Meghan's Mother's Day Support for Alliance of Moms & A Sussex Date Night!

Hello, dear readers, and Happy Mother's Day to all celebrating across the pond!

To coincide with Mother's Day, a very close friend of Meghan's shared a photo and revealed the Duchess' support for a campaign supporting mothers. Alliance of Moms co-founder Kelly McKee Zajfen wrote on Instagram: "As Mother’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think of my own community of Motherhood. I instantly think of you Meg. How incredibly nurturing and warm and open you are. What an incredible friend and mother. I’m truly in awe of you and I am so grateful you are part of my Community of Motherhood."

Kelly continued:

"You are always the first to say yes and support those you love. You are a fierce advocate for those who are in need. Thank you for joining this year’s campaign to support LA’s expectant and parenting foster youth, which helps provide critical services, education, resources and advocacy so they can build a better future for themselves and their families."

Mother's Day can bring great joy, but it can also be a reminder of tremendous sadness and pain. To know how courageous Kelly McKee Zajifen is means understanding a woman who has endured the heart-wrenching loss of a child. Last July, Kelly and her husband Julian announced the death of their nine-year-old son George who was found unresponsive at home. In a deeply moving message, Kelly wrote: "My sweet baby boy. My world is shattered into a million pieces. I have little ability to breathe. Walk. Function. Sit. Stand. You were the light of my life. Your smile made the room so bright and your heart was the most perfect and sweetest. You left this Earth and left behind so many people who loved you. I don’t know how I’m able to go on. How I can function. How I can be the light and have joy ever again but I’m going to try. Try hard for your beautiful twin sister. I can’t comprehend any of it."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kelly McKee Zajfen (@_heartmom_)

Channelling her pain into helping others, Kelly is dedicated to Alliance of Moms -- a community of moms for moms. Click here to learn more about their work. On occasion, Harry and Meghan have been candidly photographed out and about with Kelly; it's obviously a very strong friendship. In the photo of Meghan and Kelly, the duo were wearing the Alliance of Moms Community Motherhood T-Shirt. Click here to purchase one for $40.

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A couple of weeks ago, we chatted about the Sussex Community Events fundraiser in honour of Prince Archie's and Princess Lilibet's birthdays. Thanks to the abundance of generosity seen from each and every Sussex fundraiser, over $73,000 has been raised so far.

If you would like to contribute, please click here.

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Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan enjoyed a date night in Santa Barbara on Friday, dining at popular eatery Sushi Bar. The pair, accompanied by a bodyguard, appeared relaxed and smiling as they arrived. It looks like these snaps were taken on a phone and later obtained by TMZ. I remember back in 2016 Meghan shared Sugarfish Sushi Restaurant and Sushi Park in Los Angeles as two of her favourite places to eat in a post for The Tig.

Harry & Meghan Grab Sushi, Pregnancy Rumors Seemingly Debunked https://t.co/dkPCPsyDvl

— TMZ (@TMZ) May 13, 2023

It is always fun to see Meghan's off-duty style. She favours clean lines and cuts with a penchant for creams/beige/browns. With thanks to Meghan's Closet Chronicles, we know the Duchess wore the Heidi Merrick Napoleon dress in chocolate.

The $475 dress is described as: "Criss cross center front blazer inspired cut, wraps with the belt. The "set in" sleeve detail gives an extraordinary silhouette. If you're questioning on size, go up. The moire has less forgiveness than the satin." The style also comes in ivory.

More on the brand:

'Heidi Merrick is a Los Angeles-based fashion designer known for her elegant and effortless designs. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Merrick was immersed in a culture of surf and creativity that heavily influenced her design aesthetic. After studying at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, Merrick launched her eponymous label in 2006.

Merrick's designs are recognized for their clean lines, understated elegance, and meticulous attention to detail. She incorporates premium fabrics and sustainable materials into her collections, and her pieces have been worn by an array of high-profile celebrities such as Kristen Bell, Jessica Alba, Meghan Markle, Cindy Crawford, Drew Barrymore, Emily Blunt, Abigail Spencer and Selena Gomez.'

Meghan teamed the dress with iconic Hermes Oran Sandals featuring the iconic 'H' cutout. There are several nice alternatives available at present including Dune London and French Sole.

Meghan carried the Cesta Collective Bucket Bag in neutral melange.

It is very much a luxury bag operation with a mission and purpose. Cesta bags are completely hand-made, hand-crafted with locally sourced, renewable resources by talented female artisans in Rwanda, Africa -- whom Cesta are proud to pay 500-700% the national average salary of Rwanda. The brand notes: "Weaving is an age-old tradition in Rwanda — a rite of passage, passed down from one generation to the next. Mothers & daughters, and the beautiful work they create, are the soul of our brand."

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Last but certainly not least, as you all know by now, Meghan signed for representation with WME (William Morris Endeavor). Variety reports:

'The signing represents a crown jewel for WME, one might say, as numerous agency rivals have tried to land the public figure formerly known as Meghan Markle since she and husband Prince Harry moved to California in 2020.

Her team at WME will include power agent turned Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, Brad Slater, the rep and brand architect within the agency for Dwayne Johnson, and longtime Serena Williams agent Jill Smoller. Additionally, WME will assume representation of Archewell, her and Prince Harry’s content creation label. Film and television production, brand partnerships, and overall business-building will be explored. Acting will not be an area of focus.'

I think Harry and Meghan made a conscious decision (and correctly so) to concentrate on their family, building a life in California and fulfilling commitments to streaming platforms. Now those boxes have been ticked, it's time for the next step to unfold. We see very little of Meghan in particular, but I do hope this signing means that's all about to change. Ari Emmanuel and his team represent the cream of the crop with elite representation. Watch this space :)

The Duchess will be in New York City on Tuesday for a very special occasion: being honoured by her close friend Gloria Steinem during the 2023 Women of Vision Awards. It should be an inspiring night with Meghan joining a host of incredible women.