Meghan Markle launches initiative to help mothers get back to work

The Duchess of Sussex today celebrated her 40th birthday by announcing a new initiative to help women back into work after the Covid pandemic in a film featuring Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy and a comedy cameo by Prince Harry.

In a video shared on the Archewell website this afternoon, Meghan couldn't stop giggling as the Bridesmaids actress, 50, helped her launch her '40x40' campaign backed by several other famous LA-based friends.

In between fits of giggles with her new pal Melissa, Meghan - seen for the first time since the birth of Lilibet two months ago - said she wants people around the world to commit to giving 40 minutes of their time to mentor women going back to work. 

Among those who have promised 40 minutes of their time to support a woman in their community are singer Adele, poet Amanda Gorman, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and fashion designer Stella McCartney - all friends of the duke and duchess.

At the start of a Zoom-style call in her spotless LA mansion, Meghan told Melissa: 'Because I'm turning 40, I'm asking 40 friends to donate 40 minutes of their time to help mentor a woman who's mobilising back into the workforce. Over two million women in the US alone and tens of millions around the world have lost their jobs due to Covid. And I think if we all do it and all commit 40 minutes to some sort of active service, we can create a ripple effect.'    

Melissa repeatedly interrupts Meghan with jokes about other things she could be doing to celebrate her birthday, leaning on her royal links suggesting a tea party or a bash on a yacht. At one point the Duchess laughs when asked: 'Are you finally going to do a Suits reunion?', and replies: 'Why would I do a Suits reunion for my birthday?'

But it was Melissa who laughs the loudest at the end of the call when she spots Harry juggling outside the window, much to Meghan's surprise - though the camera was at the perfect angle to spot him.

The slick film was made in the same immaculate Montecito study where Harry filmed his recent Apple TV mental health series with Oprah, and Meghan sits at grand oak desk with a number of pictures of her husband and two children, a pile of strategically placed copies of Meghan's children's book The Bench.

US-born Meghan also sips from a quintessentially British cup of tea placed next to a plate of biscuits with her  beloved beagle Bogart sat behind her on a luxurious grey dog cushion. At one point the dog appears to doze off. 

Meghan has asked 40 activists, athletes, artists and world leaders to participate by contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to women re-entering the workforce, saying that millions of women have been 'shouldered the brunt' of the Covid-19 pandemic and need help returning or regaining work. 

Meghan has written a statement of intent about her new initiative 40x40 on the website of her charitable foundation Archewell.

She says when reflecting on turning 40, and the many things she is 'grateful for', she was struck that 'time' is 'among our greatest and most essential gifts', especially 'time spent in service to others knowing that it can contribute to incredible change'.

The duchess, who two months ago gave birth to her second child daughter Lilibet, claimed globally tens of millions of women had left the workforce during the past two years, in a large part due to the pandemic.

But many were still in unpaid roles like carers and she claimed research has shown fewer women than men will return to work as the pandemic recovery begins.

Meghan added: 'I believe mentorship is one way to help women regain confidence and rebuild their economic strength, and for my birthday I have asked 40 friends, activists, athletes, artists and world leaders to help kick off a global effort by contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to support women re-entering the workforce.

'With this time, I hope they each help someone advance a professional life on her own terms and I hope that they inspire countless others to give 40 minutes of their time as well.'

The full list of celebrity mentors has not yet been released. However, those who are part of Meghan's programme include Adele, Amanda Gorman, Amanda Nguyen, Deepak Chopra, Dr Ibram X Kendi, Gloria Steinem, José Andrés, Dr Nadine Burke Harris, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Stella McCartney and Melissa McCarthy.

The video ends with 'bloopers' from the recording session - including one shot of Prince Harry juggling in the background. The Duke of Sussex, 36, is seen through the window of the couple's Montecito mansion as he throws tennis balls in the air in the sun-soaked garden. 

The moment left Melissa in stitches and prompted Meghan to say: 'What the?' before she burst into a fresh fit of giggles.  

Meghan is thought to have revealed a grainy first photograph of Lilibet today after a framed picture of Harry kissing a newborn baby took pride of place on her desk in the new video.

Four images could be seen next to the duchess at her £11million mansion, during the clip to mark her 40th birthday, with the biggest one appearing to show their first son Archie who is now aged two.

Three further black and white photos could be seen in a connected frame in front of this, with the central one seeming to show Harry kissing a baby and one on the right potentially showing Meghan holding a young child.

The Sussexes have not yet released any photographs of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor who was born exactly two months ago on June 4 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and is eighth in line to the throne.

Archie has also rarely been seen since the couple stepped back as senior royals in March last year, with the most recent picture of him released to mark his second birthday this May showing him with his back to the camera.

In the video, the duchess offered fans a rare glimpse inside the Californian mansion she shares with Harry. 

Chatting via Zoom from her dark grey Apple Macbook computer, the glossy clip was filmed in the same room in which she appeared briefly during her husband and Oprah's recent Apple TV mental health series.

This time viewers were given a more substantial view of the study, which boasted a grand oak desk with a pile of strategically placed copies of Meghan's children's book The Bench, along with elegant white file in-trays and decorative glass bottles.

The duchess was also joined by her beloved beagle Guy, who looked perfectly at home on a luxurious grey dog cushion, while a chic £1,240 Hermes throw blanket (perhaps a nod to Harry given it features the letter H) was strewn over one of the two cream cushioned chairs.

Today, the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have all shared well-wishes to Meghan Markle on her 40th birthday.

The Royal Family Instagram account, run by the Queen's Buckingham Palace staff, was the first to post on Instagram and Twitter, sharing three photos of Meghan along with the message: 'Wishing the Duchess of Sussex a very happy birthday today!' 

One of the photos shows the Queen, 95, and Meghan smiling on their first and only joint engagement in June 2018.

Within minutes, Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall added their own birthday messages.  

Royal fans praised the 'gracious' and 'dignified' decision to share the social media posts despite Harry and Meghan's recent public criticism of the Royal Family in a string of high-profile TV and podcast interviews. 

Meanwhile members of the self-declared 'Sussex Squad' - fans who support Harry and Meghan - have made donations to charities and organisations supported by the Duchess as part of a fundraising drive they've dubbed the #Meghans40celebration. 

Among them is One25, a Bristol charity supporting sex workers that was visited by the Sussexes in 2019. 

It comes just weeks after the bombshell announcement that Prince Harry is penning a tell-all memoir to be released next year. The book is described as a 'definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him'.  

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William are said to have been completely blindsided by the news.

Prince Harry didn't feel he needed permission from Buckingham Palace to write the memoir, a spokesman said at the time. The representative told the BBC that Harry would not be expected to obtain permission for the project from Buckingham Palace.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 'truth bombing' began in March with their extraordinary 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey where they accused the Royal Family of racism towards Archie and ignoring cries for help from a depressed Meghan when she was suicidal and pregnant.

In the chaotic aftermath of the show, watched by almost 100million people worldwide, the couple claimed this would be their 'final word' on Megxit, only to continue talking about it in more damaging detail over the coming months.

And now the royals are awaiting the release of Prince Harry's book, which coincides with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.

There is reportedly concern among courtiers that it could overshadow celebrations to mark her 70 years as Monarch. 

However today's birthday posts suggest the Firm is keen to present a united front despite the reported tension.  

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked today's milestone with a photo of Meghan from her and Harry's royal tour of Australia in October 2018. 

It shows the Duchess in a flowing striped maxi dress and a faux lei necklace on Sydney's Bondi Beach. She was pregnant with Archie at the time. 

The message says: 'Wishing a happy 40th birthday to the Duchess of Sussex!'

The Clarence House Instagram account, run by Prince Charles and Camilla's staff, shared a snap of Meghan smiling as she attended a round table discussion on gender equality with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust and One Young World at Windsor Castle in October 2019.

The simple message reads: 'Wishing the Duchess of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday!' 

There had been speculation that Meghan, who welcomed daughter Lilibet Diana in June, was planning to celebrate her milestone birthday with a lavish party for 65 guests.

However yesterday Page Six dismissed the plan and suggested Prince Harry will instead whisk his wife off on an 'intimate getaway'. 

Royal experts have also speculated that the Sussexes may choose to release an eagerly-anticipated family photo to mark the special occasion. Fans are still waiting to catch a glimpse of Lilibet.     

Royal commentator Phil Dampier told The Sun Online: 'I think it's likely we will see a picture of the family. It wouldn't surprise me, if Meghan does release a pic of her with Lilibet to mark her 40th birthday, as they'll will want to emphasise what a happy family unit they are. 

'And it will be interesting to see what messages she gets from the royals - I suspect they will post messages, even though in private they are very upset about was has happened,' - presumably a nod to their explosive Oprah Winfrey interview.' 

According to The Mirror, Prince Harry has reportedly ordered a cake for his wife from a local bakery, Posies & Sugar, which creates cakes in a simple semi-naked icing look and decorated with flowers.  

The couple are not planning to attend the grand birthday party of former President Obama - who turns 60 on the same day - which is believed to be taking place at his Martha's Vineyard home over the weekend.  

Last year Meghan enjoyed a quiet birthday at home amid the Covid-19 pandemic, five months after she and Harry sensationally quit the Royal Family and moved to the US.

Her 40th is five months before her sister-in-law Kate Middleton's, while Prince William also hits the milestone in June next year.  

Since they got together, Harry and Meghan have enjoyed intimate birthday celebrations. For the Duchess' 36th, the prince took her away to Botswana where they carried out conservation work with the charity Elephants Without Borders.

She marked her 37th - her first birthday as an official member of the Royal Family - at the wedding of Harry's friend Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks in Surrey.

On her 38th, which was Meghan's first as a mother, having given birth to son Archie in May 2019, the couple held a private celebration at their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor before flying to Ibiza.  

Last month it was reported Prince Harry has clinched a lucrative four-book deal – with the second due out only after the Queen has died.

Is this the first picture of Lilibet? Framed photo appearing to show Prince Harry kissing newborn baby takes pride of place on Meghan's desk along with unseen snaps of Archie in new 40x40 video

Meghan Markle is thought to have revealed a grainy first photograph of her second child Lilibet today after a framed picture of Prince Harry kissing a newborn baby took pride of place on her desk in a new video.

Four images could be seen next to the Duchess of Sussex at her £11million mansion in California, during the clip to mark her 40th birthday, with the biggest one appearing to show their first son Archie who is now aged two.

Three further black and white photos could be seen in a

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