Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Ask For Submissions for New Causes

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(Image credit: Pool/Samir Hussein)

published 1 August 2019

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are continuing their philanthropic work, despite Meghan technically being on maternity leave as far as I can tell (considering Archie was born in early May and she reportedly only wanted three months off, we might start to see her out and about soon, which, hooray!). Yesterday they did something special on their Instagram account—instead of following accounts that they wanted to spotlight for their good work, they are instead asking every single one of us for recommendations on whom they should follow in August, based on who inspires us.

"For the month of August we look to you for help. We want to know who YOUR Force for Change is...." Force for Change is the name of Meghan's guest-edited British Vogue issue, but it's apparently extending into their charitable work too. The account went on to say they are looking for "various causes, people or organisations doing amazing things for their communities and the world at large." I actually kind of love this—Meghan and Harry are still figuring out how much interaction they want from the public, so to be asking for feedback is actually kind of a neat way to do that.

The account explained that they would select 15 causes and follow them on Monday. "Over the next few days please add your suggestions into the comments section: someone you look up to, the organisation doing amazing work that we should all be following, an account that inspires you to be and do better (or that simply makes you feel good), or the handle that brims with optimism for a brighter tomorrow."

As of this writing, they have over 19,000 responses, and it's only been up for 10 hours—the most responses since Archie's christening. The most popular comments really vary in terms of people and causes: The Queen, Elizabeth Smart, the ACLU, and a mother's 9-month-old baby were all suggestions. The most hilarious thing, though, to me, is that a whole bunch of people suggested Kate Middleton and/or Prince William. I'm not fully sure if they're being snarky, or genuinely think that Kate is worthy of being highlighted (she does do a lot of work! That's not shade!) but it made me lol, because I'm pretty sure that's not the point of this post. Meghan and Harry are potentially looking for a NEW person or cause they didn't know about that hasn't gotten enough attention, and Kate doesn't really match that description.

If you're interested in making a comment, you can on this post:

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)
A photo posted by on

Ok, well, if people are going to say Kate Middleton, then I'M going to say Archie (totally kidding). I actually really love this.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.