Recently, the Duchess of Sussex hosted a dinner for Afghan women who have relocated/immigrated to California. The dinner was just another moment of Meghan’s continuing work with Afghan refugees, many of whom helped American military and Coalition forces in the long-running war in Afghanistan. One of my favorite things the Sussexes ever did was travel to Task Force Liberty in New Jersey in 2021 and spend time with the refugees who had been evacuated out of Afghanistan. That trip was stage-managed by the military, and the Sussexes’ visit threw a huge spotlight on those refugees and the Amazon wishlists to get those families some essentials. Meghan and Harry now have a “Welcome Project” as part of Archewell, and Welcome Project teamed with Mina’s List to host this dinner a few weekends ago. Meghan allowed Marie Claire to have exclusive coverage of the dinner, and Meghan gave MC a real interview. Some highlights:
The Archewell Foundation’s Welcome Project. Launched in 2023, the initiative was created by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s foundation to support programs for women who have resettled in the United States from Afghanistan. There are currently 11 Welcome Project branches in nine states across the country, including one in San Antonio, which Prince Harry and Meghan visited in March. The Duchess of Sussex tells me that The Welcome Project “is that perfect example of seeing an immediate need and then saying, ‘Okay, how do you make this a much larger vision so it’s not just a short-term banding on a problem, but a long-term solution?’”
Communities coming together: The Duchess of Sussex says, “whatever cultures are different, whatever traditions are different, there’s actually so much we have in common. There’s a lot of joy in discovering each other’s new rituals too,” she says, a feeling many of us in the room experienced as we tried new foods and listened to the aforementioned poetry. Even though some of us don’t understand the language, the duchess notes that she feels the emotion behind their words as she listens to their hopes for a better future. “You find comfort in things you know, but you find so much community and connection in things you don’t know, as well.”
Working with the Hubb community in London: “With Hubb, that was 13 different countries represented. We were constantly learning from each other.” She says that while some of the foods she’s used to eating were “very different” to the women in the kitchen, they “loved being able to talk about that. It’s a great icebreaker. And then through that, it kind of becomes the background to a much deeper connection.” She points out that some other groups use activities like sewing or playing board games versus cooking, but that those things form bonds focused on “what actually matters.”
She loves the holidays: “I love the holidays,” the Duchess of Sussex says, sharing that Archie and Lilibet are now “three and five, so every year it gets better.” She muses that “at first, I think as a mom with children you’re just enjoying having them there, but they’re not understanding everything that’s happening yet. But now we’re at the age where I just can’t wait to see it through their lens every year.”
A low-key Thanksgiving: As for Thanksgiving, she says that the Sussexes are “always pretty low-key,” and Meghan tells me that “being close to my mom is great,” referring to her mother, Doria, who is also based in California. “I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there’s room at the table for your friends who don’t have family, which is really key,” she shares. One such friend is none other than feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who Markle tells me “came for Thanksgiving” one year.
The holidays are about more than food: “We’re always making sure we have something fun to do,” the Duchess of Sussex says. “Like any other family you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar—fun. Every single holiday is a new adventure,” she says, stressing that it’s important for her that Archie and Lilibet can experience the “magic” of traditions like “great recipes that they end up connecting to a formative memory” at Thanksgiving and putting out “carrots for the reindeer” at Christmas.
Archewell’s Welcome Project sounds great, and I’m glad they’re working with a group like Mina’s List. Of course Meghan goes above and beyond to create communities with refugees and women from other countries too – Meghan has experienced that first-hand, being a stranger in a strange land, and her wealth and privilege didn’t save her from feeling isolated and alone. I loved that she answered some questions about the holidays too – I hope Archie and Lili have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas. Archie in particular is at the right age to have an amazing Christmas.
Speaking of the Sussex babies, this is how the Daily Mail covered MC’s exclusive: “Admitting she loved the holiday season, the Duchess revealed that seeing it through the eyes of the King’s grandchildren made it increasingly special, saying ‘every year it gets better.’ Prince Harry’s wife also said she ‘can’t wait to see it through their lens every year.’” LMAO. “The king’s grandchildren” – who is the mother of the king’s grandchildren? This reminds me of when Meghan was hanging out in the VIP section of Beyonce’s concert last year, and suddenly all of the coverage was Britain trying to claim Meghan as their own, that Meghan belongs to them (and her children apparently belong to Charles).
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Marie Claire’s IG.