Royal tea
Meghan Markle, all smiles in first image after royal summit at Sandringham
Prince Harry's wife was seen in public for the first time after the royal talks while visiting a women's shelter in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Vancouver
The Duchess of Sussex appeared in public for the first time after royal talks were held in Sandringham on January 13. Prince Harry’s wife, who is currently in Canada with 8-month-old son Archie, paid a surprise visit to Downtown Eastside Women’s shelter in Vancouver, where she happily posed in a picture with the workers. The image, shared by the shelter’s organization shows a beautiful Meghan, casually dressed in a cream jumper, jeans and brown boots, surrounded by the eight women. “Look who we had tea with today! The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, visited us today to discuss issues affecting women in the community," read the caption.
The shelter provides hot meals, counseling and basic needs for women and children, a cause close to Meghan’s heart. She returned to Canada after attending some commitments in the UK while Prince Harry stayed to take part in the royal summit held in Sandringham along with Prince William, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth.
It has been revealed that the Duchess, who was expected to dial in via conference call from Canada, did not participate in the summit. A palace source confirmed the news to Hello! Magazine: "The Sussexes decided that it wasn’t necessary for The Duchess to join."
After the royal summit, Queen Elizabeth released a statement, supporting Harry and Meghan’s decision and establishing a transition period for the changes: "Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
"Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days."
