Meghan Markle Makes First Public Appearance Since Stepping Down From Royal Duties

Meghan Markle makes first public appearance since stepping down from royal duties

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced that they were taking a step back from the royal family and would pursue financial independence, many wondered what that would look like. It turns out that Meghan isn’t straying far from her previous charitble works as a Duchess and is making good on her promise to focus on women’s empowerment in her new “progressive” post-royal role. Meghan’s first public appearance since the big announcement was at a Women’s Center in Vancouver, and she looked super comfortable and at-ease.

“Look who we had tea with today!” the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver wrote on its Facebook page. “The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, visited us today to discuss issues affecting women in the community.”

It’s notable how casual Meghan appears here, not her typical “royal uniform” of pressed collars and midi-length skirts. Many commenters noticed this too, pointing out how “down to Earth” she seems now. If this is a taste of Meghan’s new life post-royal family, it suits her.

When Meghan and Harry announced that they were transitioning out of the royal family, they stated that they would split time between North America and the U.K. and Meghan’s official appearance in Vancouver seems to confirm that Canada, and not Los Angeles or other rumored locations, is where the young family plans to live. Right now, it’s unclear when or if Meghan will return to the U.K. as she reportedly had nothing to do with the pow-wow between Harry, Prince Willian, and their grandmother earlier this week.

The latest update on the royal exodus is that the Queen has finally given them her blessing, though in a statement said that “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.”

Despite the fact that Meghan seems to be doing her thing in Canada, the Queen added that there will be a “period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK” and that there is still “some more work to be done” and “final decisions” should be reached this week.