Meghan Markle’s close friend Misha Nonoo has come out in defence of the Duchess of Sussex following months of criticism about the former actress.
In recent weeks, the Duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, have faced backlash after they were found to have charted private jets for several European holidays over the summer. In response to the criticism, Sir Elton John came out to support the couple, with the Duke of Sussex later stating that while his family usually fly commercial, they are required to use private jets occasionally for their safety.
In an interview on Today on Friday, Nonoo – with whom the royal collaborated for her new Smart Works capsule collection - shared her opinion of the criticism her friend has faced.
‘I think it's unjust and I think that people should really focus on the good work that they do—a prime example of that is this,’ the designer said, referencing the star’s new fashion line.
‘It's her first official engagement after having had her baby and it's all about empowering women, it's all about what she has essentially always sought to do.'
The British designer, who is rumoured to have set the royal up on a date with Prince Harry, also spoke about how authentic Markle’s royal work is.
‘I think that that was something that her and I bonded over from very early days of our relationship was that she genuinely seeks to help people,’ she noted.
‘She's been amazing. She's the consummate professional. She's been extremely hands-on in the project. It's something that she's really passionate about.’
Earlier this week, Nonoo spoke for the first time about the first time she met Markle.
'We sat down and we started, actually, right from the get-go, talking about a shared passion for equality, women's empowerment and our love of dogs,' she recalled to the New York Times.
Nonoo went on to credit Markle as being 'the most generous, the most genuine person.
'She's such a sister in the sense that, you know, if you're her friend she'll do anything for you.'
For her Smart Set capsule collection, the Duchess also teamed up with British retailers including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Jigsaw for her fashion venture (which will operate as a one-for-one scheme: for every item sold, one is donated to a woman through Smart Works).
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