Following their shocking decision to step down from their duties as official members of the Royal Family, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry booked it to Los Angeles where they plan on living as private citizens. The Sussexes have flown under the radar since their international move, but Meghan is slowly making her way back into the spotlight, and it looks like she’s finally feeling a little bit more like herself these days.
Today, Meghan participated in a virtual conference hosted by nonprofit organisation The 19th* to talk about the current tensions within the United States' sociopolitical climate. The Duchess' conversation with The 19th*'s CEO Emily Ramshaw led to a heartfelt discussion about race relations within the country, something that broke Meghan's heart when she set foot in the States again.
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"To come back and to just see this state of affairs, I think at the onset, if I'm being honest, it was just devastating," Meghan revealed candidly. "It was so sad to see where our country was in that moment. If there's any silver lining in that, I would say that in the weeks after the murder of George Floyd, in the peaceful protests that you were seeing, in the voices that were coming out, in the way that people were actually owning their role…it shifted from sadness to a feeling of absolute inspiration, because I can see that the tide is turning."
Observing the passion of protestors and activists speaking up for change inspired Meghan to tap into her own voice, something that she hadn't necessarily been able to fully do as a member of The Firm.
"From my standpoint, it’s not new to see this undercurrent of racism and certainly unconscious bias, but I think to see the changes that are being made right now is really — it's something I look forward to being a part of,” Meghan continued. "And being part of using my voice in a way that I haven’t been able to of late. So, yeah, it’s good to be home.”
The members of the Royal Family have always followed a very strict protocol, with people who marry into the family having to assimilate to its rules very quickly. For Meghan, who had already amassed a reputation for using her celebrity platform to be an outspoken advocate for everything from woman's rights to the environment, British media didn't take well to the vocal addition to the Firm. She was criticised heavily, so much so that she and Harry came to the historic agreement to separate themselves from the royal family.
Now that the couple is free to do their own thing, we can probably expect to hear a lot more from Meghan in this next chapter of her life. She's signed a contract with the Harry Walker Agency (for speaking engagements) and inked a lucrative deal with Netflix and Disney. Meghan and Harry have also began reshaping the nonprofit formerly known as the Sussex Royal Foundation, so their work will continue beyond Buckingham Palace.