A London reunion, a country-pub lunch and a campaign for girls’ education offer a closer look at Meghan’s recent weeks in Britain.
Last updated: October 11, 2026
A table at Claridge’s became the setting for Meghan’s latest public connection with Malala Yousafzai. A few days later, the conversation was accompanied by something readers could measure more clearly than a celebrity sighting: a pledge from As Ever to support girls’ education.
On October 11, International Day of the Girl, Meghan’s lifestyle brand announced that 100% of net proceeds from its jams and teas would support Malala Fund, in partnership with Archewell Philanthropies.
The announcement puts a philanthropic purpose alongside a business RI readers have recently followed through its holiday collection and chocolate Advent calendar. It also brings renewed attention to Meghan’s longstanding connection with Malala, at a moment when her public life is increasingly visible in Britain again.
IN THE ROYAL SPOTLIGHT
A little tea. A bigger purpose.
The pledge100% of net proceeds from As Ever jams and teas.
The causeGirls’ education through Malala Fund, in partnership with Archewell Philanthropies.
The detail to knowNet proceeds are not gross sales. No donation total has been disclosed.
What happened at Claridge’s?
Meghan and Malala met at the London hotel on Wednesday, October 7. Photographs shared publicly on October 11 showed them having afternoon tea in the Foyer & Reading Room, smiling together and talking across the table, according to PEOPLE.
Earlier coverage described the outing as dinner. The subsequently shared photographs and PEOPLE’s updated reporting identify it as afternoon tea. A source had described the meeting to the magazine as a friendly catch-up, not an announced public engagement.
The distinction matters: the October 11 campaign is documented, but the available evidence does not establish when its arrangements were negotiated or whether the Claridge’s meeting was convened specifically to finalize them.
See Meghan and Malala’s original joint post. If the embed does not load, open the original post on Instagram.
The As Ever pledge, explained
As Ever’s verified account names two product categories: jams and teas. It does not say every product in its collection is included.
The wording is also precise. The pledge concerns net proceeds, not the entire amount customers spend. Net proceeds generally refer to money remaining after relevant deductions, but As Ever has not published the calculation behind this campaign. There is no announced donation total yet.
Independent reporting identifies October 11 as the campaign day. Detailed terms and the applicable cutoff time were not available in the official post reviewed for this article, so readers should check the brand’s current terms before purchasing.
Archewell Philanthropies is named as a partner. This links the initiative to Meghan and Harry’s philanthropic work as well as to her commercial brand, but it does not establish an indefinite fundraising arrangement or a wider partnership beyond what has been announced.
Read As Ever’s official campaign announcement. If the embed does not load, open the original post on Instagram.
Why Malala Fund, and why now?
International Day of the Girl draws attention to girls’ rights and the barriers that shape their futures. Malala Fund’s campaign says 122 million girls are out of school.
The nonprofit works through advocacy and grantmaking to help girls access and complete 12 years of education. Its emphasis on secondary schooling reflects the point at which discrimination, poverty, conflict and other barriers can interrupt a girl’s education.
Meghan’s connection with Malala predates As Ever. Malala Fund’s 2020 annual report records an October 11 virtual conversation with Meghan and Harry about the wider effects of educating girls, including opportunities for families and communities.
Today’s campaign therefore builds on a documented shared interest rather than introducing an entirely new cause. What is new is the commitment involving specified As Ever products.
THE STORY SO FAR
From a shared cause to a new campaign
October 11, 2020Meghan, Harry and Malala discuss girls’ education in a virtual conversation.
October 7, 2026Meghan and Malala meet for afternoon tea at Claridge’s.
October 11, 2026As Ever announces its jam-and-tea net-proceeds pledge.
Yes, there was a country-pub visit
Before the London meeting, Meghan and Harry were photographed visiting the Falkland Arms in the Cotswolds in early October. PEOPLE’s later report dates the lunch to October 2, although its first account said the photographs published that day showed the previous day’s outing.
A pub insider told PEOPLE they visited without a group and received an ordinary welcome. That is an attributed account, not an official statement from the couple.
Meghan had also been reported at another Oxfordshire pub with Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi on September 21. Neither outing happened during the October 5 to 11 week. The stories circulated more recently, which helps explain why they may feel like this week’s news.
What her Britain chapter does, and does not, tell us
PEOPLE reports that the Sussexes returned in late August for an extended period and still maintain their Montecito home. The public information supports describing an extended Britain chapter, not declaring that California has been permanently left behind.
Their private residence and the children’s school details are not needed to understand this story. Nor do a pub lunch and a London reunion establish how Meghan feels about the move or what the family’s long-term plans will be.
Harry and Meghan are also expected to visit community organizations in Nottingham. Reports disagree about the date, so the precise itinerary remains unconfirmed here. Such a visit would not amount to a resumption of working-royal duties.
Taken together, the documented outings show Meghan reconnecting publicly with familiar people and causes while continuing As Ever’s business activity. That is an observable pattern, not proof of a private strategy. The most substantive development is still today’s pledge for girls’ education. Its financial impact will become clearer if the partners release a donation total.
Your royal journey continues
A little more Meghan, and a little more to discover.
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Sources and further reading
As Ever official October 11 announcement
PEOPLE: October 11 photographs of Meghan and Malala
PEOPLE: meeting described as a catch-up
Malala Fund: International Day of the Girl
Malala Fund 2020-2021 annual report
PEOPLE: Britain stay and Nottingham plans
The Sunday Times: Nottingham plans
RI illustration
