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What Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's chosen charities tell us about them

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have chosen seven charities their wedding guests can donate to - WireImage
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have chosen seven charities their wedding guests can donate to - WireImage

Had they asked everyone to chip in for a homeware collection off a John Lewis list, it wouldn’t have been a great look. So it’s with some relief that we learn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will invite their wedding guests to donate to one or more of seven charities they have chosen instead.

In an age when marriage tends to happen later in life than previously - the average age of a woman marrying for the first time is now 30 and for a man 32 - asking wedding guests to make a charitable donation rather than gifting household items the couple has probably already acquired is becoming increasingly common. And in most cases, the bride and groom will think hard about which cause or causes should benefit from their nuptials, opting for those with which they have some personal connection.

The same is true for Harry and Meghan, who appear to have chosen their seven charities carefully.

So what do they tell us about them?

CHIVA (Children's HIV Association)

The late Princess Diana famously helped combat the stigma surrounding HIV and Aids when in 1987 she shook the hand of a patient at the UK's first purpose built HIV/Aids unit in London. Her younger son and his bride may be looking to follow in her footsteps with their support for CHIVA.

Harry has previously worked with the singer Rihanna to encourage people to get tested for HIV, while he and Meghan began their first official joint engagement at a World Aids Day charity fair in Nottingham in December. Their support for those with the disease echos Diana’s commitment to this cause and represents an extension of her legacy.

Diana Princess of Wales shakes hands with William Drake, a patient at the London Lighthouse Aids centre - Credit: Reuters
Diana Princess of Wales shakes hands with William Drake, a patient at the London Lighthouse Aids centre in 1992 Credit: Reuters

Crisis

It’s been suggested that by choosing to support the national charity for the homeless , Harry and Meghan are, intentionally or otherwise, showing up the leader of Windsor Council - who in January argued that homeless people had made a life choice and should be cleared from the town’s streets ahead of the royal wedding.

It’s unlikely the couple would have backed Crisis as a deliberate riposte to Tory councillor Simon Dudley - they’re not supposed to do politics, after all - but for many it will nevertheless be a pleasing antidote to his controversial remarks.

The Myna Mahila Foundation

This Indian organisation employs women from urban slums in Mumbai to manufacture and sell affordable sanitary pads back into their communities, improving menstrual hygiene and providing stable employment.

Its inclusion in the couple’s list highlights Meghan’s determination to champion unfashionable or “taboo” causes and give a voice to the disempowered and disenfranchised. She has written previously about the stigma surrounding menstrual health and her decision to shine a light on the issue underlines her fearlessness when it comes to using her voice to do good in the world.

Prince Harry previously served with the Armed Forces - Credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire
Prince Harry previously served with the Armed Forces Credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire

Scotty's Little Soldiers

The couple’s support for this charity that helps children who have lost a parent while serving in the British Armed Forces reminds us of Harry’s military past and his ongoing loyalty to the Armed Forces and to those who serve with them and their families.

StreetGames

This 11-year-old charity helps community organisations across the UK to take sport to the doorstep in disadvantaged communities. As such, it neatly marries two of Harry’s passions - sport (he enjoys polo and was previously a keen rugby player until injuries forced him to quit) and using his position to help those in need. Meghan has said she loves running, and her interest in helping those worse-off than herself is well-documented.

Prince Harry (right) enjoys polo - Credit: PA
Prince Harry (right) enjoys polo Credit: PA

Surfers Against Sewage

The choice of this Cornwall-based national marine conservation charity that works to protect the coastline is perhaps reflective of Harry and his brother the Duke of Cambridge’s good times in the surf.

In July 2012, the princes were pictured enjoying a spot of bodyboarding in the waves off Polzeath in Cornwall while the rest of the country was glued to the tennis action at Wimbledon. Prince William’s stag do the following year also involved a surfing element, this time in Devon.

The Wilderness Foundation UK

This organisation aims to preserve wild spaces and help young people experience them. Both Meghan and Harry harbour a strong attachment to the great outdoors, so it’s no surprise they are keen to help protect it. Meghan once said in an interview she grew up “really outdoorsy in California,” while Harry’s love of getting away from it all in rural Africa has long been evident.

And lest we forget, it was five nights camping together under the stars in Botswana that helped cement the bond between the bride- and groom-to-be.

Royal wedding | Read more
Royal wedding | Read more