Do you even remember how people were gnashing their teeth and pulling out their hair over the Duchess of Sussex’s British Vogue guest-editorship? That was literally a month ago, or about five “controversies” ago. It feels like every week, there’s a new controversy and all the air gets sucked out of the room because even if there’s some mild, legitimate criticism of Meghan, it gets drowned out by all of the racist, toxic, xenophobic, misogynistic melodrama aimed at her. You can’t just say “Maybe Meghan isn’t as strong a writer as she thinks she is.” Because from there, it becomes “Meghan needs to be exiled to Africa because she’s the devil itself!” Or whatever.
Anyway, the Sussexes are obviously going to be very busy for the rest of the year. All of the “controversies” this summer came during Meghan’s maternity leave, which is… mind-boggling. So, on the heels of Prince Harry’s big Travalyst launch this week – which didn’t go as smoothly as Team Sussex hoped for – Meghan has started adding to her back-to-work schedule. Next week, she’ll launch her SmartWorks capsule collection!
The release date of the Duchess of Sussex’s capsule workwear collection in aid of charity Smart Works has been revealed – and it’s very soon! Buckingham Palace have confirmed Meghan will visit Smart Works next Thursday to launch the special capsule she announced in Vogue last month. The special collection will include a shirt, trousers, blazer, dress and bag and will be stocked at Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Jigsaw.
“For each item purchased by a customer, one is donated to charity,” Meghan revealed during her takeover of September’s Vogue magazine. “Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together.” For every item bought during the sale of the collection, which will last for at least two weeks, one will be donated to Smart Works – allowing customers to help empower and support other women and play a part in their success story.
Upon her arrival next week, the Duchess will deliver short remarks before watching a panel discussion with Smart Works representatives, two of its clients and a Smart Works Patron. The mum-of-one will then meet Smart Works and brand representatives who will talk The Duchess through the Smart Works journey every client undergoes – including the wardrobe and interview room.
I’m looking forward to it, and you know why? She didn’t inundate us with hype PR about “private meetings” and whatever. We know she’s been working on this for months, since she was pregnant. She worked quietly and efficiently and didn’t need to let everyone know once a month that she’s super-keen to design a collection for charity and that she should get credit for the keenness. I’ve been assuming this whole time that the capsule collection would be mostly full of basics (black trousers, white blouse, smart blazers, etc), but a thought just struck me… Meghan’s totally going to get slammed and smeared about whatever is IN the collection, right? If she designs a patterned blouse, Piers Morgan will be squawking about HOW DARE SHE think that women should wear patterned blouses?
Speaking of all that, there’s apparently a new Serena Williams biography coming out and it does not look authorized in the least. Within the book, sources claim that Serena gave Meghan all kinds of advice about how to exist in public spaces as an African-American woman. When Meghan married Harry, Serena allegedly told her: “You’ve got to be who you are. You can’t hide.” Serena also may have told Meghan to “stop being so nice” to the press.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
I hope the capsule collection sells out online in 48 hours. I hope Smartworks benefits greatly and talks to the media about the success. I hope The Daily Fail is forced to eat dirt!
That would be awesome. In any case looking forward to it. I am sure there will be sniping legitimate and otherwise but at this point I don’t really care.
I’m sure it will. Personally, I can’t wait to see it.
Someone would throw a fit about “she wanted to help charity but ONLY SO MUCH because she didn’t make enough items”. Everything is a double-edged sword with her. I hope they are preparing for massive sales, and release the numbers with a total brag of a statement.
Amen!
I can’t wait to see the collection and honestly Serena is right about her stop being nice. I think her and Harry always knew the media were always going to be against them and basically never win. If anything, their indifference to the press is driving the press bonkers. They keep backtracking and there’s always an underlying sense of begging in the commentary. The press seems shocked that all the dirt thrown at them hasn’t brought them to the table. Not her relatives drama, the made up stories about being a diva, Feuding, Frogmore Cottage, Trump/NastyGate, Vogue, private Jets etc, nothing has worked. Piers and all of them don’t know what to do besides complain and insult and it’s still not working, LOL. If anything, it’s giving many people flashbacks to Diana and the hounding she endured.
The press brought the future king and queen Will and Kate to heel which is why the photo op for Charlotte’s first day of school.
Yep. I’ve seen articles asking them to respond to criticism on their Instagram, saying that Meghan can get more sympathy if she played up her mother side by having Archie in public, get new PR and just yesterday, Ingrid Seward wrote that the Harry needed to be like Diana and embrace the press and invite them in. The desperation is really there and they don’t know what to do. They’re also pissed about them getting an American PR company to represent them. They’ve been effectively cut off and it will likely never change.
@aquarius64 How did the press bring them to heel? Like nasty coverage was reduced for access, that kind of thing? Give us pictures and we’ll not publish pics of the kids?
If H&M cooperated would that look like impromptu photos of the pub supper and less criticism for example? I always wonder what “access” is supposed to look like. There’s always press around their official duties isn’t there? So it’s something else which I don’t understand in some unsaavy way, don’t work in PR or media at all
First day of school photo ops are SOP for the BRF.
They did not hire a American PR firm to represent them. BP said it was for Travalyst launch SOP especially for int’l launch
Diana gave the press access… and it was never enuf
I thought first-day photo ops were pretty standard for the royal family?
Except think about Harry’s timing for the eco-travel thing. Interesting that it coincided with the first day of school thing. If you think that wasn’t deliberate then I have a bridge you can buy. Harry is playing the game of wanting to be more popular than the HRH’s. Isn’t going to happen. I think Meghan has been drawn into that game, I think she thinks that being royal is similar to being a celebrity and Harry has fostered that. He doesn’t want to be sixth in line, he wants to be “the people’s prince”. It’s not going to happen, in Britain anyway.
Another insane person with access to a computer………..
Launching Travalyst was not Harry’s decision to make.
Girl, hurry up and take my money.
Honestly, this strikes a chord because I remember being unemployed years ago for an extended period and when I finally got an interview it was so daunting finding something that looked professional…it’s hard being Elle Woods when you’re on a Sanford and Son budget
I hope this performs extremely well, but I’m already confident it will
For me, it was just about poverty and growing up in the inner city and not knowing what “professional attire” was supposed to look like. This is an excellent idea and something someone who has grown up privileged would have thought of. Say what you will about her, Meghan is using her spotlight for good.
I completely understand and vibe with this
This would be amazing if they extended it to schools in London for the kids who are going directly into the workforce
*would NOT have thought of
Yes, this is something that kids going into the workforce need, for sure.
What I like most about the SmartWorks concept is that anyone on the street, or in an interview won’t know if you are a professional who bought the clothes for your own preference, or if you are the recipient of the charity. That’s the key, and I think it will help a lot of women build a basic wardrobe, no matter which side they fall on.
@ohno: I’m in the US, and if it’s at all possible I will absolutely buy one entire “capsule” to support the initiative. If it doesn’t suit me I’ll donate to a similar charity here. I’d encourage anyone with enough means to do the same.
Looking forward to Smart Works launch. This is innovative and interesting. And I am glad Meghan keeps it moving despite the noise. It’s the 21st century and royal women should not be only be acceptable if they are pretty, fashionable, have no intellectual curiousity or opinion and have a fertile womb to keep the line going.
More like “it’s 21st century and we should have no royal family”.
@Sarah, Agree with you but as long as the Windsor are still here we may as well have fun talking about them.
@aquarius64 Totally agree and realize I keep responding to the same writer lol
While I totally agree with your assessment or what women in the royal family should be doing, I should point out that the media doesn’t really cover Sophie and she has come up with her own initiatives. Meanwhile Anne is just a workhorse on the bread and butter engagements. There’s really just only one woman who has chosen to be an ornament.
Agree. Sophie and Anne should get more props.
I am really looking forward to this. And of course she is going to get slammed for whatever is in the collection. It’s sad and unfortunate but we all know it is going to happen.
SmartWorks seems like a great charity. They deserve to shine! I’m going to look and see if I can find anything similar in Paris.
In any case, I’m looking forward to all the way the British media will find to bash Meghan over this.
This is awesome, exactly the kind of thing I want my royals to be doing. She’s a credit to the RF. Not only do we get to buy some stylish new clothes (I hope) but other people benefit and big business is involved. its a win-win-win as far as I can see. Looking forward to the criticism though… I suppose the price point of the clothes might be an issue? Anyway I can’t wait to see what she’s come up with.
She does everything that a royal SHOULDN’T be doing. She doesn’t grasp the concept at all. She wants to be a Hollywood starlet princess, but it doesn’t work that way. It’s not a commercial position. She wants to make money and be in the spotlight. She’s supposed to shine the spotlight onto other people and causes, not soak it up herself. But that’s all she’s really interested in. Me-gain all the way. This site is full of bots on articles about Meghan. Read the atmosphere in the UK. People don’t like her, plain and simple.
Ironic that your name is Samantha…
Also your comment is completely wrong through and through. If she wanted to be a starlet she’d have been giving interviews and doing photoshoots left and right to promote her Vogue issue. If she wanted to be a starlet she’d have called the paps at every stage of her vacations.
Face it, Meghan is doing charity work successfully and being a lovely and hardworking member of the BRF, probably the only one I can stand at the moment.
Examples? Because everything she’s done so far as a royal has helped others. The cookbook, the capsule collection; these are benefiting actual people and since her JOB is to be in the spotlight in order for these charities to gain attention, how is she failing?
Your desperation is showing.
@Samantha, Please give me at least two examples where Meghan did something to make money that ended up in her personal bank account. Please bring the receipts.
Please do not bring up “Meghan’s Mirror” as Meghan has nothing to do with that site. “Meghan’s Mirror” is run by the same media group that runs “What Kate Wore”.
Samantha, I am no fan of the BRF (#abolishthemonarchy) but Meghan is pretty much the only one in that viper’s nest of entitlement and privilege who is consistently churning out creative projects to help her chosen charities.
Complete rot, and “Brits don’t like her” is a dead giveaway that someone is parroting Megziteer nonsense from Tumblr. I’m British – the average Brit simply is not interested in the RF one way or the other. The only people I see getting worked up about Meghan are Americans. And we’re in serious difficulty right now with Brexit and the proroguing of parliament. There are serious concerns being raised about the future of the monarchy but these are due to Andrew, to the Queen’s role in current political affairs, and the direction of the country in general. Not Meghan.
I literally don’t know a single person irl who doesn’t like her.
Clearly you have no idea what Prince Charles does because if you did you would know about the line of organic products that are sold through the duchy. Which is… commercial. And that’s just one example.
You are delusional, Samantha. How has she profited from the cookbook, the charity work, etc.? Stop reaching. And I know plenty of Brits of color who LOVE her…
@Samantha.
Meghan doesn’t need to be a ‘Hollywood starlet’. She’s one of the most famous women in the world. EVERYONE knows who the Duchess of Sussex is. And she doesn’t have to worry about making money. SHE’S RICH!!!!!
Love to your dad.
Green is not your color darling, not a good look at all.
Another Cluster B screed from the one who has multiple nicknames. Tiresome.
Someone should mention to the BRF that if they’re trying to distract from Andrew, they could try pushing positive stories about the Sussexes and their charity work instead of negative stories [of course the negatives are not distracting at all for the ones of us paying attention]. It seems to me that “Hey look at all the good stuff our family is doing!” stories would work better than “Hey look this other family member is terrible too!” stories. Their press strategy of “dump on Meghan to save Andrew” seems overall self-defeating.
All of this!!! I can’t understand why the BRF can’t get it right after all this time and all the lessons they’ve learned.
Key words: “…lessons they learned.” It is COMPLETELY OBVIOUS they’ve not learned ANYTHING after all this time.
Like someone with dementia, who can only remember ONE THING from his/her past, in a loop: “Protect Mummy’s Favorite at all costs, Protect Mummy’s Favourite at all costs”
Exactly! I was about to post something similar but you said it much better.
All I would add is that Andy’s problems and the hole he dug for himself should still receive coverage and not be forgotten.
This project sounds so good, I can’t wait to see the capsule
Many, many years ago when I was making the transition from service work to office work, my new boss seeing that I had nothing appropriate to wear took me shopping. I was able to pick out a number of pieces that I could mix and match. To this day I remember his kindness and look forward to paying it back by helping others.
Harla, wow, what a great story. XO Great bosses can make such an impact in people’s lives.
More of this.
Your boss is an amazing human being.
I just can’t wait to watch another “Meghan success.” Everyone keeps blathering and she just keeps doing amazing work. Her cookbook was such a lovely idea … as is this one. I think we all need to give Doria a huge thank-you for raising such a strong, intelligent, hopeful daughter. XO
Yes exactly. I love that there is all this noise and she keeps just doing great work. Her and Harry just need to keep their heads down and rise above all that tabloid shit. I’m so sick of it
Good luck to Smart Works and the Duchess of Sussex.
I am looking forward to the capsule because I actually really enjoyed some of the collection she did with Reitmans (Canadian retailer) while she was on suits. It was mostly work-wear as well. I’m always looking for good work-wear options for when I need to look more formal at work.
Meghan is not an author or professional journalist. Her writing is fine for a person who isn’t a professional writer or an English Lit professor.
I like her style of writing 🙊 it’s flowery & effusive sure. But that’s why I like it? I guess I’m probably flowery & effusive myself so maybe that’s why I like how she writes. I guess it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I just think she’s a good writer.
My thoughts exactly, @Margaritas. And if they wanted a more polished, professional style, they would have had an editor craft it that way.
I love her style of work – she does actual projects with tangible benefits to the people she is trying to help. Just like with the cookbook – it isn’t months of PR for something small. It is an announcement once a project is close to being done, and so far, things have been well thought out. In addition to that, she’s been working substantially behind the scenes while on her maternity leave.
She’s my favorite royal by far.
I hope this goes well for Meghan and Smartworks! She’s clearly worked a lot on this.
First, I am going to buy the heck out of this because I support her and this charity and think it’s awesome.
But second…”She didn’t inundate us with hype PR about “private meetings” and whatever. We know she’s been working on this for months, since she was pregnant.” ORLY? Then how did we know about all her behind the scenes “private” work 😂. Also, I love these two but good golly sometimes I’m like, they are either a little dim or trolling us because of ALL the charity causes, they pick:
Harry: Dropping ecotravel leaflets from a private jet.
Meg: Wearing $716283638K outfits to promote a charity for LITERALLY women who cannot afford work clothes.
Look, I love them and their causes but sometimes I lol 😂.
Any charity a royal picks to support will come across as hypocritical because of the position they are in. I actually don’t think you love them at all, you think they are dumb which is fine, but you don’t have to pretend to like them.
Obvious trolling and still not getting the point of Travalyst. It isn’t about decreasing travel, not even travel by private plane. It is about working with local communities and big travel partners to create more locally-sustainable travel options. Not “Do not travel” but “Look around, see new places, go to smaller places that need tourism money too”
Smart Works was QEII charity first, she passed it on to Meghan. So I guess you think she is “trolling” or dim too since her wardrobe is worth 10 times Meghan’s. And sure you “love” H&M, right…..
But Meghan didn’t “pick” SmartWorks…it was one of the patronages given to her by the queen since she has consistently shown passion for helping women succeed.
I don’t think that’s true, the patronage that was the Queen’s was the National Theater which was handed down to Meghan. All the other patronages were picked by Meghan – e.g., Mayhew
@Blue36, all of her patronages were given to her by the queen. Supposedly, they were chosen based on Meghan’s interests which were women’s empowerment, animals and the theater.
I am so excited about this and really hoping there are things that I will wear as I can’t justify buying anything just to show support for a great cause and the Duchess of Sussex as tempting as that is. Brexit and the clowns in government (or ‘xenophobic old b*stards’ as I heard my neighbour describe them through the fence the other day) may be making life in the UK hell right now but at least we have this.
I’m hoping for nothing less than a smashing success. Disadvantaged women need a huge boost, and Meghan deserves the recognition for this initiative.
You go, Duchess Meghan! Continue your good work, tone out the naysayers. Look forward to purchasing something online from this collection.
When is the divorce happening. I get Meghan has good intentions but this woman was not born to be a royal, she overworks herself in the wrong way then when people complain she and her sycophants scream racism. No one cares about her work ethic Britain is not America. People want tradition to be upheld. I feel like Meghan has paved the way for blacks to get into the royal family like Diana paved the way for commoners, but she is not it. This is not Meghan’s show to run. We want tradition if she wants to be a celebrity go back to Toronto, her persona is not fitting the job description. And if y’all not happy with my opinion you can always divorce and that will save time for all the parties involved. Fans and foes
This has got to be one of the most disgusting comments I have seen on this site, who actually wishes for someone to get a divorce, that’s disgusting. I think you showed your racism in the comment “Meghan has paved the way for blacks to get into the royal family like Diana paved the way for commoners, but she is not it” Telling her to go back to where she came from….SMDH
What vile racist comments. Yes racist! Go back to Royaldish!
I have a feeling that this person couldn’t find Great Britain on a map. If she/he could, they would know that Lady Diana Spencer was definitely NOT a commoner. Diana’s blood was bluer than the Windsors and she made a point of reminding them on a regular basis.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Ladygyms – Meg has a lot of strikes against her:
(1) She’s Black-Caucasian biracial – bring on the racism,
(2) She’s American – bring on the British xenophobia against the Yanks,
(3) She’s an actress – bring on the stereotypes (although Ps. Grace was also an actress)
(4) She’s divorced – bring on the Church Lady types (despite Andy / Anne / Charles divorcing)
(5) She’s a So-Cal girl – bring on the anti-GOOP crowd.
Honestly, the things that seem to bother the most are related to #5. If Harry had married one of the ladies from “The Hills” or the other shows, they would have had the same tics – loving luxury labels, liking “woke” charities, etc. Meghan was raised partially by her white dad, and went to majority white schools in LA where girls like this abound. She joined a majority white sorority at a majority white university in Illinois. She hung out with mostly white actors and friends in Toronto. She has lots of white-girl “tics”, like soft palm clapping (fingernails flexed to avoid damaging nails), cupping babies in utero, posing in that angled way (although Bea and Eug do the same), hugging semi-strangers at formal occasions, etc.
Be real, if Harry had married a white girl named Lauren, Whitney, or Tailor, you wouldn’t critique her constantly, or give her a mean spirited nickname. You’d pardon her for occasional lapses in protocol. You’d acknowledge and celebrate all the traditions she does partake in – even just 5 weeks after giving birth, she was at Trooping the Colour, as an example. You’d push the commonwealth angle of her Canadian connections.
But Meg is half-black, so all her white-girl so-cal GOOPy ‘tics’ are driving your racism into overdrive.
I doubt a divorce will happen. Meghan is doing the job she’s supposed to be doing, Kate is the outlier here. Meghan fits much more in the mold of Sophie, Maxima, Mary, Mathilde, Daniel, Charlene, Marie, Alexandra, all of those married ins.
Duchess of Gloucester, Duchess of Kent, Sophie Wessex, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Mark Phillips, Tim Laurence. All commoners. Diana and Queen Mum were aristocrats but still technically commoners because they weren’t royal.
Let’s be fair though, this comment isn’t all racist. Got a touch of classism and xenophobia in there too.
Given the ongoing Brexit mess, current prime minister, and garbage tabloid media, right now Britain looks an awful lot like the US, so not much to crow about. I suspect at the present moment many British people care more about a stable economic solution than “tradition”.
But as you mention tradition, note that QEII, the head of your most traditional institution, was recently pictured smiling while riding in a car with a man deeply implicated in a wide ranging pedophile scandal – thus calling into question, and not for the first time in it’s history, whether that institution has any kind of moral compass.
But yeah, Meghan is the problem.
UGH I wish I could downvote / report this very disgusting comment.
Let’s not feed this troll. Every comment she posts is about Harry and Meghan divorcing. No original thought, so no need to engage.
I want to buy the capsule collection pronto, like now. How and where do I get it?
There is also a fashion collection related to Charles that will debut from Vin + Omi. The clothing is made from nettle fibers, from nettles weeded from Highgrove.
I saw that. Reportedly it was Charles’ idea. Will be curious to see what they come up with.
Charles has always been so interested in fashion/his appearance; it’s interesting that neither of his sons seemed to follow in his footsteps…
I’m not a Meghan stan (or a Kate stan). To be honest, the BRF mostly bores me lol. I prefer regular celebrities that give real interviews and might even let you see the inside of their house LOL but I am really excited to see this collection and am thinking about buying it. I don’t pay attention to who works how much, but I will say of the four (William, Harry, Meghan & Kate) , Meghan’s projects are the most up my alley. I love cookbooks, I love fashion, I love magazines. She’s clearly got my number lol, and I’m sorry for the bullshit she has to put up with.