Credit: photo by Misan Harriman

SXSW has a strong track record of announcing extremely bold-faced names on the eve of its conference. While today’s announcement isn’t quite the “POTUS & FLOTUS are coming!” double whammy of 2016, it’s still somebody famous enough to get by on first-name alone: Meghan.

That’d be the Duchess of Sussex – Meghan Markle, prior to her marriage to Prince Harry – and she’ll be appearing at the conference as part of a conversation called Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen. Taking place Friday, March 8 on the first day of SXSW, the author, actress, and Archwell Foundation/Archwell Productions cofounder will appear alongside Emmy Award-winning journalist Katie Couric; Erinn Haines, Editor-at-Large of The 19th News; actress and entrepreneur Brooke Shields; and Nancy Wang Yuen, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant at Peoplism.

“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,” said Hugh Forrest, Co-President and Chief Programming Officer. “We are so honored to host this distinguished group on International Women’s Day for a significant discussion on the importance of representation in media and entertainment.”

Pick up Thursday’s issue for the first of two Chronicle SXSW 2024 previews, and catch up with the latest news at our SXSW hub.

This article appears in March 1 • 2024.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...