Meghan Markle had a nine-word message for pregnant singer Pia Toscano after the American Idol alum performed at David Foster’s charity gala.
Toscano recounted the exchange to Page Six, saying she approached Meghan and Prince Harry at their head table after singing “Feeling Good.”
Harry also moved a chair out of Toscano’s way during the encounter, she recalled. The meeting took place Aug. 7 at the David Foster Foundation’s 40th anniversary gala in Victoria, British Columbia, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were supporting their longtime friend.
Meghan and Harry are parents to Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. A follow-up report from PEOPLE noted that Toscano, 37, is expecting her first child, a baby girl, with husband Carmen Educate in December. She is already a stepmother to his five children from a previous relationship.
Toscano Says Meghan Congratulated Her After Her Performance
Toscano has worked with Foster since 2017 and was one of the performers at the star-studded anniversary gala. After singing “Feeling Good,” she made her way to the head table where Meghan and Harry were seated.
Toscano said Harry moved a chair to make room for her before the couple embraced her and congratulated her on the pregnancy. Meghan then touched Toscano’s stomach and offered the nine-word message that became the most memorable part of their exchange. “This is the most beautiful time of your life,” Meghan told her.
Pia Toscano Says Motherhood Is Already Inspiring New Music
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Toscano announced her pregnancy in July after what she called a “long and meaningful journey” toward motherhood. In an interview with PEOPLE, she said becoming a mother was something she had dreamed about for a long time and did not take the experience for granted.
Toscano and Educate learned she was pregnant on April 13, a date with particular significance for the singer because she connects the number 13 to her late grandfather, Grandpa Jay, and considers it her angel number. The following day, she flew to Mexico City to tour with Andrea Bocelli while still processing the pregnancy herself.
Her journey toward motherhood had already influenced her music. Toscano said the period of “waiting and hoping” became a major inspiration for her single “Redirected,” which was released in July. “Becoming a mom will not only grow me as a person, but it will also give me so much more to write about and create from,” she told PEOPLE.
Toscano, who is already stepmother to Educate’s five children, said she is excited for the arrival of their daughter to bring “new creativity, new music, and new ways to share our story.” She also shared an Instagram Reel from the David Foster Foundation anniversary weekend on Aug. 11, reflecting on returning to the stage with people who have been part of her musical career.
The Gala Was Part of David Foster’s 40th Anniversary Celebration
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The black-tie gala was held at the Victoria Conference Centre as part of a two-day celebration marking four decades of the David Foster Foundation. The following night, a free public concert took place in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority listed performers including Foster, Josh Groban, CeeLo Green, Katharine McPhee, Toscano, The Tenors, Daniel Emmet, Loren Allred, Shelea and Sydnie Christmas.
The Aug. 7 gala itself raised $14.5 million for the foundation, according to PEOPLE and Page Six. The David Foster Foundation supports Canadian families whose children require life-saving organ transplants, helping with nonmedical expenses that can accompany treatment. The organization says it has assisted more than 1,600 families since it was founded in 1986.