Meghan Markle to take part in female empowerment panel on International Women's Day

The royal will join Annie Lennox and Adwoa Aboah on stage to discuss issues affecting women today

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, waves as she visits Trinity college, in Dublin, Ireland, Wednesday, July 11, 2018. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)
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She's an ardent feminist, with a "lifelong commitment to women's empowerment", according to her official profile on the British royal family's website.

So Meghan, Duchess of Sussex appears to be an ideal candidate to join a high-profile panel, which will host an intimate discussion on International Women's Day.

The royal, who is expecting her first child in April, will participate in a panel at King's College London on March 8, with singer and humanitarian Annie Lennox, model and Gurls Talk founder Adwoa Aboah and former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard also on the bill.

"The event will bring together a special panel of female thought-leaders and activists to discuss a range of issues affecting women today," said Kensington Palace, confirming the duchess's appearance.

The discussion will be chaired by The Economist senior editor Anne McElvoy, and will also feature Chrisann Jarrett, founder of Let Us Learn charity and Angeline Murimirwa, executive director of the Campaign for Female Education.

The event is hosted by the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, of which Prince Harry is president, and will discuss issues such as "access to education and limitations within employment", according to its website.

Meghan has previously used her platform as part of the royal family to champion equality and inclusivity, delivering an address in New Zealand last year that praised the nation's suffrage movement.

“Women’s suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness," said the royal, in a speech given as New Zealand marked 125 years since becoming the first self-governing country to give women the right to vote.

"Suffrage is not simply about the right to vote, but also about what that represents: the basic and fundamental human right of being able to participate in the choices for your future and that of your community.”

The Duchess of Sussex has also supported the Together: Our Community Cookbook, which brought together women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, and become a patron of Smart Works, a charity that helps long-term unemployed women back into the workforce, since joining the royal family.