Since she first became a representative for the royal family, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has made it clear that she intends on using her new position for the good of others. This morning, Kensington Palace unveiled Meghan’s first solo project since becoming royalty—a charity cookbook, released to support victims of tragedy.
Meghan has collaborated with a small community kitchen in London to help victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The fire, which broke out in June 2017 and ripped through a 24-story apartment building, saw 72 people lose their lives with at least another 70 more seriously injured. Now, Meghan has written the foreword to a new book, with recipes created by the cooks at the Hubb Community Kitchen initiative, who support residents affected by the Grenfell fire, as well as others in the community.
In her introduction for Together: Our Community Cookbook, the Duchess of Sussex says: “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.
“Through this charitable endeavor, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive,” Meghan writes.
While keeping her arrival out out of the spotlight, the Duchess first visited the kitchen back in January, and has since helped to put the group in touch with a publisher, while her Royal Foundation provided assistance with legal and administrative issues. In the official announcement video shared by Kensington Palace, Meghan can be heard proudly sharing: “As I was settling into my new home of London, I met a group of women whose community had been affected by the Grenfell fire. They had decided to get together to cook fresh food for their families and their neighbors.
Meghan adds: “I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen. Like these women, I’m passionate about food and cooking as a way of strengthening communities.”
It’s abundantly clear that Meghan has been hands-on with the initiative and keen to help however possible, as one of the founders of the kitchen recalls: “She asked me ‘How many days do you offer this service?’, and I said two days a week, and her straight question was: 'Why not seven days, Zahira?', and I said ‘Funding’, so she goes: 'We can do a cookbook!'"
It's incredible to see Meghan using her influence and position within the royal family for such a fantastic cause. All proceeds from Together: Our Community Cookbook will go to the Hubb Community Kitchen, and the book will be available this week.
