As part of the celebrations for her fortieth birthday, Meghan Markle has just launched a new initiative (40x40) wherein she's asking forty friends to donate forty minutes of their time to mentoring others.
In the hopes of helping women back into the workforce post-pandemic, the Duchess of Sussex shared a fun video of her and Melissa McCarthy bantering together to announce the scheme – and one particular moment appears to offer an insight into Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry's, new life over in California. More specifically, how well they've taken to it.
While attempting to guess what Meghan's big idea for her birthday is, comedy queen Melissa throws a number of jokey suggestions into the ring – from asking if she and Meghan can finally get matching best friend tattoos (of their own faces, of course), to whether or not a Suits reunion could be on the cards.
One other idea Melissa queries is whether or not Meghan and Harry will be partaking in another photoshoot, much like the now famous black-and-white series they created with Misan Harriman, to announce their pregnancy with daughter Lilibet Diana, earlier this year.
The series of photographs of Meghan and Harry, in which Meghan's baby bump is clearly visible underneath her dress, was taken in the garden of their Montecito home underneath a tree.
In one image, Prince Harry is sitting on the grass wearing a casual linen shirt and trousers, stroking his wife's hair as he gazes down at her. Meghan can be seen lying on the ground, her head resting in Harry's lap, as she touches her bump and smiles up at him. All in all, it's a pretty romantic shot – and one that was perfectly timed for their Valentine's Day announcement.
Everyone's clicking on...
Referencing these images in Meghan's birthday video, Melissa remarks, "I know what it is! Is it another photoshoot under a tree where you're looking very peaceful?" To which Meghan then, giving an insight into her new life in California, replies, "Peaceful under a tree is me every day."
Whilst it's only a short sentence, it's one that reveals a lot about how the Duchess is feeling about her life nowadays, and certainly comes in contrast to the severe mental health issues she bravely discussed (during her tell-all Oprah interview) that she said she experienced as a senior, working member of the Royal family.
Spending time outside in nature is something that's been proven beneficial for those struggling with anxiety and low mood, too, so it's wonderful to hear that Meghan has been able to indulge in that at home in Montecito, along with Harry and their new family of four.
BRB, stepping out for a walk!
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
