Meghan Markle secretly took “styling lessons” ahead of a key role, a teenage charity founder has revealed.
The Duchess of Sussex provided hands-on support to young girls affected by recent California wildfires, spending multiple hours volunteering at a Los Angeles charity whilst offering personal styling assistance and wardrobe donations.
Meghan dedicated her time to the Altadena Girls Recovery Fund, a charity established to help teenage girls regain their confidence after devastating fires swept through the region last month.
The organisation’s teenage founder, Avery Colvert, revealed to Marie Claire that the Duchess went “above and beyond” in her support, and even underwent styling training so she could help displaced girls select clothes and accessories.
Meghan Markle secretly took ‘styling lessons’ ahead of key role
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“For all the girls that were coming in, they got to be styled by Meghan Markle,” Colvert said, noting that some visitors “came in and just completely broke down” upon seeing the Duchess.
Colvert, who established the fund at age 14, said she “just started to break down crying” upon learning that Prince Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation wanted to support her initiative.
The charity was created to help young girls in the community “regain their sense of self and confidence” following the devastating wildfires, collecting essential items including clothes, beauty and hair products.
The initiative quickly gained celebrity support from stars including Paris Hilton, Ariana Grande, Kerry Washington, Charli XCX, and Bella Hadid.
Meghan Markle pictured arriving with heavy bags of donations amid devastating wildfiresAltadena Girls / InstagramHowever, it was the Duchess’s personal involvement that made a significant impact, with Meghan not only donating items from her own wardrobe but also dedicating substantial time to work directly with the affected girls.
The Archewell Foundation’s support extended beyond immediate assistance, helping the charity secure a new 12,000-square-foot office space in Pasadena.
“They’ve continued to open lots of doors for us and make connections,” Avery’s stepfather Matt Chait told Marie Claire.
The move represents a significant expansion for the fledgling charity, which initially operated from a makeshift headquarters during the immediate wildfire response.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to support the Altadena Girls charity after the Californian wildfiresGettyThe new location will allow Altadena Girls to scale its operations as a full-time not-for-profit organisation, marking a transformative development for Colvert’s grassroots initiative.
The Archewell Foundation’s involvement has proven instrumental in establishing a permanent base for the charity’s ongoing mission to support young girls affected by natural disasters.
The Duchess’s support of Altadena Girls aligns with her long-standing commitment to fashion-focused charitable initiatives.
As patron of Smart Works, a UK charity providing interview clothing and training for women entering the workplace, Meghan has maintained her support even after relocating to the United States.
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Prince Harry arriving to help after the devastation of the wildfiresGetty
In 2019, she launched a limited-edition clothing range benefiting Smart Works, featuring items from Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, and other retailers.
The Duchess marked Smart Works’ 10th anniversary with a heartfelt message, stating: “You provide much more than a handout, at Smart Works you provide a hand held.”
Her influence on fashion-related causes has proven significant, with brands she endorses often seeing substantial sales increases, including Scottish brand Strathberry, which sold out online in just 11 minutes after she wore one of their bags in 2017.