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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Chris Pyke & Nisha Mal

Woman behind Meghan's Raising The Future T-shirt went from £400 a week job to running six-figure business in two years

Meghan Markle can be seen wearing a graphic tee emblazoned with the slogan 'Raising The Future' in a trailer for a new TV show.

The Duchess of Sussex appears alongside her husband Prince Harry in the clip for the upcoming series The Me You Can't See about mental health.

The T-shirt was created by a Welsh businesswoman who built her brand on social media, while raising her son on her own.

In the trailer for the show, the Duchess stands behind Harry wearing the top designed by Carrie-Anne Roberts, who hails from Mold.

Carrie-Anne started her business - called Mère Soeur - just after her son River was born and her clothing is designed for fellow mothers, Business Live reports.

The Raising The Future T-shirt, which costs £27, and in the description on Mère Soeur website says: "However you choose to do it, whatever your parenting choices, we're all doing it. The greatest and hardest job you'll ever have."

Before starting her business, Ms Roberts worked at the high street shop Lush, which had followed a job doing 12-hour night shift in a garlic bread factory. When she had her son she didn't want to be away from him and started the business.

"I was 24, I was on £400 a month, and I was living in the spare room of my mam's council house," she said on an Instagram story.

"I went from that to running a six-figure business within two years, I didn't borrow a penny, I have no qualifications , I didn't go to uni, I barely went to school.

"I just didn't have any idea about what I was doing. I was a young single mum, and I didn't know what I was going to do next. I just knew that I had to do something.

"I didn't have any fear. I had like no idea what I was doing, I just did it. I think if I hadn't have just done it I would have nothing that I have today.

"I've had like no financial help whatsoever. It doesn't matter who you know, doesn't matter what you know, doesn't matter where you live. If you want to make it happen. You can.

"I think, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose and you can only go up. You know what rock bottom is so you're not scared of it anymore."

Ms Roberts has built up a loyal audience on Instagram through her honest posts, at present she has more than 47,000 followers, and she sells clothing, pins, bags and mugs.

On her Instagram page, Ms Roberts wrote: "If you know how my brand started and why then you’ll understand why I shed a small happy tear just now. Endlessly grateful to be here always."

The series The Me You Can't See is produced by Prince Harry and Oprah Winfey. Among the people interviewed talking about mental health are Lady Gaga and Glenn Close.

The show will be available on Apple TV+ on the TV app or across Apple devices from Friday - new users can start a free trial for seven days then pay £4.99 a month.

Along with the 'Raising The Future', the brand has slogans such as 'Alright For A Mum', 'Strong Mother', 'One Good Mutha', and 'Tears, Hugs & Rock n Roll' on her merchandise.

This is not the first time the Duchess of Sussex has showcased the Mere Souer brand. While on a trip to South Africa and visiting a charity that supports mothers with HIV the Duchess shared some of her son's Archie's old clothes, which included a babygrown designed by Ms Roberts with 'The Future' printed on it.

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