Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has addressed the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality in the US in a graduation speech to her old school in Los Angeles.
The actress and mother of one, 38, made the comments in a video shared with Los Feliz's Immaculate Heart High School.
"Graduating class of 2020, for the past couple of weeks, I've been planning on saying a few words to you for your graduation," she said in a video message, shared with BuzzFeed News. "And, as we all have seen over the past few weeks, what is happening in our country and in our state and in our home town of LA has been absolutely devastating."
Widespread protests have broken out across the US since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on this neck for almost nine minutes.
"The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing because George Floyd's life mattered, and Breonna Taylor's life mattered, and Philando Castile's life mattered, and Tamir Rice's life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we don't know," Meghan continued in her speech.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Wednesday that Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was arrested in the killing of Floyd, has been charged with second-degree murder.
The duchess, who is biracial, recalled a story about starting the school semester at Immaculate Heart High School around the time of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which happened after the acquittal of four Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers who used excessive force against Rodney King.
She recounted seeing destruction in the city. "Those memories don't go away," she said.
"I can't imagine that at 17 or 18 years old, that you would have to have a different version of that experience. That's something that you should have an understanding of as a history lesson, not as a reality. So I'm sorry that, in a way, we have not gotten the world in a place that you deserve it to be," she said.
That's something that you should have an understanding of as a history lesson, not as a reality
Meghan tried to end on a positive note by highlighting the ongoing movement towards racial justice and how students can contribute to it in the future.
"The other thing that I do remember about that time is how people came together ... We are seeing that right now ... We are seeing people stand in solidarity. We are seeing communities come together and to uplift, and you are going to be part of this movement ... Now you get to be part of rebuilding," she said.
"I know you know that black lives matter, so I'm already excited for what you are going to do in the world. You are equipped. You are ready. We need you and you are prepared."
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
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Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
