Meghan Markle Honors Late Friend In Touching Letter Following The End Of Her Animal Welfare Charity Patronage
Duchess Meghan Markle began her royal patronage for Mayhew, a U.K. animal charity, in 2019, as reported by E! News. Fans of the “Suits” actress are well aware that she is dedicated to helping furry friends in need. She and her husband, Prince Harry, are proud pup parents to a black lab named Oz and an adorable beagle called Guy. According to People magazine, Meghan adopted Guy through Petfinder in 2015.
The very good boy occupied Meghan when she moved to England. In 2017, however, it was reported that Guy severely injured himself, breaking his hind legs. Thankfully, the pooch was able to make a full recovery with the help of Meghan’s late friend, animal behaviorist, Oli Juste, who passed away in January 2022.
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In April 2022, Meghan honored Oli’s memory in a letter posted on the Mayhew website, after announcing her patronage had ended in early 2022. She explained that she “was introduced to Mayhew by [her] dear friend, animal behaviorist, Oli Juste,” who shared her “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. They loved him as though he was their own,” wrote the mother of two.
She then shared that Mayhew had Oli’s stamp of approval.
“He knew that beyond their adoption and rescue programs, their international work to keep animals safe, and their local work to find abandoned pets homes, that I would be drawn to their deep love of community, which transcended the animals themselves, and extended to the people around them. He was right. I fell in love with Mayhew, and soon became their Royal patron,” read a portion of Meghan’s letter.
The actress also noted that the passing of her “beloved friend Oli” has “left [her], and so many others, heartbroken and reflective.” She shared “that the legacy he leaves for our furry friends is beautifully simple: just love them.”
“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. Because much like Oli, they will never be forgotten, and they will always be loved,” mused Meghan.
The Duchess of Sussex ended her heartfelt letter by encouraging others to take Oli’s lead and help animals in need. She also thanked the Mayhew community “for entrusting [her] as [their] patron.”
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