Meghan Markle and Prince Harry supported a storm-ravaged women’s shelter in Texas over the weekend after a week of big announcements by the royal couple.
Through the Archewell Foundation, a nonprofit organization, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex provided assistance to Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, an organization that helps families affected by domestic violence. The Dallas shelter experienced significant flooding amid the state’s continuous power outages.
“The duke and duchess told the Genesis team today that their hearts remain with the community, with the families that Genesis serves and with the volunteers and field workers who selflessly provide assistance and support to those in need,” a spokesman for the Sussexes shared with HuffPost, adding that the couple was “heartbroken to see communities across Texas still struggling to access the basic resources we all need – water, heat, food, shelter”.
The donation from Meghan and Harry will help the organization with immediate needs, roof damage and additional repairs to a temporary housing unit called Annie’s House.
Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, spoke about the involvement of royalty in a statement on Sunday. “This gift will not only meet our critical needs,” she said, “but it also illuminates violence against women and children, letting survivors know they are not alone.”
A few days earlier, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Sussex will not be returning as royalty. In a seemingly straightforward statement on Friday, the palace said that Queen Elizabeth had “written confirming that, by departing from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties inherent in a life of public service.”
Meghan and Harry responded to the queen’s statement shortly afterwards with a statement of their own.
“As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they represented, regardless of their official role. ”, A spokesman for the couple shared with HuffPost. “We can all live a life of service. The service is universal. “
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