Meghan Markle is ‘absolutely still involved’ with patronage Smart Works since LA move and ‘brings great ideas’, CEO says
MEGHAN Markle may have stepped down as a senior royal, but she's still maintaining her charitable commitments from LA.
The Duchess of Sussex, 38, is "absolutely still involved" in her royal patronage and "brings great ideas to the table", the group's CEO revealed.
Meghan and husband Prince Harry, 35, stepped back from royal duties in March, before settling in LA with their one-year-old son Archie - but retained a number of their patronages.
Kate Stephens, CEO of Smart Works, who provide free clothes and job interview training to women in need, spoke to about the Duchess' involvement in the charity.
She said of Meghan: "She’s had great ideas and has been a great inspiration to our clients above all else.
"Whenever she comes to see us, she always gets involved in dressing and coaching our clients as well as bringing her ideas to the table too. And she still is absolutely involved."
Kate also revealed Meghan first visited the charity ahead of her May 2018 royal wedding - agreeing to be a patron after a year of secret visits.
She said: "(Meghan) saw the impact we were able to have, in terms of both the clothes and the coaching, in helping women. I think that’s always been a part of her own ethos".
Meghan was named as a royal patron for Smart Works in January last year and launched the Smart Set clothing collection in September.
Every item sold from the collection was matched with another donated to Smart Works.
At the launch, Meghan's friend and designer Misha Nonoo credited the royal for the idea.
Most read in Celebrity
The Duchess recently hosted one-on-one Zoom interview coaching with one client, who ultimately landed the job she was going for.
Smart Works has 300 trained volunteers who help vulnerable women and those who are long-term unemployed regain the skills, confidence and tools to ace job interviews - helping them ultimately find work and transform their lives.
We recently revealed how Meghan and Harry "discussed Megxit before they got married", according to their new book.