This weekend, Meghan Markle was seen with a friend in Montecito, California, with a friend enjoying a little shopping. The Duchess of Sussex was wearing a sleeveless and strapless green Malia Mills jumpsuit that ended just below her knees, with a cardigan slung over her shoulders in a slightly lighter shade of the same olive green. She topped it with a wide-brimmed Panama hat from Cuyana, and carried a white canvas bag on a leather strap. She accessorized with sunglasses and sandals, and had her hair in a long braid.
Meghan and her friend were perusing the home goods section at gourmet food boutique Pierre La Fond before heading to nearby Santa Barbara for lunch.
The Duchess is back in California after an extended trip to the U.K. last month following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. She and Prince Harry were an important part of the Queen’s state funeral, and they also spent time circulating amongst the well-wishers who gathered around Windsor Castle after news of the Queen’s death. They were seen in company with Kate Middleton and Prince William, the new Princess and Prince of Wales.
The Waleses will be heading to the U.S. themselves soon, arriving in Boston in December of this year. It will be their first official visit to the country since 2014, and they’ll be attending the second annual Earthshot Prize awards. They were meant to attend the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in September, but had to delay for their mourning period.
“During this time of grief, I take great comfort in your continued enthusiasm, optimism and commitment to The Earthshot Prize and what we are trying to achieve,” William said in a video screened at the summit. “Protecting the environment was a cause close to my grandmother’s heart, and I know she would have been delighted to hear about this event and the support you are all giving our Earthshot Finalists—the next generation of environmental pioneers.”
Kate is reportedly hoping that she and William can connect with Harry and Meghan again while visiting, as the latter couple will also be visiting the east coast around the same time.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.