The Duchess of Sussex – formally Meghan Markle – is back to work with a visit to one of her new Royal Patronages, Smart Works.
On Thursday, Kensington Palace revealed that Meghan Markle has been given her first royal patronages since joining the royal family in May 2018. This, as she stepped out for her first public event of the New Year visiting Smart Works, which helps vulnerable and long-term unemployed women regain the skills and confidence to get into work.
It is one of the four patronages handed to the Duchess by the Queen that she will champion throughout her public life.
For her first official outing of 2019, the Duchess of Sussex opted for a coat by Oscar de la Renta and a simple black dress from maternity label Hatch – showing off her growing baby bump.
The other patronages that were announced on Thursday are the National Theatre, The Association of Commonwealth Universities and the animal welfare charity Mayhew. They are all national and grassroots organisations “that are part of the fabric of the U.K.,” Kensington Palace said.
In a show of support from the Queen, two of the patronages have been handed down by Her Majesty: The National Theatre and The ACU, which represents college education across all 53 Commonwealth countries.
While picking out an outfit for a woman at the headquarters of Smart Works, Duchess Meghan said that a bag she had donated hadn’t proved popular during her last visit. According to reports, she had previously visited all four of her chosen Royal Patronages before the announcement was made.
