This evening, the Duchess of Sussex undertook her first solo engagement since becoming part of the Royal Family.
Looking as if she has been a royal her entire life, the Duchess arrived at the Royal Academy of Arts for the Oceania exhibition in a black Givenchy dress and Aquazzura shoes.
She smiled at the awaiting photographers as Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa, lead Meghan inside to view the carefully curated exhibit with art from Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. It is the first showing of its kind in the United Kingdom.
The engagement comes at the perfect time as Meghan prepares for her first major overseas tour with Prince Harry next month as they travel to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and New Zealand. The tour will be combined with the 2018 Invictus Games being held in Sydney and no doubt, the two will both be busy learning everything they can about the Commonwealth Nations before they travel.
Oceania features 200 works from over 500 years, including a decorative hook from Fiji dating back to the 1870s that Meghan got a close look at.
Another piece the Duchess viewed was ‘Kiko Moana’ which “draws on a long tradition of textile arts among Māori women.” Meghan spoke with the artists from New Zealand who explained it to her.
Not only did Meghan speak with some of the artists, but descendants were also on hand to help celebrate the diverse art spanning all the countries she will be visiting.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand. This visit is set to take place from Tuesday 16th October and Wednesday 31st October.
The visit will focus on youth leadership, environmental and conservation efforts and the recovery and rehabilitation of servicemen and women through the Invictus Games Sydney 2018.
Royal Central will be travelling with the Duke and Duchess on their tour of the four countries, so join us for coverage of the tour.
