Meghan Markle spent the day with her girlfriends.
On Friday, the Duchess of Sussex, who is 42 years old, was seen in Montecito with her good friend Kelly McKee Zajfen, who is the co-founder of the Alliance of Moms. (Meghan Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, relocated to California in the year 2020, and the Markles’ two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, now reside in Montecito.)
After having lunch at Pane e Vino, the two went shopping at the Wendy Foster boutique located nearby. When they left the shop, they were both holding bags that they had purchased there.
In May, McKee Zajfen posted a picture on Instagram of herself and Meghan in similar t-shirts. In the snap, Meghan is also wearing the same shirt as McKee. The model thanked Meghan in the caption of the photo for her participation in a campaign to help foster adolescents who are pregnant or parenting in the city of Los Angeles.
“As Mother’s Day draws near, I can’t help but reflect on the #commUNITY of motherhood that I have within my own family. Immediately, I am reminded of you, Meg. McKee Zajfen remarked in her email how very loving, kind, and open-hearted her friend was. “You are the best friend and mother anybody could ask for. I am in such amazement of you, and it fills me with such gratitude that you are a part of my #CommUNITYofmotherhood.
McKee Zajfen stated, “You are a fierce advocate for those who are in need,” after noting that Meghan is “always the first to say yes and support those you love.”
“Thank you for joining this year’s campaign to support LA’s expectant and parenting foster youth, which helps provide critical services, education, resources and advocacy so they can build a better future for themselves and their families,” said the spokesperson.
In the past, Meghan and Prince Harry helped McKee Zajfen after the passing of her son George, who was just a child at the time, in July of 2022. According to The Daily Mail, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent a donation of $5,000 to a GoFundMe account that was established in memory of George after his passing. According to the news source, they made the contribution in honor of their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
A red poppy pin was Meghan’s choice for an accessory to go with her outfit, which consisted of a black top and green shorts, along with flats and sunglasses. Since 1921, the emblem has been used in the commemoration of service men who have been lost while serving their country in times of conflict.
On November 11, Remembrance Day, the poppy, which is a red flower, is traditionally worn in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations. Although it is not as common, the symbol is also used in the United States. The Veterans of Foreign Wars carried out the first nationwide distribution of remembrance poppies prior to Memorial Day in 1922, and the American Legion Auxiliary distributes paper poppies in exchange for donations around the time of Memorial Day and Veterans Day, which was also on Saturday.
Additionally, Meghan wore the jewelry on Wednesday, when she and Prince Harry (who served in the British Army for a total of ten years) honored veterans and military people during a series of surprise excursions in San Diego in advance of Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.
The Duchess of Sussex spent Wednesday morning visiting Camp Pendleton meeting veterans, current duty military members, and their loved ones. She wore a wool cardigan by Carolina Herrera that had embroidered poppies. During their time in the area, Meghan and Prince Harry made a trip to Operation Bigs, a mentoring program that is unique in its focus on serving the children of military families, including those of current service personnel, veterans, and Gold Star families. Over the course of its existence, the program has provided assistance to more than 3,000 children of sailors and marines and has grown to include over 30 affiliates all around the nation.
According to Robin King, CEO of the Navy SEAL Foundation, who spoke to PEOPLE about the visit, the pair “came prepared” for it.
They were just outstanding in every way. King revealed this information in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “They had done a lot of homework on the Navy SEAL Foundation, on the program.” She also said that Harry and Meghan “came prepared, and they were extremely interested in knowing what the program did, what it was going to do and how it’s going to impact the community.”
She proceeded by saying “I was thoroughly impressed with both of them on how much they wanted to engage with the community members to talk about the real issues.”
