Meghan Markle Shares Photo from Before Her Royal Life for Remembrance Day and Veterans Day
Meghan Markle is honoring the men and women who have served in the armed forces of both the United States and the United Kingdom with a throwback photo of herself before becoming a member of the royal family.
To mark Remembrance Day in the U.K. and Veteran’s Day in the U.S., the Sussex Royal Instagram account shared a photo of the Duchess from 2014, when she went on a USO tour visiting Spain, Italy, Turkey, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom — long before she was a royal.
“I have always had such a profound respect for our nation’s troops and military families. I cannot thank them enough for everything they do for us,” Meghan said at the time, according to the photo’s caption.
“Thank you to all, for your service, sacrifice and commitment,” the caption said. “It has been an important week to recognise those who serve (and have served) as well as to acknowledge their families.”
Meghan joined her royal family members over the weekend at a Remembrance Day ceremony to honor those who lost their lives in World War I.
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Nov 11, 2019 at 11:39am PST
On Sunday, the mother of one joined her husband Prince Harry, his brother Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Cenotaph war memorial in London for the solemn ceremony, with the women looking on while William, Harry and Prince Andrew laid wreaths of poppies.
For the event, Meghan wore a wide-brimmed black hat paired with a belted black coat as she stood on one of the balconies with the Queen’s daughter-in-law, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, as well as Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne‘s husband.
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Queen Elizabeth, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Kate stood together at another balcony. Everyone wore red poppy pins, the symbol of remembrance for World War I and veterans.
On Saturday, Meghan and Harry attended the Festival of Remembrance Service at Royal Albert Hall, marking their first public outing with William and Kate since July.
The Festival “marked the 75th anniversary of a number of crucial battles of 1944, with a particular emphasis on the collaboration and friendship of the British, Commonwealth and Allied armies who fought them,” according to the Sussex Royals Instagram. “A unique tribute was given to acknowledge those involved both past and present, culminating in a special parade of some of the last surviving veterans who fought and served in 1944.”
