The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, made a meaningful start to World Mental Health Day with a visit to the Marcy Lab School, located in Brooklyn. This visit showcased their ongoing commitment to promoting education, mental health, and innovation. The Marcy Lab School is a groundbreaking institution that offers an alternative path to college, focusing on preparing young adults for careers in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
During the visit, on #WorldMentalHealthDay, the Sussexes checked out a class which started a with mindful meditation session—a chance for students to share how they’re feeling. “If one of you starts to go quiet, doesn’t show up, you need to find out why,” Harry told the group.
Their visit to the Marcy Lab School not only underscores the couple’s passion for education but also highlights their dedication to fostering mental well-being among young individuals. Education and mental health often go hand in hand, and the Sussexes have consistently emphasized the importance of equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The Marcy Lab School’s innovative approach aligns with their vision of creating opportunities and breaking down barriers for the next generation.
Harry spoke about the importance of relying on one another to a small group of students —
Everyone’s got their own story, a reason for being here, your life is still going to be filled with complications and challenges. And if one of you starts to go quiet, doesn’t show up, you need to find out why,” he said. “And remember to have fun! It has to be fun.”
Harry then asked the students — “What excites you the most and scares you the most about the online world?”
Meghan commented —
I think my husband was asking about online spaces because it’s a place where so much community can be built, but there’s also so much vulnerability. There’s a lot of saturation, and as parents, we can be hopeful knowing that your bright minds [are at work], knowing that they will be seen, valued and growing in the right direction. And that’s why it’s so important what you’re doing at The Marcy Lab.”
During a roundtable discussion, Meghan asked about the friendships created at Marcy. “All of you become the best advocates of Marcy,” she said. “Your stories and experiences give people an appetite to be here.”
Below the couple with the school’s Co-founders, Reuben Ogbonna and Maya Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio.
From People, Maya had this to say about today’s visit —
“We were just teachers who really saw a need to better serve our students who were graduating from high school and going into all of this debt or going to colleges that like weren’t serving them.”
She had this to add about the couple —
They were super down to earth, they were really listening to everything we had to say, the questions they were posing afterward, it really seemed like they were internalizing the things that we were saying, our stories. They did a really great job with that.”
The visit coincides with Meghan and Harry’s work via their Archewell Foundation to build a better online world and their Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age taking place in Hudson Yards, New York City today.
We will have a separate post covering the couple’s summit later today.
Now our look at what Meghan wore for her visit today.
Meghan wore a varsity letterman jacket from the Robert Clack School—a gift from the students during her March 2020 visit to mark International Women’s Day (see our post here on the event).
Get the look with these option – Varsity Jacket, $$28 / Men’s Varsity Style Jacket, $32 / Royal Blue Varsity Jacket, $199
She also wore her Frame Le Color Crop in Film Noir, $208. The jeans are also available at Saks here and Nordstrom here ($184).
Meghan also wore her Jennifer Chamandi ‘Lorenzo’ pumps, £508 (about $622 US) first worn in November 2020 when the couple visited a veterans memorial park in Los Angeles to mark Remembrance Sunday.
If you prefer a lower heel, the ‘Lorenzo’ is also available in the 85mm heel, $730. Also a few sizes available here with 20% off.
We’re unsure about the earrings and bracelets she wore today as the photos are not clear enough to see. She most likely has on her staple Cartier pieces and possibly Diana’s diamond tennis bracelet.
Be sure to check back for our post about the couple’s summit this afternoon.
I like the outfit except the shoes. The shoes don’t go at all with this look. A flat shoe or even sneakers would have been better.
I’m not sure of the significance of the letter jacket since it was given by a different school?
Love seeing these two do what cones so naturally to them.