Meghan Markle lays her feminist credentials on the line

People should listen to what women have to say, Britain’s royal-in-waiting Meghan Markle said.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, and Prince William at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum. Picture: Getty Images

Meghan Markle laid out her feminist credentials on her first joint engagement with the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday, backing the #MeToo campaign and calling for women to “use their voice”.

Speaking up in support of the movement against sexual harassment, she said people should be encouraged to listen to what women had to say.

She said she intended to “hit the ground running” as a working royal after she marries Prince Harry, 33, at Windsor Castle in May. Ms Markle, 36, held forth as she joined the prince and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in a panel discussion at the first forum to celebrate the work of the Royal Foundation, which she will join as its fourth patron after her wedding.

Her willingness to express feminist ideas was in contrast to the duchess, 36, who was criticised last week when she appeared at the BAFTA Film Awards in a green dress rather than joining the stars by wearing black in support of the campaign against sexual harassment.

Ms Markle’s performance ­contrasted with the duchess’s, which seemed quieter and less confident.

The former actress, who has been a women’s advocate for the UN, said: “I hear a lot of people saying, when speaking about girls’ empowerment and women’s empowerment ... you are helping women find their voices.

“I fundamentally disagree with that, because women don’t need to find their voice. They have a voice. They need to feel empowered to use it. And people need to be encouraged to listen.

“I think right now in the ­climate we are seeing so many campaigns — I mean #MeToo, and Time’s Up — and there is no better time to really continue to shine a light upon women feeling empowered and people really helping to support them — men included in that.

“I mean, it makes such a tremendous difference.”

Last week Ms Markle was said to be the author of an anonymous blog recounting the life of a young working actress. It included the everyday humiliations of the profession, among them the embarrassments of filming a sex scene.

Ms Markle said she was preparing for life as a royal. “For me, it is very important to hit the ground running, even if you do it quietly behind the scenes.” Harry muttered “wedding first”, prompting her to insist: “We can multi-task.”

Asked if they ever had disagreements working together, William, 35, said: “Oh yes,” while Harry added: “Healthy disagreements.” Harry said he could not remember the last thing they disagreed on. “They come so thick and fast!”

The duke said that the foundation, set up in 2009, which has been a vehicle for their work on mental health, conservation, the rehabilitation of injured service personnel and more, had big plans for the future by linking to others around the world.

The Times