A
s she prepares to celebrate her
38th birthday on 4 August, the
Duchess of Sussex can look back on
quite a year. The past 12 months have
been full of significant moments, not
least the birth of her and her husband
the Duke’s first child, Archie, on 6 May.
Their son was born at London’s
Portland Hospital weighing 7lb 3oz
and was christened in the private
chapel of Windsor Castle on 6 July.
But that hasn’t been the only
change. She has also moved in to her
forever family home, relocating from
Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of
Kensington Palace, where she and
Prince Harry had been living since
becoming engaged, to Frogmore
Cottage on the Windsor Estate.
The grade II-listed building was
remodelled from five apartments back
into a single residence and has been
decorated to the couple’s taste. Harry
and Meghan oversaw the renovations.
Meghan’s working life has also
taken a new direction. In January it
was announced that she was taking on
her first patronages. In addition to two
passed on by the Queen – the Royal
National Theatre and the Association
of Commonwealth Universities – the
Duchess took on the patronages of
animal charity Mayhew and Smart
Works, a dressing and coaching service
for unemployed women.
The announcement read: “Her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Sussex willMeghanattendsa morning
teareceptionatthe
residenceoftheBritish
HighCommissionerin Fiji
duringherfirstoverseas
tourlastOctoberN HER BIRTHDAY WEEK
CAN REFLECT ON
A LIFE-CHANGING
12 MONTHS
MEGHAN
The Duke and Duchess of
Sussex enjoy a walkabout
outside Sydney’s Opera
House just days after it was
announced that they were
expecting a baby60