Meghan Markle Makes Surprise Visit to Memorial for School Shooting Victims in Texas
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle visited Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday to honor the victims of the elementary school shooting that took the lives of 19 young students and two teachers.
Meghan, who lives in California with her husband Prince Harry and their two young children, was spotted laying white flowers with a purple ribbon at a memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse. She then knelt down and hung her head at the cross for 10-year-old victim Uziyah Garcia.
The Duchess of Sussex crossed her arms as she walked around looking at the memorials to the victims. She was dressed casually in jeans, sneakers and a baseball cap.
Meghan took the trip in a personal capacity as a mother, to offer her condolences and support in person to a community experiencing unimaginable grief, according to a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex.
Jae C Hong/AP/Shutterstock Meghan Markle
On Tuesday, an 18-year-old gunman wearing body armor crashed his car in a ditch near the school, then, after getting past law enforcement, entered a classroom and locked himself inside, killing 21 people.
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In 2019, Meghan and Harry, who live in Montecito, Calif., with their son Archie and daughter Lilibet, paid tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, where 50 people died and dozens more were injured after a gunman opened fire on two mosques.
They left flowers outside New Zealand House in London along with a note. Meghan wrote: "Our deepest condolences. We are with you." Harry signed his name with "Arohanui," which is Maori for "best wishes."
Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Meghan Markle
Through the couple's Archewell Foundation, which they launched in 2020, Harry and Meghan have supported efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and focused their attention on the Black Lives Matter movement and fighting for racial justice.
Jae C Hong/AP/Shutterstock Meghan Markle
Meghan, 40, and Prince Harry, 37, are expected to travel to the U.K. with their children next week to take part in Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee weekend.
The school district in Uvalde has opened an official account with First State Bank of Uvalde to support Robb Elementary families affected by the tragedy. People can send checks through the mail (payable to the "Robb School Memorial Fund") or donate money through Zelle to robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com. People can also donate by calling 830-356-2273.
