Cutting More Ties to UK? Meghan Markle Ends Royal Patronage Of London-Based Mayhew Animal Rescue

The Mayhew animal welfare organisation was one of the first patronages that Megan Markle - an advocate of adopting rescue dogs - chose as a working royal.

Meghan Markle has officially ended her royal patronage of the UK-based Mayhew animal welfare charity.

Founded in 1886, the charity positions itself as an animal welfare social organisation, helping homeless and other vulnerable people keep pets in the community.

"Our Royal Patronage with The Duchess of Sussex came to an end at the beginning of the year… It's been an incredible privilege for Mayhew to have worked closely with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, since 2019 when she became our Patron," wrote Mayhew charity in a post on Twitter.

Furthermore, the organisation also released a statement from the Duchess of Sussex herself, where she reminisced how she chose Mayhew as one of her first royal patronages in 2019. The decision had been inspired by her late friend, animal behaviorist, Oli Juste.

“We shared, amongst many things, a commitment to animal welfare, and a deep love of rescue dogs. In fact, it was Oli and his fiancé Rob who helped care for my rescue dog, Guy, when I had just moved to the UK and he was recovering from a debilitating accident,” wrote Meghan Markle.

In the statement, Prince Harry’s wife said that on January 15, 2022, her friend Oli had tragically passed away.

“In his memory, we will be creating the Oli Juste wing at Mayhew, to shelter the animals who may have a harder time finding their forever homes,” said Meghan Markle.

As she thanked the Mayhew community for entrusting the role of patron to her, which “had been an honour,” she concluded:

“Though my time as patron of Mayhew has come to a close, my unwavering support has not. I encourage each of you to support in whatever way you are able. The emotional support of a rescue animal is unparalleled—as you'll soon realise: it is not you who saves them, it is they who save you.”

Meghan Markle had adopted a rescue beagle named Guy while living in Toronto. She subsequently adopted a Labrador with Prince Harry, and now both dogs live with the couple in California.

The decision by Meghan Markle, who currently lives in a $14 million mansion in Montecito with her husband and their two children, comes over two years since she and Prince Harry announced their decision to step back from life as working royals. Despite the couple leaving the UK to make a new life for themselves, Meghan Markle has been permitted to maintain her patronages.

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, left, and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex speak at Global Citizen Live in Central Park on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in New York.

© AP Photo / Evan Agostini

The Duchess of Sussex visited the shelter in January 2019 and again in March 2020. It was in May of that year that reports revealed that the Duchess had been keeping in touch with her patronage as it “desperately” struggled with funding amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the global health crisis, it had seen fundraising events cancelled, along with plummeting donations.

In 2021, the Duchess wrote an essay highlighting the work Mayhew had done delivering care packages to pet owners facing the hardships of coronavirus lockdown or isolation. Markle underscored that "despite the hardship, Mayhew has been able to continue providing vital support to cats and dogs, and the communities around them".

Meghan Markle’s decision to quit leaves only one charity patronage left for her in Britain, the women’s clothes and job interview coaching charity Smart Works.