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The Duchess of Sussex does not resume her public royal tour program until 1 October, when she will reunite with the Duke in Johannesburg. Over the last few days, she has met with influential women – including anti-apartheid activists, parliamentarians, professors, educators and policy makers – in private to discuss the rights of women in South Africa. “In the lead up to this tour it weighed heavily on my heart to see the countless violations against women, and I wanted to spend my time on the ground learning about the situation at hand,” she explained on @sussexroyal, before sharing the story of one particular woman who had inspired her.
“One of the guests [at a meeting of minds on 26 September], Sophia Williams-De Bruyn was just 18 years old when in 1956 she led 20,000 women to march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest of apartheid pass laws,” wrote the Duchess. “She is the last living leader of the march, and today, a symbol of those who fight for fundamental human rights. For her it is simple – she fights for what is right.”
In the images accompanying the post, Meghan is surrounded by community activists. Unlike the previous looks in her tour wardrobe, which seemed to promote an ethical message, she chose a business-appropriate knitted monochrome striped J Crew midi skirt and a black tank top by Misha Nonoo, with whom she collaborated on her Smart Works capsule, for the engagement.
“In sitting down with these forward thinkers, it was abundantly clear,” she continued. “It is not enough to simply hope for a better future; the only way forward is ‘hope in action’”. During her next few days in the continent, Meghan hopes to continue “to learn, listen and absorb the resilience and optimism [she has felt in South Africa].”
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk
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