Meghan Markle made a heartfelt statement to honour her dear friend, the remarkable women's rights activist Gloria Steinem. On September 3, she released heartfelt photos of the inspirational figure alongside a long emotional message. The first picture featured Meghan and Gloria in a lush green setting, chatting with each other. Another special picture was of a frame, probably at Meghan's house, featuring Gloria and little Archie. The last photo was from Meghan's NYC trip, where she also visited her pal.
Meghan wrote, "Celebrating the life and legacy of my friend and mentor, Gloria Steinem, and also grateful to know that in these last few weeks and days she knew exactly how loved and admired she was." You all know her many accolades and the way in which she helped shape the world for women and all people - "we are linked, not ranked" she would tell me, and the bracelet she gave me said exactly that. I still wear it with pride.
"Publicly, we did interviews together, called young voters to encourage them to have their voices heard, attended award ceremonies, and brainstormed how to help this beautiful yet complicated world to become more equitable." But privately, she was even better than you would imagine - spending Thanksgiving with our family, introducing me to one of my best friends (forever the champion of female friendship), loving our children with her whole heart, counselling me during hard times, and giving extraordinary advice and perspective with a cup of tea and an unrivalled cheekiness and wit.
"But my very favourite story about GLO is when she was out one day in NY, and a woman approached her in absolute awe and said she wanted to introduce her young daughter to her (though she was embarrassed to say the young girl may not know who she was). Gloria replied: 'It doesn't matter if she knows who I am. What matters is that she knows who SHE is.'" At the end of her special note, Meghan expressed gratitude for Gloria's services, writing, "Rest in peace and rest in pride."