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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are just days away from embarking on their 10-day official tour to southern Africa, but first they’ve jetted off to Rome to celebrating the nuptials of their good friend Misha Nonoo to entrepreneur Michael Hess.
Fashion designer Misha is a longtime friend of Meghan’s, even helping her with her recent clothing line by designing the white button-down shirt as part of the capsule workwear collection.
The couple have been spotted in the Italian capital, which they reportedly flew to on a commercial flight, without four-month-old Archie, with royal correspondent Emily Andrews reporting the couple are “enjoying a bit of down-time”.
Misha and Michael became engaged in February this year and were guests at Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding in May 2018 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Misha was also a guest at Meghan’s lavish New York City baby shower in February.
According to People Misha has long run in royal circles, once married to Paddle8 founder Alexander Gilkes, who is one of Harry’s closest friends. She’s also friends with Harry’s cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who are both expected to be in attendance at the wedding.
Misha and husband-to-be Michael attended Meghan and Harry’s wedding last year at Windsor Castle. (Image: Getty)
Last week Duchess Meghan launched her capsule clothing collection Smart Set, created to benefit the charity Smart Works, of which she is royal patron.
With her good friend Misha designing the crisp white shirt, the collection also includes a black blazer and trousers from fashion label Jigsaw, a dress from Marks & Spencer and a tote bag from John Lewis.
The collection works on a one for one basis – so for each item sold, one item will also be donated to Smart Works, a charity which supports women get in and back into the workforce.
Speaking to People at the launch on September 12th in London, Misha said the project “aligned so closely with my values of empowering women and dressing women for their professional pursuits, so there was no way I’d say no to it.
“I was asked specifically to do the white shirt because that’s my signature. It was actually a very, very process. The Duchess is a consummate professional. It’s been a real pleasure to work with everyone on the team.”
Adding, “She is an extraordinarily supportive, kind and loving friend.
“From the beginning of our relationship we bonded over our shared ethos about supporting other women – it is something that we absolutely felt, and as friends who support each other over the years, you see that.”
Meghan and Misha have been close friends for a number of years. (Image: Getty)
Indeed Meghan touched on very similar themes as she launched the collection saying, “Thank you for being here, for being a part of this success story for these women.
“I think it’s really key in this day and age to remember it’s not just about the people you know that you’re supporting, it’s about the people that you don’t know, you may never know, you may never meet,” she told the attendees.
“As women I think it’s 100 per cent our responsibility, I think, to support and uplift each other to champion each other as we aim to succeed, to not set each other up for failure but to instead really be there rallying around each other and say, ‘I want to help you’.
WATCH: Duchess Meghan launches her capsule clothing collection in London. Story continues below…
She also spoke about what inspired her to create the collection and her hopes to change the idea of charity to an idea of community.
“A big piece of this [project] is trying to transform the idea of charity to community,” Duchess Meghan tells the crowd, which consisted of members of the fashion industry, press and Smart Works clients and executives.
“And the way we do that I think as people, is we go into our closet as a woman and you say, “I’m going to make a donation’. You don’t go into your closet and just toss in a box whatever you don’t care about anymore – that’s charity, as we know it today.
“Community is going through your closet and saying, ‘This is the blazer that I wore when I nailed my first job interview and got my dream job and I don’t need that anymore because I’m where I want to be. But if I’m able to share that blazer and be part of another person’s success story’, then that’s community.”
Meghan launched her capsule clothing collection Smart Set in London last week. (Image: Getty)
Meghan, Harry and Archie will be touching down in South Africa on September 23rd for their first official tour as a family-of-three.
The tour will see Meghan attending engagements across South Africa, while Harry makes brief visits to the neighbouring countries of Angola, Botswana and Malawi.
While Archie hasn’t been confirmed to appear at any of the 35 engagements yet, a source says the couple are keen to have him involved in some way, but at just four-months-old it’s likely they’ll have to play it by ear.
You can find their full 10-day itinerary here.
