The Sussex Team

Meghan Joins Harry at the Endeavour Fund Awards 2018!

Meghan attended the annual Endeavour Fund Awards 2018 at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London for her first formal event with Harry.

Meghan Markle Arriving Endeavour Fund Awards 2018!
Credit: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment

This marks the couple’s first evening event together, following trips to Nottingham, Brixton, and Wales, which all took place during the day.

Meghan Harry Endeavour Fund Awards 2018
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

Meghan and Harry were greeted at Goldsmiths’ Hall by General Sir Nick Carter, the Army’s Chief of General Staff, the Royal Foundation’s chief executive, Lorraine Heggessey, and David Wiseman, head of armed forces for the foundation

Meghan Markle  General Sir Nick Carter, the Army's Chief of General Staff, the Royal Foundation's chief executive, Lorraine Heggessey David Wiseman, head of armed forces for the foundation
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

A video of the couple arriving at the Endeavour Fund Awards 2018

Meghan and Harry met some of the nominees who were up for the three awards before the ceremony began.

Meghan Harry Meeting Nominees Endeavour Fund Awards 2018
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

Harry attended the awards ceremony with Prince William last year, but this year, he had his future bride by his side. William and Kate are currently in Norway, finishing up their four-day Scandinavian royal tour.

Meghan Harry Meeting Nominees Endeavour Fund Awards 2018
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

The event is a fitting one for Harry and Meghan to attend: Helping wounded veterans and the active service member is a passion of Harry’s. He founded the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style event for wounded veterans. At the last Invictus Games, which were held in September 2017 in Toronto, Meghan and Harry made their debut as a couple during a wheelchair tennis match.

Meghan Harry Toronto Invictus Games
Credit: REUTERS/Mark Blinch

The Endeavour Fund Awards are an annual ceremony thrown to celebrate the achievements of wounded and sick servicemen and women who have participated in sporting and adventure challenges to aid their recovery in the past year. Since its launch in 2012, it has supported 66 different projects that have directly assisted over 2,265 individuals. Through their own fundraising, the participants have also collectively raised over £2.5 million for other forces charities.

Endeavour Fund logo

The Endeavour Fund project is led by the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Royal Foundation logo

A video with some clips of Meghan and Harry meeting the nominees

Three prizes were awarded throughout the event: The Recognizing Achievement Award, The Celebrating Excellence Award, and The Henry Worsley Award, named after the late Henry Worsley, who tragically lost his life in January 2016 while attempting to cross the Antarctic – solo and unsupported. Henry, a soldier, and an experienced polar adventurer undertook the incredible expedition to raise money for the Endeavour Fund.

Henry Worsley
Credit: Wikipedia

Meghan joined Harry on the judging panel of the Endeavour Fund. “The panel considered some submissions, and they went through those with other people, spending a day considering the submissions and helped to make the decisions along with the rest of the panel.”

Unusually, since she isn’t yet a member of the Royal Family, Meghan introduced and handed out the second award, to the winner of ‘celebrating excellence’.

‘I’m truly privileged to be here.’ she said in a short speech before handing out the prize.

Daily Mail reported:

Meghan presented her award to Daniel Claricoates, who acquired complex PTSD after multiple tours of Afghanistan with 42 Commando and 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Troop during which he was awarded the Military Cross.

Despite the fact that his PTSD ‘is probably the toughest we’ve seen’, according to colleagues, he has climbed to the summits of the highest mountains in Africa and Antarctica, Kilimanjaro and Vinson. He now works with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Meghan Daniel Claricoates
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

DailyMail Reported:

Miss Markle told one, Cornelia Oosthuizen, an army officer whose involvement in the competitive sport was curtailed by illness but has since gone on to compete at Harry’s Invictus Games: ‘Wow that’s amazing.’

The couple also chatted at length with Joanna Worsley, widow of Henry Worsley, who tragically lost his life in January 2016 whilst attempting to cross the Antarctic landmass, solo and unsupported.

Henry, a career soldier and an experienced polar adventurer, undertook his incredible expedition in order to raise money for the Endeavour Fund and was just 30 miles from the finish when he lost his life. The couple’s son, Max, said his mother had met Harry and his bride-to-be a few weeks ago when they met to decide the winner of an award in his name and memory.

He said: ‘Mum liked her very much and said she had said how delighted she was to be involved with tonight’s event. ‘Prince Harry has been incredibly supportive since my father passed away. I know he would be delighted to see what he has inspired and hopefully, thorough this award, will go on to inspire. ‘

A photo of Harry and Meghan with all the nominees

Meghan harry Endeavour Fund Awards 2018
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

And with the winners – Ben, Daniel and Sean.

Meghan Ben, Daniel and Sean.
Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

After it was announced that Meghan would join Harry for the Endeavour Awards, royal fans immediately began guessing what she would wear to the semi-formal event. Would she go for a cocktail dress? – Or perhaps something more glam, like the Ralph & Russo couture gown she wore in her engagement photos?

But Meghan surprised us all: she wore a suit.

Here is a picture of Meghan and Harry departing the Endeavour Fund Awards 2018

meghan Harry departing Endeavour Fund Awards 2018

Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photos

Meghan’s suit was by Alexander McQueen, a quintessential British designer favored by the royal family, especially Kate Middleton. (The Duchess of Cambridge even wore the designer on her wedding day.)

Meghan’s jacket is the McQueen Grain de poudre wool blazer, while her trousers is the Grain de poudre wool straight-leg pants.

Meghan Markle Alexander McQueen suit

Meghan teamed it up with the Tux Bodywear ‘The Boss’ pussy-bow silk crepe de chine bodysuit.

Meghan Markle Tux Bodywear 'The Boss' pussy-bow silk crepe de chine bodysuit.

She styled it with her Manolo Blahnik BB pumps

Meghan Markle Manolo Blahnik BB pumps

She wore her Birks stacking ring.

Meghan Markle Birks stacking ring.

And her Les Plaisirs De Birks Gold Bar Earrings

Meghan Markle Les Plaisirs De Birks Gold Bar Earrings

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