The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is not allowed to have a political voice, according to this week’s press headlines. They came after the news that Meghan is celebrating a diverse selection of Vogue cover stars in her turn as guest editor for the Forces for Change September issue. 

The women she picked included New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, activist Jameela Jamil and teenage environmentalist Greta Thunberg. Each woman had a story to tell, an overlooked demographic to represent, or a social issue to highlight. 

For many media outlets, this didn’t sit well, and they called for Meghan to “stay out of politics”. 

Of course, there wasn’t such an outcry when Kate Middleton guest edited Huffington Post in 2016. Or when Prince Charles edited Country Life magazine last year. 

It smacks of racism and sexism, which Meghan is, sadly, most probably used to by now. After all, this is the same media that made a blatantly racist comment about her newborn baby. And you don’t need us to remind you about the ways she is constantly pitted against sister-in-law Kate. 

But Meghan has got absolutely no time for any criticism about her political actions, as this latest announcement from the Sussex Instagram account proves.

Meghan will be working on a new initiative with a not-for-profit called Smart Works, which helps thousands of under-privileged women to find confidence when looking for work. It does this by giving job interview training and making sure women have donated clothes that they feel good in when attending interviews. By 2018, over 11,000 women had used the service and 64% of them got the job they went for.

As part of the project, Meghan will be launching a fashion line in collaboration with British high-street retailers Marks and Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw. The clothes designed will be donated to Smart Works, along with more designs from other brands that Meghan has brought on-board. 

Speaking about the charity’s work while she visited them last year, Meghan said: “It’s not just hand me downs it’s, ‘OK this is the blazer that I wore that helped me land that interview and I want this to be the piece that helps this woman have that part of her story.’” 

It’s just one way that the charity helps to further women’s professional and personal development. Because we all know the power that an outfit we feel good in has on our confidence, right? 

This isn’t the first time that Meghan has championed women and supported the development of communities that help women. Last year, she shared a powerful message of self-worth by telling sex workers: “You are loved”. She also partnered up with the women affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy and launched a charity cookbook with them. And, when Meghan was made royal patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, she talked about making sure there are more educational opportunities for the next generation - especially women.

Meghan is using her voice to speak out for women. This is worth remembering whether or not people think that members of the royal family should stay out of politics. For anyone who is unconvinced, just ask all the women who landed a job thanks to the help of Smart Works what they think. 

Images: Getty