Meghan Markle makes surprise visit to Vancouver women's centre as she breaks cover amid royal crisis

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Meghan Markle pictured with women from the centre
Facebook / Downtown Eastside Women's Centre

The Duchess of Sussex broke cover amid the ongoing royal family discussions as she made a surprise visit to a women’s centre in Vancouver.

Meghan posed alongside a group of eight women at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre for a photograph, which was posted on social media by the shelter.

"Look who we had tea with today,” the group wrote on Facebook alongside the image. "Meghan Markle visited us today to discuss issues affecting women in the community.”

It came as The Sun on Tuesday published images of Meghan boarding a seaplane in Vancouver Island.

The duchess travelled to Canada and missed the royal summit that followed her and husband Prince Harry's shock move to step back from their roles as senior royals.

Meghan has relied on Harry to put forward their case for a new independent life while she remains in Canada with their son Archie amid the fallout.

After she missed the summit at Sandringham, a source said: "In the end, the Sussexes decided that it wasn't necessary for the duchess to join."

Meghan flew to Canada, leaving Harry to discuss the move with the rest of the royal family 
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

After the summit the Queen issued a statement which sanctioned the couple's new "independent life" away from full-time royal duties and she said they would begin a transition period living in the UK and Canada.

The duchess is reportedly the driving force behind the move.

The paper and its parent company Associated Newspapers will argue it was justified because there is a “huge and legitimate” public interest in the “personal relationships” of members of the royal family.

Legal documents seen by the PA news agency reveal the Mail On Sunday will rely on evidence from Mr Markle, including that he “had a weighty right to tell his version of what had happened between himself and his daughter including the contents of the letter”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

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It means should the case go to trial, both Meghan and her father could be called to testify against one another, and the paper’s sister publication the Daily Mail reported Mr Markle would be prepared to face her in court.

The document also argues members of the royal family “generate and rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and to promote themselves”.

It comes just 24 hours after the Queen agreed Harry and Meghan could begin a “new life” as an “independent” family.

Harry and Meghan spent six weeks over the festive period based in the Canadian province of British Columbia staying at an exclusive property on Vancouver Island.

The duchess, a former actress, worked in Toronto during her time starring in the popular US drama Suits, and knows the country well having lived there for seven years.

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