Meghan Markle Makes First Appearance Since Announcing She’s Stepping Down as a Senior Royal
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to “step back” as senior royals shocked the world over the last few days. But amid the whirlwind, the Duchess of Sussex made some time for an engagement. On Tuesday, January 14, she paid a visit to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre. The organization shared that Markle had tea with members and discussed several issues affecting the community.
The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, which provides a safe space for women while creating social programs, advocacy, and support, shared the news with a photo of Markle smiling next to several women. “Look who we had tea with today! The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, visited us today to discuss issues affecting women in the community,” the center wrote on Facebook.
A few days after Markle's visit, the royal fashion blog What Meghan Wore tracked down the credits for her outfit. The look includes one piece Suits fans might recognize: a cream, cable-knit sweater Markle wore as her character, Rachel Zane. Photos dug up by What Meghan Wore appear to show Markle wearing the sweater, designed by The Row, in an episode from season 3.
It's not that surprising to see Markle wearing her old costume, even as a Duchess. Jolie Andretta, the show's costume designer, revealed in an interview with Harper's Bazaar UK that Markle "loved" the outfits she wore on the series. "Meghan and I loved Rachel's clothes. We’d always say that, if we could, we would live in Rachel’s clothes. Designing Rachel's look was like being a kid in a candy store," she said.
Both Markle and Prince Harry have had a lot going on since issuing a statement that explained they hope to transition into new roles in the royal family and establish financial independence. On Monday, January 13, Prince Harry made his way back to London for a meeting convened with Queen Elizabeth in which they reportedly discussed details of what the new setup might look like. That day the queen broke her silence on the situation. “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” she said. “Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
She added that Markle and Prince Harry will split their time between Canada and the U.K., and it seems that engagements like visiting the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre are all part of what the couple has envisioned in their new arrangement. They’ve said they want to keep working on the charities and public issues they’ve been championing, so Markle surely has more events like this in her future.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
