Meghan Markle Made an Emotional Visit to a London Animal Shelter This Month

The Duchess of Sussex became a patron of Mayhew last year.

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit Canada House
(Image credit: Samir Hussein)

Bringing you some very cute Sussex content this morning: As documented on the official @sussexroyal Instagram account, Meghan Markle visited a London animal shelter during her return to the U.K. earlier this month. The Duchess of Sussex took a trip to animal welfare charity Mayhew, which she became a patron of in January 2019, and was photographed with an extremely adorable dog.

Meghan looked emotional as she and a Mayhew staff member hung out with said adorable dog, looking up at what I'm guessing (and I am often wrong!) was some kind of diagnostic result out of frame. And I relate to her strongly, as someone who can spend maximum 15 seconds in the company of a dog before becoming completely and irrevocably invested in their eternal welfare. 

"Earlier this month, The Duchess of Sussex popped in to see the amazing people at Mayhew to hear about the incredible progress made throughout the festive period," @sussexroyal captioned the photos. "The Duchess of Sussex, having been proud patron of Mayhew since January 2019 and long understanding the connection between animal and community welfare, applauds the people at Mayhew for the vital work that they do every day."

Meghan has long been a devoted animal lover and dog owner, so her patronage of Mayhew couldn't be a better fit. In a statement on the charity's website, she said, "As a proud rescue dog owner, I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring. The role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organisations such as Mayhew is unparalleled."

"What initially struck me about Mayhew specifically is their community based approach not simply on rehoming animals, but in the preventive care that inhibits these cats and dogs from ending up in shelters in the first place," the Duchess continued. "From Mayhew’s global education programmes to their community work on a micro level with the elderly, homeless, and vulnerable communities, they actively seek solutions that allow people to stay with their animals and have the support they need to do so."

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Emily Dixon
Morning Editor

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.