Meghan Sussex Spotted Dining With Malala Yousafzai in London

Meghan Sussex has been spotted enjoying dinner with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai in London, and honestly, this is the kind of post-royal life we like to see for her.

The Duchess of Sussex and Malala were seen dining together at Claridge’s in Mayfair on Oct. 7. A video apparently filmed by another diner later circulated online, showing the women sitting together over dinner. PEOPLE confirmed the outing and reports that it marks Meghan’s first known solo public appearance in London since she, Prince Harry and their children relocated back to Britain in August.

@losrodriguez.mx That’s when you knew the bill was going to be expensive 👀 #fy ♬ scott street – ☆

There is something irritating about a private dinner becoming public because somebody nearby decided to film it. Meghan should be able to eat with a friend without becoming content for a stranger’s social-media account.

Still, there is also something genuinely nice about seeing her out in London, sitting in the main dining room and apparently getting on with her life. And Malala is not a random new acquaintance.

Meghan and Malala Go Back Years

Meghan, Harry and Malala first publicly worked together in October 2020 for International Day of the Girl. During a virtual conversation for the Malala Fund, they discussed the devastating effect COVID-era school closures could have on girls and the wider importance of educating girls. Malala said at the time that she and the Sussexes shared the belief that educating girls strengthens entire communities, not just individual students.

That shared interest makes this dinner particularly interesting. Malala survived a Taliban assassination attempt as a teenager because of her advocacy for girls’ education and later became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She continues to lead the Malala Fund’s work around girls’ education and equality.  

Neither woman has said whether they were simply catching up over dinner or discussing future work, so there is no reason to invent a project they have not announced. But if Meghan is rebuilding a life in Britain that includes sitting down with women like Malala, that says plenty on its own.

For years, Meghan’s every movement in Britain became a royal story. This time, she went to dinner with a woman she has known professionally for six years and simply carried on with her evening