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SARAH VINE As Meghan releases 40th birthday video
THE Duchess of Sussex marked her 40th birthday yesterday with the launch of a very right-on project with celebrity friends – announced in a comedy video that poked fun at royal custom.
Meghan roped in Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy for the clip which also featured Prince Harry juggling.
The video with the Bridesmaids actress heralded the launch of the duchess’s 40x40 initiative, which is asking people to give 40 minutes of their time to mentor women returning to work following the pandemic. Stars including singer Adele and fashion designer Stella McCartney
‘Support women re-entering workforce’
are said to have agreed to take part. In the video and a written statement on the couple’s Archewell website, the duchess made a number of pleas for people to spend time in ‘service to others’.
Meghan said: ‘With my 40th lap around the sun in mind, it made me wonder – what would happen if we all committed 40 minutes to helping someone else or to mentoring someone in need? And then what would happen if we asked our friends to do the same?’
The duchess said globally tens of millions of women had left the workforce during the past two years in a large part due to the pandemic. She added: ‘For my birthday I have asked 40 friends, activists, athletes, artists and world leaders to help kick off a global effort by contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to support women re-entering the workforce.’
The two-minute 15-second video sees Meghan on a Zoom-type call with Miss McCarthy from the couple’s £11million mansion in Montecito, California. The duchess is surrounded by poignant items in the study, including what is believed to be a grainy photo of Harry holding their daughter Lilibet – the first image seen in public since her birth in June.
Lying behind the duchess is her beloved beagle Guy on a luxury dog cushion while a designer £1,240 Hermes throw – emblazoned with ‘H’ – is on a chair beside her.
Meghan is wearing two £660 necklaces by LA-based jewellery designer Logan Hollowell, depicting the constellations Taurus and Gemini – the star signs of her children Archie and Lilibet.
In a cheeky dig at royal custom, Miss McCarthy changes into a fascinator-style hat and floral dress while holding a china cup of tea – commenting to Meghan that the look ‘will probably seem better for you’. Prince Harry, who filmed his recent mental health TV series with oprah Winfrey in the same study, makes a comedy appearance juggling balls late on.
The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William all sent birthday wishes yesterday.