Why Meghan Markle recently made an unexpected public appearance alongside Oprah Winfrey.

Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s tour of Colombia back in August, the couple has kept a low profile as summer comes to a close. Markle, however, decided to give royal fans a little treat by supporting a cause—and a famous friend and neighbor—that’s close to her heart.

The duchess made a surprise appearance for the grand opening of a new bookstore called Godmothers on September 7. The store, located in Summerland, California, is close to her and Harry’s home in Montecito. For her appearance, Markle went business chic in a sleeveless navy blue belted jumpsuit by Club Monaco—the rest of her look was relatively simple and clean, and featured diamond jewelry and her hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

During the event, Markle was joined by friend Oprah Winfrey, as well as author Shaka Senghor, astrologer Jennifer Freed, and Godmothers’s co-founders, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Victoria Jackson, People reported.

Markle even took a moment to speak during the event—which is no surprise, as she authored her own children’s book, The Bench, in 2021. Author Laura Lynne Jackson shared a photo of the duchess speaking into a microphone onstage during the gathering on her Instagram Stories, and wrote in the caption that it was the “most light-filled evening of speakers.” Winfrey also held a conversation with Senhor during the event.

Though Harry didn’t make it out to the bookstore opening, his memoir Spare was featured in a selection of books written by “hometown authors.” Markle’s The Bench was also seen in the book display, as well as other titles from authors local to Montecito, including Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Easy.