Meghan Markle Says She Is 'Happy To Be Back' In New York Despite 'Near Catastrophic' Car Chase

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry returned to New York on Tuesday, October 10 to attend the second annual World Mental Health Day Festival. Their first stop ahead of hosting a forum with parents on the effects of social media on children at Hudson Yards was at The Marcy Lab School in Brooklyn, where she shared her excitement to be back in the city.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid a surprise visit to the school, and as they walked inside the facility she announced: "We're happy to be back in New York City!" The Marcy Lab School is an innovative alternative to college that offers a one-year, tuition-free program that helps young adults from underprivileged backgrounds to get into financially rewarding careers in the tech field.

It was founded in 2019 by two teachers, Maya Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio and Reuben Ogbonna. Students at the facility learn to code and hone their critical thinking skills and a year after the program, graduates typically land a career writing software for some of the fastest-growing companies and non-profit organisations where they could earn over $100,000 annually.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, through their non-profit organisation Archewell Foundation, provided a grant to the school in January 2023. Speaking about the royal couple's visit, Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio told People that she and Ogbonna were "so touched and so grateful" that not only did they support the school financially, but also took the time to drop by and talk to the students to hear their stories.

"The Marcy Lab has been a dream of ours and it's something we work so hard for every day and to have their support — not just financially — and the investment that they made in Marcy, but for them also to take the time to come to the campus, is such a generous act of just belief in us, belief in our students and the work that we do," she said.

Ogbonna added: "They were so cool and down to earth. I just hope they know how much it meant to us. Harry came in with questions and targeted feedback, and we had to pull him out of the classes because he just wanted to spend as much time pouring into the Fellows and saying motivational words! Meghan too."

He added that to have the Duke and Duchess of Sussex believe in what they were doing and believe in it enough that they would visit the school was "a good dream come true".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had a less than pleasant experience when they were last in New York on May 16 for the Women of Vision Awards. They were chased by paparazzi after the event for nearly two-hours.