Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is to lead a keynote speech on women in the media at SXSW.

The 42-year-old former actress - who relinquished royal duties in 2020 so she and her husband Prince Harry could move to LA - will speak at the annual film festival on International Women's Day (08.03.24) in a keynote titled 'Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen' alongside journalist Katie Couric and model Brooke Shields.

Hugh Forrest, co-president and chief programming officer of SXSW, said in a statement: "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields, Nancy Wang Yuen and Errin Haines are the perfect finishing touch to eight days of remarkable Keynote Speakers. We are so honoured to host this distinguished group on International Women’s Day for a significant discussion on the importance of representation in media and entertainment."

Organisers of the annual film festive - which will run from March 8 until March 16 in Austin, Texas - explained that whilst the representation of women has "come a long way" in recent times, there is still "so much to be done" in terms of giving women of colour and mothers a voice.

A statement read: "Women’s representation in media and entertainment has come a long way, but there’s still much to be done, especially for women of colour and mothers. Social media’s omnipresence has raised the stakes, creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular."

The news comes just weeks after Meghan - who has son Archie, four, and two-year-old daughter Lilibet with Harry - and her husband launched their new website , on which she was hailed as a "feminist and champion of human rights".

Meghan’s biography says: “Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex is a feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity. Her lifelong advocacy for women and girls remains a constant thread in her humanitarian and business ventures. She has been named one of the most influential women in the world in rankings including TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People, The Financial Times’ 25 Most Influential Women, Variety Power of Women, and British Vogue’s Vogue 25.”