Meghan Markle has surprised non-profit workers with a cup of coffee on her as she advocates for paid parental leave across the US.
The Duchess of Sussex penned a moving open letter to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer last month calling for better support for new parents.
Now the royal had dipped into her own pocket to show her support for employees at non-profit PL+US, which is campaigning for paid family and medical leave in the States.
The Duchess sent $25 USD ($33 AUD) Starbucks gift cards to a number of the organisation’s employees through her and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation.
Meghan Markle has surprised non-profit workers with a cup of coffee.
(Getty)
PL+US’ communications director, Neil Sroka, took to Twitter to share a screenshot of his gift card and praise the royal mum-of-two for her act of kindness.
“The Duchess of Sussex (aka #MeghanMarkle) bought everyone at @PaidLeaveUS a few cups of coffee while we’re working overtime to #SavePaidLeave,” he captioned the image.
“Unbelievably classy… and necessary. Truly honoured to know she has our backs in the fight to win #PaidLeaveForAll.”
The Duchess, who recently took time off following the birth of daughter Lilibet, has been vocal in her support for paid leave in the US.
She and Harry, who also share son Archie, have “felt lucky” to be able to take a break to enjoy the births of both of their children.
But many parents in the US can’t afford that luxury, which is why the couple and groups like PL+US are working to introduce paid parental leave across the nation.
In her open letter from October, Meghan wrote that she and Harry never faced “the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work” after Lilibet’s birth in June.
“We knew that by doing so we wouldn’t have to make impossible choices about childcare, work, and medical care that so many have to make every single day,” the Duchess wrote.
“No family should be faced with these decisions. No family should have to choose between earning a living and having the freedom to take care of their child.”
She also shared rare details about her childhood, revealing that her family faced many financial hardships while she was growing up.
The royal signed off by reminding major players in the US government that “this is about putting families above politics” and doing what is right.
The US currently doesn’t have a federal paid maternity and family leave act, meaning that states are left to decide their individual stances on family leave.
In many US states, mothers have access to little or no paid leave after giving birth, with fathers having even fewer options.
