One year later: What have Prince Harry and Meghan done since Megxit?

After their dramatic departure from the royal family, Prince Harry & Meghan Markle have been subject to a whole lot of scrutiny & speculation. Some wondered what their motives were, while others applauded the couple for taking their lives into their own hands. But one thing’s for sure: the two haven’t exactly left the spotlight in the past year. Here’s everything they’ve done since Megxit.

Working for the people

Just because Prince Harry & Meghan Markle are no longer royalty, it doesn’t mean they’re no longer interested in being public servants. In April, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting to run rampant around the world, the two volunteered to deliver meals to people in Los Angeles. 

They spent two days volunteering for Project Angel Food, and a couple of months later, visited Homeboy Industries, another organization that helps people who were previously incarcerated by giving them jobs at cafes. 

Project Angel Food’s executive director, Richard Ayoub, commented on the participation from Meghan Markle & Prince Harry in a statement on Instagram: “In honour of the Easter holiday, the duke and duchess spent Sunday morning volunteering with Project Angel Food. And on Wednesday they quietly continued delivering meals to relieve our overworked drivers.”

Social justice causes

A couple of months after George Floyd was killed by U.S. police officers, Meghan Markle spoke to her former high school, Immaculate Heart High School, about racial injustice. 

At first, she told the class: “I wasn’t sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing. I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing because George Floyd’s life mattered and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered.”

She continued: “One of my teaches, Ms. Pollia, said to me, ‘always remember to put others’ needs above your own fears. That has stuck with me throughout my entire life and I have thought about it more in the last week than ever before.” She finally noted: “We’re seeing people stand in solidarity, we are seeing communities come together and to uplift. You are going to be part of this movement.”

Speaking to survivors

Meghan Markle’s social justice efforts didn’t stop after speaking to her high school. She also made a call to Althea Bernstein, a Wisconsin woman who was allegedly the victim of a racist attack. Local media recorded the eighteen-year-old was driving when men shouted racial slurs at her, sprayed her face with lighter fluid, and burned her with a lighter. Following the attack, Bernstein suffered third-degree burns on her face & neck.

See ya later, Zuck

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle have joined those calling for a Facebook boycott. The couple is allegedly bothered by the issue of hate speech on the internet.

A source stated: “one of the areas the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been keen to address is online hate speech, and we’ve been working with civil rights and racial justice groups on it.”

The source added: “over the past few weeks in particular, this issue has become even more vital and they have been working to encourage global CEOs to stand in solidarity with a coalition of civil and racial justice groups like the NAACP, Color of Change, and the Anti-Defamation League, which are calling for structural changes to our online world.”

A new charity

Alongside their political causes, Meghan Markle & Prince Harry have been working on setting up a new charity called Archewell, named after their son, Archie. Though there have been some legal issues with the trademarking process, a source assured The Independent the charity will be going forward.

New Santa Barbara stomping grounds

California is a long way from home when you were born in London. Perhaps that’s why Meghan Markle & Prince Harry bought a home in Santa Barbara, California this year. 

A spokesperson commented on the move to The Independent after their July move, stating: “the Duke & Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July of this year. They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbors, as well as for them as a family.”

A podcasting fam

On December 29th, Prince Harry & Meghan Markle launched a podcast on Spotify. Their first episode featured a variety of exciting celebs, such as Sir Elton John, Stacey Abrams, James Corden, Matt Haig, and George the Poet. 

The podcast will focus on life lessons and tips on how to remain positive during a time that is tumultuous for everyone around the world.