Meghan Markle dons a sari and embraces traditional Indian culture in never-before-seen footage from a charity trip the Duchess made in January 2017.
The 37-year-old traveled to Delhi and Mumbai shortly after her romantic relationship with Prince Harry was made public as part of her work with charity World Vision.
She wished to highlight the problems of gender equality and the limited access of girls to education in the country.
At the time of his trip, news of the royal’s romance with Prince Harry had only just emerged and reports suggested the trip had been canceled for safety reasons, as media interest in the former Suits star was rising.
The trip, however, did take place, but the images were never released and Meghan did not post any photos on her Instagram account, despite sharing snaps from previous charity trips to Rwanda.
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Meghan Markle donned a saree and embraced traditional Indian culture in never-before-seen footage from a charity trip the Duchess made in 2017
The Duchess looked stunning in a bright green and blue saree as she sat and spoke with local women
The 37-year-old traveled to Delhi and Mumbai shortly after her romance with Prince Harry was made public as part of her work with charity World Vision.
Today’s release of the footage, which dates back more than two years, was an opportunity to highlight her previous charitable work as she takes a break from royal duties ahead of the birth of her first child.
During the trip, Meghan visited schools and helped paint a mural and plant a flower in the gardens.
She also wore a traditional tilaka, painted on her forehead by one of the local girls.
Speaking to the camera during a visit to the school, Meghan said: ‘What we found is that the enrollment at this school increased three times after the latrines were built so that girls have access to clean hygiene and bathroom facilities while they are in school. ‘
Since her marriage to Prince Harry in May last year, Meghan’s attention as a new member of the royal family has been very focused on girls’ and women’s issues and the right of access to the education for all.
Speaking to the camera during a visit to the school, Meghan said: ‘What we found is that the enrollment at this school increased three times after the latrines were built so that girls have access to clean hygiene and bathroom facilities while they are in school ”
During the trip, Meghan visited schools and helped paint a mural and plant a flower in the gardens
The Duchess chatted and laughed with local schoolgirls while watering the flower in the gardens
The Duchess receives a traditional tilaka, painted on her forehead by one of the local girls
Meghan, pictured with flower petals scattered all over her, said some girls are forced to drop out of school because they don’t have “bathrooms available to take care of themselves”.
Meghan said some girls are forced to drop out of school because they don’t have “bathrooms available to take care of themselves.”
Only half of secondary schools in India, the second most populous country in the world, have toilets, while more than 110 million adolescent girls are at risk of dropping out of school.
During her trip, the former Suits actress participated in high-level meetings with various NGOs, including an audience with Shamina Shafiq, a former member of the National Commission for Women.
She was also presented to the Myna Mahila Foundation, which works with women and girls who live in the slums of Mumbai.
Chronology of a royal romance …
Meghan shared this cryptic clue about her and Harry’s romance in October 2016
July 2016: The couple meet in London through friends and become an object
October 30, 2016: News announces Prince Harry is dating US legal drama Suits star Meghan Markle
November 8, 2016: Protector Harry attacks media for ‘abuse and harassment’ of his girlfriend
December 13, 2016: Harry and Meghan are seen buying a Christmas tree together in Battersea Park
January 6, 2017: Harry takes Meghan on a romantic getaway to see the Northern Lights in Norway
January 22, 2017: Meghan wraps up charity visit to India
February 2, 2017: Spotted holding hands on a date in London
March 4, 2017: Attend the wedding of one of Harry’s best friends, Tom Inskip, in Jamaica
April 7, 2017: Meghan announces she is ending her lifestyle blog thetig.com
May 7, 2017: Photographed kissing in public for the first time at Cowarth Park Polo Club in Ascot, Berkshire
May 20, 2017: Meghan joins Harry at Pippa Middleton’s wedding reception
September 5, 2017: Meghan opens up about Harry in Vanity Fair interview
September 24, 2017: Meghan makes her first appearance in official engagement Harry attends when attending Invictus Games
October 19, 2017: Harry took Meghan to meet her grandmother the Queen
November 27, 2017: Clarence House announces engagement
The organization strives to provide them with jobs and basic health supplies, challenging cultural taboos on menstrual hygiene.
The charitable foundation was one of seven named by Meghan and Harry to receive donations at the time of their wedding last year.
As she traveled to Delhi and Mumbai, following a previous humanitarian trip to Rwanda, rumors were rife about Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry.
Another Instagram post saw Meghan sporting a blue and white pearl bracelet – identical to the one spotted on Prince Harry’s wrist at the same time
The former actress had shared cryptic clues on her Instagram page, including an image of two spooned bananas with the caption “sleep tight xx” – posted the same day news of their romance broke.
Another post saw Meghan sporting a blue and white pearl bracelet – identical to the one spotted on Prince Harry’s wrist at the same time.
Since her marriage to Prince Harry in May last year, Meghan’s attention as a new member of the royal family has been very focused on girls’ and women’s issues and the right of access to the education for all.
She defended it on a recent trip to Morocco and gave an impassioned speech on education during a visit to the University of the South Pacific in Suva last year.
Getting her hands dirty: Meghan helps paint a mural on the wall of a school where the charity has installed new facilities for its students
The Duchess enthusiastically smiles and clips as local women put on a musical performance in her honor
Details of Meghan’s humanitarian visit to Delhi and Mumbai in January 2017 have been kept under wraps until now, due to her blossoming romance with Prince Harry
