Meghan Markle surprised some young patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles!
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, stopped by the facility on March 21 as part of the Make March Matter campaign. During her visit, the 42-year-old duchess spent a special afternoon with young patients as she read three of her favorite children’s books, including Rosie the Riveter, Pete the Cat, and I Saw a Cat.
Meghan, who was dressed in a chic floral ensemble, got into character and interacted with the young patients while reading all the books. While reading, the duchess participated in STEAM activities linked to each book that allowed patients to explore counting, colors, problem solving and more.
At the end of the visit, Meghan took fun Polaroid photos, which she personally autographed for each patient. Before she walked out the door, she got a sticker and a hug. Meghan was not accompanied by her husband, Prince Harry, or her children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
The CHLA Literally Healing program gifts facility families with more than 65,000 books annually and provides a unique opportunity to promote literacy. Additionally, the program also helps by providing additional therapeutic literary resources.
The Make March Matter campaign is CHLA’s annual fundraiser with a mission to create hope and a healthy future. The funds raised go towards ensuring that the hospital can provide the best quality care to sick and injured children.
Meghan’s visit comes amid health concerns in the royal family. In February, King Charles announced he was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after, Meghan’s husband, Prince Harry, took a brief trip to visit his father.
On March 22, Meghan’s sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, shared in a public video statement that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer — following his planned abdominal surgery earlier this year – and would continue to step back from public duties while undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
In the hours following the news, Harry and Meghan spoke out in support of Kate.
“We wish health and healing to Kate and her family and hope they can do so in privacy and peace,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement to ET.
The week before, Meghan and Harry traveled to Texas for SXSW. While in the Lone Star State, Meghan and Harry paid a surprise visit to Irma Garcia’s family -which was one of the 21 people killed during the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022.
The news was shared on X (formally Twitter) by Irma’s nephew, John Martinez.
“MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY CAME TO MY HOUSE!?!?!?! they are such a beautiful couple and I am so blessed, so happy they came to check on the family #UvaldeStrong #MeghanMarkle #PrinceHarry,” he tweeted along with a series of photos of Meghan and Harry posing with various family members – and a cute pet.
During their visit, Meghan and Harry joined the family in singing “Happy Birthday” to Irma’s sister (with a cake brought by Meghan) and chatted with Irma’s children and husband.
Shortly afterwards, Meghan made her return to Instagram with the announcement of their next venture, American Riviera Orchard. Bringing back her previous social media lifestyle skills, Meghan appeared in a video on the account’s Instagram Story set to Nancy Wilson’s “I Wish You Love,” picking fresh flowers and then cooking in the kitchen.
Remaining silent about the brand, the Instagram account description simply reads: “by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.”
Meghan and Harry have stepped away from the royal family in recent years after stepping back from their roles as senior royals in early 2021. Harry and Meghan returned to the United Kingdom together in 2022, where they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
The couple moved their family to California in 2020 and are parents to son Archie, 4, and daughter Lilibet, 2.
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