Meghan Markle admits she ‘didn’t know’ about the Commonwealth until she joined ‘The Family’ as she and Prince Harry speak to young leaders

‘It’s an honour to continue your grandmother’s legacy’: Meghan Markle admits she ‘didn’t know’ about the Commonwealth until she joined ‘The Family’ as she and Prince Harry speak to young leaders

Meghan Markle admitted she ‘didn’t know’ about the Commonwealth until she joined the Royal Family and claimed it’s an ‘honour’ to be continuing Her Majesty’s legacy during a video call with young leaders from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, joined the discussion, which focused on how social media can be a ‘force for good’, from their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, California, on Monday, which was shared on the QCT YouTube channel today.  

In their last public conversation with the group in July, the couple faced criticism after they appeared to take a swipe at the British Empire by saying the history of the Commonwealth ‘must be acknowledged’, even if it’s ‘uncomfortable’. 

Today Meghan spoke of her ‘incredible pride’ at being able to work with the charitable organisation, which is a growing network of young changemakers across the Commonwealth, describing it as a continuation of the legacy of the Queen, who is head of the 54-nation group.  

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took part in a video call with young leaders from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust today to discuss how social media can be a ‘force for good’

Meanwhile Harry, 35, stressed the importance of not ‘coming to the table with a problem without a solution’. 

‘Solutions are the most important thing, I learned in the Army, don’t come to the table with a problem unless you’ve got a solution,’ he said.

The Sussexes have carried out several video calls with their charitable organisations since quitting the royal family and moving to the US in March. 

Chief executive of QCT, Nicola Brentnall chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Brighton Kaoma – founder of Agents of Change Foundation in Zambia – Hunter Johnson, founder of The Man Cave in Australia, Rosie Thomas, co-founder of Project Rockit in Australia, and, Vee Kativhu, Study and Empowerment YouTuber and founder of ‘Empowered by Vee’.

Harry said his Queen has achieved everything she wanted to when she took on the ‘huge responsibility’ of the Commonwealth.

Meghan, 39, spoke of her ‘incredible pride’ at being able to work with the organisation, which she described as a continuation of the legacy of the Queen

‘No one could have predicted how the world was going to change in such a short space of time, especially with the digital space but, hearing you guys, knowing the broad spectrum that the QCT engulfs, you guys are the definition of the 21st century Commonwealth and what it means to be part of it,’ he said.

‘You are there standing for equality and mutual respect and fairness, and I think that is something that every single one of you should be very proud of.’

Meghan added: ‘I think from my standpoint, being newer to the world of the Commonwealth, I lived in Canada for several years but it wasn’t until joining the family that I was able to meet so many young people throughout the Commonwealth.

Harry, 35, stressed the importance of not ‘coming to the table with a problem without a solution’

‘They came with a question, they always offered a solution, and that’s what I think is so inspiring and why I’m incredibly proud to be able to work with the QCT, but why it’s the continuation of the legacy of your grandmother.’ 

The Queen remains head of the Commonwealth and in 2018 Harry’s father Prince Charles was announced as her successor. 

The Duchess of Sussex observed how important positive online experiences are in the current context, acknowledging: ‘Everyone’s mental and emotional wellbeing are perhaps more fragile than ever before, certainly with COVID and our dependability on devices right now in the absence of human interaction. 

The ‘woke’ thought leaders inspiring Harry and Meghan: Who are Brené Brown and Tristan Harris? 

Brené Brown 

Brené Brown (born November 18, 1965) is an American professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host.  

Having spent her career studying the concepts of courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and having authored seven books including five New York Times best-sellers, Brown hosts the podcast, and her talk, ‘The Power of Vulnerability’, is one of the most widely viewed Ted Talks of all time. 

She is the first researcher to have a filmed lecture on Netflix; The Call to Courage special debuted on the streaming service in April 2019. 

She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie.

Tristan Harris

Tristan Harris is the president and a co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology.

He has been called ‘the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience’ by the Atlantic magazine. 

Earlier in his career, he was Google’s Design Ethicist, developing a framework for how technology should ‘ethically’ steer the thoughts and actions of billions of people from screens.

Drawing on literature from addiction, performative magic, social engineering, persuasive design and behavioral economics, he is currently developing a framework for ethical persuasion, especially as it relates to the moral responsibility of technology companies.

Rolling Stone magazine named Harris one of ’25 People Shaping the World’ in 2017.

‘People are going online more than ever before to feel community.’

During today’s discussion the couple praised Hunter Johnson for for quoting mental health advocates Renee Brown and Tristan Harris – two people the couple say they ‘love and absolutely adore’.  

Hunter also talked about positive role models with a focus on addressing toxic masculinity and how showing vulnerability online can help shape new narratives of manhood.

He said: ‘What we’re trying to do is expose them to cool people they want to be like who have range in their identity. 

‘To show they can be strong and stoic, but the next day they can shed a tear, they can be emotional… They don’t lose any of their masculinity doing that, but they do gain more of their humanity.’

The Duke observed: ‘If we are all able to show our vulnerability that doesn’t mean that you’re weak. 

‘If anything, I believe, that’s probably showing most of your strength.’ 

Harry observed that one factor underpinning positive digital progress is courage.

He said to the young leaders on the call: ‘It takes a huge amount of courage for you to set up communities like you have but also for other people to stand up to hate.’ 

He and Meghan finished the call by thanking participants for the work they are doing and pledged their ongoing commitment to supporting their work through QCT.

After joking that he and Meghan are ‘too old’ now to be considered young people, he went on: ‘This is the world that you guys are going to inherit, I’m saying you guys because I’m predicting most of you are in your late twenties…’ to which Meghan added: ‘And Archie.’

In his closing comments, The Duke said to young leaders on the call: ‘It’s on all of us collectively to make the world a better place – and we are.’

Yesterday Omid Scobie, who co-authored Finding Freedom, a bombshell biography detailing Harry and Meghan’s lives as senior royals and their exit from the Firm, said the couple will return to the UK to resume their charity work once lockdown restrictions ease. 

He said the Sussexes will carry out trips in a private and professional capacity. 

Speaking to Royal Central, he said the couple love to get out there and ‘be active in the field’.

‘Harry and Meghan have made it clear that their work in the UK, including their royal patronages, will continue,’ he explained.