Harry & Meghan Make Their First Appearance Of 2021

As pandemic restrictions continue in the UK, video calls are still a big part of daily life – whether you're a student in a poetry class or a member of the royal family. On Feb. 6, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry surprised said poetry class over video call, with "epic" results. It was the couple's first royal engagement of 2021, and the students' reactions are seriously relatable.

Prince Harry and Meghan dropped in on the live poetry class mid session, a surprise that was organised by the nonprofit Get Lit – Words Ignite. Get Lit aims to support young people through arts education, providing workshops and creative sessions like this one to increase literacy, empower youth, and inspire communities.

In a post on its Instagram page, Get Lit wrote: “Guess who surprised our poetry class this weekend?! It was the best weekend EVER.” The group said that Meghan shared some of her favourite poetry lines, and that the royal appearance “goes down as [the] most epic experience in Get Lit history.”

Teacher Mason Granger went into more detail on his own Instagram account: “My favourite part of it all was Meghan echoing so many sentiments we’ve talked about in class, about this particular moment in time/history to be a young person and the ripple effect of a single voice. The root of them deciding to come is because at some point in their lives, they were moved by a poem. And whoever wrote that poem at some point thought to themselves, 'Does this even matter? Is anyone even listening?' And they shared it anyway.

"Fast forward ripple ripple ripple and these kids get a surprise 45 minute chat with the Prince Harry and Meghan. It was pretty surreal. My kids shared poems, they asked questions, the kids answered and asked questions back, they responded authentically (they actually read and learned the kids bios I’d sent earlier)... 10/10 would recommend The Duke and Duchess of Sussex for your next Zoom poetry practice."

Get Lit founder Diane Luby Lane told HuffPost: “Our poets’ mouths hit the floor. After they left, one of the poets started crying and said, ‘I need someone to explain what just happened right now’.” Lane described how Harry and Meghan discussed music suggestions with the young poets, as well as talking about racism, and the importance of listening to one another.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have always used their platform to raise awareness and funds for the arts, and this year they intend to continue doing exactly that. The drop-in on Get Lit is part of their mission to raise the profile of organisations that help young people find their voice, in support of Black History Month.