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As Meghan Markle prepares to celebrate her birthday later this week, fans may recall the time she posted a poem to mark the big day.
The Duchess of Sussex turns 42 on Friday (August 4) and on her 40th birthday two years ago she released the lyric on Instagram to promote her newly-launched initiative 40×40.
Meghan hoped fans would repost the poem and spread her message, but according to analysis by the Sun at the time the post was only shared permanently on just over 200 public accounts – meaning it may not have had the impact the ex-Suits star had hoped.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle's 40×40 project 'bombed' and had 'little movement', critic claims
The 40×40 project aimed to have 40 famous women offer 40 minutes of their time to women wanting to get back into work.
Launching the campaign she made a video calling for her A-list pals to donate their time to "help women re-entering the workforce".
And in a statement on the website for Archewell – the Sussexes' brand – she requested just one birthday gift from her fans – that they share a readymade Instagram post with the hashtags #40×40 and #CompassionInAction.
The artwork for the poem reads: "For women who give everything, we give our time. Are you in?"
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The site also made the share easier with a suggestion caption for people to use if they wished.
The caption reads: "To celebrate The Duchess of Sussex's 40th birthday, I am devoting 40 minutes of mentorship or service to a cause I care about.
"Please join me in donating your time. Together, we can contribute to a global wave of compassion and positive change."
The Sun analysed Instagram posts made in the first 24 hours after the launch of the campaign and claimed only 217 public posts sharing the poem using the #40×40 hashtag.
However, the analysis did not include Twitter posts, private shares or Instagram stories, which disappear after 24 hours.
Meghan explained the new initiative in a post on her website reading: "In reflecting on my 40th birthday and the many things I am grateful for, I’m struck that time is among our most essential gifts.
"Time with our loved ones, time doing the things we love, time spent learning, laughing, growing, and the sacred time we have on this earth.
"Amongst the most valuable gifts of time is also time spent in service to others knowing that it can contribute to incredible change.
"To that last point, and with my 40th lap around the sun in mind, it made me wonder: what would happen if we all committed 40 minutes to helping someone else or to mentoring someone in need?
"And then what would happen if we asked our friends to do the same?"
Despite the poem not taking off, the campaign's initial launch attracted hype from celebrities and female business owners alike.
However, little has been heard about 40×40 since the year it launched.
The Archewell website hasn't been updated and less than 12 months after Meghan announced the project, rumours circulated it had been "quietly dropped".
Royal expert Angela Levin told the Sun Online in May 2022: "I read some time back it had been quietly dropped.
"I think it's very quietly gone into the dustbin."
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- Meghan Markle
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