Since leaving her position as a member of the British royal family and relocating to the Hollywood Hills over two years ago, Meghan Markle delivered her first public speech in the country.
On Monday, the Duchess of Sussex gave the opening remarks at the One Young World summit, which brings together young activists every year “to come together to confront the most pressing challenges confronting humanity.”
During the opening ceremony, Markle discussed gender equality while Prince Harry watched from the sidelines. At the same summit in 2014. She spoke about her insecurities as “the girl from ‘Suits'” at the same panel in 2014, two years before tabloids erupted with rumors about her and Harry’s relationship.
Markle appeared in seven seasons of the American legal drama “Suits” from 2011 to 2018.
Meghan said of the enormous Manchester gathering, “I was allowed in and took a seat at the table. “I was so taken aback by this experience that I think I fainted, but I kept my small paper place-marker with my name written on it.”
Meghan Markle delivered the keynote address at Manchester’s One Young World summit
:focal(749x0:751x2)/Meghan-Duchess-of-Sussex-makes-the-keynote-speech-during-the-Opening-Ceremony-of-the-One-Young-World-Summit-202297-05092022-8a99746c1fa9409f9f99bc3ce6ba656e.jpg)
Markle and Harry reportedly stay half a mile away from the royal family but have no plans to visit them.
“It was just proof — proof that I was there, proof that I belonged,” she explained.
Markle and Harry traveled to the event by train from London. The couple is said to be staying in Windsor, just half a mile from Prince William and his family. The exiled couple, however, won’t be contacted by the royals, according to reports.
According to Angela Levin, Harry’s biographer in previous bombshell interviews, William is concerned that private conversations he and his brother have won’t be kept from the media.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
A global forum for young leaders called the One Young World Summit that brings together young people from over 190 countries to confront the world’s most pressing challenges.
The couple rarely visits the UK, most recently for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in June.
Markle and Harry haven’t traveled much to the UK since stepping down as senior royals in 2020. They were present at Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in June but left before it was over. They made a brief appearance at a Thanksgiving service as well.
Their next stop will be Germany, where they will participate in a Tuesday countdown to the Invictus Games 2023. Harry is scheduled to speak at a charity event in London on Thursday.