Meghan betrayed Her former friend tells all
THE ACTRESS PROVED SHE HAS THE MAGIC TOUCH ON HER FIRST ROYAL ENGAGEMENT
As first days in a new job go, Meghan Markle’s was pretty successful. Hundreds of people braved chilly temperatures to see her carry out her debut official royal engagement with fiancé Prince Harry, and she won them over with her friendly and down-toearth nature.
The American actress had never done a walkabout before but was a natural, charming the crowds who gathered to see her in the UK town of Nottingham with her beaming prince. She also impressed the people she met at a World Aids Day charity fair and members of The Full Effect, a project Harry helped establish which provides opportunities for at-risk youths.
“She’s very warm,” said one woman who met Meghan.
“I bet she was terribly nervous, but she didn’t show it.”
The trip to Nottingham came just four days after Harry (33) and Meghan (36) announced their engagement. It will be the first of many visits around Britain during the months leading up to their wedding in May, giving Harry the chance to introduce his bride-to-be to his country and its people.
The former Suits star got off to a very good start in Nottingham, endearing herself to the crowds by introducing herself with a cheerful, “Hi, I’m Meghan.”
Harry specifically chose Nottingham as the place for his fiancée to begin public life as the Midlands city is close to his heart. In recent years, he has spent a lot of time there working with youth groups, both publicly and in private.
On the 25-minute walkabout held after they arrived by train, Meghan shook hands and chatted to well-wishers as if she’d been doing it for years. At one point, she remarked, “I’m so happy. It’s just such a thrill to be here. I can’t believe it.”
Either she’s already been schooled in the art of meeting and greeting the public or she has a natural affinity for it, judging by the way she crouched down to talk to small children and even handled the unexpected – at one stage, she bent down to pick up a glove a woman dropped in order to hand it back to her.
She also gave superfan Irene Hardman (81) – who has met Harry on several other occasions – a hug and a kiss when Irene
presented her with a goody bag of lollies. A delighted Irene said, “It was incredible. She’s a lovely lady who puts you at ease straight away. There are no airs and graces, I think she’s one who belongs to the people. I cannot praise her enough.”
Meghan thanked numerous people for coming out to see her and Harry, despite the biting cold. “She kept saying, ‘I’ve been made so welcome, I can’t believe it’,” says Irene.
The native Californian was
wrapped up warmly in an elegant navy coat, under which she wore a black polo neck and beige skirt. But despite the cold, she opted not to wear gloves. She did, however, carry about a large tote bag on the outing, something her future sister-in-law Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, rarely does. The Scottish-designed Strathberry bag, worth almost $1000, sold out online in just 11 minutes.
Inside the fair, the couple chatted with charity workers who later described them as having “a glow”. “They seem amazingly comfortable together,” said Chris O’Hanlon of Aids charity Positively UK. “You can see it’s
a perfect match. They are very personable. It’s easy to talk to them because they are so open.”
Meghan was very empathetic, he added, and keenly observant about what was being discussed. “Not only will she make a good addition to the royal family, but she will make an excellent ambassador to any of the causes she puts her heart and mind to.”
For his part, Harry looked thrilled to be showing off the woman he loves and when one man in the crowd asked, “How does it feel being a ginger with Meghan?” He replied with a grin, “It’s great, isn’t it?”