Meghan Markle points out her charity work began BEFORE she met Prince Harry as she posts pics with children in Africa
MEGHAN Markle posted a photos of hersef with African children on Instagram this evening - as she pointed out her charity work began before she met Prince Harry.
The Duchess was seen in Rwanda, Malawi, India, and London in a series of snaps taken before and after their marriage.
Most of the posts on the couple's Sussex Royal account featured Meghan meeting students or educators to mark International Day of Education.
One showed her at Mbandazi primary school in Rwanda in March 2016 - four months before her blind date with Harry.
In collaboration with World Vision, the Suits actress taught pupils how to use watercolours with help from a brand new pipeline.
In another photo taken in India, the Duchess partnered with World Vision again to advocate for gender equality in the region.
On the trip, she highlighted the lack of access to higher education for girls and women and also to women's only toilets.
A statement on Instagram said: "Today, on International Day of Education, we highlight the importance of access to education for all.
"The Duchess of Sussex has focused on this both prior to becoming a member of the Royal Family and now as patron of The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
"Working closely with CAMA, both The Duke and Duchess recognise the benefit both personally and to society at large when a young girl has access to education.
"On their recent tour to Southern Africa, the duke supported the initiatives of @Camfed on the ground in Malawi.
"Over the years, The duchess has worked in developing communities, such as in Rwanda and India, to find the hindrances to girls' ability to go to school and furthermore to stay in school.
"These can include lack of access to clean water, stigma surrounding MHM, cultural taboo, and many more reasons...
"As President and Vice President of The @Queens_Commonwealth_Trust, The Duke and Duchess thank all those who are working to give access to education for all."
Meghan was given her patronage of the ACU in January 2019 when it was passed to her by the Queen following a three-decade association between the charity and the monarch.
Another photo shared on the page showed the duchess at an ACU event in South Africa in September 2019 while she and Harry were on a tour, while the duke was pictured with a choir in Malawi during the same trip.
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The Duke and Duchess have said they aim to be "financially independent" after splitting from the Royal Family.
They are said to be keen to use the name to launch a charitable foundation, but there are also fears they plan to sell branded goods including hoodies and postcards.
The move comes as the couple launched a campaign to "step back" as senior royals, with the Queen and the Palace drafting plans last weekend, which they released to the public.
The Queen made it clear the pair would now be going it alone and would no longer be working members of the royal family.
Meghan and Harry plan to live part time between North America and Europe, spending the majority of their time on Vancouver Island.
The replied, "Sure, I'm excited" when asked whether she was excited about interviewing in a tell-all interview.
The couple's posts, as well as their stepping-back from royal life are thought to be connected to concern's about the couple's media profile.
The pair have launched several legal battles against British media outlets amid claims from Meghan's dad, Thomas Markle lied about the pair contacting him to make them appeal more favourable to the British press.
Speaking in an explosive Channel 5 documentary - Thomas Markle: My Story, the American retiree said: "Actually, on the Piers show I lied.
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"I said [that] they called me back and they were really concerned about me and I said, ‘Go on your honeymoon, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine'.
"That was all a lie.”
He added: "So I made their image appear a little bit better".
