Happy Birthday Meghan & Vogue Titbits You Might Have Missed

Hello, hello, I hope you're all having a fabulous weekend.

The Duchess of Sussex is celebrating her 38th birthday today, no doubt with Harry and Archie. It's been a landmark year for Meghan, filled with changes professional and personal. She dived into her royal role, launched her first project, undertook a major tour of four Commonwealth countries, chose her first four patronages, became vice president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust and became the first person to guest-edit the September issue of Vogue in a century. When Meghan said she wanted to hit the ground running, she certainly meant it. In May, the Duchess gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Archie (formerly known as Baby Sussex). The family of three moved into their residence Frogmore Cottage and will launch their own royal foundation in the autumn, Meghan's clothing line project on behalf of Smart Works is set to be unveiled next month, in addition to a tour of Africa. Yes, the remainder of the year is set to be incredibly exciting. It is not known exactly how she's spending the day, perhaps, she, Harry and Archie are enjoying their first holiday together?

Prince Harry left a very special message for his wife on the couple's Sussex Royal Instagram.

A gorgeous shot of Harry and Megan from their evening of baseball was shared by Buckingham Palace.

Birthday wishes from Charles and Camilla...

...and a Christmas photo from William and Kate.

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Have you picked up a copy of Vogue yet? I wanted to share several titbits I found particularly interesting. We know environmental efforts will form a key focus for Harry and Meghan's foundation. They will both have been delighted to learn the September issue marked a change for the magazine, becoming the first print issue wrapped in a fully compostable film derive from potato starch and plastic free. The publication has pledged to "reduce avoidable, harmful waste".

We spoke about the inclusion of Luminary Bakery in the issue earlier this week. The non-profit bakery is empowering women into employment by providing skills, work experience and support every step of the way. I was delighted to see founder Alice Williams on ITV talking about their collective efforts to empower women. The lesser-known faces in the issue now need to consider the ripple effect this exposure can have. Meghan (in her beautiful handwriting) wrote to the women of Luminary: "The work you do, what you represent to the community, the spirit of the women there - you all embody what it means to be 'forces for change'."

Meghan included one of her favourite pieces by writer and mental-health advocate Matt Haig.

His response to Meghan's letter was so touching. The Duchess replied: "The world needs more of you."

There's a lovely piece featuring eight designers discussing jewellery laden with family significance. I very much enjoyed Clare Waight Keller's quote:

'Since I was very young, my mother has always insisted on teaching us some of the things she had been taught by her own mother, such as sewing, knitting and how to prepare for things that might seem like simple everyday tasks but to which she has found the perfect solution - for example, organising a suitcase or preparing for school. She also taught me to treasure the things that you are given, or that you buy, and to think carefully about how you look after them. This is something I still do whenever I receive something. 

When I was about seven, my parents gave me a silver charm bracelet with a heart-shaped lock as a birthday gift. Whenever I travelled, I collected charms to attach to it. I don't wear it anymore but it has great sentimental value and probably contributed to my "collector's" approach to jewellery".'

Smart Works' Kate Stephens is enormously excited about the upcoming clothing capsule collection which will benefit the growing charity. She said: "I had to regram these images from Sussex Royal because they capture so beautifully how the Duchess interacts with everyone she meets at Smart Works - images full of kindness, inspiration, empathy, energy, ideas and joy. It is no coincidence that we are helping more women than ever before and today is the last day of our busiest ever month. That is how we judge our success and I am so proud of everyone for making this happen."

Each month, Sussex Royal focus on a particular area and highlights accounts dedicated to it. This month, it's fittingly all about 'Forces for Change' and they are asking you to share yours on Instagram.

 I shared a quote last night, which I think perfectly encapsulates Meghan's approach to her role.

"Who you are as a person will only be amplified once you are ‘famous’ so if you had a good heart then, I would imagine you'll have the same good heart, but the means to do even more with it" - Meghan.

Wishing the Duchess the happiest of birthdays. I cannot wait to see what she has in store over the next year!