Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle never shied away from public speaking even as a young girl. Pictured: Markle speaks to guests during an event to mark the launch of a cookbook with recipes from a group of women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire at Kensington Palace on September 20, 2018 in London, England. Getty Images/Ben Stansall-WPA Pool

Meghan Markle spoke about the importance of social change during her high school graduation in 1995.

The video of a 14-year-old Markle wearing a white cap and gown while smiling to the crowd has just been released by the Daily Mail. At the start of her speech, the former actress addresses her family, friends, and faculty with confidence and ease.

“Today, we are here to celebrate our graduation and to share our appreciation for our brief time at Immaculate Heart Middle School. Two years ago, we came here as young girls – a bit frightened and overwhelmed and filled with wandering anticipation about our new school and what our future would bring. Today, we are proud and more confident young women on our way to high school,” she said.

Markle also acknowledged the women of the community and all the other women that have been instrumental in growing and building the institution.

“We have grown in many ways over these last two years – physically, academically, emotionally, and spiritually. The academics were a challenge, but we learned to meet the challenge and steadily we prepared,” she added.

The Duchess of Sussex also expressed her compassion towards those who are suffering from AIDS. Years before meeting Prince Harry, Markle most likely knew about Princess Diana shaking the hands of HIV-positive patients. This move broke the misconception that skin to skin contact with a person suffering from HIV/AIDS can pass on the illness to another individual.

“We also learned to be organized and responsible individuals with an awareness of our moral responsibilities to our school and our community which we demonstrated when we adopted first and second graders from Immaculate Conception and Inner City School,” she concluded.

Markle has always been known as a performer. When she was in elementary school, she was filmed dancing to Madonna’s hit song “Hanky Panky” while enrolled at Hollywood Little Red School House in Los Angeles.

The video was taken by the mom of Markle’s childhood best friend Ninaki Priddy.

“I remember our moms having to make our dresses. I think we were all excited about it,” Priddy said.

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