Meghan Markle's first U.K. appearance: afternoon tea with Malala Yousafzai
Meghan Markle is back out in London. The Duchess of Sussex met Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai for afternoon tea at Claridge's on Oct. 8 — her first public appearance since she and Prince Harry moved the family back to the U.K. after six years in California.
For the outing, Meghan, 45, wore a long brown coat over a cream sweater and white wide-legged trousers, finishing the look with pointed-toe flats and a Logan Hollowell emerald necklace worth $21,150. Malala, 29, went for a tan blazer, striped pants and a camel-colored headscarf.
The pair lingered outside the historic Mayfair hotel after lunch, chatting before sharing a hug as they parted ways. It was a reunion years in the making: in 2020, the Sussexes joined Malala for a virtual conversation marking International Day of the Girl.
Meghan and I are on the same page. We both believe that when girls have access to education, everyone wins.
A family settling into British life
The tea date comes as the Sussexes adjust to their extended U.K. stay, which is not permanent. The family touched down in England on Aug. 26, and their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, have been enrolled in a British school — a change Harry recently described as "eventful."
Harry, 42, told CTV News in September, "It's been great to be back on British soil. The kids are happy in school."
Education is a cause close to Meghan's heart, and she and Harry were keen for Archie and Lilibet to continue their schooling during the family's relocation to England.
The return hasn't been entirely smooth. After photographers were spotted near the children's school, a spokesperson for the couple said in a Sept. 30 statement to E! News, "This was not only an unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of all children; it was also an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school."
Amid the move, Meghan's career has kept pace — her Netflix series With Love, Meghan was nominated for Outstanding Lifestyle Program in July, her first-ever Daytime Emmy nod.