Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first joint red carpet appearance since tonight’s coronation, as they stepped out in New York City to attend a glittering gala, where the Duchess will be honored with a ‘Women of Vision’ award by her friend Gloria Steinem.
The 41-year-old Duchess of Sussex was indeed a “vision” when she arrived at the event, modeling a strapless gold dress with a keyhole cutout on her chest and pairing it with a pair of strappy gold heels and a matching clutch bag.
Meghan, whose appearance at the event comes ten days after she skipped her father-in-law King Charles’s coronation ceremony, went all-out glamorous for the occasion by modeling a smoky eye and nude lip, while her long brunette hair was styled in loose waves that she over one shoulder, letting the strapless design of her textured dress shine.
Harry joined his wife Meghan at the awards ceremony — where tickets cost a whopping $1,500, while tables cost a minimum of $15,000 — to watch as she receives a “Women of Vision” award from her close friend, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, with organizers reveal the Duchess is being celebrated for her “lifelong advocacy for women and girls.”
Meghan Markle puts on a stunning show in strapless gold dress as she’s joined by husband Prince Harry and mother Doria at a glittering gala in New York – where she’ll accept girlfriend Gloria Steinem’s ‘Women of Vision’ award
The Women of Vision website further gushes that the mother of two is “a feminist, champion of human rights and gender equality, and a global role model.”
Meghan is also a passionate advocate for family rights and an investor in dynamic women-founded businesses. “Meghan is known as one of the most powerful and influential women in the world, topping lists such as TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People, The Financial Times’ 25 Most Influential Women, Variety Power of Women and British Vogue’s Vogue 25.”
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s awards for the Women of Vision Awards and to celebrate 50 years of progress and strength,” said Teresa C. Younger, the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation, in a statement last month.
She added that Meghan, as well as the other award winners — including Black Lives Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown — are “incredible leaders, and we are grateful to be able to shine a light on their many achievements and tireless work for gender equality.” and racial equality across the country and the world.”
The Women of Vision Awards gala is designed to celebrate “the past, present and future of the Ms. Foundation and feminist movements, while raising funds for the organization’s strategic, equity-driven initiatives.
“Each year, the foundation honors visionary leaders and trailblazing grantee partners who are committed to the mission of the Ms. Foundation to advance the collective power of women and create a safe, just and equitable future for all,” said a press release for the event.
The decision to honor Meghan at the event has certainly not been without controversy – with several critics taking to social media to ask the organizers of the awards show, Ms. Foundation, about the recipient’s choice.
“Unlike fake organizations like @msfoundation that give out awards to massage the egos of Hollywood fake celebrities and failed royals like #MeghanMarkle, real awards are different because they celebrate REAL HEROES. Just hardworking people!’ one person wrote on Twitter.
“I had a subscription to Ms. Magazine when it came out. Today I am forever done with Mrs. and Gloria Steinem for bastardizing their foundation to allow these FAKE prizes to be ‘bought’ for a donation,” one Facebook user commented on the awards page.
A good example – Meghan Markle is the furthest thing from a feminist I know… That person is not a feminist… I hope the $$ was worth the bad press this will generate for you. You’re being marked!’
Meghan’s performance at the awards ceremony in New York comes amid what pundits have described as her attempt to “turn all eyes on her” following the coronation on May 6.
The awards ceremony comes days after Meghan and Harry enjoyed a sushi dinner Friday night alongside A-listers Cameron Diaz and her husband Benji Madden, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Brad Falchuk.
Yesterday, Meghan took part in a royal-style engagement at a youth group in Santa Barbara, where she posed for photos alongside several young people participating in the program.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline that Meghan has skillfully used the coronation focus and drawn it to herself this week through performances with Hollywood glitter, young people and now an awards ceremony with a Black Lives Matter leader.
He said: “Meghan has cleverly circumvented herself away from the royal family and coronation scrutiny and has all eyes on her and what she is doing now.
Meghan positions herself as an inspirational figure, which she is to many, and she does what she does best: highlighting causes while emphasizing herself.
“She’s also giving herself Harry’s space to stand on her own two feet and be recognized not as a duchess but as her own person, which she’ll be very happy about.”