The Duchess of Sussex’s mother, Doria Ragland, attended her first engagement on Thursday afternoon at Kensington Palace alongside her daughter and son-in-law.
Despite everybody already knowing who she is, Ms Ragland introduced herself to guests at the palace who were present for the launch of the charity cookbook which Meghan is involved with.
According to ITV’s Royal Editor Chris Ship, Doria introduced herself saying “I’m Meg’s mom” adding that she was “head over heels” with pride over her daughter’s role within the cookbook.
Photo: Chris Ship/ITV
The event at Kensington Palace on Thursday saw Meghan give her first speech, which she delivered in front of a roomful of guests without any notes or prompts as Harry and Doria looked proudly on.
The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex is supporting a new charity cookbook, which celebrates the power of cooking to bring people together.
‘Together: Out Community Cookbook’ showcases over 50 recipes from women whose community was affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
The project is being supported by The Royal Foundation and is being published by Penguin Random House companies.
Following the catastrophic Grenfell Tower fire last year, a group of women gathered in a communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London, where they could prepare fresh food for their families, friends and neighbours.
Cooking together as a community helped to heal wounds and look forward to the future.
The Duchess of Sussex wrote in the foreword of the book: “I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.
“Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy – in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy – something we can all relate to.”
Meghan continued: “Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.”
The proceeds of sale from the book will support the Hubb Community Kitchen.
Her Royal Highness first visited the kitchen in January 2018 on a private visit and had made many more visits since. Meghan was inspired by the project and how it empowers women at a grassroots level.
