Meghan Markle has left Cape Town and is now in Johannesburg, where she’s waiting for Harry to get back from his tour of Botswana, Angola, and Malawi.

Her last official visit technically happened on Wednesday last week with a trip to the Woodstock Exchange to meet with South African businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

Since then, she has been quietly working behind the scenes.

According to Vanity Fair, on Thursday last week, she attended a breakfast meeting with some of South Africa’s leading women in business and politics to discuss gender equality and women’s empowerment.

On Sunday Buckingham Palace aides revealed that Meghan also invited a group of South African women activists and leaders to meet with her while she was in Cape Town. The women were businesswomen, politicians, CEOs, professors and academics.

One of the guests was Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, who in 1956 led 20,000 women to march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest of apartheid pass laws. She is the last living leader of the march, which she led at the age of 18.

The Duchess described her as an inspiration not only to herself but for all women: “I was recently reminded that the first one up the mountain often gets knocked down the hardest, but makes way for everyone behind them. These brave women have been able to see how their struggle can pave the way for so many. For all young women organizers, activists and campaigners today, you must keep at it and know that you are working for this generation and the next, and also continuing the legacy of the generations of great women before you.”

She also visited the Clareinch Post Office in Claremont, Cape Town, where UCT student, Uyinene Mrwetyana was brutally raped and murdered last month, sparking nationwide protests against gender-based violence.

Cosmopolitan has more on Meghan’s trip to pay her respects to Nene.

The Duchess of Sussex has tied a ribbon at the site where 19-year-old Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana was murdered last month, to pay her respects and to show solidarity with those who have taken a stand against gender-based violence and femicide.

The Sun journalist, Emily Andrews broke the news on Twitter saying that the Duchess was shocked by the rape, torture and murder of the student and made a secret pilgrimage to the spot.

Meghan added her own yellow ribbon to the railing in isiXhosa which translated into English says ,’We stand together in this situation. Harry & Meghan 26th September 2019.’

According to the Sussex Royal Instagram account, Meghan also spoke to Uyinene’s mother this week to give her her condolences.

She said that visiting the site of the tragic death and being able to recognise all women and girls affected by gender-based violence was personally important to Meghan.

From the Palace:

‘Uyinene’s death has mobilised people across South Africa in the fight against gender-based violence and is seen as a critical point in the future of women’s rights in South Africa.

The Duchess has taken private visits and meetings over the last two days to deepen her understanding of the current situation and continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls.’

For more on what Meghan got up to while in Cape Town, go here and here.

Harry will be joining her in Joburg for the last part of their 10-day tour soon, which will conclude with a dinner with President Ramaphosa.

[source:vanityfair&cosmopolitan]