Meghan Markle surprised a group of children and teenagers last week when she joined them for an afternoon of games and crafts.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, visited Girls Inc. on Oct. 2. of Greater Santa Barbara to help with a new digital wellness program called Social Media U.
Girls Inc. – a US non-profit organization that encourages girls to be “Strong, Smart, and Bold” – has partnered with #HalfTheStory – a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the next generation’s relationship with technology – to launch the program to launch the States worldwide.
Larissa May, the founder of #HalfTheStory, joined Stephanie J. Hull, CEO of Duchess and Girls Inc., for the event to celebrate the partnership.
“We did an activity where we discussed some scenarios, and Meghan talked about how she was one of the most bullied people in the world,” May said. Vanity fair.
Meghan Markle (pictured on October 5) surprised a group of children and teenagers last week when she joined them for an afternoon of games and crafts
“We had girls waving these little emoji signs and talking about the emotional impact of each of these scenarios.”
May added: “With Stephanie and Meghan, we talked about what it really means to grow up in this digital age.”
The Social Media U curriculum – which the Duchess helped pilot during her visit earlier this month – was designed with input from the teens on the #HalfTheStory advisory board.
The aim is reportedly to encourage teens to socialize without screens, but also help them use technology for creativity and positive connection.
The effort is financially supported by Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation, the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation and Melissa French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures, reports said Vanity fair.
Meghan’s outing marks a second without her husband in as many weeks since she suffered a seizure solo visit to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles gala.
It was thought the trip would be part of a new plan where they would do more events separately, a friend said recently.
The Sussexes will still do joint assignments, but will also be seen alone in public more often as they pursue their own passions.
Prince Harry has been away from home for a fortnight on a pseudo-royal tour to New York, London and South Africa.
And Meghan attended a glitzy children’s hospital gala in Los Angeles on Saturday evening.
Insiders have said this reflects a new change of direction for the couple public lives.
‘The Duke and Duchess are now on the right track as individuals, and not just as a couple. The Duke seems focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess on her entrepreneurial talents,” said a friend of the Sussexes.
Meghan meets a young guest at the gala
Meghan (pictured), enjoys chatting with her friend Kelly McKee in downtown Los Angeles. One expert claimed she looked ‘lost’; without Harry
Prince Harry has spent the past two weeks traveling the world to support causes close to his heart, including South Africa (photo Friday)
The insider told People: “It’s clear that a two-pronged approach is emerging.”
Meghan Markle was out alone on Saturday night, but repeatedly squeezed girlfriend Kelly McKee tightly as she kept her hand on the red carpet.
A body language expert said she seemed ‘lost’ without her husband.
At the event, she spoke about the joys of motherhood as she praised a children’s hospital at a gala in Los Angeles on Saturday evening.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, who attended the event on Saturday without her husband Prince Harry, revealed she was “delighted to be there to support the LA Children’s Hospital.”
“The work they do is otherworldly,” she noted.
“And I think from my standpoint as a mother, no one wants to be in a position where you have to go to a place like this — but if you have to, Children’s Hospital LA is the best place in the world you can go.
“And I have good friends who are still having their kids get treatments there, either from high school, good mom friends who are having their kids now.”
Meghan Markle has spoken about being a mother as she praised a children’s hospital at a gala in Los Angeles
Meghan – who shares Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, with the Duke of Sussex – said ‘the staff are incredible’.
She added: “The amount of work they do for families who really can’t afford this level of care is something that I don’t think should ever be overlooked.”
Elsewhere at the event, she enjoyed a sweet moment when she told a young boy: “It’s past your bedtime.”
Footage shows the Duchess greeting a family before joking to a little boy about being up so late.
“It’s definitely bedtime,” Megan said as she addressed the child, who was being held by his mother.
She added: ‘How old are they? Oh so close to our children. Three and five.’
Meghan has often spoken about her experiences with motherhood.
In May, she said she had fulfilled her dream of becoming a mother like her opened up about her “very talkative, lovely children” during the second day of her Nigerian tour with Harry.
Meghan and Kelly held hands as they posed for photos
The Duchess spoke up a Women in Leadership event she co-hosted with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
Meghan told the audience how much she loves being a mother, but admitted that balancing her family and her career came with its own challenges.
During the talk, Meghan was asked how she juggled motherhood with her career, and she replied, “I love being a mother.”
Despite being told by her friend and mentor more than a decade ago that she would never be able to balance the demands of motherhood and work, the Duchess said she enjoys being a mother and her priorities are constantly changing.
During the panel discussion, Meghan said the “balance” in her life has changed over the years and looks different than it did a decade ago, before she got married and had Archie and Lilibet.
Meghan posed for photos with Paul Viviano, CHLA president, at the event in LA
Meghan was seen laughing with Mr. Viviano, CHLA president, at the children’s gala on Saturday evening
Meghan greeted young fans last night as she attended the event in downtown Los Angeles
The Duchess attended the event on the LA Live events deck in downtown Los Angeles, while her husband, Prince Harry, spent the night of his 40th birthday walking with some friends.
The couple have made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks
Meghan – who shares Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, with the Duke of Sussex – said ‘the staff are incredible’
She said, “What I think that means now is that that balance will always change for you. That balance, which seemed to be in balance ten years ago, is going to shift.’
It comes as Meghan turned heads when she re-wore a striking red Carolina Herrera dress at the children’s event on Saturday.
She previously wore the stunning dress to a 2021 gala in New York City celebrating the military on the eve of Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Britain.
She greeted the young fans before preparing for a star-studded evening with a performance by Demi Lovato and appearances by presenters Kaley Cuoco, Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Hanks.
It comes after Harry and Meghan made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks.
The Duke has appeared at 10 solo appearances without his wife in the past 15 days as he embarks on a ‘quasi-royal tour’ of three countries including New York, London and Lesotho.
It has also been reported that Meghan was unable to attend a charity event she was due to attend with Prince Harry because she was ‘sick’.
And when Prince Harry was messing around with host Jimmy Fallon in New York, movie star George Clooney – a guest at his wedding in 2018 – was hosting a humanitarian awards ceremony in the Big Apple – and Harry was noticeably absent.
