Meghan Markle and Prince Harry clasp hands as they make rare red carpet appearance
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may have arrived at the Ripple of Hope Awards in New York in the middle of a rainstorm - but that didn't stop the pair from making an entrance. Harry held an umbrella over his wife's head as she emerged from their car with a smile on her face, and the pair then walked the blue carpet clasping hands and with big smiles on their faces.
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HELLO! can confirm that Meghan wore a stunning custom Louis Vuitton ankle-length column dress with a bardot neckline and long sleeves, and folded detailing on the waist, and she accesorized with an aquamarine ring that once belonged to Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.
WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands as they collect award in New York
Meghan styled her sleek raven tresses in an elegant bun, completing her glamorous Hollywood aesthetic with a radiant beauty glow consisting of fluttery lashes, a rosy blush and nude lip, and she paired the whole look with classic black stiletto heels.
Harry rocked a blue suit with a white shirt, and the pair were both all smiles as they walked past the press line
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The pair were making their first public appearance ahead of the release of the highly-anticipated Netflix series on 8 December, and they were joined by Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria, Gayle King and Alfre Woodward.
Hilaria, whose husband Alec was hosting the evening, told HELLO! that she is keen to watch their new documentary when it hits the streaming service but that, after welcoming her seventh child in September, she is "very tired," joking: "I just fall asleep when I get into bed."
Meghan wore a stunning white midi-length column dress
During the evening Meghan and Harry received the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in honour of their "heroic" stance against racism within the royal family.
Reflecting on Harry and Meghan's award, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Kerry Kennedy, told journalist Gustavo Egusquiza: "They went to the oldest institution in UK history and told them what they were doing wrong, that they couldn't have structural racism within the institution; that they could not maintain a misunderstanding about mental health."
She continued: "They knew that if they did this there would be consequences, that they would be ostracized, they would lose their family, their position within this structure, and that people would blame them for it. They have done it anyway because they believed they couldn't live with themselves if they didn't question this authority."
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Harry and Meghan join a host of high-profile powerful figures who have won the award including former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, current president Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris.
The Sussexes were spotted landing in the Big Apple on Monday, with photographs - obtained by Page Six – showing the couple stepping off their private jet before making their way to a car.
Harry was pictured dressed in an unbuttoned white shirt, suit trousers and carrying a jacket.
Meghan, meanwhile, was dressed all in black, opting for a long-sleeved, fitted dress and oversized dark sunglasses, with her hair pulled back in a bun.
The event comes hours after the British royal family came out in force as the Prince and Princess of Wales dazzled at King Charles' first Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in London.
The Diplomatic Reception, which takes place annually, sees the monarch and other members of the royal family welcome over 500 members of the Diplomatic Corps in the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
The white-tie event was last held in 2019 and has been unable to take place for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic
Gayle wowed fans with a bold look
The former royals' new documentary will land Thursday 8 December, and is called an "unprecedented and in-depth" documentary series.
The synopsis reads: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex share the other side of their high-profile love story. Across six episodes, the series explores the clandestine days of their early courtship and the challenges that led to them feeling forced to step back from their full-time roles in the institution.
"With commentary from friends and family, most of whom have never spoken publicly before about what they witnessed, and historians who discuss the state of the British Commonwealth today and the royal family’s relationship with the press, the series does more than illuminate one couple’s love story, it paints a picture of our world and how we treat each other."
Thursday will see the first three episodes of the tell-all show aired on the streaming giant – and there's no doubt Harry's family will already be preparing to face the aftermath and possible fall-out.
However HELLO!'s royal correspondent Emily Nash believes we shouldn't expect any public rebuttals.
Yolanda Ross looked gorgeous on the blue carpet
"I would expect the members of the royal family to just get on with their engagements," Emily said.
"Put on a brave face and do their jobs. They're not known for coming out and reacting. I think it would have to be a very serious accusation for them to respond directly to it, as we know from the last time [when the couple alleged racist remarks within the British royal family to Oprah Winfrey].
"And this kind of accusation was made during the interview, it took a couple of days for the Queen to respond, and her response was very succinct, and it was simply 'some recollections may vary'."
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