• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a surprise visit
  • They stopped by a school in New York City
  • THIS is why they made the visit

The school there offers high school graduates from underprivileged backgrounds a one-year college alternative to prepare them for careers in technology. Students at the school learn not just how to code, but how to use a purpose-driven mindset to solve the world’s problems through tech. During their visit, Harry spoke with a small group of students, where he stressed the importance of looking out for one another.

"Everyone’s got their own story, a reason for being here," he said, according to 'People' magazine. "Your life is still going to be filled with complications and challenges. And if one of you starts to go quiet, doesn’t show up, you need to find out why." The couple then asked about the students’ experiences in today’s online landscape, which Meghan described as "a place where so much community can be built, but there’s also so much vulnerability."

Harry and Meghan are learning too

"There’s a lot of saturation, and as parents, we can be hopeful knowing that your bright minds," Meghan said. "Knowing that they will be seen, valued and growing in the right direction. And that’s why it’s so important what you’re doing at The Marcy Lab."  Walking into the facility, Meghan, who wore a special letterman jacket that was gifted to her by a group of students during her final solo engagement as a working royal in 2020, told the group, "We're happy to be back in New York City!" In January 2023, Meghan and Harry's Archewell Foundation provided a grant to The Marcy Lab School, and they have run insight sessions with Fellows and their parents during the year.

After one year in the program, graduates typically go on to earn over $100,000 per year, writing software for some of the fastest-growing companies and non-profit organizations. The program integrates a full holistic approach to learning, which includes starting each day with things like mindfulness meditation and gratitude journaling.

"Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life … outside, of course, being a wife to this one," Meghan told them said before gazing over at Prince Harry. "But I will say I feel fortunate that our children are at an age, again quite young, so this isn't in our immediate future, but I also feel frightened by how it's continuing to change and this will be in front of us."

Markle added, "They say being a parent – the days are long, but the years are short, so it worries me, but I'm also given a lot of hope and a lot of energy by the progress we've made in the past year." The couple discussed how the internet and social media affect youth mental health at an event coordinated by their Archewell Foundation.

Their work means so much more to them now

According to the foundation, the discussion was centered on "how we as a community, both globally and locally, are developing solutions to empower families and uplift our collective mental well-being." The conversation featured Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, along with parents who have experienced tragic loss connected to their child’s use of social media.

Tuesday marked the couple’s first time back in New York City since May, when Meghan was honored at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in Midtown Manhattan. The pair were swarmed by paparazzi as they were leaving the event, leading to a "near catastrophic car chase" that Mayor Adams called "reckless and irresponsible."

That must have still been in their memory this time.

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The city has been bittersweet for the couple before. Scandals and happy times have followed them there, but this time their charitable ambitions meant their visit was free of drama. And for the couple, working for mental health initiatives and their improvement is paramount to them now.

The tuition-free school was founded in 2019 by teachers Maya Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio and Reuben Ogbonna, who set out to change the opportunities for young Black and Brown students in the tech sector. Ogbonna said he was grateful for the time and effort the Duke and Duchess gave during their visit, describing the couple as "so cool and down to earth."

Harry and Meghan’s appearance on Tuesday coincided with their visit to New York to host Archewell’s first-ever in-person event, 'Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age.' The event, held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day and moderated by Carson Daly, was designed "to give voice to families who are passionate about building a safer online world for children and teens."

It's unclear how long they will be in the city, but for now, it's all smiles.