'It's wonderful to be back' says Meghan, on first public appearance with Harry since Lilibet's birth
Watch: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit the One World Trade Centre in New York
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their first public appearance together since the birth of baby Lilibet in early June.
They appeared at a photocall at the One World Trade Center Observatory in New York this morning, posing briefly for photos on the glass-enclosed viewing deck, with the misty Hudson river in the background.
"It's wonderful to be back, thank you," Meghan told a reporter who asked if she was enjoying being in New York again.
Though Meghan appeared on Zoom outlining her 40-minute mentoring scheme which she launched on her 40th birthday, (with Harry juggling outside the window), and Harry has made brief appearances, most notably a visit to the UK in July for the unveiling of his mother's statue at Kensington Palace, the couple have kept a low profile since the birth of their second child.
Their foundation, Archewell, offers five months' paternity leave, and Harry has used the time to get to know his daughter and be there for his family, away from the spotlight.
Now, however, they are ready to appear in public again, to campaign for the causes they care about. This morning began with a meeting with New York mayor Bill de Blasio. It's not known what they talked about, but Harry described the meeting to waiting reporters as 'fantastic.'
Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Kick Have Arrived in New York City
The NYC mayor is a strong advocate for mass vaccination.
"If you're unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things," de Blasio said in August. "If you want to participate in our society fully, you've got to get vaccinated."
Harry and Meghan's biographer Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom, recently told People Magazine, "They're a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction. They need to be on the ground.
"They say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding."
Oon the visit, Meghan wore a sober outfit, featuring a black long-line jacket and wool turtleneck, black wide-leg trousers and high suede stilettos. She wore her hair centre-parted and pulled back into a chic bun, accessorised with pearl flower earrings.
In a look that complemented his wife's, Prince Harry wore a slim-cut dark suit and tie with a white shirt and his trademark leather bracelets. The pair paused outside the building to smile at the waiting crowd without facemasks, then walked away hand in hand down the street.
The couple are New York to appear at the Global Citizen Live event which takes place in Central Park this weekend, and and features Beyoncé, JLo, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo and John Legend amongst others. The royal pair will use their time onstage to call on G7 countries to immediately share at leat 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses with those most in need.
The Global Citizen organisation is a 'movement of engaged people who aim to use their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030'.
Previously, they have spoken for the cause, with Harry using his recent video appearance at the GQ Awards to call for vaccine equity, and appearing in May at the VAX LIVE event to share the same message. Prince Harry said:
"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."
