Meghan Markle teams up with Melissa McCarthy to celebrate 40th birthday in new video

The Duchess of Sussex is celebrating her 40th birthday with a call to help women who are heading back into the workforce after having lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

The former Meghan Markle enlisted the help of actor and comedian Melissa McCarthy in a new video revealed exclusively on TODAY Wednesday to unveil 40x40, a campaign encouraging people around the world to give 40 minutes of their time to support women going back to work.

In her first public appearance since giving birth to daughter Lilibet in June, Meghan takes a call in the video from McCarthy, who is dressed like she's at a royal wedding while sipping tea.

Meghan pays tribute to her two children with Prince Harry by wearing a pair of gold necklaces by Logan Hollowell of the Taurus constellation and the Gemini constellation. The Taurus represents the zodiac sign for their son Archie, 2, who was born on May 6, while the Gemini is the zodiac sign for Lili, who was born on June 4.

In the playful video, McCarthy thinks she knows what Meghan wants for her 40th birthday, which is on Wednesday.

"I know what it is," she says. "My first guess is, it another photo shoot under a tree where you're looking very peaceful?"

"Peaceful under a tree is me every day," Meghan responds.

McCarthy then asks if they're instead getting matching tattoos of their faces with "besties forever" written underneath.

"Well, you know I already have something similar across my back," Meghan jokes. "You know, maybe we save it for when I turn 50."

McCarthy then has another idea as she puts on her oversize sunglasses.

"Yacht party! Who's ready for a yacht?"

Instead, Meghan is asking for 40 of her friends to donate 40 minutes of their time to "help mentor a woman who's mobilizing back into the workforce."

The birthday campaign by the duchess is the latest call for service under the umbrella of Archewell, her nonprofit foundation with husband Prince Harry.

Meghan has already secured the 40x40 pledge from the likes of Adele, Amanda Gorman, Amanda Nguyen, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Gloria Steinem, José Andrés, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and Stella McCartney, according to Archewell.

"Over 2 million women in the U.S. alone and tens of millions around the world have lost their jobs due to Covid, and I think if we all do it and all commit 40 minutes to some sort of act of service we can create a ripple effect," Meghan says in the video.

"You in?" she asks McCarthy.

"Yes, times 40," she replies. "Is it OK if I still do it in a hat?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Meghan says.