Today kicks off a whirlwind week for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are in the U.K. to support charities close to their hearts. (They’ll also jet off to Germany mid-week to kick off Invictus Games 2023 in Dusseldorf before returning to the U.K. for another engagement.)
Prince Harry and Meghan were in Manchester at the One Young World Summit today, where the Duchess gave her first speech in the U.K. since stepping back as a working member of the royal family in January 2020.
Meghan has long been involved with the organization—she has served as a Counsellor for One Young World since 2014, two years before meeting her future husband. In addition to Meghan’s remarks being her first in the U.K. since she and Harry’s step back, this is also the first joint engagement between Harry and Meghan in Harry’s home country since they left the U.K. for Canada and later the U.S. over two years ago.
From Hello Magazine 2019, the Duchess’s comments when asked about becoming a counselor for One Young World —
“When I was asked to be a Counsellor at One Young World my response was a resounding ‘yes’. One Young World invites young adults from all over the world who are actively working to transform the socio-political landscape by being the greater good. They are delegates who are speaking out against human rights violations, environmental crises, gender equality issues, discrimination and injustice. They are the change.”
We spotted Meghan in two looks today: the first, as she took the train to Manchester, was a cashmere Brandon Maxwell top, complete with a collar and three buttons, which she paired with a pair of coordinating tan pants. Her hair was pulled into a sleek, long ponytail to complete the look.
At the event itself, Meghan stunned in an outfit from Another Tomorrow, her hair once again pulled back and the look accessorized with chunky gold earrings and matching ring. Meghan’s look was head-to-toe crimson, including a long-sleeved silk blouse from the brand, pleated trousers, and a tie knotted at her neck. She completed the look with strappy Aquazzura heels.
The couple arrived to loud cheers —
The Duchess of Sussex has been a truly amazing supporter of One Young World for the past eight years. It has been inspiring to see her continue to champion young leaders in our community, both in public and behind the scenes. We are so grateful for her ongoing support and can’t wait to welcome the Duke and Duchess to Manchester.”
During the speech, Meghan said “it is very nice to be back in the U.K.” before telling the young people assembled —
You are the future, but I would like to add that you are also the present You are the ones driving the positive and necessary change needed across the globe now in this very moment And for that, I’m so grateful to be in your company today.”
The busy day included both Harry and Meghan participating in a private roundtable on gender equality before Meghan delivered the keynote remarks at the summit’s opening ceremony. One Young World, which launched in 2009, is a network of over 13,700 ambassadors whose projects have impacted 35.8 million people worldwide, according to the organization. The summit unites activists, humanitarians, world leaders, innovators, and more to come together to confront the biggest challenges facing humanity.
During her time as a working royal, we saw Meghan attend the One Young World Summit opening ceremony in 2019 at Royal Albert Hall; she also hosted a roundtable for gender equality activists at Windsor Castle, where she was joined by the Duke.
We will continue our coverage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s busy week, where they’ll be seen next in Dusseldorf for the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 One Year to Go event followed by a return to London for the WellChild Awards on Thursday.
Now our look at what Meghan wore —
Meghan wore a beige polo sweater and matching trousers for the One Young World panel in Manchester, UK.
Meghan wore a cashmere polo sweater from Brandon Maxwell — The Eleanor Polo in Silk Cashmere, $795.
UPDATE: Her matching trousers are the Gabriela Hearst ‘Varga’ trouser, $1890.
It looks like she may be wearing her Manolo Blahnik ‘BB’ pumps in nude suede, $725.
She also wore the Tabayer ‘Oera’ 18K Fairmined Yellow Gold Earrings.
For the opening ceremony she wore an all red ensemble from Another Tomorrow.
Meghan’s blouse and matching trousers are the brand’s bow blouse in fire red, $540, and classic trouser in fire red, $590.
The blouse is created from sustainable viscose with the ‘delicate drape and feel of a textured silk georgette’. More from the company’s website and founder Vanessa Barboni Hallik —
Each of our pieces is a journey rooted in respect for the Earth and compassion for its inhabitants. Arriving where we are today took a lot of curiosity, persistence, and love–and we still have much work to do. Thank you for joining us.”
“My mission is to create a truly sustainable and compassionate company with a three-pronged approach of providing a foundational wardrobe of ethically and responsibly made clothing, education, and a platform for activism to amplify our collective voices.”
Meghan’s shoes are from Aquazzura, past season, the ‘Panthere’ 105 cutout suede pumps in red, retail $930.
Her earrings are from Tabayer jewelry as confirmed by the brand — ‘Oera’ 18K Fairmined Yellow Gold Earrings, $3300 and the ‘Oera’ 18K Fairmined Yellow Gold Ring,
$3,800.
Once again, another sustainable company, read more about Tabayer here.
At the core of the Tabayer ethos is a deep commitment to protecting the earth. Tabayer pieces are handcrafted by master craftsmen in Italy from environmentally conscious and ethically sourced materials: Fairmined gold and diamonds certified in line with the Kimberley Process.”
Meghan also wore her Shiffon 1972 tennis pinky ring (available for pre-order) in diamonds, $2800, and the Duet pink ring in gold, $595.
Join us back here tomorrow or our coverage of Harry and Meghan’s trip to Germany!
Meghan looks truly smashing in this red ensemble. Love.
Very informative piece here, as always, thank you! I think this is an amazing color on Meghan! But overall I’m kinda confused, like there’s too many extra, unneeded, fussy elements happening here; i think that improved tailoring & more simplicity may have been a better look for this ensemble, she looks buried under alot of extra fabric here. The Kate-elements of this outfit amuse me a bit. I don’t understand the chunky jewelry either. It’s great to see her & Prince Harry again! And as a non-U.K. resident, I always enjoy the additional event-related tidbits you include, thank you!
Always a pleasure to see Meghan in bright colours. I can’t decide if I like this outfit, overall – in some photos I find the scarf/bow/tie bit rather awkward looking. Her hair looks great in that curly ponytail, making a nice contrast with the red.
The train outfit strikes me as an odd. It’s a curious place to wear heels, but I suppose with how long so many of Meghan’s trousers are, heels are often a requirement. I do continue to think her wide-legged trousers look too baggy and big for her, but this pair certainly looks much better on this outing than their first wearing.
I’m glad Meghan and Harry got such a positive reaction from the crowd. It must have been quite nerve-wracking to take up their first public engagement in the UK (beyond the brief appearances at the Platinum Jubilee) after all this time.
Hi there, just letting you know (not terribly critical, I know) that the picture of Meghan at the 2016 One World Summit is in Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian federal parliament buildings are in back of the photo. Thanks!
Hi Tani – thank you! I knew that but my mind was racing last night while putting the post together! 🙂 – Susan
I noticed that too … the women would have been standing somewhere across the river in Gatineau (Hull), Quebec …
Thanks ladies – I have corrected the post. – Susan
Meghan looked so beautiful, and her speech was just lovely, too. My appreciation for her has grown. Thanks for your coverage-