In her 2015 speech as a representative for the UN, Meghan Markle detailed her fight for gender equality at the tender age of 11. She explains that, after seeing an advert which suggested only women do dishes, she was outraged and wrote to the First Lady at the time, Hillary Clinton, Linda Ellerby (a kid's TV news host), Gloria Allred, women's rights attorney and Proctor & Gamble themselves, the advertising company behind the advert.
Allred, Clinton both responded with 'letters of encouragement', Ellerby's show covered the story and Proctor & Gable changed the commercial.
Now, video evidence of this impressive feat of young activism has been unearthed in a form of Ellerby's show archives from 1993.
The host of the show Ellerby told reporters, 'It was absolutely clear that this young women was strong in her beliefs. It didn't matter that she was 11 years-old. She believed in women, she believed in her own power, and she wasn't afraid to reach out and say 'I want my power, I want my rights.''
As if we had any doubt of Meghan Markle's feminist credentials. But this just proves to be the first instance, in Meghan Markle's significant history as a card-holding patriarchy-fighter.
The US-native has been introduced to many in Blighty as the female lead in Suits and, most recently, as the beau and future wife of Prince Harry.
The nation celebrated the couple's engagement announcement last week, with videos of Markle decrying the sexism in Hollywood circling the web. In one clip we saw the now 36 year-old Markle explain, 'This season every script seemed to begin with "Rachel enters wearing a towel." I said, "Nope, not doing it anymore. Not doing it."'
Markle is also a philanthropist, activist and UN advocate.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
