Months ago, Queen Elizabeth “forced” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to give up their royal patronages. It was one of several punishments the Firm inflicted on Harry and Meghan for daring to live a life which is happy, free and rich. Plus they have beach access. Anyway, what was funny about the “make them give up their patronages” thing is that none of Harry and Meghan’s patronages wanted to say goodbye to them. H&M were great for business, and so the “private” UK charities simply kept them on. There was no way for Liz to force a private charity to shove Harry and Meghan out. Which is why Meghan is still the royal patron of Mayhew, the animal welfare charity in the UK. Mayhew loves Meghan. Mayhew asked Meghan to write the foreword to their annual review, and here it is:
“Over the last year, each of us have felt the profound effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Be it the loss of a loved one, the health challenges far too many faced, or the disproportionate life changes everyone has experienced, it has been an overwhelming process of grief, growth and also of gratitude. I have heard from so many of you about the impact of having a pet with you at home during the isolation of lockdown; you have mentioned the therapeutic effect of having your animal by your side and the solace and comfort you found in their company. This effect is something Mayhew strives to deliver day in and day out to people throughout the UK and beyond.
“I want to thank every animal lover across London, the UK and the world who has supported Mayhew during the past year. Your help has meant that, despite the hardship, Mayhew has been able to continue providing vital support to cats and dogs, and the communities around them. I have been proud to witness Mayhew adapting to the moment – through virtual rehoming, TheraPaws visits over Zoom and delivering care packages to animals and pet owners in need. The organization has rescued and rehabilitated cats and dogs in critical situations and, of course, delivered vital animal health services overseas in countries also gripped by the pandemic.
“When I reflect on 2020, I always come back to the importance of community and connection. We may have been forced apart, but we found new ways to be close and to support each other through this shared crisis. For many of us, this was made all the easier with our pets by our side. Mayhew – and thousands of small, community organizations like them – will continue to listen, adapt their services, and provide the resources that people and pets need to stay together and persevere through hardships. As we collectively build to the future, my sincere hope is that we do so with ongoing support and appreciation for organizations like Mayhew, who continue their vital work in days of crisis and in days of calm. Their commitment to the cause of animal welfare is steadfast and their effect on our community wellbeing is self-evident.”
I love that she wrote about the tangible programs Mayhew offers as well as writing about the joy and comfort animals have given people last year. People spent so much time with their pets in 2020! Dogs had maybe the best year ever, spending so much time with their humans. I bet Mayhew was swamped with people wanting to adopt pets, like every other shelter. Anyway, this is just a reminder that Meghan still has patronages in the UK. So if she ever does return to Salty White Folk Isle, it will be because she wants to give some attention to those patronages.
The review includes a special message from our Patron, The Duchess of Sussex, who said “We may have been forced apart, but we found new ways to be close and to support each other through this shared crisis. For many of us, this was made all the easier with our pets by our side.” pic.twitter.com/UML0iSMGZ1
— Mayhew 🐶🐱 (@themayhew) June 17, 2021
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Living well really is the best revenge. You just do the good stuff you do and the hater’s heads explode….
Lucky Mayhew to have such a caring and conscientious patron.
this!👆
I’m glad Mayhew and Meghan continue their partnership. It has to be reassuring that your Patron genuinely cares and isn’t just using you for an every 5 year photo op
I would SO buy a coffee table book of shelter animals pictures and stories that have been adopted over the pandemic.
*sorry, meant to reply to miasm below.
i hope we get to see a Meghan/Mayhew project soon! i was hoping for a book so that we could participate in some way here in the US but i know we’ll hear “Shes’s copying Kate!!!”.
You kinda know Meghan wrote this herself.
Kate wouldn’t even think of it, and even if she did, one of her pawns would write it.
No wonder Meghan’s charities want to keep her! Now let’s see what Kate story BP puts out.
@Larak Meghan knows that this is *exactly* what she’s supposed to do in that role: bring attention to organizations already doing great work. Not reinvent the wheel.
Mayhew didn’t have anywhere near the high profile they have since Meghan chose them as a patronage, and even Americans have made contributions to Mayhew! The Sussexes inspire generosity like that.
It’s nice to see that a royal CAN actually have positive impacts on their patronages, as long as they know best how to do it.
Classy as f*ck. Go Meghan! Go Mayhew!
Yup, as usual!
What did the Obamas say – we go high when they go low? M is just rising above it all and living her best life I guess. I also have had a pet during the pandemic and it’s been great.
When has Kate written a statement? Is it as muddled as her speeches?
She writes keen letters of support. And that is usually the extent of any support she offers her patronages.
The tweet about the Center had typos. Twitter was quick to pounce. No proof reading or Grammarly
I don’t want to be too catty but we did see her handwriting once on a message board at a train station. The answer is yes, it’s just as muddled.
She misspelled the word “country” in that message to workers at Euston Station when they were embarking on a choo-choo tour.
“Thank you to all transport workers everywhere for keeping the coutry [sic] moving throughout this difficult year. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Catherine, William.”
I hope we get a Mayhew project some day. It is a UK charity so she’s probably waiting until she can go back and launch something in the UK (but that depends on *if* she wants to go back and she can definitely launch something from the US)
she’s more likely to become a patron at a nationwide rescue program here in the US like Best Friends and/or Maddie’s fund then to start her own version of the Mayhew Project here
Or maybe support the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) which is international?
I’m not saying she’s going to start something new, I’m saying I hope she does a project WITH the existing Mayhew
Some organizations see that a respected Meaghan is good for business. Too bad the BRF and BM don’t.
Yeah I hope for a project with mayhew too. I can definitely see her returning to the U.K. at some point & touching base with her UK patronages.
Was sad she didn’t get a chance to do much with the National theatre. I wonder how long it will take for the firm to appoint new patrons for the orgs H&M were patrons of.
This is totally my projection but I am choosing to read the line about delivering services overseas as a statement of fact and a subtle dig at the government for using a loophole to cut our overseas aid budget (which may have just helped them lose an MP in a well off constituency seat they’ve held for 47 years since it was created). Of course royals would NEVER be political…
What makes a “private” charity as opposed to a royal patronage? Do the royal patronages get money from the gov?
No, it’s those that traditionally have had royal connection. So anything that has to do with the Commonwealth, a sporting organisation, military or have royal in its title. These organisations have always had a Royal, as Patron.
I think it’s that some were gifted to Meghan/Harry/other royals by the queen and some they select themselves.
These pics of Meghan with the dogs when she visited Mayhew for the first time as a patron, it was the same day she told Harry that she had suicidal thoughts.
She probably wished she could just stay there and play with the dogs. I’m sure they were much more welcoming than the humans back at the palace.
Oh that hurts my heart. I’m so glad they made it out. So much trauma. But I bet those dogs helped. They are so much better than people and so much better than we deserve.
The former CEO of Mayhew had hinted two years ago, on Omid’s podcast, that there was going to be a project with Meghan in 2020 but I guess with COVID and Meghan moving back to the US, plans have been postponed. But I’m sure she’ll do a project with them in the future.
The chairman of National Theater, was so sad to see Meghan loose this patronage, but because it is a royal patronage gifted to Meghan, from the queen, there was nothing he could do. I bet he was furious about it behind the scenes. Uptill now , none of the positions have been filled, such short sightedness!
I know. Instead of allowing Harry and Meghan to keep their gifted patronages, they were cut off and now those positions still haven’t been filled. What is the delay? I bet there are some royals who don’t want them and that’s the problem!
Its probably because the royals that are being offered, the patronages don’t want them! I’m sure the BRF are trying to shop Andrew out to everyone.
They aren’t positions to be filled. Royal patron isn’t an actual job with any sort of expectations. It basically just means that the Royal gets the credit of being a patron of an organization without having to donate money to them. The charity/organization doesn’t get much out of it anymore. It used to attract other wealthy patrons who wanted to be associated with Royals. The Royals’ starting their own foundations screwed up the system.
What is great about Meghan’s work–besides the fact that she gets results–is that she obviously loves these organizations. She loves her work, she finds it meaningful and satisfying, and she’s committed to doing her best by each one. For her, service is a pleasure and a goal, not a duty and a burden. The joy that happens in the relationships she forms is almost tangible. It is aspirational.
Calm, clear, lucid, understandable writing – A+
I am smiling, though, at “we may have been forced apart, but we found new ways to be close…”
+1000
This is so lovely. I think given how xenophobic the UK is, it just shows what an impression Meghan made on all her patronages that they should defy the present anti-Meghan wave by steadfastly sticking with her and doing so boldly. Meghan and Harry goes above and beyond the role of patron and as a result these organizations benefit in ways they don’t usually with other royals.
THIS is how you Patron. W/K should be taking notes.
The best part of this was finding out they continued their therapaws program over zoom. They zoomed with the animals. That is so fantastic.
God, I would love to zoom with animals. I’d do it all day.
The Mayhew was such an interesting choice as a patronage for her because thet were very small and not typical of other first royal patronages and even they were shocked she chose them. Even though she was forced to flea that island because of the racist inbreds surrounding her there i do think she will keep this patronage because it’s obviously a cause close to her heart. She has given it huge global exposure and im happy she chose them for the Christmas cards and stepped in to do something royals usually dont do: donate during a time of need which was especially needed as multiple royal patronages shut their doors last year.
Just popping in to say that I’m a HUGE fan of the Mayhew. They are just up the road from me in London.
Not only do they do great things in the UK (including adoption of cats and dogs; free/subsidised veterinary treatment for low income pet-owners; work with therapy animals; trap/neuter/return of feral cats in London; walk-in clinics for homeless people and their pets etc.), but they also have an international programme with various projects overseas (e.g. neutering/vaccination of street dogs in Afghanistan, training and mentoring of vets at overseas animal rescues, etc). And they started up in the 1880’s! It’s well worth looking them up if you don’t know them.
It goes without saying that Meghan has been a great fit for them.
That b&w picture is stunning. Meghan is so beautiful.
“We may have been forced apart, but we found new ways to be close and to support each other through this shared crisis.”
Double meaning, there.