The Duchess of Sussex hosted a celebratory event at Kensington Palace to mark the launch of Together, a cookbook celebrating the power of cooking to strengthen communities and bring people together.
It was very much a family affair as Meghan arrived with her mother Doria Ragland and her Prince. Doria was spotted arriving in London earlier this week. She instilled the importance of giving back in her daughter from a very young age, encouraging her to volunteer in a soup kitchen as a teenager. Doria would buy extra turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving. It seemed very fitting for her to be there. How proud is Doria feeling today? When asked, she smiled and replied, "head over heels".
Meghan was warmly greeted by the women from the Hubb and their families.
Doria met the women and said "Hi, I'm Meg's mother". Speaking about the project, she added: "It's amazing. I'm just as excited as you are. I'm so glad I can put the face with the recipes. I'm going to tell everyone, I met each of the cooks! I'm going to make everything, I'm serious.” Harry told the group Meghan would always come home with a "huge smile" on her face after cooking with them.
A marquee was erected in the grounds of Kensington Palace for the event.
Harry was on hand to offer assistance.
On Monday morning, Kensington Palace released details of Meghan's highly anticipated first solo project. We discovered Meghan had been making regular trips to Grenfell, focusing on the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen - hubb means love in Arabic. In summer 2017, a group of women gathered in a communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London, where they could prepare fresh food for their families, friends and neighbours. As they cooked together and shared recipes, as a community they began to connect, heal and look forward. Meghan first visited the kitchen in January. United by their passion for cooking as a way of strengthening communities, The Duchess was inspired by how the project empowers women at a grassroots level, and championed the cookbook project as a way of ensuring the kitchen can continue transforming lives and communities through cooking.
The Duchess suggested creating a cookbook to ensure the Hubb would have sufficient funding to open seven days per week. She was there every step of the way; from securing a publisher, to getting photographer Jenny Zarins on board. In a beautifully written foreword, Meghan looked back on her time with the Hubb: "The kitchen was opened after the Grenfell tragedy, offering women who had been displaced and the community around them a space to cook food for their families. Their roles as matriarchs united them across their cultures; the kitchen provided an opportunity to cook what they knew and to taste the memory of home, albeit homes some had recently lost. 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. During my visit I met Zahira, a working mum who oversees much of the coordination at Al-Manaar and whose infectious smile is enough to make you forget any troubles. Upon learning the kitchen was only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays I asked, “Why isn’t this open seven days a week?” Her response: “Funding.” And now just a few months later, here we are...Together."
Harry and Doria with Zahira.
Meghan has been passionate about food all her life. "I have a lifelong interest in the story of food - where it comes from, why we embrace it and how it brings us together: the universal connection to community through the breaking of bread." Her love of cooking and belief in the power of food to bring people together married with her desire to do something tangible to help Grenfell served as the passions behind this project. And this project is certainly a tangible one. By Tuesday morning, the book had topped the Amazon UK bestseller list. In a testament to its global reach, it was in the top 5 on Amazon US, Australia and Canada to name just a few. The target is to sell 50,000 copies to support the Hubb and projects in the community. I suspect that number will easily be surpassed. The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds to the Hubb Community Kitchen.
Today was very much about celebrating the completion of the book and the delicious recipes that brought the women of the Hubb together during one of the darkest periods imaginable. Meghan joined them in the Kensington Palace kitchens to prepare and cook the meal.
Recipes from the book prepared included coconut chicken curry, aubergine masala and a range of chapatis and sharing dips, as well as caramelised plum upside-down cake, and spiced mint tea. Below, the sharing menu.
Robert Hardman writes:
Meghan and Doria chatted about the recipes with the women from the Hubb.
The Telegraph reports:
Doria told the group "The power of women, We make things happen. We're curious, we say yes, we show up. I'm inspired." We certainly know where Meghan's beliefs stem from.
Today marked another milestone for the Duchess - her first speech. Meghan spoke for over three minutes without notes about the project that became "a labour of love" for her. “On a personal level, I feel so proud to live in this city that can have so much diversity. There’s 12 countries represented in this one group of women. It’s pretty outstanding.”
The flawless speech was effortlessly delivered. It's very clear how much this project means to her personally.
Meghan's speech from the Mail Online:
One could say Prince Harry was bursting with pride. His expressions says it all :)
Afterwards, it was time to enjoy the freshly made food with their guests. Guests included members of the local community, representatives from Ebury Press, Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre and The Royal Foundation.
Meghan, Doria and Harry posed for a group photo.
Cheeky Harry left with snacks :)
The video below offers a very nice round up of the day.
From Hannah Furness:
It was wonderful to hear so many of you ordered Together and supported Grenfell (Indeed, I hope to improve my own culinary skills by trying a few recipes). It has solidified my belief in the power of a good cause to bring the royal community together and the endless potential for charitable efforts spearheaded by the royals. Meghan should be incredibly proud of the success Together is already enjoying. I was chatting with friends about it and we said "If she can achieve this in four months as a Duchess, what will she achieve in four years?". Royal reporter Chris Ship said today demonstrated how Meghan is changing the face of the British Royal Family.
The courage and determination to heal and rebuild a broken community demonstrated by the women of the Hubb has touched people all over the world. This is just the beginning for the community kitchen...Together.
If you would like to purchase the book, or perhaps gift it, it's available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Waterstones, Barnes and Noble and The Book Depository (Free Delivery Worldwide).
The Duchess looked professional and stylish in a mix of Canadian and US brands for the event.
Meghan's sleek zephyr blue Smythe Peaked Lapel Wool Blend Coat is a longline piece with a sophisticated tailored silhouette. It's available at Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. With thanks to Japanese Ginger for the ID!
Meghan teamed the coat with the Tuxe Bodywear Renegade Bodysuit.
Meghan's Fashion notes the Duchess accessorised with her Catbird stackable rings.
And Meghan wore her Sarah Flint Jay 100 pumps.
A fantastic and memorable launch!
It was very much a family affair as Meghan arrived with her mother Doria Ragland and her Prince. Doria was spotted arriving in London earlier this week. She instilled the importance of giving back in her daughter from a very young age, encouraging her to volunteer in a soup kitchen as a teenager. Doria would buy extra turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving. It seemed very fitting for her to be there. How proud is Doria feeling today? When asked, she smiled and replied, "head over heels".
Meghan was warmly greeted by the women from the Hubb and their families.
Doria met the women and said "Hi, I'm Meg's mother". Speaking about the project, she added: "It's amazing. I'm just as excited as you are. I'm so glad I can put the face with the recipes. I'm going to tell everyone, I met each of the cooks! I'm going to make everything, I'm serious.” Harry told the group Meghan would always come home with a "huge smile" on her face after cooking with them.
A marquee was erected in the grounds of Kensington Palace for the event.
Harry was on hand to offer assistance.
On Monday morning, Kensington Palace released details of Meghan's highly anticipated first solo project. We discovered Meghan had been making regular trips to Grenfell, focusing on the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen - hubb means love in Arabic. In summer 2017, a group of women gathered in a communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London, where they could prepare fresh food for their families, friends and neighbours. As they cooked together and shared recipes, as a community they began to connect, heal and look forward. Meghan first visited the kitchen in January. United by their passion for cooking as a way of strengthening communities, The Duchess was inspired by how the project empowers women at a grassroots level, and championed the cookbook project as a way of ensuring the kitchen can continue transforming lives and communities through cooking.
The Duchess suggested creating a cookbook to ensure the Hubb would have sufficient funding to open seven days per week. She was there every step of the way; from securing a publisher, to getting photographer Jenny Zarins on board. In a beautifully written foreword, Meghan looked back on her time with the Hubb: "The kitchen was opened after the Grenfell tragedy, offering women who had been displaced and the community around them a space to cook food for their families. Their roles as matriarchs united them across their cultures; the kitchen provided an opportunity to cook what they knew and to taste the memory of home, albeit homes some had recently lost. 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. During my visit I met Zahira, a working mum who oversees much of the coordination at Al-Manaar and whose infectious smile is enough to make you forget any troubles. Upon learning the kitchen was only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays I asked, “Why isn’t this open seven days a week?” Her response: “Funding.” And now just a few months later, here we are...Together."
Harry and Doria with Zahira.
Meghan has been passionate about food all her life. "I have a lifelong interest in the story of food - where it comes from, why we embrace it and how it brings us together: the universal connection to community through the breaking of bread." Her love of cooking and belief in the power of food to bring people together married with her desire to do something tangible to help Grenfell served as the passions behind this project. And this project is certainly a tangible one. By Tuesday morning, the book had topped the Amazon UK bestseller list. In a testament to its global reach, it was in the top 5 on Amazon US, Australia and Canada to name just a few. The target is to sell 50,000 copies to support the Hubb and projects in the community. I suspect that number will easily be surpassed. The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds to the Hubb Community Kitchen.
Today was very much about celebrating the completion of the book and the delicious recipes that brought the women of the Hubb together during one of the darkest periods imaginable. Meghan joined them in the Kensington Palace kitchens to prepare and cook the meal.
Recipes from the book prepared included coconut chicken curry, aubergine masala and a range of chapatis and sharing dips, as well as caramelised plum upside-down cake, and spiced mint tea. Below, the sharing menu.
Robert Hardman writes:
'Few can recall the last time a prince or princess was down in a palace kitchen, sleeves rolled up. In due course, many more traditional patronages will follow. But many years hence, historians will record that the first cause espoused by the House of Windsor's first American princess was a community kitchen underneath the A40.'
Meghan and Doria chatted about the recipes with the women from the Hubb.
The Telegraph reports:
'The trio, who at one point stood with their arms around one another in a line, made their way around four food stations, with the Duchess getting stuck in to help cook while her mother and husband watched on proudly.
At the first stop, Ahlam Saeid showed off an enormous bowl of green rice. “Oh I love that,” said Doria. “That was the first thing I asked about” [after learning of the cook book]. “Everyone’s just hungry”, said the Duchess, laughing, as she added fresh mint and olive oil to the dish.
As they made their way through tables of salad, chapatis and kofta kebabs, Doria quizzed the cooks about the ingredients, listening carefully to the herbs and spices they described. One of the cooks promised to set food aside for the Royal couple, with the Duchess telling her: “Oh thank you, I’ll take that home and have it for dinner.”
Doria told the group "The power of women, We make things happen. We're curious, we say yes, we show up. I'm inspired." We certainly know where Meghan's beliefs stem from.
Today marked another milestone for the Duchess - her first speech. Meghan spoke for over three minutes without notes about the project that became "a labour of love" for her. “On a personal level, I feel so proud to live in this city that can have so much diversity. There’s 12 countries represented in this one group of women. It’s pretty outstanding.”
The flawless speech was effortlessly delivered. It's very clear how much this project means to her personally.
Meghan's speech from the Mail Online:
'I'm so privileged to know you. Working on this project for the past nine months has been a tremendous labour of love. I have just recently moved to London and I felt so immediately embraced by the women in the kitchen, by your kindness and to be in this city and be in this room and see how multi-cultural it was.
'On a personal level I feel so proud to live in a city with so much diversity. This whole country is represented by the people in the kitchen. It's pretty outstanding.
'There's so many people to thank - I'm extremely grateful because this is my first project and I appreciate your support. It truly took a village to see this through. Everyone has embraced this so fully because it has been a passion project for us all.
'As I said this is more than a cook book and what I mean by that is the power of food is more than just the meal itself it is the story behind it. And when you get to know the story behind the recipe, you get to know the person behind it and help us celebrate what connects us rather than divides us. That is the ethos of Together.
'Thank you so much for letting me be part of this and letting me be on this adventure with you and I'm so excited to see the projects we will continue to do in your community and also how you will inspire people globally by sharing your stories and your recipes. It's so impactful. You can see that in just a few days alone what's happened and the book's not out yet.
'What you have been able to do is a testament to what that means to people. I'm so proud of you.
'So on that note I know that some of you have started eating, as you should. I'd be the last one to want to let the food get cold so please enjoy your beautiful lunch and give another round of applause for the Hubb Community Kitchen. Thank you.'
One could say Prince Harry was bursting with pride. His expressions says it all :)
Afterwards, it was time to enjoy the freshly made food with their guests. Guests included members of the local community, representatives from Ebury Press, Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre and The Royal Foundation.
Meghan, Doria and Harry posed for a group photo.
Cheeky Harry left with snacks :)
The video below offers a very nice round up of the day.
From Hannah Furness:
'Zahira Ghaswala, Hubb coordinator, said afterwards that she was feeling "very emotional" at the success of the day, saying the refurbished kitchen will open for seven days as of next week, with future plans to bring in sessions for fathers and children, and cookery courses.
One woman at the launch said she was now finding help through counselling after the Duke of Sussex encouraged her to talk about what had happened and rid herself of her misplaced feeling of guilt for surviving.'
It was wonderful to hear so many of you ordered Together and supported Grenfell (Indeed, I hope to improve my own culinary skills by trying a few recipes). It has solidified my belief in the power of a good cause to bring the royal community together and the endless potential for charitable efforts spearheaded by the royals. Meghan should be incredibly proud of the success Together is already enjoying. I was chatting with friends about it and we said "If she can achieve this in four months as a Duchess, what will she achieve in four years?". Royal reporter Chris Ship said today demonstrated how Meghan is changing the face of the British Royal Family.
The courage and determination to heal and rebuild a broken community demonstrated by the women of the Hubb has touched people all over the world. This is just the beginning for the community kitchen...Together.
If you would like to purchase the book, or perhaps gift it, it's available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Waterstones, Barnes and Noble and The Book Depository (Free Delivery Worldwide).
The Duchess looked professional and stylish in a mix of Canadian and US brands for the event.
Meghan's sleek zephyr blue Smythe Peaked Lapel Wool Blend Coat is a longline piece with a sophisticated tailored silhouette. It's available at Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. With thanks to Japanese Ginger for the ID!
Meghan teamed the coat with the Tuxe Bodywear Renegade Bodysuit.
Meghan's pretty skirt is the Saturday style by her close friend Misha Nonoo. It retails for $250 at Orchard Mile.
The piece is described as:
'Great for any day of the week, the ladylike length and pleats keep your look demure and professional when paired with a crisp white shirt or black turtleneck. Style it with a t-shirt and trainers, for Saturday (or Sunday) brunch. The Saturday skirt features a grosgrain waistband with side zipper and clasp closure.'
Meghan's Fashion notes the Duchess accessorised with her Catbird stackable rings.
And Meghan wore her Sarah Flint Jay 100 pumps.
A fantastic and memorable launch!