Meghan Markle pays a touching tribute to Princess Diana during her first TV appearance since the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
- Meghan Markle has paid tribute to the late Princess Diana during her first TV appearance since Harry and Meghan's Oprah Winfrey interview
- The Duchess of Sussex wore a Cartier Tank Française watch believed to have belonged to beloved Diana
- This royal news comes as the sad reason Prince Harry could pull out of Princess Diana’s memorial trip has been revealed
Meghan Markle kept Princess Diana's memory alive when she wore a gold watch, believed to have been owned by her late mother-in-law, during her first TV appearance since the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
Meghan, 39, appeared on camera as part of VAX Live - a pre-recorded 'covid' concert to unite the world and celebrate hope as families and communities reunite after receiving the vaccine, and call on world leaders to step up for equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Duchess, who is pregnant with her second child, filmed the piece remotely while her husband Prince Harry attended the event held at Los Angele's Lo-Fi Stadium to speak to the audience and eagle-eyed fans spotted the sweet connection to the mother-in-law she never met during the telecast - wearing a gold Cartier Tank Française watch which looked the same as Diana's to give her message of hope.
Meghan said, "The past year has been defined by communities coming together tirelessly and heroically to tackle Covid-19.
"We've gathered tonight because the road ahead is getting brighter, but it's going to take every one of us to find our way forward."
She went on to address the importance of safeguarding women, and added, "As campaign chairs of Vax Live, my husband and I believe it's critical that our recovery prioritises the health, safety, and success of everyone - and particularly women, who have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic. Women, and especially women of colour, have seen a generation of economic gain wiped out.
"Since the pandemic began, nearly 5.5 million women have lost work in the US, and 47 million more women around the world are expected to slip into extreme poverty."
Fans of the late Princess Diana will recall she regularly wore the gold Cartier Tank Française watch for engagements in the 1990s and while it's believed Meghan was a fan of the same style watch before joining the royal family - having bought her own while working as an actress on shows including Suits.
At the time she told Hello Magazine that she planned to gift it to bond with her future daughter, "I've always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch,' she said. "I had it engraved on the back, 'To M.M. From M.M.' and I plan to give it to my daughter one day. That's what makes pieces special, the connection you have to them."
But the Meghan Markle latest piece could well have belonged to Princess Diana as Harry's mother was pictured at various events wearing the square-faced watch, reportedly given to her by her father, the 8th Earl Spencer. And when she tragically died in 1997, the timepiece belonged to Prince William, but it is believed he gave it to his brother Harry in or around 2009.
It comes after Prince Harry made a heartbreaking Mother's Day gesture to his mum Princess Diana from America.
Either way, fans praised the Duchess for the subtle connection. One fan wrote, 'It's lovely she's wearing Diana's old watch,' one social media user wrote.'
'Credit Meghan, she's showing her appreciation to the royal family there,' added another.
Meanwhile, Meghan wore a £1,200 Carolina Herrera poppy print tie waist shirtdress and Awe Inspired's £99 Women Power Charm Necklace which proved popular. One fan tweeted, 'Ya’ll the necklace #MeghanMarkle wear yesterday is already sold out lol. The power that she has.'
