Harry & Meghan new trailer
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have arrived in New York City ahead of the 2022 Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award gala, where they and other “exemplary leaders” will be honoured for their “unwavering commitment to social change”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who travelled via private jet from their home in California, were seen arriving on Monday, with the awards ceremony set to take place on Tuesday 6 December.
It is expected that the couple will make a red carpet appearance on Tuesday ahead of the gala, where they will be honoured alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and late NBA star Bill Russell for their work “to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights”.
The royal couple’s trip comes just days before the first instalment of their highly anticipated Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan will be released, with the first three episodes to be released on Thursday 8 December. Three additional episodes will be released on Thursday 15 December.
Follow along with the latest updates about Meghan and Harry’s trip to New York City below.
Harry and Meghan arrive at awards ceremony in New York
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are star guests at the Ripple of Hope Award gala in New York where they will receive an award for their ‘heroic’ stance against ‘structural racism’ in the royal family.
The couple’s mode of transportation sparked criticism from royal fans, with many questioning why the couple did not fly commercial, especially considering the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Boston last week on a British Airways plane.
“I thought they were supposed to be net zero by 2030? Hypocrites,” one person tweeted after the couple’s arrival.
You can follow along with the red carpet at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Awards as it happens below.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, are expected to attend the Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York.Watch more videos at the Independent TV: h...
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have found themselves embroiled in a controversy of their own ahead of tonight’s awards, after they arrived in New York City via private jet on Monday.
The trip marked the second time in a week that Meghan has travelled by private plane.
The Sussexes are attending The Ripple of Hope gala in New York City on Tuesday night
While Meghan and Harry have not commented on the timing of their Netflix documentary, the couple may use tonight’s Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award gala to make a statement.
The cocktail hour for the event will begin at 6pm, while dinner will follow after at 7pm, according to the website.
As for how the royal family feels about the couple’s upcoming documentary, it is currently unknown. However, some have suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attempted to take attention away from the Prince and Princess of Wales with the timing of the release of the first trailer, as it came as William and Kate touched down in Boston last week.
“The fact that @netflix dropped this Harry and Meghan documentary trailer when Catherine and William are visiting the US in Boston… oof,” one person wrote. “Seems like the timing was intentional. @NetflixUK likely makes those decisions but still, oof.”
The Netflix trailer coincides with a recent racism row surrounding the royal family and the Prince and Princess of Wales’ tour of Boston
Following the exchange involving Lady Hussey, who happens to be one of Prince William’s godmothers, a spokesperson for the Prince of Wales said racism “has no place in our society”.
Lady Hussey, 83, who is Prince William’s godmother was on duty at the reception
In light of the incident, which saw Lady Hussey resign from her role as a royal aide following the incident, some royal fans noted the previous connection between the member of royal staff and Meghan Markle.
According to Tom Bower, author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry And The War Between The Windsors, Lady Hussey was reportedly directed by Buckingham Palace to help the Duchess of Sussex settle into royal life prior to her wedding to Prince Harry.
In the book, Bower also alleges that the royal aide had her doubts about the couple’s relationship, with the royal author claiming Lady Hussey once said the royal marriage would “end in tears”.
Lady Susan Hussey reportedly advised Duchess of Sussex about royal life
The timing of the award for the couple’s stand against “structural racisim” is also fitting considering it comes after the royal family found itself embroiled in a racism row.
Last week, as the Prince and Princess of Wales travelled to Boston for the Earthshot Prize, the attention was on the late Queen’s lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey, who made “unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments” to Ngozi Fulani, a Black advocate for survivors of domestic abuse.
’No, what part of Africa are YOU from?’ the royal aide is said to have asked
Although the timing of the couple’s award is fitting considering the themes they are expected to explore in their Netflix documentary, Elle notes that the trip was scheduled before Netflix revealed the dates the docuseries would be released.
You can find everything to know about the couple’s Netflix documentary below.
The six-episode Netflix docuseries will ‘share the other side’ of the couple’s story after stepping down from the royal family