The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Make Their First Public Appearance Of The Year

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made their first public appearance of the year, after a two-month break from royal duties. Instead of spending the festive period with the royal family, the couple spent their first Christmas with baby Archie in Canada, where they were joined by Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.

This morning, 7 January, Harry and Meghan met with Janice Charette, the High Commissioner in Canada to the United Kingdom, at Canada House in London.

The royals thanked her and her staff for their hospitality during their Canadian break, which they spent on the picturesque Vancouver Island.

For her return to royal duties, Meghan gave us a lesson in one-tone dressing, wearing a stylish Reiss camel coat, brown Massimo Dutti slip skirt and matching turtleneck as well as a pair of brown velvet Jimmy Choo court heels. She wore her hair in relaxed waves and kept her make-up look minimal. Her chic coat, that's perfect for winter, is currently out of stock but there's a black version currently available.

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Harry and Meghan also paid a visit to the Canada Gallery to view an exhibition by Canadian artist Skawenati, where they also met with other members of the High Commission team.

The pair have been taking a break from their royal duties since early November last year, after attending Remembrance Day events.

Their time off followed intense media scrutiny of the duchess, which led to emotional interviews in a documentary about their South African royal tour and even filed a lawsuit against British tabloids.

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Harry issued a statement that drew parallels to his late mother, who was famously harassed by paparazzi up until she died, which drove him to take legal action.

“My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” he explained. “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

The duchess herself also explained last year how she was struggling with the treatment from the press, saying "it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR UK.

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