with World Vision. Meghan hosted the Watercolor Project fundraiser with 60 high-profile guests invited in March 2016. The event raised $15,000 - enough to help World Vision build a new source of water for an entire community. Meghan travelled to Delhi with World Vision to meet to meet girls and women directly impacted by the stigmatisation of menstrual health and to learn how it hinders their education. Meghan has also been passionate about supporting young people and volunteered as a Global Ambassador for One Young World - counsellors lend their global stature to the delegates' views and inspire them to create positive change.
Meghan once wrote: "I honestly believe that it is our human obligation to give back. It doesn’t matter if it’s a very small act of kindness, but every little bit matters. With fame comes opportunity, bit it also includes responsibility - to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings. And if I'm lucky enough, to inspire." A sentiment shared by her late future mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, who strongly believed if one has a platform to help people they should use it. It came as no surprise when Meghan carried out her first day of engagements in Nottingham, on World Aids Day, a mere four days after the royal engagement.
During the engagement interview, Meghan elaborated on this point, saying: "Very early out of the gate I think we realised once you have access or a voice that people are willing to listen to, comes a lot of responsibility which I take seriously and at the same time in the beginning few months and now being boots on the ground in the UK, I'm excited just to really get to know more about the different communities here, the smaller organisations working on the same causes I've always been passionate about. And also being able to go around to the Commonwealth. I think it's just the beginning."
I spoke to the Mirror's royal reporter, the lovely Victoria Murphy,who shared her thoughts on Meghan's speedy entry into royal life: "There has been very little easing in when it comes to Meghan; she was thrown in at the deep end with this number of engagements before even being married. But this reflects her enthusiasm, her confidence and the fact the Royal family clearly feels she is an asset to them and is up to the job of representing them at so many different events so soon."
Privately Meghan joined Harry in spending a good deal of time with members of the Royal family, including the Queen. In fact, in early December she joined the monarch at the Royal Household Christmas Party at Windsor. Wearing a burgundy lace dress, guests described her as "charming and very natural". She also joined Harry and the Cambridges for the Kensington Palace staff party. Below, Harry and Meghan arriving for the Queen's Pre-Christmas luncheon at Buckingham Palace.
The Royal family publicly showed their support for Meghan when she became the first royal fiancée to spend Christmas Day with them at Sandringham. Camilla Tominey noted it made perfect sense as she was "already considered part of the family". It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know the other royals better. We also saw he very first curtsy as she joined the Duchess of Cambridge in curtsying before the Queen as she departed after the service.
The couple kicked off 2018 with an unforgettable visit to Brixton. Kensington Palace press secretary Jason Knauf said: "This is the country that’s going to be her home now and that means travelling around, getting to know the towns and cities and smaller communities." The infectious reaction from the crowds appeared to stun Meghan a little and this was her expression when they cheered and shouted her name upon arrival...
The Mail Online reported: "Sandra Wiltshire wept as she held their hands and told Meghan: 'Thank you, thank you for all you've done.' Speaking afterwards, she said: 'I just love Prince Harry. For him to have found someone who he really loves it is amazing. You can feel their love I wish them all the best. Ms Wiltshire ran a shop for 25 years from across Pop Brixton and added: 'I just want to say it was a dream to meet them. I wish them all the best and thank you so much for coming to Brixton."
I often think engagements are remembered by moments; a quote, a conversation with a member of the public... Harry and Meghan's first joint visit to the Welsh capital of Cardiff was filled with these moments.
Before they left Harry said: "Everyone give Meghan a big group hug." After a few moments the Prince smiled and said: "And release. She's mine." Meghan's reaction was priceless - a very endearing moment between the happy couple.
At the Endeavour Fund Awards, Meghan took to the stage to present the Celebrating Excellence Award. She said, "I'm truly privileged to be here", before going through the list of nominees. There was a mix up of sorts with the envelopes and it took a couple of minutes before Meghan could proceed listing the nominees. She took it in her stride and laughed it off.
On the eve of Valentine's Day, Harry and Meghan carried out several engagements in "gorgeous" Edinburgh during their first official visit to Scotland. During a visit to Social Bite - a café distributing food to homeless people across the city, Meghan discussed her experiences volunteering in a soup kitchen. "Giving homeless people choice in what they eat is key to "dignity and humanity". Co-founder Alice Thompson told Meghan she was "deeply inspired" by her 2015 UN Women speech. Clearly touched, Meghan thanked and hugged her. The visit highlighted the experience Meghan is bringing with her as she joins the Royal family.
On the eve of Valentine's Day, Harry and Meghan carried out several engagements in "gorgeous" Edinburgh during their first official visit to Scotland. During a visit to Social Bite - a café distributing food to homeless people across the city, Meghan discussed her experiences volunteering in a soup kitchen. "Giving homeless people choice in what they eat is key to "dignity and humanity". Co-founder Alice Thompson told Meghan she was "deeply inspired" by her 2015 UN Women speech. Clearly touched, Meghan thanked and hugged her. The visit highlighted the experience Meghan is bringing with her as she joins the Royal family.
Meghan joined Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in the Auditorium at the offices of Aviva, London. Meghan will become the fourth patron of the Foundation after the wedding. She touched on the importance of supporting women's issues during the forum: "There is no better time to shine a light on women." I enjoyed chatting to People's chief foreign correspondent Simon Perry who recalled his views from the day: "She has taken to the public side of royal life very well. At the Royal Foundation Forum she was polished and confident and felt completely at home voicing her opinions - raising the issue of MeToo and female empowerment. It felt completely natural and signals another modern touch she is bringing."
Harry and Meghan marked International Women's Day in Birmingham and learned about projects supporting and empowering women. Prince Harry met ten-year-old Sophia Richards and asked her what she wants to be when she grows up. When she replied 'an actress' he took her by the hand over to Meghan. Sophia told People: "Meghan told me that I can achieve whatever I want to achieve. And Meghan said she would like to see me on TV when I become an actress. It was a dream come true. I will never forget this day."
Meghan Markle attended her first official event with the Queen this afternoon when she and Harry joined senior members of the Royal family for the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. It was by far the most formal event she had attended up to that point, and it signalled both her and Harry's interest in the Commonwealth. Dressed in a cream Amanda Wakeley coat and navy dress she looked every inch a royal.
Meghan Markle attended her first official event with the Queen this afternoon when she and Harry joined senior members of the Royal family for the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. It was by far the most formal event she had attended up to that point, and it signalled both her and Harry's interest in the Commonwealth. Dressed in a cream Amanda Wakeley coat and navy dress she looked every inch a royal.
The couple enjoyed a packed day in Belfast in late March meeting members of the public and young people, and visiting the city's most-loved sites, including the Titanic exhibition.
Meghan will also be keenly aware of the power her image now possesses; she is now representing the Queen on royal engagements. We've seen her become more than adept at showcasing sartorial diplomacy and supporting an array of British brands. In Belfast, she carried the Charlotte Elizabeth Bloomsbury Bag. It turns out the British brand has been supported by Prince Charles's organisation, the Prince's Trust. The Meghan Effect has already helped to put dozens of businesses on the map. Sales for Edinburgh-based company Strathberry increased by 5000% the day Meghan carried their bag. Tiny Welsh firm Huit Denim had back orders for three months.
The couple cheered on hopefuls at the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village.
Meghan joined Harry for two events during the historic Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Meghan's participation was described as "highly unusual" and "unprecedented" by veteran royal reporters, who revealed it is uncommon for fiancés to take part in events of such magnitude pre-wedding. The Daily Mail reported: "Jacob Thomas, from Australia, who won a Queen’s Young Leaders award for reducing the rate suicide in the LGBTI community in his home country, said of talking with Meghan: 'These were her exact words, that this is a basic human rights issue, not one about sexuality.'"
Meghan wowed in the elegant Black Halo Jackie O dress for a CHOGM women's empowerment reception hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
The couple attended a reception for the Invictus Games with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Harry and Meghan travelled to Sydney in October for the event. With the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, there was very much a focus on strengthening ties, and it seemed a very fitting way to celebrate the games which has links all over the Commonwealth.
Meghan took her place among the Royal family for the Queen's 92nd birthday celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall.
One of the most important and emotive engagements Meghan attended was the Stephen Lawrence 25th anniversary memorial service. Stephen was murdered during a racist attack in 1993. He didn't know his attackers and they didn't know him, and the murder had a profound effect on Britain. Prime Minister Theresa May was in attendance and announced plans for the government to work with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to establish a national annual commemoration of Stephen's life and legacy every year. The 22nd of April will be Stephen Lawrence Day.
Meghan and Harry attended two ANZAC Day services.
During the engagement interview Meghan said "once you have access or a voice that people are willing to listen to, with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take very seriously". It came as no surprise to learn that Meghan has roughly 30 engagements under her belt - an unprecedented number for any royal fiancée in recent history. Expert Marlene Koenig noted both Diana and Sarah Ferguson attended State dinners and several events where Her Majesty was in attendance. Meghan's numbers considerably exceed both aforementioned ladies. Simon Perry added: "I must say I find that total of engagements amazing. But it says something about both her age and experience — she is already someone happy in the public eye and was ready for this. But also, as she said on her engagement day in November, she and Harry couldn’t wait to get going and it is clear that she has been allowed to do so in the run up to the wedding, rather than waiting until after they are married."
The bulk of Meghan's work and research has taken place behind-the-scenes over the past five months. At the Royal Foundation Forum she couldn't elaborate too much but said: "For me it's very important, once you hit the ground running, even if you're doing it quietly behind the scenes...what I've focused my energy on thus far is meeting with the right people, meeting with the right organisations behind the scenes quietly, learning as much as I can so I can maximise the opportunity we have and really make an impact." People reported: "She's been on a very busy schedule behind the scenes." Her efforts have focused on getting to know a wealth of charitable organisations around the UK, an array of meetings with those on the ground helping her to make an informed decision on where she can best lend her support after the wedding.
The horrific Grenfell Tower fire saw 71 people tragically lose their lives. The blaze shook the nation including the Royal family, who are still deeply interested in helping where possible. The heartbreaking event clearly touched Meghan's heart too, and she made several private visits alone. at the Al Manaar community mosque, which lies in the shadow of the charred shell of Grenfell Tower, accompanied by a protection officer and a royal aide, the future duchess met some of those affected. A leading Grenfell community member told the Mirror: "Meghan’s visits mean so much to us. She has a special place in our hearts."
Harry revealed he and Meghan were left "shocked to the core" following a private visit to Colchester Garrison to learn about the work of the North Essex Veterans Mental Health Network, a collaboration between the NHS, charities and the MOD. The couple saw how veterans and families were left to suffer in silence. We also know she joined Harry at the Endeavour Awards judging panel at Kensington Palace weeks before the ceremony. It's clear Meghan will be joining Harry in supporting members of the armed forces - a staple of his royal work.
How will Meghan use her first year as a Duchess and her new global platform? Victoria Murphy believes she will continue to champion women's issues: "I think after the wedding we will see her focus on causes involving young people and women and girls’ empowerment." Simon Perry concurred: "She has lots of ideas and I expect she will surprise us with some interesting and engaging new moves. But, yes, female empowerment and young people — both at home and abroad, across the Commonwealth which she has already spoken about and got a feel for via the recent CHOGM week — will be at the centre of her work."
I was interested to hear how Harry's new Commonwealth roles and the couple's shared hopes for working in member nations would factor in. Simon Perry shared the following insight: "They’re both interested in the Commonwealth and how young people have the keys to help change their own worlds and the world at large. There will be many foreign visits — I would expect that if they go to Australia as they have said, then they would add New Zealand or somewhere else in that region. And I am sure they will visit a European country, before the fall. With the Queen not traveling and Prince Charles and Camilla being expected to do more, Harry and Meghan will also pitch in with at least two major foreign visits a year I would think." Victoria Murphy added: "We are expecting he and Meghan to carry out a lot of travel meeting young people across the Commonwealth and hearing about the issues that concern them." With the couple's decision to postpone their honeymoon, we'll see the beginning of that work just days after the wedding.
The next week will be filled with a haze of last-minute preparations and welcomes for family and friends. They will join members of the Royal family at a dinner hosted by the Queen; no doubt it's going to be a particularly special time when Meghan and Doria arrive at a private location to spend the night before the wedding. It's going to be terrific to see all the planning come to fruition on the big day.
When Meghan Markle steps into her wedding gown in eight days and walks down the aisle of St George's Chapel, the enormity of that moment will not be lost on her, nor will the knowledge her life is about to irrevocably change forever. I don't think there's a woman better prepared or equipped to embrace every moment of it.
"At the end of the day I'm really just proud of who I am and where I come from." - Meghan Markle
The couple cheered on hopefuls at the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village.
Meghan joined Harry for two events during the historic Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Meghan's participation was described as "highly unusual" and "unprecedented" by veteran royal reporters, who revealed it is uncommon for fiancés to take part in events of such magnitude pre-wedding. The Daily Mail reported: "Jacob Thomas, from Australia, who won a Queen’s Young Leaders award for reducing the rate suicide in the LGBTI community in his home country, said of talking with Meghan: 'These were her exact words, that this is a basic human rights issue, not one about sexuality.'"
Meghan wowed in the elegant Black Halo Jackie O dress for a CHOGM women's empowerment reception hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
The couple attended a reception for the Invictus Games with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Harry and Meghan travelled to Sydney in October for the event. With the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, there was very much a focus on strengthening ties, and it seemed a very fitting way to celebrate the games which has links all over the Commonwealth.
Meghan took her place among the Royal family for the Queen's 92nd birthday celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall.
One of the most important and emotive engagements Meghan attended was the Stephen Lawrence 25th anniversary memorial service. Stephen was murdered during a racist attack in 1993. He didn't know his attackers and they didn't know him, and the murder had a profound effect on Britain. Prime Minister Theresa May was in attendance and announced plans for the government to work with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to establish a national annual commemoration of Stephen's life and legacy every year. The 22nd of April will be Stephen Lawrence Day.
Meghan and Harry attended two ANZAC Day services.
During the engagement interview Meghan said "once you have access or a voice that people are willing to listen to, with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take very seriously". It came as no surprise to learn that Meghan has roughly 30 engagements under her belt - an unprecedented number for any royal fiancée in recent history. Expert Marlene Koenig noted both Diana and Sarah Ferguson attended State dinners and several events where Her Majesty was in attendance. Meghan's numbers considerably exceed both aforementioned ladies. Simon Perry added: "I must say I find that total of engagements amazing. But it says something about both her age and experience — she is already someone happy in the public eye and was ready for this. But also, as she said on her engagement day in November, she and Harry couldn’t wait to get going and it is clear that she has been allowed to do so in the run up to the wedding, rather than waiting until after they are married."
The bulk of Meghan's work and research has taken place behind-the-scenes over the past five months. At the Royal Foundation Forum she couldn't elaborate too much but said: "For me it's very important, once you hit the ground running, even if you're doing it quietly behind the scenes...what I've focused my energy on thus far is meeting with the right people, meeting with the right organisations behind the scenes quietly, learning as much as I can so I can maximise the opportunity we have and really make an impact." People reported: "She's been on a very busy schedule behind the scenes." Her efforts have focused on getting to know a wealth of charitable organisations around the UK, an array of meetings with those on the ground helping her to make an informed decision on where she can best lend her support after the wedding.
The horrific Grenfell Tower fire saw 71 people tragically lose their lives. The blaze shook the nation including the Royal family, who are still deeply interested in helping where possible. The heartbreaking event clearly touched Meghan's heart too, and she made several private visits alone. at the Al Manaar community mosque, which lies in the shadow of the charred shell of Grenfell Tower, accompanied by a protection officer and a royal aide, the future duchess met some of those affected. A leading Grenfell community member told the Mirror: "Meghan’s visits mean so much to us. She has a special place in our hearts."
Harry revealed he and Meghan were left "shocked to the core" following a private visit to Colchester Garrison to learn about the work of the North Essex Veterans Mental Health Network, a collaboration between the NHS, charities and the MOD. The couple saw how veterans and families were left to suffer in silence. We also know she joined Harry at the Endeavour Awards judging panel at Kensington Palace weeks before the ceremony. It's clear Meghan will be joining Harry in supporting members of the armed forces - a staple of his royal work.
How will Meghan use her first year as a Duchess and her new global platform? Victoria Murphy believes she will continue to champion women's issues: "I think after the wedding we will see her focus on causes involving young people and women and girls’ empowerment." Simon Perry concurred: "She has lots of ideas and I expect she will surprise us with some interesting and engaging new moves. But, yes, female empowerment and young people — both at home and abroad, across the Commonwealth which she has already spoken about and got a feel for via the recent CHOGM week — will be at the centre of her work."
I was interested to hear how Harry's new Commonwealth roles and the couple's shared hopes for working in member nations would factor in. Simon Perry shared the following insight: "They’re both interested in the Commonwealth and how young people have the keys to help change their own worlds and the world at large. There will be many foreign visits — I would expect that if they go to Australia as they have said, then they would add New Zealand or somewhere else in that region. And I am sure they will visit a European country, before the fall. With the Queen not traveling and Prince Charles and Camilla being expected to do more, Harry and Meghan will also pitch in with at least two major foreign visits a year I would think." Victoria Murphy added: "We are expecting he and Meghan to carry out a lot of travel meeting young people across the Commonwealth and hearing about the issues that concern them." With the couple's decision to postpone their honeymoon, we'll see the beginning of that work just days after the wedding.
The next week will be filled with a haze of last-minute preparations and welcomes for family and friends. They will join members of the Royal family at a dinner hosted by the Queen; no doubt it's going to be a particularly special time when Meghan and Doria arrive at a private location to spend the night before the wedding. It's going to be terrific to see all the planning come to fruition on the big day.
When Meghan Markle steps into her wedding gown in eight days and walks down the aisle of St George's Chapel, the enormity of that moment will not be lost on her, nor will the knowledge her life is about to irrevocably change forever. I don't think there's a woman better prepared or equipped to embrace every moment of it.
"At the end of the day I'm really just proud of who I am and where I come from." - Meghan Markle
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