Like much of the world, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had a rough 2020. Last year, the Sussexes stepped down from their senior royal roles and made a major move to California, and settled into a new home in Santa Barbara in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. They also experienced a huge personal loss, as in November, Meghan bravely shared that she suffered a miscarriage over the summer.
Meghan, a longtime animal welfare advocate, has been relying on her two rescue pups, Guy and Pula, for support during the past year.
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Even though she’s no longer an official working royal, Meghan has kept in touch with and continued to support her patronages, including Mayhew, a London-based animal welfare charity. Mayhew CEO Caroline Yates told Hello that she still speaks with the Duchess and gives her regular updates on the organization, and that Meghan “always references how important her dogs are and what a support they are, particularly during everything that’s happened this year, with COVID, and with the personal trials and tribulations she went through this year.”
Yates continued, “It was really nice to share our experiences with her about how important animals are when things are tough and what a comfort they can be.”
Meghan has continued to show her commitment to her patronages, and over the summer, she sponsored a dog kennel in Archie’s name. Meghan and Prince Harry even chose Mayhew for the special honor of sharing the Sussexes’ 2020 Christmas card on their social media channels; the adorable image was an illustration of the couple with their son, Archie, playing with Guy and Pula in the garden at their Montecito home.
The royals are definitely a dog-loving crew, and back across the pond, Prince William and Kate Middleton have welcomed a new four-legged addition to the family, as they recently adopted an eight-month-old puppy. Perhaps the Sussexes will be able to meet the Cambridges’ new pup when they finally make their way back to the U.K. later this year.
