Meghan Markle Had Plans for a Charity Before She Met Prince Harry

Green, Fashion, Talent show, Singer, Event, Photography, Fun, Dress, Performance, Formal wear, — (Image credit: Samir Hussein)

I love this little tidbit as we continue to get more information about the new foundation that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be setting up as a part of their household: Meghan, apparently before she even met Harry, was so connected to causes that centered around women and girls that she even had plans to start a charitable foundation of her own. Now she might get the opportunity: Sources say that one of the causes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to support center around "female education and sexual violence and, like the Royal Foundation, have a U.S. wing."

According to Charlotte Wace for The Mail on Sunday, "The idea for a charitable venture was shelved when Meghan moved to Britain—but aspects may be revived following last week’s announcement that she and Harry are leaving the Royal Foundation."

Meghan's work has already channeled some of these focuses. She worked with other women for a cookbook supporting the survivors of the Grenfell Tower incident, and visited the Hubb Community as a part of that work. Of her four official patronages, Smart Works in particular focuses on helping to dress and prepare women for future careers. She's also been a champion for women's causes for a long time—in 2015 she became Advocate for Women’s Political Participation and Leadership for the UN in 2015. In 2017, she visited Mumbai and Delhi with World Vision (in a much-loved green jacket) in a trip that focused on education and equality for young women.

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Let's also hope this leads to more cute photos of Meghan and Harry posing with adorable children:

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Yes, please.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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