The most empowering and inspiring things Meghan Markle has ever said about women
It's been a tough ride for Meghan Markle but against all adversity, she's used her voice for change.
The staunch feminist has proven she isn't afraid to speak out on the things that really matter, including women's empowerment and the #MeToo and Time's Up movements.
On joining the royal family on 2018, the biography about her life which appeared on the royal family's website included a line from a speech she delivered at the 2015 UN Women Conference, which read: "I am proud to be a woman and a feminist."
This is the same women who, at 11 years old, wrote a letter to toiletries giant Procter & Gamble imploring them to change the wording of a sexist advertisement - which they did.
And most recently, Meghan sat down for the exclusive Oprah with Meghan and Harry and it didn’t disappoint as no topic was off the table: From the truth about her relationship with Kate and the Queen, to the state of her mental health and even the sex of their unborn baby. Again, Meghan proved she isn't afraid to speak out about things that matter to her - and it's rather fitting timing as we celebrate International Women's Day.
Feeling inspired by Meghan? Scroll down to read her most empowering quotes...
Getty ImagesOn Education
Meghan Markle gave her first royal tour speech, and it was a powerful one. Speaking to students and staff at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, the Duchess of Sussex talked about the value of education and the cost of university. “As a university graduate, I know the personal feeling of pride and excitement that comes with attending university,” she began. “From the moment you receive your acceptance letter to the exams you spend countless late nights studying for, the lifelong friendships you make with your fellow alumni to the moment that you receive your diploma, the journey of higher education is an incredible, impactful and pivotal one. I am also fully aware of the challenges of being able to afford this level of schooling for many people around the world, myself included.” Getting honest about the difficulties of paying for life as a student, she said, “It was through scholarships, financial aid programs and work-study where my earnings from a job on campus went directly towards my tuition – that I was able to attend university. And, without question, it was worth every effort.”
Getty ImagesOn Empowering Women
Meghan addressed her work in women's rights and explained that her activism will continue to build in the UK, at a forum organised by the official Royal Foundation charity. She voiced her opinions alongside her fiancé Prince Harry, and soon-to-be brother and sister in law Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Meghan said "What's interesting is that I hear a lot of people saying, when talking about girls‘ empowerment and women as well, you’ll often hear people saying, ‘You’re helping them find their voices', I fundamentally disagree with that. Women don’t need to find their voice. They need to feel empowered to use it and people need to be encouraged to listen."
The princess we all need also addressed the powerful movements championed by women in the entertainment industry, and how men need to play an essential part in supporting change, saying "Right now with so many campaigns, like #MeToo and Time’s Up, there is no better time to really continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered and people really helping to support them, men included in that."
REXOn Race
"There was a mandatory census I had to complete in my English class – you had to check one of the boxes to indicate your ethnicity: white, black, Hispanic or Asian. There I was (my curly hair, my freckled face, my pale skin, my mixed race) looking down at these boxes, not wanting to mess up, but not knowing what to do. You could only choose one, but that would be to choose one parent over the other – and one half of myself over the other. My teacher told me to check the box for Caucasian. 'Because that's how you look, Meghan,' she said.
"I put down my pen. Not as an act of defiance, but rather a symptom of my confusion. I couldn't bring myself to do that, to picture the pit-in-her-belly sadness my mother would feel if she were to find out. So, I didn't tick a box. I left my identity blank – a question mark, an absolute incomplete – much like how I felt.
Speaking on stage, she said: "When I went home that night, I told my dad what had happened. He said the words that have always stayed with me: 'If that happens again, you draw your own box.'"
Getty ImagesOn using her celebrity status for good
"With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility – to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings. And, if I’m lucky enough, to inspire."
Getty ImagesOn Style
"When you invest in a great piece, you’re going to pull it out of your closet again and again and put it with a different top or a different sweater. It creates a different, more modern look but it’s still the same timeless items," she tells Best Health.
Getty ImagesOn Dealing With Those Who Criticise Her Relationship With Prince Harry
"It has its challenges, and it comes in waves — some days it can feel more challenging than others. And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend's support. I don't read any press. I haven't even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise. Of course it's disheartening. It's a shame that that is the climate in this world, to focus that much on that, to be discriminatory in that sense. I think, you know, at the end of the day, I'm really just proud of who I am and where I've come from and we have never put any focus on that. We've just focused on who we are as a couple. And so when you take all those extra layers away and all of that noise, I think it makes it really easy to just enjoy being together."
Getty ImagesOn Being A Feminist
"You don't have to play dress up to be a feminist. You are a feminist exactly the way you are. You can be a woman who wants to look good and still stand up for the equality of women. There's no uniform for feminism; You are a feminist exactly the way you are," She told Create & Cultivate last year.
Getty ImagesOn Motivating Herself To Stay Fit
"Even if I’m not in the mood to go, I never leave class regretting having gone. I always leave feeling sort of euphoric," she told Best Health.
REXOn Being A Woman
"Women make up more than half of the world's population and potential. So it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for our voices, to go unheard at the highest levels of decision making."
Getty ImagesOn Her Appearance
"You can be a woman who wants to look good and still stand up for the equality of women. Being a feminist and being feminine are not mutually exclusive," she said in Create & Cultivate.
Getty ImagesOn Ageing
"As I’m getting older, my approach to aging is quite different, she tellsBest Health. "I make sure that I take care of my skin and body, especially with the work hours I have. And I don’t just take care of myself for aesthetic reasons but because how I feel is dictated by what I’m eating, how much rest I’m getting and how much water I’m drinking. If I don’t have time for a long workout, I’ll grab my dog and go for a quick run. Being active is my own moving meditation."
Getty ImagesOn Committing To A Cause
"Don't give it five minutes if you're not going to give it five years," she wrote in a column in Elle.
NBCOn Rachel Zane, Her Character in Suits
"I'm similar to Rachel, in that I'm harder on myself than anyone else might be."
@meghanmarkle / InstagramOn Having Fun
"When I get ready to go out, it's half hour and we're out of the door. I don't want to waste time getting ready: I want to go and have fun," she told Esquire.
REXOn Having A Purpose In Life
"I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches; I've always wanted to be a woman who works. And this type of work is what feeds my soul," she said in Create & Cultivate
Getty ImagesOn Staying True To Herself Despite Marrying A Prince
"We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people's perception. Nothing about me changed. I'm still the same person that I am, and I've never defined myself by my relationship."
