Meghan Markle Held a Secret Meeting With New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern

Despite having recently revealed that she’s at least six months pregnant now, Meghan Markle (opens in new tab) is showing no signs of slowing down just yet. Following a return to royal engagements with a trip to the north of England last week (opens in new tab), the Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a cute weekend involving close friends and some great-looking avocado toast (opens in new tab). The following Monday, Meghan filled her schedule with an important meeting alongside another powerful public female figure.

Officially owning the social calendar of our dreams, Meghan just spent her Monday sharing a private meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern (opens in new tab) at Kensington Palace. Royal correspondent Omid Scobie (opens in new tab) broke the news that the two women had been spending time together, revealing that the Duchess "was pleased to have the chance to thank the PM for the wonderful hospitality [she and Harry] received from the people of New Zealand last year.”

You might remember that Meghan and Harry first met the New Zealand Prime Minister during the couple’s debut royal tour in 2018 (opens in new tab). In fact, they came face to face on several occasions during the trip—first at a reception in Wellington, held in honor of the Duke and Duchess. The trio later reunited to visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and also to support a children’s charity.

Clearly, the two women hit it off, and Meghan must have been thrilled to welcome Jacinda to London. As a keen feminist herself (opens in new tab), it’s fair to assume that the Duchess would jump at the opportunity to speak more with Ardern who, at 38, is the world’s youngest female head of government. Ardern advocates decriminalizing abortion and legalizing marijuana, and she was the first prime minister of New Zealand to march in a gay-pride parade. She's also the first world leader to ever take maternity leave (opens in new tab).

Tell me. What do I have to do to get an invite to the next meetup? Because it's basically my dream guest list.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE HERE (opens in new tab)