Meghan recalls her sneak trip to the US when she was still a working member of the Royal Family

Meghan Markle

Meghan recalls her sneak trip to the US when she was still a working member of the Royal Family

PA
Dorothy Reddin

By Dorothy Reddin


Published: 11/09/2024

- 10:38

The Duchess of Sussex was speaking at Godmothers, a bookstore near her home in Montecito, California

Meghan Markle has recalled her sneak trip to the US when she was still a working member of the Royal Family.

While speaking at Godmothers, a bookstore near her home in Montecito, California, the Duchess of Sussex reflected on secretly travelling to New York City in 2019, while still a working royal.


Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, stepped back from their roles as working royals the following year in 2020.

In 2019, the Duchess of Sussex travelled to NYC from the UK to watch her friend, Serena Williams, play in the US Open.

Meghan MarkleMeghan recalls her sneak trip to the US when she was still a working member of the Royal FamilyPA

Before anyone could figure out she was in town, she went for a walk to a bookstore.

Speaking at Godmothers earlier this week, Meghan said: “For me, sneaking to New York five years ago was a really big deal."

She described how she put on a cap and kept her head down.

The duchess added: “I was still so uncomfortable being out in the world.

\u200bSerena Williams

Serena Williams pictured at the US Open this year

Reuters

"The safety of what I was craving, I knew I could find in a bookstore.”

Meghan spoke at Godmothers’ opening weekend, a bookstore opened by literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson.

Many other celebrities attended the festivities, including Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.

When asked if he had a book recommendation, the Duke of Sussex, 39, silently pointed to his memoir, Spare, on display in the store.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams attending Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry in 2018

PA

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle has expressed her love for bookstores

PA

According to reports in Town & Country, it was Prince Harry who named the shop.

At his book party for Spare in Beverly Hills, he thanked Winfrey, Jackson and Walsh for their support, calling the three his “fairy godmothers.”

As plans for the store began to fall into place, Winfrey told the two founders: “There’s really only one thing you can name it: Godmothers.”

Both Spare and Meghan’s 2021 children’s book, The Bench, are featured in the store’s “Our Local Authors” display.

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