Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Delayed the Launch of Their Archewell Nonprofit

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have postponed the launch of their nonprofit, Archewell. in order to focus on Black Lives Matter and the coronavirus pandemic.

london, england march 07 prince harry, duke of sussex and meghan, duchess of sussex attend the mountbatten festival of music at royal albert hall on march 07, 2020 in london, england photo by karwai tangwireimage
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  • Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have postponed the launch of their upcoming nonprofit, Archewell.
  • The Sussexes reportedly want to focus on Black Lives Matter and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • "This is about getting it right and making sure they are able to make the difference they want to make," a royal insider said.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have delayed their launch of their nonprofit, Archewell, in order to focus their efforts on the Black Lives Matter movement and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Telegraph reports. While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex never announced a formal launch date—they told the Telegraph in April that they planned to launch "when the time [was] right"—royal insiders say the couple won't start any official Archewell projects until 2021.

The Sussexes filed official paperwork regarding Archewell in the U.S. in March, and the Telegraph subsequently reported that the charitable organization would comprise a "vast and ambitious array of projects" that could include emotional support groups, educational materials, volunteering services, and a wellbeing website. The couple told the newspaper that through Archewell—a title derived from the Greek word "arche," meaning "source of action," which also inspired son Archie Harrison's name—they hoped to "do something of meaning, to do something that matters."

Following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and many other Black people by police, Meghan and Harry have reportedly shifted their focus to the Black Lives Matter movement. Earlier this month, Meghan made a heartfelt speech to the graduating class of her former high school, Immaculate Heart, saying, "I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing, because George Floyd’s life mattered, and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered, and Philando Castile’s life mattered, and Tamir Rice’s life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know. Stephon Clarke, his life mattered."

Harper's Bazaar subsequently reported that the Sussexes were meeting with "community leaders and people at every level" about Black Lives Matter, while People explained, "They are holding calls with community leaders and organizations but are doing that privately as they continue to see how they can play a role. But they also want to learn and talk about it like the rest of us."

A royal insider told the Telegraph, "What’s absolutely clear is that they want to get it right and there’s no point in rushing," adding, "They are settling into a new life, a new era. This is about getting it right and making sure they are able to make the difference they want to make."

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Emily Dixon
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.