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UK1 min(s) read
Published 13:14 29 Oct 2018 GMT
Meghan Markle made sure a group of schoolchildren didn't go hungry today, when she rushed back into a cafe to fetch them some leftover cake - as if we didn't already love her enough, eh?
The Duchess of Sussex was chatting to youth workers at the Maranui cafe in Wellington, New Zealand when she bumped into the small crowd of kids on her way out with Prince Harry.
Immediately running back in, she asked the staff if she could take some leftover cakes for the children to eat, returning with a plate full of sweet treats for the young'uns - and, one would guess, gaining a fair few young fans in the process.
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After the visit, one of the children told TV NZ how "normal" the royal couple were, saying: "They asked us what our names were and also they were really nice and just talked normally to us."
Another spoke of how nervous she was, saying: "My legs were shaking so much."
While the former Suits star was there, she talked with staff and volunteers from Live for Tomorrow, an online youth programme that focuses on reaching millennials with messages of positive change.
Expressing her worry for the young generation, she reportedly said: "Young people find it so difficult. You see photos on social media and you don’t know whether she’s born with it or maybe it’s a filter. Your judgment of your sense of self-worth becomes really skewed when it’s all based on likes."
In the 45 minutes they were there, Harry also spoke out about the dangers of social media and gaming, suggesting parents needed as much education as children did.
"Issues stemming from social media and gaming are a major problem for young people in the UK and globally. Fingers are often pointed at the parents but that’s not always fair as they too need to be educated about these things," he said.
In addition, the 34-year-old opened up about his own struggles with mental health during the conversation, confessing it took him a long time to confront his demons.
"It took me about three or four years to start the journey and then after that you still have to find the right people to speak to," he told his audience.
Harry and Meghan, who are expecting their first child together, are currently on their Autumn royal tour of Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand.
On Sunday, the former actress charmed New Zealanders by speaking briefly in te reo Māori, the language of New Zealand’s indigenous people, during her first speech in the country.
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Giving a passionate address on women's suffrage at Government House in Wellington, she said: "Tēnā koutou katoa [greetings to all]."
Although her pronunciation wasn't perfect, her efforts were welcomed by many people, who praised her for acknowledging the indigenous language.
New Zealand is the last stop on the royal couple's tour; they depart for London on November 1.
celebrity2 min(s) read
Published 15:14 27 Sep 2018 GMT
Children's palates may not be as defined as those you might see with food critics or Michelin-starred chefs, but that doesn't mean that kids don't enjoy their food. Yeah, from time to time, a toddler might refuse to eat his dinner, but that's only because he's a jerk who wants to get on your nerves, not because he doesn't like eating.
So, it's only natural that in our formative years, we all have a meal that we hold closest to our hearts. Mine was spaghetti hoops with cut up hot dogs in it and some cheese sprinkled on top of it. What was yours? Whatever it is, I don't care - we're here to talk about Meghan Markle's favourite childhood meal, actually.
While you can only imagine the kind of Prince George or Princess Charlotte refuse to eat in the royal household (because they're children, after all), Meghan Markle's upbringing was a lot more like that of the average person, and so too were her meals. Of course, she's come a long way since then, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten her roots.
That was apparent when she brought her mom, Doria Ragland, into the fold to help her launch her new cookbook, "Together: Our Community Cookbook", to help raise money for those who lost so much in the Grenfell Tower fire last year in London.
That was also apparent in the foreword of said cookbook, where Meghan Markle wrote about her fascination with the "power of a meal" (Meghan's a massive foodie so this is no surprise), and even revealed the meal she loved to eat when she was growing up. More interestingly, she also talked about why it was her favourite meal.
Okay, I've teased you long enough, Food Envy readers: here's Meghan Markle's favourite childhood food was. "One of my own favorite meals is collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread — a meal I would look forward to throughout my childhood," she said, but why did she look forward to that, instead of pizza, french fries or a hamburger?
"This was always eaten on New Year's Day, a tradition steeped in ancestral history in which each component has a meaning: the black-eyed peas for prosperity, the greens for wealth, the cornbread for health and nourishment. It wasn't a New Year's resolution; it was a wish. It wasn't simply a meal; it was a story."
Southern Living points out that this was a tradition borne out of the southeastern United States (think Mississippi, think Florida, think Alabama), but by the time Meghan Markle was growing up it had spread to the rest of the country, and makes for a pretty fitting New Year's meal, don't you think?
celebrity2 min(s) read
Published 10:49 30 Oct 2018 GMT
Meeting a royal can be nerve-racking. What do you call them? Can you speak first? Do you have to bow?
But Prince Harry proved himself, once again, as a royal who throws protocol out the window, when he recently offered a student a job on the spot, once she's finished her college degree.
Harry and Meghan Markle were visiting a youth mental health event in a community cafe in Wellington, New Zealand when they met 19-year-old Lucia Kennedy.
Lucia told Stuff she was really nervous when the pair entered the shop, but she clearly had no need to be, as the visit went marvelously.
"They came up the stairs in the Maranui Cafe, I was introduced and basically had a chat to them," said Lucia. "Then I took them around all the participants and kept the conversation going at the next two tables."
The event was aimed at helping eradicate the stigma around mental health and the conversation revolved around making it a part of everyday conversation, rather than a subject of shame
An activist herself, Lucia is no stranger to helping people out, having set up two projects since being affected by the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011.
Aged 12, Lucia created Take A Chance, which tells the stories of high achieving people and is described on the website as a "place where everyone supports each other to reach their goals and in the process make a lasting difference to kids and teens who want big futures."
Then, last year, she founded Luminary Legacies, which aims to acknowledge those "living their best lives" and empower people to live their dreams.
Needless to say, her track record is majorly impressive - and it seems her hard work made an impression on the Duke of Sussex, who offered her future employment.
Lucia explained: "I said to Harry, 'I finish uni in two years, I'd love to come and work for you'. He said 'we'd love to have you, just give us a yell when you come over we'll sort it out'."
If Harry keeps his promise, all Lucia has to do it complete her double degree in commerce and psychology and she heads over to England to work for the royal family. Pretty incredible, right?
The teenager added that Harry and Meghan were "authentic" and able to put the event-goers at ease quickly. "They were so authentic. Everyone was nervous but as soon as they walked in it was like they brought a calming presence," she said.
In addition, she discussed her traumatic experience in the 2011 earthquake further, revealing to Stuff that her family had lost some friends to it.
"I was at school when the earthquake happened," she said. "We had a few family friends who passed away because of the earthquakes. We did also lose our house... we are still in the process of rebuilding that. While it has had a negative impact I wanted to do something positive. Even though we live in a broken city, everybody deserves opportunities."
With Lucia's heart of gold, it's no wonder Harry is keen to hire her.
celebrity1 min(s) read
Published 09:27 18 Oct 2018 GMT
If you've been paying attention to the news at all this week, you may have heard that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are currently embarking on their royal tour around Oceania. They've already spent a few days in Australia, and will later be heading to Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand.
While in the land down under, they've already been treated to a visit to Taronga Zoo, met with a group of adorable schoolchildren in the town of Dubbo, and, just yesterday, the royal couple took a trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne.
As usual, they arrived to crowds of thousands of supporters - many of whom were excited for the chance to congratulate the duke and duchess on their pregnancy news.
One awaiting fan stood out to Prince Harry more than any other, however, and so he decided to break royal protocol in order to give her a hug.
India Brown, a 19-year-old university student, had shown up to see the prince with a sign that read, "Been here since 4am. Loved you since I was eight y/o". And Harry, not being one to disappoint a super fan, obligingly gave the young woman a quick hug as he walked past.
Perhaps understandably, Brown burst into tears of happiness immediately.
"He is someone I have looked up to for many many years," Brown told reporters when they asked her about the experience. "Everything he stands for is amazing. I've loved that family since I was eight and I've followed them around the world."
And the teenager got a little more than she bargained for when the Prince stopped to interact with her. As well as giving her a big hug, the Duke of Sussex also shared a cheeky comment with her.
Brown apparently told the prince that she knew he wasn't supposed to hug her, to which he responded: "You are going to get me into trouble."
But this wasn't the only adorable moment Harry has shared with a fan during his trip.
Two days ago, while greeting another crowd, the prince was approached by a five-year-old boy who was absolutely fascinated by his fiery red beard.
You can see a clip of the adorable moment here:
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Meghan has also had her fair share of special moments with admirers, too.
While greeting the crowd outside the Sydney Opera House earlier this week, one fan stood out. The young girl, who was wearing a T-shirt that read "Girls Can Do Anything", bore a striking resemblance to the duchess.
According to People, Prince Harry spoke with the girl first before calling his wife over to join in the conversation. After Meghan greeted the child, another fan can be heard shouting, "We feel she looks a bit like you".
The Duchess replied, "I was literally about to say the same thing! And I love your shirt."
The group then took an adorable photo together.
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Even though they're not supposed to, then, it's clear that Meghan and Harry are willing to go above and beyond for their fans - and it clearly means the world to them!
celebrity2 min(s) read
Published 15:11 31 Oct 2018 GMT
In recent weeks, Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry have really proven that they care about their fans and admirers.
While on their royal tour "down under", the Duke and Duchess of Sussex greeted a number of people that had turned up to meet them. A couple of the more notable examples were the young boy who was absolutely fascinated with Prince Harry's beard, the teenager who got to give the prince a hug (against protocol!), and the crowd who got to enjoy a bit of banter from the Royals after presenting Meghan with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
But they weren't the only people to have been lucky enough to meet the royal couple. This week, a 20-year-old Instagrammer named Hannah Sergel got to interact with the former Suits actress after she spotted her in a crowd in New Zealand.
The pair became familiar over Instagram after Sergel set up a fan account for the actress in 2015, and began exchanging messages after the 20-year-old spoke out about her mental health struggles online, an important issue that Meghan has very publicly supported.
In fact, the pair has met before, as you can see from this incredible video that Hannah shared back in January 2016:
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I was friends with her on Instagram before she had to deactivate her account. We used to have conversations and stuff on there," Sergel told reporters. "She would tell me to do well at university and encourage me to be myself."
The young woman had never had the opportunity to meet her idol, however... until yesterday.
Sergel flew across the country in order to greet the duchess, and brought a letter along with her for Meghan to read. She knew all along that there was a chance that the new royal might not be able to speak to her, but she took the risk anyway - and it certainly paid off.
In a video posted to Twitter, along with the caption, "the wee 'oh my god' when she realises it’s me", you can see the moment that Meghan recognizes her old friend:
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"She recognized me and knew who I was so that's why she came over," said Sergel. "She gave me a hug which was incredible - when I first saw her I cried. She's just such an incredible person and I'm just so glad she's happy with Harry."
The Instagrammer later posted this video to her Twitter account, in which you can see their interaction from a different angle:
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She also shared a snap of Meghan holding the letter:
"[Meghan] has inspired me to be the best version of myself that I can be," said the superfan. "‘She has inspired me to keep going when things get tough and to always be kind. I admire her willingness to try new things, her intellect and how she uses her public platform to inspire change within the world."
Sergel also shared that the Prime Minister of New Zealand comforted her after her interaction with Meghan, as she was so tearful after getting to embrace the duchess.
Once again, then, the royal couple have shown that they welcome friends and fans with open arms, and that - no matter where life takes Meghan - the duchess will always be humble.
celebrity2 min(s) read
Published 16:46 21 Jan 2019 GMT
Over the past year or so, I suspect that there are plenty of people who are jealous of Meghan Markle. Former TV star, swooped off her feet by a literal prince for a life of luxury - it's such a clichéd fairytale story that I'm pretty sure that if I saw something similar on the Disney Channel, I'd think it was super contrived.
But one thing we've got to consider is that while she's not swapping out Buckingham Palace for her old actress life any time soon, it's not all butterflies and rainbows for Meghan Markle as a royal. She might be happily married with a royal baby on the way, but from time to time, I'm sure Meghan looks back on her old life with a tearful, nostalgic eye.
But last week, Meghan got in touch with an old friend of hers like she would in the old days, and they reconnected over a home-cooked brunch that looks positively to die for.
While you can't quite see Meghan herself in the photo (I'm sure the Royal Family's social media team would have something to say about that), you can definitely notice her culinary skills, making this standard avocado toast into something special.
This is Daniel Martin. He's a makeup artist, but more importantly for the purposes of this article, he's also a really good friend of none other than our very own Meghan Markle. Meghan's probably been a lot harder to get ahold of now she's a princess and all, but he went to visit her in London, as evidenced on Instagram.
Arriving in Great Britain and (according to his Instagram story) taking a train, the pair sat down together for a bit of tea and toast, and doesn't it look lovely? "Back to our Tig days…❤️," wrote Martin on his post, referring to the Tig, the food blog that Meghan was in charge of before all this royal business.
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Martin also reinforced the idea that alongside her being an amazing person and awesome actress, she's also a pretty handy cook: Martin branded her the "avocado toast whisperer" for whipping up the delicious meal, and I'm only inclined to disagree because I'd secretly like her to make me lunch so she could prove me right.
But if you were a reader of the Tig back in the day, you might have already figured that Meghan's a big fan of avocados. "I was born and raised in Los Angeles, a California girl who lives by the ethos that most things can be cured with either yoga, the beach or a few avocados," she said on the blog, and although her new home is nowhere near a decent beach, two out of three is still... pretty good.
So, there you have it. Somewhere out there, Meghan Markle's probably doing charity work or cosying up to her husband Prince Harry (maybe even both), but were she ever to miss her old life, she'd have friends like Daniel Martin (and delicious lunches) to help her keep her past in mind. Isn't that great?