I still think it’s funny to think about the stupid timeline of everything in the past five weeks. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their second pregnancy, then the next day, we learned about the Oprah interview. That jump-started Buckingham Palace’s eager-yet-half-assed formalization of the “one year review,” in which the Queen officially kicked Harry and Meghan off of all of their “royal” patronages. What was especially dumb about that is that the Palace didn’t even inform most of those patronages that they were about to lose their patron. Anyway, all of that to say… Meghan and Harry’s private, non-royal patronages are sticking with their patrons and are quite happy about it.
Meghan is still the patron of SmartWorks, the charity which helps low-income women get professional clothes for job interviews and their jobs. In 2019, Meghan created the Smart Set capsule collection to fill out the SmartWorks collection with some basic pieces like black trousers, a white button-down blouse, etc. Now Meghan has sent some lucky SmartWorks women personal notes, complete with her beautiful calligraphy penmanship. From SmartWorks’ IG:
In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, our Patron, The Duchess of Sussex took a moment to send some words of encouragement to a few of our clients.
Written by The Duchess, several personal notes were delivered to our centre earlier this week, and then dispatched to our clients, to give them that extra piece of encouragement as they return to the workplace.
The extract below was from a note sent to a client who recently got a job working in the health sector:
“I wanted to offer my personal congratulations on landing a new position in public health – I can’t think of anything more important right now. And I’m so pleased to know that Smart Works supported you in the lead-up to your successful job interview.”
Another of our clients received a little extra lift before her interview later this week;
“I wanted to write personally to wish you every success in your upcoming interview. While any interview can feel daunting, I know that Smart Works has enabled you with the confidence to thrive throughout the process” … “You’ll be amazing in your interview remember deep breath and be yourself.”
Throughout the month of March, Archewell Foundation, created by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is encouraging people around the world to perform acts of compassion for women in their lives and communities.
I’m including the IG below so you can see Meghan’s pretty handwriting. What a lovely skill to have! I used to have nice penmanship – even in college, taking notes by hand, I had nice semi-cursive handwriting. But it’s a skill you sort of lose when you aren’t writing by hand all the time. Now my handwriting and my signature are practically illegible. Anyhoodle, Meghan is lovely and she clearly still cares a lot about this patronage. Fingers crossed she drops another capsule collection this year!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and WENN.
I pray she drops another capsule collection. Fingers crossed!
Meghan’s handwriting >>>>>>
I thought her handwriting would be nice given what Kaiser said, but than I scrolled down and damn, it is gorgeous and fancy!
Seriously her handwriting is so good it’s bananas. I have the handwriting of a serial killer (name that movie anyone? 😉 )
Lovely story, and yet another reminder what a bad b*tch the BRF could have had.
Steel Magnolias!
I’m seriously impressed. Even as a child she had great penmanship.
I quote that line all the time (I work in health care so some of the writing is…not so good???)
Kate wishes she could! Sorry, not to put women against women. There’s just something special abt a personal touch and even more so on IWMonth. The rate of femicide in my country and worldwide lately has got me feeling, frankly, scared and honestly, sensitive towards us women. So uplifting therefore, whenever I see women showing up to support other women and especially when it’s practical help and when they shine their own spotlight on others. I’m glad she’s not just a fashionista but an impactful soul on a mission on this planet. If I had money, I’d like to believe that I’d be doing what she’s doing. I’ve been thinking of how to support women causes in my own country and Lord knows there are many. I just came out of a relationship with an addict and it was starting to go towards the abusive path. While I didn’t let it, I still have feelings and I dread that I might go back. But I digress. The experience seems to have left me with a ptsd of sorts and everytime I hear of femicide on the telly, I don’t sleep well. I’m seeking out ways to help other women who have been or are going through these similar issues.
Anyway, Meghan does all these in the face of blatant racism and what does the palace do? Set up an investigation on “Meghan the bully” oh my, my hate for that stupid family knows no bounds.
I am really truly sorry for all that you have been through, stay strong, you are worth more than you think.
Sending positive vibes your way, BC! Stay strong!
@BC I have a saying: I’d rather be lonely than miserable. Also, you can love someone from a distance. Your partner’s problems are his to sort out, not yours. Best wishes for your recovery and happiness.
BC,
Sending a virtual hug 🤗. Stay strong..
I am sorry that you had that experience and I hope you are able to get past it soon. Sending you good vibes that will help you stay your present course.
I absolutely love Meg, fingers crossed she is working on something great with them .
And the hubb and the bakery and the animal shelter. Because she absolutely Does deliver what she sets her mind to
Saw the headline and thought “of course she did.” Sending handwritten notes is so on brand for her, and I love it.
Yup. Very thoughtful.
Her handwriting makes me want to practice my own. I’ve always had good handwriting, but I’m envious of this level of penmanship.
As if she ever needed princess lessons…the BRF should have been learning from her.
…”the BRF should have been learning from her.”
They have been. Learning, or copying. A capsule collection (by Charles last fall); a cookbook forward (William); a couch as seating (TQ/Philip, but especially Kate/Will, who also include Meghan’s plants and console table); an outdoor bench setting (the Cambridges); Kate’s clothing, jewelry, and hairstyle changes in recent months. I don’t follow their instagram, but apparently there were changes to that as well, some time ago (they hired one of the Sussex staffers, right)? I know there’s more, this is just off the top of my head…
Not gonna lie. Apart from Charles’ Princes Trust, the Royals especially the Cambs, tend to not have tangible results. William’s foreward for a book called A Taste of Home, for a homeless charity was pretty tasteless in my opinion. But at least, now they are working and Kate is dressing her age.
It’s pretty pathetic that they smeared and bullied Meghan only to turn around and copy her. Pffft.
windyriver.
1000%. Meghan really ought to claim them as tax dependents, they’re copying her so much
This was a nice thing for Meghan to do. My handwriting is quite frankly, crap. It also depends how much time I’ve got because it can range from decent to chicken scratch if I’m short on time.
Sofia I hear that. I always had beautiful handwriting but the older I get the more it looks like hieroglyphics. Non translatable at that.
I have the handwriting of a doctor. I swear, they much teach it subliminally in med school.
How can the British press spin this into a negative? Seriously, the RF had such a huge asset at their disposal. She was ready and willing to do more than her fair share. Instead they used her to distract from the current scandals of their “emotionally stunted and fundamentally flawed “, to quote John Oliver, family.
Meghan- keeping it moving despite the crap.
This is nice and show’s Meghan’s commitment to her patronages.
I also love that she wrote a note for the Hubb ladies with homemade cupcakes from the Luminary Bakery and a note for the students of that school in Dagenham.
This is really sweet.
In the words of Meghan, remember “deep breaths and be yourself.” And now she can unabashedly go back to fully being herself and not 50% of whatever.
Very much jealous of her handwriting skills…I could never! And yes, I hope she puts out another capsule collection. I ordered a dress from the last one and it’s one of my favorite work dresses.
What a sweet gesture and yes, her handwriting is gorgeous. I have issues writing now bc I never do, I always type, so when I actually have to write something its all weird looking, lol. I should make an effort to write something daily just to keep my hands in shape, ha.
Also, I really loved that black pants/white shirt outfit on her (I know it was part of the capsule collection.) Classic, chic, the accessories were great, etc.
This is nice, really!
And it’s really warming receiving something hand written.
I am a paper addict, and I love writing notes, and sending cards, or postcards, and las weekend I even wrote an entire letter, because one of the most amazing thing happened in the last year is that I have started receiving postcards from friends I cannot see because of Covid: it made my days.
[starts chanting] capsule collection capsule collection capsule collection capsule collection!
Seconded!
I saw this on their IG yesterday and did chuckle, it totally feels like the gameshow when they pull back the curtain and say ‘and here’s what you could have had’. She’s the star prize that the BRF and racists over here do not deserve!
She also sent some goods from Luminary Bakery to the Hubb Community Kitchen ladies. You can tell she wouldn’t go years between patronage visits.
It’s a shame those ladies might not see her in person for a while as there was clearly a big bond with the Hubb ladies.
It’s these little things that Meghan does, the extra step she takes to make someone feel special really inspire me to do the same for the women in my life.
It’s called “class”
What an absolutely delightful story. It warms the heart. I hope that Harry & Meghan can get to a place in a few years where the only time we hear about them is a few uplifting things like this, a few times a year, and the rest of the time they are able to just privately and peacefully live their best life, being a happy family and continuing to make the world a better place. Bless them both.
Seconded Chimes!
I love the fact that while the Royals are going nuclear, Meghan continues on with her impactful charitable work and it’s actually Harry who’s pushing back publicly at the racist idiots he calls a family. It would be interesting to compare the work of the Archewell foundation, which has been up and running for less than a year, versus the 10 plus years of Kate and Will’s “work.” I’ve yet to see Baldimort or Kate do anything close to Invictus, Smartworks, the Hubb kitchen, or Sentebale.
I checked out the smart works Instagram and sadly some negativity did leak in there. Comments arguing whether or not this is calligraphy or penmanship (jfc) and one comment out of nowhere that Kate should be their patron, really trying to stir the pot that one. My god those people never tire of the hate
My father has beautiful handwriting and I’ve always tried to work on mine and used to do passable well, but I so rarely write anymore and when I do I notice that it’s just not as good looking as before. Meghan’s writing is just lovely and it’s definitely her thing because so many people she’s friends with, or just acquaintances have mentioned receiving beautiful notes from her.
I think she will continue to do the best she can for her patronages from afar and even if she did another capsule I have a feeling she still wouldn’t return to the UK to launch it. It’s my hope that Meghan never sets foot back in that country for any reason.
I do not understand the royals, AT ALL. Meghan has clearly always been lovely, and the fact that SHE is undoing them??? I am refraining from all of the four letter words, right now, because they really do deserve them.
Hiya, Royals!!!! Quick tip, you are descended from Henry VIII, and the entire planet knows how that worked out. The fact that you are THIS PISSED at Meghan and Harry, makes you look like the fools you actually are.
I understand that Philip is in frail health, as ANY 99 YEAR OLD WOULD BE. The fact that you toss him up like fodder for this fiasco YOU started, is crazy. Once upon a time, I had a 99 year old great grandma. Do you know what my siblings and I did with her? We thanked her for paper puppets and the $5 she gave all of her great grandchildren. We didn’t accuse each other of trying to KILL HER.
I visited blind gossip, for the first time in a while, today. Where the comment section has always been about how Harry is basically a toddler, bludgeoned into submission, by his monster wife, the tides are turning. There are equal numbers of supporters now.
This. Is. Why. They. Did. It., royals. You have your centuries of history behind you, Meghan and Harry have people who are ACTUALLY alive, and fully caught up, on your nonsense.
ANONYCAT – I remember when William visited that homeless shelter soon after Meghan released the cookbook. The person in charge told him something to the effect “we’re thinking of putting together a cookbook” (hint, hint) to which William replied, “Don’t look at me, I can’t cook”. It seems to have gone right over his head. So about a year later, the shelter managed to publish the cookbook. I doubt William helped in the process in any way other than put his name in it for publicity. I remember thinking at the time that the shelter would probably have preferred to have Meghan as a patron. His patronage is all performative. He was there to take a few pictures and move on, not do the work to really help the organization.
It’s like when they went to Blackpool and promised to come back with the kids. We’ve heard nothing more since that visit. H&M would have partnered with Habitat for Humanity, some hotel chains, tourist boards, something concrete would have come out of that visit. Not just a walkabout, and the look of horror on William and Kate’s faces.