Meghan and Harry Are Back!

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I awoke on Thursday to a flurry of notifications on my phone. MEGHAN AND HARRY ARE BACK! <throws confetti> The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out in New York for their first joint public appearance since March 2020. The pair's itinerary felt almost like a royal tour, beginning the day at the World Trade Center for a photo opp with the New York mayor and New York governor. Then they headed uptown for a meeting with the US Ambassador to the UN and a group discussion about vaccine equity in partnership with the World Health Organization. Today the couple visited Harlem and tomorrow they will appear at the Global Citizen Vax Live concert in Central Park.

I *love* to wake up to new royal photos but Thursday felt different — special, even — because of the eye-witness accounts in my Instagram feed. So many of you were there to greet Meghan and Harry, the enthusiasm was palpable (thank you for tagging me in your posts!). Zara Sayeed, wearing her “I heart Harry and Meghan” button, said she started the chants of “Meghan!” (You can see her amazing highlight recapping the morning on Instagram.) Cristina of @theDuchessofSuxess posted several videos from the scene, captioning one: “Loved seeing these little moments of intimacy between them - they briefly separated hands to go around a tree but then snapped back together like magnets.”

Even from Los Angeles, seeing the photographs felt familiar — something I'll confess I don't feel when I see Kate and Will out and about in the UK. I lived in New York for more than a decade, which meant I didn’t need to research where Meghan and Harry were going or who they were meeting with. When Page Six reported that they are staying at the Carlyle on the Upper East Side, I thought of my own visit to the swanky hotel years ago for a pair of Wall Street Journal videos. I wonder which suite are they staying in? I thought to myself.

Sure, this might feel like fan-girl fare. But I would argue there’s something deeper at play. Being able to experience Harry and Meghan IRL — and not just through a screen — I suspect will bring a new level of interest in, and affection for, the couple. We obviously don’t have an American equivalent of the British Royal Family; the idea of its members living and working on American soil is novel and exciting. (It seems we're still figuring out how to handle ourselves; a reporter at the World Trade Center referred to Meghan as "Madame Duchess," which LOL.)

But mostly: The enthusiasm presents a tremendous opportunity for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their star power and commitment to service clearly opens doors; just look at the names and titles of the powerful people they met with in New York.

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You know I love a deep dive, so I reached out to Alison Hall, a correspondent for Inside Edition and longtime SMT follower. Alison was on the scene at the World Trade Center and has been a fan of Meghan’s since her days on Suits and running The Tig. “I loved that she embraced both the beauty of the world and how we can make it better,” Alison told me. She has had the chance to see the duchess in person two times prior: first in Windsor for the wedding (!) back in 2018 and then in New York the following year for Meghan’s baby shower. Below she talks about seeing her for a third time (Q&A has been edited and condensed slightly).

ELIZABETH: Alison! When did you find out you were going to cover Harry and Meghan in New York this week and how did it feel?

A: I was walking out of the gym at 7:05am when my boss called and told me to get to One World Trade ASAP to try to get the Sussexes. I was sweaty and still needed to walk my dog, not to mention, get myself Harry and Meghan ready! I raced home and pulled my hair back into a slicked pony (inspired by Meghan) and looked at my closet. A baby blue sheath work dress caught my eye as I reminded myself that the Queen always wears a color that can be seen from afar. I thought about standing out in baby blue in a sea of suits and darkly dressed photographers, so that Harry and Meghan would be able to easily see me as I tried to get them to answer a question (or generally look at my camera). At the last second, I threw on a pair of pearl hoop earrings (because #royalty).

E: Set the scene for us. What was it like outside the World Trade Center?

A: We arrived quite late to the official event but my savvy cameraman, Brad, found the perfect spot near the door where he thought they may enter (hint, always look for the most security).

Sure enough, minutes later, H&M made their appearance and we were one of the few cameras to catch them walking in (being late sometimes has its benefits!). We gambled and stayed in the same position hoping they’d exit the same way, and they did! Our positioning was perfect as they walked by us to visit the rest of the site. There were several fans cheering and excited for them and they sweetly waved and smiled.

E: You asked a question, and Meghan answered! Were you surprised?

A: I shouted “How’s Lilibet”, which prompted both Harry and Meghan to make eye contact (I think it was the blue dress!) and Meghan responded, “She’s beautiful!” I followed up with, “And how’s Archie?” and got a thumbs up from Meghan! You can see in the video from her adorable smile in response to the question that she is simply a proud mom who loves to gush about her kids.

E: You are around celebrities and politicians all the time for your job — how does seeing the Sussexes compare?

A: For someone who doesn’t get very starstruck, I have to admit it was a thrilling feeling. Both Harry and Meghan have a special magnetism about them. They are poised, yet warm and approachable. All of the fans and press there were really excited. There was just a positive energy in the air, everyone was happy to see this lovely couple and proud parents doing well and, seemingly, in their element. There were lots “Oh, they look so great!” and “Ah! they waved at me!” as people shared photos and stories about how they felt about seeing them IRL.

Follow Alison on Instagram at @alisonhallreporting (come for her impressive work on Inside Edition and Law & Crime Network, stay for the cute dog pics!) and check out her podcast Between Headlines.

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SMT Royal Recap

That's it from me! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you back in your inboxes on Tuesday.

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