Meghan Markle Loses Composure During Passionate Speech About Gender Equality: ‘I Can’t Screw Up’

Meghan Markle hit the classroom to deliver some exciting news. She was excited she even had to take a break mid-speech saying, “I can’t screw up.”

During her passionate speech at The University of Johannesburg about gender equality at higher education, she stopped briefly.

“I will use my note cards for this because this last bit, my goodness, I can’t screw it up,” Meghan said as the audience chuckled.

The Duchess of Sussex wore an affordable double-breasted dress from Banana Republic for her first solo outing in Johannesburg. It’s currently selling on their site for $139. She paired it with matching tan Stuart Weitzman pumps.

WATCH: Meghan Markle’s Most Relatable Looks From Her Royal Tour In Africa

Meghan announced a new series of gender grants from the Association of Commonwealth Universities which she is a member of. The four scholarships will help students study abroad to gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.

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This morning, The Duchess of Sussex went back to college!  Joining students and educators at The University of Johannesburg The Duchess was able to announce a new series of gender grants from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, of which she is patron. She was also able to announce four new scholarships to help students study in different commonwealth countries, allowing cross cultural understanding and an opportunity to deepen their educational studies abroad. One of the recipients of these grants shared his story of growing up on farmland in Kenya, where he paid for his education trading vegetables to cover schooling costs (cauliflower leaves to be exact!) He is now doing a research study on carcinogens in his country, its link to cancer – his work is helping to change practices and to save lives. The Duchess was so moved by the work being done across the education sector and to talk with such like-minded thinkers about the importance of access to education and the support needed internally. When the round table discussion this morning moved to the challenges faced in this sector and how daunting it can all seem, The Duchess said, “Sometimes access to education can seem so big, you wonder where to even begin? So you begin with one student, or one school, you simply begin. And that’s when we see change.” She continued by referencing a Martin Luther King Jr quote: “Take the first step… you don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Since the ACU Gender Grants were launch in 2016, 28 universities in 17 countries have benefited with a minimum of 600 beneficiaries participating in workshops supported by the grants. #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica Photo ©️ PA images

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Oct 1, 2019 at 3:26am PDT

“The goal here is to have gender equality, to support women as they search for their high education goals,” Meghan said. “Education and higher education specifically is such a key element for growth, for economic growth and personal growth.”

Meghan even got personal about her own ability to finance her education, “So much is about having the support and scholarships and funding for students.” That was the reason I was able to attend university,” she added.

Meghan and Harry are wrapping up their royal tour of Africa by making solo appearances before they reunite for the trip home with Archie. We’re hoping for one more glimpse of the family of three before they head back to England!

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