Prince William, Catherine, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle attended their first public engagement all together today at the first annual Royal Foundation forum, discussing the role and the priorities of the foundation and presenting their plans going forward. All four spoke at the event, sharing the causes and the initiatives that they themselves, individually, will be working on as part of the greater whole. 

As we’ve seen, Will, Kate, and Harry have all actively participated this year in mental health awareness through Heads Together. Kate talked about how her experience as a mother impressed upon her even more the importance of mental health education for children. And Meghan’s focus is on women and girls and empowerment. She namechecked Time’s Up and #MeToo:

This is noteworthy because this movement was called a “political issue” a couple of weeks ago, around the BAFTAs, as an explanation for what royals do and don’t get involved in. As if pay equality and elimination of harassment is a political issue. Clearly, for Meghan, not. 

But it wasn’t all business. The wedding came up. In the video below, at the 13 minute mark, Meghan talks about hitting the ground running and being involved in the work right away… and even more so after what will happen in the next couple of months. Note the pause and the smile that comes across her face when she talks about that “next couple of months”, an obvious allusion to…you know. And everyone did know. 

This is why she’s good at this. Of course and obviously, the goal here is promote the Royal Foundation. But, as an actor in her past life, as someone who understands promotion, there’s promoting…and then there’s MAXIMISING the promotion. Harry’s getting pretty good at it too:

There’s a moment at the end of the talk when all four are asked about disagreements and how to reach consensus and collaboration. It turns into a joke about family tension and friction, which works well. And it doesn’t read fake either. These are the lighter moments that this generation has been able to grow into and benefit from. In every family there’s that one kid who has to keep the other kids in line though. You know how it works. Everyone else is sh-t disturbing and it’s up to the “responsible” one to keep the ride pointed in the right direction. That’s Kate here, non?