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Meghan Markle Seemingly Pays Tribute To Princess Diana In First Appearance Since Oprah Interview

Photo credit: Vax Live
Photo credit: Vax Live

Over the weekend Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's latest campaign initiative through their charity, Archewell, came to fruition.

On Sunday, May 9 'Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World', hosted by the Global Citizen organisation in Los Angeles, California, of which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are campaign chairs, finally aired.

The concert's aim was to improve and increase the equality of global distribution of the Coronavirus vaccine, in a bid to put a stop to the pandemic.

How can I watch Global Citizen's 'Vax Live' concert?

You can watch the 'Vax Live' concert on the Global Citizen website and here via YouTube:

Did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear at the Global Citizen 'Vax Live' concert?

Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made an appearance at the Global Citizen 'Vax Live' concert, with the Duke of Sussex giving a speech in-person and the pregnant Duchess in a pre-filmed segment.

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Markle used her platform to discuss how women, and particularly women of colour, have been disproportionally adversely affected by the pandemic, and what should be done to correct this.

Photo credit: Vax Live
Photo credit: Vax Live

You can read her full speech here:

The past year has been defined by communities coming together tirelessly and heroically to tackle COVID-19. And we've gathered tonight because the road ahead is getting brighter, but it's going to take every one of us to find our way forward. As campaign chairs of VAX LIVE, my husband and I believe it's critical that our recovery prioritises the health, safety and success of everyone, and particularly women who have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic. Women, and especially women of colour, have seen a generation of economic gain wiped out. Since the pandemic began, nearly 5.5 million women have lost work in the U.S., and 47 million more women around the world are expected to slip into extreme poverty.

My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward.

Markle wore a Carolina Herrera dress and Awe Inspired's Women Power Charm Necklace for the video as a homage to her speech. She also was spotted wearing a Cartier Tank Française watch - an accessory the late Princess Diana also owned and regularly wore for engagements.

Her husband speech included a rallying cry for the vaccine 'to be distributed to everyone, everywhere'.

Photo credit: Jason Armond - Getty Images
Photo credit: Jason Armond - Getty Images

'We cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution to every corner of the world, the mission in front of us is one which we cannot afford to fail at,' the Duke said to applause and cheers from the crowd.

According to an Archewell release, the Sussexes' roles as campaign chairs means that behind-the-scenes the couple are actively raising awareness, campaigning and fundraising for global vaccine distribution. The couple have been leading a drive to raise money for COVAX, which is the World Health Organisation's (WHO's) Covid-19 vaccine organisation.

This continued during the concert where presenters and guests called for more donations and international government commitment to vaccine frontline workers around the world.

Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images
Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images

In a statement about their latest charity endeavour - which is the first confirmed work from the couple since the death of Prince Philip, for which Prince Harry was in London - the couple pledged their commitment to pushing for equal vaccine distribution.

'Over the past year, our world has experienced pain, loss, and struggle—together,' the statement reads. 'Now we need to recover and heal—together. We can’t leave anybody behind. We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone, everywhere has equal access to the vaccine. We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important.'

What happened at the 'Vax Live' concert?

The concert was a star-studded affair, with speeches and performances from some of the most famous faces in the world.

Selena Gomez hosted the event and changing into two outfits during the night - a red Bottega Veneta dress with oversized sleeves and knee-high black boots and a monochrome Victor Glemaud full-length dress. She was also photographed backstage hanging out with and cuddling up to Lopez.

Photo credit: Kevin Mazur - Getty Images
Photo credit: Kevin Mazur - Getty Images

Guest hosts Chrissy Teigen (wearing an orange Valdrin Sahiti dress) and Olivia Munn (wearing a L'Agene silk suit co-ord) also made appearances, with Munn highlighting the rise in Asian-American hate crimes and Teigen celebrating the women of colour who helped so many through the pandemic.

On the red carpet, Teigen was joined by her daughter with John Legend, Luna who adorably hid under her mother's dress while she was posing for photographers.

Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images
Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images

As for performers, Lopez took to the stage to perform 'Sweet Caroline' alongside her mother Guadalupe Rodriguez and 'Ain't Your Mama', in what was her first public appearance since confirming her separation from former fiancé Alex Rodriguez.

Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images
Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images

Lopez posed on the red carpet ahead of her set wearing an Elie Saab white and silver jumpsuit. On stage, the 51-year-old changed into another jumpsuit, this time by Zuhair Murad, as well as a neon-yellow and black custom Roberto Cavailli dress.

Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images
Photo credit: Emma McIntyre - Getty Images

According to the Global Citizen foundation, the concert has already produced some incredible results with the organisation exceeding its goal of fundraising for more than 10 million Covid-19 vaccinations to be distributed around the world.

'I am proud that tonight we have already surpassed our goal, securing enough funding for 10.3 million doses,' confirmed Global Citizen co-founder Hugh Evans. 'And the momentum is only building. Additional commitments are rolling in and will be announced as part of our global broadcast... Critically, we need to see the US and the UK step up and start sharing additional doses, and we need pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna to urgently provide millions of doses to COVAX for the poorest nations at nonprofit prices.'

Businesses including Proctor and Gamble, Spotify, Mastercard and Cisco have pledged donations, Global Citizen confirmed.

Who hosted Global Citizen's 'Vax Live' concert?

The concert was hosted by Gomez, who confirmed the gig on her Instagram page:

Who performed at Global Citizen's 'Vax Live' concert?

Performing at the concert was Jennifer Lopez - months after her performance at Joe Biden's inauguration, the New Year's Eve Time's Square celebrations and amid shooting her movie Shotgun Wedding in the Dominican Republic - the Foo Fighters, J Balvin and recently crowned Oscar winner, H.E.R.

Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris also made an appearance alongside Teigen, Munn and Ben Affleck.

Where was the Global Citizen's 'Vax Live' concert?

The concert took place in Los Angeles in the city's SoFi stadium, and was taped before being broadcast across the world. According to organisers, it was attended by a 'limited-capacity audience' of fully vaccinated frontline workers, who all wore masks.

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