Meghan Markle may have given up on life in Britain – but she still found a touching way to pay tribute to Britain’s veterans on Friday as she stepped out wearing a poppy brooch, worn as a sign of her support for the armed forces.
The 42-year-old wore the brooch while having lunch and a quick shopping trip with a friend in Montecito late last week, taking full advantage of California’s warm weather by wearing chic cargo shorts and a simple pair of black ones Ballerina flats.
She paired the shorts with a black sweater, to which she attached her poppy pin and wore it on the garment’s left chest, a position meant to symbolize the act of keeping fallen veterans close to heart.
Completing the ensemble with glamorous sunglasses and a thin black belt, Meghan carried a large black and white striped bag over one shoulder while her long brunette locks were pulled back into a casual ponytail.
Meghan Markle may have given up on life in the UK – but she still found a touching way to pay tribute to Britain’s veterans when she stepped out wearing a poppy brooch
The 42-year-old wore the brooch while out for lunch and a quick shopping trip with a friend in Montecito late last week
Meghan took full advantage of California’s warm weather by wearing a pair of chic cargo shorts and a simple pair of black ballet flats
The outing came just a day before Remembrance Day in the U.K. and Veterans Day in the U.S., an emotional occasion that both Meghan and Harry celebrated earlier this week when they met with military veterans and military veterans at Camp Pendleton in San Diego on Wednesday met their families.
Prince Harry, 39, who was stripped of his honorary military titles when he gave up his role as a working royal, and Meghan both wore Royal British Legion poppies as they also cut the ribbon for a new fitness center for veterans at the venue.
However, on Friday, Meghan’s husband was nowhere to be seen as she enjoyed a girls’ dinner with a friend. She was seen holding a white paper bag full of leftover food as the couple left Pane e Vino restaurant in Montecito.
Billed as the area’s “first authentic Italian restaurant,” the restaurant serves a range of seasonal daily specials as well as a selection of handmade pasta dishes, including fresh salmon farfalle and rigatoni pomodoro.
After lunch, the two women headed to nearby “luxury women’s clothing boutique” Wendy Foster, where Meghan is known to have shopped in the past – she was spotted there as recently as last October.
Meghan appeared to be in great spirits during the outing and was seen beaming from ear to ear as she and her friend made their way to the Duchess’ waiting Range Rover – accompanied by a burly security guard.
The two women, both carrying brown paper Wendy Foster shopping bags, were seen chatting and laughing together, seemingly without a care in the world.
Wendy Foster, a boutique Meghan visited with the same friend in October, sells a number of high-end clothing brands, including AG Jeans and Nili Lotan.
The Duchess of Sussex paired her shorts and sweater combo with some glamorous sunglasses and carried a black and white striped bag over one shoulder
She wore her poppy brooch on the left breast of her sweater – a position that symbolizes the act of holding the deceased close to her heart
At one point, Meghan put her hand on her friend’s back as they left Montecito restaurant Pane e Vino, which bills itself as the “area’s first authentic Italian restaurant.”
The Duchess of Sussex was seen smiling and laughing as she and her pal left the restaurant and made their way to a nearby luxury clothing boutique
It was a much more light-hearted occasion for the Duchess, who joined her husband in meeting American military veterans earlier in the week. A statement from their foundation, Archewell, said the couple “spent the morning with veterans and active duty.” Members and their families at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.
The pair were pictured at a discussion table with about a dozen people and learned about the work of Operation Bigs, a mentoring program launched in 2004, according to Archewell.
The program connects military children and families with others who have had similar experiences.
Archewell said the Camp Pendleton-launched company has served more than 3,000 Navy and Marine Corps children over the past nine years and has expanded to more than 30 affiliates across the country.
Harry spent a decade in the British Army – including two tours in Afghanistan – and has a long personal connection with the military, which he has worked hard to maintain even after leaving royal life.
He and Meghan have previously spent Veterans Day at military locations: in 2021 they were at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and in 2020 they visited a military cemetery in Los Angeles.
After their visit to Camp Pendleton, Meghan and Harry then traveled to downtown San Diego to open a new gym for Navy SEALs and combat-wounded veterans.
The 20,000-square-foot Warrior Fitness Program West Coast Facility is the second location to open, following the opening of a facility in Virginia Beach in 2017.
According to The Times of San Diego, the foundation has helped more than 800 active and veteran SEALs and aircrew in surface warfare – and both locations now have advanced technology, equipment and personnel to help with physical and mental recovery.
“We are very pleased that the Duke and Duchess are here,” said Tony Duynstee, a former SEAL who spoke for the SEAL Foundation.
“It is a great honor for them to be here for the commissioning.”