The Duchess of Sussex appeared to draw significant inspiration from celebrated humanitarian Angelina Jolie during her recent quasi-royal tour of Jordan. Meghan Markle, aged 44, alongside Prince Harry, embarked on a two-day Middle Eastern visit at the invitation of the World Health Organisation. Their engagements centered on mental health advocacy and supporting vulnerable communities affected by conflict and displacement.
Fashion Echoes of a Humanitarian Icon
Throughout the trip, Meghan notably departed from her typical glamorous style, opting instead for understated ensembles that closely mirrored Jolie's signature humanitarian wardrobe. For a Thursday morning visit to the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts, she selected a £109 grey wool-blend topstitched jacket from Zara, a brand also favored by her sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales.
This marked her second endorsement of the high-street retailer during the tour, having previously worn a khaki Zara t-shirt for a football game. She complemented the jacket with black suit trousers and heels, deliberately minimizing her usual jewelry collection to just her gold wedding band and Cartier Love bracelet.
Parallel Humanitarian Gestures
The sartorial similarities extended beyond mere clothing choices. Meghan's white shirt and t-shirt combination at the Za'atari refugee camp strikingly echoed Jolie's attire during her 2018 visit to the Domiz refugee camp in Iraq's Kurdistan region. More importantly, the Duchess appeared to emulate Jolie's empathetic approach to humanitarian work.
Angelina Jolie, now 50, has completed over sixty field missions advocating for refugees and co-founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation with ex-husband Brad Pitt. This organization focuses on community conservation, paralleling the Archewell Foundation established by Harry and Meghan. Both women concentrate significant efforts on childhood welfare and education initiatives.
Substantive Humanitarian Engagements
The Sussexes' Jordan itinerary included meaningful interactions with vulnerable populations. Meghan comforted a 14-year-old burns victim from Gaza during a hospital visit in Amman, while both royals participated in a music class and football session at the QuestScope youth centre in Za'atari refugee camp.
They also engaged in a roundtable discussion with United Nations representatives, diplomatic officials, and donors. The couple, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020, received a warm welcome from WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who embraced both visitors upon their arrival.
Mental Health Advocacy in Action
Promoting mental health support formed a central theme of their visit. At the rehabilitation centre, both Harry and Meghan wrote encouraging messages for recovering addicts. Meghan's orange note read: 'Congratulations on your dedication to your care. Wishing you continued healing and happiness.'
Harry contributed on yellow paper: 'It's OK to not be OK. Trust each other. Congratulations on your recovery. Now share your courage and experience.' The facility, operating under Jordan's ministry of health since 2001, provides crucial medical withdrawal services, psychological support, and social counseling.
Addressing Humanitarian Crises
The couple also visited the World Central Kitchen's regional headquarters, where they learned about the organization's efforts to coordinate and deploy one million hot meals daily across Gaza. Founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres—a supporter featured in Meghan's Netflix cookery show—the organization utilizes field kitchens, bakeries, and partners to feed nearly half of Gaza's population.
During a video call with distribution leaders, response director Wadhah Hubaishi explained the challenges of insufficient supply trucks entering from Egypt, highlighting the ongoing logistical difficulties in humanitarian aid delivery. The Sussexes' comprehensive tour demonstrated their commitment to humanitarian causes while subtly channeling the approach of one of Hollywood's most respected activists.
