Comparing Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, and Princess Diana's First Visits to Their Namesake Cities
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is visiting the region for the first time today.


Today, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are taking their first official trip to Sussex—the city the Queen bestowed dukedom on them, thus becoming the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. During their trip, the royal couple will do a walkabout with children from the Westbourne School, see the historic Sussex Declaration, and open the University of Chichester Tech Park in West Sussex. In East Sussex, they'll visit the Royal Pavilion and Peacehaven Youth Center and—perhaps most notably—they'll pay a visit to the Survivors' Network, the rape crisis service center in Sussex.
Meghan looked stunning, per usual, wearing a green (!) leather Hugo Boss skirt (you can shop it here), an & Other Stories blouse (you can shop it here), a Georgio Armani coat, and gold Missoma jewelry (you can shop it here). Lately, she's been wearing more formal clothing to events—even when she's playing basketball against Prince Harry—but this outfit is just the right mix of casual and formal.
While Meghan and Harry are spending their day in the county visiting different organizations, this isn't their first time exploring a new city together. On the other hand, the Duchess of Cambridge's trip to her namesake city marked her and William's first official royal trip in November 2012—a year and a half after their wedding. They traveled by train to explore Cambridge for the first time by doing a walkabout with residents at Guildhall, meet leaders of the University of Cambridge, visit shelters, hospitals, and more.
For Diana, Princess of Wales' first visit to her namesake with Prince Charles in October 1981, three months after they got married, she spent three full days in the city visiting places like Caernarvon Castle and Deeside Leisure Centre to introduce themselves to the people of Wales. According to the New York Times, "the Prince and Princess covered 100 miles and shook scores of hands in the first day of a three-day tour of Wales. 'We want Diana!' they chanted at one stop after another."
Today, a royal fan told Meghan during her walkabout, "Please do come again!" Clearly these regions are important to their residents and, of course, the royals who bestow their title.
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Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.
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