Prince Harry’s bride-to-be Meghan Markle has said she will “hit the ground running” in her work to empower girls and women in the UK while speaking at an event in London on Wednesday.
The forum, Make a Difference Together, marks the first time Markle has appeared in public representing The Royal Foundation, which was launched in 2011 by Prince William and his younger brother Harry.
It is also the first time the four young royals — William, his wife Catherine, Harry and his fiance Markle — have spoken publicly together.
Referring to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, Markle said there was “no better time” to “shine a light on women feeling empowered and people supporting them, men included.”
For Markle, the goal is not to help “women find their voices” but to empower women to use the voices they already have and to encourage people to listen to them.
She also said she is “incredibly excited” at the opportunity to work with the Foundation.
After her wedding to Prince Harry on May 19, Markle will officially become The Royal Foundation’s fourth patron. She comes to the charity with a long history of activism: she has been an advocate of women’s rights since she was a teenager and became a Global Ambassador for development charity World Vision in 2016.
While the details of her future work with The Royal Foundation are still under wraps, Markle said she has already been meeting with organizations and experts in the UK who work on the issue of female empowerment.
“I’m… learning as much as I can to help maximize the opportunity,” she said.
While acknowledging that the next few months would be busy with wedding plans, Markle said she is keen to start working on her projects as soon as possible after May 19.
“I want to hit the ground running,” she said.
The Royal Foundation was established to help the two princes pursue their charitable goals, both within UK communities and abroad. Kate became the third patron a short time later. The Foundation’s projects include Heads Together, which tackles stigma around mental illness, and the Invictus Games, an international sports competition for wounded veterans.
“We are delighted to welcome Meghan to the Foundation,” the charity said in a statement. “She has always shown great drive and compassion for making a difference in the world, and we are excited to embark on important projects together.”