Meghan Markle has spoken out following reports hers and Prince Harry’s work relationship is “strained”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex who now reside in Montecito, California, have been attending events without one another in recent weeks. Last week, former Suits actress Meghan, 43, attended a Thanksgiving event without her royal husband, 40.
As reported by the Mirror, it comes following rumours that their professional relationship is “in a very bad state.” Meghan was all smiles as she got stuck in while attending an event for the Southern California Welcome Project in partnership with hers and Harry’s Archewell Foundation.
Harry was not in attendance with her. The mum-of-two has now spoken out in a statement shared on their joint foundation website. She opened up about the “heartfelt dinner” held for Afghan women with the organisation, Mina’s List.
The statement read: “This initiative, led by the partner organisation Mina’s List, has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the U.S. from Afghanistan.”
The statement added: “The evening included a shared meal that encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience. The Duchess expressed her deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences, underscoring her excitement for future gatherings that continue to strengthen these connections.
“The dinner was hosted at Our Place, founded by Shiza Shahid, where the participants were gifted with new cookware for the upcoming holiday season. The Archewell Foundation remains committed to uplifting women and fostering community through shared experiences, reinforcing the importance of unity and support during challenging times.”
The Duchess of Sussex is known to be a fan of Thanksgiving but says the celebrations for her and Harry are always “pretty low-key” and told Marie Claire magazine that “being close to my mom is great” suggesting Doria will also be spending the day with the Sussexes.
However, Meghan revealed that one year the couple had a special unexpected guest at Thanksgiving – the feminist activist, Gloria Steinem. She added: “I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there’s room at the table for your friends who don’t have family, which is really key.”
Last week, Harry who stepped down from royal duties in January 2020 and no longer uses the style His Royal Highness attended several Invictus Games events in Vancouver, Canada. But the couple put on a united front as they teamed up to honour those who fought for both the US and United Kingdom on Veteran’s Day earlier this month.
Meghan and Harry are set to make public appearances in February 2025 attending the Invictus Games in Canada. Meanwhile, the Duchess previously hinted that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who rarely appear in public may make an appearance. Harry and Meghan are said to be considering working separately from one another.
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