Meghan Markle tells schoolboys to honour women
Meghan has visited a school to deliver an International Women’s Day message to men to ‘value the women in your lives’.
The Duchess of Sussex has made a surprise visit to a school to deliver an International Women’s Day message to men to “value the women in your lives”.
In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal, Meghan spoke with pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, east London, and met one of the women who fought a historic equal pay battle in the nearby Ford car plant.
In a speech addressing the school’s boys in particular, she urged them to “continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way.
“You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life — protect them,” she said.
“Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and let’s all just rally together to make International Women’s Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year.”
Meghan also marked the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act on her visit to the school.
Her choice of location was noteworthy as strikes in the 1960s by female sewing machinists at the nearby Ford Motor Plant triggered the passing of the legislation.
That struggle was depicted in the 2010 film Made in Dagenham.
The duchess later asked for a male volunteer to explain their view on the importance of International Women’s Day.
Head boy Aker Okoye, 16, jumped at the chance to take to the stage. Greeting her with what appeared to be a kiss on the cheek, he told his fellow pupils.
“She really is beautiful. I had to speak the truth there,” he said.
The duke and duchess received a standing ovation at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday night as they attended one of their final public engagements before they step back as senior royals.
The couple arrived in matching red outfits for the Mountbatten Festival of Music, the duke wearing a Royal Marines officer’s mess jacket and Meghan a red dress by London-based fashion label Safiyaa.
Harry is Captain General of the Royal Marines and the couple were greeted warmly when they arrived at the venue in South Kensington.
The duke and duchess then received a long round of applause and a standing ovation from the audience as they took their seats in the royal box.
The couple will step down as senior royals on March 31 but have carried out a series of engagements over the past days.
The Albert Hall performance marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain’s Commandos.
The concert comes a day after Harry officially opened the Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire, a museum charting British motor racing through the years, alongside Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton.
Meghan made a surprise trip to the National Theatre in London on Thursday. The couple also attended the Endeavour Fund Awards on Thursday night to recognise the achievements of wounded, sick and injured service personnel.
PA
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