Several months on from the launch of Together: Our Community Kitchen, a recipe book in aid of the families affected by the Grenfell fire, the full extent of the Duchess of Sussex’s commitment to the cause has been revealed.
Yesterday, Meghan visited the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Cultural Heritage Centre to see the newly renovated kitchen area and celebrate the cookbook’s success: to date, Together has sold over 71,000 copies worldwide, raising vital funds that have allowed the kitchen (which provides meals for the surrounding area) to become a permanent operation.
The visit, which was not announced beforehand by the Palace, is just one of many low-key trips to the Grenfell community which the Duchess has made since the start of the year, and the women who work at the centre spoke effusively about Meghan’s involvement.
‘We have bonded really well – she’s part of the gang,’ centre coordinator Zaheera Sufyaan, who was greeted with a hug by the Duchess upon her arrival, told Harper’s Bazaar. ‘She was happy to be back. She’s been visiting regularly and privately. It’s kept everyone motivated and inspired everyone to now do their own projects.’
All the times she said she will come, she has. She said she’s going away for her wedding and visit[s] after one week. She came before she went [on tour]. She said, “I’m going to go for a long journey to New Zealand and Fiji, and then after that I’m going to come and we’re going to celebrate.’
Project manager Intlak Alsaiegh reiterated that the Duchess is ‘one of [them]’ when she visits, telling Bazaar of her commitment to the project since the start of the year. ‘All the times she said she will come, she has,’ she explained. ‘She said she’s going away for her wedding and visit[s] after one week. She came before she went [on tour]. She said, “I’m going to go for a long journey to New Zealand and Fiji, and then after that I’m going to come and we’re going to celebrate.’
'It starts from one idea and from this one idea starts so much. I’m so proud of you,' Meghan reportedly told her friends at the centre yesterday.
Look back at Meghan and Harry's relationship timeline in the gallery below...
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship timeline
1 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
2 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
3 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
4 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
5 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
6 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Marklec
'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
7 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
8 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
10 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
11 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
12 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
13 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
14 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
15 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
16 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
17 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
18 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
19 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
20 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
21 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
22 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
23 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
24 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
25 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
26 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
27 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
28 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
29 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
30 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
31 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
32 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
Back in September, the Duchess celebrated the launch of the cookbook at Kensington Palace, an event which marked her first solo speech as a royal family. Speaking fluently and passionately without notes, she immediately impressed royal commentators; it’s since been revealed that Meghan also writes her speeches herself, something that is rare among the royal family.
In Meghan’s New Life: The Real Princess Diaries, a new documentary set to air on ABC in America over the Thanksgiving weekend, royal commentator Omid Scobie recalls noticing that the Duchess’s speech cards appeared to feature handwritten scribbles. He adds that he ‘asked a palace aid, “Has she written this herself?” as that’s quite unusual for the royals,’ and received an answer in the affirmative. ‘This was all her,’ he remembers the aide telling him. ‘She's been up for days working on this speech.'