Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Visit Harlem School for Outdoor Reading Event

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan made a special visit to the Mahalia Jackson School in Harlem, New York City.

The royal couple arrived at the Central Harlem Elementary School for an outdoor reading event, where Meghan read from her debut children's book, The Bench.

The purpose of their visit was to highlight the school's initiatives and promote early literacy among young students.

They were accompanied by New York City Public Schools Chancellor Masha Porter.

Prior to their visit to the school, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan began their three-day trip to New York City with a meeting with Mayor Bill de Blasio, his family, and Governor Kathy Hochul at the One World Observatory.

Video clips circulating from their school visit showed Meghan wearing a maroon-hued oversized jacket and matching wide-leg trousers by Loro Piana, while Prince Harry opted for a casual look with a grey sweater and khaki slacks.

The Duchess looked fall-ready as she stepped onto the school grounds.

During their visit, Prince Harry sat cross-legged on the ground with the students, listening attentively while Meghan read aloud.

She shared with the second-grade school children that she had written the book when they had just welcomed their little boy, and they hadn't read it to any other kids yet.

The couple also had the opportunity to view a mural created by fourth- and fifth-grade students.

The mural featured pink paper hearts with personal stories and dedications to the Duke and Duchess, which Meghan carefully examined.

In addition to their visit, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan left a donation of vegetable and herb planters for the school.

This donation aimed to address the community's need for easier access to fresh and healthy food.

They also partnered with Procter & Gamble to provide free-of-cost products for PS 123's pantry.

These products will assist families in taking care of their personal health and hygiene, as well as maintaining clean and healthy homes.

Meghan also made a personal donation of reading nooks to Graham Wyndham non-profit locations across New York City.

This initiative aims to support families' access to books and encourage at-home reading.

The couple's visit to Harlem preceded their anticipated appearance at the Global Citizen Live event on Saturday.

The event aims to raise funds for global vaccine equity and will feature high-profile celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Doja Cat.

In other news, Samantha Markle, Meghan Markle's estranged sister, criticized her for overshadowing Prince Harry since their royal wedding in 2018.

Samantha expressed her opinion during an interview with GB News regarding Meghan's recent Spotify podcast, Archetypes.

She claimed that Harry seemed to play second fiddle and that it was insulting for him to not be included in the podcast except for a brief greeting to Serena Williams.

Samantha felt that it was dismissive and insulting to exclude Harry from meaningful discussions about their lives.

She believed the podcast focused too much on feminine chitchat rather than important topics.