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Cape Town – Before the Duke and Duchess leave South Africa concluding their tour of the African continent, their Royal Highnesses will meet with President Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe on Wednesday evening. But the Duchess of Sussex already said her goodbyes at a reception in Hyde Park this afternoon, as she reflected on the tour she said was especially important to her – on a personal level.
"This trip has meant so much to us as a family, but also to me personally. As you know, reading about the death of Uyinene and hearing about the protest weighed very heavily on my mind. Gender based violence is a harrowing reality for many women around the world, and for some, like the beautiful and talented Uyinene, violence has taken women from us who have – who had – a life full of hope and dreams ahead of them.
"Yet, if there is any possible hope in this situation, is there is some sliver of light, it is that people are paying attention like never before."
Meghan spoke of the group of girls she met yesterday who spoke of their experiences which described as "harrowing", but continued, "Despite everything they’ve been through, they said the saddest thing was to watch the continued degradation of women, and that they wanted to be part of a movement where both women and men play a role in turning that around."
Meghan said the intentional of her part of the Sussex Royal Tour was to meet with women and learn about the challenges they’re facing before saying, "They all showed me a power and solidarity that in this moment, in this time, all women and all people can take strength and inspiration from.
"In our visit earlier this morning I was struck by a small sign that was posted on the wall for the female entrepreneurs, and it said, 'Visualise your highest self, and show up as her.'"
"I remember being a young girl watching TV and seeing what was happening in the world, and frankly, often feeling despair. When you constantly see and hear negativity, it can be overwhelming; you can feel powerless and lost, you can feel different, confused, or like you just don’t belong. And I’m sure there is a young girl or boy watching this and thinking the exact same thing. So, this is for you: In a world that that can seem so aggressive, confrontational, and dangerous, you should know that you have the power to change it. Because whether you’re here in South Africa, at home in the UK, the US or around the world, you actually have the power within you to change things, and that begins with how you connect to others.
"I have learned from the people I’ve met here, that whether it’s about society’s expectations of masculinity or femininity, or how we divide ourselves by race or faith or class or status - everyone has value, and everyone deserves to be heard and respected. And if you live your life in that way, your generation will start to value each other in ways the rest of us have not yet been able to do so."
Her Royal Highness ended saying it has been affirming to know they’re not alone in the things that they believe, before sharing a lesson she learned while at Auawal Masjid in Bo-Kaap.
"One of the women told us that the way we change the world is to honour the dignity of difference.
"In this, we can find strength when we can bridge divides and meet as human beings with different experiences we can all find connection, and in that connection, we become more aware of one another, of our place in the world. We find hope, and self-worth, we can find optimism and courage – ultimately, we can find joy.
"So whether for Archie, Harry and Me in South Africa, or for my husband travelling through Botswana, Angola and Malawi, please know that you have given us so much inspiration, so much hope, and above all, you have given us joy."
SEE HER SPEECH HERE:
