SEATTLE, Washington — Since leaving the crown on April 1, 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been more active than ever in their humanitarian work. The impending quarantine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has not dampened their activism. After stepping down from their roles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the pair announced that they were starting their own global charity body called “Archewell.” The Archewell organization will possibly be launched in 2021.
A History of Humanitarianism
Meghan Markle has been passionate about humanitarian work since college, which is evidenced through her involvement in the Glass Slipper Project and Habitat for Humanity at her alma mater, Northwestern University. Further, during her years in the spotlight, Markle has held impressive activist titles such as Women’s Ambassador for the U.N. and Global Ambassador for World Vision.
Prince Harry is of course no stranger to humanitarian work either. In 2006, Prince Harry jointly founded Sentebale, a charity to help AIDS orphans in Lesotho, southern Africa. Another notable effort is Prince Harry’s founding of the Invictus Games, an international adaptive sporting event for wounded and injured servicemen and women, both serving and veteran.
After stepping down and relocating to Los Angeles, the couple’s charity work only continued. In June 2020, Meghan and Harry volunteered for the Homeboy Industries’ #FeedHOPE program which is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that hosts the largest program in the world dedicated to rehabilitating former gang members and recently incarcerated individuals. The couple assisted the members of the organization to make pastries and food parcels.
Looking back on their charitable history, it comes as no surprise that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would look to begin their own charitable body, the Archewell organization.
Five Facts About Archewell
- Initially, the couple planned to launch the organization later this year. However, the couple announced that due to the tense political climate in the United States as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, they will not make any official announcements or moves with the organization until 2021.
- The couple confirmed the name Archewell in April 2020. The name of the organization comes from the Greek word Arche, which means ‘source of action.’ The name also shares the same root word as their son’s name, Archie, who is the inspiration behind the organization.
- The couple has clarified on their website that while it is a nonprofit organization, Archewell will not be a foundation. Instead, it will be used as an instrument to highlight the abundance of humanitarian work currently being done that the couple is passionate about.
- Although the couple has not announced the organization’s specific objectives, they have revealed that the general aim will be to fight poverty and effect change. The organization will offer emotional support groups, a multimedia educational empire and a well-being website. The trademark application reveals that the organization’s website will offer a variety of downloadable resources such as podcasts, magazines and films.
- Recently there was a debate over the trademark of the organization. It was reported that the couples’ trademark for Archewell was rejected because of its vagueness. However, the couple has made the necessary amendments and resubmitted the application.
The final details of the organization are still unknown but the couple has laid out the main aims of the nonprofit. The Archewell organization will aim to fight poverty and effect change, an effort that will certainly have a notable impact. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are a prime example of celebrities utilizing their platforms to make a global difference.
– Kira Lucas
Photo: Flickr