Meghan Markle Set for Major Public Appearance

The Duchess of Sussex will celebrate International Women's Day by participating in the SXSW Conference's Opening Day Keynote Panel alongside Katie Couric and Brooke Shields.

By Allison Schonter

Meghan Markle is headed to Texas for her next major public appearance. On Friday, March 8, the Duchess of Sussex, 42, will participate in the SXSW Conference's opening day keynote "Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen" alongside Katie Couric, Brooke Shields and Nancy Wang Yuen. The news, announced Monday, was also shared on Markle and her husband Prince Harry's recently launched Sussex.com website. The 38th conference kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas, and runs until March 16.

"Women's representation in media and entertainment has come a long way, but there's still much to be done, especially for women of color and mothers. Social media's omnipresence has raised the stakes, creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular," SXSW said of the panel, which will take place on International Women's Day, in a release.

Markle, author and co-founder of the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions, will be joined on the panel by a group of "visionary female leaders at the forefront of news, media, entertainment, and philanthropy who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and working toward a healthier society on and off our screens." Couric is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, while Shields is a two-time Golden Globe Award-nominated actress, model, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author. Yeun, meanwhile, is an author, sociologist, pop culture expert and diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant at Peoplism. The panel will be moderated by Errin Haines, host of The Amendment podcast and editor-at-large for The 19th News.

"Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields, Nancy Wang Yuen, and Errin Haines are the perfect finishing touch to eight days of remarkable Keynote Speakers," Hugh Forrest, Co-President and Chief Programming Officer, said in a release. "We are so honored to host this distinguished group on International Women's Day for a significant discussion on the importance of representation in media and entertainment."

The group of women marks the final addition to South By Southwest's 38th edition lineup of speakers. Previously announced featured speakers include Selena Gomez, Kirsten Dunst, Sydney Sweeney, Conan O'Brien, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Colman Domingo, Ilana Glazer, Pamela Adlon and Lilly Singh, as well as Executive Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell.

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