The Duchess of Sussex has impressed the public and media with her French while on her three-day tour of Morocco with her husband, the Duke of Sussex.
Yesterday, while visiting a secondary boarding school in the Atlas Mountains in Asni Town. The school was created under the Moroccan NGO ‘Education for All’ which builds “boarding houses for girls aged 12 to 18 to ensure that girls from rural communities in the High Atlas Mountains region are able to access secondary education,” according to Kensington Palace.
The Duchess has been learning French for eight years and has been practising recently to improve her skills. While touring the classrooms, Her Royal Highness spoke in French to the girls – many of whom were only fluent in French.
She asked in French, “Qu’est ce que tu veux être quand tu quittes l’école?” or “What do you want to do when you leave school?” in English.
Meghan also asked them if they were planning on going to university, “Vous voulez aller à l’université?”
The girls, students at Lycée Qualifiant Grand Atlas which is located beside the boarding houses, responded saying they wanted to be teachers, doctors, and engineers. She continued conversing in the language throughout her time with them while her husband admitted that he didn’t “speak much French” and asked if the girls spoke English.
The Duchess of Sussex is also known to be fluent in Spanish.
Their Royal Highnesses were also at the investiture later in the afternoon, with the Duke presenting Michael McHugo, the founder of the ‘Education for All’ NGO, with his Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on behalf of his grandmother, The Queen. Mr McHugo was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours list 2019.
In the evening, they attended a reception at the British Residence of the British Ambassador to Morocco.
The Duke and Duchess wrap up their visit today and will meet King Mohammed in an audience before heading back to Britain.