It’s been a busy decade for the British animal charity Mayhew since they were founded in 2010, particularly because they now have a royal patron to raise their profile even further. Writing the foreword for the charity’s annual report released Friday, Meghan Markle praised the work the charity is doing amid the coronavirus pandemic—and revealed her son Archie‘s connection to the organization as well.
She also mentioned the mission that drew her to Mayhew in the first place. “As I write, the COVID-19 crisis is gripping every country in the world and destabilising the lives of countless families across the UK,” she said. “I am proud of how Mayhew have responded by finding new ways to support animals and people in these uncertain times. What I am even prouder of is that Mayhew’s mission was made for moments like these. It’s not just about cats and dogs; it’s about all of us, about our ability to come together as a community.”
In January 2019, Meghan became Mayhew’s first-ever royal patron after reaching out to them herself, a coup for the small, London-based organization best known for an innovative therapy dog program . When Meghan first began taking on charity patronages as a royal, her biggest duties came directly from Queen Elizabeth. The queen appointed Meghan the patron of the National Theatre and Association of Commonwealth Universities, both roles that she had held for decades. But Meghan also sought a few organizations that were close to her heart, and since leaving her role as a senior royal, she has stayed closest to those charities. Another organization close to Meghan’s heart is SmartWorks, which helps underprivileged women with job interview outfits and training; in the months since moving to Los Angeles, Meghan has also continued working with women in their programs.
In the letter in Mayhew’s annual report, Meghan mentioned that she had renewed her sponsorship of a dog kennel in the name of her son, Archie. Archie is reportedly very close to the two dogs, a beagle and black labrador, that Meghan and Prince Harry brought to California after their royal exit. “They make him laugh and are gentle with him,” a source close to the family said after his first birthday last month.
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