Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, left for Canada on Thursday, but not before completing her last solo royal engagement at the Buckingham Palace, a rather emotional one that left her teary-eyed.

Before attending the Commonwealth Day Service with the rest of the British royal family on Monday, Meghan Markle bid her royal life a farewell by participating in her final solo engagement- a private visit with students from 11 Commonwealth countries, in her role as the Patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). For the engagement, the duchess opted for a navy blue dress with cap sleeves and a tie around the neck, which she paired with pointy-toed shoes. The 38-year-old wore her hair in a sleek low ponytail, kept her makeup light, and also carried a matching clutch.

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Earlier this week The Duchess of Sussex, in her role as Patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), met with the bright minds from across the Commonwealth to hear about their commitment to tackling the global challenges we all face. The Duchess spoke with Scholars studying and researching important areas surrounding; cleaning up plastic pollution in our oceans, helping to build more sustainable cities, improving health outcomes for citizens, and supporting decent work and economic growth. Paving the way as the next generation of leaders, these inspirational scholars, are spread far across the Commonwealth from Malawi to Malaysia, Ghana to Sri Lanka – all of whom will use the skills and knowledge they gain while studying in the UK to make a difference when they return to their home countries. The Duchess, who also attended university with support of a scholarship, is a strong advocate of accessible education for all. As the Royal Patron of The Association of Commonwealth Universities (@The_ACU_Official) since January 2019, The Duchess has met and engaged with students, academics, and staff from ACU member universities across the Commonwealth to learn more about the vital work they do to address global challenges. As President and Vice President of The @Queens_Commonwealth_Trust, The Duke and Duchess thank all those who are working to give access to education for all.

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After the engagement, the former American actress had to say goodbye to the 15 staffers of her and Prince Harry's Buckingham Palace office, which they had to shut down after quitting as a working royals.

The 30-minute meeting held at the Buckingham Palace before lunchtime was attended by 22 scholars from across the Commonwealth countries. After finishing the meeting, Meghan bid an emotional farewell to some of her staff before joining the royal family at Westminster Abbey, reports Harper's Bazaar.

"For a couple who only ever wanted to focus on their work and bring good to the world, it seems like an unnecessarily cruel ending to their royal lives. Forced to give up roles they're incredibly proud of after sacrificing so much to get there," royal editor Omid Scobie wrote for the outlet.

Scobie further narrated the emotional interaction between Meghan and her staff that took place after the ACU scholars left the room. "At this point, the 1844 Room is almost empty and tears that the duchess had been bravely holding back are free to flow among familiar faces. As she embraces some of the loyal staff she will most likely not see again, I can't help but feel sad for the dedicated team members whose tireless efforts—to promote the couple's work, launch landmark projects, and deal with the near-daily crisis brought on by tabloid lies—have come to an abrupt end," Scobie wrote.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Canada will no longer pay the security costs for Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan in the country, where they have been living part time since pulling back from their royal duties. Photo: POOL / TOBY MELVILLE

While Meghan has left for Canada to reunite with her son Archie, Prince Harry has stayed behind in Britain to finish some last royal engagements. The couple will cease to be working royals by the end of this month.

Prince Harry Meghan Markle British Royal Family