Meghan Markle announced Sunday that her lifestyle brand is teaming up with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai’s charity, clarifying the purpose behind their recent private tea in central London. The Duchess of Sussex shared on Instagram that Archewell Philanthropies is collaborating with the Malala Fund in observance of International Day of the Girl, Page Six reported.
According to Markle’s post, 100 percent of net proceeds from her As Ever line of jams and teas will go directly toward the Malala Fund to advance girls’ education globally. “‘When we support the girls of today, we empower the women of tomorrow,'” the pair said in a shared statement quoted by Page Six. “‘Access to education is the key to unlocking this.'”
The partnership announcement followed photographs that emerged earlier in the week showing Markle, 45, and Yousafzai, 29, dining together at Claridge’s hotel in London’s Mayfair district. News outlets offered differing timelines for the afternoon visit, with Yahoo reporting the meal occurred on Oct. 7 and E! News placing it on Oct. 8. A source cited by People described the afternoon as a casual opportunity for the two acquaintances to reconnect.
The London outing also drew scrutiny over Markle’s attire. Yahoo reported the Duchess wore an ivory cashmere sweater by Co, white Ralph Lauren wide-leg trousers, a brown Tove Studio shawl coat and Saint Laurent flats, along with an emerald necklace valued at over $21,000, according to E! News. Social media commentators debated the ensemble, with some online critics arguing the relaxed tailoring appeared ill-fitting.
Shared Background in Global Education
Sunday’s philanthropic initiative builds upon past work between the two advocates. In 2020, Markle and Prince Harry joined Yousafzai for a virtual panel organized by the Malala Fund to discuss structural obstacles facing female students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following that event, Yousafzai posted on social media that both she and Markle agreed that expanding educational access for girls benefits wider society.
First London Sighting Since Move
The lunch at Claridge’s represented Markle’s first public appearance in London since she and Prince Harry moved back to the United Kingdom late this summer. According to Yahoo, the family relocated on Aug. 26 along with their two children, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet. Page Six reported the couple returned to be nearer to King Charles III during his cancer treatment and to allow their children to strengthen connections with extended family.
Prior to the London tea, Markle was seen in the English countryside on Sept. 21 visiting an Oxfordshire pub with former California neighbors Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Yahoo reported. Whether Markle and Yousafzai plan further joint public engagements alongside the brand’s charitable campaign remains unconfirmed as fundraising proceeds continue online.
