Meghan Markle named vice-president of Queen’s Commonwealth Trust on International Women’s Day

The Duchess' work with the organisation will focus primarily on 'supporting women and girls'

The Duchess of Sussex has been appointed vice-president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust on International Women’s Day.

The Trust, of which Her Majesty The Queen is Patron and Markle’s husband The Duke of Sussex is President, works to champion, fund and connect with young leaders around the world working for positive social change.

On Friday 8 March, the Trust announced the news on its website, explaining Meghan Markle’s role will involve highlighting the organisation’s partnerships with young people across the Commonweatlh, “and in particularly its work supporting women and girls”.

A statement about appointments reads: “In celebration of International Women’s Day and to mark this appointment, Her Royal Highness will this afternoon join a special panel discussion of female thought-leaders and activists convened by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, to discuss a range of issues affecting women today.”

Singer Annie Lennox, model and Gurls Talk founder Adwoa Aboah former prime minister of Australia Julia Gillard area among those who will join the duchess at the event hosted at King’s College London this afternoon. The group will debate a range of issues affecting women around the world.

Speaking of the duchess’ new role, the trust’s chairman Lord Geidt said: “The support and encouragement which Her Royal Highness will bring to the young leaders with whom we work promises to have a profound effect.

“We are enormously grateful to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex for this signal of commitment they are making to our work, helping The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust to pursue its ambitions right across the Commonwealth and beyond.”

Markle is a proud feminist and has long been driving for gender parity since childhood.

Aged 11, Markle successfully campaigned for consumer goods corporation Procter & Gamble (P&G), to change an advert that used gender-specific language to sell washing up liquid with a tagline that read: “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.”

Markle wrote to former First Lady Hillary Clinton and women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred about her letter and P&G later changed the ad’s wording, replacing “women” with “people”, as a direct result of the royal’s input.

In 2015, the former actor was appointed the UN Women’s Advocate for Women’s Political Participation and Leadership.

On International Women’s Day that year, Markle gave a speech in which she addressed gender equality, revealing: “I am proud to be a woman and a feminist”.

In October 2018, Markle honoured the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand during her royal tour with Prince Harry with a speech at Government House in Wellington.

Markle said: “In looking forward to this very special occasion, I reflected on the importance of this achievement, but also the larger impact of what this symbolises.

“Because yes – women’s suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness.”

In January, Markle announced she will become patron of two additional charities, including Smart Works – a women’s charity that helps long-term unemployed and vulnerable individuals regain the skills and confidence needed to progress in their careers.

Read more about International Women’s Day here.